InMap Application Creates A Matrix Of One's Contact World

LinkedIn has launched InMaps, an experimental project that creates a stunning visualization of the connections within your business network. Image Credit: LinkedIn via Mashable (2011)

InMap Application Creates A Matrix Of One's Contact World

LinkedIn, the world wide web's strongest portal in the professional life social media cloud has just released an exciting, new visual application that might help one to use the contact network in a deeper, and hopefully, useful way.

Many use these social media portals to just line up their next professional working position (a job), but when one is able to gain information through taking the existing information in one's database and look at it in a different and unique way ... a whole new world opens up. Additional opportunities to connect on targeted and previously unused common connection points is only the beginning for LinkedIn's new InMap visual application.

This excerpted and edited from Mashable -

LinkedIn Launches Tool to Visualize Your Business Network
By Ben Parr - Mashable 1/24/2011

InMaps sifts through all of your connections, detects the relationships between them, and groups them into different network clusters. For example, LinkedIn separated my networks into eight clusers, including my technology/social media contacts, my Mashable network and my network of classmates at Northwestern University. It color-codes and clumps these networks together so you can see the depth of your connections in one interface.

InMaps is an insight into who the major connections, bridges and influencers are in your network. People with bigger dots and their names in larger fonts have more connections (and typically more sway) in specific clusters. Perhaps that’s why my friend Neal Sales-Griffin, the former president of Northwestern’s student body, is so prominent in my professional graph.

InMaps also includes a few options for sharing. It creates a landing page with your LinkedIn InMap (you can check mine out as an example) and provides Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn share buttons so you can spread your map to the rest of your network.
Reference Here>>

So, launch LinkedIn's InMap and see just who in your professional contact world is a "Big Dot/Larger Font" (BDLF?) kinda' influence in your overall network!

Ahhhhhhh ... social media!

ObamaCare Repeal Watch - It's 21 For '12

Over the last two years, we have watched an out of control Congress run roughshod over the American people and our Constitution. We watched the healthcare reform bill pass the U.S. Congress, which will destroy our Healthcare system. Watching all of this insanity, we realized that we can no longer sit on the sidelines and allow our country to continue to fall short of its potential greatness. To help restore America, we created Generation America and Generation America Voice. Image Credit: Generation America Voice and the 21-12 Project

ObamaCare Repeal Watch - It's 21 For '12

The 112th Congress in one of it's first actions of duty, voted to repeal ObamaCare by a wide margin. In fact, the repeal vote received more votes in passing than the ObamaCare bill received for its passage into law. The vote count aided by the landslide election last November of 63 new Republican Party congressmen and the help from 3 Democrat Party congressmen came in at 245 for repeal to 189 against repeal ... a good day for America and a potential step back from a Government Payer (single-payer) health care system - the eventual goal of ObamaCare.

So now it is 21 for '12 in order to have the repeal bill be seen on the floor of the Senate ... the next step toward the repeal process. There are 21 Democrat Party Senators who will be up for election in the next election cycle in the year 2012. Assuming that all Republican Senators would vote to repeal ObamaCare, it would only require 4 Democrat Party Senators to join the Republicans to move this process to the desk of the 44th President of the United States.

It is important to all of those who wish to maintain the decision-making power over the health of their lives (and this is not the only decision-making power at risk in the law that was passed by the 111th Congress we currently refer to as ObamaCare).

To help organize the efforts of the nearly 70% of all Americans who are against the present health care law passed by the 111th Congress, entitled "The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act of 2010", an alternative advocacy group that counters the efforts of AARP has been established. This group is called Generation America Voice and the effort to organize all who wish to protect their rights this ObamaCare law intends to take away is named Project 21-12!

This excerpted and edited from Generation America Voice -

Project 21-12 - OUR PLAN:

Project 21-12 is Generation America’s plan to Repeal ObamaCare.

The new Republican House of Representatives have voted to repeal ObamaCare. The repeal effort now moves to the Senate. Many political observers predict that this is where it will stall and die. To the contrary, we believe that through a simple plan of action, the Senate can be motivated to pass this bill and ObamaCare will be repealed.

