Monday, February 16, 2015

The 2015 Oscars ♦ ♦ ♦ Who do you think will be the winners? Here are my picks.


“It is truly an honor and a thrill to be asked to host this year's Academy Awards. I grew up watching the Oscars and was always in such awe of some of the greats who hosted the show, ... To be asked to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres and everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting is a bucket list dream come true.” ~~ Neil Patrick Harris American actor, writer, producer, director, magician, comedian, and singer, on doing Oscar 2015 announcements (Image above left is screen capture of Oscar.com web site home page)

The 87th Academy Award (Oscar) nominations were announced January 15th (at approximately 05:31 am GCT) live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif, by Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams, Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón and Into the Woods actor Chris Pine. Cheryl Boone Isaacs, President of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was also present.

Two films tied as the most nominated films with 9 nominations each -- “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Birdman.”

Amazing that Meryl Streep received her 19th Oscar nomination -- she already holds the record as the actor with the most Oscar nominations ever by man or woman. The second highest nomination number lags behind her score by 36% less with 12 nominations each -- Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson.

“Selma,” Ava DuVernay’s biopic about Martin Luther King Jr. received two nominations for best picture and best original song (for Common and John Legend’s recent Golden Globe-winning “Glory”).

All of the movies this year were spectacular and they are all winners. However, here's a summary of films with multi-nominations (by movie) and I've included my guesstimated as to how many Oscars each film will win:
“Birdman” – 9 (should win at least 4 or 5 of the 9 nominations)
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” – 9 (should win at least 4 or 5 of the 9 nominations)
“The Imitation Game” – 8 (could win 1 or 2 of the 8 nominations)
“Boyhood” – 6 (could win 1 or 2 of the 6 nominations)
“American Sniper” – 6 (could win 2 or 3 of the 6 nominations)
“Whiplash” – 5 (will probably win 2 of the 5 nominations)
“Interstellar” – 5 (will win at least 1 of the 5 nominations)
“Foxcatcher” – 5 (Great biopic crime drama, but I don't think this will win any Oscars) Maybe 1 or 2; Unusual receiving nomination for Best Director but not Best Picture -- the last time this was the scenario was back in 2008 when director Julian Schnabel was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
"The Theory of Everything" - 4 (I don't think it will win anything, maybe 1 or 2,... although a good story, it was just too shallow a film; if any win, the sympathizer Oscar members might give it an Oscar for Music Score, but I think "Budapest" is going to win this category also.)

The Oscars will be broadcast live from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. ET. Neil Patrick Harris will host the ceremony, which will be televised in more than 225 countries.


This year there are 8 nominees for best picture (2014 and 2013 had 9 nominees for best picture). According to critics there are quite a few disappointments particularly snubbing "Selma" for acting categories and also Selma female director Ava DuVernay, "The Lego Movie," not nominating Timothy Spall for Best Actor for “Mr. Turner," etc.

The Oscars are voted on by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. More information on the voting process is available at the Academy's website.

More Oscar nomination coverage is at the Official 87th Annual Academy Awards -- Oscar.com and visit the “Oscar Nominee” section of the Website. My picks are in the category headers below. Oscar.com is also interactive and has a "My Picks" section at http://oscar.go.com/mypicks. I've also included links to more information about the film and noted if any nominees have had previous Oscar nominations/wins in the listings below:


Best Picture: (My pick either "Boyhood" or "Birdman") I've selected "Boyhood" as my pick on Oscar.com site....the fact that it took 12 years to produce is why I think will make this a winner over "Birdman." Although "Birdman" was exceptional and probably should win this category. I think it will go to "Boyhood." Hope I'm wrong. YAY I WAS WRONG ! WINNER:"BIRDMAN"
♦ “American Sniper” Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan, Producers
♦ “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole, Producers
♦ “Boyhood” Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland, Producers
♦“ The Grand Budapest Hotel” Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, Producers
♦ “The Imitation Game” Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman, Producers
♦ “Selma” Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
♦ “The Theory of Everything ” Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten, Producers
♦“Whiplash” Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster, Producers


Best Actor in a Leading Role: (My pick difficult one, I've narrowed it down to 3 Bradley Cooper, Michael Keaton or Eddie Redmayne although Steve Carell was also great) My pick on Oscar.com is Michael Keaton -- Keaton really should win this. However, the BIG HOWEVER... if politics get in the way (George Lucas does not believe in the Oscars and labels it as political and he may be correct.). If Keaton doesn't win....I will have to agree with Lucas that the Oscars are nothing but political nonsense. If they pick Redmayne over Keaton, although he was okay in the role, the part was not a difficult part to play and the movie lacked depth which limited his potential of a great performance even more. I mean, really limping around with props on his knees and oversized shoes for effect in difficulty walking with the disease, playing a cripple in a wheel chair. There was much more to Stephen Hawkings and did not show up in the movie. Keaton had the most difficult part of all the nominees and should win by a landslide. I CANNOT BELIEVE HE WON THIS. THIS IS SURPRISING. WINNER:"EDDIE REDMAYNE"
♦ Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"
♦ Bradley Cooper, "American Sniper" Fourth Academy Award nomination for Bradley Cooper including this one; Previous nominations AMERICAN HUSTLE (2013)Nominee, Actor in a Supporting Role SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role
♦ Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"
♦ Michael Keaton, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"
♦ Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"


Best Actor in a Supporting Role: (My Pick: toss up over 3: Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke and T.K. Simmons) I picked T.K. Simmons on Oscra.com, he played a very difficult part, there was so much to that role. Simmons should win this one. WINNER:T.K. SIMMONS
♦ Robert Duvall, "The Judge" Seventh Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: A CIVIL ACTION (1998) Nominee, Actor in a Supporting Role; THE APOSTLE (1997)Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role; TENDER MERCIES (1983) Winner, Actor in a Leading Role; THE GREAT SANTINI (1980) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role; APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)Nominee, Actor in a Supporting Role; THE GODFATHER (1972)Nominee, Actor in a Supporting Role;
♦ Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood" Fourth Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: BEFORE MIDNIGHT (2013) Nominee, Writing (Adapted); BEFORE SUNSET (2004) Nominee, Writing (Adapted); TRAINING DAY (2001)Nominee, Actor in a Supporting Role;
♦ Ed Norton, "Birdman "
♦ Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher" Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for:THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (2010) Nominee, Actor in a Supporting Role
♦ T.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"


Best Actress in a Leading Role: (This is another tough one -- can't decide between Rosamund Pike and Julianne Moore) Julianne Moore will probably win this one. Although they were all great. My pick on Oscar.com, Julianne Moore, although could be an upset and Rosamund Pike could end up with the award. WINNER:JULIANNE MOORE
♦ Marion Cotillard, "Two Days, One Night" Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated and winner, Actress in a Leading Role: LA VIE EN ROSE (2007)
♦ Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"
♦ Juilianne Moore, "Still Alice" Fifth Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002) Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; THE HOURS (2002) Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role; THE END OF THE AFFAIR (1999) Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997); Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role
♦ Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
♦ Reese Witherspoon, "Wild" Second Academy Award nomination for Reese Witherspoon; Previously nominated and winner Actress in a leading Role for WALK THE LINE (2005)


