Months later, and I still get chills thinking about the opening ceremony in Beijing. The 2,008 drummers, the giant scroll, the footprints in the sky... it was the most spectacular thing I've ever seen on TV. Was it worth the reported $100 million+? Did it set a bar that future host cities can't possibly reach?

Well, it happened. Barack Obama has been elected the 44th President of the United States. The "Hope" and "Change" message clearly resonated. I'm feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. For those who voted for him, what are your biggest expectations? For those who didn't, what are your main concerns looking ahead to 2009?

The Beijing Olympics are over, and my mind is still stuck on Michael Phelps. Eight gold medals in one Games, breaking Mark Spitz's record. The 100m butterfly win by 0.01 seconds was pure insanity. What's the secret? Is it his body, his training, his diet? Or just a once-in-a-generation mental toughness?

Just saw Iron Man last night and I'm blown away. The post-credits scene with Nick Fury mentioning the 'Avengers Initiative' has me and my friends buzzing. Marvel is doing their own movies now instead of licensing to other studios. Do you think they can really pull off a connected universe of superhero films? It seems like a crazy ambitious plan.