There are 21 Democratic Senators who voted FOR ObamaCare and all of them are up for reelection in 2012, thus Project 21-12. The project is an outreach to these 21 Democrat Senators in an attempt to inform them about the terrible harm this bill does to older Americans and the economic catastrophe that ObamaCare will create. We believe that these Senators, as they have the opportunity to reflect on ObamaCare and the negative effects we are already seeing, will listen to reason and reconsider their original support of ObamaCare.

All of Washington, including these 21 Senators fully understands the historic exceelection this past November. They follow the public opinion polls that reflect resounding dissatisfaction with ObamaCare. Many of these Senators are worried and understand that they will have a very difficult time retaining their seats if they continue to support ObamaCare.

What excites us about this plan is its simplicity. The Republicans will control 47 Senate seats. We only need 4 Democrats to change their vote to repeal ObamaCare. This can be done.
Reference Here>>

It is funny that people believe that a "Single-Payer" system is best for all. Have they ever asked themselves the following questions?:

1) Where does the money come from to pay the provider?

2) If the Government is paying the provider, who does the provider answer to - the patient or the payer?

3) If the Government payer also collects taxes on people when they die through Estate Taxes, doesn't this fact set up an additional conflict of interest?

4) Can the cost be reduced when additional people in the payer process are placed between the provider and the patient?

5) Can insurance companies really reduce additional costs if they can not compete in all 50 states (currently restricted by imposed laws)?

I am sure you and others who have pondered this issue have a few good questions for people who feel that a single-payer approach is the ideal to consider ... but this is just a start. These questions do not even address the Constitutional individual freedoms that are erased if a single-payer process were to be established.

Remember ... we Americans do have actual power over those who believe they are members of the ruling class. Get involved in the 21-12 Project and just see where this ride takes us on the path to Repeal And Replace here during Carter's Second Term.

The Beat Goes On In A Bad Obama Economy

Image Credit: citytowninfo.com

The Bankruptcy Beat Goes On In A Bad Obama Economy

All of the government "stimulus" and government spending in the world can not repair a free market economy.

The number of Americans filing for bankruptcy in 2010 ticked up 9% over the previous year to more than 1.53 million, industry groups said Monday.

The number of consumers filing for bankruptcy has increased each year since 2005, when bankruptcy laws were revamped to make bankruptcy more difficult, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute and the National Bankruptcy Research Center.

This 2010 figure of reported bankruptcies far outpaces the 1,407,788 total consumer filings that were recorded during 2009, a trend that the American Bankruptcy Institute attributes to high debt and a stagnant economy.

"The steady climb of consumer filings notwithstanding the 2005 bankruptcy law restrictions demonstrate that families continue to turn to bankruptcy as a result of high debt burdens and stagnant income growth," ABI Executive Director Samuel Gerdano said in a statement. "We expect that consumer filings will continue to rise in 2011."

With a total of 118,146 bankruptcy filings, December 2010 was a particularly bad month for consumers, an increase of 3% over November's level.
(ht: CNNMoney)

The Obama administration combined with entrenched ruling class politicians that have run Washington federal politics over these last several decades is finally coming to roost here in 2011 as the national debt exceeds 14 Trillion dollars.

using a total population of 333,000,000 (333 Million - 1/3 of a Billion) for ease of mathematics ... a Trillion dollars is 1,000 Billion dollars, and a Billion dollars is equal to a contribution of $3.00 for each and every person wither the person is 9 months, or 90 years old. Using this base of logic, each and every human being in the United States owes the federal government over $42,000 in order to wipe out the current level of debt.

The debt is growing at over 4 Billion dollars a day or by the end of today YOU will have to add another $12.00 to the $42,000 that you and everyone else owes to wipe out the debt our representatives are piling onto us at this moment.

