Free Republic

Sorta is a great FReeper, although she's "shy and retiring" in the posting world (but ONLY here....).

I'm a techno-dinosaur who's way behind the curve....we have a laptop,HP, Win7 which works just fine on the home wireless network. What I'm wonderin' is if there is even such a thing: Some sort of prepaid USB plug in card that would allow us to get on the internet during power outages, while driving or traveling, or at some locale that doesn't offer wireless - in other words, we'd like to be able to fire up anywhere we get cellphone service. Preference would be a non-expiring 'number of minutes' thingie, kind of like a prepaid phone calling card. I know...

One of my melancholy favorites this time of year....this one's pretty well done, IMO

Something reminded me this morning to check up on Jay....

Granddaughter Grace Elizabeth was brought to us on July 13, just a couple of weeks early....she was a bit 'sluggish' regarding suckling instincts, etc., so she was held in the Sacramento hospital for a few days. After a week at home, her weight dropped and the listlessness worsened, so she's been re-hospitalized since last Monday......the staff Neuro suspects some seizure activity, and his diagnosis will be restudied this coming Monday. Requesting Prayer Warrior activists to kick it in on Grace's behalf. Regards, Bat

Some good ones here....

Very nice photo compilation, with appropriate music

Not seeing this previously posted. Congrats to Megyn.

Could be some great buys for Black Friday.....but then again, given the trend of gifting Gift Cards, I'd personally be leary of putting up some green on a Best Buy Card, given their pessimism...

My brother in Gainesville, Georgia closed down his store for a bit to capture the funeral procession of Corporal Matthew Phillips, on the way to neighboring Cumming. Matthew was one of the nine killed in Afghanistan not long ago.

My eye landed on this Gilligan's Island kinda pic in today's obits, so I read it.....rather appalling, if you axe me.

I really, really hope this one isn't photoshopped, (as was the one with Bush looking backward thru binoculars).

Batavia is techno-challenged, and needs FReeper help before calling in the Geek Squad. Reading mail last nite, screen suddenly went black. Connections all seem firm and clean. With no visible cursor (and I don't have a clue as to using keystrokes), no choice other than to do the "hold power button for 5 seconds" to do the shutdown. When I turn it on (HP 7975 Pavilion, by the way - with separate LCD flat screen monitor), I do hear the musical tone that accompanies, which leads me to believe that the "guts" may be all right, and that I may...

The son of oft-troubled former Major League Baseball player Steve Howe was arrested two weeks ago on suspicion of possession of steroids and alcohol, a sheriff’s official said Wednesday. Brian Howe, 18, a Valencia High School student and member of the Vikings varsity baseball team, was arrested Dec. 9, said Sheriff’s Lt. Brenda Cambra. At about 9 p.m., sheriff’s deputies pulled over Brian Howe after they witnessed him and two other people loading what appeared to be alcoholic beverages in a vehicle at the Rite Aid in the 31700 block of The Old Road in Castaic. During the traffic stop,...

We Californians have kinda gotten used to seeing graffiti in weird places...freeway overpasses, railroad trestles, etc. This one caused me to go get the camera yesterday, though. It was right outside the chapel at Mission Santa Ines in Solvang. Yep - we now have plantlife being tagged....sigh. It might be fun to see what other FReepers have some demos to share.

In May of 2002 we had much of this desert home recarpeted (and tiled) as we prepared to make it our fulltime residence. The past couple of months I've noticed some "loosening" (little wave-like swells) in the heavy traffic areas. Along the opposite line, some "dip" which appears to be where the padding was joined, has developed in one area of the bedroom. Some of this could be due to our extreme summer heat this year, but the bottom line is I can lift the "waves" a good inch by pinching and lifting those areas. Wassup? Is there a 'fix'...

Audie Murphy died on this date in 1971....he should be remembered today, as well as this holiday weekend.

