Monologue Joke of the Evening

“American Idol” judges have narrowed down the field to 36. “American Idol” isn’t doing as well in the ratings this season. But if you compare the ratings to how boring the show is, it’s doing amazing.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Same Jermaine?

Exchanges are not improvements. Improvements enhance assets. Improvements negate deficiencies. Exchanges merely swap unwanted resources.

On Friday, the Toronto Raptors traded Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat. As reciprocation, the Raptors received Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. “It gives us some power down low, which since Shaq left we've been missing,” said Dwyane Wade. “We really need that to compete in the Eastern Conference. Our main thing is we need to get it together fast. Making a trade at this time sometimes makes it tough on teams to get everybody on the same page. Hopefully, we can.”

During his career, O’Neal has registered 14.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest. He has tallied six nineteen-plus point seasons. He has also logged six nine-plus rebound seasons. “You've got to get honest with yourself and say if you're going to compete with the big boys, you've got to get somebody in the middle,” said Heat President Pat Riley.

During his career, Marion has registered 17.9 points and 10 rebounds per contest. He has tallied nine fourteen-plus point seasons. He has tallied nine nine-plus rebound seasons.

This exchange is intriguing. If O’Neal recaptures dominance, Miami is a contender. If he remains mediocre, this was a component reshuffling.

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“This week, Michigan Congressman John Dingell set an all-time record as the longest serving member ever of the U.S. House of Representatives. He’s been there 19,421 days. That’s the longest a member of Congress has ever been in one place if you don’t count federal prison.”

The Tonight Show

NEW RULE

Mark Martin is exemplary.

During his career, Martin has recorded 35 wins, 243 top five finishes, and 396 top ten finishes. He merits a championship.

Worth A Read

Paperback Writer

Featuring advice and assessments.

The Daily Smak

Hey, weren’t you Secretary of Commerce Judd Gregg?

According to a poll, Darwin’s Theory is implausible. Apparently, the fittest could not answer their phones.

Today’s top five or this weekend’s attractions (1) Daytona 500, (2) NBA All State Game, (3) UCLA at Arizona, (4) AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, (5) Duke at Boston College

What Can We Believe In?

For Secretary of Commerce, Senator Judd Gregg renounced his nomination. “For 30 years, I've been my own person in charge of my own views, and I guess I hadn't really focused on the job of working for somebody else and carrying their views, and so this is basically where it came out,” said Gregg. “I just sensed that I was not going to be good at being anything other than myself.”

President Obama’s campaign was perfect. His governance remains problematic. Clearly, change and hope are inadequate. Experience would be valuable.

Sadness & Futility

Bud Selig: “What Alex did was wrong and he will have to live with the damage he has done to his name and reputation. While Alex deserves credit for publicly confronting the issue, there is no valid excuse for using such substances, and those who use them have shamed the game. It is important to remember that these recent revelations relate to pre-program activity. Under our current drug program, if you are caught using steroids and/or amphetamines, you will be punished. Since 2005, every player who has tested positive for steroids has been suspended for as much as 50 games.”

Mixing Misfortunes

According to the National Intelligence Annual Threat Assessment, Al Qaeda is weaker. Unfortunately, the economic crisis is a security nightmare. Who could have predicted this?

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska — today is her birthday. I’m not saying how old she is, but from her house, she can see 50.”

Late Show with David Letterman

Fox News: From NASCAR to Neighborhood

Imagine it's 30 minutes before the green flag drops on Sunday's 51st Daytona 500 stock car race. Realizing you don't have nearly enough Buffalo wings, you try to set your own track record on the way to the supermarket. If only your car had some of that cutting edge NASCAR technology, then you could make the trip in half the time and not worry about hitting a few mailboxes on the way.

Actually, today's production passenger cars have borrowed several innovations from both stock car and Indy-style racing. Here are five of the most useful technologies that have sped to the production line.

Push Button Ignition
When was the last time you saw Jeff Gordon patting down his pockets wondering what he did with his car keys? Thanks to push-button ignition, he can crawl in behind the wheel, hit the button and go. Several luxury passenger cars are now offering this feature. Of course, passenger cars need to be a little more concerned with security, so either keys, fobs or biometric systems are used to get inside the car.

