A Valley woman's dying wish was fulfilled this Mother's Day weekend, thanks to the Dream Foundation.

“Out of respect for the victims, I refuse to name, watch or listen to the accused, while the victim is six feet under, robbed of their precious lives! I began this promise, to victims, starting in 1995. I blackout all media that creates a rating circus, totally disrespecting the dead... sickening!”

If you love that mother in your home, get rid of those babes spread out on the coffee table. I’ve had it with them. They’re not good for either soul — male or female! Why do we contemplate airbrushed, digitally altered, Botox laden, breast-enhanced illusions?

The Norwegian directing team of Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg, whose biopic of World War II resistance fighter Max Manus was a huge hit on home turf, have turned to another native hero for "Kon-Tiki." One of the most-vaunted escapades of the 20th century, Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 Peru-to-Polynesia expedition by raft gets glossy big-screen treatment in this efficiently told action-adventure. Delivering visual drama and understated character study, sometimes in disappointingly formulaic fashion, the feature has its incisive moments but falls short as both epic and intimate portrait.

Time for a confession. As a child, I never once celebrated Mother's Day. My parents thought the holiday was nothing more than a cheesy excuse to sell greeting cards, and who was I to argue?

“The great Obama is in charge of the sequestration. So what does this guy do? He goes to air traffic controllers and lays them off to cause the most inconvenience he can to American travellers. He could have gone to the nonessential personnel they always tell to stay home when there is a major weather event in D.C. This guy is a real piece of work. I can’t believe there are people that actually think he is doing a good job?”

My Mom & Dad were born in 1921, married in 1943. They grew up during the Great Depression and lived through WWII. Tonight on PBS I watched “Celebration: Stephanie Blythe Meets Kate Smith” where an opera singer sang songs made famous by Kate Smith during the 30s-40s and WWII era. I only vaguely remember Kate Smith, but apparently she was more successful than about any other star of the time, and I remember my Mom loved Kate Smith. One of her iconic songs was:

“The Four Seasons,” a set of four 15-foot fiberglass sculptures by American artist and filmmaker Philip Haas, are on display at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix until April 28.

“Finally, honesty from the gun control crowd. Their endgame is confiscation of guns which will have to include elimination of the 2nd amendment.”

As the F.B.I. and Department of Homeland Security sift through the collateral damage in Boston, one thing is abundantly clear: it was an act of terrorism. Questions, like who is responsible and their motivation, remain to be determined. Along with those questions, one cannot help but ask where God is during events like this.

Runners in the East Valley are a tight community. If any two enthusiasts don’t know each other, there’s a good chance they know someone who knows someone who they’ve crossed a finish line with.

SAN DIEGO — La Jolla's jagged coastline is strictly protected by environmental laws to ensure the San Diego community remains the kind of seaside jewel that has attracted swanky restaurants, top-flight hotels and some of the nation's rich and famous, including billionaire businessman Irwin Jacobs and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Coming home from the D-Backs game (Wednesday), a group of mentally challenged adults boarded the light rail escorted by three very impressive female escorts. God bless you girls.

He has given standout performances in the likes of “The Big Lebowski,” “Crazy Heart” and “True Grit,” but Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges’ enormous talent doesn’t stop there. His illustrious resume runs the gamut from musician to author to humanitarian, which begs the question: Is there anything he can’t do?

‘It’s been ten years, now,” the strong voice said on the phone. Mari Justin is a breast cancer survivor. She, along with hundreds of thousands of breast cancer veterans have faced the demons and now crusade alongside those who are fresh on the battlefield.

“Reveille” mini camps offer a wake-up call for addicts, their families and helpers; while a two-hour workshop for couples provides the means for “Reunification.”

“Mr. Basha used to be a neighbor of mine, although I did not know immediately know it. My son, about 13, came home one day from carousing in the neighborhood. I asked where he had been. He replied ‘we were at Eddie’s house playing tennis.’ You know where this story is headed. It was Eddie Basha. He was like that, a kind man who was for the kids. Needless to say, I did not mind my son going there to play tennis. R.I.P. Mr. Basha.”

Words struggled to exit her throat: “They let us see him. I sat there, behind the curtains and sobbed and hugged my son’s leg. I pleaded, Oh God, Oh God! How can I live without him?” Ten years ago, this month, this East Valley mother buried her only son.

It’s Easter Sunday, so please indulge me with a bit of a sermon, one you can take in a human context as well as a spiritual one.

Nearly 10,500 fans gathered to bid a farewell to the 2013 Major League Baseball Spring Training season Thursday afternoon.

A colleague of mine quipped the other day that the only religion he believes in is his own. “Sure,” I countered. “You piously believe in your own opinion.”

“Hey, Mesa! How about not ripping up Broadway until you’re finished with Southern? But no, that would make sense!”

The walls are white, the chairs are plastic, and the smiles are few. As you head down a hallway, cell blocks to the left and a gated recreation area at right, hearing bursts of laughter and lively chatter coming from a small room in front of you is slightly jarring, especially seeing as the boisterous classroom is inside Estrella Women’s Jail in central Phoenix.

Up there with “Stoker” and “Like Someone in Love” as one of the best films to hit theaters this spring, “War Witch” is devastating, beautiful and truly not to be missed. An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this gut-wrenching tale of a child soldier has been reeling in the accolades: Best Actress awards for young star Rachel Mwanza at both the Berlin and Tribeca film festivals, along with a whopping 10 honors (including Best Picture) at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards.