I have no inside information on who will win the Oscars, but here are my picks for the winners:

BEST ACTOR: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club
BEST ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Lupita Nyong’o for 12 Years a Slave
BEST DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity
BEST MOVIE: 12 Years a Slave

If The Academy doesn’t want to deal with Woody Allen’s latest controversy, Cate Blanchett could lose and Amy Admas could win for American Hustle. Who do you think will win?

Justice League: War tells the origin story of the Justice League as part of DC Comic’s The New 52. Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Shazam, and Cyborg come together to defend Earth from an alien invasion. If you’re a fan of these super-heroes, you’ll love Justice League: War. My package cost a pittance at Wal-Mart and is one of those increasingly popular Blu-ray-DVD-Digital Ultraviolet packages. In addition to the movie, the Special Features include: Creating Heroes: The Life and Art of Jim Lee and Justice League: War–From Animatic to Pencil Test. On top of that the Blu-ray disc has 4 Vintage cartoons from the DC Comic Vault. Both the DVD and Blu-ray include Deconstructing WAR with Jay Oliva and Jim Lee. There’s plenty here to enjoy. GRADE: B+

I’ve been a fan of talented writer Michael Gruber for years. Then I learned that Michael Gruber ghosted 15 legal thrillers for Robert K. Tanenbaum from 1987 to 2003. It took some time to track down those books, but now I have them all. I decide to read No Lesser Plea, the book that kicked off the series. Roger “Butch” Karp is an attorney in the New York City District Attorney’s Office. Karp becomes obsessed with a case where a liquor store robbery leads to two murders. Karp is a complicated guy. His marriage has problems, he has troubles with the broken criminal justice system, and Karp’s actions makes enemies. No Lesser Plea is a blend of police procedural and legal thriller. I enjoyed the surprising plot and the compelling characters. If you’ll looking for an entertaining legal thriller, I’d recommend No Lesser Plea. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in series.
1987 No Lesser Plea
1989 Depraved Indifference
1991 Immoral Certainty
1992 Reversible Error
1993 Material Witness
1994 Corruption of Blood
1994 Justice Denied
1996 Falsely Accused
1997 Irresistible Impulse
1998 Reckless Endangerment
1999 Act of Revenge
2000 True Justice
2001 Enemy Within
2002 Absolute Rage
2003 Resolved

These new 4-CD sets from Rhino Records collects the best of Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. The sound is great! Hours of great listening can be found on these sets! I’ve been listening to Otis and Aretha since these sets arrived and they take me back to a time when the music was soulful and real. It doesn’t get much better than this.
QUEEN OF SOUL TRACK LIST:
Disc: 1
1. I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)
2. Do Right Woman – Do Right Man
3. Respect
4. Drown In My Own Tears
5. Soul Serenade
6. Don t Let Me Lose This Dream
7. Baby, Baby, Baby
8. Dr. Feelgood (Love Is A Serious Business)
9. Good Times
10. Save Me
11. Baby, I Love You
12. Satisfaction
13. You Are My Sunshine
14. Never Let Me Go
15. Prove It
16. I Wonder
17. Ain t Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)
18. It Was You (Aretha Arrives Outtake)
19. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
20. Chain Of Fools
21. People Get Ready
22. Come Back Baby
23. Good To Me As I Am To You
24. Since You ve Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)
25. Ain t No Way
Disc: 2
1. Think
2. You Send Me
3. I Say A Little Prayer
4. The House That Jack Built
5. You re A Sweet Sweet Man
6. I Take What I Want
7. A Change
8. See Saw
9. My Song
10. I Can t See Myself Leaving You
11. Night Life (Live)
12. Ramblin
13. Today I Sing The Blues
14. River s Invitation
15. Pitiful
16. Talk To Me, Talk To Me (Soul 69 Outtake)
17. Tracks Of My Tears
18. The Weight
19. Share Your Love With Me
20. Pledging My Love/The Clock
21. It Ain t Fair
22. Sit Down And Cry
23. Let It Be
24. Eleanor Rigby
25. Call Me
Disc: 3
1. Son Of A Preacher Man
2. Try Matty s
3. The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday s Kisses)
4. Dark End Of The Street
5. You And Me
6. You re Taking Up Another Man s Place (Spirit In The Dark Outtake)
7. Don t Play That Song
8. Why I Sing The Blues
9. Spirit In The Dark
10. My Way (Spirit In The Dark Outtake)
11. One Way Ticket
12. Pullin
13. Border Song (Holy Moses)
14. A Brand New Me
15. You re All I Need To Get By
16. Bridge Over Troubled Water
17. Spanish Harlem
18. Lean On Me
19. Spirit In The Dark (Reprise with Ray Charles)
Disc: 4
1. Rock Steady
2. Young, Gifted And Black
3. All The King s Horses
4. Oh Me Oh My (I m A Fool For You Baby)
5. Day Dreaming
6. Mary, Don t You Weep (Live)
7. Climbing Higher Mountains (Live)
8. Precious Memories (Live)
9. Master Of Eyes
10. Angel
11. Somewhere
12. So Swell When You re Well
13. I m In Love
14. Ain t Nothing Like The Real Thing
15. Until You Come Back To Me (That s What I m Gonna Do)
16. Look Into Your Heart
17. Sparkle
18. Something He Can Feel

