I know everyone and their mom is talking about it, but I just can't resist. The new Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) releases today were the Apple TV (previously named the iTV) and iPhone. These revolutionary and exciting products are definitely evoking resounding ooh's and aah's, clearly indicated by the sharp rise in Apple stocks today - over 7%! We're talking millions of dollars here. Everyone wants a piece of the Apple pie, and the iPhone is quite a product.

But let's not forget about Apple TV - the artist formerly known as iTV. This device ties in nicely with my rant a few weeks ago regarding the annoyance of viewing online video on my PC. Well not anymore! Just as promised Apple has presented us with a convenient way to stream iTunes content (like 80's music videos!) to our boob tubes. I'd say it's reasonably priced at $299. Some of us might have to put in a couple of extra hours at the office for that one, but it's totally worth it. How else are we going to be able to watch videos like Hot for Teacher or Rhythm Nation on a big screen?

Apple is constantly changing the face of music, video, phones, technology, and that's something I just can't resist. Despite all these sites distributing free or low-fee content, Apple keeps a stronghold on digital media. Yeah you have to pay for it, but look at what you can do with it when using Apple products.

Women's networks like Lifetime, Oxygen -OH!, and WE (Women's Entertainment) were created specifically to lure female audiences. And they're successful...but they're also givin' us femmes a bad rap.

I'll admit, once I've tuned into shows like The Bad Girls Club or the Lifetime Original -- Another Woman's Husband, I am glued to the set. But as I watch the drama unfold, I'm completely appalled by the way they portray women. The images of women presented by the producers scare me. And some of them are true stories! Are there women out there who are really like that? And how do I stay away from them? Far, far away from them.

Any unassuming person could watch one of these networks and believe that all women are psychotic, neurotic, paranoid, obsessive, fatally attracted -- heck, just downright crazy. And while I'll confess that I can, at times, act a bit hormonal, I don't think that I'm going to plot my sister's death so I can steal her husband and family, which was a recent storyline on one of these shows.

Taken together, it all paints women in a less than flattering light.

Word on the street is that Apple Computer, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iTunes is a bit jammed up as of late. And I'm pissed. I have about 50 bucks of gift cards that need spending, and an endless list of songs on deck to download. What gives?

I too have been a victim of the server downward spiral. After I carefully power search for songs, I hit "Buy" only to read "Try again, there was an error." Again and again. There is no greater rage. Especially when I've got these gift cards burnin' a hole in my pocket.

I'd like to note that this is the first time I've been disappointed by Apple. All this time I've been amazed by its iPods, its services, its notebooks, its famous immunity to viruses, and the simplicity of the functionality of its products. I have long admired Apple's philosophy and have taken to promoting its products as if I were an employee. I've felt a special bond and patronage to Apple. And now it's gone and let me down.

In Apple's defense, the glitches are most likely a testament to the massive influx of proud, new iPod owners.

In any event, I say Apple, get your act together. Spend some time, spend some millions and get us better servers. I've got thousands of songs to buy!

PS: Thank you for the comments, and thanks for reading. Although I don't know why you do. Usually I don't have any idea what I'm talkin' about.

YouTube, owned by Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), is all the rage. It has been for a while. And because of its unmistakable dominance over the online video scene, other players are trying to figure out how to overthrow it from its throne. Everyone loves an epic story.

Lately, there have been rumblings of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (i.e. Nickolodeon, MTV, Comedy Central) teaming with 3 other giants - NBC, CBS, and FOX to fuse faculties to create their own video portal.

Reportedly, those talks have come to a halt for the moment. It may be the right thing to do for now. You can't just buy a community, you have to earn it -- with buzz, with clout. Not to mention we like tuning into our prime time programs every night. Don't go stealing its thunder with a "ThemTube."

Personally, I don't think I'd enjoy viewing this product. I'm at a computer all day long at work, the last thing I wan t to do is go home and sit at my desk watching online videos of full length TV shows. I much prefer the comfort of my couch and the lazy convenience of my remote control. Also, with my TV, there is no commitment, so I can channel surf other networks and programs all I want.

But I wouldn't count the media giants out just yet. In this industry, companies aren't just hustling to keep up with the Joneses, they are looking to outlast, outplay, and outwit the competition. And it's a tricky game when the majority of your success is based on the community, which isn't a guaranteed constant.

Stay on your toes Tele Toobies. Sleep with one eye open.

I read somewhere today that Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) Personals is the number one dating service on the Internet. They say it's lonely at the top, but apparently singles using the site have been successful in quelling their loneliness -- just when I was certain that that internet dating stuff was bogus ...

Rivaled by Match.com, the Hoo's in Yahooville are working industriously to stay one step ahead of the game. They've recently added a new feature called "Quick View", which allows the user to scan for potential mates more quickly and efficiently. They are afforded the ability to mark off characteristics, (i.e., smoker, non-smoker) as "breaker" or "maker", this way any received profiles with 'breaker" traits will be labeled as such. And it's likely that the "breaker" will be discarded by the user - "Layta!". Sounds like a good deal, right? Quick, convenient, and it saves precious time. I don't think so. (Note: if you don't have the time to really get to know and evaluate a person, how will you have time for a relationship?)

First of all the whole idea of a first impression being based on a profile (a Quick View) -- mere words and check offs -- is whack. You can hardly trust people in person, let alone on paper.