Category Archives: ~ my 2cents …

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Wednesday ~~~ sliding into Spring


Sandhill CraneKanadakraniche

The weather is just as mad as what is going on the basketball court and the floor of Congress No.

Unless you are living under a rock,  the countdown to March Madness … the NCAA Championships began without Kentucky now, after all the latest results folks must have lost some dollars. I could be wrong.. Psyched about the tournament until the sad news that Gonzaga lost by six points to a ninth ranked team… Ugh!  Anyway, Gonzaga still is a #1 seed in the eyes of Washington State though you have to admit that #9 Wichita State pulled out their three-pointers on back-to-back-to-back possessions over a three-minute span that shocked and awed the Zags out of the Big Dance the Sweet16 … the Final 4.  The sad facts from NBC are that Gonzaga becomes the third No. 1 seed in the past four years to lose in the Round of 32 and the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated from this 2013 NCAA tournament. In addition, that comes after perhaps the shakiest performance by a No. 1 seed in the Round of 64, when No. 16-seed Southern ran the Bulldogs to the wire Thursday evening. I am no expert but this could have some impact on future teams chosen to rank.  The Big Dance started without Kentucky and then found several top ranked teams floundering, so who knows what the Final 4 has in store and will folks watch with teams like Oklahoma State, UNLV, WI, NM, KS and #2Georgetown falling or could this be one of the most exciting Final4’s yet because it’s anyone’s game to lose ….

Let us not even get into the profanity that seemed to be thrown around freely on court this year.

Calling March mad because of college basketball is an established thing, but considering the madness in the political air lately  the behavior from Republican members of Congress will probably make us all go beyond mad if they keep voting to repeal, eliminate, and replace all things public service only to privatize it all.

The end of March is here while the NCAA madness is not over  and Congress with plenty of work to do has skipped out of town until April  …  who isn’t mad about that.

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

manic March Monday … madness


just another rant …

Phil's Burrow
Phil’s Burrow (Photo credit: Heather Culligan)

On a cold February day, people on the east coast put on top hats and tuxedos while Woodchuck weatherman Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, but as the days passed record warmth as well as tornadoes rain and winter storms interrupted the living caused the deaths of many.

No one really had to tell us but as meteors flew by en masse, several trained meteorologists set out to dash our hopes for an early spring in strange and wonderful ways. I have to say it seemed as if most laughed it off at first but as we slid into the first day of spring those weather people confirmed that we will indeed have two more weeks of cold weather. In fact, just days from rain a snowstorm made itself known on the first day of spring. It was is sunny and or hot in parts of the country, mostly on the left coast while others are getting up to 30 inches of snow reminding us not only of that natural disaster Katrina but that climate change is no joke . The winter cold snap is still plaguing the Mid-West and East Coast while spring like weather tries to break out on the West Coast as cold morning’s move into afternoon warmth that dips into lower temperatures when the evening rolls back around. I will say it again, talk about some useless prairie dogs ok, they are from the woodchuck, whistle pig,  land and beaver family … whatever, Punxsutawney Phil was wrong !

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Iraq …


Wethepeople

On March 19, 2003 then President Bush announces that America has invaded Iraq.

Over nine years have passed and Saddam gone.

Yet, Americans are still asking; where are the WMD , why weren’t our soldiers given state of the art equipment ,was there a real plan, why are Iraqis’ still having trouble with electricity, water, the military spoke little English, some say were improperly trained if at all and while we all know their leadership was difficult to communicate with. There are and will always be questions because the truth has yet to be uncovered and since we are now a full Administration ahead questions like:  why did they build such a humongous building(embassy) only to abandon it will probably go unanswered

As we honor and reflect upon the sacrifices that millions of Men and Women as well as their family’s made for this war, but bringing this war to a responsible end was a cause that sparked many Americans to get involved in the political process for the first time. Upon reflection of just what transpired before and since the Iraqis War, it is an important reminder that we all have a stake in our country’s future, and a say in the direction we choose

Early Sunday morning, the last of our troops left Iraq. 12/20/11

Thank you

President Barack Obama

~ my 2cents ...

March madness -Monday


081205_rainier_cloud_03

photo from seattletimes

rain wind and more rain …

The 3-day CPAC summit should, if nothing else open up some minds to what Conservatives are all about and maybe hear what some believe is a misinterpretation of liberty, freedom and what  role our government plays in our society

Oh … get your cards out it’s time to fill in your brackets as 2013 NCAA Tournament play … March Madness begins on Tuesday without Kentucky! and Washington State is wishing Gonzaga the best as they receive first ever No. 1 seed

What worried me before the midterm and Election2012 was the possibility that people who have no experience, common sense or clarity may get on the floor of Congress and really ruin what use to be a great country if they “take back their country.”  I guess you can plug-in whatever that means for you though it sounds like an awful way to live if you are a minority on any level.  We all know folks who are suffering directly from votes Republican lawmakers made and are still making on the local state and federal level; to be sure, the midterm elections affected each state differently, in gross and horrific ways.

