COLUMN: The year of fluorescent computers, reborn politicians

From Daniel Fienberg's, "The Fien Print," Fall '99 From Daniel Fienberg's, "The Fien Print," Fall '99A riddle: What two funny looking enigmas come from California, enjoy making crazy fashion statements, reached their all-time lows in the early '90s and have suddenly returned to power in the past year? More on the second modern Lazarus later, but aren't we all glad that 1998 was a banner year for Apple? Of course, this goes with what I've been saying all along: I only use my Macintosh because every morning when I turn it on, the first thing is does is smile at me as it welcomes me to its nearly obsolete interface. I've worked at many a PC, but never has one of those cold SOBs -- Sons of Bill -- ever so much as nodded to acknowledge my existence. Even if Mr. Gates could get his computers to reach out and give me a hug, it would be like teaching your cat to imitate your dog and shake hands: No matter how well Garfield learned the basic skill, I would still be allergic to cats. And I know why all Mac users are glad to see the resurgence of our desktop demigods -- games. It's just been brutal watching IBM followers get to use all the cool games, diversions where you pick up a gun and hunt deer, aliens or the brothers Hanson. Alternatively, we Mac people just want the rest of you to stop making fun of us. We're people too. Hath not a Mac user a mouse? If you e-mail us, do we not respond? If you virus us, do not our hard drives fizzle? A few years ago, though, the only thing more likely to lead to your stoning than owning an Apple, was admitting that you voted for the second answer to my riddle. Oh yes, a prodigal son has returned to the Bay area and it's no coincidence that his inauguration as mayor of Oakland came at the same time as the annual MacWorld conference. Yep. Jerry Brown's back, too. If you think that iMacs look funny -- all rounded edges and a clear mouse -- take a look back at the 1992 election debates, where the Democratic line-up consisted of 10 men in identical charcoal suits, and ol' Jerry at the far left in cords and a black turtleneck, with an ugly comb-over and two huge caterpillars below his forehead that gave even Mike Dukakis eyebrow envy. As the closest thing the race had to a true liberal, he got blitzed. My mother, however, remembers the days when having a Macintosh was cool and, further back, to when supporting Jerry Brown was even cooler. He was nicknamed "Governor Moonbeam" and he is the only governor of a major state ever to have dated Linda Ronstadt, which also seemed cooler then than it does now. He faced an uphill battle, fighting hard to repair the damage left by Ronald Reagan's tenure as governor, fighting for the education and personal liberties. So, he was a bit of a goofball, but compared to Ross Perot or Jesse Ventura, who's complaining? Things won't get easier for either of the answers to our riddle. Macs still make up less than 10 percent of all desktop computers and there isn't anything on the horizon to change that. And Jerry Brown returned triumphantly to politics only to see that he had been elected mayor of one of American's most crime- and poverty-ridden cities, a place that desperately needs his dedication to public schooling and equal opportunity. Odds are, my bedroom and The Daily Pennsylvanian will continue to be part of the minority: businesses run with Apples. And Jerry Brown isn't likely to make another run for the presidency. But somehow, I feel comforted knowing that if you just make a quality product or advocate a thoughtful platform, even the oddest person or most prodigal child gets to return to glory.