--I've been playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on PS3 a bit. The PS3 friends list/invite system still has nothing on Xbox Live. It seems that there are fewer people out there looking for friendly matches on the PS3, but the ranked competition in my limited experience hasn't been nearly as stiff as on the 360, so this might be a good choice for people who don't want to put up with the same Magneto-Sentinel-Cable crap all day long. I guess the really hardcore MvC2 players didn't want to wait two extra weeks. If anyone wants some, send a PS3 friend invite to Polybren.

--I liked District 9 a fair bit. Not crazy in love with it like some people, but I thought it was very good and I'm glad Blomkamp got to make it instead of a Halo movie. I think I liked it better not knowing much about the plot going in. See it soon to avoid any sort of spoilers.

--Watched Code 46 last night, a sci-fi flick with Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton from a few years back. Not great, but it's probably the best incestuous sci-fi romance since Star Wars. There really isn't that much competition though.

--If I ruled the world, every multiple choice question would be required to have one of the answers be "Kill it with fire." For example:

Bobby has six apples. If he gives Suzy two apples, how many apples does Bobby have left?

A) Two apples.

B) Six apples.

C) Four apples.

D) Kill it with fire.

--Trials HD relies upon two skills: levelling the bike out to match the slope of the ground below (Excitebike-style), and understanding the physics of climbing a sheer surface with a rear-wheel driven vehicle. The first of those things is fun, the second less so. Still, the nearly instantaneous restarts and rag-doll rewards for failure make the game worth a purchase anyway.

--Looks like next week's HotSpot will have a substitute host. After nearly a year of hosting and producing every show, I'm eager to enjoy the show as a listener instead of a participant.

--I'm really excited about the possibilities for Rock Band Network. In particular, I'm debating how best to get the HotSpot theme song on there, and wondering if I'm capable of laying out the note tracks needed for it even though I can't drum or sing to save my life.

--I've just started reading The Essential Dr. Strange vol. 1 and had no idea the character was originally Asian. Does anyone know the backstory of why Marvel changed it after just a few appearances?

--It's good to see football on TV again, even if it's just NFL pre-season.