Staunton Councilman Bruce Elder reveals cancer diagnosis, withdraws from congressional race

 Staunton City Councilman Bruce Elder
at May 2012 Gypsy Hill Park Memorial Day ceremony.

It happens at Staunton parades, Memorial Day ceremonies in Gypsy Hill Park, city council meetings, and other locations around Staunton.

"Hey, Lynn," comes the loud, cheerful voice, "how are you doing?"

That's the normal gregarious greeting I always receive from Staunton City Councilman Bruce Elder. Big smile on his face, he usually follows that with, "I love those pictures you took last week of [Staunton/Augusta County/back roads]. You really should put together a coffee table book," or, "You're a tourism ambassador for Augusta County."

I always thank him and then we talk about where the latest batch of photos were taken, politics (we are opposite sides of the political aisle), or a local event or upcoming elections. We've talked about how he came to land in Staunton from New England, his business, his family, and whatever came to mind.

He ran against my guy Chris Saxman a number of years ago for the 20th House District delegate seat. Chris prevailed in his reelection, and later Bruce went on to win a seat on city council where he is currently serving his second term. The last time I saw him several months ago was at Clocktower Restaurant in Staunton where I was having lunch with Councilwoman Andrea Oakes. Bruce was there on campaign business but excused himself and joined us for a while so I, of course, took a picture and posted it on Facebook.

The news of his cancer diagnosis came as a shock. He was in the middle of a campaign for the 6th District Congressional seat, and had promised that we would sit down for an interview along the way. The diagnosis has caused his withdrawal from the race.

On Wednesday he announced the cancer and his decision to step back from campaigning:

Cancer

I want to beat Bob Goodlatte and represent the Sixth District in Congress, but I have to beat cancer first. Therefore I must sadly end my campaign, effective immediately.

On Christmas Eve I woke up and thought I had suffered a stroke; the left side of my face was paralyzed. After a trip to the emergency room, I learned that a growth was pressing against the nerves in my face, and it had to be removed.

I continued the campaign because the doctors were not sure if the growth was cancerous and there was the possibility that removal would solve the problem. The surgery to remove the growth occurred last week. That’s when I learned how serious this was.

The surgeon told me they got it “just in time”; the growth was cancerous. In the process of removing it, four of the main nerves in my left cheek were severed. It could be months before my facial muscles form new connections and allow me to smile and talk without discomfort.

Yesterday I learned I will need nearly two months of daily radiation treatments in order to make sure the cancer is gone. These treatments will leave me tired and make it difficult to speak or swallow.

Even then, I wanted to continue the campaign. So much work has been done in the last year, and so many relationships formed, that to bow out now would be such a great loss.

But I cannot continue. It will be months before I am able to talk normally, though I may never regain my pre-surgery abilities. I will not have the energy to campaign or even work for at least two months, perhaps longer.

I appreciate so much the support I’ve received in the last year and the opportunity I’ve had to talk about issues that matter to me and matter to the district and our nation: job creation, immigration reform, financial reform, protecting our water from fracking, and a higher minimum wage.

I am one of the lucky ones; I have insurance and an excellent team of doctors. I welcome your prayers as I beat this thing and join the millions who are cancer-free.

All the best,
Bruce

Cancer is an evil disease. Prayers to Bruce, his wife, and four children as he battles his way back to health.

Waynesboro's Zeus Digital Theater to next build a restaurant

Brett Hayes' rendition of the new restaurant from the Zeus Digital Theater Facebook page.

Walking into Waynesboro's Zeus Theater is like walking into a high-end movie theater in a big city, thanks to an entrepreneur who had a dream that has benefited the entire area.

Brett Hayes' dream was of a better movie theater, something he wrote about on his blog in 2009. He didn't want to be another of the chains. He wanted to follow through on his own ideas of using the latest available technology to show movies so he invested $8 million to make it come true.

His Zeus Theater opened in October of 2010 on Lew DeWitt Boulevard in Waynesboro, Virginia, a state-of-the-art digital stadium-seating theater that has not only drawn hoards of locals to its eight screens but has shut down the aging chain theater in neighboring Staunton. Hayes offered cafe seating in the lobby complete with tall tables and chair for theater snacks as well as a meeting/party room.

