Posted on 04/04/2005 8:07:34 PM PDT by Long Cut
Well, that time has come for me. I’m leaving FR. However, I do not consider this an “opus”, as I am NOT going to use it to rehash old slights or arguments, or to give my personal opinion of what “should be done around here”. As has been so often pointed out, this is Jim Robinson’s site, and he runs it as he sees fit. Rather, all I’m going to do here is give a general reason for my departure, and say a hearty-but-sad “GOODBYE!” to all the folks here who have enriched my life in the past four years.
I am a small-government, national-security and military supporting, pro-gun, economic conservative who also likes to enjoy the life I have to its fullest. I believe that the government does its best work when it restricts itself to the things it is supposed to do vis a vis the Constitution. That is, it should restrict itself at this time to shooting terrorists and delivering the mail, as well as doing its level best to ensure that the rights of one citizen are left untrampled by another. I hold that the government should stay as far as possible from any entanglements with religion, organized or not, save to ensure that ALL are treated fairly by the law. I also hold that the government should NOT be in the business of making laws regarding the personal, private behavior of its free citizens, so long as such behavior harms no other.
In these past months, it has become plain to me that this position is NOT that of a majority of FReepers, nor of the management itself. So, rather than “tilt at windmills”, I shall simply go my own way. I have no comments about this circumstance or its origins; it is simply the way I see things.
Also, I have grown as a person on FR. When I first joined, I’d be right in there flaming with the best of ‘em. As the years have past, I have come to realize the value of simple, civil discourse, for it is in that sort of discourse that a man may actually learn things, both about the topic at hand, and about himself and what being a true gentleman means.
As before, in the past months, the majority seems to prefer it to be otherwise. Again, no comments, just stating what I see.
Before I leave, however, I wish to do two things.
First and foremost, I wish to thank Mr. Robinson for providing this site…despite the necessity of leaving now, I have truly learned a great deal here, too much for words. I was able to “vent my spleen” on issues that mattered to me, talk about mutual interests with like-minded people, and get to know some absolutely terrific folks. Mr. Robinson, you did a good job. Sorry indeed am I that I must part ways. Nonetheless, as one old Sailor to another, “Fair Winds And Following Seas, Shipmate!”
Second, I wish to thank, and bid farewell to, some of the most outstanding people it has ever been my pleasure and honor to know.
- The folks over at the FReeper Canteen, shepherded by 68-69tonkingulfyachtclub. I was drawn to the Canteen almost on my first day here, as there exists there an outpouring of support and affection for this nation’s military (of which I am a part) the likes of which have seldom seen equal. From the first, they took me in as if I were one of their own families, and the regular posters there were with me with prayers and support, as well as joy and salutes, through many dark days indeed, and many bright ones.
I am an agnostic, religiously, but that did not matter to my Canteen Friends…they were there with prayers and, well, love when my wife and I lost our first baby. They shared in the joy we had when we finally had a healthy son. They prayed again, selflessly, for me when I went on deployment. Then, they welcomed me home again with open arms, and more prayers, as I came home to bury my dear mother. In doing this for someone they knew was not religious himself, and in doing it without any hesitation, they showed a non-believer the BEST side of Christianity one could possibly ask for. To the Canteen, including Ms. Behavin, Ms. Poohbear, La diva loca, trussel, Tonk, Spotsy, Bentfeather, KathyinAlaska, and all the rest too numerous to name, I say without any sense of irony at all, “BLESS YOU”.
- The many unbelievably intelligent scientists and science-lovers over on the Crevo and science threads, ably pinged by PatrickHenry. From you ladies and gentlemen of BOTH sides, I have expanded my scientific knowledge and thinking by an order of magnitude. Ichneumon, Vade, Junior, Radio Astronomer, Right wing Professor, Betty Boop, Alamo-Girl, and all the rest of the maniacs over there made it an edifying experience that could never have been acquired in a school.
- The HTT list. I thoroughly enjoyed the times we spent “raisin Hell”. Gabz, Formermilitarychick, exnavychick, and the rest shared many a laugh with this old Heathen.
- Archy, Squantos, Travis McGee, Glock Rocks, Joe Brower, criminall number 18f, and all of the guys and gals on the gun or “Bang List threads. I learned a ton of good gouge from you guys over the years. I’m gonna miss you, but with your advice I shan’t miss much else with a pistol!
