Let the games begin!

Are you ready for some football?

Whatever the reason — tradition, rivalries, tough runs, amazing catches, crushing hits, the sheer excess of the Super Bowl … OK, maybe not Hank Williams Jr. so much — nothing excites American sports fans the way the NFL does.

So here we go: Brett Favre’s back. Ben Roethlisberger’s on hold. Donovan McNabb’s in D.C. The Packers’ offense looks unstoppable. The 49ers are eyeing a return to glory. And the Jets are a lock to win it all — according to Rex Ryan.

It’s going to be a great season. We can tell.

OnStar’s mission creep

Those who see their car as the last refuge from the barrage of social networking probably won’t be signing up for OnStar’s latest feature: Facebook and texting on the road.

An unnamed OnStar source says this month its subscribers will be offered in-car connections to Facebook and text messages.

OnStar, allied with GM cars, is doubtless feeling the competitive pinch from Ford Motors’ "smart" gizmo, Sync. All these frills began with the core function of linking drivers to emergency services. Now that’s just part of an on-board menu ranging from navigation to hands-free cell systems.

Next we’ll be hearing that the same person who just finished his or her Facebook chores will be in a fender-bender on the H-1 freeway. Presto! EMS alerted. OnStar does it all.