Men who like women who like plasmas

I've never been able to understand the appeal of diamonds. Sure, they're beautiful, but for the price? Compared to, say, a holiday? But had steeled myself for the idea that someday, I will have to shell out a ridiculous amount of money on jewellery. So I can't tell you how happy I was to hear that three out of four US women say they'd prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond necklace. You go, girls.

Those of you who might like to cynically pick apart surveys that achieve a result that's consistent with whatever the companies that commissioned them would want will note that it was released by Oxygen, a women's cable network in the US. I'm sure they were just delighted with the result, but wouldn't have manipulated the survey in any way to get it. Like only interviewing heavy-use subscribers, for instance,

Actually, I don't know that they would have had to manipulate the data all that much. Because the biggest source of bias to the survey, in fact, is how awesome Oxygen is. Who'd want a boring diamond necklace when they can watch a show where Fabio recruiting his beefcake successor for the cover of Harlequin romance novels? Especially when it's created by Gene Simmons!

Then there's a show where Shannen Doherty (an avowed expert in the area) helpfully breaks up with your partner for you, and a call-in show where "sex grandma" Sue Johanson answers your questions about "sex, love and everything in between". So really, this cable channel is far more essential than oxygen.

And before you think that my admiration of the world's leading women's TV channel makes me some kind of girly-man, check out Fight Girls, a reality show where 7 women compete for the World Thai Boxing Championship under the watchful eye of Muay Thai Master Toddy – check out the video clip, it looks awesome. Guys would find it unmissable.

Anyway – the broader point in the survey is that women are getting more into technology. This is great news, because it makes me feel like less of a freak for being obsessed with gadgets. I find it hard to believe that 86% of women would prefer a digital video camera to a new pair of shoes – feel free to correct me here, though – but it can only be good news for nerdy gentlemen. If women love gadgets too, then the traditional male justification for blowing money on technology ("but it's for us to share!") actually works. The time we spend mucking around with gadgets we find fun (my latest favourite: Foxtel IQ – The Daily Show every night!) suddenly becomes "us time".

So, who said geekboys were antisocial and couldn't relate to women? Now when a woman asks "Is that an iPod in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?", it's okay to pick the first option.



Dominic Knight