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Home Archives for My Life

3/31/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sign Up Today for the One-Night Version of Free People, Free Markets

Have you been interested in taking the Free People, Free Markets course - the one I've told you about before - but decided it was too much of a time commitment? Well, then, do I have the solution for you. You can sign up for a special, one-night only, three-hour crash course version of Free People, Free Markets: Wednesday, April 15. The location is especially convenient if you live in the south Denver metro area. But don't wait to sign up until the last minute. For only $25, take advantage of this unforgettable opportunity. At the very least, it will give you a newfound disgust for the annual deadline to pay your federal income taxes. More than likely, though, you'll gain a tremendous appreciation for the principles of capitalism … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC, property rights Tagged With: annual deadline, appreciation, April 15, capitalism, course, disgust, federal income taxes, Free People Free Markets, last minute, liberties, newfound, one-night, opportunity, principles, sign up, solution, special, take advantage, three-hour, time commitment, undergird, unforgettable, very least

3/31/2009 By Ben 3 Comments

The Existential Impact of Government Motors on a Native Michigander

The whole sad affair with General Motors, the federal bailout and now the Presidentially-orchestrated dismissal of the company's CEO, strikes a little bit closer to home with me. I grew up in southeast Michigan. My dad worked more than 30 years for the automaker. Many, many people I knew worked for GM or one of the contract suppliers. GM was a significant part of a way of life. So after yesterday's announcement, please forgive me if my head is still spinning this morning. I'm not quite able to put it all into words, but thought I'd give it a first crack. Of course, the firing of CEO Rick Wagoner and the Presidential-backed car warranty are predictable outcomes of the initial bailout I have opposed from the beginning. But because of my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Commemorative, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: automaker, automotive giant, bankrupt, Barack Obama, belly-up, CEO, contract suppliers, dismissal, end of America as we know it, existential impact, federal bailout, forgive, free market, General Motors, GM, Government Motors, greatly disturbing, head, healthy, home, Michigan, morning, Photoshop, predictable outcomes, President, prospect, Rick Wagoner, sad affair, signs, spinning, summer, used car salesman, warranty

3/30/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

What a Weekend: Human Achievement Hour, “Green” Energy Taxes, & You

My big regret from a low-key weekend? That I somehow forgot to celebrate Human Achievement Hour. Kudos to all those who did, and made a statement for liberty. It's most interesting to me that this weekend's events closely follow the discovery that the infamous solar panels on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science likely won't come close to paying for themselves while state lawmakers seek to induce school districts into installing cost-inefficient "new" "green" energy. Speaking of higher taxes and energy prices for consumers like you and me, Paul Chesser takes on the cap-and-trade folly in the new American Spectator. At least here in the Denver area our big snow has all but melted away ... for now. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Energy, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: American Spectator, cap-and-trade, celebrate, consumers, cost-inefficient, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, discovery, energy prices, folly, Human Achievement Hour, installing, kudos, liberty, melted away, Paul Chesser, school districts, snow, solar panels, state lawmakers, statement, taxes, weekend

3/28/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Mount Virtus Welcomes Guest-Blogger

After more than five years at Mount Virtus, I've finally grown secure enough to include the occasional postings of a guest-blogger on my site. I just wanted to give my regular readers the heads-up, and to let you know: The guest-blogger's first posting should occur very soon The thoughts, opinions, and observations of the posts on this site belong to their respective authors If unsure, you can find the identity of the author on the second line under the post heading where it says "Written by..." I will let the new guest-blogger identify himself, and leave you in suspense until then I believe we can only benefit by having more thoughtful conservative voices in the Colorado blogosphere. A new era begins? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, My Life

3/26/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Colorado Spring Blizzard of the Century of the Week: Central Arvada Report

Update, 5:00 PM: Snowfall has lightened up, visibility has improved to nearly normal, heavy gusts of wind are far less frequent. We have just under a feet of snow, which indicates that the heaviest precipitation occurred this morning. But it hasn't stopped. And with a layer of ice under much of the snow, it will be awhile before travel is back to normal. Today is suitable for a little random weather blogging here in central Arvada ... Snow started falling at sometime around 6 AM. I've spent the morning working inside, but ventured outside at high noon. Observations: Blowing snow (heavy at times), visibility is about 100 feet or so (occasionally much less than that), the nearby side streets are barely passable for standard 2-wheel … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Arvada, blizzard, blowing, drifts, inevitable comparisons, morning, snow, storm, traffic, visibility, weather blogging

3/25/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Michigan Minor League Baseball Just Got a Little More Fattening…and Tasty?