Semi-Automatic Transmissions
When watching a NASCAR race on TV, you may have noticed how the driver shifts gears with the flick of a lever located right behind the steering wheel. A mix between automatic and manual transmission, these direct shift gearboxes allow sequential shifting without depressing a clutch pedal or moving a shift lever through the traditional "H" pattern. With a flick away from the driver, the transmission moves up gear by gear, with downshifting controlled by flicks toward the driver. Now, this semi-automatic technology is available on high-end production cars. Drivers can choose to take control of the shifting or let the computer do the work. The 8 milliseconds it takes to go from one gear to another eliminates the "shift jolt" that pure manual transmissions cause when the clutch disengages, then engages the engine. This smoother transition can also increase gas mileage by up to 10 percent.

Door Cushioning
In a race car, seat belts and head/neck restraints protect the drivers against front and rear collisions, but a "T-bone" or side collision can be even more dangerous as there is a much smaller "crumple" zone. NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow (CoT), which was tested in recent years in an effort to reduce deaths and serious injuries, is now the car of today. Among its innovations, cushioning foam is inserted into the doors to absorb as much impact as possible. NASCAR chose a polystyrene foam material called Impaxx from Dow Automotive. Its millions of tiny air bubbles each absorb some of the impact, lessening the energy transferred to the driver. Impaxx is now used in more than 2 million passenger automobiles.

Lightweight Body Materials
To be fast, race cars need to be powerful while weighing as little as possible. Yet, the stresses of high-speed driving demand strong materials. As substitutes for sheet metal, carbon fiber and aluminum now make up most of the body of a Formula 1 race car and have been introduced in strategic places on the CoT. For production car models there are fuel-saving opportunities as total car weights can be reduced.

Soft Walls
Finally, the technology with the greatest potential to keep us safe is not even a part of the car. It took the death of the sport's icon, Dale Earnhardt, on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 to jump-start the development of a more energy absorbing wall that surrounds the racetrack. Earnhardt crashed head-on into a concrete wall at 180 mph. The NASCAR R&D Center developed the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier to dissipate the energy of a crash away from the car and driver. It is a system of structural steel tubes backed by Owens Corning Formular 150 foam with similar properties as Impaxx foam. This system is placed in front of the existing concrete walls. Since the first SAFER wall was installed in 2002, there has not been a serious injury to a driver, despite many soft wall crashes. Several state highway departments are now evaluating the technology for use along dangerous stretches of freeway.

NEW RULE

Nostalgia is permissible.

On January 30, Ilya Dall filed a lawsuit. Her allegations? Roberto Alomar has AIDS. Alomar and her omitted protection. The information age is wonderful. Cellular phone cameras, microphones, video cameras, and websites… Every celebrity is mortal. Every celebrity’s mistake is public. I miss the isolation age.

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be Miguel Tejada?

In Michigan, Brooke Heike filed a lawsuit. Allegedly, Heike’s heterosexuality revoked her scholarship. Who was her coach? Ryan Seacrest?

Today’s top five of greatest single celebrities (1) Brooke Burke, (2) Jennifer Love Hewitt, (3) Jamie-Lynn Sigler, (4) Britney Spears, (5) Kate Hudson

All About Four: Favre Retires

Brett Favre was narcissistic. He was arrogant, egotistical, pompous, smug, and superior. Favre owned every conversation. If not, he was insufferable.

On Wednesday, Favre retired again. “I have no reason to wonder why you would be so skeptical,” he said. “I have family and friends who are like, 'All right, Brett. Is this the real deal? To me, it is. It is. Believe me. It's been a wonderful career, I couldn't ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could've played better down the stretch. I didn't. It's time to leave.”

New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson’s reaction was gracious. “With Brett, there was always the possibility that he wouldn't play the second year,” Johnson said. “We were hoping to get one good year out of Brett Favre. We picked him based on, in our opinion, his giving us the best chance to win last season. We were disappointed not to have made the Super Bowl, but we did some very good things with Brett.”

On March 4, Favre retired. On July 12, he reconsidered. For two weeks, CEO Mark Murphy, General Manager Ted Thompson, and Favre sniped. On July 26, the Green Bay Packers chose Aaron Rodgers.

Undaunted, Favre received reinstatement. He reported. He retreated. On August 7, he was traded. The Packers reaction was polite. “Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career,” they said. “The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.”

During his career, Favre started 269 contests. He completed 5,720 of 9,280 passes (61%). He amassed 65,127 yards with 464 touchdowns and 310 interceptions.

In 2007, Favre completed 356 of 535 passes for 4,155 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The Packers went 13.3. In 2008, Favre completed 343 of 522 passes for 3,472 yards with 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. The Jets went 9-7.

Favre garnered three NFL Most Valuable Player Awards. He won Super Bowl XXXI. He accrued ten playoff appearances. Favre’s records include career completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions.

