Apple’s increasing cultural influence illustrates ‘Obama crash’

92 Comments

“Apple’s increasing visibility on the PC desktop, and in national politics and global culture, has resulted in the Mac’s multicolored ‘beach ball’ wait cursor becoming more recognizable to a general audience than the icons used by Windows,” Daniel Eran Dilger writes for AppleInsider.

“The latest cover by Businessweek for its November 3 edition metaphorically portrays U.S. President Obama as ‘crashed,’ and in need of a reboot, depicting him as a partially loaded image with the wait beach ball cursor from OS X,” Dilger writes. “Notably, the national news magazine didn’t use either the historical hourglass icon from Windows xp and earlier versions, nor the animated blue circle Microsoft began using with Windows Vista. An entire generation might not recognize the meaning of either one.”

Dilger writes, “Despite maintaining a greater overall share of the PC installed base, Windows doesn’t have the same cachet as Apple’s Macs, which are now used so broadly that the coy image Businessweek used didn’t need to provide further context.”

Bloomberg Businessweek cover uses Apple's OS X wait cursor to illustrate "Obama crash"
Bloomberg Businessweek cover uses Apple’s OS X wait cursor to illustrate “Obama crash”

 
Much more in the full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]

92 Comments

      2. More reasons the 2000s sucked. In the 90s, we had none of that. Clinton was a great president, and Lewinski could have been a great vice-president, had she improved on her internship skills.

        Reply

      5. Tflint… It was Obama’s baby in 2009 forward…… what is your take on the continued Drone Wars? Are they illegal such as the Bush killings you mention? How about the Benghazigate, Heathcaregate, NSAgate, IRSgate and all of the other “gates” Obama and his supporters turn a blind eye to? Bush was light years away from being my favorite guy in the Oval Office but I’m not so stupid, eye-clouded and sold out to the Democratic Party’s platform that I cannot see massive government/political corruption when it’s so in-your-face! Give it about 6 more months and I’ll be asking you another question…”How is that new Heath Care Act doing for you”!!

        Reply

        1. The fact of the matter is Herr Bush Tepes son of Vlad II had impaled that baby on that gate you speak of long before 09 FOX parrot boy!! – term boy not a racial comment. It’s all too obvious your a neocon shill payed to spew the Repugnant agenda on forums like these. You’ve been unmasked jackboot. Run along.

        3. My thoughts ALMOST EXACTLY! But I’d soften your progression just slightly.
          First term > 50%
          Second term > 55%
          Third term > 60%
          Fourth term > 65%
          Fifth term > 70%
          Sixth term > 75%
          Seventh term > 80%
          Eighth term > 85%
          Ninth term > 90%
          Tenth term > 95%
          Eleventh term > 97.5%
          Twelfth term > 98.75%
          Thirteenth term > 99.375%
          Fourteenth term > 99.6875%
          Fifteenth term > 99.84375%
          And So Forth

          This goes for ALL of them: President, Vice President, Senators, Members of the House. Literally ALL elected officials.

          If a member of the House wants to be there for almost 58 years (as one has been) then he or she better get virtually 100% of the votes in their district. If one in ten million people votes against you, you lose.

          The problem will be if the fourth term incumbent runs for a fifth term and gets “only” 69.9% of the vote and s/he was running against the other major party candidate and two “independents” who get 20%, 5.2% and 4.9%, respectively. Do you put into office the person who got only 20% of the votes (clearly NOT the majority’s choice!)? OR do you hold a whole new election that includes all parties again just excluding the incumbent?

          I really like the escalating vote requirement concept, but implementing it would take a LOT of careful thought.

          Also, I’d like a constitutional amendment that the members of congress and the president MUST DO THEIR JOBS or else face large personal fines. They MUST pass a budget every year. They MUST install judges. They must legally cover the country’s debt. etc. etc. If each and everyone of them is hit with a $50,000 fine for not passing a budget by 1 Oct. they’ll get the job done. (However, that concept ever becoming law, let alone part of the constitution, is a virtual impossibility.)

        4. Congratulations Shadowself! Your dissertation has earned you a first class degree in “How to sleep walk an electorate into dictatorship in a modern democracy”.

    3. I remembered seeing a Schoolhouse Rock episode where they compared Congress to a circus, which is a good analogy to explain government to kids. After seeing what has been going on in DC for the past few years, I think it’s safe to say that that episode has never been more relevant!

      Reply

      1. I object. A circus is a highly organised, efficient organisation that works to tight budgets and within strict deadlines. You have to arrive in town by midday to get that tent up for the first show tonight.

