Jonathan Ive made a CBE by the Queen

[firestarter]

From the BBC web site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4569912.stm

"Jonathan Ive, the man behind Apple's iconic iPod and iMac, has become a CBE in the New Year Honours list.

Apple said in a statement: "We are as proud as could be that Jony is receiving such a prestigous commendation.""

Congratulations!!

(CBE details http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire )

 

[thequicksilver]

Excellent stuff.

 

[katie ta achoo]

Ooo, that's nifty.

I kinda read it as "Jonathan Ive made Queen" though...
I've been staring at sheet music too long

 

[iSaint]

I thought it was a song recommendation

 

[CanadaRAM]

Ooo, that's nifty.

I kinda read it as "Jonathan Ive made Queen" though...
I've been staring at sheet music too long

But I thought Queen'd already chosen Paul Rodgers?

(Plus I dint know Jony was a singer anyways...)

 

[Blue Velvet]

The awards are an anachronism, stuffed with class privilege and cronyism.

But in this case, obviously well-deserved.

 

[Deepdale]

The awards are an anachronism, stuffed with class privilege and cronyism.

The perfect ingredients that make awards near and dear to the hearts of many. But clearly justified in JI's case.

 

[skunk]

The awards are an anachronism, stuffed with class privilege and cronyism.

If only they'd change the bloody name: what "British Empire", and why should we be proud of it?

 

[firestarter]

If only they'd change the bloody name: what "British Empire", and why should we be proud of it?

Because if we hadn't have done the Empire thing someone else would have and (arguably) we made a reasonable job of it. We modernised a lot of countries, spread English around the world, and exited without unreasonable fuss when we saw that Empire's time was up.

Lack of pride over the Empire is a very 'PC' modern British trait. There's a lot to be proud of - and the lasting legacy of the Commonwealth (which most former colonies remain active members of from their own freewill) demostrates the fallacy that the Empire was all bad.

It was of its time. Bad things happened as well as good. Things aren't always black and white. On balance, much good was done.

ps: I do agree that all the New Years honours thing is pretty anachronistic. It's good to have a way to recognise people though - most of the awards are handed to regular folk.

 

[displaced]

If an award's given in good faith, as an expression of gratitude, then it's worthy no matter what its history is.

As for the Empire bit... I agree, it was very much 'of its time'. What we (as a nation) do today, and what we do tomorrow is important to me. But our history is also important, even if (as they've got the habit of doing) times change. I'm in no hurry to get rid of practices which hark back to earlier times. And there's no reason not to be interested or even (dare I say it) proud of past accomplishments, as long as you keep that wry smile and make sure you're not seduced by the myth of 'better times, since passed'.

Deny (or even hate) your past, and you're doomed to a bland future.

Become obsessed with re-creating your past, and you're doomed to repeat its failures.

Happy New Year!

Chris -- who's got one foot in the past, one foot in the future, and his eyes on today.