Willamette Geek: Steve Jobs Goes on Medical Leave Again

Since Apple CEO Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, he has taken two medical leaves of absence for treatment— once in 2004 and a longer six-month leave in 2009. This morning he announced his third, leaving Apple COO Tim Cook again to handle Jobs' responsibilities.

The big question is inevitably the state of the 55-year-old Jobs' health, with Apple about to release the iPhone on Verizon in a much- anticipated move, as well as its sales numbers tomorrow for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011.

No doubt people holding AAPL stock will be watching closely to learn what procedure, if any, Jobs will undergo now and how long he will he MIA.