As a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan who has lived through many years of painful mediocrity and worse, I am really enjoying this season's developments. At about the midway point of the 2006 campaign, it seemed like another good time to pause and reflect on a few pertinent facts: 1. The Detroit Tigers not only lead the American League Central division, they have the best record in the American League and all of Major League Baseball - and have been in that position for many weeks now. 2. Detroit (56-26) is 2.5 games ahead of the world champion Chicago White Sox, 4.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox, 7.5 games ahead of the National League's best New York Mets, 8.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees, 10 games ahead of the very hot … [Read more...]
Of Coloradans, Michiganders, and Hoosiers
Driving in the car this evening, the conversation somehow turned to what the recognized names are for residents of different states. As my wife and I talked through the list, some were easy: Californians, Texans, Coloradans. But a few stumped me. I have to admit ... Connecticut? Utah? Wyoming? What do these people call themselves? Those of us born and reared in the Great Lakes State know that the proper and unique term to reflect our grand marine heritage is Michigander. What other state adds -der to the end? Nope, none of 'em. We're proud of that ... and of our 11,037 inland lakes. For the almost official list, I found this handy page from a Web site called "The Morning News." It even seeks to find geographical correlations by … [Read more...]
Happy Thanksgiving
As always, whenever this important holiday time arrives, there are many things to be thankful for: the grace of God, a loving and faithful wife, a healthy and beautiful baby daughter, the freedoms we hold dear in the United States, creature comforts & blessings beyond number, Jim is back home from the hospital ... I could go on and on. But just two important passages to quote for reflection on the eve of Thanksgiving Day 2006. First, a psalm of David from the Scriptures: Psalm 103:1-5 (NASB) Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; 3 Who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from the … [Read more...]
If April Is Any Indication
If April is any indication, 2006 figures to be a happier baseball season at Mount Virtus than in the dismal climes of the Northern Alliance or the deluded braggadocio of Hugh Hewitt. Here are the American League Central standings as the regular season's first month has come to a close: Chi White Sox 17-7 (-) Detroit 16-9 (1.5 GB) Cleveland 13-12 (4.5 GB) Minnesota 9-15 (8.0 GB) Kansas City 5-17 (11.0 GB) Prognosticators and pundits may start to get a little uneasy, though a lot of baseball remains to be played. My Detroit Tigers, however, have given every evidence of finally turning it around this season with new manager Jim Leyland at the helm. After their best April since the historic 1984 championship season, the team … [Read more...]
Truly Flattered
I'm amazed how much this Web site has become a curiosity. Jason Bane, the face of the Dead Governors' site, has included Mount Virtus in his inquiry into why the right side of Colorado's blogosphere seems less active for 5280 Magazine: Of all of the conservative, politically-active blogs out there in Colorado, Blog It Right and Mt. Virtus spend the most time talking politics on a local level. Mt. Virtus, run by a guy who works at the conservative Independence Institute, probably does the best job of keeping focused on local politics, but he sometimes goes weeks without posting something new.... It’s also interesting to compare the traffic to some of these blogs. On the conservative side, Blog it Right only averages about 28 visitors … [Read more...]
Next Time, Just Answer: “The Republicans”
From an April 2006 online forum to publicize his new book Painting the Map Red: Cleveland, Ohio: Who has a better chance of winning in 2006, the Republicans or the Cleveland Indians? Hugh Hewitt: I am not even sure why we are playing the 2006 season given the Tribe's overwhelming talent. Perhaps it is just for the joy of embarrassing the Yankees and Red Sox. Mr. Hewitt's baseball braggadocio certainly has abated in the past two months, both on air and on the blog. While I have no love lost for the AL East powerhouses, perhaps it's time to compare how the Indians are faring thus far with their division rivals, the Detroit Tigers. Tiger fans like myself have long awaited a season such as the way this one has unfolded so far, coming … [Read more...]
Look Up There in the ‘Sphere… It’s a Blogger… No, It’s…
Your results:You are Superman Superman 65% Spider-Man 50% The Flash 50% Hulk 50% Green Lantern 45% Robin 35% Supergirl 33% Catwoman 25% Wonder Woman 23% Batman 20% Iron Man 20% You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others. Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz... Well, you've never seen me and Superman in the same place at the same time, have you? Well... have you? Have you ever thought the whole Clark Kent connection could just be a ruse? Nah, neither have I. HT: Joshua … [Read more...]
I’m Back
I've had a wonderful, week-long hiatus from blogging. Even as I resume, posts likely will be more sparse for awhile. After all, there's a new Little Virtus who has stolen Daddy's heart and needs more of his time. To get back into the spirit of things, an interesting Monday read comes from across the Pond: William Rees-Mogg of The Times of London writes about the impending downfall of General Motors. (HT: Real Clear Politics) Amazing stuff to contemplate - my family earned its living from GM - including the premiere health benefits that yours truly benefited from - and my dad still draws a pension from them. But globalization moves on to benefit more and more consumers, and GM appears unable to adapt. So be it. The world continues to … [Read more...]
Book Review: Tasty Red Meat for Red State Republican Families
The other night I lay in bed with my wife and weeks-old daughter. We snuggled up with a copy of Katharine DeBrecht's Help, Mom! Hollywood's in My Hamper, and I read aloud. My wife and I shared a few giggles throughout the story and dozed off (as best we could under the circumstances) with a warm feeling. The baby? Well, I'm pretty certain she'll appreciate the Help, Mom! series some day. I can picture her a few years from now tugging at my pant leg, pleading for me to read one of the sequels. And I can tell you right now - my whole family hopes for DeBrecht to publish some more that meet the quality of the first two. … [Read more...]
Monday: Personal Political Pessimism
I feel entitled to be politically pessimistic today. While Joshua opines on President Bush as LBJ, Clay traffics in crass, baseless, ad hominem attacks ... against a fellow Republican. And these are my Rocky Mountain Alliance friends! I appreciate Joshua's attempt at discourse. The concerns he addresses demonstrate historical perspective and insight. And they raise at least one issue about Bush's low poll numbers I have not often heard discussed: that they represent disaffection among some conservatives more than a general Left-ward tilt of the voting populace. I will give more thought to Joshua's analogy before commenting directly on it. As for Clay, I'm left to believe that his reposting of the absurd, innuendo-laced cartoon without … [Read more...]
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