Best(s) of 2004 ???

I thought it would be an interesting distraction from school/work/boredom to get a discussion going about the "best" whatevers of 2004. Anyone who happens across this is welcome to post (comment) with their own "best of 2004" list. Lists like this (and Rolling Stone's 'Top 500 ___') are somehow pointless and relevant at the same time. I guess if anything, they spread the word/spark interest in a particular thing or idea that the reader might appreciate - and wouldn't have otherwise. This is especially true with a highly circulated and respected source, such as this.

2004's Best:

* Best Rock/Pop Album: Tom Waits - Real Gone
* Best Jazz Album: Medeski Martin, & Wood - End of the World Party (Just in Case)
* Best Film: Finding Neverland
* Other Best Film: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
* Most Overhyped Movie of 2004: Napolean Dynamite
* Best Actor of 2004: Ricky Gervais
* Best Actress: Kate Winslet
* Best Book of 2004: Ghost Wars - Steve Coll
* Other Best Book of 2004: Chronicles, V. 1 - Bob Dylan
* Most Mind-Boggling Crash&Burn: Howard Dean of course
* Most Amazing (and Disappointing) Damage Control: "Traditional Values" Bill
O'Reilly's super-fast and complete recovery from somewhat-admitted sexual harassment & dirty talk. How did he do that?
* Fastest Development of Belief in Compassion: The sudden compassion and "it's a disease" talk exhibited by Limbaugh's ditto heads for drug abusers.
* Best Evidence That American Culture is Sick: Paris Hilton's fame
* Even Better Evidence That American Culture is Sick: "Reality" T.V.
* Best Evidence That American Culture Can Be Healed: John Stewart's "The Daily Show"
* Best Scolding of the Media - John Stewart on CNN's "Crossfire"
* Most Appreciated "cutting us a break": The breakup of Creed (...not for these guys)
* Most Terrifying prospect for the future: Creed Reunion Tour
* Best Sports Story of 2004 - The University of Utah Football Team and Successes
* Most Painful Sports Story (there were a slew) for Zoobies - Utah Football success and Whittingham picking the Utes over his BYU Alums.
* The Three Most Therapeatic Responses for Zoobies: "We won a NC in 1984 in the Holiday Bowl", "Just wait till next year", and "Morgan Scalley used a swear word on game day"
* Most intriguing, confusing, humorous, suspect interview done on 60 minutes: Bob Dylan
* Favorite UN Talking Point for Conservatives: "Oil For Food" scandal
* Favorite UN Talking Point for Liberals: Bush Administration's groveling to UN for help and financing in Iraq.
* Most Significant Political Developments in Europe: Ukrainian Elections
* Hot: Eastern Europe
* Was hot 5 minutes ago: Western ("old") Europe
* Hot: Insurgents in Iraq
* Was hot 5 hours ago: Osama Bin Laden
* Hot: Codoleeza Rice
* Not hot: Colin Powell - and getting colder
* Cold - John Kerry
* Cold for hours: John Kerry
* Best Reason For Knowing The Democrats Don't Get It: 2004 Election
* Best Reason For Knowing The Democrats Will Get It Now: 2004 Election
* Best Reason For Hoping Democrats Are Getting It: Harry Reid
* Best Reason For Knowing Republicans Don't Get It: Bush, Iraq, WMDs, Osama who?
* Best Reason For Knowing This Doesn't Matter: 2004 Election
* Best Explanation For Why It Doesn't Matter: Karl Rove (no - not "values")

more to come?