KING OF SOUL TRACK LIST:
Disc 1
1 These Arms Of Mine (2:32)
2 Hey Hey Baby (2:45)
3 That’s What My Heart Needs (2:40)
4 Mary’s Little Lamb (2:39)
5 Pain In My Heart (2:24)
6 Something Is Worrying Me (2:26)
7 Come To Me (2:46)
8 Don’t Leave Me This Way (2:57)
9 Security (2:34)
10 Chained And Bound (2:38)
11 Your One And Only Man (3:11)
12 That’s How Strong My Love Is (2:24)
13 Mr. Pitiful (2:43)
14 A Woman, A Lover, A Friend (3:20)
15 Nothing Can Change This Love (3:03)
16 It’s Too Late (3:02)
17 For Your Precious Love (2:54)
18 Home In Your Heart (2:05)
19 I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) (3:00)
20 I’m Depending On You (2:31)
21 Respect (2:09)
22 Ole Man Trouble (2:37)
23 Change Gonna Come (4:13)
Disc 2
1 Shake (2:39)
2 Satisfaction (2:54)
3 Down In The Valley (2:59)
4 My Girl (2:54)
5 Rock Me Baby (3:37)
6 You Don’t Miss Your Water (3:05)
7 I Can’t Turn You Loose (2:43)
8 Just One More Day (3:30)
9 Any Ole Way (2:33)
10 It’s Growing (2:49)
11 Cigarettes and Coffee (4:00)
12 Chain Gang (3:02)
13 Nobody Knows You (When You’re Down And Out) (3:09)
14 Good To Me (3:50)
15 Everybody Makes A Mistake (3:22)
16 Just One More Day (5:26)
17 Mr. Pitiful (2:06)
18 (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (4:36)
19 These Arms Of Mine (4:01)
20 Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag (4:47)
21 Don’t Mess With Cupid (2:29)
22 My Lover’s Prayer (3:09)
Disc 3
1 Try A Little Tenderness (3:22)
2 Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) (2:43)
3 I’m Sick Y’All (2:57)
4 Tennessee Waltz (2:57)
5 Sweet Lorene (2:28)
6 Day Tripper (2:33)
7 You’re Still My Baby (3:51)
8 Hawg For You (3:30)
9 I Love You More Than Words Can Say (2:56)
10 Let Me Come On Home (2:56)
11 Open The Door (2:26)
12 Tramp – Otis & Carla (3:03)
13 Knock On Wood – Otis & Carla (2:51)
14 Let Me Be Good to You – Otis & Carla (2:55)
15 Lovey Dovey – Otis & Carla (2:36)
16 New Year’s Resolution – Otis & Carla (3:18)
17 Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis – Otis & Carla (2:36)
18 White Christmas (3:06)
19 Merry Christmas, Baby (2:28)
20 Glory Of Love (2:53)
21 The Huckle-Buck (3:04)
22 Tell The Truth (3:07)
Disc 4
1 Respect (3:43)
2 Can’t Turn You Loose (3:28)
3 I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) [Version (4:07)
4 My Girl (2:42)
5 Shake (2:32)
6 Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) (4:04)
7 Try A Little Tenderness (5:08)
8 I’ve Got Dreams To Remember (3:15)
9 Nobody’s Fault But Mine (2:25)
10 Hard To Handle (2:20)
11 Thousand Miles Away (2:11)
12 The Happy Song (Dum-Dum-De-De-De-Dum-Dum) (2:43)
13 A Waste Of Time (3:20)
14 Champagne And Wine (2:59)
15 A Fool For You (2:57)
16 I’m A Changed Man (2:17)
17 Direct Me (2:18)
18 Love Man (2:19)
19 Look At That Girl (2:38)
20 Free Me (3:08)
21 The Match Game (2:55)
22 A Little Time (2:30)
23 Johnny’s Heartbreak (2:33)
24 Amen (3:03)
25 (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay (2:45)

