If you're anything at all like me, you appreciate good Christmas music - plugging in a good CD, attending a concert, or doing some old-fashioned caroling. You may also, like me, dread going into the malls & stores that have the terrible habit of finding the cheesiest, most annoying Christmas music playing over the speakers. Well, in this interactive post, I wanted to ask you what are your three favorite Christmas songs (with or without specific renditions)? If you could only sing and listen to three Christmas songs, what would they be? Update (12/6): Thanks to Jim for being the first to comment. Please note his blog's new location and update your rolls. My three songs would be: O Holy Night Hark the Herald Angels Sing Gesu … [Read more...]
Archives for 2004
As I type this, Hugh is interviewing Colorado Gov. Bill Owens. I'll paraphrase the conversation. Hugh: What about the state political disaster for Republicans? Owens: "Even though we won the popular vote, we lost the majority..." A lot of kudos to the Dems for successfully targeting key races and taking advantage of campaign finance laws. Plus the Dems' wealthy contributors. Comment & question: The "popular vote" angle is clearly the best spin he can give the statehouse disaster. And okay, the Dems had their "Axis of Ego" - Stryker, Polis, Bridges, Gill - so where were the wealthy Republicans? Hugh: Your successor as governor? Owens: Lt. Gov. Jane Norton gets a lot of discussion, her credentials listed; Treasurer Mike … [Read more...]
Parade of Dim Lights
The case of an Arvada church seeking to have a float in this weekend's Denver Parade of Lights continues to mushroom in the media spotlight. It all started when parade officials nixed the idea: [Pastor George] Morrison wanted to enter a float featuring multicultural Christian themes and a Merry Christmas message. Parade officials told a representative from Morrison's church, the 4,000-member Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada, that religious messages aren't allowed because they might offend others. I thought the whole purpose of multiculturalism was to prevent offending others. I guess that's only non-Christian multiculturalism. Basically, being a Christian and being present is inherently noxious and offensive. Excuse me? But then you … [Read more...]
Sajak Excoriates Hollywood
I received this in an e-mail from a credible source but haven't confirmed to see if or where it's posted on the Web. The following essay was written recently by Pat Sajak - yes, you know who I'm talking about - one of the few sane voices coming out of the entertainment community. He has an established reputation as a center-right Republican. While this has probably cost Mr. Sajak some invitations to cocktail parties, it has enabled him to make a speech or two on the Hillsdale College campus - my proud alma mater. Tired of spinning the wheel? Sit down and read what Pat Sajak has to say about Hollywood's reaction to the recent murder of Dutch film director Theo Van Gogh by an Islamic radical. … [Read more...]
Christmas Book List Symposium
Hugh has issued a topic for discussion among the blogosphere: A modern novel worth reading twice is very hard to come by, at least for a reader like me, pressed for time and inclined to history and current events.... But it seems to me to be a good sign that a serious reader would have reread a modern novel twice, and if any in the blogging community would like to offer those novels they have been through at least twice, I will link those posts here as a handy guide to Christmas book giving and getting. My first reaction to this was 'why read a novel twice?' … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving
PSALM 100 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindenss is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations. … [Read more...]
A New Colorado Conservative News Voice
As someone who reads the posts of a Colorado conservative blogger, you might be someone who is also interested in a new alternative local newspaper from a conservative perspective: The Front Range Rampart. I've met editor Ed Hanks. He has solid credentials and a determination to make the Rampart a success, not to mention a sincere appreciation for the work of local conservative bloggers. He also has growing support for his new paper, but why not do your part to make that support grow a little faster? A year-long subscription to the weekly paper costs $30. He is also accepting donations to get the Rampart off the ground. Find the details here. And spread the word. Ed's target is a minimum 3,000 subscribers to make this a … [Read more...]
Tensions in the Ukraine
One of Colorado's own, out of the country on a business trip, has found himself in the middle of a very tense situation. Thanks to modern technology, former Congressman Bob Schaffer is reporting on developing events in the Ukraine via his Blackberry. Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed a major candidate in the Ukrainian election and declared him the victor. Thousands and thousands of his opponents' supporters have declared the election corrupt and fraudulent, while the U.S. has urged Putin to back away from his premature anointing of his candidate's victory. Tensions are high, as the results of a free democratic election are in question. To keep up with developments, check out this page on the Denver Post's site. Clay has … [Read more...]
Memo to Professional Athletes
We've seen and heard about Friday night's NBA brawl in Auburn Hills, Mich. We're not impressed. We are impressed by tremendous feats of athleticism - high-flying slam dunks and acrobatic catches - because we can't do them ourselves. We are impressed by the ability to perform and the will to compete and win on a grand stage. We are impressed by these things because you entertain us. We are not impressed enough to worship you as heroes. We recognize you as flawed and fallen human beings, like ourselves, only with extraordinary physical gifts. … [Read more...]
A New Location
Welcome to the new, more permanent and more stable home of Mount Virtus, member of the Rocky Mountain Alliance of Blogs. Whether this is a first or return visit to my Internet musings, please feel free to take a look around. Most of the last nine months of blogging have been dedicated to topics political, with smatterings of the biblical, cultural and historical. While politics and policy will stay on the radar for the foreseeable future, I hope this new location sets the groundwork for a richer variety of discussions and analyses. Perhaps more on my own life, too, but not so much as to inflict boredom on my faithful few readers. For now, I'm still adding links to the sidebar. And my archives are on their way over from the old … [Read more...]