- The Republican Party Reptiles. The Big B and company showed quite well that not ALL conservatives are stick in the muds. Many of us actually LIKE looking at pretty women in few clothes. B, I hope the party lasts a bit longer fer y’all.
- The WPPFF. Y’all know who you are, and why. All I can say is, we tried. And we tried long past what any normal person would have, to our credit.
- My individual Friends…DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet, Veronica, peach, the incomparable PukinDog, Wild Turkey, and about a hundred others I could take a couple of days naming. I’ll miss y’all sumpin’ turible.
Anyhoo, this has gotten longer than I ever thought it would. Anyone with me on their ping lists can go ahead and remove my name, if you wish. Those whose wish it is to gloat, say “good riddance”, and other such juvenile nonsense are welcome to begin, thus confirming my reasoning.
‘Bye, all. Godspeed.
This is now a wake of sorts, for a departed friend. This has less than NOTHING to do with your supposed feelings of patriotism, lashed with self importance.
I love those songs too,probably for far longer than you have, but you aren't making a point...you're being a clod.
MARESEATSOATS AND DOESEATSOAKS AND LITTLELAMBSEATIVY,KIDS'LLEATIVYTOO,WOULDN'TYOU ?
Artist/Band: Keith Toby
Lyrics for Song: The Taliban Song
Lyrics for Album: Shock'n Y'all
(Toby Keith/Scotty Emerick)
Well I’m just a middle aged middle eastern camel herdin’ man
I got a 2 bedroom cave here in north Afganistan
Things used to be real cool then they got out of hand
When they moved in, .......they call themselves the Taliban
(ooo-ooo-ooo yea, )the Taliban
Now, I ain’t seen my wife’s face since they came here
They make her wear a scarf over her head that covers her from ear to ear
She loves the desert and the hot white sand
But man she’s just like me, naw she can’t stand the Taliban
(ooo-Taliban baby)
You know someday soon we’re both gonna saddle up
And it’ll be ride, camel, ride
My old lady she’ll be here with me smilin’ right by my side
We should do just fine down in Palestine or maybe Turkministan
We’ll bid a fair adieu and flip the finger to the Taliban
Oh oh yea the Taliban, baby
Now they attacked New York City cause they thought they could win
Said they would stand and fight until the very bloody end
Well, Mr Bush got on the phone with Iraq and Iran and said
Now you knuckleheads better not be doin’ business with the Taliban
So we prayed to Allah with all of our might
And then those big US jets came flyin’ in one night
They dropped little bombs all over our holy land
And man you should have seen em run like rabbits, they ran, the Taliban
You know someday soon we’re both gonna saddle up
And it’ll be ride, camel, ride
My old lady she’ll be here with me smilin’ right by my side
We should do just fine down in Palestine or maybe Turkministan
We’ll bid a fair adieu and flip the finger to the Taliban
We’ll bid a fair adieu and give a big boner to the Taliban
Green Door is roughly '53-'54.
"Your either with us or against us", George W Bush!
Ops4 God Bless America!
They were that, but I don't think that I want to relive them at all. :-)
Artist/Band: Keith Toby
Lyrics for Song: Nights I Can't Remember, Friends I'll Never Forget
Lyrics for Album: Shock'n Y'all
(Toby Keith/Scotty Emerick)
Me and JB and Sonny, we grew up on the buddy plan
Weren’t we some bad mothers, closer than brothers
Had a rockin’ little three-piece band
Yeah we wrote a lot of songs about women
Then we tried to sing ‘em pretty for the girls
Pushin’ everythin’ we did to the limit
Livin’ right out on the edge of the world.
I recall on summer night at a party
We were sophomores hangin’ out by the lake
I got off on some wine with a waitress
Sonny had a girlfriend that just couldn’t wait
JB hooked up around midnight
With an ugly girl from up in the city
He downed every can of beer in the cooler
Just tryin’ to drink that poor thing pretty.
Hey me and the boys we made a lot of noise
And we, sang all our songs for free
We partied through college, acquired some knowledge
Never did get a degree
We did it our way lookin’ back on the good days
There’s still not a lot I regret
Nights I Can’t Remember, Friends I’ll Never Forget.
I grew up and got married, took a job with the FPL
Sonny’s got a good life, a baby and a good wife
And everyday he carries the mail
JB is a cross-country trucker
And he called last night from South Carolina
He said I fallen in love with a waitress
That I met at a Waffle House diner.
