CMA Nominees

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14585873/

Ronnie Dunn tops CMA nominations

NEW YORK - Brooks & Dunn and Brad Paisley were both nominated for six Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday, but Ronnie Dunn emerged as the leader with seven nominations, including one for the group’s inspirational song “Believe.”

Both Paisley and Brooks & Dunn were nominated for entertainer of the year, single of the year and album of the year, among other nominations. For Paisley, who was nominated for six Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this year, the CMA nominations underscore his hot streak.

Either one seems like a good win for Entertainer of the Year.

Other multiple nominees included Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood, who had four each.

Rascal Flatts and Dolly Parton, who sang with Paisley on his tear-jerker hit “When I Get Where I’m Going,” were both nominated for three awards.

More nominations
The nominees for the songwriter’s award in the song of the year category are “8th of November,” by Big & Rich; “Believe,” by Craig Wiseman and Ronnie Dunn; “Jesus Take the Wheel,” written by Hillary Lindsey, Brett James and Gordie Sampson; “Tonight I Wanna Cry,” written by Urban and Monty Powell; and “When I Get Where I’m Going,” by Rivers Rutherford and George Teren.

I'd really like to see Big and Rich take this one, because that is a powerful song. I like "Believe" but not as much.

Nominees for album of the year are Brooks & Dunn for “Hillbilly Deluxe,” Rascal Flatts for “Me and My Gang,” Alan Jackson for “Precious Memories,” Paisley for “Time Well Wasted” and Chesney for “The Road and the Radio.”

Time Well Wasted, I think.

Nominees for female vocalist of the year are Underwood, Gretchen Wilson, Faith Hill, Sara Evans and Martina McBride.

Please not either of the first 2, please...

For male vocalist of the year, the nominees are Dierks Bently, Jackson, Paisley, Urban and Chesney.

Brad Paisley or Kenny Chesney.

Besides Sugarland, nominees for vocal group include Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Little Big Town, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts.

Lonestar.

The CMA Awards, which were held in New York City for the first time last year, return to their Nashville home Nov. 6 to celebrate their 40th anniversary. The show will air on ABC.

And I might even watch this year...

DV

(no subject)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14589472/

Education sec’y: No Child act needs no changes
As contentious law faces renewal, Spellings calls it ‘99.9 percent pure’

WASHINGTON - Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said Wednesday the No Child Left Behind Act is close to perfect and needs little change as its first major update draws near.

“I talk about No Child Left Behind like Ivory soap: It’s 99.9 percent pure or something,” Spellings told reporters. “There’s not much needed in the way of change.”

Spellings’ comments signal what amounts to the Bush administration’s starting position as the law comes up for renewal. That is scheduled to happen as soon as next year.

( Read more... )

I'm not in the profession, but it is something we're tossing around. And I have to say, "Excuse me?" to this one. How about funding the thing like it's supposed to and not the reduced version they approved?

We're SERIOUSLY considering Catholic school or another private school for the Little Vixen, so much so that we're thinking of establishing a Coverdell ESA for her.

Things like this are part of the reason why....

DV