(dumping this Thursday evening, only because it's unlikely I'll be in the arena for the Official Friday Silliness Thread...., and fingers crossed that when I hit the 'post' button that the HTML is acceptable):

My brother-in-law, Harvey Adams, has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer which has already spread to the lymph glands. Harvey has Down's Syndrome and is due to celebrate his 69th birthday on the 26th of this month. Sixty nine is extremely long-lived for one with Down's as I understand it. His prognosis is not good, given the cancers. Harvey has always been the sweetest, nicest, most gentle soul and I love him as dearly as does his sister, my wife. He lives in a small town of around 300 in central Minnesota and it's the kind of situation where he...

Friday, January 28, 2005 Man rushes to help despite harrowing past A truck driver who was rescued from a burning car as a teen risks his life pulling a man from derailed train. By Tim Molloy and Ben Fox >The Associated Press > Most of the people who rushed to the derailed train were backing off, afraid the flames and spilled diesel made it too dangerous to save the pleading man trapped in the tangled wreckage. Dean Jaeschke, though, jumped to help. He knew what it was like to burn. > Years ago, strangers rescued Jaeschke from a car accident...

Looks like a precautionary evacuation in the Chino area of Southern California...daylight should tell us more.

This is one goofy looking humanoid...and I used to think that Paul McCartney looks like an aging lesbian.

Mrs. Bat and I are looking to the future; being in our upper fifties, we want to join the exodus from California in a few years after the parents are gone (Pop is 90 and Mom is 83). I suppose we'll fall into the retired category, so employment isn't a factor. Kingman, Arizona on the surface looks interesting; have only driven through several years ago. Any hints as to the water situation, etc? Googleizing can only take you so far...at that point you call in the reinforcements; thanks in advance!

Blast you, O'Reilly...you talk the talk, but don't walk the walk when you finally score one of your "targets".......you had a great little elitist smilefest with Bob Kerrey, but failed to hammer him. Your critics are right - you're starstruck, and just as much a member of the 'Establishment' you pretend to deride. Hell, you apparently just couldn't remember how to pronounce the name "Gorelick", eh, so you just cruised through your lovefest? Time to cash in the chips, Bill. ErnBatavia (inserting FReepname here)- La Quinta, California

I received the installation CD today for Microsoft Office Powerpoint 2003. Of course, it comes with no written instructions, and I'm rather stumped as to how to proceed further. Example; I try and import a 'folder' with several pics and I get either none, or just one - during my little test runs. Any tips from fellow FReepers?...My goal is to be able to take a series of digital pics and snaz them up a bit, and look like a wizard. I'm failing tonight in the wizard department! It appears I've installed correctly, but now I'm stalled.

I probably blew the format for starting a thread...and didn't see posted elsewhere. A true hero has moved on. My 56 year old self just went outside, faced the sky, and offered the best salute I've snapped in 35 years. Rest In Peace, Mitch....proud and honored to have had your aquaintance.

Sad, this turn of events...as usual the legal "profession" seems to be at the root of much of this.

Ordinance targets illegal dumpers TRASH: Colton has to take special steps to protect the habitat of an endangered fly. 06/30/2003 By ELLEN BRAUNSTEIN THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE Flies can breed under trash. Which is precisely why Colton officials say they can't easily remove debris dumped along the city's filthiest roads. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prohibition against destroying the breeding grounds of an endangered fly species calls for creative and extreme measures to prevent illegal dumping in Colton, city officials say To that end, the Colton City Council is expected to give final approval Tuesday to an ordinance allowing police to...

...Hope this linkage works OK. The Riverside, CA Press Enterprise food section now has a column devoted to critiquing "fast food"...pretty good for a hoot Fast Food Dude

Remember the hacker who really screwed up Al Jazeera during the early days of the war? Here's the resolution (afternoon news tells me he got probation) (Apologies if I'm not following proper link etiquette here....I don't generally post articles)

Got this one today, and felt the need to share. "Rosie saddles up!"

