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"Happy to come back to Michigan, but I miss the mountains!"

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Home Archives for My Life

10/14/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Savoring Silver Anniversary of Detroit Tigers’ Last World Championship

A quick walk down Detroit Tigers memory lane: Today is the 3rd anniversary of Magglio Ordonez' walk-off 3-run homer that won the ALCS and launched the Tigers into the World Series (also the first epic late-inning playoff loss for Huston Street, then of the Oakland A's). Which also means it was exactly 25 years ago today that the Detroit Tigers last celebrated World Series triumph, with an 8-5 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 5 down at the Corner (and my childhood hero Alan Trammell named Series MVP). Sadly, the stadium is gone now. But the memory lives on. Here's hoping that Detroit repeats the feat sometime before that anniversary turns golden and my hair turns (completely) gray. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, liberty, My Life, Sports and Leisure

10/12/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Health Care Reform Video

From the Independence Institute, the latest in the pantheon of great videos on the health care reform debate: Meanwhile, here's a more sensible, patient-centered health reform plan. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care, liberty, My Life, PPC

10/12/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

A Little Different Take on Ryan Frazier from Liberal Blogger David Thielen

About 5 months ago El Presidente and I interviewed Republican U.S. Senate primary candidate Ryan Frazier. I left the interview with the theme of Frazier as a "principled" candidate focused on a solutions-oriented message. On Friday, liberal blogger David Thielen posted his favorable observations after a sit-down with Ryan Frazier. A few key passages jumped out at me: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

10/11/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Historic Hillsdale Homecoming Win: Chargers Down No. 1 GVSU Lakers

You'll grant me a few indulgences for posting this one -- after all, how often do I bother to write about my alma mater's athletic feats? Not too often, I can assure you. But what happened yesterday in the old Hills & Dales on homecoming rates among the most historic gridiron happenings on Muddy Waters Field: the Chargers toppled the number 1 team in Division II, the perennial powerhouse Grand Valley State Lakers, 27-24. Well, historic enough to make the Detroit News, anyway. The last time Hillsdale beat conference foe Grand Valley? Fifteen years ago, the year before I began my (non-athletic) college career. True, because it certainly didn't happen during my brief tenures as sports editor for both the Hillsdale Collegian (1997) and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, History, My Life, Sports and Leisure

10/9/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Come to Oct. 18 Independence Institute Premiere of “Not Evil Just Wrong”

Update, 10/14: Here's a (substantially) complete worldwide listing of all the premiere showings of "Not Evil Just Wrong" -- looks like there is only one other showing in Colorado, and that's down in the Springs. Don't miss this one! Forget Michael Moore's latest ironic anti-capitalist screed. If you're in the Denver metro area on Sunday, October 18, then check out a movie premiere from the Independence Institute you won't want to miss: Not Evil Just Wrong:Join the resistance against extreme environmentalism that threatens the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people in the developed and developing world. This will be a record-setting, international Cinematic Tea Party! Watch the compelling trailer about the human cost … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Climate Hysteria, Energy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC, property rights

10/6/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Restoring Some Substance to the Political Junk Food Menu at Mt. Virtus

With the nearly never-ending election cycle, those of us here in the trenches can sometimes too easily lapse into the day-to-day tussles of the news without enough time spent in more serious reflection. (Or maybe it's just those of us with small children whose attention spans are so easily distracted.) Earlier this year I wrote several more reflective essays, most of which have ended up ignored by now. But while I still plan to write about the immediate issues of the day and follow events leading up to the 2010 election, I am also interested in engaging once more in deeper discussions about the status and future of the conservative movement -- albeit, as dictated by the limits of my own time, occasionally. What (besides the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cultural Conservatism, General, History, liberty, My Life, PPC

10/5/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter Thanks the Independence Institute (No Pigs Seen Airborne)

More than one late-morning Denver metro area commuter nearly may have swerved out of their lane of traffic and into danger today, just from the shock of what they heard on the airwaves. What do I mean? During his monthly interview with 850 KOA's Mike Rosen, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter acknowledged that the Independence Institute's recent investigation into his administration's ethical shortcoming was right on: About 2 minutes into the clip, you hear Governor Bill Ritter say: "Thank you to Jon Caldara and the Independence Institute." Hope no one crashed their vehicle as a result. As for the office where I work, we're ready to frame the statement and hang it on the wall. Still no word from Colorado Ethics Watch, though. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, liberty, My Life, PPC

