A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....11-07-03....Meet The Mayor

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Born and raised in Hopkinton, Massachusetts - home of the Boston Marathon - Rus (The Mayor) credits his maternal grandmother (Nana), a Conservative and a school teacher, for the political blood which runs through his veins.

"I grew up a liberal hippie but was slapped around by Nana when I criticized Nixon. (My step father said that if Nixon won in '68 we were gonna move out of the country.) :)"

"My maternal grandfather was the Chief of Police in Hopkinton. He died of a massive coronary while directing traffic after the Thanksgiving day football game between Ashland and Hopkinton in 1956. I was his first grandson. He was 48 years old when he died; I was only 9 months."

"My grandparents on my father's side lived in Ashland; my paternal grandmother will be 97 this Thanksgiving and still sharp as a tack. We've traced their roots all the way back to the Mayflower..." *

"My paternal grandfather worked for Raytheon-Bedford Laboratories and for Raytheon-Andover Missle Operations. He was also a Ham Radio Operator, and had one of the first licenses issued. When he died we were allowed to go into his work room and found direct links to NASA, as well as little TV sets to monitor the happenings in space. He was on the team that invented the microwave oven, but then it was called the "Radar Range".

1976. It was the year that Rus joined the army. A peanut farmer from Georgia was in the Whitehouse. Stationed at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, from March 1976 to March 1979, Rus was a cook for the Military Intelligence school.

"My best friends were the MPs, 10 Special Forces Group, and the Medics. We all had the craziest hours - I'd feed them coffee and pastry all night when the mess hall was closed. That's probably why I love to post coffee everyday."

In the 1980 Presidential Election, Rus proudly voted for Ronald Reagan, helping to name him our 40th President of the United States of America.

"Listening live to the swearing in ceremony while the hostages were being released was a very proud moment for this country and for me. I guess I was a Reagan Democrat, but I had no idea where I was politically then."

*John Stearns, one of Rus' ancestors, was a carpenter on the Mayflower; perhaps it's where The Mayor got his talent for carpentry. (Well, Jesus was a Carpenter, too....)

"Wood working is my true love; I just wish I could still do it as I did when I was younger. I would love to own and operate a custom woodworking shop. Build furniture, toys etc..."

"I've lived in Massachusetts, Arizona, California, Virginia and currently reside New York. I've been in the home building industry most of my adult life. I recently built this log cabin in Virginia."

Note: If there was ever even a sliver of doubt about The Mayor's patriotism, one look at the picture above would dispel that. How many builders so proudly display Old Glory on their unfinished homes?

New York! New York!

"In the more recent past I have been very Political. I am a registered Conservative in Liberal Western NY. Where the Rino's roam, I still haven't found a real elected republican."

"For six years I went to every town board meeting and served on the Town Center planning committee. A Director of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, I was nicknamed a gadfly by the Buffalo News. I took offense to that name; I am not an insect that won't go away - I am a concerned citizen that believes we have Rights to speak up when the elected aren't doing their job."

"At one point, three others and I were kicked out of a town board meeting because - God forbid! - we wanted to be heard. Roberts Rules of Order allows the People to be heard concerning issues that are on the agenda; our town didn't allow it then, but within three months the rules were changed and the people can now be heard."

"I was never afraid to write Letters to the Editor."

"In 2001 I ran for Town Council of Grand Island, NY. I sought the Republican endorsement and was turned down - too much of a threat to the female incumbent. My interview lasted an hour, and the incumbent was present. They drilled me on what I would do to help the town. She wrote down every one of my ideas and tried to put forth as her own. So I ran on the Conservative and Right to Life lines. I didn't win but I sure brought out the issues. (Surprisingly, in the past two years the town has started making the changes I advocated over the years.)"

"This was the Award-winning float my wife designed and we built for my campaign. We loaded it up with kids and supporters, and everyone was wearing a t-shirt that said: "A Vote for RUS - is a vote for US". We had fun that day. The flag is made out of tissue flowers."

"Sept 11th was primary day. (postponed for two weeks after the attack) I was being challanged on both the Conservative and the Independent lines. I was getting ready to go vote when the planes flew into the World Trade Center. I went up the street to a friend's service station and lowered his huge flag to half staff. The next few hours I was glued to Fox News and the threads here on FreeRepublic."

"A day I will never forget, and we as a Nation should never forget. What we are doing is Just and Right."

I have one final picture to add, because when you see it, you will see The Mayor in every face in that crowd, and what a true patriot looks like.

Glen Becks Rally For America in Richmond, Va in March 2003

"I am in that picture somewhere; 10,000 Patriots attended a completly peaceful event. On the other side of town there was an antiwar rally - only 1000 showed up, but there was violence and there were arrests. What a joke those people are."

Thank you, Rus, for letting us get to know you a little better today, and thank you for our daily coffee and the inspirational message found inside that purple cup each new day.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 11-03-03 Military Monday 11-04-03 S.Dakota - Great Faces, Great Places 11-05-03 FReeper Kitties & More (Calpernia) 11-06-03 JohnHuang Essay

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact
.45Man or dansangel
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[The Thin Man]

That's scarey!