I could register annoyance. I could scorch Favre. Instead, I will state the obvious. Favre should have remained retired.

The First Liar

On Wednesday, Miguel Tejada plead guilty to misrepresentation. I am not shocked. I am not sickened. I am not surprised.

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“The economy stinks. It’s so bad, today as I was walking through Central Park, I saw a pigeon feeding an old lady.”

Late Show with David Letterman

NEW RULE

Authority is omnipresent.

On Tuesday, Antonio Margarito was suspended for one year. Evidently, his hand wraps were illegal. Why must athletes cheat? I comprehend the motivation. However, this is the information age. Cellular phone cameras, microphones, video cameras, and websites… Secrecy is impossible. Cheating requires secrecy.

Worth A Read

The Lakers Nation

Featuring coverage, news, and social networking.

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be the economy?

According to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran is a superpower. Seriously?

Today’s top five or greatest collegiate rivalries (1) Duke vs. North Carolina, (2) Ohio State vs. Michigan, (3) Oklahoma vs. Texas, (4) USC vs. UCLA, (5) Arizona vs. Arizona State

Who Needs Details?

On Tuesday, Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner announced the Financial Stability Plan. Unfortunately, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 381.99 points.

Evidently, Americans require details...

Stupidity Reigns

On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (61-37). Once again, this “economic aid” will improve nothing.

Obama Realizes Risk, Requests Patience

President Obama: “I’m not going to make any excuses. If stuff hasn’t worked, if people don’t feel like I’ve led the country in the right direction then you’ll have a new president. But I do think the American people understand that these are some, really big tough problems and it’s going to take some time for us to get ourselves out. I have great faith in the American people and their faith and wisdom.”

“Americans I’ve met understand that even with this plan our economy will likely be measured in years, not weeks or months. You’ve got common sense, you understand that it took us a long time to get into this fix, we’re not going to get out of it over night. But what you don’t have patience for is just listening to a bunch of bickering in Washington with nothing getting done.”

Marvin Miller: Maniacal Mentor

Marvin Miller: “Everything I've read in the last few days is unfair and anti-union. But that does not mean I agree that [union officials] are without blame. When they agreed on a testing program, I said, 'They're going to regret this, because you're going to see players going to jail.’”

“I have a personal belief that there's no such thing as a magic pill or magic injection. I don't know that there's any scientific evidence that there's a performance-enhancing drug. Players take it because they think it does. That's a far cry from saying that it does. Where is the evidence that requires testing?”

“Not one but two surgeons general have said that tobacco use is the worst cause of death in the United States that can be prevented -- that we lose 400,000 people a year to tobacco-related incidents and over time it runs into the millions. Yet not only do we not outlaw tobacco, but the U.S. Congress keeps giving subsidies to the tobacco industry and everybody sits back and smiles. On the other hand, there's not one single documented death from the use of steroids. So that's a hypocritical lie.”

“Anybody who has read about urine testing for a long time knows that quite a number of false positives come up. You get a false positive and then people are questioned in another context -- 'were you a user?' They say no. And then you get a news leak -- a leak of a leak, as it were -- and it turns out that you tested positive. If you said something under oath, you could go to jail and still be an innocent person.”

“A kid who would love to be a professional athlete reads the sports pages or watches ESPN and is told over and over again, 'These are performance-enhancing drugs. They will make you a Barry Bonds or an A-Rod or a Roger Clemens.' The media, without evidence, keep telling young people all over the country, 'All you have to do to be a famous athlete with lots of money is take steroids.' The media are the greatest merchants of encouraging this that I've ever seen.”

“It's a witch hunt in baseball, for sure, but it also extends to cycling and the Olympics. And the victims are the athletes. They're obviously the ones being hunted down here.”

Monologue Joke of the Evening

“I haven’t seen that much tail-chasing since Eliot Spitzer was governor.”

Late Show with David Letterman

Welcome to Reality

Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY): “The American people need leaders who will focus on stemming job losses and getting credit to flow in the marketplace before hearing from yet another person who cheated both himself and the game of baseball.”

NEW RULE

No more partisan pep rallies.

On November 14, I implored cooperation. President Obama’s response? Attitude, overconfidence, and partisanship. Democrats won. Republicans lost. Democrats will govern. Republicans should shut up.

President Obama, the campaign is concluded. The rhetoric must cease. America has problems. Americans need solutions. They need assistance, employment, and revenue. Infrastructure investment was promised. Why was crap presented?

