>Interestingly enough, Jobs himself was also considered for knighthood by the Queen of the United Kingdom, but the proposal was blocked by a former Prime Minister because Jobs declined to speak at a Labour Party conference.<p>That's fascinating to me. As an American who has never paid much attention to British knighthood, I am not knowledgeable about the process for selecting whom becomes a British knight. Could someone with the requisite knowledge perhaps elucidate on whether or not ostensibly petty politics get in the way of these things with regularity?<p>It seems absolutely absurd that someone who is being considered for knighthood could be denied of that because of something as minuscule as declining to speak at a party conference.
If you have not seen Gary Hustwit's design documentary, "Objectified", I recommend it highly. Especially if you are not a professional designer (I am not a designer, and I know enough to appreciate good design, not produce it) [1].<p>In "Objectified", Dieter Rams (of iconic Braun fame) is asked if there is any company that really gets design today. He answers after a moment's pause: "Apple".[2]<p>[1] Ira Glass on the importance of having good taste before you can produce to the expectations of that taste<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI23U7U2aUY" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI23U7U2aUY</a> (EDIT: Fixed link)<p>[2] "Objectified: Dieter Rams commentary"<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBF1rOxWsxg" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBF1rOxWsxg</a><p><a href="http://objectifiedfilm.com" rel="nofollow">http://objectifiedfilm.com</a>
Incredibly well deserved. If we all learn one thing from Sir Jony Ive, it's that simplicity wins out every single time.<p>Really happy to see him get mainstream recognition, because he truly should be up there with all the other well-known genius Brit's like Branson and Dyson.
Am I the only one who was under the impression that he was <i>already</i> knighted for his work on the iPod/iMac (even before the iPhone was announced)? I could have sworn I read something to that effect many years ago.
I'm happy that Jony got awarded this honor. But when I read "Commander of the British Empire" I chuckled and thought to myself, it's 2012 and this really ought to say "Commander of the British Empire <i>or what's left of it</i>" ;)
This is as absurd as if he'd been given an honorary title by the Church of Scientology...<p>Am I the only one who sees this as a pitiful attempt by a government to rub elbows with someone who truly has merit, and by doing so to create the notion that there is some form of equality between the two?<p>I think any self-respecting person would decline knighthood. Though I can see in this case how his corporate responsibilities would lead him to accept it in order not to offend British subjects, since doing so might hurt sales.