Mount Virtus

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

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Home Archives for My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Can’t Blame Tax Day

Tax Day. The Ides of April. The anniversaries of two epic tragedies: the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the sinking of the Titanic. Monday / Tuesday. All very compelling reasons - but none actually bear the responsibility - for the sparse blogging in the last day or so. I hope to get a substantive post or two up tonight. We'll see. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Benigno on Governor’s Reform

My close Independence Institute colleague Pam Benigno was interviewed by Denver's Channel 7 for a story aired last night about Gov. Bill Ritter's sweeping new education reform plan. You can go here to read the story and watch the video. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, My Life Tagged With: Channel 7, Gov. Bill Ritter, Independence Institute, Pam Benigno

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

On Blogging and Transparency

Blogging from Chicago ... In continuing his quest to unravel the mystery of bloggers, liberal Rocky Mountain News columnist Jason Salzman writes:Most bloggers, like most people who write on paper, aren't journalists. So their work shouldn't be held to the same journalistic standards that Denver's daily newspapers should meet - standards such as basic fairness, accountability, independence and others, as articulated, for example, by the Society of Professional Journalists. But whether bloggers think they are practicing journalism or not, their blogs should inform people about the information they're getting. Who's behind the blog? What's the purpose? Does the blogger have a political bias? Is the blogger trying to practice … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: blogging, Jason Salzman, Rocky Mountain News, Transparency

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Samsphere: A Really Great Show

I'm back home from Samsphere in Chicago. Hats off to the Sam Adams Alliance for putting on a great weekend conference. It was an enjoyable and profitable experience - new friends, new contacts, new ideas, new energy. The Right side of the blogosphere got a tremendous shot in the arm, and I hope to do what I can to see that Colorado enjoys some of the benefit. Speaking of Samsphere, it's coming to Denver on Saturday, April 19. Whether you're a new, experienced, or prospective blogger, you won't want to miss this. Save the date. Details to come later. Finally, for my regular readers, I invite you to go check out the list of Samsphere bloggers. They represent a geographically and intellectually diverse, not to mention exceptional, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life Tagged With: blogging, Samsphere

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Opening Day

The waiting is over. Weather permitting, baseball season arrives in its full glory today for both of my favorite teams. The revamped Detroit Tigers break spring training camp with high expectations and a potent lineup, but questions about the pitching staff exacerbated by untimely injuries. Rain may delay their afternoon showdown at Comerica Park with the lowly Kansas City Royals. As for the local Colorado Rockies, 2007 National League champions, the season gets underway in St. Louis. Possible rain showers also are in the forecast there. Having waited this long, though, what would be another day? Too long. Let's play ball! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Colorado Rockies, Comerica Park, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Opening Day, St. Louis Cardinals

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Calling All Colorado Pro-Freedom Bloggers: Samsphere Comes to Denver

The details are out... Samsphere is coming to Denver on Saturday, April 19, sponsored by the Sam Adams Alliance. Are you a new pro-freedom center-right blogger who wants to meet up and learn the tools of the trade? An experienced blogger who wants to sharpen your skills? Maybe you've thought about blogging, or your friends have said you should start, but weren't quite sure how to get it going and make it work? Whatever the case, come and check it out. I've met the Sam Adams Alliance crew personally: They have a passion about building a successful blogging community on our side and the skills and experience to get you connected. Go here to check out the agenda and register. I'll see you there. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Colorado blogging community, Sam Adams Alliance, Samsphere

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bracketology

When it comes to March Madness, the truth is I never learn. No matter whether I follow the season closely or guess at random, my picks are always mediocre at best. Yet each year I come back to the NCAA Tournament Brackets like a sheep to the slaughter. This year is no different. I filled out two different brackets on ESPN, made picks on Facebook's CBS and Sports Illustrated applications, and even decided to accept the McCain Basketball Brackets challenge. We're only a couple hours away from the first game tipping off. How long before my brackets implode in failure? It's just one more piece of the fun and entertainment of March Madness. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Bracketology, ESPN, Facebook, John McCain, March Madness

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Jeffco GOP Assembly: Recap & Reflection on Renewed Hopes

At Saturday's Jefferson County Republican Assembly, the person who got the biggest ovation was a self-proclaimed Democrat. A bad sign? Not at all. The Democrat was Rose Moniak, a courageous elderly lady who seconded the nomination of Scott Storey for a second term as District Attorney. The victim of a heinous crime that nearly took her life, Moniak had the highest praise for Storey's personal diligence and compassion as a prosecutor. Storey was emotionally touched by the introduction, and Moniak was emotionally touched by the warm, prolonged standing ovation from the Assembly crowd. Moniak was also one of the personal stories from the crowd that U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer addressed from the podium. Schaffer has really honed the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life Tagged With: 6th Congressional District, Best Destiny, Bob Schaffer, Jeffco GOP Assembly, John Bodnar, Libby Szabo, Mike Coffman, Rep. Jim Kerr, Rep. Ken Summers, Scott Storey, Steve Ward, Ted Harvey, Wil Armstrong

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

A Season-Long Baseball Grudge Match with Hugh Hewitt?

The Detroit Free Press has the scoop in today's sports section: "Tribe, Tigers rivalry already intense." Sure, Hugh will do a lot of blustering between now and September that his Cleveland Indians will repeat their American League Central crown. But faced with the harsh specter of reality, he may well find himself hoping and praying for his team to stay competitive with the offensive juggernaut coming out of Motown. Jim Leyland's Detroit Tigers are hungry for payback, with a bolstered lineup that can deliver ... and then some. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Hugh Hewitt, rivalry

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Blue Elephants

If you feel like your life has been devoid of elephant sightings - in particular blue elephant sightings - you might want to drop by and visit my house. In the past week, we've had somewhat frequent visits from various "big" and "heavy" pachyderms. Or so my 2-year-old daughter tells us. Sometimes the elephants are "babies," but lately they've all been "blue." Hey, if you've got half an imagination, it'll beat most anything you see on The Discovery Channel. Seriously, though, I'm taking this fascination with elephants as a sign of some innate Republican sensibility. And when I say Republican, I interpret it in the sense of the traditional Reagan conservative coalition. The blue part? Beats me. Any theories out there? Personally, I just … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Blue elephants, Family, Republican Party

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Inside

  • About Ben
  • Archives
  • Colorado Ballot Reviews
    • Colorado Ballot 2008
    • Colorado Ballot 2010
    • Colorado Ballot 2012
    • Colorado Ballot 2014
  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
  • Mount Virtus?
  • 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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