Mount Virtus

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

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5/25/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Memorial Day Reflections: Audie Murphy & A Moment for Silent Reflection

On this Memorial Day, I can't think to do any better than point you back to last year's remembrance:O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine, Till all success be nobleness, And every gain divine. Today, pay your respects to a fallen soldier, sailor, airman, Marine - and to their loved ones still with us. And don’t forget to thank the troops you meet for their service to us all. Happy Memorial Day! Otherwise, I defer to this Saturday Wall Street Journal column by Peggy Noonan (H/T Steve Meyer) on the need to renew American fascination with the military hero. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, History, liberty, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: airman, Alvin York, America, America the Beautiful, Arlington Cemetery, Audie Murphy, audience, blogger, Business Executives for National Security, Chuck Boyd, column, defer, ephemera, fallen, fascination, father, government, grave, high schooler, last year, life, loved ones, lovely, Marine, Memorial Day, military hero, Mrs. Virtus, nation's capital, Oh, Peggy Noonan, plain GI headstone, podium, POW, psyche, public library, reflection, remembrance, renew, respectful, sailor, service, silence, soldier, thank, troops, veteran, Vietnam, Wall Street Journal, warriors, Washington DC, World War Two

5/11/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

“The Time Is Now” to Get Connected with the American Liberty Alliance

If we are to be successful, pro-liberty groups and individuals are going to have to be more collaborative. There is strength in numbers. To a good extent, this movement has begun in Colorado -- with the People's Press Collective, Liberty on the Rocks, and other projects. But plenty of work remains to be done on many levels. Kudos to all those in the trenches. On the most recent episode of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio we talked with blogger and online activist Ken Marrero about -- among other things -- his work with the national Tea Party movement and the development of a group called American Liberty Alliance. It turns out that as of today Ken is now the executive director of this national grassroots movement. It's an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, liberty, PPC Tagged With: advocates, American Liberty Alliance, Americans, Big Government, Blog Talk Radio, blogger, broken, businesses, citizen, city councils, Coalition for a Conservative Majority, collaborative, Colorado, Colorado Union of Taxpayers, concerned, corrupt, county commissions, dictate, Don't Go Movement, Eric Odom, evolution, executive director, extreme spending, federal encroachments, fiscally responsible, free market, getting connected, grassroots, groups, individuals, Ken Marrero, Liberty on the Rocks, local action, majority votes, movement, national, online activist, organizer, outgoing, over-governed, Peoples Press Collective, politicians, pro-liberty, projects, R Block Party, Rocky Mountain Alliance, school boards, society, special interest groups, spontaneous energy, state legislatures, streamline, successful, Tea Party, teachers unions, tolerated, Transparency, trenches, unproductive, work

5/9/2009 By Ben 2 Comments

Wow! Curtis Granderson and Tigers A Leap Ahead of Last Place Indians

I have a friendly rivalry going this season with blogger Civil Sense from The Colorado Index. Today seemed like a good a time as any to point it out. Baseball is a long season, but his Cleveland Indians have slipped to the worst record in the Major Leagues after back-to-back home shutout losses to my Detroit Tigers. Tonight's 4-0 victory was great, but the finish couldn't match the 1-0 thriller on Friday -- when Tigers ace Justin Verlander carried his two-hit shutout into the ninth inning. Grady Sizemore came to the plate with one on and one out when ... well, watch for yourself: Yep, that's my boy: Curtis Granderson. And my Detroit Tigers a game out of first place and six games ahead of Cleveland. Ouch, Civil Sense. Ouch. (It … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: ace, Baseball, blogger, Civil Sense, Cleveland Indians, Curtis Granderson, Detroit Tigers, finish, friendly rivalry, Grady Sizemore, Justin Verlander, long season, Major Leagues, ninth inning, ouch, plate, shutout, thriller, victory, worst record, YouTube

4/20/2009 By Ben 7 Comments

Posting “a think on Cleve Tidwell”

So yesterday I receive this verbatim email message from a mysterious "Victorila Rasheem" (all errors of spelling and syntax preserved):I think taht your website should do a think on Cleve Tidwell. Most say that he has the support of most if not all of the major donors in the state. Also much of the grassroots is excited for him and is backing him to be the senator for colorado. I do not know if Dick Wadhams found him or not but if he did it was a good find because he is a good candidaet and wiill win. He is a very good speaker and will be at most events when he is senator because he will represent people in Colorado. Also, he has not spoken with the press so whatever you might hear if anything is probably just their way of trying to create … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: actual effect, bizarre, blogger, campaign contribution, claims, Cleve Tidwell, coincidence, Colorado, coloradovoterinthesenaterace@gmail.com, comment, disavow, drop a line, email message, errors, far-fetched, hopes, insult, intelligence, meaningless, motive, mystery, Nigerian benefactor, post office box, publicly, quasi-candidacy, random, scheme, spam, spelling, state legislature, supporters, syntax, tactics, testify, tracking down, undermine, Victorila Rasheem

4/16/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Tax Day Tea Party, Colorado

Update VI, 4/16: Here are some pictures taken by Jimmie H. Butler at yesterday's rally in Colorado Springs. Re-posted with permission: Update V, 4/16: My brother-in-law has a great set of photos from yesterday's Denver event. Slapstick Politics has begun to post video from the well-attended festivities at the West Steps of the Capitol. Rossputin has some "Post-Tea Party Thoughts" that includes photos, video, and an interactive poll question. Here is a great site that is tallying attendance reports from Tea Party events all across the country. I've already notified the site operator with a few reports from Colorado locations he hadn't yet received. Update IV, 10:00 PM: Over at Free Colorado, Ari has a good … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: advice, After the Tea Party, blogger, budget, Colorado, compelling, concerned, constituents, debate, Democrats, details, disturbances, doorstep, El Presidente, follow-up, Getting Connected in Colorado, lawmakers, Lefty, legislative calendar, links, majority, mourn, Night Twister, Pinnacol, printable, pro-liberty activist, protest, rally, Randomridge, reasons, resource, Rocky Mountain Alliance, state house, Tax Day, taxpayers, Tea Party, theft

