Has Steve Jobs cancer flared up again? The short answer is “no,” it looks as though he has not had a recurrence.

In an article posted on The New York Times, writer Joe Nocera reports on a phone call he received from Mr. Jobs that reportedly started with “This is Steve Jobs. You think I’m an arrogant (expletive) who thinks he’s above the law, and I think you’re a slime bucket who gets most of his facts wrong.”

After that rather Jobsonian opening, Mr Nocera received some details on Mr. Jobs’ recent health problems.

While the conversation was off-the-record, the article goes on to say that Mr. Jobs does not have a recurrence of cancer. That’s great news on several fronts — most importantly because Mr. Jobs is a family-man and would be missed by both his family and his massive fan base around the globe. But it’s also good news because it gives Mr. Jobs time to begin sharing the spotlight with some of the other geniuses at Apple. That’s something I suspect employees and shareholders alike would welcome.

I outlined this concern in a blog entry several months ago called “Why Steve Jobs is Both a Genius and a Knucklehead.” The blog discusses the risk Mr. Jobs puts Apple in while he continues to promote himself as the exclusive face of Apple.

The danger of having Apple’s health linked so closely to Steve Jobs’ health is a scenario both Apple and Mr. Jobs should avoid.

Apple is at it again.

As discussed in previous posts, Apple (and its knucklehead CEO, Steve Jobs) are marketing geniuses. They not only have a knack for creating extremely usable computers, software and gadgets, they also have a knack for marketing the hell out of them.

Well, they’re at it again. They’ve launched the new iPhone and, like its predecessors, it will be a huge success. Why? Two reasons: 1) They’ve built one of the most powerful brands in the world, and 2) They create a sense of scarcity every time they launch a new product.

Remember what your economics professor taught you about supply and demand? When a product’s demand exceeds supply, you can charge a premium. And that’s exactly what Apple does — they create the perception that demand will outstrip supply so that eager consumers will rush to the store and pay a premium for their new product.

Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s quite brilliant. And just one more feather in the cap of Steve Jobs and the rest of the geniuses at Apple.

Okay, I’m coming clean. First of all, I’m a big fan of most Apple products. And I’m also a fan of Steve Jobs who, by my count, has become a billionaire three separate times in his life (first with Apple, then with Pixar, then with Apple again).

But that doesn’t mean that Steve Jobs isn’t also a knucklehead. Because only a knucklehead (or an egomaniac) would wrap his entire company’s success or failure around one person’s personality.

And that person, of course, is Steve Jobs.

Yes, he’s a brilliant businessman. Yes, he’s a visionary. But no, he’s not impervious to getting hit by a bus. And when an entire company’s brand is wrapped up in one person, the company’s future is riding on an awful lot.

So there you have it. Yes, Steve, you’re brilliant. And yes, Steve, you do a great job of promoting Apple. But, c’mon, get off your high horse and start spreading the glory among the other geniuses at Apple. They deserve it. And, quite frankly, so do your shareholders.