(H/T Schroeder) Yesterday was the 240th anniversary of the birth of the great and revolutionary musical genius Ludwig von Beethoven. Because it fits my mood for today, here’s the triumphant finale to the legendary Fifth Symphony:
For past reflections on Beethoven, visit last year’s post.
Happy Thanksgiving to my faithful few readers and anyone else who stumbles across this posting. A few links commended to you, followed by a couple important passages. First, the links:
Next, a psalm of David from the Scriptures for Thanksgiving Day reflection:
Psalm 103:1-18 (NASB)
After seeing deeply flawed and failed Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes “get biblical” on Facebook (H/T Complete Colorado), I had a late-night moment of “inspired” political satire that ended up as this. Please enjoy: (more…)
As Election Day draws very close, and the campaign intensity reaches a fever pitch, it can be easy to lose track of the truly important things in life. In that light, I received this morning the following press release from Colorado Springs Republican state senate candidate Owen Hill:
Owen Hill, Republican candidate for Senate District 11, and his wife Emily are delighted to announce the arrival of their fourth child. Elinor Jane arrived early Friday morning weighing in at 6lb. 14oz. “Needless to say, that in the final hours of a political campaign, Elinor’s arrival is a great reminder that the reason I am running for this office is to make our community a better place to live in”, said Owen Hill. The Hill family is hopeful that Elinor will be able to attend the El Paso County Republican election night party at Copperhead Road.
Though I’m not into numerology, I will note that Elinor is the Hills’ fourth child born four days before the election, and that the term of office for state senate is four years. Coincidence? Likely.
Maybe it’s just that as the father of two girls I have a soft spot for this sort of thing. But an election night victory over Democratic state senate leader John Morse — which quite possibly could make Hill the youngest member of the Colorado State Senate (and you have to be young to have the needed energy to face the stressful intersection of an election season campaign and a new child at the same time) — would just be icing on the cake after news like this.
Congratulations to Owen Hill and his family.
A brief but welcome break from politics….
Nearly three years ago I blogged a tribute to my Grandpa DeGrow (1907-1998) on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Tonight I share a similar tribute to my Grandma Hutchings (1910-2001) on the 100th anniversary of her birth. As I wrote in November 2008, expressing thankfulness for the legacy of my grandparents:
Grandma Hutchings – my maternal grandmother – was a testament to patience and sweetness. She was hard-working, generous with what little she had, and nearly always teeming with quiet joys. And she endured no small share of hardships in her life.
Why exactly is minor party-Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes and his dwindling cadre of political backers trying to foist on Colorado a story that he bravely resisted efforts to buy him out of the race? It sure looks like the victim card is being played, unfortunately without the truth to back it up. The bottom line is that any proposed deal came from Maes and his allies, and that at all points Tom Tancredo and his closest advisers have communicated clearly that no job will be given to 10-point Dan Maes to buy him out of the race.
What started out as an innuendo-laden note from Dan Maes insider Joe Harrington’s Facebook page (and echoed on Maes’ own page) was effectively disinfected by the sunlight of Rossputin’s clarifying blog post this morning:
Joe’s story, however, is at best misleading and I cannot stand by – even without being overtly named – and let claims go unchallenged.
The implication of Joe’s story is that I and others contacted him trying to solicit a deal for Dan Maes. This is turning the true story on its head…and I can and will prove it here.
Now the story has received the treatment of Lynn Bartels and the Denver Post.
You can read on from the source to see that the claims Rossputin was involved in an attempt to buy Maes out of the race are utterly without merit. Rossputin wasn’t the only one Harrington tried to pursue about getting a deal for Dan Maes. (more…)
It’s becoming a tradition. As of this evening, I have posted online my ballot with informed recommendations based on my personal inclinations, for whatever they are worth. The online ballot includes all Colorado statewide issues and one local issue, with a discussion of each, along with the candidates for whom I plan to vote (some of which include explanations).
Perhaps I should be flattered, but here’s hoping you don’t agree with me on every last point. Not that I take it to the extreme of one of the greatest conservative political philosophers of the 20th century, of whom William Buckley, Jr., once famously said: “As hard as it is to disagree with Harry Jaffa, it’s even harder to agree with him.” Even so, I hope you find it useful.
Last night I decided the mail-in ballot had been sitting too long on my counter, so I went ahead and filled in the bubbles. Time to drop it off now, and contribute my two cents to Colorado’s Republican primary election 2010. Without further ado, here are the decisions I arrived at personally, with some explanation as needed, followed by my predictions: (more…)
On Saturday night I watched in dread as Magglio Ordonez slid into home plate, was tagged out… but never got up. Quickly confirmed to have a fractured ankle, he had to be aided off the field. The number three hitter in my Detroit Tigers lineup, swinging the bat well again after a forgettable 2009, gone for 6 to 8 weeks (2B Carlos Guillen landed on the 15-day disabled list after the same game). A mere matter of days before the non-waiver trade deadline. A season that on the cusp of the All-Star break looked like it could be promising… you can just about write it off now.