Hayes is a self-described MBA, former US Marine, Gulf War Veteran, serial small business owner, commercial land developer, project manager, closet economist, and Rotarian. His Zeus Theater has been a huge success.

At the time of its opening, Hayes told NBC-29, "I would like to see a restaurant in front of my theater within three months of opening. If this works as well as I expect it to then I'll probably be adding onto it." However, three years later that part of the plan had not come together.

Until today. On New Year's Eve, Brett Hayes posted to his Facebook page with plans for a restaurant:

In the coming year, I am going to build a restaurant in front of Zeus. I have been trying to develop the corner lots for years and frankly I have lost patience with the national chains.

I am not prepared to discuss the details of the menu yet, but it will be family friendly serving lunch, dinner and deserts.

We will be breaking ground in the late Spring and plan to be open by November 2014.

The sketch [above] is version 2.0 or so. I still have some refining to do to get it where I want it. I am talking about this now, because I am excited about it and people are asking about it.

With his track record for Zeus Theater and its success, I have no doubt Hayes' restaurant will enjoy the same success.

AP uses sledge hammer on reporter Bob Lewis - UPDATED

The news heard 'round the internet on Monday was long-time Richmond-based reporter Bob Lewis' firing by the Associated Press. Social media lit up as supporters from all sides of the political aisle expressed shock that his earlier suspension had turned into a pink slip as he was booted out the AP door.

The entire episode began two weeks earlier, as reported by Andrew Cain with the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

AP erroneously reported the evening of Oct. 9 that documents in a federal fraud case in Rhode Island alleged that McAuliffe “lied to a federal official” investigating Joseph Caramadre, a Rhode Island estate planner who is accused of defrauding terminally ill people.

In a bulletin that night killing the story about 90 minutes after it was first posted, AP said “the indictment did not identify McAuliffe as the ‘T.M.’ who allegedly lied to investigators.”

To hear the AP retract a story sent a shiver throughout the news world. To have the questioned article be authored by Bob Lewis was even more stunning after his 28 years with the AP.

It certainly has caused a stir in Virginia's political atmosphere. From the RTD:

Lewis and Potter “have always been fair, tough and smart. Virginians deserve dedicated reporters like them,” Gov. Bob McDonnell tweeted.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling tweeted: “Sorry to see the AP fire Bob Lewis. Bob is one of the most respected reporters in Richmond. We all make mistakes. Bob did not deserve this.”

Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., tweeted: “AP’s Bob Lewis has been a fixture at the Va Capitol and his reporting will be missed by Virginians. Best wishes at a tough moment, Bob.”

Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va. tweeted: “Big loss for Virginia. @APBobLewis is an even-handed, talented reporter & a class act.”

As many question whether Lewis' firing was overreaction by AP, former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore took to Facebook to advocate on Lewis' behalf Monday, writing, "I add my voice calling for the AP to reinstate Bob Lewis and Dena Potter. Bob Lewis is 'Mr. AP.' They made a mistake but corrected it immediately. What if they fired every reporter who made a mistake? I got a list."

Wherever he goes, Bob Lewis will have a built-in audience of those who have followed -- and respected -- his work for years. Count me as one of them.

Update:  The reaction from Lowell at Blue Virginia and the Richmond Democrat, er, The Richmonder, confirms that reactions to Bob Lewis' firing are bipartisan even among bloggers, a good reflection of a good reporter.

Update #2: The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that a third person has been fired by the AP even as the News Media Guild has filed grievances on behalf of Lewis and his colleagues.

Valley military families ... 'A special homecoming'

Today's News Virginian has a story, A special homecoming, about a Valley soldier who returned from Afghanistan to see his six-month old daughter for the first time.

This is yet another way our military sacrifices for our freedom. Imagine not being able to stand with your wife as she gave birth to your first child because you were deployed with the Army halfway around the world. We can never thank our troops enough for what they do.

"For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."

Cross-posted at Facebook

Bolling, Sabato hit Twitter, FB with Va gubernatorial frustrations

Virginia's gubernatorial campaign took another interesting turn on Friday as two powerful political pundits took to social media to express frustration with the candidates and the state of both campaigns.

