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February 22, 2009

Blog Talk Radio

After a week of special events, the Rocky Mountain Alliance of Blogs returns to our normal schedule of webcasting, Tuesday nights at 8:30.

This week, we'll be talking to Evan Coyne Maloney, creator of the film Indoctrinate U, which takes on the pervasive and threatening political correctness on college campuses. Liberty on Film will be showing the film at its inaugural event this Thursday.

We'll also be talking to one of the few, the proud, the free-market Canadians, Nadeem Esmail of the Fraser Institute, about the dangers of single-payer health care, as Colorado prepares to take up HB-1273 which would start dragging us down the path to that baleful system.

Tuesday nights at 8:30, archives are forever.

February 17, 2009

Blog Talk Radio

Had a fine show this evening, picking over the Pork Bill with a couple of Roast attendees, and a caller from Canon City, John Williams, plugging his new non-profit, soon online at www.sca.net. (Callers are always welcome.)

We also spoke at lengths with local Ron Paul-contingent leader Chris Maj, mostly about Austrian-school economics. I'm a big fan of Russ Roberts's Econ Talk podcasts, and he's got a fine one on the Austrian take on the current financial crisis.

Next week: Evan Coyne Maloney, creator of Indoctrinate U. Liberty on Film is sponsoring a screening next Thursday, so find out what all the fuss is about, and then go see the movie.

"This Pork Ain't Kosher"

Fantastic coverage of the anti-Pork rally at the Capitol this afternoon:

Michael Sandoval has pictures and video.

The People's Press Collective has a couple of posts.

And El Marco photoblogged the event as well.

Join us this evening on the Blog Talk Radio show as Michael, Randy, and I chew over the pork.

Live From The Pork Roast

The RMA will be hosting a special edition of Blog Talk Radio today at noon, Mountain Time, with me in the studio, and Randy Ketner, of both Night Twister and Red County, calling in on remote from the State Capitol.  The Independence Institute and the Colorado Republican Party are sponsoring a Pork Roast there, in honor of President Obama's signing the Stimulus Pork Bill here in Denver this afternoon.

Listen Live as we make our feelings about this Federal power grab known!

UPDATE: Well, that was an experience.  Nothing like doing a remote on a windy day without a microphone muffler.  Try again this evening as we rehash the day's events, and talk politics and economics with Chris Maj of the Colorado Constitutional Republicans, a group spawned by the candidacy of Ron Paul

February 12, 2009

The Adults Step In

Tuesday night on the Blog Talk Radio show, the RMA discussed the curious case of Marie Morrow, a senior at Cherokee Trail High School, a Young Marine in Douglas County, and a victim of the draconian zero-tolerance laws. She was first suspended, and awaiting possible expulsion over fake guns locked in her car in the school parking lot.

This is beyond absurd. The student who saw the fake rifles - used for drill team practice - did the right thing by reporting what he thought were real guns. But the suspension was meted out and the expulsion hearing held knowing that the guns weren't real

Now, the adults, in the form of Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, have weighed in. Councilman Frazier, in far more diplomatic and statesmanlike language than I could have mustered, has sent the following letter to Mary Chesley, Superintendant of Cherry Creek Schools:

I've reviewed pertinent information from the Aurora Police Department as to events leading up to Ms. Marie Morrow's suspension and I've come to understand the circumstances surrounding this particular case. I am writing to express my utmost disapproval of any further disciplinary action, including expulsion, of Marie Morrow, a senior at Cherokee Trail High School.

I'm respectful of the Federal and State laws concerning firearms in and around school property and calls for mandatory expulsion of any student who carries, brings, uses or possess a dangerous weapon in and around school property. In this case, common sense must prevail as the circumstances reveal that not only were these "Drill" props, but Ms. Morrow is a member of the Douglas County Young Marines where she exercises regularly with these props. Additionally, these props are not dangerous, were not intended to be used dangerously, and further were stowed away in Ms. Morrow's vehicle. I understand that under state law they can be interpreted to meet the definition of a weapon, and that as administrators, your staff and legal counsel may feel there is little room for flexibility. However, I respectfully ask you to consider the reality and impact this will have on our community and most importantly Ms. Morrow's future.

I request that your administration and those parties to any hearing concerning this matter allow common sense to prevail. Please allow Ms. Morrow to return to school and complete her high school experience successfully.

Respectfully on behalf of myself and my constituents,
Ryan L. Frazier,
City Council Member, At-Large
Aurora, CO

It's worth noting in passing that common-sense revisions to these laws - passed or strengthened in response to the murders at Columbine - are being resisted or blocked by Democrats who are just ideologically opposed even to the appearance of guns. For a party that has just voted against making actual education spending transparent to those footing the bill, this is apparently what passes for education reform.

In the meantime, let's hope that the schools make the right decision in this case.

January 29, 2009

Blog Talk Radio

Tuesday night we chatted with Jan Tyler, who blogs on election integrity at her own site, and at examiner.com. Jan had something to say not only about her own work, but also about the trend towards paper ballots and the risks inherent therein. We also touched on the Democrats' blocking of registration and voter reform here in Colorado.