10/1/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Jon Caldara Groupies of the World, Unite on October 8 at Golden Hotel

Pay attention, all you Jon Caldara groupies. Next Thursday is your big chance to schmooze with Jon and "the good folks behind our TV show Independent Thinking." A $10 donation to KBDI gets you into the Golden Hotel on October 8 from 6-9 PM for this special event. Come if you can (it won't be Friday night, so no need to be stuck in front of your TV set watching medium-brow local PBS public affairs broadcasting), and spread the word. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, liberty, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

9/30/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Idea for Michigan’s Budget Impasse: Stop Harassing Baby-Sitting Moms

Creating a little 2007 deja vu, the state of my nativity has officially shut down non-essential government operations as Republicans and Democrats bicker over the budget and a daunting $2.8 billion deficit. Welcome to Fiscal Year 2010: Oh Michigan, my Michigan... It won't solve the impasse by itself, but one part of the state budget that could be chopped is the Department of Human Services, at least the office that harasses moms who watch neighbor kids for a half hour a day while they're waiting to catch the school bus. Sheesh! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC

9/30/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Enjoying (and Sweating Out) the Tigers’ and Rox’ Late-Season Chases

If you live in my world, politics largely has taken a back seat this week. My two MLB teams -- the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies -- are respectively locked in the races for the last two playoff berths. Last night, in probably the most consequential game of the Tigers' regular season so far, ace Justin Verlander got it done and the team survived some last-minute cardiac-inducing pressure from the ever-pesky Minnesota Twins. Meanwhile, everyone in Colorado knows about Chris Iannetta's 11th-inning pinch hit walk-off homer to take down the Brewers at Coors Field. Result? With five games to go, Rockies have a three-game lead and a magic number of three to claim the NL wildcard, and the Tigers have a two-game lead and a magic number … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, liberty, My Life, Sports and Leisure

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Inside

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  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • The Westfield Gardener
  • What I’m Thankful For
  • Writer / Editor For Hire

About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

Recent Posts

  • AI-Enhanced Cyberbullying: The Dark Side of Teen Innovation
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

Colorado News

  • Colorado Senate News
  • Complete Colorado
  • Independence Institute
  • Loveland Politics
  • The Colorado Observer

National News and Politics

  • Drudge Report
  • Hot Air
  • National Review
  • Politico
  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
  • The Washington Times
  • TownHall
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Weekly Standard
  • World Magazine

Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
  • David Harsanyi’s Blog
  • E!! The True Conservative Story
  • EIA Intercepts
  • Evangelical Outpost
  • Hugh Hewitt
  • Instapundit
  • LaShawn Barber
  • Lileks
  • Little Green Footballs
  • Michelle Malkin
  • NRO's The Corner
  • Power Line
  • Red State

Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
  • Eduwonk
  • Flypaper
  • Fraters Libertas
  • Historical Conversations
  • IMAO
  • Jay P. Greene
  • Mike Anderson
  • Mullings
  • Professor Bainbridge
  • Right Thinking
  • Right Wing News
  • Right Wing Nuthouse
  • Shot in the Dark
  • Talking Points Memo
  • Virginia Postrel
  • Volokh Conspiracy

Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
  • Sharper Iron

Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
  • Cal Thomas
  • Colorado Republican Party
  • Colorado Republican Study Committee
  • Dennis Prager
  • Denver Metro Young Republicans
  • Free Republic
  • Heritage Foundation
  • Jefferson County Republican Party
  • Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Mark Steyn
  • Michael Medved
  • Rush Limbaugh

Colorado Blogs

  • American Kestrel
  • Bob Agard
  • Colorado Charter Schools
  • Colorado Peak Politics
  • Colorado Pols
  • Colorado Right
  • Conservative Libertarian Outpost
  • Coyote Gulch
  • Ed Is Watching
  • Free Colorado
  • Jeff Crank Show
  • Mark Hillman
  • Patient Power
  • PirateBallerina
  • Protein Wisdom
  • Reagan Girl
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 1.0 (Archive)
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0 (Archive)
  • Rossputin
  • Stop the ACLU Blog
  • The Spot (Denver Post)
  • We Stand Firm

Other Sites

  • Technorati
  • Word Press

Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
  • The Business Word
  • The Daily Blogster
  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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