Sinking further into the muck, the past week saw the Cuccinelli campaign accusing McAuliffe of saying something he didn't while news broke that McAuliffe's former GreenTech company has come under SEC scrutiny.

It was almost possible to hear the exasperation in University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato's voice Friday afternoon as he tweeted:

Just re-checked my VA Constitution. Requirements for GOV do NOT include being controversial or seedy.
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) August 2, 2013

Sabato immediately followed that tweet with another referring to Virginia's Lieutenant Governor:

Bill Bolling goofed big-time. #VAGOV
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) August 2, 2013

Friday night the Lieutenant Governor himself took to Twitter and Facebook here and here (he has two FB pages) to express frustration about the current state of Virginia's governor's race. Bill Bolling posted:

I'm very frustrated by the current direction of the gubernatorial campaign. Instead of spending millions of dollars calling each other names, I'd like to see the candidates actually talk about the important issues facing our state. The people of Virginia deserve better than they are getting, and that's a bipartisan criticism.

By Saturday morning he had received hundreds of thumbs ups from around the Commonwealth and, presumably, there were many more who did not publicly give their approval but were thinking it.

Dozens left comments, some noting that they would be writing in Bill Bolling's name on the November ballot, a recurring theme that has come up in letters to the editor and conversations on the street. This comment from a supporter named Bill echoed those sentiments:

I will be writing in Bill Bolling and I have lots of friends here in Goochland that will be doing the same.

Another supporter pleaded:

Bill, it's not too late. Give us another choice. PLEASE!!!!!

Commenter John looked at the election in a different light:

If this were a job interview for a corporation, I was the hiring manager, and I was down to the two party's respective candidates as my final applicants, I would tell my Human Resource Department to leave the job posted, as I haven't found the right hire.

That was the tone of most of the comments as voters expressed concerns, even suggesting Bolling 2017. The naysayers stopped by, too, like James who quipped:

It might be helpful if you constructively supported your party's nominee....

To which Chris responded:

Well, it would have also been nice to have gotten to vote in a primary too, but that didn't happen either.

Bottom line: there is definitely dissatisfaction among voters, something picked up on in Sunday's News & Advance editorial, Cuccinelli, McAuliffe and the Split in the GOP. With that said, we are still three months away from election day 2013.

Cross-posted at Va Political Pineapple

Richmond: More than 20,000 fans turn out for Redskins Fan Appreciation Day

Practice has begun here at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center, and crowds are still lined up all the way to DMV Drive, waiting to enter the facility.

More than 20,000 fans have entered already today, though many have turned around and headed right back out after seeing the conditions. Mud and fertilizer has created a pungent smell in the main viewing area, and security guards have been overmatched against the throngs trying to enter and leave at the same time.

So writes Michael Phillips in Saturday's Richmond Times-Dispatch. Sounds to me like Richmonders are really enjoying having the Redskins in town. Fan favorite RGIII has been a hit:

During the practice portion, quarterback Robert Griffin III was once again the focal point, and he hit his first four passes during 7-on-7 play.

Perhaps the enthusiastic outpouring of support will help temper the criticism surrounding the move to Richmond. Perhaps. Meanwhile, Style Weekly lightens up the atmosphere with a humorous list of eight ways to spot a Redskins Training Camp tourist.

I checked out the Redskins' Facebook page and found photos, links to press conferences, rallies and gatherings at local restaurants, and more. Seems like a win-win for Richmond and the fans.

Cross-posted at Virginia Politics On Demand

Va Dems circle wagons ... Va Republicans join in circular firing squad

Attacking Republicans seems to be the sport of the day, not only by Democrats, but also within the Republican Party. Recently, Marco Rubio and Chris Christie were attacked by the right wing of the GOP for not being conservative enough on their policies about immigration and other issues. Now add Bob McDonnell to that list.

Conservative bloggers like Willie Deutsch at Bearing Drift have joined with Democratic bloggers in the mindless act of becoming participants in attacking the Virginia Republican Governor. What should be more disconcerting is the effect this circular firing squad will have on GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli who has also been caught up in the controversy with his own issue of unreported gifts from Star Scientific and Jonnie Williams. When the far right is done with Bob McDonnell, will they then turn their guns on Cuccinelli?

