As we speak, it's the next-to-last day of 2013 while in Australia, it's already the last day of 2013. So without further ado, I present to you...

The Top 15 Things That Were Trending in 2013

(15 because I couldn't think of 20)

15. The Cronut (The Cadillac of baking wonders. But who wants to plunk down $40 for a croissant/donut hybrid when Krispy Kreme has one cheaper for about $4.25)

14. Manti T'eo's imaginary dead girlfriend (the spirit of the "invisible chair" from last year's Republican Convention lives!)

13. The return of Hostess snack cakes (Twinkie the Kid was offered to host next year's Academy Awards; he declined)

12. Amanda Bynes (if only Penelope Taynt knocked some sense out of her...oh, wait)

11. Selfies (If Geraldo Rivera snaps one one more time, I'm deleting my Instagram account. Then again, I don't do Instagram!)

10. "Scandal" (they call die-hard fans of the show "Gladiators." Isn't that a slap in the face to "American Gladiators?")

9. Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" (Wonder if a nearly naked Emily Ratajkowski attempted to twerk in front of Robin?)

8 (and in her 15th consecutive appearance). Britney Spears (with her two-year Las Vegas gig now underway, she is still working it, bitch!)

7. Candy Crush Saga (already causing fake diabetes among mobile users)

6. The ends of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough, and George Clooney and Stacy Keibler (proof that the "13" in 2013 was unlucky indeed)

5. TIE: Prince George and Pope Francis (one has touched the hearts of royal watchers, the other prefers to touch everyone's flesh without the aid of extra security)

4. The Healthcare.gov website (cue dial-up modem sound here)

3. "Duck Dynasty" (as Bart Simpson once said to Orthodox Jews thinking as if they were ZZ Top, "You guys rock!"...to the point that anti-gay remarks in between seasons would get you in trouble in bit. But the Osbournes and Kardashians they aren't)

2. TIE: Jennifer Lawrence (she's had one hell of year with "Hunger Games", "American Hustle", and some new man in her life that lives in their family home)/The Harlem Shake (suddenly, the bosses at work were going, "You're all FIRED!!!!)

And the #1 thing that was trending in 2013 which will continue in 2014 once her much-anticipated tour kicks off in February (she's coming here to Atlanta on March 24):

1. Miley Cyrus (And yes, we advise you keep your foam fingers, tongues, wrecking balls, and twerking to yourselves while seeing her live)

And that's it, the AllenBlog's 2013 Year in Review. So long, stay strong, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The Year in Pop Culture

The top keywords throughout 2013 in the world of pop culture were "twerking", "selfie", and "sharknado"...all not necessarily in that order. But in between all those, lines were blurred, lionesses roared, royal babies on opposite sides of the Atlantic were born, and we've experience a dynasty which right now appears to be quacked away. That, or a coked-up Canadian mayor has cared more about Candy Crush Saga and less about running his city.

But we begin with redemption, and Ben Affleck got his when even without a Director nod, "Argo" walked out of the 85th Annual Academy Awards the big winner with three Oscars including Best Picture (sharing it with George Clooney). Daniel Day-Lewis made history by becoming a triple Best Actor holder, while Jennifer Lawrence's Best Actress would be the start of her landmark year, which I'll get to in a bit.

"Modern Family" continued to reign supreme at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, while "Breaking Bad" closed out in style with Outstanding Drama. "The Colbert Report" ended "The Daily Show's" long streak, "The Voice" was the next show to dethrone "The Amazing Race", and Bob Newhart after many decades finally took home his first Emmy.

In other 2013 television highlights and lowlights: "NCIS" finally becoming the #1 show in all of television, the live "Sound of Music" musical starring Carrie Underwood attracting 18 million eyeballs, the returns of Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar in "The Crazy Ones" and Arsenio Hall in late night after a 19-year hiatus, "Sharknado" reviving once-dead careers of Tara Reid and Ian Ziering, "Sleepy Hollow" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" ratings grabbers for Fox, the ends of "Private Practice", "The Office", and "30 Rock", the very ends of "1600 Penn", "Golden Boy", and the "Ironside" reboot, and "All My Children" and "One Life To Live" being granted second lives online. And speaking of which, Netflix had a banner year themselves with "House of Cards", the new "Arrested Development", and "Orange Is The New Black" (in which one superfan, Julianne Hough, took her obsession with the show a little too far by going as Blackface for Halloween) all worth the $8 monthly subscription fee.

And then you have what was the year's biggest TV phenomenon: "Duck Dynasty" and the Robertson family whose beards would make ZZ Top go duck hunting themselves. From scoring sky-high ratings for A&E to merchandise galore, it was duck season all year round...that is, until just recently. Phil Robertson, the engine behind all this, made a remark about homosexuals in GQ magazine which didn't sit well with A&E executives, and he was put on indefinite hiatus. With the show's future on the line, many have now come in defense of Robertson, hoping the network reverses its decision. As of publish time, we've now learned that Robertson will be back on board after all and that A&E has just lifted the ban on Robertson.

In movies, "Gravity" soared to new heights, the minions returned in "Despicable Me 2", we felt "The Heat", and "Her", "Dallas Buyers Club, "Nebraska", "Saving Mr. Banks", and "Nebraska" had filmgoers sending a three-word message to Oscar voters: "For your consideration". As for "The Lone Ranger", "R.I.P.D.", the "Carrie" remake, and "The Fifth Estate?" They were sent that very same message alright...to Razzie voters.

The world of music saw some shocks and surprises. First, the surprises: Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and its very saucy video creating a star in model Emily Ratajkowski, Justin Timberlake still having "20/20" vision, Katy Perry still "Roar"-ing (all while becoming the new Twitter queen with 48 million followers), and the biggest of them all: Beyonce dropping her latest album right from under us...unlike Britney Spears, whose new album "Britney Jean" came in time for her new stint at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino, which begins by the time this portion gets published.

There is that show "Scandal" which was fiery hot this year...and then there were actual scandals that were more than just fiery hot! The annual queen of them all, Lindsay Lohan, passed the crown to Amanda Bynes this year, as her erratic behavior and saliacious selfies have landed her to a psychiatric facility. Sassy celebrity chef Paula Deen was at the epicenter of controversy when she dropped the N-bomb after having an all-black waitstaff at her brothers plantation-themed wedding. That cost her her Food Network contract as well as partnerships with QVC and Smithfield Foods. 