David Shambaugh’s enlightening book shows the positive aspects of China’s global power–and its flaws. Shambaugh presents examples of China’s internal power struggles, its obsession with public order and control. Controlling billions of people occupies plenty of the ruling elites’ time and energy and resources. Shambaugh notes that China has no close allies. Its neighbors like Japan are antagonistic. There are the problems of Taiwan and Tibet. China’s growth rate is slowing. Social turmoil always threatens the status quo. If you’re interested in China and its place in the 21st Century world, Shambaugh’s book provides much to ponder. GRADE: B+

I found this set at BJ’s Warehouse for $5.99. All 22 episodes in this series are here. This version of Flash Gordon is set in the 21st Century. Eric Johnson plays Flash (you might remember him from Smallville), Gina Holden plays Dale Arden (you might remember her from Fantastic Four), and Jody Racicot plays Dr. Hans Zarkov (you might remember him from The Newsroom). John Ralston plays Ming the Merciless (you might remember him from Life With Derek). Sure, it’s schlocky, it’s silly, but it’s fun. What’s better on a cold winter night than watch Flash Gordon defend the Universe! GRADE: C+

Both Mark Vieira and Charles Adams agree 1939 was Hollywood’s greatest year. Their books explore this theme in different ways. Vieira’s Majestic Hollywood delves into Gunga Din, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Only Angels Have Wings, Destry Rides Again, Beau Geste, Son of Frankenstein, The Women, Drums Along the Mohawk, Union Pacific, The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Ninotchka, Of Mice and Men, and Gone With the Wind. Obviously, Viera’s book which chronicles the movie releases of 1939 from Son of Frankenstein in January all the way to Gone With the Wind at Christmas, deals with many more movies (about 50). Adams’ book concentrates on six movies from 1939: Gone with the Wind, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Wizard of Oz. Adams focuses on the Hollywood culture and how the movies were made. Both books are instructive and entertaining. Both are recommended to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Hollywood’s greatest year.

Oscar Martinez, a reporter for EIFaro.net, writes about the horrors of the migrants who try to enter the U.S. illegally. I was shocked to learn that 80% of the women migrants are raped by their coyote “guides,” their fellow migrants, and the narcos who use the same routes to smuggled drugs into the U.S. Martinez rides the rails and watches migrants fall off the train to their deaths. The narcos are a constant threat because they shoot first and ask questions later if at all. If there was ever a book to provide evidence of why we should reform our immigration policies, The Beast is it. This senseless system that allows violence, extortion, bribery, rapes, murders, and drug cartels to increase needs to be addressed. GRADE: A

Diane read a favorable review of a local production of David Rambo’s The Lady With All the Answers and wanted to see it. So last night Diane and I with our friends Cindy and Tom went to see the local production of The Lady With All the Answers. It was a one-woman show about Ann Landers. I read Ann Landers’ columns for decades. She provided sensible, practical advice (as did her twin sister “Dear Abby”). The play centers around Ann Landers writing a column about her 36-year marriage ending in divorce. I was amused by the letters Ann Landers reads in this play. I learned a lot about Ann Landers that I didn’t know. And the enthusiastic theater audience saw a great performance by Mary Kate O’Connell. If The Lady With All the Answers shows up in your neighborhood, I recommend you go see it. GRADE: A

I was watching an interview of Anna Quindlen on MSNBC when the interviewer asked Anna what she’s reading. “I love p. g. sturges,” Anna said. I had heard of p.g. sturges–in fact I had one of his books. So I sat down and read it. Then I ordered the other two books p. j. sturges had written. If you put Elmore Leonard and Hunter Thompson in a blender, you’d get p. g. sturges. Sturges writes about a former Los Angeles cop named Dick Henry, but everyone calls him the Shortcut Man. Have a deadbeat tenant who owes you money, the Shortcut Man will collect it for you. Need someone to track down a missing person? Call the Shortcut Man. In the debut novel, Shortcut Man, Dick Henry accepts an assignment from Artie Benjamin, a porn producer. In Tribulations of the Shortcut Man, Dick Henry takes on the case of his former girl friend, Pussy Grace (a pole dancer). One thing leads to another thing and suddenly there’s a body on ice to be reckoned with. In Angel’s Gate the crimes committed decades ago resurface and the Shortcut Man has to dispense his own special brand of justice in Hollywood. I flew through these books. The style is smooth, the action is quirky, and the plots are cunning. If you’re looking for entertaining reading, you’ll find it in the Shortcut Man books. GRADE: B+ (for all three books)