[dansangel]

I miss you, too (((((MEG)))))

Life sometimes has a way of interfering with FReeping. :-(

[Mama_Bear]

Billie, thank you for arranging this "Coffee with The Mayor".

What an interesting coffee it has been! I am just absolutely astounded at the parallels between my family and yours, Rus!

I was born in Framingham a few years before you were born in Hopkinton. But, the coincidence becomes even more amazing than this. The reason I was born in Framingham is because my family lived in Ashland and there was no hospital there. My mother and my maternal grandparents lived in Ashland, in a house on Main Street. My grandfather worked for Telechron for many years there. I am sure that my mother and her parents would have known your grandparents. Everyone knew everyone in Ashland.

My mother lives with us now and I have been talking to her this morning about your coming from Hopkinton. She's been telling me about the age-old rivalry between Ashland HS and Hopkinton HS and the Thanksgiving Day football games that she ALWAYS attended. Her screen name is Grammy Bear. I am going to do my best to get her to log on and tell you some of her recollections about her growing up in Ashland. She says that her uncle (her mother's brother) married a "Ruth Stearns" who's family lived up by the Old Mill Pond in Ashland. That would make their son my second cousin. Could it be possible that our family trees intersect somewhere?

We probably should carry on this family reunion via freepmail, so I will have Grammy Bear freepmail you later today.

Gosh, I have known you on the Finest thread forever and had no idea that our families came from the same place and probably knew each other. What are the odds of this kind of coincidence!? This has just made my day. :-)

Big hugs to you cousin (((((((Rus))))))))! ;-)

(((((((((Billie, Dansy, Dutchess, Aqua)))))))))) Have a wonderful day!

[dansangel]

LOL - Love your graphic!

I have a *secret* - even though I consider myself a Floridian because I spent most of my adult life there and love it so much (my stint in GA is just an unfortunate pit stop - lol) I was born in MA (ugh!) .45MAN was born in Portland, ME but grew up in Worcester, MA. He was *always* a conservative Republican, overcoming his surroundings. Unfortunately, I had to outgrow my bad influences.

I really feel you and other conservatives *will* prevail. The silent majority has had its fill of the drooling, leftist, liberal shenanigans. You *go* Rus! :-)

[Billie]

A happy Friday to you, Billie. I think this is one of your better efforts even though you misspelled missile (missle), links to previous threads are off center and I think the "topper" is missing (whatever that is). :-)

Three little words for you, T Man. (and they're not "I love you.")  :)
Kiss My Gri-uts!

....misspelled missile (missle)....Rus, are you going to come to my rescue here? Geez! I forgot to proof one little sentence. LOL!

[Billie]

Morning, Free - yes, the flag on that house before it was even finished says a lot for our Mayor. :)

[MEG33]

The vowel thief struck again.Even the Thin Man can surely understand that!

[Billie]

I think it's neat the way you take one of the graphics and add your own touch to it!

[Billie]

If you're not real careful, Miss Billie just might show you what a missing topper is . . . .

DING! DING! DING! Way to go, Freezie.....

[Billie]

Yay, Temple! Thank you! FR's where it's at!

[Billie]

Free: If you're not real careful, Miss Billie just might show you what a missing topper is . . . .

T Man: She wouldn't dare!

Yeah, I would.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

And it WASN'T missing.....not today anyway! LOL

[Billie]

The vowel thief struck again.Even the Thin Man can surely understand that!

Nah! He would be so disappointed if he couldn't find something to complain about. :) (Surely you understand that by now!) LOL!

((((((((((((Meg))))))))))))

[Billie]

Good morning to you, Sistah! Will be glad when *your* schedule lets up too! :( Maybe I should offer you and Dansy a raise so you could quit your jobs and be here fulltime. LOL! Do we need Diver to broker for you? :)

[eleni121]

HI Mayor!

What an excellent way to end my liberally saturated week.

When is western NY going to get back their freeper cell? I will provide the venue if others help out as well.

And...what's your take on the elections in WNY this week?

[Billie]

Dutchess: Billie...beautiful job as always

Freezie: I don't even bother to say that anymore! I think "Billie" means "Beautiful graphics" in Malaysian or something . . . .

LOL! Ok, raise for you, too, Freezie! :)

Thank you both for always saying the nicest things - to everyone. Love you, Sistahs!

[Billie]

Billie, thank you for arranging this "Coffee with The Mayor".

Welcome! Way interesting about the birthplaces, etc. the two of you have in common!

[MEG33]

I am aware...;)Mercy is a beautiful thing,though.

[Billie]

Thanks for coming to say hello to The Mayor this morning, eleni!

[The Thin Man]

Looks like you and the shysterette have a disagreement on the meaning of a "topper." Maybe that explains why her threads are the way they are.

:-)

[The Mayor]

Dear Billie,

Your wonderful profile of me dear 'usband Rus brought tears to my eyes! He's the most hard-working, honest, passionate, principled and underappreciated man I know...it's very comforting to know he has such good friends.

With love and deep gratitude,

The Mayor's Wife