In the words of Richmond Times-Dispatch political writer Jeff Schapiro, "... all Democrats have to do is watch a great Republican tradition: cannibalism."

The hemorrhaging needs to stop.

Interestingly enough, in the shadows away from this controversy stands Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. The far right had its fair share of attacking him earlier this year by calling him a RINO and questioning his conservative credentials. In hindsight, perhaps Bolling did the wisest thing by stepping aside in this toxic environment. Meanwhile, as Jim Hoeft  reported, it's business as usual in the LG's office as he goes about the job of working for the people of Virginia.

The LG is also on the minds of the editorial board at Charlottesville's Daily Progress, wondering what if concerning Bolling's aborted campaign for Governor. Noting the issues surrounding the Governor, the Daily Progress wrote:

“Much of this has occurred on center stage during a summer that was supposed to have belonged to Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a better man who stands in the shadows, cast there by a party that failed him and failed Virginia.

Undercut by state GOP leaders whose political IQ’s can only be measured in minuses, Bolling was thrown to the side by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a man with more baggage than Samsonite.

Rather than hold a primary to allow voters to select the next Republican candidate for governor, party string-pullers conducted the rough equivalent of a meeting in a smoke-filled room, holding a convention to hand Cuccinelli the nomination.

Bolling could have taken his shot in 2009 — surely, he wishes now that he had — but he agreed to stand aside to unify the party, paving the path to McDonnell’s sweeping victory. The idea was that Bolling would wait his turn until 2013.

Then along came Cuccinelli. One wonders how strongly the capital’s most powerful Republican stood for the friend who helped him win election. There are apparent prices to be paid for McDonnell’s friendship. Williams is Exhibit A, evidently.

That has stirred rumblings about McDonnell’s possible early departure from Richmond. A conservative blogger claimed over the weekend that two sources told him the governor was preparing to resign in a plea deal to avoid ethics charges. McDonnell’s staff quickly denied the rumor.

It’s a sign of how deep the governor is in his own mess. Were he to be forced out, moving Bolling into the mansion, Virginia would be served in the interim by a leader superior to the alternatives being offered up for the fall. Perhaps Bolling might gain fuel enough for a write-in run.

That might be a dream, but it is far pleasanter than the nightmare now being lived out in the state’s highest office.

What the far right's circular firing squad is doing is driving people like Laura Lennox of Richmond to consider a write-in vote for Bill Bolling while others have taken to Facebook.

The loser in all this is the Republican Party, both statewide and nationally. Maybe we all need to reconsider the 11th commandment often quoted by Ronald Reagan: Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.

Saturday in Chesterfield: Susan Allen and 'The Remarkable Ronald Reagan'

Ronald Reagan was a remarkable man, and one person who would know that is Virginia's former First Lady Susan Allen whose husband George began his political career leading the Young Republicans for Reagan in 1976. Now Mrs. Allen has lovingly written about this man admired by many.

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander-in-Chief is a children's book but I am eager to read it for two reasons: 1) it's about Ronald Reagan; 2) its author is Susan Allen. They are both people I greatly admire.

Mrs. Allen and her book will be at the Chesterfield Town Center's Barnes & Noble bookstore this Saturday, July 13, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. For those in the Richmond area, it's a wonderful opportunity to visit with Susan for story time and to have her sign your copy of the book.

The Barnes & Noble website offered an overview of the book:

Ronald Reagan was a natural leader, well-remembered not just for his political leadership, but also for his warmth, kindness, dignity, and optimism. There’s a lot kids can learn from Reagan, about our country and about being good leaders and good people.

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander in Chief is a fun, colorful look at his life, from his humble beginnings as the son of a shoe salesman, to his years as a Hollywood actor, his service in WWII, his life as a rancher, and finally the culmination of his political career in the Oval Office. Ronald Reagan is an ideal role model, not only as a leader and former president, but also as a shining example of self-sacrifice and determination. The Remarkable Ronald Reagan is a treat for the entire family.