Bankruptcy is a default against a personal debt and everyone owed looses their time and money they invested in meeting the wants and needs of the person who is declaring bankruptcy. The federal debt is still owed to everyone ... and by everyone else.

Translate this to California's debt of 28 Billion dollars the math does not get any better. At an estimated population of 37 million as of July 2009 which will translate to $27.03 for every Billion dollars of debt. Using this logic - each and every Californian is in debt $27.03 for every Billion dollars X 28 Billion = $756.76.

Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix 2010 - Opening Parade Lap

All of the racing came off with great success on the first day of the Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix. The event which is being restarted since its last running in 1957 took place through the chaparral covered hills around Avalon's Golf Course and above the iconic Santa Catalina Casino pictured here. The day's events were all kicked of with a parade lap through the village along the waterfront of this island's largest settlement [ctrl-click to launch video of opening parade lap]. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix 2010 - Opening Parade Lap

7:30am, December 4, 2010 - Opening Ceremonies - Downtown at the Wrigley Stage - Race #1 Parade Lap through town.

Both motocross superstars and emerging talents will vie for top honors as they blast into the hills surrounding the main port town of Avalon. Riders will look to join Dave Ekins - Bud Ekins (the stuntman who performed the famous fence jump in “The Great Escape” for Steve McQueen) brother and past event rider, and Bob Sangren (the race’s only two-time winner) as champion of the island spectacle. Sangren will also be returning to the island to serve as Grand Marshal for the 2010 race.

Photo Slideshow Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

"Cool It" - A Thoughtful & Realistic Approach To Stewardship

A light bulb won't solve global warming. This guy's bright ideas just might. A documentary that takes an alternative approach than just FEAR in dealing with the clarion call of the global warming crisis [ctrl-click photo to see trailer]. Image Credit: Imdb

"Cool It" - A Thoughtful & Realistic Approach To Stewardship

Go to "Cool It" - In a very limited release before its roll out is a thoughtful and realistic stewardship approach to our consumption of energy on this blue orb. It makes Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, feel like the pandering, fright fest, ponzi-scheme that it was meant to be. In other words ... NO, the oceans will not rise 20 feet over this next century and coastal cities really have nothing to fear from the potential and realistic one foot rise in the oceans due to cyclic world climate swings that are primarily due to changes in radiation from the sun!

CCX (the Chicago Carbon Exchange) which became noted for having "carbon credits" for sale as high as $7.00 a ton closes its doors on October 21, 2010, just before the midterm elections, when the bottom drops out after it is discovered about one year ago that the primary Global Warming data was based upon fraud.

The last listed price for trading "carbon credits" was under $.10 a ton - OUCH. Al Gore may not be as rich as people were claiming he was a couple of years ago.

Go see "Cool It" and become less hysterically informed.

AARP Raises Premiums - Advocacy Clashes With Reality

Contrary to Democratic politician's promises when they jammed Obamacare through the Senate and Congress, claiming that when the public found out all that was in the bill they would start to support it, opposition is rising as the public becomes aware of what Washington Democrats actually passed and Obama signed into law. Caption & Image Credit: wakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com

AARP Raises Premiums - Advocacy Clashes With Reality

Truth has a funny way of dispelling the aggressive distortion of an advocacy point-of-view.

A classic case in point has popped up over at the insurance and liberal advocacy organization American association of retired persons, AARP. AARP is a non-profit organization which helps people above the age of 50 to lead a peaceful life both health and finance. Most famous of AARP programs is AARP insurance.

AARP is now telling its employees that insurance costs will rise by 8 percent to 13 percent next year, partly as a result of the ObamaCare law it supported.

This excerpted and edited from the Washington Times -

Obamacare spurs AARP to raise premiums
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar - Associated Press - 6:35 p.m., Thursday, November 4, 2010

AARP's endorsement helped secure passage of President Obama's health care overhaul. Now the seniors' lobby is telling its employees their insurance costs will rise, partly as a result of the law.
----
AARP added that it is changing co-payments and deductibles to avoid a 40 percent tax on high-cost health plans that takes effect in 2018 under the law. Aerospace giant Boeing also has cited the tax in asking its workers to pay more. Shifting costs to employees lowers the value of a health care plan and acts like an escape hatch from the tax.

"Most plan co-pays and deductibles have been modified," Jennifer Hodges, AARP's director of compensation and benefits, wrote employees in an Oct. 25 e-mail. "Plan value changes were necessary not only from a cost-management standpoint, but also to ensure that AARP's plans fall below the threshold for high-cost group plans under health care reform."
Reference Here>>

Ever since Barack Obama took the office as the 44th President of the United States, AARP endorsed the efforts of the Democrat political party in its efforts at healthcare reform. These efforts had little to do with improving a free market approach and everything to do with having the Government become the chief decider on what insurance will look like ... even if the Government has to become the "Single-Payer" in the insurance equation.

The chief reason AARP was an advocate on ObamaCare can be found where AARP makes their money ... in Medigap insurance coverage. Medigap plans are a cash cow for AARP and if people don't need them because they can enroll in Medicare Advantage plans, that's a revenue loss for AARP. Obamacare helps to do away with Medicare Advantage plans.

While the organization has some partnering arrangements with Medicare Advantage plans, they provide a fraction of the revenues to the organization that Medigap does.

Second, if Medicare's benefits are cut by $400 billion or more, seniors will have an ever greater need for Medigap coverage.

"There's an inherent conflict of interest," former AARP executive Marilyn Moon says of AARP's royalty arrangements. "They're ending up becoming very dependent on sources of income."

Tens of thousands of seniors have resigned from AARP, many of them cutting up their membership cards to protest the organization's promotion of health reform.

The new chief executive officer of AARP, Barry Rand, who was a strong supporter of President Obama during last year's presidential campaign, says AARP is not protesting the Medicare cuts because reducing waste and fraud in Medicare will make the program stronger over the long term.

The 40 million-strong AARP represents people 50 and older, including retirees on Medicare and Social Security. Its endorsement of President Barack Obama's health bill came at a critical time last year, just days before a vote on the House floor.

"The [insurance rate]impact on [our]AARP employees is not a factor at all in our policy-making, which is directed at the impact on our membership and on all older Americans," said said David Certner, AARP legislative affairs director.

One has to ask ... how many 50 years of age and older employees does AARP actually have?

We , at MAXINE, believe - AARP ... the American association of retired persons, is less about protecting the interests of retired persons than it is at protecting its cash cows in the insurance business.

Merlin Froyd, 28th District - Midterm Voting Takes On New Meaning

Campaign worker, Judy, proudly flyin' colors for Froyd! Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Merlin Froyd, California - 28th Congressional District - Midterm Voting Takes On New Meaning

Voters don't want to be governed from the left, right or center. They want Washington to recognize that Americans want to govern themselves.

It is for this reason and attitude LA Conservative Examiner is posting this article on behalf of Merlin Froyd in the hopes of giving those who intend to vote on Tuesday, access to all of the information to elect the one representative post that controls the purse strings.

Merlin Froyd strikes a pose ala Tony Katz before embarking on a day of neighborhood canvassing to represent California's 28th District. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

My neighbors all live in the California 28th District that has had the same representative for the last 14 terms … or 28 years. He has voted for the 16% increase in the spending (Stimulus and Omnibus spending bills) of all Federal Government agency budgets at a time our economy grew only 1.2% in the same 20 month time period.

No matter whom you intend to vote for, or what political party you associate yourself with, LA conservative Examiner urges you to go to Merlin Froyd’s website and look at the 2 minute video position presentations that matter to you. One will find positions from Government spending and size of Government, to a position on Government and marriage, and anything in between. No position is perfect for everyone but most would find them fair, well articulated, and reasonable.

Getting ready to canvass a neighborhood for Merlin Froyd. The effort on this street was engaged with a host of recently naturalized citizens from Italy, Lebanon, and Israel. Most were happy to hear that there was a choice at new representation. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

As a concerned citizen and neighbor, LA Conservative Examiner is giving you all a “head’s up” on Merlin Froyd because we had the occasion to meet with him, observe him. We found him to be young, principled, and ready to represent the needs of our community in Washington D.C. with a fresh approach. He is a 27 year old man who was born in Minnesota, whose family moved to California, and works in middle management at our local Sunrise Ford dealership just up on Lankershim in North Hollywood and he really understands the needs of our uniquely drawn district.

Dressed to canvass a neighborhood with a Marlin Froyd campaign tee-shirt. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Simply stated, twenty-eight years of two-year stints is way too long to have a Congressman to hold only one post. In the summer of 2009, this representative refused to hold even one "Town Hall Meeting" and hear what the citizens of the district he represented for the last 27 years (at the time) had to say about what they thought about what was going on in Washington D.C.. It is time to move forward and consider a change for representative of our 28th District!

Merlin Froyd For Congress – www.merlinfroyd.com

Merlin Froyd Position Videos - http://www.youtube.com/merlinfroyd#p/u

Senate Race For Republican Control Handicap - What To Watch For

Based on data from the Intrade prediction market. 10-30-2010

2010 Senate Race For Republican Control Handicap - What To Watch For

A Republican Party politico in the thick of watching the races for the Senate on November 2, 2010, explained the simplest way to do the math, with 9 pickups meaning a 50-50 Senate and 10 giving Republicans control.

The Senate seats that seem to be Republican Party locks are Indiana, Arkansas and North Dakota. All-but-sure things, in this Republican's view, are Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Illinois. THAT'S SIX. Then start adding states where margins are razor thin.

His order is: Nevada would be 7; Colorado would be 8; West Virginia would be 9; Washington would be 10; California would be 11.

Needless to say, a run of the table would become not just an undeniable and historic change of power in Washington D.C. but a restraining order on the 16% growth of spending in Government budgets applied over these last 19 months at a time the economy grew only 1.2%.

So ... get out there on November 2, 2010 and not just vote for a Republican Party candidate, issue a restraining order!

No Ma'am - Boxer Violates Election Law

No Ma'am - Photo taken during the re-run of a television show depicting a gathering of men who were tired of being ordered around by women. The logo is a perfect expression to state the feelings of having a 28 year Senator be re-elected to another term. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

No Ma'am - Boxer Violates Election Law

Election Watch: Barbara Boxer’s Campaign Breaks the Law, Solicits Help From Los Angeles Area Students Via Teachers

California’s Flash Report recently obtained a letter proving that Barbara Boxer’s campaign has attempted to solicit Los Angeles public school government and social studies teachers to urge students to “volunteer” for the Barbara Boxer senatorial campaign.

Here is a copy of the letter sent by the Boxer campaign to Los Angeles school teachers:

The Boxer campaign letter clearly requests “students to take part in our campaign” and “earn extra credit” doing so. “Various projects” out of the Boxer Hollywood campaign office are mentioned for would-be student volunteers along with a suggestion to view this Obama video:

The president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) forwarded the Boxer “Dear Teachers” letter to and filed a complaint with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Board of Education:

To the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Board of Education: In abject ignorance of California state law, the political campaign of Senator Barbara Boxer has openly solicited teachers employed by LAUSD to urge their students to volunteer for her campaign. We trust that LAUSD will immediately inform all its personnel, credentialed or otherwise, that it would be a clear violation of law for teachers to recruit their students on school property during school hours to volunteer for a specific political campaign.

The HJTA president cites California Education Code, section 51520, which clearly states:

During school hours, and within one hour before the time of opening and within one hour after the time of closing of school, pupils of the public school shall not be solicited on school premises by teachers or others to subscribe or contribute to the funds of, to become members of, or to work for, any organization not directly under the control of the school authorities, unless the organization is a nonpartisan, charitable organization organized for charitable purposes by an act of Congress or under the laws of the state, the purpose of the solicitation is nonpartisan and charitable, and the solicitation has been approved by the county board of education or by the governing board of the school district in which the school is located.