...Just a reminder that it's time to get those American flags all ready for hoisting. Since our area is properly illuminated, mine went up within 10 minutes of last night's Presidential Address....it's up for the duration.

There is a certain Freeper with who I'm aquainted, who is going to a St. Paddy's party...there is a limerick contest being flouted. She (er....'certain Freeper') would like some tips. The first line reads "There was a young maiden from Dublin".... We're to take it from there.

I hope I'm not duplicating, but I haven't seen this query? Mrs. Batavia has been strongly wondering what France is "offering" the UN fence sitters as de Villepin makes his weekend tour of various countries, to line up pro-Iraq support. It's been fairly well documented that the U.S. is digging deep into the coffers, but we have seen/heard absolutely nada on what France is using in the way of bribery (or blackmail?)

Mrs. Bat had - for whatever reason - Dona-who on just now, and it was announced that Ted Nugent will be his guest this coming Tuesday. This could be good. This could be beyond good. Old Phil better get ready to be laughed at, because this is going to happen. Gotta love it; I'll be there, helping his ratings...

Arizona Freepers - Mrs. Bat and I are driving from Kalifornia over to Apache Junction next week to see some Minnesota relatives who are down to warm up for a couple of weeks. We want to take them some of our home grown tangerines and grapefruit. It's been a loooong time since I've made the drive into Arizona....does your state have the "Ag check" stops, where we'd have to forfeit the fruit?

I did a Googleization on Dick Gregory earlier today, because I thought he was dead....he ain't, but what I did note is how he resembles Los Angeles "Homeless Activist" Ted Hayes:

Eerie...Helen Thomas and Betty Friedan

Hannity and Colmes, once again, scraped the bottom of the barrel and scooped up Susan Estrogen( Marlboro and 10-High voice included in package )to give her take on Trent Lott and a few other things. Hannity gaggled, and Colmles oogled...

SCOTUS - I'm sure that one or two of the Justice's retirement plans have now been altered. Poor old Ruth now can't quit for awhile.

This just in over the wires!

The Freep forums seem to running with alacrity this morning; maybe because it's only 5:20 a.m. out here, and traffic is light, but it's zipping right along. Are the problems of the past few days resolved?

Anybody else seen any good campaign signs? I saw this tandem, which just screams the question: "Does Garcia pass the 'smell test'?

Eerie....

Harry Belafonte is due to appear at the Palm Desert, Kalifornia McCallum Theater (a beautiful and elegant place, I might add - world class)tomorrow Sunday the 13th only. I want to picket or Freep or whatever, along the lines of "Harry, who's made his millions by entertaining 'Whitey', wherein Colin Powell actually has done something worthwhile "(altho I'd probably be a little less graphic). I've never picketed or protested before. If I decide to do this, of course the paper and TV stations will be tipped..other than this, I'd appreciate guidance from the 'vets' here. This is a one night...

Anybody else get "hosed" by foolishly accepting a "recommended Windows update"? I sure did yesterday; from the HP website, I took in "Service Pack 1" which was recommended for security. Since yesterday morning, the computer has had only a black screen with wording along the lines of 'your computer has suffered meltdown' (duh). After roughly two hours on the phone (toll call, of course) with various HP support people, I learn that there are "issues" with this Service Pack update, and that if the recovery disks they are sending me don't do the fix, and they suspect they will not,...

Teen Suffers Burns After Setting Own Shorts On Fire ELGIN, Ill., 12:16 p.m. CDT September 23, 2002 - A Roselle teenager suffered second-degree burns during a game with two other boys where they would splash gasoline on their pants, set them on fire, then try to put them out. The DailyHerald.com reported Monday that the "game" took place in the back yard of an Elgin home. Elgin police said the boys took turns smearing their shorts with gasoline Saturday night. They would then take turns lighting each other's pants on fire, and the teen whose pants were set on fire...