We also had Lance Armstrong admitting to Oprah Winfrey that he was indeed doping before his races, Reese Witherspoon busted for DUI and trying to play the celebrity card to a Georgia state trooper (this was months before I moved here to Atlanta), Justin Bieber's wild adventures ranging from urinating in a mop bucket to getting kicked out of his Brazilian hotel for getting way too freaky, and Alec Baldwin threatening paparazzi in New York followed by some very scathing remarks that led to his MSNBC show being yanked off the air.

But forget "Girls Gone Wild"; in 2013, it was all about "Politicians Gone Wild"! Anthony Weiner's latest sexting scandal (and using the psuedonym "Carlos Danger") costing him his one and only shot at New York City mayor, San Diego mayor Bob Filner resigning in the wake of numerous sexual harassment claims, and you have the king of them all: Toronto mayor Rob Ford admitting to smoking crack cocaine, pushing a city council member, and even a cable news stint that lasted only one night. Toronto City Council took action and stripped Ford of almost all his powers, even though he vows to remain mayor for who knows when. If only Chris Farley lived 16 more years to offer his own spin on this...

Technology and trends continued to run rampant this year, with Apple releasing the iPhone 5S and 5C and the iPad Air (all with the new iOS 7) being the major highlight. And we now know why sales have continued to be up the creek: "Selfie" becoming the Oxford dictionary's word of the year, and the addictive Candy Crush Saga the app to get hooked on. Speaking of which, the Harlem Shake had us up on our feet though thanks to somebody else which I'll get to later, that craze didn't last long.

Christian Slater and Brittany Lopez, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard (just moments after applying for a marriage license), Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock, Kate Bosworth and Michael Polish, Keira Knightley and James Righton, Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler, Kerry Washington and Nnmadi Asomugha, Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney, Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger, and John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen were among the couples that headed down the altat this year, while Dario Franchitti and Ashley Judd, Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy, Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, and Diane Lane and Josh Brolin were those that headed to divorce court. And those who headed to Splitsville? George Clooney and Stacy Keibler, Kaley Cuoco and Henry Cavill, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder, Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough, and Minka Kelly (who too returned to TV with "Almost Human") and Chris Evans.

The year's two biggest births belonged to Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George, and Kim Kardsahian and Kanye West with North West. But there were several others: Channing and Jenna Dewan-Tatum (Everly), Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez (Maceo, three months after they were wed), Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay (Autumn James, shortly after their secret nuptials), Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen (Winnie Rose), Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson (Ace Knute), Kate Winslet and Ned Rocknroll (Bear), and Elton John and David Furnish (Elijah Joseph Daniel). And this year, we've been seeing baby bumps on the aforementioned Kelly Clarkson and Olivia Wilde.

All that's left now is to name my Entertainer of the Year for 2013: Jennifer Lawrence! And why? She began her year with that much-deserved Oscar for "Silver Linings Playbook", continued it with "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" collecting over $160 million in its opening weekend, and is already capping off with "American Hustle" earning Golden Globe and SAG honors...which could result in a repeat trip (not trip-up) to the Oscar stage.

But the most honorable mention goes to Miley Cyrus, as her 2013 was ripe with...well, everything. From using both her foam finger and twerking technique to arouse Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards while tonguing it out, to saying "It's over!" to Liam Hemsworth, to straddling around naked in a wrecking ball for her music video, to going toe-to-toe with Sinead O'Connor, you can sure bet that Santa was busy this Christmas putting tickets to her upcoming Bangerz Tour in 2014 in stockings everywhere.


And that's not the only thing that'll happen in the upcoming year. No Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nods for "The Butler" (and Oprah Winfrey) opens the door wide open for an Oscar race that may come down to "Dallas Buyers Club", "Nebraska", and "12 Years A Slave" for the big Best Picture prize, and a showdown between Tom Hanks vs. Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lawrence vs. Sandra Bullock. Speaking of J-Law, she's been filming "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" on and off here in Atlanta, and so were Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels with the "Dumb and Dumber" sequel; both will be making millions in the box office. And One Direction will be hitting the road in a stadium tour that is expected to be sold out, while new late night torches will be passed from Jay Leno to Jimmy Fallon (who's upgrading to 11:35) and Seth Meyers. There are countless scenarios that'll come into play in 2014, but as the old saying goes: "Expect the unexpected."

Next time: We wrap it all up with the Top 20 Things That Were Trending in 2013 and what I call the "Britney Guarantee"!

The AllenBlog's

It was the year when a highly-anticipated healthcare website got a low-speed rollout.

The year when twerking outnumbered Harlem Shaking 45 to 2.

The year when one girl was on fire while another sputtered out of control.

The year when "Iron Man 3" and "Gravity" soared to new heights, while "The Lone Ranger" and "The Fifth Estate" fell rock bottom.

The year when one city after a major bombing took the second half of my closing phrase very seriously.

The year when two mayors and one wannabe mayor turned their city halls into something out of "Animal House."

And yes, it was the year where we gave birth to royalties, dynasties, and selfies, and a new Pope, while bidding farewell to one dynasty who helped changed the world.

That year was 2013.

Join the AllenBlog for a look back at these 52 weeks.

All during these last 52 weeks of 2013, we experienced one Pope stepping down and another taking the throne, one government website up to speed (well, dial-up speed, anyway) while being shut down, a massive typhoon slamming the Philippines while no hurricanes slammed the United States, and a real life "Catch Me If You Can" of epic proportions, and 361 others that happened every day

President Barack Obama's start of his second term kicked off the year, but not without controversy...no, not by George Stephanopolous confusing Morgan Freeman with Bill Russell, but Beyonce, as it appeared she sang live to her pre-recorded track of the Star Spangled Banner. That would be followed by Super Bowl XLVII a couple weeks later, as her blowout halftime performance allegedly blew out the fuses at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as the second half was underway. In the end, it was the Baltimore Ravens turning out the San Francisco 49ers' lights 34-31.