TLC Book Tours offered more in its assessment of the book:

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan is a wonderful new children's book about our great president and his big dreams in life and his great accomplishments as our Nation's leader....Written for elementary students, adults will also enjoy the walk down memory lane with Reagan -- and everyone will learn something new about this remarkable man! Look forward to seeing you there!

If you miss the Chesterfield stop on Mrs. Allen's book tour, she will be at the Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center Barnes & Noble on Saturday, July 20, 2013, at 11:00 a.m.

Mrs. Allen talked with the folks at the DC Fox News affiliate in an interview about her book. Also, be sure to check out her Facebook page for photos of various locations along the tour and updates about upcoming dates.

About Susan Allen
Susan Allen served as First Lady of Virginia when her husband, George Allen, was elected as the Commonwealth’s 67thGovernor. In that role, she worked on many initiatives including tourism, breast cancer awareness, and children’s issues.

Accompanying her father-in-law, famed NFL head coach and Chairman of The President’s Council on Physical Fitness, Susan met Ronald Reagan in 1987 in the Oval Office. Reagan was an Allen family friend and the one who inspired her husband to run for office. George led Young Virginians for Reagan in 1976 and currently serves on the Board for Governors for the Reagan Ranch.

Susan Allen resides in Mt. Vernon, VA, with her husband and is an avid fan of reading, history, and the outdoors. The Allens have two daughters, Tyler and Brooke, and one son, Forrest.

[And an unofficial added note from me: Susan Allen is an all-around classy lady.]

Highland County phone service out - UPDATED: Service restored

The Recorder is reporting that phone service has been out all day for Highland County. The latest updates on Facebook noted:

So it appears there is at least a countywide (Highland) problem with cell service and long distance. Both have been down all afternoon. No answers yet but we're working on finding out what's going on. This issue may extend at least in to Augusta and Rockingham as well. We'll keep you posted.

And this ...

In the Highlands, still, even if long-distance callers try calling residents here, they will get the superfast busy signal. We tested. The Recorder is trying to get some answers tonight.... but you Highlanders should consider yourselves on "the island" for now. At least the Internet still works ... use your email and Facebook and Twitter, etc., to communicate outside our borders.

UPDATE 10:15 pm: Service has been restored. The Recorder wrote on Facebook, "Long distance and cell service has returned to the Highlands! Still trying to find out what happened...."

NY Times: 'The administration has now lost all credibility'

Facebook and Twitter lit up Thursday as a line in a New York Times editorial many never thought they would see was posted over and over like wild fire.

"The administration," the Times wrote in the opinion piece titled President Obama's Dragnet, "has now lost all credibility."

Reactions were swift and nationwide, and by Friday morning the line had been edited to read, "The administration has now lost all credibility on this issue."

Politico's Dylan Byers noted the change in wording that quietly took place Thursday night and, as he noted, "No correction or explanatory note was appended."

On Friday Byers wrote about the change and why it doesn't lessen the damage to the Obama administration:

"The change was for clarity's sake," Andrew Rosenthal, the Times editorial page editor, told POLITICO on Friday morning. "It was clear from the context of the editorial that the issue of credibility related to this subject and the final edit of the piece strengthened that point."

The "issue" in question is the Obama administrations' oft-repeated claim that an overreach of power -- from secret orders to kill an American suspected of terrorism to the subpoenas of reporters phone records to the collection of Americans' phone and now Internet data -- is required in order to keep Americans safe.

To the Times' critics, and to Obama's, the change may seem like an attempt to soften the blow. It shouldn't: The Times is still unequivocal in its condemnation of the president's abuse of his executive power. That is the important point, and it remains unchanged.

"The administration has now lost all credibility...."

Facebook cracking down on hate speech

After protests from various activist groups, Facebook has rolled out a new policy on hate speech.

In a post on Facebook, Marne Levine, vice president of Global Public Policy, made the announcement that began:

Recently there has been some attention given to Facebook’s content policy. The current concern, voiced by Women, Action and The Media, The Everyday Sexism Project, and the coalition they represent, has focused on content that targets women with images and content that threatens or incites gender-based violence or hate.

Many different groups which have historically faced discrimination in society, including representatives from the Jewish, Muslim, and LGBT communities, have reached out to us in the past to help us understand the threatening nature of content, and we are grateful for the thoughtful and constructive feedback we have received. In light of this recent attention, we want to take this opportunity to explain our philosophy and policies regarding controversial or harmful content, including hate speech, and to explain some of the steps we are taking to reduce the proliferation of content that could create an unsafe environment for users.

Facebook’s mission has always been to make the world more open and connected. We seek to provide a platform where people can share and surface content, messages and ideas freely, while still respecting the rights of others. When people can engage in meaningful conversations and exchanges with their friends, family and communities online, amazingly positive things can happen.

There followed a number of steps that Facebook hopes will prevent further issues as they noted they are constantly working to balance open communication with protection of users.

Hundreds of comments left on the post ranged from praise to criticism as commenters debated the pros and cons of the new policy.

More (bad) changes at Facebook ... oh, joy!

Enough!

I've not complained about the multiple changes in the past that seem to be a continuing stream from the Facebook programmers who appear to have nothing better to do than sit around thinking of ways to change and rearrange the FB layout. Or maybe they're trying to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak.

But I've had enough. What a bad joke to wake up this morning and see more changes. FB now says they will choose the "top stories" they consider most important to me. The tool bar is changed ... there's no longer a "profile" category but, instead, my face and name.

My response to Facebook is ... don't try to get inside my head and do my thinking for me. Do what you're supposed to do ... just be there when I want to post a non-earth-shattering status update or read updates of friends or articles that come through the news feed.

All of us are up-to-our-eyeballs busy and don't have time to constantly be learning new layouts for something as frivolous as Facebook. At what point do people get fed up and say, "Forget it"?

Time's Tech Land summed it up well: "Three things, they say, are certain in life: death, taxes, and Facebook redesigns." Ouch.

The Digital Content blog at The Guardian goes a step further: "In the lead-up to the f8 conference, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg unveils more new features for the site – but the initial reaction around the net is far from positive."

At the local level, most of the feedback has been negative with only a couple of my Facebook "friends" saying they like the change. Well, actually, one of those was a little tentative in his remarks, as in, he "kind of" liked it. Not exactly an overwhelming endorsement.

More responses online: "Ewww." Read the comments following ... not positive.

Mark Zuckerberg ... enough already.

Some social network users give up Facebook, form FreedomTorch.com

Cross-posted at the Washington Examiner....

Remember when MySpace was the social network giant less than a decade ago, gulping up new users as it grew to include a huge following?

After some decisions by MySpace that may have caused it to fall behind technologically, amid concern from some consumers about personal privacy, along came Mark Zuckerberg who answered the need and came up with Facebook.  Offering a layer of privacy from strangers' peering eyes, it became a hit with parents concerned about their children's safety and then, amazingly, became a hit with the parents themselves.  Facebook was the new darling of social media and exploded as tens of millions signed up.

But recent changes at Facebook have led to grumblings from some who accuse it of dictator-like tactics and squashing freedom of speech.  Basically, telling the social network giant to take a hike, the new kids in town came up with their own version of Facebook known as FreedomTorch.com.

Touted as the conservative alternative, FreedomTorch.com has 14,000 members.  Co-founder Kellen Giuda explained in Thursday's Daily Caller why he felt the need for an alternative to Facebook:

In February 2009, Alex Zablocki and I used Facebook to organize the New York City Tea Party, one of the first Tea Party protests in the country. Several thousand people joined our Facebook group, which we used to organize our first Tea Party protest. Hundreds of people showed up, we passed around a bullhorn, and we officially became “Tea Party organizers.” Without Facebook our rally would have most likely attracted about 20 people. Facebook was powerful and we knew it. Our next Tea Party rally, also organized through Facebook, brought 12,000 people to City Hall in Lower Manhattan. A social movement had begun.

Since that time, Giuda and others have seen changes from what they consider to be a liberal-leaning organization that they fear will lead to more censorship.  Giuda noted:

It is increasingly apparent that Facebook does not want people to use its platform for political organizing, and the reason seems to have something to do with the success of Tea Partiers and Middle Easterners in utilizing Facebook for their causes.

