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<channel>
	<title>Mount Virtus</title>
	<atom:link href="http://bendegrow.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://bendegrow.com</link>
	<description>This blog belongs to "[one] of the most virulent anti-public education individuals in the state" - Colorado Education Assoc.</description>
	<pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 23:49:02 +0000</pubDate>
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			<item>
		<title>China Earthquake Hits Home for (at least) Two Colorado Bloggers</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/china-earthquake-hits-home-for-at-least-two-colorado-bloggers/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/china-earthquake-hits-home-for-at-least-two-colorado-bloggers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 23:49:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Christianity and Faith]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[World Events]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[earthquake]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Exultate Justi]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Slapstick Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1632</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A major earthquake in China today strikes home with a couple of my Colorado blogging friends. 
Jared and his wife are waiting to pick up their new son from China. Meanwhile, El Presidente waits to hear from &#8220;friends and former students&#8221; who live in the affected region.
As usual, if you are so inclined, prayers are [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/china-earthquake-hits-home-for-at-least-two-colorado-bloggers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>At least this isn&#8217;t our teachers union&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/at-least-this-isnt-our-teachers-union/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/at-least-this-isnt-our-teachers-union/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 23:43:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Labor]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[anti-education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[merit pay]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[right-to-work]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[The Columbian]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Washington Education Association]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1631</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The teachers union in Washington State turned down millions of dollars in grant money that would have gone to boosting teacher salaries. What, you say? A pair of editorials today explain the story.
First, the Daily News Online:
That $13.2 million grant Washington state won last year to enhance the teaching of Advanced Placement courses in math [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/at-least-this-isnt-our-teachers-union/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Colorado Dems Fail to Lead or Take Responsibility, Irony Lost on Dead Guvs</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/colorado-dems-fail-to-lead-or-take-responsibility-irony-lost-on-dead-guvs/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/colorado-dems-fail-to-lead-or-take-responsibility-irony-lost-on-dead-guvs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 23:24:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Dead Governors]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Democrats]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[education standards]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[irony]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Republicans]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[responsibility]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1630</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Dead Governors couldn&#8217;t even bring themselves to defend their majority Democrat Party for accomplishing so little. So they tried to make fun of the minority Republicans for not getting much done themselves either:

How do you write a critical op-ed about how Democrats talked and Republicans acted without bothering to mention anything that you actually [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/colorado-dems-fail-to-lead-or-take-responsibility-irony-lost-on-dead-guvs/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>More Scientific Doubt Cast on Man-Made Global Warming Hysteria</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/more-scientific-doubt-cast-on-man-made-global-warming-hysteria/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/more-scientific-doubt-cast-on-man-made-global-warming-hysteria/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2008 18:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Hysteria]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Global warming hysteria]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Mark Udall]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Patrick Frank]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Skeptic magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1629</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In Skeptic magazine, peer-reviewed Ph.D. chemist Patrick Frank comes out with the latest rational debunking of man-made global warming hysteria, complete with well-sourced footnotes. More recommended reading for Gov. Bill Ritter and Boulder U.S. Rep. Mark Udall.
Meanwhile, more scientists sign on to the dissenting report.
As the challenging evidence mounts, we&#8217;ll wait in vain for the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/more-scientific-doubt-cast-on-man-made-global-warming-hysteria/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Josh Penry: Rising Colorado GOP Star</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/josh-penry-rising-colorado-gop-star/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/josh-penry-rising-colorado-gop-star/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2008 13:45:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Andy McElhany]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Republicans]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Grand Junction Daily Sentinel]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Greg Brophy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Josh Penry]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Mike Saccone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1628</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There&#8217;s no need to recount the many woes and difficulties Colorado Republicans have faced in recent years, dethroned and demoralized by a well-funded and well-planned onslaught from the Left in the 2004 and 2006 elections.
Thanks especially to the principled and savvy work of several key lawmakers in the caucus, the Republicans finally held their own [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/josh-penry-rising-colorado-gop-star/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Westminster School District Negligence Makes Case for Online Transparency</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/westminster-school-district-negligence-makes-case-for-online-transparency/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/westminster-school-district-negligence-makes-case-for-online-transparency/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2008 21:45:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[My Life]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Americans for Tax Reform]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Ben DeGrow]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[bond election]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Brian Maass]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[CBS4 News]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Open Records request]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[financial transparency]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Healy Bender and Associates]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Kevin O'Brien]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[negligence]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Pueblo Chieftain]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[school construction]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[school district budgets]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Westminster High School]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Westminster School District]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1627</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I about fell out of my chair when I read this local CBS4 TV news story (video also available):