        Reply

    5. WAKE UP guys, both parties have treasonously taken this country down the path to a Third world country Banana Republic for the last 30 years. They get us fighting among ourselves with that Democrat-Republican thing.
      The globalists corporate thugs have taken over the government.
      Our military take orders from the United Nations (created by the Rockefellers in 1944).
      The Federal Reserve (private banking cartel owned by JP Morgan, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs) prints money like crazy that all of us have to pay with interest!!!, instead of the Treasury taking care of the printing at no interest like the Constitution says.
      Google it sheeple.

      Reply

      3. The people of the US don’t live on the planet alone. They have to learn to get along with the rest of us and subscribe to some form of global governance (just like the individual States joined together to form the United States). We all can start to agree on common principles that will keep us all safe and free.

        Reply

        3. Global governance-common purpose-sustainability- to keep us safe and free, global warming, climate change (the climate’s been changing for millions of years)….
          Beware of so many words that in the end brainwash us, to forget about U.S. sovereignty, and treat the Constitution as just another piece of paper.

      4. “chuckychan”

        You say some good things diagnosing the prob, but there’s no solution in your words.
        The O says, he wants to fundamentally transform the country. Is this your solution too?

        In my mind, we “simply” need to get back to the fundamentals.

        As time goes on, I realize I’m not a repub, dem, independent, or libertarian. I’m a constitutionalist and I wish my prez treasured the fundamentals therein.

        I’d be a fool to think that’s what he meant.

        N

        Reply

        1. The Constitution was designed by the founders to be an editable document, and one of the first things they did was start editing it. Many of the original Congress were unhappy that more edits were not made — to resolve the thorny issue of slavery, for example. We see how well kicking the can down the road worked for that issue.

          If you are a “Constitutionalist”, then realize that it was never the intent of the founders to lock the nation into the norms and standards of the 1790’s. We are long overdue for changes. Term limits is one issue already proposed here on this forum. I would propose a complete redesign of the voting system, campaign finance, process of determining district boundaries, and new strict definitions of “corporation” and the rights thereof.

          Is there a reason we can’t make positive reforms together? Of course there is — it’s the two corrupt puppet parties that have entrenched themselves in D.C. and have prevented any progress in over 5 decades … unless you actually like all the pro-corporate, anti-citizen moves that the corrupt parties have enabled.

        2. You are a fool Mike. You think government is your God and savior and will provide your every wish for you.

          Corporations are not evil you tool.

          Democrats and most Republicans are evil.

          You Libtards need to learn how to get off your asses and take care of yourselves and stop stealing from majority in this country that do work hard and take care of themselves and families.

          You libTards use any means necessary to vote in thieves to rob us contributors through massive taxation and then those tax dollars get flushed down the toilet.

          You libTards are not for the citizens as you say, you are for the communist type iron fist ruling that has never worked throughout history.

          You libTards are demented.

          The US has been the best place on Earth up until you libtards have gamed the system enough to really cause major problems now.

        5. LMFAO !!!!! I knew Joseph “GeoB”bels couldn’t keep away from this one. Old Prescott’s ghost still has hold on all those evil spirits and their victims both then and today. That was almost like moose calling. Look GeoB I unmasked you the last time for what you are. It’s right there in your moniker. So move along.

      2. That’s because the “majority” have not been impacted yet, because the employer mandate was delayed until next year (conveniently after the midterm elections). The “minority” currently most affected are those in the individual market (people who buy health insurance on their own), because the individual mandate was not delayed. “If you like your policy, I guarantee you can keep it, period.” was a HUGE lie.

        If you ask the people who have had, or will soon have, their existing individual policy cancel, because it does not meet the requirements of the mandate (to be replaced with a higher cost policy with additional mandated coverage they do not want), the “majority of the minority,” will NOW be against Obamacare.

        And next year, when the employer mandate kicks in, and a large percentage of employees are taken off the employer’s heath coverage and sent to the exchanges to get Obamacare, employees who liked their policy will not be able to keep it either. And that is when THEY (the “majority”) will also be against Obamacare.

        > MAJORITY of Americans if they are for mandatory health care, they are FOR it.

        That may be true, but “health care” is NOT the same as “health insurance.” CARE is the action. INSURANCE is a way to mitigate risk, NOT the action. Obamacare is a flawed and VERY expensive way to provide everyone with health CARE.

        Reply

        1. That’s why SINGLE payer is the penultimate answer to this Republican parties monstrosity but its the only creation the repugnicans will let us even get close to. The goal being UNIVERSAL coverage with a single payer despite the objections of the .01% that grab 97% of the created wealth by the sweat and toil of the former.
          Why should the surfs be privileged to the fruits of their labor when the entitaled wealthy elites can by Devine right scoop up all but a pittance of 3% of created wealth to be distributed amongst you 99.9% pions?