Giuda and co-founder, IT developer Jonathan Cousar, hope FreedomTorch.com will fill that void and provide a voice for political opinion without oversight.  Under the banner, "Passing the torch of freedom to a new generation," it offers forums, blogs, documents, videos, audio, podcasts, polls, groups, chat sessions, and an events calendar.

Currently in the middle of a membership drive to reach 15,000, the site gained 200 new users overnight as its members grew from 14,200 to a little over 14,400.  With Facebook's membership currently around 800 million worldwide,  FreedomTorch.com has a way to go before putting a dent in the social network giant's following.

Virginia redistricting fever

Cross-posted at the Washington Examiner....

Tuesday had everyone on the edge of their seats waiting for redistricting maps to go up on the official Virginia DLS site. Time for lift-off was supposed to be 3:30 but 4:00 came and went and still no maps, then 4:30 and still no maps. Finally, a little after 5:00, the maps went up and the site was immediately jammed with the crush of political junkies trying to read the newly-drawn lines. Can you say mega log-jam?

Fluvanna Supervisor Shaun Kenny, who also happens to be a blogger, realizing the state site was crashing, grabbed the State Senate and House maps and reposted them at the political Bearing Drift blog for those who could not access the official site, and put sent an alert out out on Facebook.

Apparently the political junkies who couldn't access the official site took note and swarmed over to Bearing Drift only to also crash that site. That was quickly taken care of and the next post went up with a link to the Virginian-Pilot's interactive redistricting maps along with interesting Bearing Drift observations about the two redistricting proposals.

Meanwhile, back at the official DLS site, long waits for maps to load prompted the suggestion to one blogger that she set a timer and return to the computer when it dinged. Ouch.

The maps were interesting, to say the least. The House map had green lines and the Senate map had blue lines. Big, fat lines. They looked like a magic marker had been used to outline the new districts, and there were some very interesting districts, prompting one blogger to quip, "I haven't seen abstract art like this since Picasso died."

Enter the "word map" ... House Bill 5001 with each House district spelled out in precincts. Nice.

The senate precincts were also listed for those who had difficulty reading the maps.

VPAP (Virginia Public Access Project) quickly assembled an in-depth listing of redistricting coverage with links to numerous sources.

David Sherfinski at the Washington Examiner pointed out that Northern Virginia looked poised to pick up three House seats and one Senate seat. Indeed, Prince William County resident Jim Riley unexpectedly found himself drawn into an open 2nd District House seat. Riley, who was considering running for the Board of Supervisors, suddenly found himself being wooed for the open House seat.

As the maps become familiar and everyone finds their districts, look to hear from new candidates and challengers as November beckons those with a willingness to serve.

Calmer voices speak out after Palin Facebook video flap

Cross-posted at the Washington Examiner....

It is interesting the way the left pores over every word and phrase used by conservatives while allowing liberals to get away with saying just about anything as long as they are in agreement with the liberal thought.

The latest case in point is the huge hypocritical outcry over Sarah Palin's use of the phrase "blood libel" in her Facebook video responding to those who placed blame for Saturday's shooting tragedy in Arizona squarely at her feet. The aftermath of that shooting finds Congresswoman Gabrielle Gibbons still in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head while other injured bystanders continue to recuperate, and funerals take place for the six innocent Americans who were killed in the shooting rampage including nine-year-old Christine Green.

The Anti-Defamation League spoke out against Gov. Palin's video comments with national director Abraham Foxman stating, "... we wish that Palin had not invoked the phrase 'blood libel' in reference to the actions of journalists and pundits in placing blame for the shooting in Tucson on others. While the term 'blood libel' has become part of the English parlance to refer to someone being falsely accused, we wish that Palin had used another phrase, instead of one so fraught with pain in Jewish history."

Now in response, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has written an op-ed in today's Wall Street Journal giving the background on the Jewish use of the terminology "blood libel" and then explaining why Gov. Palin is, in his opinion, correct in using the phrase. The danger in this and any circumstance, he emphasized, was blaming innocent parties:

To be sure, America should embrace civil political discourse for its own sake, and no political faction should engage in demonizing rhetoric. But promoting this high principle by simultaneously violating it and engaging in a blood libel against innocent parties is both irresponsible and immoral.