The Boxer campaign, caught red-handed with their hands in the public school-electioneering cookie jar, admitted the authenticity of the letter but promptly issued a legalese-denial, non-apology style apology and punted responsibility to “volunteers” and a “junior staffer.”

Boxer campaign manager Rose Kapolczynski:

Because some local social studies teachers encourage students to volunteer, Boxer campaign volunteer coordinators notified a handful of schools near the campaign headquarters that the campaign was accepting volunteers. The letter did not ask teachers to solicit students to work on the campaign or to use school facilities, supplies or equipment for political purposes. The sole intent of the letter was to provide interested students with information about a volunteer opportunity. However, the letter, which was written by a volunteer and reviewed by a junior staffer, was inappropriate and we apologize. The author of the letter has been counseled and campaign coordinators will no longer conduct outreach to public schools.

The HJTA easily disproves this defense, stating in the letter sent to LAUSD and LACBE:

While claiming students will “gain an invaluable educational experience on [sic] one of the highest profile Senate races this election,” the letter candidly admits: “The Boxer campaign needs volunteers to help with various projects.”

One with perhaps even a modicum of legal knowledge, command of the English language, and common sense will gather that certain language in the “Dear Teachers” letter (eg, “The Boxer campaign (needing) volunteers to help with various projects”) is a political solicitation by the campaign.

The claim by Barbara Boxer’s campaign manager that the “Dear Teachers” letter was seemingly “inappropriate,” yet not illegal, is ludicrous. And forcing a lower level staffer to fall on the proverbial sword is beyond the pale.

We, at MAXINE, believe this question has to be asked in a society that prides itself on operating under the Rule-Of-Law - Why is the mainstream press in California ignoring this story?

(ht: excerpted and edited from Pajama's Media- Thursday, October 28th, 2010 - by Tim Daniel)

Soros Money Gets Juan Williams Fired From NPR

So, with the news that George Soros is buying one hundred political “reporters” for National Public Radio (NPR), one waits with bated breath for the left to decry the fact that a famous anti-American leftist is buying and influencing the “news.” Image Credit: Big Journalism

Soros Money Gets Juan Williams Fired From NPR

Yesterday, Glenn Beck opened his show stating that he had something else planned to present for the hour but something came up in the form of an email that he had to address.

The email concerned itself with the new round of donations being issued by Billionaire progressive, George Soros and his campaign to get Glenn Beck fired from Fox News through boycotts by advertisers to his program. The memo confirmed that Soros had just given the left-wing hell-raising blog, Media Matters, a million dollars and asked them to broaden their boycott efforts to all of Fox News ... the declarations are on the MM website.

It turns out that recently, George Soros has also given a very large donation (1.8 million dollars for 100 reporters) to National Public Radio (NPR) as well.

This morning, NPR has just announced that it was firing longtime author and Democrat politics commentator, Juan Williams. NPR used as its reasoning that Jaun Williams' appearance on the Fox News top rated politics, culture information, and commentary show, The O'Reilly Factor, resulted in Juan expressing feelings that were inconsistent with its world view ... or something to that effect.

This excerpted and edited from The Atlantic -

Juan Williams Fired by NPR For No Particular Reason (UPDATED)
By Jeffery Goldberg - Oct 21 2010, 12:23 AM ET

National Public Radio has fired the political analyst Juan Williams for comments he made about Muslims on Bill O'Reilly's Fox show. These are two of the controversial comments in question, according to The New York Times:

'I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

And this, in reference to Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani immigrant who attempted to blow up Times Square with a car bomb:

"He said the war with Muslims, America's war is just beginning, first drop of blood. I don't think there's any way to get away from these facts."

The first quotation reflects the views, I'm guessing, of the vast majority of people who fly in this country (and in Europe and Asia and other parts of the world, as well). With some regularity, Muslim men associated with radical Islamist organizations have been trying to kill American civilians, here and abroad. A group of 19 Muslim men succeeded beyond their wildest dreams in their mission nine years ago. The majority of Muslims abhor terrorism, and Muslims are the disproportionate victims of Muslim terror, but the essential truth remains that most of the world's spectacular terrorism today -- thwarted and achieved -- is committed by Muslims.