If President Obama is serious, he should act serious. He should not campaign. He should pronounce. He should govern. President Obama won. Victory possesses responsibilities.

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be Alex Rodriguez?

On Monday, Rodriguez admitted performance enhancing drug utilization. Rodriguez apologized. He groveled. He obfuscated… Tom Daschle was impressed…

Today’s top five or the National Steroids Hall of Fame (1) Roger Clemens, (2) Barry Bonds, (3) Mark McGwire, (4) Alex Rodriguez, (5) Jose Canseco

A-Roid… Why Should I Be Shocked?

Alex Rodriguez’s obituary is written. Upon his death, the initial sentences will be unfavorable and unflattering. Rodriguez cheated. Deceitfully and knowingly, one of the game's would have been greatest players engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game.

On Monday, Rodriguez admitted performance enhancing drug utilization. “When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure,” said Rodriguez. “I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me and I needed to perform, and peform at a high level everyday. Back then baseball was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naïve. And I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. I did take a banned substance. And for that I am very sorry and deeply regretful.”

Texas Rangers Owner Tom Hicks’ reaction was severe. “I feel personally betrayed,” he said. “I feel deceived by Alex. He assured me that he had far too much respect for his own body to ever do that to himself. ... I certainly don't believe that if he's now admitting that he started using when he came to the Texas Rangers, why should I believe that it didn't start before he came to the Texas Rangers?”

The New York Yankees’ reaction was supportive. “We urged Alex to be completely open, honest and forthcoming in addressing his use of performance-enhancing drugs,” they said. “We take him at his word that he was. Although we are disappointed in the mistake he spoke to today, we realize that Alex -- like all of us --is a human being not immune to fault. We speak often about the members of this organization being part of a family, and that is never more true than in times of adversity. Alex took a big step by admitting his mistake, and while there is no condoning the use of performance-enhancing drugs, we respect his decision to take accountability for his actions. We support Alex, and we will do everything we can to help him deal with this challenge and prepare for the upcoming season.”

During his desecrated career, Rodriguez has batted .306 with 553 home runs and 1,606 runs batted in. Amidst his scarred era (2001-2003), Rodriguez averaged 52 home runs and 131.7 runs batted in. Since 2004, he has averaged 41.6 home runs and 123.2 runs batted in. “It wasn't a real dramatic day once I arrived in Texas that something monumental happened in my life,” said Rodriguez. “The point of the matter was that I started experimenting with things that today are not legal or today are not accepted and today you would get in a lot of trouble for.”

“You have nutritionists, you have doctors, you have trainers,” he continued. “That's the right question today: Where did you get it? We're in the era of BALCO. There's many things that you can take that are banned substances. I mean, there's things that have been removed from GNC today that would trigger a positive test.”

Last week, Michael Phelps was embarrassed. This week, Rodriguez is embarrassed. Phelps’ actions were inappropriate. Rodriguez’s were unacceptable. Clearly, one is worse than the other.

President Discusses Recovery, Reinvestment

Press Conference Complete Text

NEW RULE

Be my value.

Ignore chocolate, flowers, and stuffed animals. Instead, purchase meat, milk, or mittens. Valentine’s Day can be practical.

Worth A Read

The Immoral Morality

What is morality? Who decides? Who controls our destiny? What is right? What is wrong? Can we answer these questions? Yes!

The Daily Smak

Hey, didn’t you used to be Adam Morrison?

Tonight, the Westminster Dog Show will occur. Competition… Excitement… Tension… If the city dancers performed… perfect evening.

Today's top five or NBA's finest (1) Los Angeles Lakers, (2) Boston Celtics, (3) San Antonio Spurs, (4) Orlando Magic, (5) Cleveland Cavaliers

Grammy Best & Bashed (Flu Version)

AWARDS

Record Of The Year
Prediction: Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Winner: Please Read The Letter: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Album Of The Year
Prediction: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay
Winner: Raising Sand: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Song Of The Year
Prediction: Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Winner: Viva La Vida: Coldplay

Best New Artist
Prediction: Lady Antebellum
Winner: Adele

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Prediction: Bleeding Love: Leona Lewis
Winner: Chasing Pavements: Adele

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Prediction: Say: John Mayer
Winner: Say: John Mayer

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Prediction: Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Winner: Viva La Vida: Coldplay

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Prediction: Rich Woman: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Winner: Rich Woman: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Prediction: Violet Hill: Coldplay
Winner: Sex On Fire: Kings Of Leon