I was looking forward to visiting my parents this summer near Grand Rapids, Michigan -- maybe catching some minor league baseball action. Now I know there's a genuinely tempting challenge involved, I'll have to make a point of going to Fifth Third Ballpark. 4,800 calories? Methinks it's not on the Weight Watchers plan. But a reason to miss the state of my birth? Perhaps. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous, Sports and Leisure

3/25/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Join Me in Shining Light on Democrat Attempts to Destroy Electoral College

Starting sometime after 2 PM this afternoon (pending a preceding hearing on another bill) I will be keeping tabs on the vital state senate committee testimony on HB 1299 - which statehouse Democrats are proposing to destroy the electoral college and render Colorado politically impotent. You can follow me on Twitter. You also can listen online here (click on Senate Committee Room 353). … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, liberty, My Life, PPC Tagged With: afternoon, Colorado, committee, Democrats, destroy, electoral college, follow, keeping tabs, listen, online, politically impotent, proposing, state senate, statehouse, testimony, Twitter

3/25/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Don’t Miss Latest RMA Blog Talk Radio with Scott Starin, Dave Williams

A day late, hopefully not too many dollars short ... If you missed last night's edition (the 19th) of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio, go check it out. Guests for this week are Scott Starin - former Congressional candidate and current chairman of the Boulder County Republican Party - and Dave Williams - co-founder of the Gadsden Society. You can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, Boulder County Republican Party, candidate, chairman, co-founder, Congressional, Dave Williams, Gadsden Society, guests, Mount Virtus, podcast, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Scott Starin, sidebar, widget

3/21/2009 By Ben 7 Comments

Leondray Gholston Brings Fresh Blood Beside Experienced Dick Wadhams in Colorado GOP Leadership

Update: El Presidente has more of the details surrounding what went down at today's state party officer elections. I was not able to attend today's Colorado Republican state central committee meeting in Castle Rock, but I've had a chance to follow developments remotely. As reported at Rocky Mountain Right, Dick Wadhams was comfortably re-elected to the chairman's position. The more competitive race was for vice-chair, in which DougCo GOP reports on Twitter that Leondray Gholston beat out Nathan Chambers on the 3rd round of voting. For many conservative grassroots supporters, Gholston's election represents a new and exciting direction for the state party. Let's hope their optimism is justified. Certainly, Gholston's passion, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC Tagged With: archived, attendance, Blog Talk Radio, candidate recruitment, Castle Rock, central committee meeting, chairman, Colorado, competitive, conservative, dedication, developments, Dick Wadhams, direction, DougCo GOP, elected officials, enthusiasm, episodes, exciting, fundraising, gentlemen, grassroots, high-tech communications, justified, Leondray Gholston, limited government, Nathan Chambers, national defense, new, office, optimism, passion, personal responsibility, plans, proceedings, re-elected, reports, Republican, Republican Party, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Rocky Mountain Right, state, strength, strong, supporters, Twitter, unify, vice-chair, voter registration, work together

3/20/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Few Tears Shed for Disappearance of Colorado Lefty Propaganda Machine

(Cue music to "Mrs. Robinson") "Where have you gone, Colorado Media Matters? A state barely notices you're through ... Woo, woo, woo...." Nice ("don't let the door hit you on the way out") post-mortems from Slapstick Politics and Rossputin. Curious silence from the various Lefty blogs I've read, though. Maybe they are just relieved that the embarrassment is gone. As for me, I feel bad I've already wasted the last 5 minutes of my life... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: 5 minutes, Colorado Media Matters, embarrassment, gratitude, Lefty blogs, life, Mrs. Robinson, music, post-mortems, relieved, Rossputin, Slapstick Politics, state, wasted

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Inside

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    • Colorado Ballot 2008
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  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
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  • 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

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  • Complete Colorado
  • Independence Institute
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  • The Colorado Observer

National News and Politics

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  • National Review
  • Politico
  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
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Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
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  • 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
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  • Virginia Postrel
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Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
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Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
  • Cal Thomas
  • Colorado Republican Party
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  • Dennis Prager
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Colorado Blogs

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Other Sites

  • Technorati
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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
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  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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