Juan Williams misunderstands one crucial fact: Muslim terrorists who are attempting to commit acts of terror seldom if ever dress in "Muslim garb"; they dress, for obvious tactical reasons, in a manner meant to help them blend in with surroundings. So Williams is wrong, I think, to be particularly suspicious of traditionally-dressed Muslims. But is he wrong to worry about Islamist terrorism? Of course not.
Reference Here>>

So, the real reason for the firing seems confused, at best.

What is consistent here is that both Juan Williams and Mara Liasson are (or were) longtime contributors to NPR and are contributors to Fox News and therein lays the rub. Soros money is now beginning to turn the screws and place pressure from where the money is placed and directed. Mira Liasson has said previously, that her participation on discussion panels at Fox News (primarily with Brit Hume and Bret Baier) has been questioned by the staff at NPR.

One wonders ... just when will all of the Soros money will catch up with her (Mara Liasson) and gets her removed from either NPR or have her resign from Fox News due to "pressures"?

Boxer VFW Endorsement In Dispute By VFW Leadership

Photo of letter issued by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States calling the actions of the VFW-PAC into question as it relates to political endorsements. This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Boxer VFW Endorsement In Dispute By VFW Leadership

In what may be a case of identity theft through going rogue, the separate political action committee organization using the "VFW" in its name is endorsing candidates without the blessing of the real VFW organization out of Kansas City, MO.

In a letter issued October 8, 2010 titled "VFW Leadership at Odds with VFW-PAC" and signed by Richard L. Eubank - National Commander, Richard L. DeNoyer - Sr. Vice Commander, and John E. Hamilton - Jr. Vice Commander the VFW called the methodology process used by the PAC "seriously flawed at best this year and in immediate need of extensive review," in the wake of the recent congressional endorsements made by the committee.

This separate organization, formed by 12 VFW members, is acting rogue in their endorsements of Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi - especially given that the voting record and personal statements of these candidates should have had them removed from consideration.

This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States website -

VFW Leadership at Odds with VFW-PAC
By Richard L. Eubank - National Commander, Richard L. DeNoyer - Sr. Vice Commander, and John E. Hamilton - Jr. Vice Commander - October 8, 2010 - VFW, Kansas City, MO.

“Even though the law requires that VFW-PAC be a separate organization, the acronym ‘VFW’ is attached to the committee and the natural assumption is that the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is somehow making the endorsement decisions. Nothing could be further from the truth, but perception is reality,” said National Commander Richard Eubank.

“Obviously, an organization's political positions have to reflect the opinions of its members. But those opinions can't be perceived as ‘off the wall,’ and the methodology used this year to grade candidates obviously is skewed in favor of the incumbent. That isn’t fair, and it actually subverts the democratic process.”
Reference Here>>

Paul Chabot - Statewide Chairman, Veterans for Carly Coalition, Iraq War Vet, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (Kansas City) Lifemember) as he presents the letter from the VFW leadership out of Kansas City, MO, and reviews Barbara Boxer's voting record on Veteran's Affairs. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Barbara Boxers record is as follows (re-published from LA Conservative Examiner):

To be clear, this endorsement should be protested on these facts on the actions and voting record of this current Senator from California (information provided by the Pasadena Patriots - TeaPac - Paul Chabot - Statewide Chairman, Veterans for Carly Coalition, Iraq War Vet, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (Kansas City) Lifemember):

Boxer Military Fact Check

1) Barbara Boxer continues to campaign with Jane Fonda. I do not have to remind Veterans the harm that Jane Fonda caused to our Nation - they know all too well.

2) In California, we have 1.9 million Veterans, 30,000 returning from war each year. While the California unemployment rate is 12.4%, Veterans in California have over a 30% unemployment rate. Of the total number of unemployed persons in California, 25% are Veterans. The problem has gotten much worse under Boxer, not better.

