'I want to flyyyy sky hiiiigh. Let's goooo together.'

I don't know about you, but I often get caught in "YouTube loops." (I go onto the site to watch a single, specific video and end up watching about 30--many of which have little or nothing to do with the original video.)

I got caught in such a loop yesterday afternoon. At one point, I came across the following:



For the next 30 minutes or so, I scoured YouTube looking for other tracks from Daytona USA. Why? Well, I played the hell out of the Saturn version of game when I was in high school and I have fond memories of singing along with tunes like "Sky High" while (desperately) trying to win a few races.

Listen: "The King of Speed," "Let's Go Away" and "Sky High."

If I owned an Xbox 360, my Gamertag would be 'gay4play'

Or, maybe it would be "evengayerthanilook." That's kind of a mouthful, though, isn't it?

Anyway, you're probably thinking, "What planet are you on? On this planet, Microsoft doesn't allow Gamertags like that." Au contraire, mes amis!

Earlier today, the folks at Microsoft announced an update to the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct that allows users to "more freely express their race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation in Gamertags and profiles."

Previously, some of those expressions of self-identification were not allowed in Gamertags or profiles "to prevent the use of these terms as insults or slurs," Microsoft's Marc Whitten said in a press release that announced the update. "However, we have since heard feedback from our customers that while the spirit of this approach was genuine, it inadvertently excluded a part of our Xbox LIVE community."

Of course, Whitten added, "this update also comes hand-in-hand with increased stringency and enforcement to prevent the misuse of these terms."

It'll be interesting to see what happens moving forward. I think it's a foregone conclusion that some (OK, a lot of) gamers will abuse the system, but what isn't a foregone conclusion is how the folks at Microsoft will respond to that abuse. Hopefully it won't prompt them to pull the plug on the update and go back to banning people with Gamertags like "thegayestgamer."

See also: 'Microsoft still hemming and hawing over gay gamertags on Xbox Live' and 'The Advocate: Microsoft Tries to Mend Rift With Gaymers'

Suggestions? I'm all ears ...

I've been meaning to post this for a while now, but I've refrained from doing so for a number of reasons. OK, so there's just one reason: I'm pretty sure only one or two people will respond!

Just in case I'm wrong, I'll go ahead and ask: What do you like about this blog? What don't you like about it?

Would you like to see more of something, or less of something? Would you like to see more features, interviews or reviews, for instance, or do you get your fill of those things from other blogs and sites?

I guess what I'm asking is: What brought you to this blog, and what would get you to come back more often? Oh, and what, if anything, would get you to comment more often?

Like I said in the header, I'm all ears!

'I'll pause this game so our love will never end. Let's go again.'

While perusing a NeoGAF thread about "the best fan-made songs about games" yesterday, I came across this little gem:



Sure, it's a little corny, but it's also kind of sweet. Oh, and it doesn't rely on "teh lulz" like so many songs about games.

To open or not to open, that is the question ...

I received my first Club Nintendo "reward" yesterday: the DS Game & Watch Collection. Here's a glamor-ish shot of it:

I haven't opened it yet because I haven't decided if I want to play it or save it and sell it (unopened) later. What would you guys/gals do?