Donald Douglas at the American Power blog noted that Jonah Goldberg has also backed away from the knee-jerk reaction immediately following Palin's video with an article in National Review:

Palin did exactly what her detractors claimed she both must do and couldn’t do: give a grown up, mature statement.
...
As for the “blood libel” flap, I’ve decided to ratchet down my already very modest objection to the term. While I still think it would have been better had she not used the phrase, so much of the criticism of it is in bad faith. Her intent was honorable and her point was right.

Douglas concluded by noting, "Before folks in Tucson even knew what happened the progressive-left erupted with despicable allegations of Palin's complicity to murder. It doesn't get more sick than that, and as Goldberg's walk-back indicates, some in the conservative Jewish community may be realizing that criticisms of Palin only work to embolden those who aren't their friends."

The rhetoric is sure to continue but at least calmer voices are beginning to weigh in about an event that was the act of a disturbed gunman, not political discourse.

George W. Bush's Facebook fans more engaged than Obama's?

So says a writer at the Huffington Post, of all places, citing that even though President Barack Obama boasts more Facebook fans:

... a large audience is not necessarily an active audience.

Though fewer than 640,000 Facebook users have "Liked" former President George W. Bush's Facebook page, these users tend to interact more with posts than fans of Obama's page do, according to a new report.
Engage, a political analysis and strategy agency focusing on new media, reports the following statistics from a study of popular Facebook posts:

On average, President Obama's last 10 posts have been liked an average of 11,579 times, to Bush's 6,655 times. That works out to more than 1% of Bush's fan base interacting with his page on any given post. For President Obama, it works out to a pretty weak 0.07% fan interaction rate -- and a 13-fold advantage for Bush on that score.

That along with tremendous book sales for "Decision Points" makes a nice Christmas present for GWB! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

'Morning from the Valley ... greetings from Facebook

It's a nice, cool morning in the Shenandoah Valley ... overcast, overnight temp around 60 degrees, lower humidity. We're enjoying a welcome break from the high heat of July.

As I grab a few minutes of computer time before heading out to meet friends for breakfast, I am amused at the small "social" world we live in these days.

My neighbor about two miles up the road was on Facebook and we "talked" back and forth ... too funny. I left birthday greetings on USMC Sgt. Nate Salatin's Facebook page since this is his special day, and responded to several friends who had left messages on my page.

It's a big world out there and, yet, it's not....

W's "Inaugural Address" on Facebook

It was a surprise video that was vintage George W. Bush as the former President spent 1:51 minutes Thursday on what he jokingly called his "Inaugural Address ... on Facebook." It's available over at the Examiner Opinion Zone.

W's on Facebook

George W. Bush on Facebook? It's true, according to NPR's The Corner. Needless to say, the trolls are circling.

Thanks for the heads up, Pat from Shreveport.

NY Times: "The 3 Facebook Settings Every User Should Check Now"

More changes have already occurred at Facebook that users should be aware of. Facebook began as the anti-MySpace, a safe harbor to protect its users and their privacy. However, a series of changes the past months have many questioning what Facebook is doing and why.

The New York Times alerts of recent Facebook renovations:

In December, Facebook made a series of bold and controversial changes regarding the nature of its users' privacy on the social networking site. The company once known for protecting privacy to the point of exclusivity (it began its days as a network for college kids only - no one else even had access), now seemingly wants to compete with more open social networks like the microblogging media darling Twitter.

Many young people use the site openly, talking back and forth and trading photos as if they were private correspondences with friends.

But they may not be.

And therein lies the problem. What began as a relatively small closed internet neighborhood has the potential to explode into the Google search engine system. Photos of the guys on a wild drinking fishing trip -- or any photos or careless writing -- could end up in the hands of a potential employer or worse.

The face of Facebook has changed ... be aware.

You will want to read this article about the many changes in this giant social network before it turns into your own personal giant social nightmare. As the Times says, take five minutes to check your status and be sure it is what you want it to be.

H/T to Gail