My Super Mario Galaxy

Since the first installment of Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii is probably still the best game for the console, it was a no-brain for the folks over at Nintendo to greenlit a second installment. As much fun and inventive as the concept of changing the traditional "worlds" gamers have been used to from Mario and company in the past to "galaxies" the first time around, the recently released trailer for the sequel shows no signs of that creative gene fading away. I can't wait to literally wiggle Mario (and apparently Yoshi as well) through cartoony dangers once again. 

My ABC Promo

How fun is this little clip for ABC's fall shows? I even get to see Courteney Cox Arquette's homage to Monica Gellar. Sigh, I miss 'Friends'. 

My Soccer Meltdown

Let's just face it. It was a horrible game. When you don't have a shot on goal by half time and your opponent already has two AND home country advantage, things just don't look too good in your favor. After a miserable 3-0 loss to Costa Rica for their first World Cup qualifier defeat, the US Soccer faces a lot of questions that will need to be answered by Saturday's match against Honduras. Where was the offense? Where was the defense? What happens now when Michael Bradley is ineligible for Saturday with his second yellow card last night? 

Geez, and now for my one major bone to pick with FIFA, how in the world was that field FIFA approved? It looked like green asphalt. The ball literally picks up gravel when it rolls 10 feet. Anyway, let's hope the game in Chicago this weekend goes better- because it won't get any worse. Surprisingly, even after last night's debacle, the US National Team moved up in world rankings to 14th. 

My Scream Reboot

I've always had a thing for the 'Scream' trilogy and now Kevin Williamson is in talks to bring the series back with original stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette. The films are ridiculously cheesy but part of the fun has always been trying to figure out who the killer is because there's simply no logic to it- they can die and still be the killer ::ahem::Roman::ahem::! I can't wait to see Sydney Prescott get haunted once more... (EW)

My Mad Men Teaser

It's almost enough for me to pay for TV again.

My Rafael Nadal Defeat

You didn't think I was not going to mention Nadal's first loss on Roland Garros clay, did you? With Nadal out, Djokovic out and Roddick out, Roger Federer and his fans has got to be breathing a little bit easier going into the second week of the French Open. Can Fed finally capture that 14th Grand Slam title and tie Pete Sampras? Or will Juan Del Potro and the surging Andy Murray (ugh) get their first? Either way, I'm just glad Nadal's reign on French clay is over. 

My 'Frog Cooker'

It's astonishing to me that Hong Kong's chief executive, Donald Tsang, would denounced Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989 as "something that happened a long time ago", it's best forget about it and this view "represents most of the Hong Kong people." Not only does the ever-growing negative communist influence my birth city is taking from China make me sick to my stomach, the idea of banning something that happened just 20 years(!) ago in media and education systems while everyone knows it undoubtedly occurred is so mind-boggling I wonder if what Tsang said about the Hong Kong people is true. I mean, I still remembering holding my parents' hands during demonstration marches that followed the incidents. 

Perhaps Martin Lee, the founder of the Hong Kong Democratic Party said it best- "If you throw a frog into boiling water, it will jump out right away. But if you put the frog in warm water and cook it slowly, it doesn't jump. We are being slowly cooked in Hong Kong, but hardly anyone is noticing it." (NYT)

My US Soccer Fans

FIFA released a report saying outside of the host nation of South Africa, the United States has purchased the most individual match tickets to next year's World Cup Tournament- overbuying countries like Spain, Brazil, Holland and Germany. I know we were a rare breed in this country and while there is no doubt there are more soccer fans for other nations here in American soil, this latest report is encouraging and explains the lobsided sales. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for my application for tickets to be processed to see whether or not I'll be going to South Africa next year and be part of Sam's Army.