We know these things are scheduled months in advance, and we know they're always clearly labeled as "tentative and subject to change," but when one gets rescheduled even by a single day, we just have to wonder if there's a big reason why. (Seems like we're reaching, doesn't it? Cut us some slack-- it's a slow news day.) We're talking about Apple's quarterly earnings results; according to AAPL Investors, the Q3 numbers were originally slotted for a July 19th unveiling, but as of Thursday, the event had been knocked back a day to the 18th instead. Was this move made to resolve a simple scheduling conflict, or is there a darker motive at work?

Turns out it's just a simple scheduling conflict-- plus some savvy marketing strategy. If you check your Apple-watcher's calendar, you'll notice that July 19th is circled in red. It also has giant arrows pointing to it from all directions, is sparkly with multicolored glitter, and includes a bright red button that activates a sound chip which plays a brass fanfare and the digitized voice of television's Burt Ward saying, "Holy public address system, Mac fans! It's the Steve Jobs Macworld Expo keynote!" Now, Steve's keynote always generates a ton of media attention and free publicity. Why waste another opportunity for free press coverage-- the quarterly results-- by scheduling them both on the same day? Plus, if Apple announces good results the day before Steve takes the stage, it gives him just one more thing to crow about as he struts his reality-distorting stuff. (And if, by some miracle, the results aren't so good, then Steve can work his spin-magic and get the crowd smiling again.) It's all just good sense.

Then again, we can't discount the fact that Steve might be pulling a bit of a prima donna act, too. After all, Keynote Day is his day; he doesn't need Fred "I Gots Da Money" Anderson stealing his thunder after the market closes. And if Steve shuffled the lineup a bit to ensure that he gets the spotlight, hey, who can blame him? We say, let him have his day. "Mr. Showbiz" must know what he's doing.