A month ago relief pitching sensation Joel Zumaya broke his arm and finished his season while pitching against Minnesota. Less than a week ago third baseman Brandon Inge broke his hand on an inside pitch. With some key rookies providing unexpected contributions, it looked like the Tigers could weather the storm enough with a trade deadline pick-up to make the final piece. Hard to see how that can happen now, at least not without mortgaging away a much more promising future.
Dare I say it, but my Colorado Rockies haven’t looked much better of late. Ubaldo is off his game, the effect of Troy Tulowitzki being out of the lineup for weeks now taking its toll, and the post-break road trip couldn’t end soon enough. Too many holes in the lineup. Inconsistency from the bullpen. Can they catch enough fire to make up lost ground in the NL West race come September? I’m beginning to have my doubts.
For the Tigers and Rockies, if things continue to falter, there is always 2011. But need I go into the trainwreck-like spectacle that is the governor’s race in Colorado? “There’s always 2014….” (more…)
Next weekend is the annual Right Online conference, sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Specifically, it will be held Friday and Saturday, July 23-24, in Las Vegas. This is a great opportunity for conservatives who want to learn how they can help neutralize the advantage the Left has accrued in new media and online tools.
A lineup of great speakers is on tap — including members of Congress Mike Pence and Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, John Fund, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and more. Registration is still open.
I’m not able to make the trip (family reasons), which depending on your perspective might be all the more reason to go. But definitely give it a close look and find a great excuse to make a summertime visit to Vegas and learn how to make a difference at the same time.
My state representative Sara Gagliardi is working overtime to try to project a fiscally conservative image in the upcoming election. The fact that the two-term Democrat has probably the most vulnerable seat in the state legislature in 2010 has more than a little to do with this truth-bending media campaign.
In the course of one week, Gagliardi has published two pieces in the local press to trump up her credentials. First, her July 1 column in the Arvada Press touts the representative’s co-sponsorship of HB 1119, aka the SMART Government Act, which she describes as providing “an innovative strategy to running our state using an approach called performance budgeting.”
The problem is the bill isn’t really that innovative. The Democratic leadership in the legislature killed HB 1126, which true performance budgeting would have required legislators to set real priorities and make tough budget decisions. At least HB 1119 is an okay piece of legislation, and not overtly harmful. For Gagliardi, it all goes downhill from there. (more…)
The Rocky Mountain Alliance of Blogs (of which I am a member) and People’s Press Collective (to which I am a contributor) — not to mention the Independence Institute where I work — are all among many co-sponsors of the upcoming First Annual Western Conservative Summit on July 9 to 11 in the south metro Denver area.
Put this one on your calendars. There is a fantastic and diverse collection of speakers slated to come, including: (more…)
A connection of the state of nativity with my state of residence — the state where I cut my teeth on politics with the teeth the state where I’ve come more involved in politics than I ever imagined. Conservative leader Bob Schaffer, former Congressman and current chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education, publicly announced his endorsement in the Republican primary for Michigan’s gubernatorial race in an email sent today to supporters:
Please join me in supporting U. S. Congressman Pete Hoekstra in his campaign to become Governor of Michigan.
With all the attention being paid to campaigns here in Colorado, you’re surely wondering why I’d ask you to join Maureen and me by supporting a candidate in Michigan. The answer is pretty straightforward:
Pete Hoekstra is one of the finest leaders I’ve ever known. (more…)
WHEREAS, on June 2, 2010, at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga masterfully pitched a game against the Cleveland Indians in which he indisputably retired each of the first 26 batters he faced in succession with exactly 80 pitches thrown (62 strikes, 18 balls); and
WHEREAS, Tigers centerfielder Austin Jackson made a tremendous, over-the-shoulder running catch off Indians second baseman Mark Grudzielanek for the first out of the ninth inning; and
WHEREAS, with two outs in the top of the 9th inning, the 27th batter, Cleveland Indians shortstop Jason Donald, grounded the ball to Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who in turn flipped the ball to Galarraga, who clearly touched the bag with his foot before Donald did; and
WHEREAS, veteran first base umpire Jim Joyce incorrectly ruled the runner safe at first; and
WHEREAS, thousands of the paying customers at Comerica Park could see immediately that the umpire blew the call at first; and (more…)
Saturday at the Colorado Republican State Assembly I was privileged to conduct two dozen brief interviews of candidates, officials, dignitaries, advocacy groups and even a few activist delegates. Michael Sandoval filmed and edited the interviews, breaking them up into six chunks and posting them last night on the People’s Press Collective. Warning in advance: The sound issues were challenging with the loud background noise of the Assembly, so some interviews are easier to hear than others. But I invite you to check them out.
If you have limited time, likely the most interesting interview is with newcomer gubernatorial candidate Joe Gschwendtner in video number 5. Others interviewed include: (more…)
Colorado Veterans - educate yourself about your VA Loan Requirements and about what the VA Loans Guidelines are for obtaining a VA Loan
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bendegrow-at-gmail.com