2/12/2009 By Ben 2 Comments

Ryan Frazier Ekes Out Straw Poll Win, Weighs In on Marie Morrow Case

The Rocky Mountain Right straw poll for the Colorado GOP's 2010 U.S. Senate primary has concluded, and Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier came out of nowhere to notch a narrow victory over former state legislative leader and current national committeeman Mark Hillman. (Bob Beauprez finished a distant third.) Either Frazier or Hillman would be an excellent candidate to represent the Republican Party next November. Speaking of Frazier, fellow RMA blogger Joshua Sharf reports on (and reprints) a letter the councilman wrote to Cherry Creek Schools superintendent Mary Chesley today, arguing for more lenient (and reasonable) treatment of Cherokee Trail High School senior Marie Morrow over the recent "zero-tolerance" expulsion outrage. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, Education, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Aurora, blogger, candidate, Cherokee Trail High School, Cherry Creek Schools, city councilman, Colorado, conservative groups, diplomatic, excellent candidate, GOP, grassroots events, higher office, Joshua Sharf, leading contenders, legislative leader, lenient, letter, Marie Morrow, Mark Hillman, Mary Chesley, Mount Virtus, national committeeman, November, outrage, paving the way, primary, reasonable, reports, represent, Republican Party, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Rocky Mountain Right, Ryan Frazier, statesmanlike, straw poll, superintendent, touted, U.S. Senate, ubiquitous, zero-tolerance

2/6/2009 By Ben 2 Comments

Mount Virtus is Five Years Old (Please Don’t Pinch the Cheeks of my Blog)

Today is a landmark day for Mount Virtus. It was exactly five years ago that I put up my first post back on the old Blogger platform. My how it's grown: In honor of the occasion, I've created a new page that hopefully puts to rest any lingering uncertainty about the origins of the blog's name. Interestingly, today also would have been the 98th birthday of one of our greatest Presidents - and the President during my formative years, Ronald Reagan. A coincidence, no doubt. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Commemorative, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: birthday, blogger, five years, formative years, landmark day, Mount Virtus, name, new page, platform, President, Ronald Reagan

2/3/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

RMA Blog Talk Radio at 8:30: Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Mike Saccone

Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the 12th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio as we launch headlong into February 2009. Tonight's scheduled guests are Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and the Grand Junction Sentinel's ace political reporter and blogger Mike Saccone. Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, 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, PPC, World Events Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, blogger, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, edition, February 2009, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Grand Junction Sentinel, Mike Saccone, Mount Virtus, podcast, political reporter, Rocky Mountain Alliance, scheduled guests

1/26/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

On Second Thought, I Guess the State Capitol Isn’t as Dangerous as All That

So I've heard the State Capitol has become a rough place these days (yes, Denver truly is the Wild West!), but I had no idea it had come to this, as disclosed in the Headline of the Week: "Brophy bill to protect homeowners killed in committee". My first thought was, How many homeowners have been killed in committee meetings lately? I especially have reason to be concerned, seeing as how I plan to be under the golden dome tomorrow to speak on a new media/blogger luncheon panel to the Senate GOP Caucus. I will be joined by the famous Vodkapundit (aka Stephen Green), Zombyboy, Rossputin (aka Ross Kaminsky), Charles Martin, and Face The State editor Brad Jones. Frankly, I'm humbled to be with this group of accomplished bloggers / new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life, PPC, property rights, Second Amendment Tagged With: bill, Bill Ritter, blogger, Brad Jones, busy, canine sex, carding, cats, Charles Martin, committee, concerned, Democrats, Denver, digress, Face the State, golden dome, good idea, Governor, Greg Brophy, gurus, headline, homeowners, intruders, kibosh, legislative attempt, meetings, New Energy Economy, new media, no idea, Peoples Press Collective, politically correct, predictable, property, quote of the day, represent, Resurrection Song, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Ross Kaminsky, Rossputin, rough place, sad, Senate GOP, State Capitol, state senator, statehouse, Stephen Green, Taxasaurus, Vodkapundit, Wild West, Zombyboy

1/9/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

More GOP Candidates Enter the Arena

It's January 2009. 'Tis the season for candidates to throw their hat into the ring. Face The State breaks the news that conservative Denver election attorney Scott Gessler has filed the paperwork to run as a Republican candidate for Secretary of State in 2010. Keep up with all Colorado's announced Republican candidates for public office in 2010 at Rocky Mountain Right's official listing. In local Republican Party news, blogger and recent state legislative candidate Joshua Sharf has announced he's running on a ticket to serve on the Denver County Republican executive committee. Even better, he has a plan. Are there more people in counties across the state working along the same lines to improve the Republican Party? I certainly hope so. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: blogger, candidates, Colorado, Denver County, election attorney, executive committee, Face the State, Joshua Sharf, model, paperwork, plan, public office, Republican, Republican Party, Rocky Mountain Right, Scott Gessler, Secretary of State, ticket

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Inside

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  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
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  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • 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

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Christian Commentary et al.

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Conservative and GOP Sites

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Colorado Blogs

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Other Sites

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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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