Mark’s Musings – Feb. 27, 2013

Mark Fortune

I think this would be a good week to “sequester” myself. You get it. The new word coming out of Washington is “Sequestration”, which will happen this Friday if Congress and the President cannot come to terms on the budget.

It is important to stay focused here. We are talking literally about a 2 to 3% reduction in the budget, not some sweeping 5, 10 or even 15% curtailment of government dollars. The federal budget is a whopping $3.5 trillion dollars so even 2.5% is almost $9 billion dollars. (A trillion dollars has a one followed by 12 zeroes if the internet is right) My poor little handheld calculator does not even allow me to input that many zeroes, it simply runs out of space. So hopefully my calculations are correct.

The cuts are sweeping, ranging from the Defense Department to weatherization to the FBI, the Department of the Interior and much more.

Danica Patrick did quite well in the Daytona 500, finishing eighth as most of you already know. My man Mark Martin (yes, I am still a fan of the “old” man of NASCAR). Of course, loyal fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. are thrilled with his second place finish, and more importantly, already in contention for the chase. Martin came in third in his Toyota with the first two finishers driving Chevrolets.

How about the OSU men’s team beating Michigan State this past weekend? This is a huge win for the somewhat on again, off again Buckeyes this season. None of that counts when the calendar rolls into March and the tournaments. I think the Bucks’ will be ready to play, perhaps peaking at just the right time.

Kudos must go to the River View Lady Bears basketball team on a great season, only undone in the final seconds of a double overtime tournament game against Maysville last week. The Panthers only loss of the season was to the Bears. Now the matchup is Maysville versus West Holmes. That will be a game. We’re picking the Lady Knights. The two teams combined have only lost one game – that was Maysville against River View during the regular season. It should be quite a game.

Lots of things happening in Coshocton County as usual. The pipeline is coming; the shale activity will start picking up sometime this year. Is your business ready? Restaurants, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, retailers, auto parts stores, outdoor related businesses, get ready. Most of our sources tell us that your community is quiet one day and a literal boomtown the next. Who knows how it will roll into our area but being prepared is a recipe for success.

I’m not quite sure whether Washington is in the entertainment business or trying to run the country these days. Of course, depending on who is in office at any given time has a lot to do with that equation. And I guess that’s okay, after all, it seems like everyone has chosen a side these days. Maybe that’s part of the larger issue. Time will tell.

– CORRECTION –

Okay, I messed that one up big time. Now I know why I am not a sports reporter. My supposed matchup between the West Holmes Lady Knights and the Lady Maysville Panthers COULD happen provided each of those teams win their next game – which is on Thursday, Feb. 28 at Zanesville High School. West Holmes plays Indian Creek at 6 p.m. and Maysville is pitted against Carrollton at 8 p.m. IF each team wins that game they will play against each other at Zanesville on March 2 at 7 p.m. I apologize to our readers and followers of these teams.

Category: Mark's Musings