Best Rock Album
Prediction: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay
Winner: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Prediction: Me, Myself And I: Beyoncé
Winner: Superwoman: Alicia Keys

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Prediction: Miss Independent: Ne-Yo
Winner: Miss Independent: Ne-Yo

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Prediction: Stay With Me (By The Sea): Al Green featuring John Legend
Winner: Stay With Me (By The Sea): Al Green featuring John Legend

Best R&B Song
Prediction: Miss Independent: Ne-Yo
Winner: Miss Independent: Ne-Yo

Best R&B Album
Prediction: Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson
Winner: Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson

Best Rap Solo Performance
Prediction: Roc Boys (And The Winner Is): Jay-Z
Winner: A Milli: Lil Wayne

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
Prediction: Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
Winner: Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Prediction: American Boy: Estelle featuring Kanye West
Winner: American Boy: Estelle featuring Kanye West

Best Rap Song
Prediction: Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
Winner: Lollipop: Lil Wayne featuring Static Major

Best Rap Album
Prediction: Tha Carter III: Lil Wayne
Winner: Tha Carter III: Lil Wayne

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
Prediction: Last Name: Carrie Underwood
Winner: Last Name: Carrie Underwood

Best Male Country Vocal Performance
Prediction: Troubadour: George Strait
Winner: Letter To Me: Brad Paisley

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Prediction: Stay: Sugarland
Winner: Stay: Sugarland

Best Country Song
Prediction: Stay: Sugarland
Winner: Stay: Sugarland

Best Country Album
Prediction: Troubadour: George Strait
Winner: Troubadour: George Strait

PERFORMANCES
(Rating scale between one lowest and ten highest)

Adele\Jennifer Nettles (9)

Duke Fakir\Jamie Foxx\Ne-Yo\Smokey Robinson (9)

John Mayer\B.B. King\Buddy Guy\Keith Urban (9)

Lil Wayne\Robin Thicke (9)

M.I.A.\T.I.\Jay-Z\Lil Wayne\Kanye West (9)

Coldplay\Jay-Z (8)

Robert Plant\Alison Krauss (8)

Taylor Swift\Miley Cyrus (8)

U2 (8)

Al Green,\Justin Timberlake\Keith Urban\Boyz II Men (7)

Estelle\Kanye West (7)

Jennifer Hudson (7)

Jonas Brothers\Stevie Wonder (7)

Kenny Chesney (7)

Neil Diamond (7)

Stevie Wonder (7)

Sugarland (7)

Katy Perry (6)

Paul McCartney\Dave Grohl (6)

Radiohead (6)

Carrie Underwood (5)

Kid Rock (5)

T.I.\Justin Timberlake (5)

Grammy Predictions

Record Of The Year

Chasing Pavements: Adele
Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Bleeding Love: Leona Lewis
Paper Planes: M.I.A
Please Read The Letter: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

PREDICTION: Viva La Vida: Coldplay

Album Of The Year

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay
Tha Carter III: Lil Wayne
Year Of The Gentleman: Ne-Yo
Raising Sand: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
In Rainbows: Radiohead

PREDICTION: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay

Song Of The Year

American Boy: Estelle featuring Kanye West
Chasing Pavements: Adele
I'm Yours: Jason Mraz
Love Song: Sara Bareilles
Viva La Vida: Coldplay

PREDICTION: Viva La Vida: Coldplay

Best New Artist

Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

PREDICTION: Lady Antebellum

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Chasing Pavements: Adele
Love Song: Sara Bareilles
Mercy: Duffy
Bleeding Love: Leona Lewis
I Kissed A Girl: Katy Perry
So What: Pink

PREDICTION: Bleeding Love: Leona Lewis

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

All Summer Long: Kid Rock
Say: John Mayer
That Was Me: Paul McCartney
I'm Yours: Jason Mraz
Closer: Ne-Yo
Wichita Lineman: James Taylor

PREDICTION: Say: John Mayer

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Waiting In The Weeds: Eagles
Going On: Gnarls Barkley
Won't Go Home Without You: Maroon 5
Apologize: OneRepublic

PREDICTION: Viva La Vida: Coldplay

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

Lesson Learned: Alicia Keys & John Mayer
4 Minutes: Madonna, Justin Timberlake, & Timbaland
Rich Woman: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
If I Never See Your Face Again: Rihanna & Maroon 5
No Air: Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown

PREDICTION: Rich Woman: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

Rock N Roll Train: AC/DC
Violet Hill: Coldplay
Long Road Out Of Eden: Eagles
Sex On Fire: Kings Of Leon
House Of Cards: Radiohead