Another major sports story took place in Boston, but in separate months: In April, two bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon close to the finish line, set off by Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev and killing three people while injuring 260 others. Tamerlan would be shot to death early on the 19th, while Dzhokhar would be captured very later in the night, ending a week of terror that birthed the meaning "Boston Strong." That mantra would be carried over to the World Series, as the Red Sox won their first title at home (and eighth overall) since 1918.

Other sports highlights throughout the year include: Adam Scott finally winning the first Masters Green Jacket for Australia, LeBron James and his Miami Heat still ablaze with their NBA title repeat, the Chicago Blackhawks hoisting their fifth Stanley Cup, Justin Rose blossoming at the U.S. Open, Andy Murray's first Wimbledon title for Britain in a long time, Louisville (men's) and Connecticut (women's) ruling the college basketball court, the Seaveys keeping the Iditarod in the family with father Mitch's second trip to the Burled Arch a year after son Dallas's first time, Jimmie Johnson burning up the Daytona 500 track with Danica Patrick finishing eighth, Tony Kanaan's first Indianapolis 500 checkered flag, Tokyo being awarded the 2020 Olympics (their second and Japan's fourth), and in what was the play of the century...with no seconds left on the clock, Auburn being denied Alabama's quest for another national championship thanks to a missed field goal that led to Chris Davis's 109-yard touchdown. And you thought Canada's gold medal-winning tiebreaker over the U.S. at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver had that whole country exploding.

Pope Benedict XVI became the first pontiff to resign in nearly 700 years, and a conclave would decide his successor. When the cloud of white smoke was created outside the Sistine Chapel, it was Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio who emerged from the balcony as Pope Francis. His reputation as "the People's Pope" recently made him "Time" magazine's Person of the Year.

In Egypt, President Mohamed Morsi was sent packing in a coup d'etat, which resulted in non-stop bedlam. And in Nairobi, Kenya, 62 were killed in a terrorist attack at the Westgate Mall. Meanwhile, the ongoing Syrian conflict entered its third year with no end in sight.

There was a real-life scandal as far as the National Security Agency was concerned, as Edward Snowden leaked dozens of documents, including phone conversations of over 30 world leaders. The government was after Snowden's blood and wanted him jailed for life, but faster than you could say "Catch me if you can!," he exiled to Russia. Back here, George Zimmerman was acquitted for the wrongful murder of Trayvon Martin, which set off some racial firestorms; Jodi Arias got the opposite verdict for the 2008 murder of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in a trial that had Nancy Grace working overtime. And 14 years after Columbine, Colorado experienced yet another school shooting at Arapahoe High outside Denver in which the only victim, 17-year-old Claire Davis, would later die from her severe wounds.

In weather, it was a bad month for Oklahoma, as 24 people were killed in one tornado in Moore followed by 76 more tornadoes in the Great Plains. Though the hurricane season in the United States was very quiet after Sandy, the same couldn't be said for the other side of the International Date Line at Typhoon Hayian turned much of the Philippines into ghost towns leaving over 6,000 dead; months earlier in June, 5,700 lives were taken in a series of flash floods and landslides in India.

While there were a lot of new names in the spotlight in 2013, we reflected on others who were dimmed, including: Peter O'Toole, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Annette Funicello, James Gandolfini, Cory Monteith, car dealer Cal Worthington, Bonnie Franklin, Paul Walker, former New York City mayor Ed Koch, Joe Weider, religious broadcaster Paul Crouch, Helen Thomas, Esther Williams, video game tycoon Hiroshi Yamauchi, musician Lou Reed, Roger Ebert, Richard Griffiths, astronaut Scott Carpenter, Julie Harris, Ray Dolby, Jonathan Winters, pianist Van Cliburn, George Jones, Patti Page, Conrad Bain, C. Everett Koop, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Mindy McCready, Tom Clancy, Dennis Farina, Karen Black, Ray Price, David Frost, Joan Fontaine, Jean Stapleton, and world changer/former South African president Nelson Mandela.

So, what was the biggest story of 2013? It was back in Washington, and the Affordable Healthcare Act (aka Obamacare) now in effect. Healthcare.gov was launched, but not in the kind of fanfare President Obama wasn't expecting. It appeared that the website was riddled with problems, even right down to the loading times; it was like as if it was 1998 and the site was compatible with Netscape rather than Firefox.

What's in the crystal ball for 2014? The Winter Olympics will take center stage in Sochi, Russia; it will be their first Olympics since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and for the United States and several other countries who boycotted the 1980 games in Moscow, they've waited 34 years to compete in Russia. President Obama will be entering the year with his lowest approval rating to date, and with no confidence for either Republicans or Democrats, Election Day could turn into Independents' Day as we may see a seismic shift on Capitol Hill. And there's speculation that a violent blizzard may postpone Super Bowl XLVII by a few days; why they're hosting it in New York/New Jersey, I don't know. What we do know that there will be hundreds of other things happening in between all those, and it all begins at midnight on January 1.

Next time when the "2013 Year in Review" continues: The biggest entertainment stories and trends galore.

Hello everybody, and welcome to my first full blog since moving from the coldness of Fairbanks, Alaska to the warmth of Atlanta, Georgia (though for the last month or so, Winston-Salem, North Carolina has been my "home") in late September. 

And we begin first up with the aftermath of the devastation caused by Typhoon Hayian in the Philippines. With its 147-mph winds and a massive 20-foot storm surge to rival Hurricane Katrina, the city of Tacloban became one instant landfill with the official death toll at 942, though authorities placed the estimates at 10,000 or even more as communication and transportation were cut in many areas.

9.7 million people in 47 provinces throughout the islands were affected by the typhoon, with around 800,000 evacuated in advance. Philippine soldiers were already distributing food and water, with the U.S. military stepping in with food, water, generators, and Marines. But that isn't enough, and more international help is on the way.

Here, the help -- especially in California, home to 1/3 of the Filipino-American population -- has never been greater. In Van Nuys, a 5K run raised $7,000 for the effort, while a Los Angeles area church held a rummage sale that took in $400. Filipino Americans are the largest group of Asian Americans in 10 western states including Alaska, and you know they are utterly concerned about their families they have either escaped the typhoon's wrath or not. Let's hope and pray that the rumors about those 10,000 dead from the storm won't be true.

