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.
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.45Man or dansangel
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[Mama_Bear]

I KNOW that Lori will help you any time, too!

I sure will. That's what sistahs are for. Any time I can help, just give me shout.

Like Billie, I can locate problem < center> and < blockquote> commands practically in my sleep. It comes from spending hours and hours searching them down. After you have done it enough you will find you can almost instinctively go right to them.

But I know too well the panicky feeling of test posting my html and finding all my tables messed up and not even knowing where to begin to correct them. We've all been there. LOL

Free, I didn't get a chance to say good morning to you earlier.......so 'good morning afternoon'. Have a terrific day.

[Billie]

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

I copied your entire post, because it really touched me. Thank you for writing! I think you can see - and especially before the day is over - how well-liked and respected he is here, and on other daily threads he frequents. The news of losing his job Monday was upsetting for all of us - hoping and praying it won't be long before he finds something.

[Billie]

shysterette ....

LOL! Actually, no disagreement between us - I knew what she meant, and she knows I knew what she meant, but I chose to go the other way instead. :)

[Billie]

Mercy is a beautiful thing, though.

I don't think he knows what that means. LOL

[MEG33]

I have been trying to show that to err is human!!To forgive is indeed divine...;)

[Billie]

I have been trying to show that to err is human!!To forgive is indeed divine...;)

Gosh, I wish you luck, Meg. LOL

Gone to Lunch - I be back!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Congratulations Your Honor on being honored today!

Billie : VERY nice thread!

[JustAmy]

Congratulations on being featured as one of FR's Finest.



I am honored to call you FRiend.
Thanks for all you do!!

[JustAmy]

Another wonderful presentation, Billie.
We all know The Mayor, but thank you for helping us to know him better.

[The Thin Man]

I have been trying to show that to err is human!!

I guess that puts an end to all speculation that Billie came from Mars. She is the most 'human' person I know (except for dutchess). LOL!

[MEG33]

There you are, to brighten my day!

[dansangel]

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? :)

Sounds good to me. Lars has been complaining that the H2 needs a tune-up.

Meanwhile, ((((DD))) has been awfully quiet about being spokesperson! :-)

(((((dutchess))))) - I'll be going back sometime over the weekend to read the Cal's kitties thread. Sorry I couldn't make it this week. :-(

[The Mayor]

Rus, are you going to come to my rescue here?

I just leave here for a few moments and you start picking on my Billie! How Dare You!

I can't beleive you made me call Muldoon.

[The Mayor]

OMG! what a great graphic!

[The Thin Man]

There you are, to brighten my day!

Really? Don't answer that! :)

[The Mayor]

Well let's see here....the parallels between my family and yours, Rus!

My Grand Mother is Zella Thompson, Stone is her maiden name.. She was recognized a couple years ago as being the oldest resident of Ashland. My mother worked at Telecron in the 50's.

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))))))))! ;-) and to you (((((Mama_Bear)))))

It truly would be incredible if our family tree did cross paths. I hope my father reads this and checks the family tree, he sent it to me but I don't have the right program to open it.

[The Thin Man]

I can't beleive you made me call Muldoon.

No, not that! Anything but Muldoon!

LadyX, it is now 4 against 1. I don't know if I can hold out much longer. Helppppp........

[Aeronaut]

Good afternoon Billie.

[MEG33]

~</;^))

[The Mayor]

LadyX, it is now 4 against 1. I don't know if I can hold out much longer. Helppppp........

She won't help you.... she loves me...