It is going on nine years since we lost our only child at the time to a vicious and rare form of cancer. There isn’t a moment that goes by that I don’t feel the loss of my sweet daughter Parker, the love of my life. My son, Chance, battles Down Syndrome enduring nine surgeries in his short six years of life. As you might know, this is why I am fighting so hard to pass our Health Care Choice Amendment this fall. It is also why the Children’s Hospital is so important to me. The care they gave Parker to comfort her was graceful. And for my son Chance, well, they give Chance a chance to live.

I am so grateful that for years my friend and Independence Institute colleague Tracy Smith pedals the Courage Classic, a fundraising bike ride for Children’s Hospital. In my daughter’s memory she formed “Team Parker,” and will pedal through the Rockies this weekend. This year Team Parker is joined by Independence Institute’s Transparency guru Amy Oliver.

I know a big part of my job is to raise funds for Independence Institute, but I don’t think it takes away from that mission to ask you to give a little to save kids right here in Colorado. Team Parker has a goal of raises $8000 for Children’s Hospital. We can make this goal happen.

Give not just to save my son’s life. Give because, like me, someday sadly you might be grateful Children’s is there for your child.

Give here: www.couragetours.com/2010/tracysmith

And thank you to all of you who help me remember my angel, my love, Parker.

The couple  [Al and Tipper Gore] spent $8,875,000 on an ocean-view villa on 1.5 acres with a swimming pool, spa and fountains, a real estate source familiar with the deal confirms. The Italian-style house has six fireplaces, five bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

So does this mean Al Gore doesn’t actually believe his own warnings about rising sea levels, which would presumably put his villa in danger of being underwater someday?  Or is this actually clever speculation by Gore that it won’t be long until his ocean-view villa is actually an ocean-front villa?

Whatever the case, just keep in mind that this is the guy who won an Oscar for asking the rest of us if we are ready to change the way we live.  You first, Al.

My second suggestion is for your gift-less friends and family members who have the most potential.  We’ve all got friends and family who have done some amazing things.  But really, who’s interested in that?  I’m talking about your friends and family who haven’t yet accomplished something great, but who probably will in the future.  Once you can identify those destined to be great, you might want to consider getting them our “Noble” Prize for Future Accomplishments for Christmas.

Just look how beautiful that is! For only $25 you can purchase one of those puppies. But remember, in order for this gift to make sense, the special someone cannot be guilty of having done something great already. They must be on the verge of greatness.

***(Quantities are EXTREMELY limited, so order now before it’s too late!!)***

A note on shipping from Ben:

Shipping is standard USPS, slow boat, if you will, at $4.50 per shirt. If orders are made (I know that this is cutting it close) by December 17th, I can at least have the shirts produced by Christmas. Denver area customers may have to pick up the orders by hand, as USPS probably won’t get it there on time.

In honor of both Rose and Milton, I urge you to watch the series Free to Choose, available in its entirety online here.

Tracy is riding the Courage Classic to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.  She does so in the memory of Parker.

Children’s Hospital was where I learned Parker was going to die.  For a long time, for me, it was the ugliest place on earth.  My Mother’s Day column may give you a taste.  Parker’s cancer was untreatable, but they treated her with all the love and respect in the world.

I would have lost another child if not for Children’s.  My son, Chance, suffers from Down Syndrome.  With a gaping hole in his heart he was saved with open-heart surgery at only one-month old.  Because of his condition we are “frequent fliers” at Children’s still.  I never much thought about it until reality forced me to,but all of us with kids are blessed to have Children’s Hospital.

I am asking you, on behalf of Parker, please support Tracy as she peddles over the Rockies to help kids like mine, and hopefully never yours.  Her goal is to raise $2000.  We can make that happen.

Thank you Tracy.  Donate here.

***It seems like every time I turn around, Jessica Corry is on some big media outlet… WITHOUT ME! First Mike Rosen, then this: take a look at her latest outing on the Fox News Channel’s “Fox Box.”

***Speaking of Jessica, she just finished up our latest Issue Paper taking on property rights, titled From New London to Telluride and Beyond: Legal Developments Surrounding Eminent Domain in Colorado from 2004-2009.

***Head on over to iVoices.org. We’ve got a few new podcasts on several topics, including charter schools and labor unions.

***It’s no surprise that nearly every underage college student is in favor of lowering the drinking age. (isn’t that what college is all about?) But this particular student happens to be an intern of ours, and also happens to have an argument that goes a lot further than, “drinking rules.” Under the guidance of Mike Krause, intern Joe Carr makes the case for lowering the drinking age in the Colorado Daily, where it was – surprise! surprise! – very warmly received.

***And finally, my campaign for governor is so secret, even I didn’t know about it.

One of Colorado’s liberal watchdogs has ceased to bark.

Colorado Media Matters on Monday closed its doors as its parent organization in Washington, D.C., plans more efficient expansions into more states, state editorial director Bill Menezes told The Denver Post.

A new model “will allow us to launch this in other states where they were clamoring for it,” he said.

Media Matters officials in Washington did not return calls seeking comment Wednesday.

The group’s Colorado office, home to five employees at its closure, spent three years red-flagging “misinformation and conservative information not labeled as such” in newspapers and on television and radio, Menezes said.

One of the website’s most frequent targets was libertarian think-tank leader Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute in Golden and host of a radio talk show.

Caldara said he was “absolutely heartbroken.”

He quipped that the Colorado Media Matters staff made up half his audience.

“I feel like I’m losing a stalker girlfriend,” Caldara said.

Colorado Media Matters was the only state affiliate of the national Media Matters, which I’ve gotta tell you was pretty damn flattering.  Their goal was to “Imus” a conservative broadcaster, like me, out of a job. Starting with 12 full-time employees, which apparently dwindled down to five, they were never able to do it in their three years trying.  What was impressive about the whole operation was the out-sourcing of the politics of personal destruction by the Tim Gill machine to leftist organizations.

Of course the most entertaining part of it, and what we will all miss so very much, is the hyper-oversensitivity and the constant state of outrage that Bill Menenzes would have to fake.  And personally I will miss the love-notes that Bill emails me.  A lonely man like me appreciates the attention of, well, anyone.  I was flattered, and yes, a  little curious.  I have never had anyone with such a man-crush on me before, and likely never will again.  So goes love.  (sniff)  Goodbye Bill.  We’ll always have Denver.