Now, onto a much lighter note: I am new to Atlanta, which has always been regarded as of the best sports towns in America. But right now, it is a worse time as the Falcons are now 2-7 and the Hawks' NBA season is off to a sluggish start.

And then you have what was once dubbed "America's Team", the Braves. They have come so close last month from making the NLCS, but the Dodgers (which would be beat by St. Louis, which would be beat by the Red Sox in the World Series) stopped them in their tracks. Since moving the franchise from Milwaukee in 1966, they have always played in Fulton County; in a few years, it'll be Cobb County as the new home of the Braves.

The team announced Monday that they will be moving to a new 42,000-seat stadium just 10 miles from downtown Atlanta with a $672 million price tag. News of this came with immediate mixed reaction, as the new location would be right in the heart of the team's fan base (i.e., where a majority of game tickets are sold) with a median household income of $61,000 and an 8.6% poverty level. The neighborhood surrounding their existing stadium, Turner Field, has a $23,000 income and a 40% poverty level.

Turner Field, named after the team's former owner Ted Turner, was formerly Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Olympics; after the games, the venue was converted for baseball and Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was imploded to make way for parking space. But perhaps the main reason for the move is because the Braves' 20-year lease expires in 2016, while the Falcons will be moving into their new stadium the next year (replacing the Georgia Dome).

By the way, Turner himself had this to say about the impending move: "It is my understanding that the Atlanta Braves announced their plan to move from Turner Field to a new stadium in Cobb County. When Time Warner merged with AOL in 2001, the Atlanta Braves were part of the merger package, and later acquired by Liberty Media Corporation. I am no longer part of the company and have not been involved in the decision making since 2001. I just hope the Braves will be happy in their new location and continue their winning ways." 

Now whenever a team moves to a newer, sleeker venue replacing their old, very antiquated one, it has always been met with Richter scale cheers and jeers: Cheers because of growing metro populations, and jeers fearing tainted legacies. Los Angeles is one prime example, as the Lakers and NHL Kings moved from the Forum in Inglewood and the Clippers from the L.A. Sports Arena all to the Staples Center downtown. But some thought that three teams in one roof sounded crazy, as the Forum has remained in continuous use while the Sports Arena is rarely used at all anymore.

But wait a minute here...doesn't L.A., New York, and Chicago each have two baseball teams? Atlanta could offer big money if they have to to move a lowly team there like, say, the Rays from Tampa Bay or the A's from Oakland. Yeah, that'll keep Turner Field busy beyond 2017.

So, is the move worth it? I guess so, as Atlanta continues to grow by leaps and bounds. And as their newest resident, I'm sure it won't be long before the Braves become America's Team once again.

And last but not least...a few days into my new life in Atlanta came this news I broke to you, and one that set the entire social media ablaze: Sarah Michelle Gellar has finally joined Twitter. Well, in the weeks since, a few more of our favorites have followed her lead: Sharon Stone, Katie Holmes, Lucy Liu, and just recently, Cameron Diaz, who quickly reached her first 100,000 followers in a matter of three hours (Sarah took an entire month to get to 100,000)!

But all of those five have a very long way to go to top Katy Perry, who has recently surpassed Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga with over 47 million followers, thus becoming the most followed person in all of Twitter.

In light of both Twitter going public on the New York Stock Exchange last week, as well as her hit show "The Crazy Ones" still pulling in the ratings, it appears Sarah Michelle may have kickstarted a new Twitter revolution...well, as far as actors and actresses are concerned.

As I've said on this blog back in 2009, a number of celebrities were slowly flocking to Twitter to get the record straight, debunk any rumors, and of course, opened their private worlds to the public. At the heart of that first revolution were Ashton Kutcher and his then-wife Demi Moore; at one point, Ashton snapped a pic of Demi undressing to all his (now) 15 million followers.

To make a long story short, the re-revolution has been Twitter-ified; all you have to do is...follow the leader! So long and stay strong.

Farewell, Fairbanks!

Hello, everybody.

Well...here we are. After spending most of my life here for a total of 25 years, this is my last day in Fairbanks, Alaska. Late night tonight, I'm leaving here for the final time for my new digs in Georgia. More on that in a bit.

But I am blessed and proud to have grown up here since 1983. I started my education at Joy Elementary, started my love for technology at Barnette Magnet School in 1985 (when I returned for the second time), and in 1995, started my career at the Geist Road McDonald's at the age of 16. And over those years, I have made personal and professional friendships with anybody and everybody, especially with some of the area's best-known celebrities like Glen "Glenner" Anderson, Jerry Evans, Mike Shultz, Darryl Lewis Sr., and Curtis Thomas.

And speaking of celebrities...I've had a front row seat -- or close to it -- to some top names right here. Who could ever forget B.B. King and 98 Degrees in 2001, John Leguizamo in 2006, and Jerry Seinfeld last year? I sure missed out on Elton John in 2008, and my leaving here will cost me Martin Short and Dave Chapelle in October.

As one of those "tough Alaskans", I have survived unexpected weather and brutal winters here, especially the deep freeze in 1989 and the 2010 ice storm that blanketed Fairbanks and Anchorage which closed down roads, businesses, and schools. In late April, Mother Nature brought us unneeded snow when it was supposed to melt away.
But now, with fall already here, the time has come to turn a new leaf. And for me, it's also time for a new change in scenery. This weekend, I'll be movin' on up like "The Jeffersons" to a far more world-class city than Fairbanks: Atlanta, Georgia!

It's no secret that I've always wanted to settle down there ever since they won the bid to host the 1996 Olympics. Okay, so the story was we were torn between that and Seattle; but when we found out that the living costs in Seattle are worth more than our Permanent Fund Dividend ($900 is this year's payout), we decided in the end, Atlanta.

I have been to some sporting events here in Fairbanks like the Top of the World Classic and a few Fairbanks Grizzlies games, but they pale in comparison to the real sports Atlanta has in store (Falcons, Braves, Hawks), especially college. We have the Alaska Nanooks with hockey and basketball as their top sports; they have the Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the SEC and ACC respectively, and their main sport? Football!!!

Atlanta has a more burgeoning economy, with Coca-Cola, The Weather Channel, and the Turner networks all headquartered there. And when it comes to media, they run circles around Fairbanks in that, especially film and television production (Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, Family Feud, anything Tyler Perry). For the latter, 20 years ago, Orlando, Florida used to be Hollywood South with studio lots at Disney World and Universal; but tax breaks have led to producers migrating up I-75 to Atlanta.