PREDICTION: Violet Hill: Coldplay

Best Rock Album

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay
Rock N Roll Jesus: Kid Rock
Only By The Night: Kings Of Leon
Death Magnetic: Metallica
Consolers Of The Lonely: The Raconteurs

PREDICTION: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends: Coldplay

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

Me, Myself And I: Beyoncé
Heaven Sent: Keyshia Cole
Spotlight: Jennifer Hudson
Superwoman: Alicia Keys
Need U Bad: Jazmine Sullivan

PREDICTION: Me, Myself And I: Beyoncé

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

You're The Only One: Eric Benét
Take You Down: Chris Brown
Miss Independent: Ne-Yo
Can't Help But Wait: Trey Songz
Here I Stand: Usher

PREDICTION: Miss Independent: Ne-Yo

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

Ribbon In The Sky: Boyz II Men
Words: Anthony David featuring India.Arie
Stay With Me (By The Sea): Al Green featuring John Legend
I'm His Only Woman: Jennifer Hudson featuring Fantasia
Never Give You Up: Raphael Saadiq featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton

PREDICTION: Stay With Me (By The Sea): Al Green featuring John Legend

Best R&B Song

Bust Your Windows: Jazmine Sullivan
Customer: Raheem DeVaughn
Heaven Sent: Keyshia Cole
Miss Independent: Ne-Yo
Spotlight: Jennifer Hudson

PREDICTION: Miss Independent: Ne-Yo

Best R&B Album

Love & Life: Eric Benét
Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA: Boyz II Men
Lay It Down: Al Green
Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson
The Way I See It: Raphael Saadiq

PREDICTION: Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson

Best Rap Solo Performance

Roc Boys (And The Winner Is): Jay-Z
A Milli: Lil Wayne
Paris, Tokyo: Lupe Fiasco
N.i.*.*.e.r. (The Slave And The Master): Nas
Sexual Eruption: Snoop Dogg

PREDICTION: Roc Boys (And The Winner Is): Jay-Z

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group

Royal Flush: Big Boi featuring Raekwon And Andre 3000
Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
Mr. Carter: Lil Wayne featuring Jay-Z
Wish You Would: Ludacris featuring T.I.
Put On: Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West

PREDICTION: Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

American Boy: Estelle featuring Kanye West
Low: Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
Green Light: John Legend & Andre 3000
Got Money: Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain
Superstar: Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos

PREDICTION: American Boy: Estelle featuring Kanye West

Best Rap Song

Lollipop: Lil Wayne featuring Static Major
Low: Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
Sexual Eruption: Snoop Dogg
Superstar: Lupe Fiasco Featuring Matthew Santos
Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne

PREDICTION: Swagga Like Us: Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne

Best Rap Album

American Gangster: Jay-Z
Tha Carter III: Lil Wayne
The Cool: Lupe Fiasco
Nas:Nas
Paper Trail: T.I.

PREDICTION: Tha Carter III: Lil Wayne

Best Female Country Vocal Performance

For These Times: Martina McBride
What I Cannot Change: LeAnn Rimes
Last Name: Carrie Underwood
Last Call: Lee Ann Womack
This Is Me You're Talking To: Trisha Yearwood

PREDICTION: Last Name: Carrie Underwood

Best Male Country Vocal Performance

You're Gonna Miss This: Trace Adkins
In Color: Jamey Johnson
Just Got Started Lovin' You: James Otto
Letter To Me: Brad Paisley
Troubadour: George Strait

PREDICTION: Troubadour: George Strait

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

God Must Be Busy: Brooks & Dunn
Love Don't Live Here: Lady Antebellum
Every Day: Rascal Flatts
Blue Side Of The Mountain: The SteelDrivers
Stay: Sugarland

PREDICTION: Stay: Sugarland

Best Country Song

Dig Two Graves: Randy Travis
I Saw God Today: George Strait
In Color: Jamey Johnson
Stay: Sugarland
You're Gonna Miss This: Trace Adkins

PREDICTION: Stay: Sugarland

Best Country Album

That Lonesome Song: Jamey Johnson
Sleepless Nights: Patty Loveless
Troubadour: George Strait
Around The Bend: Randy Travis
Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love: Trisha Yearwood

PREDICTION: Troubadour: George Strait

The Big Five

For reasons good and bad… they were the news.

The Hot Five

A quintet of sizzling conversation starters.

Line of the Morning

Senator John Ensign (R-NV)

“This is almost a trillion dollars. You don't get do-overs with a trillion dollars…”