2009 Academy Award Nominees

Here are the nominees for some of the more recognizable categories for the 2009 Academy Awards. The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday 22 February 2009 between 6 pm and 10 pm, with the event being televised by ABC. Some early projections by yours truly are included.

BEST PICTURE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Should win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Will win: Slumdog Millionaire
Films overlooked: The Dark Knight; Gran Torino; The Wrestler;
Changeling; Revolutionary Road; Australia


BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway, for Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, for Changeling
Melissa Leo, for Frozen River
Meryl Streep, for Doubt
Kate Winslet, for The Reader

Should win: Jolie
Will win: Winslet

BEST ACTOR

Richard Jenkins, for The Visitor
Frank Langella, for Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, for Milk
Brad Pitt, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, for The Wrestler

Should win: Rourke
Will win: Rourke

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, for Doubt
Penelope Cruz, for Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, for Doubt
Taraji P Henson, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, for The Wrestler

Should win: Tomei
Will win: tossup at this time

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin, for Milk
Robert Downey Jr, for Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, for Doubt
Heath Ledger, for The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, for Revolutionary Road

Should win: Ledger
Will win: tossup at this time

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle, for Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, for The Reader
David Fincher, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, for Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, for Milk

Should win: Daldry
Will win: either Fincher or Van Sant
Overlooked: Sam Mendes


There are certainly a number of other performances that were overlooked or bypassed for nomination this year as there is for every year. When some of those are published, a post detailing them will be made on this blog.

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Interesting Demographic Findings

The findings of this study are somewhat surprising and truly interesting. It is rather striking to see how much division and segregation exist when comparing core city numbers to numbers in suburbs. Overall the numbers in most metro areas are quite interesting to look at as well as compare to other metro areas. One cannot draw any conclusion from these numbers when considering if they have meaning when discussing social problems such as poverty, crime, homelessness, education, drugs, and anything else.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/in_a_changing_world_portland_r.html

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Pro Football Hall of Fame to Consider 12 for Induction

There are 17 individuals that will considered for 2009 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton OH. There are four first time nominees, nine other modern era players, two contributors, and two players nominated by the Senior Committee. The list of individuals was originally announced as 133, whittled down to 25 last October, with these 17 being announced on 15 January. The names under consideration for induction:

First Time Nominees

John Randle, DT Minnesota Vikings '90-'00; Seattle Seahawks '01-'03

Shannon Sharpe, TE Denver Broncos '90-'99,'02-'03; Baltimore Ravens '00-'01

Bruce Smith, DE Buffalo Bills '85-'99; Washington Redskins '00-'03

Rod Woodson, CB/S Pittsburgh Steelers '87-'96; '97 San Francisco 49ers; '98-'01 Baltimore Ravens; '02-'03 Oakland Raiders

Returning Nominees

Cris Carter, WR Philadelphia Eagles '87-'89; Minnesota Vikings '90-'01; '02 Miami Dolphins

Dermonti Dawson, C Pittsburgh Steelers '88-'00

Richard Dent, DE Chicago Bears '83-'93, '95; San Francisco 49ers '94; Indianapolis Colts '96; Philadelphia Eagles '97

Russ Grimm, OG Washington Redskins '81-'91

Cortez Kennedy, DT Seattle Seahawks '90-'00

Bob Kuechenburg, OG Miami Dolphins '70-'84

Randall McDaniel, OG Minnesota Vikings '88-'99; Tampa Bay Buccaneers '00-'01

Andre Reed, WR Buffalo Bills '85-'99; Washington Redskins '00

Derrick Thomas, LB Kansas City Chiefs '89-'99

Contributors

Paul Tagliabue, League Commissioner '89-'06

Ralph Wilson, Jr, Founding Owner, Buffalo Bills, '59-present

Senior Committee Nominees

Bob Hayes, WR, Dallass Cocaineboys '65-'74; San Francisco 49ers '75

Claude Humphrey, DE, Atlanta Falcons '68-'78

*

Results will be announced on Saturday 31 January at 12:30pm MST from Tampa FL, site of Super Bowl 43. A minimum of four and a maximum of seven will be chosen for enshrinement on Sunday 9 August 2009 in Canton.

It is very difficult to project whom will be ultimately selected this year, but my votes (if I had one) would go for Ralph Wilson, Claude Humphey, Richard Dent, Bob Kuechenburg, Bruce Smith, Rod Woodson, and Randall McDaniel.

http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/1320/190/

http://www.nfl.com/halloffame/story?id=09000d5d803c26ef&template=without-video&confirm=true

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A Nice Respite From Winter

We have had three consecutive days reached 60 degrees or above; a very nice respite from the usual winter weather around here. But the first two or so days were rather quite windy, although it dropped off this afternoon. Unfortunately all good things like this must end as a front is coming in later tonight with colder temperatures, more winds, and light snow. We probably won't see 50 degrees again until sometime in February.

Here are just a few of the records set along the eastern slope of the Rockies in the last few days. Its always great to have some 70 degrees days in the region this time of year.

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
1206 AM MST THU JAN 22 2009

...RECORD HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE SET AT CHEYENNE WYOMING...

THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT CHEYENNE ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 21ST WAS 40
DEGREES AT 152 AM.  THIS ESTABLISHED A RECORD HIGHEST MINIMUM
TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE. THE OLD RECORD HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
WAS 38 DEGREES IN 1950.

$$

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
929 PM MST WED JAN 21 2009

...RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT CHEYENNE WY...

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 60 DEGREES WAS SET AT CHEYENNE WY
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 60 SET IN 1943.

$

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
135 PM MST WED JAN 21 2009

... NEW RECORD HIGH FOR JANUARY 21...

AT 128 PM THIS AFTERNOON THE TEMPERATURE AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT CLIMBED TO 71 DEGREES. THIS SETS A NEW RECORD HIGH FOR THIS
DATE.  THE OLD RECORD WAS 70 DEGREES SET IN 1950.

$

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
429 PM MST TUE JAN 20 2009

...RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT SHERIDAN WYOMING...

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 61 DEGREES WAS SET AT SHERIDAN WYOMING TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 59 SET IN 1967.


$

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO
0429 AM MST THU JAN 22 2009

...RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT COLORADO SPRINGS CO...

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 70 DEGREES WAS SET AT COLORADO SPRINGS
CO YESTERDAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 68 SET IN 1950.


$

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO
225 PM MST WED JAN 21 2009

...NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET IN PUEBLO COLORADO...

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN PUEBLO COLORADO TODAY WAS 75 DEGREES...WHICH
SETS A NEW RECORD HIGH FOR JANUARY 21ST...BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF
74 DEGREES...SET IN 1950.

$

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO
505 PM MST WED JAN 21 2009

...RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT COLORADO SPRINGS COLORADO...

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN COLORADO SPRINGS TODAY WAS 70 DEGREES...
WHICH SETS A NEW RECORD HIGH FOR JANUARY 21ST...BREAKING THE OLD
RECORD OF 68 SET IN 1950.

$

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/view/validProds.php?prod=RER