Being in the foodservice/restaurant/hospitality industry since 1995, I sure know that Atlanta will be a definite "step up" from Fairbanks in my career...considering they're also home to the CDC. But I'm getting ahead of myself here, as I'm between jobs at the moment.

Alaska has been my home for most of my life, and when opportunity knocks elsewhere, you have to follow your instincts. For the last year, losses of longtime businesses and rising energy costs had us questioning our future: stay in Fairbanks and tough it out or raise the white flag and hightail to the Lower 48 once again? The decision has already been made, and it's goodbye to Fairbanks and hello to Atlanta. I want to thank those for making me feel right at home here for all those 25 years, especially the aforementioned people as well as my fellow colleagues past and present. Thank you for all those memories I've made in the Golden Heart City, good and bad; and most of all...thank you, Fairbanks, for making me grow up in the place I love.

And so, for the final time from Fairbanks before I come to you from Hotlanta...so long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards reached seniority Sunday night with a few junior wins. AMC's "Breaking Bad" (in its final season) picked up Outstanding Drama Series, beating out "House of Cards" and last year's winner "Homeland", which earned Claire Danes back-to-back Lead Actress honors over sentimental favorites Kerry Washington and Connie Britton. "The Newsroom's" Jeff Daniels surprisingly took Lead Actor while Supporting Acting went to Bobby Cannavale ("Boardwalk Empire") and Anna Gunn ("Breaking Bad"). HBO's "Behind The Candelabra" also won big with Outstanding Movie/Miniseries, Lead Actor (Michael Douglas) and Director (Stephen Soderbergh).

"Modern Family" remained unstoppable as far as Outstanding Comedy Series was concerned, while Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") and Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("Veep", making her the only person to have won for three different series) once again collected the lead acting trophies. The Supporting acting side belonged to first-timers Merritt Wever ("Nurse Jackie", in what was the briefest speech ever) and Tony Hale (also "Veep", who later stood behind Louis-Dreyfus).

"The Voice" became the second show to topple perennial Reality Competition Program winner "The Amazing Race", while after ten years, the streak was over for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" as sister show "The Colbert Report" won not only Variety Series, but Writing as well. Other winners include: Derek Hough (Choreography, "Dancing With The Stars" and the show's second), David Fincher (Directing/Drama, "House of Cards"), Laura Linney (Actress, Miniseries/Movie, "The Big C"); and at last week's Creative Arts Awards, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn (Reality Competition Host, "Project Runway") and, finally, Bob Newhart (Guest Actor/Comedy, "The Big Bang Theory").

There was a twist in the usual In Memoriam segment, as there were five special ones devoted to Cory Monteith (eulogized by Jane Lynch), James Gandolfini (Edie Falco), Gary David Goldberg (Michael J. Fox), Jonathan Winters (Robin Williams), and Jean Stapleton (Rob Reiner). Jack Klugman, Larry Hagman, Bonnie Franklin, Andy Williams, and Roger Ebert among others were featured in the extended version.

For the second time (and being that it was on CBS), Neil Patrick Harris served as host; Elton John performed his new song "Home Again" while Carrie Underwood did The Beatles' "Yesterday", and at the halfway point, the Emmys became the Tonys once again with "The Emmy Gold Dancers" and "The Number in the Middle of the Show."

Of course, there a lot of fashionable numbers before the show: Heidi Klum (Versace), Claire Danes (Armami Prive), Kerry Washington (Marchesa), Julianne Hough (showing a lot of sheer leg in Jenny Packham), and Carrie Underwood (designer info unknown). I thought Sofia Vergara in her Vera Wang ultimately sizzled the most, while "Girls'" Lena Dunham: Is that a table cloth, or do my eyes deceive me?

This year's Emmys was also the last awards show I'll ever watch live at 4:00 pm here in Alaska, as next week, my new home sweet home will be Atlanta. More on that in a special blog on Friday; till then, so long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. I know it continues to be very, very hot in many parts of the country, so consider this to be a cool-off.

We begin first up with the controversial acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Marton, which went down last Saturday and resulted in some supposedly peaceful protests turning more than that...at least in California. Jurors found Zimmerman, an Hispanic, not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter while acting in self-defense when he shot the unarmed 17-year-old Martin.

In Los Angeles, 13 people were arrested, while upwards to 150 people jumped on cars and even vandalized convenience stores. Up the coast in Oakland, nine arrests were made and demonstrators blocked off Interstate 880 for several minutes during rush hour traffic. And one on Thursday in San Bernardino resulted in six more arrests after protestors hurled bottles and rocks at vehicles' direction.

President Obama on Friday wanted the nation to move forward after the trial in a more civilized manner, saying that Martin "could have been me 35 years ago" and that state and local laws such as Florida's "stand your ground" law should be X-rayed even further. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has noted that the Justice Department is looking into the case, seeing whether or not Zimmerman violated Martin's civil rights.

I think just like Rodney King's which ignited the L.A. riots over 20 years ago, the Zimmerman verdict has torn many of us apart. Race didn't play any key role in the trial whatsoever, but one thing was clear: It has been the first time in 45 years that somebody with a "Martin" in his name was slain, only this time, valuable lessons were learned after Memphis and Florida.

"Rolling Stone" has been home to the most provocative covers in history, but the latest one of surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev isn't likely to become a hit at newsstands. Several chain stores opted not to sell the issue out of respect. 

And now comes new photos of a bloodied Tsarnaev from his capture, taken by Sgt. Sean Murphy of the Massachusetts State Police and appearing in "Boston" magazine. But back to the "Rolling Stone" cover for a bit: Is it just me or does Tsarnaev look like he's the Brad Pitt of terrorism?

Anyway, he's not alone. There were other magazine covers that have crossed the line for as long as we can remember, like "Time's" (the darkened mugshot of O.J. Simpson, the red X on Adolf Hitler, "Is God Dead?"), "National Lampoon" ("If you don't buy this magazine, we'll kill this dog") "Vanity Fair" (a nude and pregnant Demi Moore, a swimsuit-clad Cindy Crawford shaving k.d. lang's face), and "Newsweek" with a wonky-eyed Michele Bachmann.

Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show sang it best in 1972: "We're big rock singers, we've got golden fingers and we're loved everywhere we go. We sing about beauty and we sing about truth, at $10,000 a show. We take all kinds of pills to give us all kinds of thrills, but the thrill we've never known is the thrill that'll getcha when you get your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone."

Among those who also landed on the cover of the Rolling Stone over the years is the cast of "Glee", who is still suffering the loss of star Cory Monteith from an overdose of alcohol and heroin in a Vancouver hotel room also last Saturday.

At first, Monteith was sober here in the States, but appeared to have left the demons in his native Canada. Celebrity hotel deaths have become common over the last 30 years; cases in point: John Belushi, Chris Farley, Anna Nicole Smith, Whitney Houston, and just a few weeks ago, James Gandolfini. Cory's death from heroin, meanwhile, comes almost 20 years since River Phoenix and later Kurt Cobain fell victim to the drug. It's so sad that someone from a hit TV show would be the latest to go just too soon.

And last but not least: The second time I moved back to Fairbanks, it was in 1985 when we were still riding high. The following year, oil prices plummeted like a stone, moving many Alaskans to the Lower 48 while others like myself soldered on for as long as we can.

At the same time, Detroit was still coming on strong like never before. But now, the Motor City has become the Broke City as Detroit becomes the largest U.S. city to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy (replacing Stockton, California) with an $18 billion debt. 

So...what happened? During the first half of the 20th Century, Detroit as the automobile capital of the world rode high as a kite. But then sometime in the '70s and the first gas shortage, the Japanese and European auto industries began making cheaper, fuel-efficient cars that wouldn't bust everyone's budgets, and Detroit would start falling further behind. The final blow came when General Motors lost their longtime dominance of the market to Toyota and went bankrupt.

But that's not the only problem. The average wait time for police is close to an hour, 50% of all city parks have been closed over the last five years, the city's population is now down to 700,000 (triple than Anchorage's), over 78,000 abandoned buildings have transformed Detroit from a metropolis into a war zone, and the unemployment rate is at its highest ever.

Seattle -- which will be my new home this fall -- is no Detroit by a longshot, but as the home of Starbucks, Boeing, Microsoft, and game show contestant extraordinaire Ken Jennings, their economy...nah, I won't go there. And you thought Eminem's Chrysler Super Bowl commercial would help get Detroit out of their mess! So long and stay strong.

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Terror Hits Beantown

Hello, everybody. We closed off last week with Adam Scott's win at the Masters on Sunday (its first finally for Australia after Greg Norman's numerous attempts), but his green jacket celebration would be short-lived as the attention of the world would later shift from Augusta to 1,000 miles up the road in Boston.

Two bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon on Monday, injuring 140 and killing three as a result. The first blast came from the north side of Boylston Street just yards from the finish line with the second to follow and came four hours into the race and two hours after the men's winner, Lelisa Desisa of Ethopia, crossed the finish line (Kenya's Rita Jeptoo was the women's winner).

Broken bones, shrapnel wounds, and ruptured eardrums were among the reported injuries. Two unexploded bombs were found near the end of the 26.2-mile course which attracted 23,000 runners from around the world; 34 of them are from Alaska including ten from Fairbanks, and they were all very fine at the end.

The FBI has taken over the lead role in the investigation and all of downtoqn Boston has been sealed off with the Federal Aviation Administration creating a no-fly zone over the site of the two explosions. Security was stepped up all over the country with the Secret Service expanding the White House security perimeter by shutting down Pennsylvania Avenue; however, the White House itself was not on lockdown. President Barack Obama in a news conference late afternoon made his intention that "any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice."

At the moment, we don't know who was the mastermind behind the bombings, but they are the latest in a series of many that have rocked our country over the years.

September 11, 2001 is perhaps the most notable, but others come to mind, including:

• 168 people killed and more than 500 injured as a car bomb was set off outside the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April 1995. The two people behind it, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, were convicted and executed in 2001 and sentenced to life in prison respectively.
• The Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics which killed only two people and injuring over 100. It wasn't till 2003 when Eric Robert Rudolph would be arrested and sentenced to life; he was also responsible for a later bombing in a Birmingham, Ala. abortion clinic in January 1998.
• The radical left group Weather Underground's two bombings at the U.S. Capitol and State Department buildings in 1971 and 1975.
• The World Trade Center bombing in 1993 that left six people dead and 1,000 in hospital; five extremists would be convicted. 

After Martin Luther King Jr's assassination in 1968, there was riotous bedlam in many parts of the country except Boston, where James Brown was set to do a show there. He saved the city as only he can, by televising his concert live. And now, 45 years later, we need somebody to help save Boston again after this senseless tragedy that almost destroyed them. The culprits behind it, whoever they are, may run away, but they cannot hide. And I can assure you: There will be a finish line when they're taken to custody. So long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. We've got so much ground to cover, and we begin this packed blog with the pontiff now a "simple pilgrim."

Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday became the first pope in over 600 years to resign, leaving the 1.2 billion Catholics without a leader. Now his was the polar opposite of Richard Nixon's, except that unlike the president, Benedict (who now assumes the title of Pope Emeritus) left on his own free will, and the Vatican is now under "sede vacante" mode, or "vacant see", as a few key officials will assume power for the time being.

A couple months ago, the pope entered the social media landscape with his Twitter handle @pontifex; his last words before that and all other tweets would be deleted: "Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives." 

Well, it didn't take long for Hollywood to return back to normal after Sunday's Oscars...and is Joan Rivers fuming! On "Late Show with David Letterman" Wednesday, the legendary tart-mouthed comedienne tore up Best Song winner Adele by miming a blimp shape with her arms and then later saying, "What's her song, 'Rolling In The Deep'? She should add fried chicken!" to boos from the audience. 

Now a couple days earlier, Rivers's remarks over Heidi Klum and her very low-cut gown at the Elton John AIDS Party during E!'s "Fashion Police" Oscar show ("The last time a German looked this hot was when they were pushing Jews into the ovens") drew more fire that even the Anti-Defamation League said that Joan "should know better; this remark is so vulgar and offensive to Jews and Holocaust survivors." But Rivers went on the defensive, stating, "My husband lost the majority of his family at Auschwitz, and I can assure you that I have always made it a point to remind people of the Holocaust through humor."

