Three questions: 1) Have you ever wondered about the real facts of Colorado's education funding? 2) Have you ever wondered what this blogger's voice sounds like? 3) Do you want to hear me talk about Colorado's education funding anyway? If you answered yes to 1 or more of the above questions, please check out my new Podcast interview (requires MP3 player) with Jon Caldara, compliments of the Independence Institute's new IVoices Web site. … [Read more...]
18-Year-Old Mayor
As a graduate of Hillsdale College, the one-time co-host of a weekly sports talk show on farm radio WCSR, and former sports editor of the Hillsdale Daily News, I was highly amused to read this story in today's Detroit News: Michael Sessions' political career had an inauspicious start: When he ran for student council this year, he lost. Now he's about to be mayor. Sessions, an 18-year-old high school student, won a long-shot write-in campaign this week to oust Hillsdale's 51-year-old mayor. "I just thought I'd give it a shot," Sessions said with a smile. "I hoped I'd win. But I didn't really know what would happen." Driving into the tiny Southern Michigan county seat from almost any direction, you'll encounter a sign that … [Read more...]
A Terrific Idea
After a week-long trip to Alaska (simply awesome), the post-vacation catchup, and some bandwidth issues, I'm finally back blogging. (Because of the bandwidth issues, I'll be limiting the number of vacation pics I post here.) But the main reason I'm blogging right now is to encourage readers to send a letter to our dear friend and fellow blogger Jim, who recently passed through a serious life-threatening challenge and is now facing the grim reality of a long and difficult recovery. Keep him in your prayers, and check out Clay's site for more information and where you can send Jim a card or a letter. What a ministry of encouragement that would be! … [Read more...]
An Overseas Friend Found Blogging
My friend Kevin Bowden is doing great work in China - check out his new blog! You'll find it encouraging and insightful. … [Read more...]
Wet and Wild Weekend for Baseball
Excited by the prospect of an early Friday game likely to end by sundown, Joshua was planning to be at Coors Field this afternoon for the game between the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies. Knowing my deep dedication as a Tigers fan, he invited me along to today's game. I was thankful he thought of me but am tied up at work and have a 5:30 appointment besides, so I had to decline. Besides, I have tickets to attend the Saturday (with my friend Steve) and Sunday (with the lovely Mrs. Virtus) games. But the skies had opened and the rains had come earlier today, pushing back the starting time from 3:05 to 4:00. I hope Joshua found another companion to go to the game with - and if he did, I hope the contest speeds along enough so he can … [Read more...]
2nd Annual Beethoven’s Birthday Blog
Following in the spirit of this day's post from last year, a happy 235th anniversary of the birthday of the great Ludwig van Beethoven. This year, consider one of the master's all-time great works, the bittersweet pinnacle of his composition career: the Ninth Symphony, and the theme of joy. It's a familiar tale: an aging Beethoven, ill and deaf, conducting the orchestra and chorus in the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, conducting even after they had ceased to perform, after they had reached the end of the stunning new work, after the audience had already begun to applaud, continuing to conduct until a singer turned him around so that he could see the thunderous cheers that were resounding throughout the hall. The image is deeply … [Read more...]
Outrages and More
Some of you may have noticed the dearth of extensive writing and posting here of late. Let's just call it "outrage fatigue." Everything from the Michael Jackson verdict to the obnoxious posturing over the Gitmo affair and more has caused my blood to boil in recent days. But frankly, I haven't had much to add to the conversation, and I haven't wanted to dwell on it anyways. Just in case you were wondering.... Meanwhile today, the news reports emerged from the Terri Schiavo autopsy. Her death by dehydration has not stifled the debate.... … [Read more...]
Detroit Lions Fans: Mad as Heck
It's finally come to this: an organized fan protest of the Detroit Lions and general manager Matt Millen. As a native of southeastern Michigan, I can sympathize with their plight. While there certainly are much worthier causes to march for - if marching is in your blood - you know the Lions franchise has lingered in the depths for too long. When you read this account from the Detroit Free Press, however, you realize just how pathetic an attempt the fan protest was. All you can say is... wow. It's embarrassing to think that Super Bowl XL comes to Ford Field in seven weeks. One might suggest the timing could hardly be worse. … [Read more...]
Driven over the Edge by a Red Bow
Some people might chalk off my decision to post this as the result of repressed bourgeois greed and envy, or as a sign I've joined the Left-wing class warfare crusade, but I assure you it's neither. As an ardent supporter of the benefits of a free-exchange capitalist system, I am content to know that companies manufacture expensive automobiles and that consumers are willing and able to buy them. Yet there is so much that I despise about the televised ad campaigns depicting youthful upper middle-class people surprising their loved ones with a red bow-topped luxury car in the driveway on Christmas morn. Every year, my angst grows toward these commercials. And today the Washington Times reports how real people participate in the … [Read more...]
Another Sign the World is Changing
When you read in the New York Times that the governor of Michigan is aggressively courting a Japanese auto manufacturer to invest production and jobs in the Great Lakes State, you know the world is changing. For those who aren't aware, such an action not long ago would have been like touching the third rail of Michigan politics (and still seems far from perfectly safe). Yet while the economy is recovering well across most of the United States, the land of my childhood lags behind in employment and other key indicators. Gov. Jennifer Granholm's efforts to woo Toyota are a healthy sign for the future economy and quality of life of Michigan residents. The Big Three aren't quite able to protect their turf like they once did, and should … [Read more...]
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