It's a good thing we didn't spend the $10 apiece or so to go out and see Borat in the theater. It would not have been cash well spent. Though funny and incredibly ludicrous throughout, Borat served to better expose the ignorant American underbelly we'd rather not be reminded of than it did to deliver a quality film. Silly to be sure, but stupid.

In his guise as a visitor from Kazakhstan, Borat manages to make normal red-blooded Americans look even more foolish and backward than he does, even in his incredible get-up. He exposes Southern frat boys as racist, gets a rodeo chairman to talk on camera about his belief that every mustachioed Muslim is a potential terrorist, and attends a Pentecostal sermon that would boggle the mind, all while chasing after Pamela Anderson Lee across the country.

That the country was abuzz over the movie for months is a sad commentary on the society. That people paid full ticket value for what amounted to be an hour twenty minute comedy may be even worse. And some of the images from the film aren't exactly ones I want to see again. Funny, but stupid.

It hit me while driving home last night. While trying to find a radio station to listen to, I heard the familiar voice of Tom Shane from the Shane Company, offering me a new friend in the diamonds, rubies and sapphire business. His commercial asked me if I knew just what gem I should get for my wife or girlfriend (or both). And I thought immediately... Valentine's Day? Already?

I could swear we just got done with Christmas and then New Year's. We just started back at work after a week off... or so it feels. But glancing at the calendar tells me an entire month has gone by since Christmas, and that it won't be too long until we're a mere two weeks away from candy hearts and valentines. And right now, that doesn't feel very romantic. That sounds like an obligation. One I'm incapable of negotiating with my wife (or girlfriend) to see if we can skip it this time around.

In fact, our Christmas Cards are still up around our fireplace. We have plenty of chocolate at home strewn around the kitchen from various vendors. So we're not ready. I lobby instead that we move the date to give us more time to prepare. It's not that I don't care, it's just that I don't care... yet.

Lost in all the hoopla around Apple's introduction of the iPhone, followed by the subsequent trademark suit from Cisco Systems over Apple's ability to use the name was the second significant announcement that day - that of AppleTV, a set-top box that acts as a conduit between your iTunes media library and your flat-screen television. While the iPhone remains unavailable for purchase at least through June 2007, AppleTV is available for order, and should ship at the end of February. In fact, early reports show AppleTV as the #1 selling product at Apple's online store, ahead of even the iPod, and now, recent news says that the product's success has outstripped even Apple's lofty expectations.

According to a new entrant to the Apple rumor scene, Apple Recon, Apple has recently increased their initial 100,000 unit order to to triple that number. The author says part of the reason AppleTV has been so successful is the price - coming in at approximately 25% that of Windows Media Center devices. He's got a point. After all, using proceeds from the Apple stock I sold during Steve Jobs' keynote, I purchased both AppleTV and the new Airport Extreme. Given the low prices for both devices, it was almost on par with an impulse buy. I'm hoping that despite the influx of demand, my AppleTV will arrive on time and without delay. We can't wait to start messing with it.

For a company that was worth more than $1.6 billion as a Google acquisition, you would think they'd have learned how to make seamless changes without bringing down the entire site, but YouTube seems to instead love showing new error images.

Previous Story: Web 2.0 Companies Play With Error Messages

I hate to be suspicious, but this may or may not have to do with Fox's recent suit for YouTube to take down copyrighted episodes of 24 and The Simpsons. Of course, those who really want the shows can get them elsewhere online for free.

Update: Google's blog says YouTube and Google Video were integrated last night:

Starting today, YouTube video results will appear in the Google Video search index: when you click on YouTube thumbnails, you will be taken to YouTube.com to experience the videos. Over time, Google Video will become even more comprehensive as it evolves into a service where you can search for the world's online video content, irrespective of where it may be hosted.