Best Actress in a Supporting Role: (My pick: Patricia Arquette, "Blue Jasmine") Although Emma Stone was brilliant, Patricia Arquette should win this one. WINNER:PATRICIA ARQUETTE
♦ Patricia Arquette, "Blue Jasmine"
♦ Laura Dern, "Wild" Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: RAMBLING ROSE (1991)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role
♦ Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game" Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005) Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role
♦ Emma Stone, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"
♦ Meryl Streep, "Into The Woods" Nineteenth Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for:AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013) Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; THE IRON LADY (2011)Winner, Actress in a Leading Role; JULIE & JULIA (2009) Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; DOUBT (2008)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; ADAPTATION (2002)Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role; MUSIC OF THE HEART (1999)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; ONE TRUE THING (1998)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE (1990)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; A CRY IN THE DARK (1988)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; IRONWEED (1987)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; OUT OF AFRICA (1985)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; SILKWOOD (1983) Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982) Winner, Actress in a Leading Role; THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN (1981)Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role; KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979)Winner, Actress in a Supporting Role; THE DEER HUNTER (1978) Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role


Best Animated Feature Film: (My pick between "How to Train Your Dragon 2" and "Song of the Sea") My pick on Oscar.com "How to Train Your Dragon 2" WINNER:"BIG HERO 6"
♦ "Big Hero 6" - Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli Second Academy Award nomination for Chris Williams; Previously nominated for: BOLT (2008) Nominee, Animated Feature Film
♦ "The Boxtrolls" - Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable and Travis Knight
♦ "How to Train Your Dragon 2" – Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold Second Academy Award nomination for Dean DeBlois. Previously nominated for: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2010) Nominee, Animated Feature Film
♦ "Song of the Sea" – Tomm Moore and Paul Young Second Academy Award nomination for Tomm Moore; Previously nominated for: THE SECRET OF KELLS (2009)Nominee, Animated Feature Film
♦ "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" – Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura


Best Cinematography: (My pick: toss up between Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel) My pick on Oscar is "Birdman" should win. The effective continuity in the film makes this a clear winner. That technique is so difficult to pull of and it was done spectacularly. WINNER:"BIRDMAN"
♦ "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" – Emmanuel Lubezki Seventh Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: GRAVITY (2013) Winner, Cinematography; THE TREE OF LIFE (2011) Nominee, Cinematography; CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) Nominee, Cinematography; THE NEW WORLD (2005) Nominee, Cinematography; SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999) Nominee, Cinematography; A LITTLE PRINCESS (1995)Nominee, Cinematography
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Robert Yeoman
♦ "Ida" – Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
♦ "Mr. Turner" – Dick Pope Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: THE ILLUSIONIST (2006) Nominee, Cinematography
♦ "Unbroken" – Roger A. Deakins Twelfth Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: PRISONERS (2013) Nominee, Cinematography; SKYFALL (2012) Nominee, Cinematography; TRUE GRIT (2010) Nominee, Cinematography; THE READER (2008) Nominee, Cinematography; THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007) Nominee, Cinematography; NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) Nominee, Cinematography; THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2001) Nominee, Cinematography; O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (2000) Nominee, Cinematography; KUNDUN (1997) Nominee, Cinematography; FARGO (1996) Nominee, Cinematography; THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994) Nominee, Cinematography


Best Costume Design: (My pick: "The Grand Budapest" Hotel or "Into the Woods" My pick on Oscar, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" WINNER: "THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL"
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" – Milena Canonero Ninth Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: MARIE ANTOINETTE (2006) Winner, Costume Design; THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE (2001)Nominee, Costume Design; TITUS (1999) Nominee, Costume Design; DICK TRACY (1990) Nominee, Costume Design; TUCKER THE MAN AND HIS DREAM (1988) Nominee, Costume Design; OUT OF AFRICA (1985) Nominee, Costume Design; CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981) Winner, Costume Design; BARRY LYNDON (1975) Winner, Costume Design
♦ "Inherent Vice" - Mark Bridges Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: THE ARTIST (2011) Winner, Costume Design
♦ "Into the Woods" - Colleen Atwood Eleventh Academy Award nomination for Colleen Atwood. She was previously nominated for: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (2012)Nominee, Costume Design; ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010)Winner, Costume Design; NINE (2009) Nominee, Costume Design; SWEENEY TODD THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007) Nominee, Costume Design; MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005) Winner, Costume Design; LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (2004) Nominee, Costume Design; CHICAGO (2002) Winner, Costume Design; SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)Nominee, Costume Design; BELOVED (1998) Nominee, Costume Design; LITTLE WOMEN (1994) Nominee, Costume Design;
♦ "Maleficent" - Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive Third Academy Award nomination for Anna B. Sheppard; Previously nominated for: THE PIANIST (2002) Nominee, Costume Design; SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) Nominee, Costume Design
♦ "Mr. Turner" - Jacqueline Durran Fourth Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: ANNA KARENINA (2012) Winner, Costume Design; ATONEMENT (2007) Nominee, Costume Design; PRIDE & PREJUDICE (2005) Nominee, Costume Design


Best Directing: (My pick: "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" or "The Grand Budapest Hotel") My pick on Oscar "Birdman"
♦ "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" – Alejandro G. Iñárritu Fifth Academy Award nomination which includes two nominations this year for Best Picture and Original Screenplay for BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED OF IGNORANCE); Previously nominated for: BABEL (2006) Nominee, Directing; BABEL (2006) Nominee, Best Picture
♦ "Boyhood" - Richard Linklater Fifth Academy Award nomination which includes two nominations this year for Best Picture and Original Screenplay for BOYHOOD; Previously nominated for: BEFORE MIDNIGHT (2013) Nominee, Writing (Adapted); BEFORE SUNSET (2004) Nominee, Writing (Adapted)
♦ "Foxcatcher" - Bennett Miller Second Academy Award nomination; Previously nominated for: CAPOTE (2005) Nominee, Directing
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Wes Anderson Sixth Academy Award nomination which includes this year for Best Picture and Original Screenplay for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL; Previously nominated for: MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012) Nominee, Writing (Original); FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009) Nominee, Animated Feature Film; THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001) Nominee, Writing (Original)
♦ "The Imitation Game" - Morten Tyldum


Best Documentary Feature: MY pick between "The Salt of the Earth" and "Citizen Four." My pick on Oscar.com, "Citizen Four" WINNER:"CITIZEN FOUR"
♦ "Citizen Four" – Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky Second Academy Award nomination for Laura Poitras; Previously nominated for: MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY (2006) Nominee, Documentary (Feature)
♦ "Finding Vivian Maier" - John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
♦ "Last Days in Vietnam" - Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
♦ "The Salt of the Earth" - Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier Third Academy Award nomination for Wim Wenders; Previously nominated for: PINA (2011) Nominee, Documentary (Feature); BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (1999) Nominee, Documentary (Feature)
♦ "Virunga" -Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara


Best Documentary Short Subject: My pick here and on Oscar "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1." Compelling documentary deals with emotional, financial and physical challenges of our veterans. The ohter documentaries are good but none come close to the depth "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1." WINNER:"CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1"
♦ "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1" – Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry
♦ "Joanna" - Aneta Kopacz
♦ "Our Curse" - Our Curse Tomasz Śliwiński and Maciej Ślesicki
♦ "The Reaper (La Parka)" - Gabriel Serra Arguello
♦ "White Earth" - J. Christian Jensen


Best Film Editing: I can't believe "Birdman" didn't get a nominee here. I would have picked "Birdman," instead, 2nd close is "American Sniper." My pick on Oscar "American Sniper" WINNER:"WHIPLASH"
♦ "American Sniper" – Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach Third Academy Award nomination for Joel Cox; Previously nominated for: MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004) Nominee, Film Editing; UNFORGIVEN (1992) Winner, Film Editing
♦ "Boyhood" - Sandra Adair
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Barney Pilling
♦ "The Imitation Game" - William Goldenberg Fifth Academy Award nomination for William Goldenberg; Previously nominated for: ARGO (2012) Winner, Film Editing; ZERO DARK THIRTY (2012) Nominee, Film Editing; SEABISCUIT (2003) Nominee, Film Editing; THE INSIDER (1999) Nominee, Film Editing
♦ "Whiplash" – Tom Cross


Best Foreign Language Film: My pick "Ida," and I've also picked "Ida" on Oscar.com. WINNER:"IDA"
♦ "The Broken Circle Breakdown" - Belgium
♦ "Ida" - Poland; Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski Tenth Academy Award nomination for Poland. Previous nominations: IN DARKNESS (2011) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; KATYN (2007) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; MAN OF IRON (1981) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; THE MAIDS OF WILKO (1979) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; NIGHTS AND DAYS (1976) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; LAND OF PROMISE (1975) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; THE DELUGE (1974) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; PHARAOH (1966) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; KNIFE IN THE WATER (1963) Nominee, Foreign Language Film
♦ "Leviathan" - Russia; Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev sixth Academy Award nomination for Russia. Previous nominations: 12 (2007) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; THE THIEF (1997) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS (1996) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; BURNT BY THE SUN (1994) Winner, Foreign Language Film; CLOSE TO EDEN (1992) Nominee, Foreign Language Film. Prior to 1992, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics received a total of nine Academy Award nominations, including three wins: WARTIME ROMANCE (1984)Nominee, Foreign Language Film; PRIVATE LIFE (1982) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; MOSCOW DOES NOT BELIEVE IN TEARS (1980) Winner, Foreign Language Film; WHITE BIM BLACK EAR (1978) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; DERSU UZALA (1975) Winner, Foreign Language Film; THE DAWNS HERE ARE QUIET (1972) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; TCHAIKOVSKY (1971) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV (1969) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; WAR AND PEACE (1968) Winner, Foreign Language Film
♦ "Tangerines" - Estonia; Directed by Zaza Urushadze
♦ "Timbuktu" - Mauritania; Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako
♦ "Wild Tales" - Argentina; Directed by Damián Szifron Seventh Academy Award nomination for Argentina. Previous nominations: THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (2009) Winner, Foreign Language Film; SON OF THE BRIDE (2001) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; TANGO (1998) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; THE OFFICIAL STORY (1985) Winner, Foreign Language Film; CAMILA (1984) Nominee, Foreign Language Film; THE TRUCE (1974) Nominee, Foreign Language Film


Best Makeup and Hairstyling: (My Pick: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" or "Guardians of the Galaxy") My pick on Oscar, "The Grand Budapest Hotel." WINNER:"THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL"
♦ "Foxcatcher" – Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard Third Academy Award nomination for Bill Corso; Previously nominated for: CLICK (2006) Nominee, Makeup; LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (2004) Winner, Makeup
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier Second Academy Award nomination for Mark Coulier; Previously nominated for: THE IRON LADY (2011) Winner, Makeup
♦ "Guardians of the Galaxy" - Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White


Best Music (Original Score) My pick "The Grand Budapest Hotel," and I picked this Oscar.com too. I can't imagine them picking Theory over Budapest, really that would be disppointing. I mean to give the Oscar to Theory because it is going to lose on everything else and needs to get an Oscar is simply political nonsense. WINNER:"THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL"
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" – Alexandre Desplat Eighth Academy Award nomination for Desplat; Previously nominated for: PHILOMENA (2013) Nominee, Music (Original Score); ARGO (2012) Nominee, Music (Original Score); THE KING'S SPEECH (2010) Nominee, Music (Original Score); FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009) Nominee, Music (Original Score); THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008) Nominee, Music (Original Score); THE QUEEN (2006) Nominee, Music (Original Score)
♦ "The Imitation Game" - Alexandre Desplat Eighth Academy Award nomination for Desplat; Previously nominated for: PHILOMENA (2013) Nominee, Music (Original Score); ARGO (2012) Nominee, Music (Original Score); THE KING'S SPEECH (2010) Nominee, Music (Original Score); FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009) Nominee, Music (Original Score); THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008) Nominee, Music (Original Score); THE QUEEN (2006) Nominee, Music (Original Score)
♦ "Interstellar" - Hans Zimmer
♦ "Mr. Turner" - Gary Yershon
♦ "The Theory of Everything" - Jóhann Jóhannsson


Best Music (Original Song): My pick "Glory" and I also chose that one on Oscar.com as well. I chose this one not for the sake of diversity but it is a winner. I'm really sick and tired of the complaints about not enough diversity and I believe critics needs to get a life and move on about not enough diversity/too much diversity, etc. This is not a diversity context, it's the Oscars. WINNER:"GLORY"
♦ “"Everything Is Awesome" from THE LEGO MOVIE; Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson
♦ "Glory" from SELMA; Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
♦ "Grateful" from BEYOND THE LIGHTS; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren; Seventh Academy Award nomination for Diane Warren. Previously nominated for: PEARL HARBOR (2001) Nominee, Music (Original Song); MUSIC OF THE HEART (1999) Nominee, Music (Original Song); ARMAGEDDON (1998) Nominee, Music (Original Song); CON AIR (1997)Nominee, Music (Original Song); UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL (1996) Nominee, Music (Original Song); MANNEQUIN (1987) Nominee, Music (Original Song)
♦ "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from GLEN CAMPBELL...I'LL BE ME; Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
♦ "Lost Stars" from BEGIN AGAIN; Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois


Best Production Design: (My pick "The Grand Budapest Hotel") My pick on Oscar.com "The Grand Budapest Hotel," although "Birdman" was exquisite and should have been nominated, Grand Budapest will win over the others but not if Birdman were included in the list. WINNER:"THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL"
♦ "The Grand Budapest Hotel" Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration); Second Academy Award nomination for Adam Stockhausen who was previously nominated for: 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)Nominee, Production Design. Fifth Academy Award nomination for Anna Pinnock - this count includes her nomination this year for Production Design for INTO THE WOODS. Pinnock was previously nominated for: LIFE OF PI (2012) Nominee, Production Design; THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007)Nominee, Art Direction; GOSFORD PARK (2001)Nominee, Art Direction;
♦ "The Imitation Game" Maria Djurkovic (Production Design); Tatiana Macdonald (Set Decoration)
♦ "Interstellar" Nathan Crowley (Production Design); Gary Fettis (Set Decoration)Third Academy Award nomination for Nathan Crowley. Previously nominated for: THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)Nominee, Art Direction; THE PRESTIGE (2006)Nominee, Art Direction. Third Academy Award nomination for Gary Fettis; Previously nominated for: CHANGELING (2008)Nominee, Art Direction; THE GODFATHER, PART III (1990)Nominee, Art Direction
♦ "Into the Woods" Dennis Gassner (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration) Fifth Academy Award nomination for Dennis Gassner; Previously nominated for: THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007)Nominee, Art Direction; ROAD TO PERDITION (2002)Nominee, Art Direction; BARTON FINK (1991)Nominee, Art Direction; BUGSY (1991)Winner, Art Direction. Fifth Academy Award nomination for Anna Pinnock - this count includs her nomination this year for Production Design for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL; Previously nominated for: LIFE OF PI (2012) Nominee, Production Design; THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007)Nominee, Art Direction; GOSFORD PARK (2001)Nominee, Art Direction;
♦ "Mr. Turner" Suzie Davies (Production Design); Charlotte Watts (Set Decoration)


Best Short Film (Animated): My pick here and on Oscar.com "The Bigger Picture" WINNER:"FEAST"
♦ "The Bigger Picture" Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
♦ "The Dam Keeper" Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
♦ "Feast" Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
♦ "Me and My Moulton" Torill Kove Third Academy Award nomination for Torill Kove; Previously nominated for: THE DANISH POET (2006) Winner, Short Film (Animated); MY GRANDMOTHER IRONED THE KING'S SHIRTS (1999) Nominee, Short Film (Animated)
♦ "A Single Life" Joris Oprins


Best Short Film (Live Action): My pick here and on Oscar.com "Boogaloo and Graham" WINNER:"THE PHONE CALL"
♦ “Aya" Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
♦ “Boogaloo and Graham" Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
♦ “Butter Lamp (La Lampe au Beurre de Yak)" Hu Wei and Julien Féret
♦ “Parvaneh" Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
♦ “The Phone Call" Mat Kirkby and James Lucas


Best Sound Editing: (My pick: “American Sniper") My pick on Oscar.com also "American Sniper" WINNER:"AMERICAN SNIPER"
♦ “American Sniper" Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman Seventh Academy Award nomination for Alan Robert Murray; Previously nominated for: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006) Nominee, Sound Editing; LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (2006) Winner, Sound Editing; SPACE COWBOYS (2000)Nominee, Sound Editing; ERASER (1996)Nominee, Sound Effects Editing; LETHAL WEAPON 2 (1989)Nominee, Sound Effects Editing; LADYHAWKE (1985)Nominee, Sound Effects Editing. Fifth Academy Award nomination for Bub Asman.; Previously nominated for: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006)Nominee, Sound Editing; LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (2006)Winner, Sound Editing; SPACE COWBOYS (2000)Nominee, Sound Editing; ERASER (1996)Nominee, Sound Effects Editing;
♦ “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" Martin Hernández and Aaron Glascock
♦ “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" Brent Burge and Jason Canovas Second Academy Award nomination for Brent Burge; Previously nominated for: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (2013)Nominee, Sound Editing
♦ “Interstellar" Richard King Fifth Academy Award nomination for Richard King; Previously nominated for: INCEPTION (2010)Winner, Sound Editing; THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) Winner, Sound Editing; WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005)Nominee, Sound Editing; MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003)Winner, Sound Editing
♦ “Unbroken" Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro


Best Sound Mixing: (My pick: “Interstellar" or "American Sniper") My pick on Oscar.com "American Sniper" WINNER:"WHIPLASH"
♦ “American Sniper" John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin Sixth Academy Award nomination for John Reitz; Reitz was previously nominated for: ARGO (2012)Nominee, Sound Mixing; FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006)Nominee, Sound Mixing; THE PERFECT STORM (2000)Nominee, Sound; THE MATRIX (1999)Winner, Sound; DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978)Nominee, Sound. Sixth Academy Award nomination for Gregg Rudloff; Previously nominated for: ARGO (2012)Nominee, Sound Mixing; FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006)Nominee, Sound Mixing; THE PERFECT STORM (2000)Nominee, Sound; THE MATRIX (1999)Winner, Sound; GLORY (1989)Winner, Sound. Second Academy Award nomination for Walt Martin; Previously nominated for: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006)Nominee, Sound Mixing
♦ “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga Second Academy Award nomination for Jon Taylor -- this count includes his nomination this year for Sound Mixing for UNBROKEN. Seventh Academy Award nomination Frank A. Montaño - this count includes his nomination this year for Sound Mixing for UNBROKEN; Montaño was previously nominated for: WANTED (2008)Nominee, Sound Mixing; BATMAN FOREVER (1995)Nominee, Sound; CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994)Nominee, Sound; THE FUGITIVE (1993)Nominee, Sound; UNDER SIEGE (1992)Nominee, Sound
♦ “Interstellar" Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten Fourth Academy Award nomination for Gary A. Rizzo; Previously nominated for: INCEPTION (2010)Winner, Sound Mixing; THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)Nominee, Sound Mixing; THE INCREDIBLES (2004) Nominee, Sound Mixing. Eighth Academy Award nomination for Gregg Landaker; Previously nominated for: U-571 (2000)Nominee, Sound; TWISTER (1996)Nominee, Sound; WATERWORLD (1995)Nominee, Sound; SPEED (1994)Winner, Sound; JFK (1991)Nominee, Sound; RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)Winner, Sound; THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)Winner, Sound. Third Academy Award nomination for Mark Weingarten. He was previously nominated for: THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)Nominee, Sound Mixing; THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008) Nominee, Sound Mixing
♦ “Unbroken" Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee Second Academy Award nomination for Jon Taylor - count includes Taylor's nomination this year for Sound Mixing for BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE). Seventh Academy Award nomination for Frank A. Montaño - this count includes Montaño's nomination this year for Sound Mixing for BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE); Previously nominated for: WANTED (2008)Nominee, Sound Mixing; BATMAN FOREVER (1995)Nominee, Sound; CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994)Nominee, Sound; THE FUGITIVE (1993) Nominee, Sound; UNDER SIEGE (1992) Nominee, Sound. Second Academy Award nomination for David Lee; Previously nominated for: THE MATRIX (1999)Winner, Sound
♦ “Whiplash" Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley


Best Visual Effects: (My pick: Toss up between “Captain America: The Winter Soldier" or "Interstellar) My pick on Oscar.com "Interstellar" WINNER:"INTERSTELLAR"
♦ “Captain America: The Winter Soldier" Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick Third Academy Award nomination for Russell Earl; Previously nominated for: STAR TREK (2009)Nominee, Visual Effects; TRANSFORMERS (2007)Nominee, Visual Effects; Second Academy Award nomination for Bryan Grill; Previously nominated for: HEREAFTER (2010) Nominee, Visual Effects. Seventh Academy Award nomination for Dan Sudick; Previously nominated for: IRON MAN 3 (2013)Nominee, Visual Effects; MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS (2012)Nominee, Visual Effects; IRON MAN 2 (2010) Nominee, Visual Effects; IRON MAN (2008) Nominee, Visual Effects; WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005)Nominee, Visual Effects; MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003)Nominee, Visual Effects
♦ “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist Ninth Academy Award nomination for Joe Letteri; Peviously nominated for: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (2013)Nominee, Visual Effects; THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (2012)Nominee, Visual Effects; RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011)Nominee, Visual Effects; AVATAR (2009)Winner, Visual Effects; KING KONG (2005)Winner, Visual Effects; I, ROBOT (2004)Nominee, Visual Effects; THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)Winner, Visual Effects; THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) Winner, Visual Effects; Letteri also received a Scientific and Technical Award (Technical Achievement) in 2003 with Christophe Hery and Ken McGaugh for groundbreaking implementations of practical methods for rendering skin and other translucent materials using subsurface scattering techniques. Second Academy Award nomination for Dan Lemmon; Previously nominated for: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011)Nominee, Visual Effects. Second Academy Award nomination for Daniel Barrett; Previously nominated for: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011)Nominee, Visual Effects
♦ “Guardians of the Galaxy" Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould Second Academy Award nomination for Nicolas Aithadi; Previously nominated for: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (2010)Nominee, Visual Effects
♦ “Interstellar" Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher Third Academy Award nomination for Paul Franklin; Previously nominated for: INCEPTION (2010) Winner, Visual Effects; THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)Nominee, Visual Effects. Second Academy Award nomination for Andrew Lockley; Previously nominated for: INCEPTION (2010) Winner, Visual Effects
♦ “X-Men: Days of Future Past" Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer Second Academy Award nomination for Richard Stammers; Previously nominated for: PROMETHEUS (2012)Nominee, Visual Effects


Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): (My pick: toss up between “The Theory of Everything" and "Whiplash") My pick on Oscar.com, "Whiplash"
♦ “American Sniper" Written by Jason Hall
♦ “The Imitation Game" Written by Graham Moore
♦ “Inherent Vice" Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson Sixth Academy Award nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson; Previously nominated for: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) Nominee, Directing; THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007)Nominee, Best Picture; THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007)Nominee, Writing (Adapted); MAGNOLIA (1999)Nominee, Writing (Original); BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997)Nominee, Writing (Original)
♦ “The Theory of Everything" Screenplay by Anthony McCarten Second Academy Award nomination for Anthony McCarten -- this count includes his nomination this year for Best Picture for THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
♦ “Whiplash" Written by Damien Chazelle


Best Writing (Original Screenplay): (My pick: toss up between "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," or "Boyhood") My pick on Oscar.com, "The Grand Buapest Hotel" although "Birdman" was exceptional, Budapest will probably win. DUGH, I WAS WRONG AND SO GLAD BIRDMAN GOT THIS ONE TOO. WINNER:"BIRDMAN"
♦ “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo Fifth Academy Award nomination for Alejandro G. Iñárritu - this count includes his nominations this year for Directing and Best Picture for BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE); Previously nominated for: BABEL (2006)Nominee, Directing; BABEL (2006)Nominee, Best Picture;
♦ “Boyhood" Written by Richard Linklater Fifth Academy Award nomination for Richard Linklater - this count includes his nominations this year for Directing and Best Picture for BOYHOOD; Previously nominated for: BEFORE MIDNIGHT (2013)Nominee, Writing (Adapted); BEFORE SUNSET (2004)Nominee, Writing (Adapted)
♦ “Foxcatcher" Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman Second Academy Award nomination for Dan Futterman; Previously nominated for: CAPOTE (2005)Nominee, Writing (Adapted)
♦ “The Grand Budapest Hotel" Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness Sixth Academy Award nomination for Wes Anderson - this count includes his nominations this year for Directing and Best Picture for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL; Previously nominated for: MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)Nominee, Writing (Original); FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)Nominee, Animated Feature Film; THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001) Nominee, Writing (Original)
♦ “Nightcrawler" Written by Dan Gilroy


Last year I got 85% right on Oscar.com. Wonder what my score will be this time. Whatever my score this year, I'll share it on Facebook and this blog.

Any photos are courtesy of Wikimedia unless otherwise noted. All other photos will be credited as required.


Additional resources:
♦ 2015 Oscar nominations: Complete list; ‘Selma’ snubbed; ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ lead with nine http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/01/15/2015-oscar-nominations-complete-coverage/
♦ Oscars 2015: 'Boyhood,' 'Birdman' Score Big Nominations http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/oscars-2015-boyhood-birdman-score-big-nominations-20150115
♦ Oscars 2015: Nominations preview and predictions http://www.cbsnews.com/news/oscar-2015-nomination-predictions-who-will-be-in-the-running/
♦ Oscars 2015: 'Birdman,' 'Budapest' top nominations http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-oscars-nominations-20150115-story.html
♦ Academy Awards nominations 2015: our predictions http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2015/jan/15/oscar-nominations-2015-our-predictions

Oscar 2014 resources:
♦ 2014 Oscar nominations: ‘Gravity,’ and ‘Hustle’ lead with 10 nominations including best picture, Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/moviesnow/la-et-mn-oscar-nominations-2014-main,0,500124.story#axzz2qZqycltO
♦ Oscar.com 2014 nominations, http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/86/nomineesByPicture.html
♦ Who’s gonna get picked ? Predicting the 2014 Oscar nominations http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/showbiz/movies/2014-oscar-predictions-nominations/
♦ Meet the 2014 Oscar Nominees, RottenTomatoes http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/showbiz/movies/2014-oscar-predictions-nominations/


Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media. Thanks.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Facebook reaches the big 011: Happy Birthday Facebook
▲ ▲ ▲ 'evergreen marketing insighter' by Gloria Buono-Daly


"I used to do Facebook but you get a little too wrapped up in that stuff. Its more distracting than anything so I don't any more. I left it behind. I detoxed!"
~~ Emily Stone

American actress and 2012 People’s Choice Award, Favorite Movie Actress


Happy Birthday Facebook! Any Google doodle this year?