Our second guest was State Senator Greg Brophy, Assistant Minority Leader and scourge of coyotes everywhere. We talked about his efforts to forestall the hammer coming down on Colorado's energy industries, and proposed protections against eminent domain abuse. We also asked him, as we ask all Republicans who come on the show, what three core principles should the Republican party place front-and -center?

Listen here, or subscribe on iTunes.

Join us next week as we talk to Daveed Gartenstein-Ross of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies about the upcoming elections in Iraq, and where we stand in the fight against Islamist Supremacy.

In the second half, we talk with reporter Mike Saccone of the Grand Junction Sentinel about the Western Slope, the state legislature, and the state of newspapers not named "Rocky."


Listen live at Blog Talk Radio

January 14, 2009

Blog Talk Radio

We had a fun time last night, chewing over cell cell phone restrictions and other, more weighty matters in front of the state Judiciary Committee, and getting into fistfights over water, with State Rep. Ellen Roberts from Durango. And State Sen. Mike Kopp joined us for a cameo appearance for his take on the legislature from the Senate side.

You can listen here, or download the show from iTunes.

January 5, 2009

Free Us To Spend More

Tucked away in Friday's Denver Post was this little plea for flexibility from the state college presidents:

Several prominent college leaders want lawmakers to step aside and allow them to raise the price of tuition as they see fit -- especially with severe state budget cuts looming.

University of Colorado president Bruce Benson -- with presidents at other schools lining up behind him -- is urging the legislature to loosen regulations that public colleges and universities have to abide by in doing business every day.

Benson believes the schools could save money and time if they could make decisions for themselves and not have to run everything through the loop of the legislature and the state Department of Higher Education.

I'm sure they could save time, but saving money doesn't seem to be much on their minds. In fact, the one thing you almost never see is any questioning or examination of how colleges are spending their money.

Note that this is the same set of college presidents who ran as from the plague from a suggestion that they get exactly that flexibility in return for forgoing state support altogether. Translation: keep funding us, but relinquish any control or right to question how we spend or what we charge.

Yeah, that's going to go over well in a recession.

The single best description of the big business that colleges have become is still, "Higher Ed, Inc.," by James B. Twitchell, published almost four years ago.

We'll be interviewing CU Regent Tom Lucero, who's already announced he's running for CD-4 in two years, tomorrow evening on our Blog Talk Radio show, and you can bet that funding and spending at our state's universities will feature prominently.

December 16, 2008

RMA Blog Talk Radio V

Another edition of RMA's Blog Talk Radio is in the books.  Listen here or here, as Michael Sandoval, Ben DeGrow, and I talk with each other about the flux in Colorado politics, and with State Rep. Kevin Lundberg about state issues ranging from the budget, to PERA, to Medicaid reform, and education tax credits.


Jim Cannon, RIP

Yesterday, we were all stunned by the news that Jim Cannon had passed away.

Jim was one of the RMA's founding members, a true patriot, and fine friend. He had been in a rehab center for some time, but the last time I spoke with Guy, he expected him to be home for Christmas.

I'll remember Jim for two things. His own courage in the face of a lingering, malicious disease, and how he used his blog for the troops. 

Whenever I had a chance to visit Jim, which wasn't often enough, he was always upbeat and cheerful, regardless of how he may of been feeling on the inside.  That's hard, to make your hospital visitors feel better.

Jim was also always on board with any initiative for the troops, particularly his Letters from Home project.  Through his ever-changing URLs or email addresses, that was a constant.

Blogs often go dark, but not like this.  Go by and leave a comment on Thinking Right

December 3, 2008

Blog Talk Radio

Last night, Ben DeGrow, Randy Ketner, and I interviewed Todd Bensman of the San Antonio Express-News about his work,which focuses on the border, and our relationship with Latin America. Todd's started a series about how the US is now serving as the Arsenal of Anarchy (my words, not his), the supplier of first resort for the private armies now roaming large parts of the Mexican countryside.

We Americans like to think of ourselves as Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner. It's too bad that we're arming Calvera.

Next week, we'll be joined by Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier to talk about Denver's neighbor to the east, Aurora, as well as state issues, and what the new president is likely to mean for Colorado.

November 25, 2008

Blog Talk Radio

Every Tuesday night at 9!

Tonight, I'll be joined by Michael "Slapstick" Sandoval, Randy "Night Twister" Ketner, and Ben "I'm here to educate you" DeGrow, as we bat around the week's news, and interview Michael Kerr, of Red County. It's not just Orange County any more!



  booklist

Power, Faith, and Fantasy


Six Days of War


An Army of Davids


Learning to Read Midrash


Size Matters


Deals From Hell


A War Like No Other


Winning


A Civil War


Supreme Command


The (Mis)Behavior of Markets


The Wisdom of Crowds


Inventing Money


When Genius Failed


Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking


Back in Action : An American Soldier's Story of Courage, Faith and Fortitude


How Would You Move Mt. Fuji?


Good to Great


Built to Last


Financial Fine Print


The Day the Universe Changed


Blog


The Multiple Identities of the Middle-East


The Case for Democracy


A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam


The Italians


Zakhor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory


Beyond the Verse: Talmudic Readings and Lectures


Reading Levinas/Reading Talmud