Our 2nd Quarter FReepathon is Underway!

Click to donate via FR secure server ^ | April 1, 2004 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo!! Are you ready for another FReepathon!?

It's time once more for us to raise the funds that are necessary to keep Free Republic on the air.

People have asked me if the $60,000 settlement with the City of Fresno means we won't have to have a fundraiser this time. Well, I wish it could be so, but, unfortunately, it's not.

First of all, we did not actually receive $60,000. After legal fees, mediation fees and other expenses directly related to the suit, we netted approximately $34,000. Of that, we distributed over $10,000 to the members of the Fresno Chapter who were in business and their businesses suffered due to the city's libel and also to the members who met with us regularly on a weekly basis. Then, due to the fact that the city was late with their press release and no media picked it up, we paid approximately $2,000 to run ads in several valley papers announcing the city's retraction.

The approximately $22,000 left over will be used in our operations. We plan to use about $4,000 to upgrade our equipment and $10,000 or more will go for taxes. I plan to use part of the balance to beef up our insurance coverage and also will look into a health insurance plan. The remainder will be used for travel and other expenses. I still hope to visit as many chapters as I possibly can over the next year or so, but obviously won't be doing so in a motor home (you had to have been there to get the inside joke). We'll be traveling in our trusty old FReepermobile van. She's an 11 year old Mercury Villager with 150,000 miles, but she's got good rubber, purrs like a kitten and is pretty good on gas.

So, as it turns out, the settlement has strengthened Free Republic and also has strengthened the conservative position in the City of Fresno. As a result of our suit, the controversial loony peacenik chair person of the Fresno City Human Relations Commission who committed the libel against us and has also caused much turmoil within the city and the city council has resigned "to pursue other interests." Also, the loony liberal President of the Fresno City Council who made some ridiculous comments belittling the suit and the settlement in the Fresno Bee was voted out of office just a couple months later.

So, as I've said before, the settlement is a win, win, win position. It's a win for Free Republic, a win for the City of Fresno, and, ultimately, a win for the taxpayers.

At any rate, we thank all of you who participate on Free Republic and support our efforts and we look forward to another exciting election cycle.

Hope to see y'all either on our road trip and or at the Free Republic George W. Bush Inaugural Ball II in January!!

Go GWB!!

[NormsRevenge]

Cicadas are set to swarm the area from northern Georgia to Washington, D.C. this May after 17 years of living below ground. Called periodical cicadas, the thumb-sized insects emerge every 17 years and fly around in a noisy, mating frenzy before dying weeks later, littering the area with crunchy shells. Mistakenly called locusts by early settlers, they are distinguished by their beady red eyes. An adult cicada is shown. (Dept. Of Agriculture via Reuters)

[ValerieUSA]

*LOL* Can you really handle these pictures? Is there someone nearby to call 9-1-1?

[NYTexan]

He has no shame!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Beady red eyes, eh? How disgusting! LOL!!!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Hold on, I'll post the link.

[ValerieUSA]

I'll probably miss the next sunrise, but I caught it once

[Brad’s Gramma]

Poor, Poor Al

[Fawnn]

You maintain a weird scrapbook. ;)

[Brad’s Gramma]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1110339/posts?q=1&&page=151

#181

Ya wanna talk about WEIRD????

[Jim Robinson]

Howdy everyone. We're baaack!

And we have incoming:

$10 from Wisconsin
$50 from New Jersey
$50 from California
$50 from Arkansas
$50 from Ohio
$50 from California
$20 from Never Never Land
$100 from New York
$20 from Texas
$10 from Florida

Thank you all very much!!

Getting very close to 20 percent! Go FReepers!!

[NormsRevenge]

Were you ever in 4H as a kid?

I remember one of my cousin and I finding a cicada in a tree once. She was doing a bug display.

Those little buggers are not as easy to find as one would think for all the noise they make. I don't hink the one we found had beady red eyes tho. ;-)

[Brad’s Gramma]

And we have incoming:

$10 from Wisconsin
$50 from New Jersey
$50 from California
$50 from Arkansas
$50 from Ohio
$50 from California
$20 from Never Never Land
$100 from New York
$20 from Texas
$10 from Florida

Thank you all very much!!

Getting very close to 20 percent! Go FReepers!!

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, potlatch!

[Fawnn]

You're younger than I thought! ;)

[ValerieUSA]

You are back already?
I didn't get out of control yet.

Thank You
Wisconsin, New Jersey
California, Arkansas
Ohio, California
Never Never Land, New York
Texas, Florida

[Fawnn]

19%!!!

[NYTexan]

I am fading fast cause I did'nt get my Fair Funkle nap in this evening. Must have had too much fun last night. So it your'd for the taking if you can!

Mirror Mirror, I'm back for a stalk!
A Fair Funkle is the great prize I seek.

NYTexan, Just take a long walk!
Compared to Fawnn, your efforts are meek!

G'Night All!

[NYTexan]

so it's yours

[ValerieUSA]

Nighty night NYTexan - Dream Big

[Brad’s Gramma]

Nope. No 4H. I WAS a Girl Scout...and I did like collecting bugs. I was/am a tomboy...!!