Facebook that controversial social networking service with media, social, political and cultural implications launched February 4, 2004,(speculative as some say February 3) and turns 11 today.

According to The Statistics Portal, Facebook had 1.35 billion monthly active users as of the third quarter 2014 versus third quarter of 2012 whereFacebook users had surpassed 1 billion.

The latest Facebook, Inc., Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 results reports gross revenue for the full year 2014 at $12.47 billion, an increase of 58% year-over-year. Income from operations for the full year 2014 was $4.99 billion and net income for the full year 2014 was $2.94 billion.

Facebook at 11 years later is still the top social network site with nearly 1.350 billion users (3rd Q 2014) yet Facebook still has many issues as it pertains to user experience and engagement. According to a 2014 Pew Research Study, people posting too much about themselves and posting too much about other users tied for the highest "Facebook User Dislikes."

Interestingly, 2014 marked the highest amount of productivity, an increase of almost twice as many acquisitions, enhancements, product developments, announcements, etc. -- a total of 22 versus the 2nd highest year for productivity at only 13 the year earlier (2013). This is all in line with Facebook's goals of providing users with more value and encouraging users to post more content as well as advertisers to advertise more.

Not surprising, Facebook is not number 1 in the following 11 countries: Belarus - vk.com; China - qq.com/qzone.qq.com; Kazakhstan - vk.com / odnoklassniki.ru; Moldova - odnoklassniki.ru; Russia - vk.com / odnoklassniki.ru; Ukraine - vk.com; South Korea - qq.com/qzone.qq.com; Uzbekistan - odnoklassniki.ru; Iran - Cloob.com; Vietnam - Zing.vn; North Korea - not available.

Facebook’s major competing social media are as follows: QQ.com; vk.com, odnoklassniki.ru and Zing.vn. Other competitors are mixi in Japan and renren in China.

The 4th quarter of 2013 marked the milestone of more mobile Facebook active users than desktop. No surprise Facebook would emerge as a mobile company. According to an article by BusinessInsider.com Facebook's first ever $1 billion-plus mobile ad revenue came in the 4th quarter of 2013 where mobile ad sales rose to 53% of revenues from 49% in the previous quarter. Based on its 2012 income of US$5 billion, Facebook joined the Fortune 500 list for the first time on the list published in May 2013, being placed at position 462, BusinessInsider.com, Carlson, Nicholas (March 5, 2010) “At Last – A Full Story of How Facebook was Founded http://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-was-founded-2010-3#we-can-talk-about-that-after-i-get-all-the-basic-functionality-up-tomorrow-night-1

Below the resources section is a chronological timeline that reflects milestones, launches and product information beginning with October 2003 through January 2014.

Founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, the website's membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University.

Mark Zuckerberg wrote Facemash, the predecessor to Facebook, on October 28, 2003, while attending Harvard as a sophomore. According to The Harvard Crimson, the site was comparable to Hot or Not, and "used photos compiled from the online facebooks of nine houses, placing two next to each other at a time and asking users to choose the 'hotter' person.

With success comes controversy particularly with Facebook. Zuckerberg hacked protected areas of Harvard's computer network and copied the houses' private dormitory ID images. Harvard at that time did not have a student "facebook" (a directory with photos and basic information), though individual houses had been issuing their own paper facebooks since the mid-1980s.

From it’s first 4 hours online, Facemash attracted
450 visitors and 22,000 photo-views.


According to an article from Rolling Stone in July 2008, the site was quickly forwarded to several campus group list-servers, but was shut down a few days later by the Harvard administration.

Zuckerberg was charged by the administration with breach of security, violating copyrights, and violating individual privacy, and faced expulsion.

Ultimately, the charges were dropped. For more information visit The Battle of Facebook, Rolling Stone, NY July 2008.

Zuckerberg expanded on this initial project that semester by creating a social study tool ahead of an art history final, by uploading 500 Augustan images to a website, with one image per page along with a comment section. He opened the site up to his classmates, and people started sharing their notes.

The following semester, Zuckerberg began writing code for a new website in January 2004. He was inspired, he said, by an editorial in The Harvard Crimson about the Facemash incident. On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.

Six days after the site launched, three Harvard seniors, Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra, accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection.com, while he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product.

The three complained to the Harvard Crimson, and the newspaper began an investigation. The three later filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg, subsequently settling. In June 2004, Facebook moved its base of operations to Palo Alto, California and received its first investment later that month from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. The company dropped “The” from its name after purchasing the domain name facebook.com in 2005 for $200,000.

Writers for The Wall Street Journal found in 2010 that Facebook apps were transmitting identifying information to "dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies". The apps used an HTTP referrer which exposed the user's identity and sometimes their friends'.

Facebook said, "We have taken immediate action to disable all applications that violate our terms.” Facebook in Privacy Breach, The Wall Street Journal (New York).

In January 2013, the countries with the most Facebook users were:
FB stats by country, March 3, 2012)
United States with 168.8 million members
Brazil with 64.6 million members
India with 62.6 million members
Indonesia with 51.4 million members
Mexico with 40.2 million members This totals to 309 million members or about 38.6 percent of Facebook's 1 billion worldwide members.
43.1 Million Members of Facebook in Indonesia, Kompas, February 2, 2012.

In regards to Facebook's mobile usage, per an analyst report in early 2013, there are 192 million Android users, 147 million iPhone users, 48 million iPad users and 56 million messenger users


All photos courtesy of Wikimedia and screen shots taken from video and websites. All other photos will be credited as required.


Additional resources:
Facebook profile may expose mental illness Fox News
Facebook Banned: 9 Ways To Get Kicked Off The Social Network Huffington Post
Facebook Wikipedia
This is The Future of The Facebook ‘News Feed’ Business Insider

