Wednesday Randomosity (and Virtual Girlfriends!)

• Market rally was nice today.  If pattern holds, then tomorrow is flat and Friday is a rally.  Wouldn’t that be something if the market did exactly what it has done historically this week?
• The “other” big news today?  Steve Jobs decided Apple would try TV again.  There will be a new Apple TV device that sells for $99, TV shows rent for 99 cents, and movies for $4.99.  You will also be able to stream Netflix movies.
• Will everyone now believe that Apple invented streaming content to your TV? 
• Seems kind of underwhelming.  The Roku box does movies, Amazon streaming, MLB, and Netflix’s instant streaming library.  I’m sure the Apple device will be nice, but who wants to pay $.99 for a TV rental?  That seems lame when you can watch Hulu or record shows on a DVR.  And $4.99 per movie is pricey when Red Box is $1 a night and Netflix streams movies in an all-you-can-view for $9 a month format. 
• How does Apple TV compare to Roku? 
• Outlook dimming for Democrats.  The Cook Political Report, a newsletter that tracks congressional races, now lists 68 Democratic House seats as being at "substantial risk," up from 62 in July and 58 in June, and the group plans to raise the figure to more than 70 this week. Other pollsters and analysts have also increased their list of Democrats they now consider imperiled. By comparison, less than 10 Republican-held seats are thought to be in jeopardy. Before the Republicans start dancing in the end zone and celebrating in the 3rd quarter, they may want to press on and make sure they finish the game.
• In Japan, real men go to a hotel with virtual girlfriends.  After choosing one of three female characters—goodie-goodie Manaka, sassy Rinko or big-sister type Nene—to be a steady girlfriend, the player taps a stylus on the DS touch-screen in order to walk hand-in-hand to school, exchange flirtatious text messages and even meet in the school courtyard for a little afternoon kiss. Using the device's built-in microphone, the player can carry on sweet, albeit mundane, conversations.  Pictured above and here.
• So. Yeah, okay.  Who would you pick? 
• Had my fantasy football draft last night.  Eh.  We shall see.  Nothing is more boring than someone talking their fantasy football lineup.  Except, maybe, talking about their virtual girlfriend.