          GBS “the more I know the monied class the more I understand the guillotine”

        2. You act like “Republicans” are evil entities that magically appeared out of nowhere and now populate Congress. They were elected by their constituents (just like Democrat members), from their states and districts.

          The House of Representatives is called “the people’s house” because it’s closer to the people they represent, and (re)elected every two years. And the majority of that body is Republican. Before Obamacare was passed, the majority was Democrat. What does that tell you about the your so-called “0.01%” who are “objecting?” Gee, that “0.01%” of the population sure has a lot of votes.

          And the irony here is that ultra-rich (the “0.01%” as you call them) are NOT going to be hurt by Obamacare; they can just “self-insure.” It’s the majority of that “97%” group who are being hurt by Obamacare, who are being forced to pay more for additional health coverage they don’t want and can’t afford.

          You’re blaming Republicans for Obamacare? The reason the “monstrosity” (as you called it) sucks so bad is because it was SO hastily created and passed; if the Democrats waited any longer, the 2010 mid-term election would make the bill DOA. It wasn’t the “Republicans” in Congress who were objecting and forcing Democrats to not go straight to “single-payer”; it’s the PEOPLE they represent who were objecting, across the U.S., at “town-hall” meetings, including constituents of Democrat members.

          So, no one in Congress had time to consider the implications of its provisions and mandates; no one even had time to read it, before it was voted on. It was passed with zero Republican support, because Republicans had zero input in its creation. After the 2010 election, when there was more time to consider the implications before implementation, the Democrats no longer controlled the House of Representatives, and could not amend the truly flawed parts of the law, even if they wanted to…

          After the first year of Obamacare, it is likely that MORE Americans will be without health insurance than before. And that would be truly sad. Giving everyone access to health CARE is a noble cause. Doing so by mandating health INSURANCE, as defined by Obamacare, will end up being a HUGE setback.

        3. First I don’t listen to fox propaganda channel I’m not about to go through your reich wing spewfest though I have glazed over it until I had to vomit at all the parroted neocon talking points.
          Second Gerrymandering, look it up.
          Thirdly it’s not really Obamas idea it’s Herr Mitt Rhomneys so accept paternity for your monster.
          Lastly, because its pointless to argue with an obvious payed neocon shill its people like you who are paid and the mindless zombies that continually vote and act against their own self interest that make sure the ubberwealthy don’t contribute their fair share to the commons that they above all benefit from and do more and more at an alarmingly historical rate. The last time the elites out gained the common man at such a level was under Louis XII and we all know how that happened. Also for your Bankster buddies that have destroyed the world economy can we please have Chinese style justice. I think it would be only fair.

        4. Yes, it’s obviously “pointless” to argue, because you have no points to argue with… 🙂 All you have left are personal insults and childish generalizations.

        6. Yes cut and pasting Fox noodles neocon talking points IS well thought out and formulated and whatever. It’s still drivel for the mindless orcs to vomit on these boards. Perhaps a private room would be in order between you two. Not that there is anything wrong with that. You can pay with your shill check that are in the mail. Don’t forget your jackboots and pile of Erikn Rand TP.

    3. When Bush lied, thousands of innocent people died, we got stuck in 2 ridiculous wars that we’re still paying for and the world economy crashed – which we are also still paying for.

      And under President Obama, your health insurance plan is being improved.

      Reply

      1. When did I say I liked Bush? Bush was one of the major reason that the 2000s sucked. I was praising the 90s and Clinton’s America. I only brought up Obama because he is currently relevant, and sucks just as bad as Bush.

        Reply

  10. While I think the concept is creative, isn’t this bordering on unintentional Apple FUD? The “crashed” title is implying that the Mac’s fail rate is just as bad as Windows. Personally, I think they should have used the Blue Screen of Death. It’d be more accurate. 🙂

    Reply

  11. no one ever asked the people who do the work regarding forced socialized medicine:

