A few notes and comments from Mr. B

A view from my window

I live in Batavia, near the Fox River, and enjoy the sights and sounds that come with being near a natural playground for birds and other animals. I enjoy seeing the many different birds, and listening to their songs, especially in the hours near daybreak.

In recent weeks I have seen a woodpecker, cardinals, robins, a blue jay, a pair of red-tail hawks. and many others. My favorites are the mourning doves that are building a nest on my veranda. They are beautiful and find their cooing a comfort.

After Biden, what's next?

Joe Biden's April 25 decision to enter the race for the Democrat's nomination for president in 2020 brings the number of candidates in the field to an even 20, and makes one wonder if any more Democrats will join the fray. In other words, what or who is next?

I don't know the answer, I don't like to make predictions. I sometimes struggle to keep track of the 20 candidates now. I couldn't name each of them, and there's some I haven't heard a word about in months. I don't object to a big field. As far as I'm concerned, all these candidates make things interesting and entertaining.

It's fun to see what some of the candidates are promising voters at this stage of the process. It will be interesting to see what some will be promising in the months to come. 

JB, Think Big Illinois and taxes

Think Big Illinois is a group funded, in part, by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and directed by a man who helped run Pritzker's 2018 campaign. The group currently is trying to persuade residents to support JB's effort to replace the state's flat-tax with a progressive tax that he promises will benefit most Illinois families.

And Think Big Illinois appears to be spending some big dollars are direct mailing. During the last two weeks, at least four large, glossy mailers have arrived at my house, including two different pieces that arrived the same day. I do not support Pritzker's efforts, but I take a few minutes to look at each of the mailers. They are well-produced and easy to look at, but they provide few details about JB's plan and almost no information about Think Big Illinois, a tactic that always makes me leery. 

Considering Democrats hold both houses in the Illinois legislature, JB's proposal is  likely to win approval this spring, regardless of what residents think of the plan. And that makes me think about the money JB and Think Big Illinois are spending on the a series of mailers.

###

-- Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment here or email at kbotterman@gmail.com. 

Mr. B offers a last look at the Big Dance

I wanted to offer a few thoughts about the 2019 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament before the event fades from view. I know I'm a bit late in doing this, but it is April 14 and snow is falling outside my window. I think I can still write about college basketball, under the circumstances. Besides, this won't take long.

1. My brackets held up pretty well during this year's tournament. My picks for the Final Four, included Gonzaga, Kentucky, Michigan State and Virginia. I picked Gonzaga and Virginia to meet in the championship, with Virginia winning the title. Virginia and Michigan State made it to the Final Four, and Virginia, of course, won the national champion, defeating Texas Tech, 87-77 in overtime.

2. Purdue - Was a favorite of mine entering the tournament and fought its way to the Elite Eight, where the Boilermakers fell to Virginia. I was raised on Big Ten football and basketball, and Purdue is a sentimental favorite to me. I thought the Boilermakers played well in the regular season, but performed poorly in the conference tournament. I think Purdue redeemed itself in the NCAA tournament. 

3. Six teams -- Wofford (a 7-seed), Liberty (a 12-seed), UC-Irvine (a 13-seed), Iowa (a 10-seed), Murray State (a 12-seed), and Buffalo (a 6-seed) -- were all pleasant surprises to me as each advanced to the second round. Sadly, that was as deep as each team went in the tournament, but it was entertaining while it lasted. 

4. Bruce Pearl and Auburn University received a lot of criticism throughout the tournament (some of it legitimate), but I give credit where credit is due. Auburn played exceptionally well.

5. I was pleased to see Texas Tech and Virginia in the final game. I enjoy college basketball, but I don't consider myself an expert or even knowledgeable about the game. I follow the season, but in a casual way. That said, I was happy to see new teams in the championship round. I did not miss Duke, North Carolina, or any of the other familiar faces from the Top 25.  And for that reason alone I thought this year's event was memorable. 


-- Thank you for reading. Feel free to comment. Send email to kbotterman@gmail.com.