There was more afterglow from the awards, which was watched by over 40 million people: Supporting Actress Anne Hathaway regretted her choice for wearing what some called "the nipple dress", telling "Women's Wear Daily": "It came to my attention late Saturday night that there would be a dress worn to the Oscars that is remarkably similar to the Valentino I had intended to wear. Though I love the dress I did wear, it was a difficult last-minute decision as I had so looked forward to wearing Valentino in honor of the deep and meaningful relationship I have enjoyed with the house and with Valentino himself. I deeply regret any disappointment caused."

So Anne is a staunch Valentino supporter, and she went for Prada at the Oscars? It's like jumping from Armani to Elie Saab at the last minute, but I can tell you this: It won't happen again.

And one day and a hair dye later, Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence wasted no time returning to work on "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" in Hawaii. Paparazzi caught her enjoying some downtime in her hotel balcony sipping on some wine with her friend and later puffing on what is believed to be an electronic cigarette. Guess she really bounced back after that fall seen 'round the world. As for the other big winners, Ben Affleck and Daniel Day-Lewis? Their post-Oscar whereabouts are unknown.

Hollywood's Super Bowl is over for another year, and we now move forward to Alaska's Super Bowl, the Iditarod. For the 41st time, 67 of the best dog mushers on the planet will be spending a week and a half (or two) in the isolated Alaskan wilderness, as they tough out treacherous terrain and bone-chilling temperatures along the way to Nome.

Defending champion Dallas Seavey is among those in...Rick Swenson. Personal reasons had the five-time champion dropping out of this year's race; he was the first under the Burled Arch in Nome in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1991, and it'll be 35 years since he and Dick Mackey totally went at it right down to the wire. In the end, it was Mackey in a photo finish.

The first 30 finishers this year will share a $600,000 purse, but only one who's in Nome first will also be awarded with a new Ram truck. Will it be Seavey again, John Baker breaking his own record, Lance Mackey or Jeff King in their drive for five, or someone else? We'll find out in the days to come.

And last but not least: Once upon a time, there was "The Dating Game." But in 1983, "Love Connection" would bring video dating to the next level. The shows' legacies would usher in a new generation of dating as it would carry over from the television screen to our computer screens in the '90s.

For years, Match.com, eHarmony, and even part of Craigslist have been the premier dating sites, but not anymore when Zoosk.com started up. And now we have all kinds of dating sites that appeal to a wide array of palates, like ChristianMingle.com, JewDate.com, OurTime.com (aimed at seniors), Farmersonly.com, and even CougarLife.com (for a certain type on the prowl for young'uns), which I saw being advertised on "WWE Raw" recently.

I may have been voted "Biggest Flirt" in my high school graduating class of 1997, but at that time, if you were looking for that special someone you would have to hit the newspaper or online classifieds. When eHarmony was born, it was all about finding a certain quality that matches yours, regardless of background, race, or religion. That's why we have all these other sites, though my younger brother Lawrence found love in Niesha the old-fashioned way.

If you've had enough, maybe I should start a dating site of my own. And what could I call it? Maybe JustDateAlreadyGetMarriedandMoveOnWithYourLife.com! So long and stay strong.

Golden night for "Argo" at the Oscars!

Hello, everybody. Not even a Best Director snub for Ben Affleck couldn't stop "Argo" from winning big at the 85th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, with Film Editing, Adapted Screenplay, and the ultimate consolation prize: Best Picture of 2012. This is not only Affleck's second win, but producer George Clooney's as well.

"Life of Pi" took the most haul with four: Visual Effects, Cinematography, Original Score, and Director for Ang Lee (his second).

As expected, Daniel Day-Lewis makes history as a three-time Best Actor winner thanks to his role in "Lincoln", while the odds were in Jennifer Lawrence's favor as she picks up Best Actress for "Silver Linings Playbook"...but not before she stumbled on the way to the stage (at 22, she's now the second youngest winner behind Marlee Matlin)! 

Christoph Waltz claims his second Supporting Actor for "Django Unchained" (which also got Original Screenplay for Quentin Tarantino), and of course, Supporting Actress went to Anne Hathaway for "Les Miserables." Consider that payback for her wooden hosting stint two years ago with James Franco. By the way...I was 4 out of 6 in my picks this year.

Its star Emmanuelle Riva may have been denied quite a birthday present by upsetting Lawrence (and thus becoming the oldest Oscar winner ever at 86), but "Amour" did pick up Foreign Language Film. Adele added Best Song for "Skyfall" to go along with her several Grammys, "Brave" received Animated Feature Film, and in a tie...Sound Editing go to Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty.

For the first 17 minutes of the 3 1/2 hour extravaganza, host Seth McFarlane turned the Oscars into the mini-Tonys with a little help from William Shatner, who from the future warned McFarlane about his emceeing performance. From there, it started with a pre-taped production number that featured Seth singing "We Saw Your Boobs." Hey, tell that to Halle Berry and Kate Winslet, who bared theirs and won Oscars.

The highlights of the show: Barbra Streisand's tribute to Marvin Hamlisch that capped off the In Memoriam segment, the 50th anniversary of James Bond with Adele and Shirley Bassey performing "Skyfall" and "Goldfinger" respectively, and First Lady Michelle Obama from the White House co-presenting Best Picture to "Argo" with Jack Nicholson.

As for the fashion highlights: Anne Hathaway decided to substitute Prada for Valentino, while Armani was the choice for Naomi Watts, Jessica Chastain, and Quvenzhane Wallis. Jennifer Lawrence was the bell of the ball in Dior (who also dressed Charlize Theron), Valentino had Jennifer Aniston, and Halle Berry looked cougarlicious in Versace. As for the men, the fashion accessory for Clooney, Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, and Bradley Cooper? Beards!

Far and away, the best-dressed was far and away from Hollywood with the First Lady in silver Naeem Khan (who also did Stacy Keibler). As for Helena Bonham Carter? Since the Oscars almost ended at midnight, I guess her gown might've been turned back into a potato sack.

