What should have been another glorious moment in the sun for Apple is quickly turning into a blemish that won't go away. Rather than bask in the victory of the iPhone, Apple appears to have undermined itself by bricking modified iPhones. Is this the beginning of the end?It happens to every great civilization. A long period of slow growth, followed by an intense period of innovation, then a plateau, and eventually a long road down. It happened to Rome. And if it can happen to Arthur Fonzarelli, it can happen to Apple.

As my fellow blogger Stephen Wellman pointed out, this bricked iPhone debate has stirred people to their cores. Lots of strong feelings abound. Rather than continue the debate itself here, I have one issue in mind.

Will this bricking debacle permanently besmirch Apple's name? Is this the first bruise on the surface that will eventually soften the entire apple and cause it to rot?

Will Apple continue to hide behind its user terms of agreement, or eventually admit it might have made a mistake here?

To borrow a phrase from popular television, has Apple jumped the shark? Or will it stick to its guns, ride out the wave of negativity, and hope that Pinky still wants to give it a hug and kiss after it lands?

I am undecided. We'll have to see if the shark blithely ignores what's going on over its head, or chooses to jump out of the water and take a a bite.