Hello, gang. A very sad weekend, my yearly Oscar challenge and, as I write this, my flight to Tampa leaves in 4 hours! Shall we begin?

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TOUCHING THE STARS
I can't add anything to what Nolan wrote about the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia. I remember watching the first ever shuttle landing ever, remarking to others in the room how exciting it must be to be an astronaut. My sincere prayers and thoughts go out to the families of those lost. The sister of astronaut Laurel Clark lives here in Kansas City. She was one of the family members waiting for the shuttle to land on Saturday. Sadly, it is disasters like this and the Challenger explosion in 1986 that brings the shuttle program to the forefront of the nations' thoughts. If space is, as Gene Roddenberry imagined, the "final frontier," then the shuttle and other programs must continue.

#1 WITH A BULLET
Acclaimed record producer Phil Spector was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree murder and the body of a woman was found shot to death in his California mansion. He was released later on $1 million bail. The dead victim, identified as 41-year-old actress Lana Clarkson, apparently met Spector Sunday night at the House of Blues, where she worked.

Known for his celebrated "wall of sound" production, Spector was equally renowned for his eccentricities. Many musicians have told stories of Spector brandishing a gun in the studio during recording. John Lennon, whose "Imagine" album was produced by Spector, claimed that Spector pulled a gun on him during the recording session.

Spector was 17 when he wrote and produced his first No 1 hit, "To Know Him Is To Love Him." The song was inspired by an inscription on his father's headstone. Among his most famous recordings: the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" and the Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron". Ironically, Spector was never charged after his butchering of the Beatles last album, "Let It Be". Paul McCartney is planning to reissue the album this fall minus Spector's heavy post-production work.

OSCAR NOTES
As reported last week, the Motion Picture Academy had planned to honor Peter O'Toole with an honorary Oscar. However, O'Toole wrote a letter to the academy suggesting that they wait. "I am still in the game and might win the lovely bugger outright," he noted. "Would the academy please defer the honor until I'm 80?" Academy spokesman John Pavlik says the honor will still be given this year, and points out that both Henry Fonda and Paul Newman both won competitive Oscars after receiving an honorary one. In fact, Newman will be one of my choices next week when I predict this years nominees for his work in "Road to Perdition."

TAKE A CHANCE
On Monday, after I return from Tampa, I will be forwarding to Nolan my choices for this year's Oscar nominees, which will be announced Tuesday morning. Last year I correctly predicted 24 of the 30 major nominees. I welcome readers to do the same this week and send in their choices for the four acting categories, as well as best picture and director. Just make sure your choices make it to PCR headquarters prior to 8 a.m. Tuesday, February 11th.

Well, off to pack. Got a plane to catch......... I'm Tampa bound! See ya!