    “I quit when medicine was placed under state control, some years ago,” said Dr. Hendricks. “Do you know what it takes to perform a brain operation? Do you know the kind of skill it demands, and the years of passionate, merciless, excruciating devotion that go to acquire that skill? That was what I would not place at the disposal of men whose sole qualification to rule me was their capacity to spout the 
fraudulent generalities that got them elected to the privilege of enforcing their wishes at the point of a gun. I would not let them dictate the purpose for which my years of study had been spent, or the conditions of my work, or my choice of patients, or the amount of my reward. I observed that in all the discussions that preceded the enslavement of medicine, men discussed everything — except the desires of the doctors. Men considered only the ‘welfare’ of the patients, with no thought for those who were to provide it. That a doctor should have any right, desire or choice in the matter, was regarded as irrelevant selfishness; his is not to choose, they said, only ‘to serve.’ That a man who’s willing to work under compulsion is too dangerous a brute to entrust with a job in the stockyards — never occurred to those who proposed to help the sick by making life impossible for the healthy. I have often wondered at the smugness with which people assert their right to enslave me, to control my work, to force my will, to violate my conscience, to stifle my mind — yet what is it that they expect to depend upon, when they lie on an operating table under my hands? Their moral code has taught them to believe that it is safe to rely on the virtue of their victims. Well, that is the virtue I have withdrawn. Let them discover the kind of doctors that their system will now produce. Let them discover, in their operating rooms and hospital wards, that it is not safe to place their lives in the hands of a man whose life they have throttled. It is not safe, if he is the sort of man who resents it — and still less safe, if he is the sort who doesn’t.”
    —Ayn Rand, “Atlas Shrugged”

    Reply

        5. You have an icon that says “Impeach Obama”, and you bring politics into every single MDN article, when it clearly isn’t relevant, and you call me nuts. OK then…

    2. “There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.” — John Rogers

      Shall we buy botvinnik a copy of The Lord of the Rings? 😆

      Reply

        2. You misunderstand: my comment was about you, not to you. I don’t wish to devastate you since you provide too much entertainment of the Zune Tang variety. If you only had the skill of Zune Tang… 🙂

    3. YERK I just threw up in my mouth!!!
      ATLAS ON DRUGS you mean!?!?
      What idiotic drivel written by an insanely sociopathic egotist. The cover should have had the Koolaid mascot dry humping the world.
      Listen here libertarian fools and remember this! Your beloved liberty and freedom begins and ends when and where mine begins!!! That applies to each and everyone else so people start to live in and as a part of society or step back. If not we’ll all be two stepping to hells deepest bowls together for eternity.

      Reply

  12. People on this site are are quite smart and usually so spot on in their comments. Then, whenever something pops up like Fox News, Rush Linbaugh or anything remotely about a right-wing person, the loonies come out. Rush loves Apple products and often discusses them on his radio show. Often, the transcripts are posted here. There is NOTHING political from Rush on the Apple comments. But never fear, the anti-free-speech people are out in full force. Had the exact same comments about Apple been made by some political hack like Chris Matthews; no problem and all is good.

    By the way and for the record…

    Fox News has a consistently larger audience than CNN, Headline News and MSNBC… COMBINED! So, some of you would come off a whole lot smarter sounding if you didn’t act so shocked that anyone would watch Fox News. To be honest, it would be a very fair statement that the vast minority of cable news watchers don’t watch Fox News.

    Better yet, how about we just stay away from politics on this site totally. Besides, considering your boy Obama at a 54% DISAPPROVAL rating, you should realize people are no longer buying the crap he is peddling (lying about). Unfortunately, many of the O-lovers took a VERY long time to see what the right saw before the clown was elected the first time. But, better late than never. Glad to have you shedding the rose-colored glasses… finally.

    Reply

  13. In case some need a reality check, here are the latest ratings.

    In total viewers, O’Reilly remained first last night with 2.96 million watching to Kelly’s 2.350 million. Against her time slot rivals however Kelly was the easy winner. In fact, her show had more in the demo than CNN’s Piers Morgan Live had in total viewers. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show was second in the 9 PM slot with 810,000 total viewers and 136,000 among the 25-54s. Now moved from his previous 9 PM slot to 10 PM, FNC’s Hannity lost some of Kelly’s crowd with his demo at 305,000 and total viewers at 1.59 million. Still that was better than CNN AC360 Later (52,000 in the demo and 193,000 total viewers) and MSNBC’s Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell (139,000 in the demo and 679,000 total viewers) put together in both categories.

    Reply

    1. RRRREICHHHHHH!!!
      FOX WHAT??? NEWS??? You must be puffing Walters blue crystal I see. Then again what else can one do in that clusterfusk hotbed of crazy, Arizona is? You know theres lies, damned dirty lies and then there’s numbers right. With your comment of “boy” it’s obvious your nothing more than a sorry racist and by what you watch a fascist too. So heres to you Archie, stand up you know the rest….
      EIN REICH EIN VOLK EIN BUSH………ZEIG……

      Reply

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