A look at the lighter side, usually, of what goes on at the state Capitol. YMMV.

They really don’t look that much alike…March 6 marked the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of the cult classic “The Big Lebowski.” Its star is Jeff Bridges. Not that Jeff Bridges (pictured at right). This Jeff Bridges (pictured at left).

One of the great things about the movie, and how it applies here, is that it’s about mistaken identity.

The House’s Rep. Jeff Bridges has had a good laugh over the years over the apparent confusion by some on the difference between him and the actor.  That includes, from time to time, comments on Twitter intended to go to that other Jeff Bridges, whose handle is @TheJeffBridges. Rep. Bridges’ Twitter handle is @JeffBridges.

Rep. Bridges’ response on the March 6 anniversary was to gird his loins against a fair amount of mistweets. But he’s also been tempted to respond to those mistakes with quotes from the movie, which, as it turns out, he can very easily rattle off on demand.

From a dude to The Dude, a very happy 20th for The Big Lebowski, @TheJeffBridges. Expecting to abide many mis-tweets today. pic.twitter.com/FkZiLrfzt4

— Sen. Jeff Bridges (@JeffBridges) March 6, 2018

The Dude abides.

Who said Pie…March 14 has become known as Pi Day, celebrated with that other kind of pie. The House celebrated in its own inimitable way, by issuing a proclamation declaring March 14 as Pi Day, although they did it during their morning session, not at 1:59 a.m. or 1:59 p.m. (Pi begins with 3.14159265.)

The proclamation, although a bit tongue-in-cheek, actually had a pretty neat purpose: it recognized the importance of STEM education in schools. It read: “‘PI Day’, celebrated in schools across our State, helps to educate Colorado’s youth on one of mathematics’ most important constants and well-known irrational numbers.”

RIP Stephen Hawking, who would be proud.

Quote(s) of the week…Courtesy of senators who sometimes talk about items that seemingly have little nexus with the subject at hand.

This applies to Wednesday’s debate on Senate Bill 1 on how to fund a multi-billion dollar wish list for road and bridge repairs around the state. It started off with Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada, who had been passionately advocating for an amendment that the bill include at least one rural road project in each of the five transportation districts around the state.

She rattled off a list of transportation projects in rural communities that included an interchange improvement in Summit County along I-70. Zenzinger said she was familiar with that particular exit because her children demand McDonald’s, and it’s the only one along that stretch of the highway.

For some reason, Sen. Andy Kerr of Lakewood decided that needed a response. He joked that “if you’re driving from Denver to Gunnison on I-70, Silverthorne is not the only McDonald’s along the way.” Kerr pointed to what he called the most expensive McDonald’s in “all of the United States, if not the world,” in west Vail. “As parents, when you’re driving through Vail and don’t want to stop at that McDonald’s, you distract your kids so they don’t see it,”  and joked that Zenzinger owed someone an apology for omitting that particular Vail McDonald’s.

That drew a response from Senate President Pro tem Jerry Sonnenberg of Sterling. He called Kerr’s request out of order, and then kidded him about the geographical misstep. “Why you would take I-70 to Gunnison to begin with?”

Strategy, and fun to boot…Thursday, the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee took up House Bill 1234, which deals with internet gambling. The video game pictured below allows players to play for money and hence would be banned under the law. So one of the opponents, with the help of lobbyist Megan Dubray, set up a “Shooting Zombies” game in the basement of the Capitol. People lined up to play (no wagers allowed), including Sen. Don Coram of Montrose, who is a kid at heart if there ever was one.