Facebook Timeline
2003
♦ October 28, 2003: Mark Zuckerberg releases Facemash, the predecessor to Facebook. It was described as a Harvard University version of Hot or Not
2004
♦ January 2004: Zuckerberg begins writing Facebook
♦ January 11, 2004: Zuckerberg registers thefacebook.com domain
♦ February 4, 2004: Zuckerberg launches Facebook
♦ March 2004: Facebook expands to MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Columbia University, and Yale University
♦ April 13, 2004: Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Eduardo Saverin form Thefacebook.com LLC, a partnership
♦ June 2004: Facebook receives its first investment from Peter Thiel for US$500,000
♦ June 2004: Facebook incorporates into a new company, and Sean Parker (early employee of Napster) becomes its president
♦ June 2004: Facebook moves its base of operations to Palo Alto, California
♦ August 2004: To compete with growing campus-only service i2hub, Zuckerberg launches Wirehog. It is a precursor to Facebook Platform applications
♦ September 2004: ConnectU files a lawsuit against Zuckerberg and other Facebook founders
♦ December 30, 2004: Facebook achieves its one millionth registered user
2005
♦ May 26, 2005: Accel Partners invests $13 million into Facebook
♦ July 19, 2005: News Corp acquires MySpace, spurring rumors about the possible sale of Facebook to a larger media company
♦ August 23, 2005: Facebook acquires Facebook.com domain for $200,000
♦ September 2005: Added high school networks[14]
♦ October 2005: Added international school networks and added photos
2006
♦ 2006: A leaked cash flow statement shows that Facebook had a net loss of $3.63 million for the 2005 fiscal year
♦ March 28, 2006: A potential acquisition of Facebook is reportedly under negotiations, for $750 million first, then later $2 billion
♦ September 2006: Facebook discusses with Yahoo! about the latter possibly acquiring the former, for $1 billion
♦ September 2006: Facebook launches a high school version of the website
♦ September 26, 2006: Facebook is open to everyone aged 13 and over, and with a valid email address
2008
♦ June 2008: Facebook settles both lawsuits, ConnectU vs Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg et al. and intellectual property theft, Wayne Chang et al. over The Winklevoss Chang Group's Social Butterfly project. The settlement effectively had Facebook acquiring ConnectU for $20 million in cash and over $1.2 million in shares, valued at $45 million based on $15 billion company valuation
♦ August 2008: Employees reportedly privately sell their shares to venture capital firms, at a company valuation of between $3.75 billion to $5 billion
♦ October 2008: Facebook sets up its international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland
2009
♦ August 2009: Facebook acquires FriendFeed
♦ September 2009: Facebook claims that it has turned cash flow positive for the first time
2010
♦ February 2010: Facebook acquires Malaysian contact-importing startup Octazen Solutions
♦ April 2, 2010: Facebook announces the acquisition of photo-sharing service called Divvy-shot for an undisclosed amount
♦ April 19, 2010: Facebook introduces Community Pages, which are Pages that are populated with articles from Wikipedia
♦ April 21, 2010: Facebook introduces Instant Personalization, starting with Microsoft Docs, Yelp, and Pandora
♦ June 2010: Facebook employees sell shares of the company on SecondMarket at a company valuation of $11.5 billion
♦ October 1, 2010: The Social Network, a film about the beginnings of Facebook directed by David Fincher is released. The film is met with widespread critical acclaim as well as commercial success; however, Mark Zuckerberg says that the film is a largely inaccurate account of what happened.
2011
♦ January 2011: $500 million is invested into Facebook for 1% of the company, placing its worth at $50 billion
♦ February 2011: Facebook adds new "civil union" option for gay partnerships
♦ February 2011: Facebook application and content aggregator Pixable estimates that Facebook will host 100 billion photos by summer 2011
♦ June 2011: Facebook partners with Skype to add video chat
♦ September 2011: Facebook partners with Heroku for Facebook application development using the Facebook Platform
♦ September 22, 2011: Facebook launches new UI Timeline in F8 Convention
♦ October 10, 2011: Facebook launches iPad app
♦ December 21, 2011: Facebook log in page changes due to Facebook Timeline addition
♦ December 22, 2011: Facebook launches its new profile user interface, Facebook Timeline.
2012
♦ April 2012: Facebook acquires picture sharing and social network, Instagram, for $1 billion, the largest acquisition to date
♦ May 2012: Facebook IPO, initial price set at $38 a share, and the stock closed at $38.23 on its first trading day
♦ July 2012: Facebook adds same-sex couples as icons for marriage
♦ August 2012: Facebook forces all remaining users of the old profile style to the new "Timeline" style
♦ October 2012: Total number of Facebook users reaches 1 billion
2013
♦ January 15 :Product - Facebook announces and begins rolling out Facebook Graph Search.
♦ January 30, and April 9: Product - Facebook rolls out detailed and fine-grained emoticons to express different actions and emotional states in one's status updates (experimental launch January 30, official launch with universal availability April 9).
♦ March 7: Product - Facebook announces major planned changes to the News Feed. However, Facebook cancelled these changes after receiving negative feedback from users.
♦ March 8: Acquisitions - Facebook announces that they acquired the team from Storylane, but not the product itself.
♦ April 4 and then April 12 Product (mobile-only) - Facebook launches Facebook Home, a user interface layer for Android-compatible phones that provides a replacement home screen that makes it easier for users to browse and post.[62][63]
♦ April 15: Product - Facebook launches a new timeline.
♦ April-July: Product - Facebook launches Stickers, initially only for its iOS apps in April but later expanding to its web version in July.
♦ June 12, then June 27: Product - Facebook announces support for hashtags, initially only for the web (June 12). Later, more functionality is added and hashtags are extended to the mobile site and apps.
♦ June 30: Political activism - Zuckerberg joins 700 Facebook employees for the June 2013 Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration march in San Francisco, U.S. The 2013 Pride celebration was especially significant, as it followed a Supreme Court of the United States ruling that deemed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional.
♦ September 26: Product - Facebook begins letting people edit their posts and comments after publishing.
♦ September 29: Product - Facebook announces that it will begin rolling out Graph Search for posts and comments.
♦ November 13 : Acquisition talks - News outlets report that Facebook offered to buy Snapchat for $3 billion USD but was spurned.
♦ December 18 Financial/legal - Facebook, Zuckerberg, & banks face IPO lawsuit.
2014
♦ January 13: Branch Media, acquired and FB announced that working on the startup that will join Facebook to work on conversations products for Facebook that builds on similar ideas as Branch Media's products, while Branch Media's existing products will continue to operate separately. Facebook confirms that the acquisition is a talent acquisition.
♦ January 16: Product - Facebook launches Trending Topics for its web version in the US, UK, Canada, India, and Australia. This is based on feedback to a pilot version tested both on the web and mobile starting August 2013.
♦ January 30: Product (mobile-only) Facebook announces Facebook Paper, a separate iOS app that provides a newspaper-like or magazine-like experience for reading on the phone, scheduled for launch on February 3. Facebook also announces Facebook Creative Labs, an intra-company effort to have separate teams working on separate mobile apps that specialize in different facets related to the Facebook experience, rather than trying to make changes to Facebook's main web version, mobile version, or its iOS and Android apps, and says that Facebook Paper is the first product of Facebook Creative Labs. Facebook Paper receives mixed reviews, and some commentators note its similarity with Flipboard.
♦ February 3: Facebook launches Paper. http://www.facebook.com/paper
♦ February 5: Facebook launches Lookback. http://www.facebook.com/lookback
♦ February 19:Facebook makes its biggest acquisition, 16 times more than what it paid for Instagram by acquiring WhatsApp, a free text messaging system for $16 billion (spent $4 billion in cash and $12 billion in Facebook stock plus another $3 billion of stock over the next four years).
♦ March 3: Facebook buys Titan Aerospace (drone maker) $60 million to help bolster Facebook's vision with Internet.org. Later, on April 14, 2014, the Wall Street Journal reports that Google is acquiring Titan Aerospace
♦ March 6: Announcement that Facebook will rollout modified news feed. The changes are along the same lines as those announced in the planned revamp announced March 7, 2013 (that was halted), but are more minor and focused.
♦ March 17: Facebook's "DeepFace" algorithm reaches near-human accuracy in identifying faces.
♦ March 25: Facebook purchases Oculus VR, Inc., a leading virtual reality companyfor $2 billion in cash and stock.
♦ March 27: Connectivity Lab as part of the Internet.org initiative, to bring Internet to everybody via drones, using "acqhires" from Ascenta.
♦ April 24: Announcement of FB Newswire which helps journalists find news news on Facebok.
♦ April 30: anonymous login is launched so that Facebook users can use apps without giving them their data.
♦ June 18: Facebook Slingshot, instant messaging application for sharing photos and videos with friends, for Android and iOS devices is launched.
♦ July 21: Facebook launches Save, a read-it-later feature that allows users to save links, places, and media pages for later perusl.
♦ September 15: Facebook cracks down on the Facebook profiles of drag queens in San Francisco (Userbase/controversy), asking them to switch to using their real names, and shutting down the accounts of those who refuse to comply. On October 1, Facebook clarifies to its real name policy and said that drag queens could continue operating their accounts. The company clarified that people should use their authentic real-world names but need not use their legal names.
♦ October 6: Acquisition of WhatsApp, and WhatsApp completed, CEO Jan Koum agrees to match Mark Zuckerberg's $1 salary
♦ October 23: Pseudonymous app Rooms, is launched, enables FB users to create and participate in forums on any topic and do not need to use their real names. The forthcoming launch of the app esd reported on October 7.
♦ October 30: Custom Tor link created to make it easier for users to access Facebook anonymously in locations where it is censored.
♦ November 7: Facebook makes it easy for people to unfollow friends and pages they've liked, both while viewing pages in the feed and while reviewing summaries of the most prolific contributors to their feed.
♦ December 8: Keyword search rollout for all posts, part of Facebook Graph Search, to all US English users on desktop and using iPhones; Cited as a potential competitor to Yelp and other product recommendation engines and also as a potential way to surface old, embarrassing posts by people.
♦ December 11: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds his second Q&A, open to the public, about Facebook, where he discusses the dislike button and Facebook's role in promoting viewpoint diversity, helping people share more, and facilitating social and political transparency.
2015
♦January 5: Facebook acquires Wit.ai, a Y Combinator startup founded 18 months ago to create an API for building voice-activated interfaces
♦ January 8: Facebook acquires QuickFire Networks, a company that built a custom hardware and software platform for reducing video file sizes and upload times. The Wall Street Journal got the news earlier today, with confirmation later arriving on QuickFire’s site.
♦ January 16: Facebook open sources the Torch library, containing some of its deep learning tools in machine learning, including new code that runs 23 times as fast for training convolutional neural networks as the fastest publicly available code until that time.
♦ January 20: Facebook announces that it will show fewer hoaxes in the news feed, and mark items it identifies as potential hoaxes so that readers can view them more critically.



Facebook reaches the big 011: Happy Birthday Facebook ▲ ▲ ▲ is part of the 'evergreen marketing insighter' series by Gloria Buono-Daly


All photos courtesy of Wikimedia and screen shots taken from video and websites. All other photos will be credited as required.



Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media. Thanks.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Happy Groundhog Day America: Punxsutawney Phil makes 128th prediction - sees shadow today


"This is pitiful. A thousand people, freezing their butts off, waiting to worship a rat! What a hype. Well they used to mean something in this town, they used to pull the hog out and they used to eat it. You're hypocrites! All of ya! You got a problem with what I'm saying, Larry? Untie your tongue and you come out here and talk, huh? Am I upsetting you, Princess? You know you want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a prediction. It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be gray, and it's gonna last you the rest of your life." ~~ Bill Murray , American actor and comedian, as quoted in the 1993 critically acclaimed film "Groundhog Day"


It’s that time of year again, when a funny furry fortune-teller comes out and predicts six more weeks of winter if he casts a shadow – if no shadow, early spring is here. Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow so we can expect 6 more weeks of winter.

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Punxsutawney Phil was indeed right on with our latest Winter Storm that began last night and today. Weather forecasters are saying it is going to get alot worse. We can expect hazardous snow, sleet, and freezing rain with snow accumulation of 8 to 12 inches, along with around one quarter of an inch of ice.



Occurring every year on February 1st, 2nd or 3rd , dates for the entire celebration begin February 1st - February 3rd, and Punxsy Phil will predict what the next 6 weeks of weather will be.




Amazingly, for over two centuries, (1886 or earlier) crowds as large as 40,000 have gathered at Gobbler's Knob hill at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to celebrate. Other celebrations taking place in Pennsylvania include Quarryville in Lancaster County, the Anthracite Region of Schuylkill County, and Bucks County.

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day received more mass attention after the release of the 1993 comedy film “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray who plays Phil Connors, an egotistical Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, dreams living February 2nd over and over while repeatedly indulging in hedonism and numerous suicide attempts.

Finally he wakes up and realizes his life matters and prioritizes and makes drastic changes and improvements. In 2006, the film was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."


YouTube Video: Groundhog Day - Phil (Bill Murray) Steals Phil (The Groundhog)

Many wonder just how scientific is Punxsy Phil's shadow. According to groundhogday.org, the furry fortune teller is accurate 75% to 90% of the time, while a Canadian study of 13 states has the success rate at 37% and the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has the overall prediction rate at 39% accurate (since 1987).

The Stormfax Weather Almanac reports Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 100 times (as of last year 2014) which equates to 101 times this year (2015), no shadow 16 times with no record 9 times.
Groundhog day in Staten Island is sponsored by Time Warner Cable and garnered with trumpets to wake up the little Staten Island's very own woodchuck, "Chuck," as the Staten Island Zoo opens its gates at 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 2.

Also South Carolina has Sir Walter Wally.

Staten Island Chuck, or Charles G. Hogg as he is known in formal company, will make his prediction at 7:30 a.m. and the ceremony is free.

What do you think? Do you believe in the science or spirit of Groundhog Day?



All photos courtesy of Wikimedia and screen shots taken from video and websites. All other photos will be credited as required.


Additional resources:
♦ National Film Registry, FilmSite.org http://www.filmsite.org/filmreg.html
♦ Why Groundhog Day Could Lift the Loonie, CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/id/100416469
♦ Groundhog Day: 10 things you should know before going, PENN LIVE, http://blog.pennlive.com/go/2013/01/groundhog_day_10_things_to_kno.html
♦ Groundhog Day 2014: Groundhog Day 2014: Staten Island Chuck ready to make prediction at Staten Island Zoo http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/01/staten_island_chuck_to_make_pr_2.html
♦ Groundhog Day http://www. groundhog.org/groundhog-day
♦ Groundhog Day: Planning your trip groundhog.org/planning-your-trip



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