It's a truth universally acknowledged that there an Academy member in possession of a ballot is in want of taste. Combine that truth with the fact that this has been a crap year for movies, yet the best picture category has been expanded to 10 nominations, and you're set for disappointment. You can view the complete list of nominations here. Expect to say "No" at least once per (major?) category. Actually, I'll do it for you:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart" (Fox Searchlight)
• George Clooney in "Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)
• Colin Firth in "A Single Man" (The Weinstein Company)
• Morgan Freeman in "Invictus" (Warner Bros.)
• Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)

No:  George Clooney and Morgan Freeman. Yes: George Clooney, "Fantastic Mr. Fox," Sharlto Copley, "District Nine." Also wouldn't have minded an out-of-left-field, Johnny Depp/Pirates of the Caribbean-style nod (not a win, mind) for Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes, but I guess he got one of those last year.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Matt Damon in "Invictus" (Warner Bros.)
• Woody Harrelson in "The Messenger" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
• Christopher Plummer in "The Last Station" (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Stanley Tucci in "The Lovely Bones" (DreamWorks in association with Film4, Distributed by Paramount)
• Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)

No: Pretty much anyone who isn't Christoph Waltz. Yes: Everyone else in "The Hurt Locker," Peter Capaldi, "In the Loop."

The Ottawa Theatre Network and GCTC have just submitted an idea to the Aviva Community Fund, a competition that could have a huge positive impact on the Ottawa theatre community. If our idea receives enough votes, we have a chance at sharing in $500,000 to bring the idea to life. We would really appreciate your help in pushing this idea to the finals.

Your vote is a vote for a strong future for Ottawa’s theatre community. This is a vote based competition.  Please vote at http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf1624. You can vote once per day in this round. (We will let you k now if there are other voting opportunities in the next rounds. There are three rounds of voting.)  But you can help spread the word to everyone you know and encourage them to vote too.

Your vote WILL make a difference! The first round ends this Sunday, November 1 – please vote SOON.

Ottawa’s Next Stage:  The Blossoming of Ottawa's Theatre

A recent symposium with members of both Ottawa’s established and emerging theatres established that one of the greatest obstacles to growth of the Ottawa theatre scene is a lack of professional development opportunities in all aspects of theatre. The Ottawa Theatre Network and the Great Canadian Theatre Company are combining forces to fill that need. Through a series of workshops, training programs, and laying the groundwork for a strong resource sharing Network, Ottawa's Next Stage project will fuel the current renaissance of Ottawa’s lively professional theatre scene. A vote for Ottawa’s Next Stage project will further our dream of nurturing new artists and new works in our nation’s capital.

Great Canadian Theatre Company and the Ottawa Theatre Network combine forces to boost the current renaissance of Ottawa’s lively professional theatre scene. We want to take Ottawa to “The Next Stage”. With a comprehensive program that nurtures the development of the Ottawa theatre community.