Daniel Day-Lewis now holds the distinction of being the first actor to win three Best Actor Oscars. For Anne Hathaway, what a difference two years have made; last time, she had the unfortunate task of hosting the show with James Franco to pitiful ratings, though she held her ground nonetheless. Her Supporting Actress prize proved to be quite the redemption.

And of course, you've got the young lady from Louisville, Kentucky who started her long journey on the TBS comedy "The Bil Engvall Show" as a teenager. Though she never took acting classes, she would educate herself along the way to "Winter's Bone" that put her on the map.

2012 was quite a banner year with "X-Men: First Class" and the "The Hunger Games" upgrading her to superstar status. A sequel to the latter is on the way, and you can bet it will say on the trailer and poster: "Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence"!

Just like the Grammys a few weeks ago, Oscar spread its wealth all around for the 85th time. But in the end, it was the two Sexiest Men Alive in Ben Affleck and George Clooney that ruled the night and for the former, it was sweet revenge. So long and stay strong.

(RATINGS UPDATE: This year's Oscarcast brought in its best ratings since 2010 with 40.3 million viewers tuning in)

Hello, everybody. I'll get to my Oscar preview in a jiffy, but we begin with another Oscar.

If O.J. Simpson had the Trial of the 20th Century, then Oscar Pistorius' may be the Trial of the 21st Century. On Friday, the South African athlete who inspired the world last summer at the Olympics was released on 1 million rand bail ($113,000) as his reputation was put to the test over the shooting death of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.

The bail hearing lasted four days, and Pistorius said in a sworn statement that he accidentally killed Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last week, thinking she was an intruder in his Pretoria home. But prosecutors begged to differ, saying that a loud argument between the two led to the murder. Due to the seriousness of the charge, Pistorius would've faced the harshest bail requirements in South Africa, more harsh than here in the States.

Just like O.J., Pistorius' reputation and image may have been tarnished for the long haul. Will the Blade Runner get back on track? It all depends on his fate stemming from the criminal trial yet to come.

Back here in the States, the Justice Department also on Friday joined the fraud lawsuit against an already disgraced athlete: Lance Armstrong, as the former seven-time Tour de France champion has defrauded his sponsor, the U.S. Postal Service, by concealing his use of banned substances and performance-enhancing drugs.

For the USPS, it was another black eye as the other week, they announced they were going to discontinue mail service on Saturday effective in August. I guess the two bits of news proved to be bad delivery.

And now we segue from Oscar and Lance to the Oscars: The 85th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, as host/Best Song nominee Seth MacFarlane plans to pull no punches by perking up the usually stodgy but still prestigious ceremony as it celebrates its 60th anniversary on television.

Ratings have been up and down in the last few years, and the Oscars have tried everything in their power with surprise presenters (2009), director Hamish Hamilton and "And the winner is..." replacing "And the Oscar goes to..." (2010; thankfully, Hamilton would be shown the door), infusing some youth in hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway (the latter which I'll get to, 2011), and even bringing back Billy Crystal as host (2012). The cost for ad time has even jumped to $1.7 million for a 30-second spot, as the Oscars are attempting to rival the Super Bowl in that. 

Two advertisers know the power of the year's two most-watched television events very well: Apple and Coca-Cola. Apple used Super Bowl XVIII in 1984 to show their famous Macintosh commercial, and the first commercial for the iPad debuted during the 2010 Oscars. Diet Coke is generally seen on the Oscarcast, while the flagship Coke product is reserved for the Super Bowl.

But now let's get on this year's awards: "Lincoln" leads the way with 12 nominations, but not even a Director snub for Ben Affleck couldn't stop "Argo" from collecting major honors along the way and is already the heavy favorite to take Best Picture. But if not either the two, it could be "Amour" (also up for Foreign Language Film), "Beasts of the Southern Wild", "Django Unchained", "Les Miserables", "Life of Pi", "Silver Linings Playbook", or "Zero Dark Thirty" in an upset.

Supporting Actor may be about Christoph Waltz vs. Tommy Lee Jones, as both of them or Alan Arkin want to make it two. Then again, you have two-time winner Robert De Niro (gunning for his first Oscar since 1980) and 2005 Best Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. Anne Hathaway is a guaranteed lock for Supporting Actress, but then there's two-timer Sally Field, 1997 Best Actress Helen Hunt, and returnees Amy Adams and Jacki Weaver.

For Best Actor, it could be all about Daniel Day-Lewis; he has won that in 1990 and 2007. Denzel Washington also wants to make it three overall, but there's a snowball's chance in hell he, Bradley Cooper, 1999 Oscars host Hugh Jackman, or Joaquin Phoenix could take the stage. 

And then there's Best Actress. When the nominations came out, Jessica Chastain appeared to be the early favorite...that is, until Jennifer Lawrence steamrolled her with Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild honors. But Emmanuelle Riva's BAFTA win tested Jennifer's nerve just a bit, therefore tightening the race as Riva -- or maybe 9-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis -- wants to make Oscar history. In other words, Academy voters may wish Emmanuelle a very happy birthday their way on Sunday; she turns 86. Oh, and Naomi Watts is in there as well, but who cares?

Whose names will be engraved on that 8.5 lb. symbol of cinematic excellence after Sunday night? I already did a few of the lesser-known categories on Thursday, so here are the ones that really matter:

Supporting Actor: At first, it was going to be a duel between Tommy Lee Jones and Christoph Waltz, but come on! They already own that prize, and as we've found out last year with Meryl Streep, over three decades should be good enough for Robert De Niro as well.

Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (duh!)

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (double duh!)

Best Actress: Emmanuelle Riva may be a veteran who's been in the game longer than the other nominees, but let's face it: Her BAFTA won't guarantee her the Oscar that quick. When it comes right down to it, she has had a stellar year with "The Hunger Games" and a sequel on the way, plus her performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" has already drawn praise all around. So it's easy to say that we can't wait for Jean Dujardin to open the envelope and say Jennifer Lawrence's name!

Director: Steven Spielberg ("Lincoln")

Best Picture: "Argo"

We'll see how I fare on Sunday night when the richest prizes in entertainment will be handed out. Follow me on Twitter @jonathanallen as I'll be live tweeting the Oscars; a full recap will follow on Monday's blog. So long and stay strong.