Acceptance Speech

Earl Weaver penned his own epitaph. “On my tombstone just write, 'The sorest loser that ever lived,' “ he once said. Weaver, the Orioles' chain-smoking, umpire-baiting, tomato-growing manager who led the team to four American League pennants and the 1970 world championship in his 17 years here, died late Friday night while on a baseball-themed cruise. The Orioles confirmed his death Saturday morning but did not release a cause. The Hall of Famer, who lived in Pembroke Pines, Fla., was 82. “Earl Weaver stands alone as the greatest manager in the history of the Orioles organization and one of the greatest in the history of baseball,” Orioles owner Peter Angelos said in a statement.

'Salute to Music Education' honors Eileen ClarkEileen Clark, voice and music teacher at West Friendship Elementary School, was named Howard County Music Educator of the Year at the "Salute to Music Education" program at Atholton High School.During her acceptance speech, Mrs. Clark coaxed the audience into standing and singing together.Patty Hammer, voice and music teacher at Atholton Elementary School, and David Smith, band director at Mayfield Woods Middle School, were finalists for the award.

In his Oscar acceptance speech, "The Artist" director Michel Hazanavicius said he wanted to thank three people: "Billy Wilder, Billy Wilder and Billy Wilder. " Backstage, Hazanavicius was asked why he felt compelled to thank Wilder, the Oscar-winning director of such classics as "The Lost Weekend," "Double Indemnity" and "The Apartment," three times. "I thanked Billy Wilder three times," he replied, "because I had to keep it short. " Hazanavicius said he would have thanked his accomplished forebear 1,000 times if he could have, referring to the Austrian-born Wilder as "the perfect director" and "the soul of Hollywood.

In her most memorable line from "Precious," Mo'Nique's character plaintively asks, "Who is going to love me?" But that's a question the Baltimore County-born actress may never have to ask again, not after receiving a standing ovation for winning the best supporting actress Oscar at Sunday night's 82nd annual Academy Awards. "God bless us all," said the composed, but clearly emotional, actress, whose star turn in "Precious" has garnered widespread, critically acclaim and numerous awards.

Schedule of participants at tonight's session of the Republican National Convention: 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: University of Mississippi student Nic Lott leads Pledge of Allegiance. Country singer Lorrie Morgan sings national anthem. The Rev. Mark Craig, pastor of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, delivers invocation. Philadelphia Boys' Choir performs. Nancy Brinker, breast-cancer advocate, speaks. Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee speaks. Phyllis C. Hunter, Texas literacy program expert, speaks.

While "The Artist" is expected to do well at the Feb. 26 Oscars, the film has some new hardware for the mantle courtesy of its four-legged cast member. Uggie won a Pawscar. The Jack Russell terrier took home the prize on Thursday (Feb. 9) for "Best Scene Stealer" at the competition put on by the American Humane Association. "Not only did Uggie steal the hearts of [the] audience, he also stole the hearts of his co-stars," the AHA says in a release. "Uggie even managed to continue stealing the spotlight when the camera person at the Golden Globes couldn't take the camera off him during the cast's acceptance speech as 'The Artist' won Best Film.

When it comes to towering cultural icons, the difference between Baltimore's lineup and Nashville's is like the difference between the varsity and JV. NASHVILLE Dolly Parton Overly chesty country artist whose warbling "mountain soprano" irritates again on her latest CD, Backwoods Barbie. Elvis Presley Bloated, pelvis-thrusting King of Rock 'n' Roll toppled by addiction to barbiturates and Sara Lee products. Jack Daniel Possibly unstable founder of Jack Daniel's whiskey distillery who died of massive toe infection after kicking a safe in anger when it wouldn't open.

Over the years I have appreciated Jules Witcover's perspectives. But what he wrote in "War president makes case for his peace prize" (Dec. 15) went down with a thud. Mr. Witcover was unconvincing when he gave this alibi for President Barack Obama's Nobel Prize acceptance speech: "... he seized upon it to make a measured and rational defense for his decision to send 30,000 more Americans to Afghanistan, straightforwardly observing that 'some will kill and some will be killed.'" The column is a misguided rationalization for this awful decision to escalate the war, ensuring more death and devastation in desperately poor Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON -- President George Bush's beloved points of light did not all go out when he did.In fact, the non-partisan Points of Light Foundation, which embodied Mr. Bush's national service campaign, has expanded and is developing a working relationship with the Clinton administration."

Peter Baida's short fictional work, "A Nurse's Story," was rejected by 22 editors before being printed by the Gettysburg Review in fall 1998. Months later, it won first prize in the 1999 O. Henry Awards.The Baltimore native had endured lifelong hemophilia and cancer 25 years ago, but was too ill to attend the awards ceremony Oct. 21.His wife of 22 years, Diane Cole, a fellow writer and Baltimorean, delivered a wry acceptance speech he had written.Mr. Baida, 49, died Friday at New York-Cornell Hospital in New York, of liver failure after complications from surgery.