Mount Virtus

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Mount Virtus?

Every day is seeking to rise to the challenge, 'neath the shadow of the mighty Rockies.

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Colorado Ballot Reviews

Sometimes the choices are daunting or confusing, sometimes they're as clear as a Mile High view.

Writer / Editor For Hire

If I had five more writers just like him, I think my job would be the easiest in journalism....

Is It a Good Time to Buy a Home?

5/14/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Is It a Good Time to Buy a Home?

Whether or not it is a good time to buy a home is a multi-faceted question that depends on where you live, the current state of the economy and local housing market, and a lot of aspects of your personal life (such as life goals and who you are accountable for). Buying a home is a huge decision, and knowing when it’s the right time to buy a home is a difficult question to answer. However, there are many good indicators as to when you should buy a home that can help ease some fears that come with such a big decision and large commitment. Learning From History History has a tendency to repeat itself, and there is a lot to learn from the hard lessons our nation has experienced in the past. The 2008 housing crisis left a scar on hundreds of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, liberty, property rights

An Ever-Shifting Arena: Why Recent Court Ruling Will Restructure the Gig Economy in California

5/11/2018 By Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

An Ever-Shifting Arena: Why Recent Court Ruling Will Restructure the Gig Economy in California

An unprecedented move by the California Supreme Court left the gig economy in shambles on Monday. The court ruled that employers based in the economy must shift their hiring model, and treat workers who carry out ‘work related businesses as full-time employees. This ruling is deemed to have far-reaching consequences for companies such as Uber and Lyft, which for years have thrived under the previous work-model. New Ruling set to restructure the playing field So here’s exactly how the new ruling is expected to transform things. For example, suppose the owner of a pet shop hires a plumber to come fix one of their leaking sinks. In such a situation, the plumber would not be considered an employee of the pet shop because his or her trade is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General

Poem: The Cold War’s Last Children

5/9/2018 By Ben Leave a Comment

Poem: The Cold War’s Last Children

I've emerged from my blogging solitude to publish an original poem: Maybe it's my version of a mid-life crisis. It's comprised of melancholy, resilient reflections on the sweep of life, metaphysical truths, and finding a place in history, from the perspective of my culture and generation. Many of the images and phrases flashed into my mind last fall during a brief quiet season in my life. I jotted a first draft. Then recently, more ideas and images came, until I decided to see it through to the finish. I don't necessarily expect anyone to enjoy or appreciate it, or make any pretense about all the underlying meanings, or to consider it much more than a carefully constructed third draft of my own focused ponderings. But if anyone else … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, History, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

Do Nonprofits Really Help Developing Countries?

3/27/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Do Nonprofits Really Help Developing Countries?

Many of us want to change the world for the better but don’t know where to start. Most lack the resources or connections to make a lasting impact on struggling communities. That doesn’t mean our good intentions have to stop there, though. Thankfully, there are amazing organizations that have already done most of the legwork for us; these organizations can use individual and business support in volunteer power and donations to aid developing nations. However, how can we be sure the agency we’re helping is actually doing what they’re saying? With recent news reporting how some nonprofits aren’t delivering on their promises or may be using funding for their own gain, it can make us wary of donating a single dollar to any charity. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General

Helping Older Family Members With End-of-Life Issues

3/19/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Helping Older Family Members With End-of-Life Issues

In 2016, Colorado approved proposition 106 titled “Access to Medical Aid in Dying,” which allowed eligible, terminally ill individuals with a prognosis of six months or less to live to request and administer medical aid-in-dying medication to voluntarily end his or her life. In 2017, 69 patients received participated, choosing to end their lives with little pain and at their own consent. The truth is that the end of one’s life is as inevitable as it is painful. Whether your family member is at this stage of their life or they are reaching it, it’s important to focus on what is within your control and accept that which is not. Whether you are dealing with an emotional decision such as medical aid in dying or a natural death, planning for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care

Examining California’s Drug Problem

3/13/2018 By Jenn Mullin 1 Comment

Examining California’s Drug Problem

The opioid epidemic has hit the U.S. in a way that’s shaken our population to its very core. California has been no stranger to addiction in the past. The large size of the state combined with its proximity to the border has made it a prime target for drug traffickers and any number of different manufacturing labs. The state has also taken a more relaxed stance on the medicinal use of substances like marijuana, creating an air of controversy around drug use for many. Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed, and the more populated areas are seeing an increase in overdose deaths. The primary problem right now revolves around prescription drug abuse and opioids. There’s a gap between available rehab facilities and the number of people … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Health Care

Going to School with a Full-Time Job or Career

3/1/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Going to School with a Full-Time Job or Career

When 18-year-olds are pushed into higher education before really knowing who they are, it creates an unfortunate chance that they’ll spend a lot of time and money earning a degree in something they don’t care about, aren’t very good at, or just don’t see themselves focusing on for the rest of their lives. Going back to school becomes a desire for many working adults who already have degrees. Similarly, there are working adults who weren’t able to go to college when they graduated high school or turned the chance down because they didn’t know what they wanted to study. However, they have full-time jobs now, and though they want to go to school, their time and resources are a bit scarce. This article is for those two groups of people. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Labor, liberty

Las Vegas Schools in the Grips of a Drug Crisis

2/26/2018 By Jenn Mullin Leave a Comment

Las Vegas Schools in the Grips of a Drug Crisis

“Sin City” didn’t get its name by being chaste. Las Vegas, Nevada, has been a mecca for those wanting to experience life on the wild-side for decades. Unfortunately, this has also opened the door to a massive push of illegal and prescription drugs within city limits—often targeting high school students and young adults. According to a National Geographic investigation of the city, Las Vegas claims a violent crime rate that’s roughly 120% higher than the national average. This has been largely attributed to drug sales and the securing of the Mexican black tar heroin market. Drugs are sold in a way that mimics a basic retail transaction, and the casual attitude towards illegal substances has created a huge and ever-growing number of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Health Care, National Politics

How Tech Jobs Are Driving U.S. Career & Economic Trends

2/8/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

How Tech Jobs Are Driving U.S. Career & Economic Trends

When we consider the industries seeing significant growth and change, there are trends that simply can’t be ignored, given their propensity to shape and distinguish both the personal opportunities and the economic realities of the country. Specifically, technology is changing everything. From the job sectors seeing growth to how and where those jobs are taking place. In Colorado specifically, the state ranks in the top five for private aerospace employment, concentration of high-tech workers and performance, as well as a STEM-based economy. But Colorado isn’t alone in its participation in the changing landscape of industries and the economy. Tech Jobs Are No Longer Just in Silicon Valley This will come as no surprise. One of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General

Philadelphia Debates Safe Injection Sites Amidst Opiate Epidemic

2/1/2018 By Jenn Mullin Leave a Comment

Philadelphia Debates Safe Injection Sites Amidst Opiate Epidemic

Politicians and government leaders are trying to combat the nation’s opioid epidemic. With usage, addiction, and overdose rates on the rise, it's growing into an urgent and pressing matter for everyone living here. The destructive vice of drug addiction claims more lives every day, with no part of the country left untouched. From small, close-knit communities to the biggest cities, everyone knows someone affected by illegal substances. Approximately 64,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2016 alone, according to data compiled by the New York Times. Government officials are facing repeated calls for change and action from advocates and grieving families and friends. The latest headlines in the drug crisis show how the discussion is now … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care, liberty

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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

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National News and Politics

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Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
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Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
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Christian Commentary et al.

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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
  • The Business Word
  • The Daily Blogster
  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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