An out-of-state architectural firm has billed an Adams County School District nearly $60,000, for hotels, meals and travel expenses in the last year but the district hasn&#8217;t bothered to ask for, or review, a single receipt.
&#8220;It&#8217;s negligence,&#8221; [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/westminster-school-district-negligence-makes-case-for-online-transparency/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Find a Charter School Near You</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/find-a-charter-school-near-you/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/find-a-charter-school-near-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2008 21:05:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Center for Education Reform]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Colorado families]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[public charter schools]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[School Choice for Kids]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[school search]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[YourCharterSchool.com]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1626</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Center for Education Reform, a national charter school advocacy group, has unveiled a new Web tool for families across the country to locate a public charter school near them: YourCharterSchool.com.
I test drove the site a bit, and it seems user-friendly. In addition to the map feature, there are several helpful links along the side [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/find-a-charter-school-near-you/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Bill Ritter and Colorado Dems: Cheap Tactics, Poor Leadership</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritter-and-colorado-dems-cheap-tactics-poor-leadership/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritter-and-colorado-dems-cheap-tactics-poor-leadership/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2008 14:12:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Andrew Romanoff]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Colorado budget]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Denver Post]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[extorting taxpayers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Independence Institute]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Linda Gorman]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Peter Groff]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Republicans]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[roads and bridges]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Rocky Mountain Right]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[transportation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1625</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s a classic trick to try to extort taxpayers, yet Bill Ritter and Colorado Democrats are acting as if we&#8217;re too naive to see it.
Mr. DNA at Rocky Mountain Right yesterday highlighted a story in the Denver Post where Ritter and other Democrat leaders made an absurd and startling revelation - blaming the Republicans (who [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritter-and-colorado-dems-cheap-tactics-poor-leadership/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Bill Ritter&#8217;s Property Tax Hike on Trial: Closing Arguments for Tomorrow</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritters-property-tax-hike-on-trial-closing-arguments-for-tomorrow/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritters-property-tax-hike-on-trial-closing-arguments-for-tomorrow/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2008 23:44:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Denver District Court]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Jon Caldara]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[property tax hike]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1624</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A busy day, not much time to blog. For those of you following Bill Ritter&#8217;s property tax hike on trial, Jon Caldara reports that closing arguments are set for tomorrow morning at 10:00.
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritters-property-tax-hike-on-trial-closing-arguments-for-tomorrow/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cary Kennedy Said What?</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/cary-kennedy-said-what/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/cary-kennedy-said-what/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2008 03:58:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Cary Kennedy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Denver District Court]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[local taxpayers]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Marcia Neal]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[mill levy "freeze"]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[property tax hike]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Rocky Mountain News]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[state treasurer]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Taxpayer's Bill of Rights]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1623</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With Gov. Bill Ritter&#8217;s property tax hike still on trial, the Rocky Mountain News reports that state treasurer Cary Kennedy - who thought up the mill levy &#8220;freeze&#8221; idea - made a remarkable concession on the witness stand:

State treasurer Cary Kennedy conceded today on the witness stand that a bill passed last year by the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/cary-kennedy-said-what/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Where Will the 2008 Election Leave Us?</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/where-will-the-2008-election-leave-us/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/where-will-the-2008-election-leave-us/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 17:38:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[National Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[2008 Presidential election]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[American politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Best Destiny]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Hillary Clinton]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1622</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In the current 24/7 political news cycle, with its rapid-fire sound bites and he said/she said sensationalism, it&#8217;s not often enough that bloggers step back and look at the big picture of what&#8217;s unfolding in the 2008 Presidential election. Hats off to my friend Michael at Best Destiny for some keen (and honest) insights in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/where-will-the-2008-election-leave-us/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Colorado Republicans Get Head Start on Easy Job of Critiquing Ritter, Dems</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/colorado-republicans-get-head-start-on-easy-job-of-critiquing-ritter-dems/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/colorado-republicans-get-head-start-on-easy-job-of-critiquing-ritter-dems/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 15:06:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Andrew Romanoff]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Colorado]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Democrats]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Executive Order]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Republicans]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Rocky Mountain News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1621</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[From this morning&#8217;s Rocky Mountain News:
As Democrats raced Tuesday to write what were the final chapters of the 2008 legislative session, Republicans passed around a playbook for taking back the House and Senate this fall.

Not exactly big news, but a fun story nonetheless. Take for example the response of the Democratic Speaker of the House, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/colorado-republicans-get-head-start-on-easy-job-of-critiquing-ritter-dems/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Bill Ritter&#8217;s Tax Hike on Trial: Day 1</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritters-tax-hike-on-trial-day-1/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritters-tax-hike-on-trial-day-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 17:02:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bill Ritter]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Cheyenne Mountain School District]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Denver District Court]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Denver Post]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Jon Caldara]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Mark Grueskin]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[mill levy "freeze"]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Property Tax Increase]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Richard Westfall]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[School Finance Act]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1620</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday was the first day of the court hearing on the lawsuit by the Independence Institute (where I work) and Colorado taxpayers against Gov. Bill Ritter&#8217;s unconstitutional property tax increase. 
Today&#8217;s Denver Post explains a key issue behind the plaintiffs&#8217; argument:

They noted that in 1993, the General Assembly amended the School Finance Act to ensure [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://bendegrow.com/2008/bill-ritters-tax-hike-on-trial-day-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Liberal Denver Post Columnist Assails Do-Nothing Democrat Legislature</title>
		<link>http://bendegrow.com/2008/liberal-denver-post-columnist-assails-do-nothing-democrat-legislature/</link>
		<comments>http://bendegrow.com/2008/liberal-denver-post-columnist-assails-do-nothing-democrat-legislature/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 14:54:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Politics]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Policy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Andrew Romanoff]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Colorado Democrats]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Denver Post]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Susan Greene]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bendegrow.com/?p=1619</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Liberal Denver Post columnist Susan Greene expresses her frustrations with the Democratically-led state legislature:

After citing budget reform as a top priority, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff has tabled the issue without even a vote in committee. Better to let voters decide than force lawmakers to get their hands dirty, especially in an election year.
After working to [...]]]></description>
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