Election2012 resulted in a 2nd term for President Barack H Obama.

Now, maybe people understand and or know that all elections have consequences.  Then again, I could be wrong. The grim reality is that a vote for Republicans is a vote against your best interest – people.  If you live on the Gulf Coast or in Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan you have to ask yourself what have Republicans really done for you lately and do you have family friends co-workers who are Teachers, Cops, Emts, Firefighters …any type of Rescue worker … Why? Republican members of Congress have been voting against them on the floor of Congress since 2009 while Republican Governors are acting out the mission under the guise of “States Rights” , which is to restrict cut and abolish governmental workers. While making way for the privatization of social programs only our government should handle such as EPA, Dept. of Ed, Medicare let alone kill Medicaid, FEMA and more $$ for big corporations though government can be a force for good and if interpreted correctly …

“The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people,

whatever they need to have done, but cannot do, at all, or cannot, so

well do, for themselves — in their separate and individual capacities.” – Lincoln

Obviously, the conservative plan is evil in my opinion , without remorse or forethought of what our neighborhoods would look once they defund every social service and eliminate Working Families.

The results from election2014 could affect our children, our lives, and our future.

~ my 2cents ...

After the Oscars … and off the rack


oscarwithlighting

So, it was a whole night off from the Sequester and the next fiscal cliff, which is looming … March madness is at hand people and I’m not talking bball!

Oscar night! Uh, I mean Oscar day and night, started at 3pm maybe earlier, as Ryan seacrest and his team from Eonline chat about fashion, trending manicures, hair or makeup and right about then seasoned actor Helen Hunt walks up to be interviewed. While seacrest admires the $7000 jewels acknowledges her movie “Sessions” the question about whose dress are you wearing comes up and as Helen smiles smirks states guess who guess where I got my dress – H&M. It looked like seacrests eyes glaze over and his face goes stony, showing a bit of distaste seemingly dismissing the actor as no real response was made on the dress. It’s not lost on me that Helen got no head to toe shot and was nowhere to be seen on the Red Carpet though her dress seemed to fit she probably will not be on tonight’s list of must see ,something new , economy friendly dressing up .  It seemed as if team seacrest moved on, possibly ignoring the idea, continuing to throw out elite brand names that graced their Red Carpet, sounding like the label mafia so, don’t hold your breath.  I definitely won’t be, but the idea of wearing off the rack clothing is worthy of a shout out in my humble opinion. I missed the intro due to the hour and making dinner was much more important then I tuned in when Waltz was on and twitter seemed delighted, it sounds like the show itself is boring … too much ad-lib a bad sense of humor.  Actually, pre-Oscar interviews suggested Seth McFarlane  was prepared and funny, guess his comedic voice is not being heard very well tonight if at all, could be folks are still debating voting and determining the fashion losers or the guy is just an acquired taste because the one he is leaving tonight is bad.

Honestly, how do you make an awards night like the Oscars more than a formal get together celebrating films in all its forms. It could be time management or lack thereof is the enemy and while the jaws theme was amusing watching someone come out to actually pull an Oscar winner off stage is not that funny amusing or necessary. Award shows like Sports is a good/bad day situation where humans are never a sure thing when it comes to working outside the box or their personal comfort zone. Anyway, the dresses were ok watched for haterator action and there was some for Anne Hathaway and gotta say watching coopers  mom sit in between him and Lawrence was interesting , captain kirk looked like he was snoozing Halle berry looked like a metalic referee  and well, Kirsten Stewart was a hot mess. If you were watching, you know who won… The men looked ok though some just looked greasy.

Seth wrapped up the Oscars with a song, Affleck got his and as we were about to turn it to the E channel until jimmy, ABC announces they are now going to their OTRC after show only to hear Lawrence Zairian giving a big shout out to Helen Hunt and the H&M dress she wore  …loved it!

I have to make a correction … yep, the H&M dress was wrinkled the pin on the back and train … not good. I was excited for off the rack dressing for an awards night … keep trying ladies and i agree … fabric choice is important,though it’s clear Anne Hathaway’s dress was very expensive she made a bad choice in fabric as well.