He said the years seem to roll on faster
Than they did back when we were kids
Then we need us a break from the grindstone
That’s exactly what we did.
We put in a phone call to Sonny
Then we stayed out all night long
We drank a few cold ones, then told a few old ones
And sang another verse to the song.
Yeah we were boys who made a lot of noise
And we, sang all our songs for free
We partied through college, acquired some knowledge
Never did get a degree
We did it our way lookin’ back on the good days
There’s still not a lot I regret
There’s some Nights I Can’t Remember, with Friends I’ll Never Forget.
All those Nights I Can’t Remember, Friends I’ll Never Forget.
"WHY US?"
Someone KNEW they'd be in good hands with you.
FGS.
The bandwidth.
Surgeons general warning: This much sarcasm can be hazardous to ones health
Here's one from the turn of the century.....the 19th to the 20th century, that is........
"Cocaine and Bill and Morphine Sue, walking down the avenue, oh baby have a little ( sound of snorting ) on me......."
And then there's "WILLIE THE WEAPER", which is from the mid 19th century minstrel shows.
Wholehearted BTTT!
Procedure without principle.
Well "chit" - we're talking MODERN day...like 50 - 60 years back... not even going back as far as Sinatra...lol.
1. Nopardons, you are right, I didn't ping Chad. Chad, I'm sorry I didn't ping you, it just slipped my mind.
2. Nopardons, how about we cut the temper tantrum and consider my replies to be.....blunt.
3. Now,I didn't register here to replace Long Cut. Wouldn't want to try, and don't need to. Besides, he may be back, there's been some heartfelt pleas on this thread.
4. Chad on Poohbahs opus (do I have to ping Poohbah, since they are officially gone?)stated:
Poohbah's Opus
Posted by Chad Fairbanks to Poohbah On News/Activism 04/01/2005 7:39:43 PM EST · 55 of 1,945
Well, I guess that's it then. Screw it.
and........
Poohbah's Opus Posted by Chad Fairbanks to Pukin Dog On News/Activism 04/01/2005 7:55:01 PM EST · 163 of 1,945
Pooh deserves a lot more respect than he is getting on this thread.
Well, based on the way he's being treated, I'd say it's quite the indictment of what's been happening on FR. Rational thought and civility have departed, and "facts" are no longer important.
Therefore, I think I'll follow him out the door.
But, lo and behold.....
To: Kryptonite
Blah blah blah. Still the sanctimonious ****, aren't you.
401 posted on 04/05/2005 1:08:18 AM EDT by Chad Fairbanks (Sure you can trust the government... just ask an Indian...)
Watch closely now
To: Chad Fairbanks
I thought you left.
443 posted on 04/05/2005 1:19:17 AM EDT by mother22wife21 (Too tired to be witty, snippy or a nutcase.)
and....
To: Chad Fairbanks
Are you the first of the opus writers to come back?I know yours was just a little blurb- but it was still opus like...Just wondering how long it might be before your buds follow suit.
441 posted on 04/05/2005 1:19:02 AM EDT by Diva Betsy Ross (Code pink stinks!)
and finally....
To: Diva Betsy Ross
I am limiting my participation - I've made that clear privately to those who actually matter.
456 posted on 04/05/2005 1:21:22 AM EDT by Chad Fairbanks (Sure you can trust the government... just ask an Indian...)
The references to ego trips and temper tantrums did indeed reference Chad. Those were arrived at because of the Poohbah posts, and the short and curt answer to Diva Betsy Ross.
Now, Nopardons, since you have in essence called me a liar, I wonder how long you have to be here to get to do that?
Use those reading comprehension skills you are proud of and catch up. I did most of the work for you.
tagline material
From Blazing Saddles: "Some people get their kicks from whiskey...some people get their kicks from wine...some people get their kicks from cocaine..." (At least I think that's how it went.)
And talking about a "drama Queen", dear, I wouldn't be so quick to throw that epitaph at me, when it it you who are being one. ;^)
PRINCIPLE!
The University of Oklahoma Law Center
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Julia Ward Howe
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He has loosed the fateful lightening of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnish`d rows of steel,
"As ye deal with my contemners, So with you my grace shall deal;"
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel
Since God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
OMG!
Like this thread is about YOU?
Geeeeez, drama queen.
I get no kick from champagne
Mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you?
---Cole Porter
GO FOR IT! :)
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