3) Our VA Hospitals are overloaded, bulging at the seams; the quality of care is decreasing while wait lines are increasing beyond any reasonable expectation. As a Vet who receives care at California VA's, I can firmly
attest to this fact and the outrage felt by my fellow Veterans.

4) Barbara Boxer has consistently voted against funding for our troops in times of war. In 2007, she was one of only 14 senators to vote against supplemental funding for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. That bill included billions of dollars in funding for body armor, for mine-resistant vehicles, for defense health programs - including funding for the treatment of soldiers suffering from PTSD and brain trauma - and to help combat IEDs.

5) In 2003, Boxer was one of just 12 senators to oppose the $87 billion supplemental appropriation for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, which provided funding for body armor, communications equipment, equipment maintenance and operation, defense health programs, increased imminent danger pay. The reconstruction package also included funds to help military families by increasing the Family Separation Allowance, by allowing family members to visit soldiers who are ill or injured as a result of their active-duty service and by providing access to the benefits of the Family Medical Leave Act.

6) Boxer has repeatedly disrespected prominent members of our military. Who can forget the time she upbraided Brigadier General Michael Walsh during a committee hearing for calling her "ma'am" instead of "senator."

7) Boxer has also refused to condemn the offensive, defamatory advertisement MoveOn.org ran against General David Petraeus, who is now commanding our forces in Afghanistan.

It is for these reasons, that we must ask the VFW-PAC to rescind its endorsement of Barbara Boxer.

Reference Here>>

This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from the LA Times -

Boxer highlights endorsement by VFW-PAC
By: Cathleen Decker - October 10, 2010 | 5:13 pm

Fiorina has been critical of Boxer’s record on military issues, including Boxer's vote against a military spending bill that Boxer opposed because she said it did not outline a clear exit strategy from Iraq. On Sunday after speaking at a civic affairs conference hosted by the Iranian American Jewish community in Century City, Fiorina said the VFW PAC had “lost a great deal of credibility because they’ve demonstrated once again that all they ever do is endorse incumbent politicians.”

“There are a great number of veterans who are offended by Boxer’s refusal to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," Fiorina told reporters Sunday. "There are veterans who are offended by the way she dressed down a general, and there are, unfortunately for the VFW PAC, now a whole lot of veterans who are offended by the decision the VFW PAC has taken.”

Fiorina’s campaign also released a statement by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and other military veterans, objecting to the VFW's endorsement of her. (McCain is campaigning for Fiorina).

Asked after her speech about McCain's objection, Boxer merely smiled and replied: "I'm so excited to have the VFW endorsement. I couldn't be more thrilled."
Reference Here>>

This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Well, no matter how tainted or in dispute, or bogus an endorsement may be (especially given one's own voting record and personal statements) ... the accepting of this VFW-PAC endorsement passes for something to be excited about by Barbara Boxer, here during Carter's Second Term (the 44th Presidency of the United States).

Boxer Endorsement UPDATE - VFW Leaders Tell PAC to Rescind Boxer, Klein Endorsements - Published October 13, 2010 | FOX News/Associated Press

VFW UPDATE - VFW Commander-in-Chief disolvess its Political Action Committee (VFW-PAC) after disputed endorsements - October 15, 2010

It is now evident to most of the VFW leadership, both National and especially the departments, that the VFW has been subjected to extreme negative publicity throughout the nation, and the recent endorsement decisions have, in fact, harmed the VFW’s reputation and future ability to fulfill our mission.

I cannot let this erosion of public support for our great organization continue. The apparent lack of the committee to address these concerns will lead to a proposal by me, as Commander-in-Chief, to amend the by-laws at the 112th National Convention for the purpose of dissolving the PAC. Meanwhile, under the authority granted to me as Commander-in-Chief in section 619 of the VFW National By-Laws and under section 620 of the Manual of Procedure, I am withdrawing all PAC appointments effective October 15, 2010.