A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-31-05....Military Monday

Billie, The Mayor

[The Mayor]

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

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

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 November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I could no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I had been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that didn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why we've created a place for just that. This is a friendly room in JimRob's house where FReeper FRiends can gather every day and just say hello if that's all they want to do.

There's more of course. We sometimes feature different FReepers, with a little background information on who they are and what makes them who they are, along with a few photos you might not have seen on other threads; sometimes others write an essay for us to post as the feature for the day; sometimes our presentation is a human interest story found elsewhere that you might not have read; sometimes special holiday threads; but whatever the topic of the day, it is always with FR's Finest in mind and that is YOU!

If you would like to be featured, or would like to see someone else featured, please send me a private FR mail.

Every Monday we will post the photos of FR's Military Personnel that I have collected and put into groups; these will be available to view through a link the remainder of the week - every day just a click away. :)   If you would like to add a photo of yourself or a loved one in the military, past or present, please let me know; I will hold it until I have enough for a new group.

Thank you, and please have fun with us...every day! ~ Billie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank You For Serving Our Country!

TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete
MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet
MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga
BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette
MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid
BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP
MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian
BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

TOP:  Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog.
MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son.
BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

TOP:  dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon.
BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

TOP:  ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband
poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son;
BOTTOM:  AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset);
WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

TOP: Mo1's dad; BuffyT's Uncle (right, w/ her dad & grandmother); Armymarinemom's 3 sons.
MIDDLE: ru4Liberty's dad; SheLion's husband, MaineRebel; wirestripper.
BOTTOM: fivetoes; bigghurtt; hurricane; ladtx' dad; Pippin's brother.

TOP: Repubmommy's brother, Rose in RoseBear's uncle, BoxerBlues' son Chris, BoxerBlues' son Brent.
BOTTOM: Rose in RoseBear's cousin's hubby, Deadhead's stepdad, Dansy's dad, Misty's brother.

LEFT: Little Pig; TOP: hattend, Old Sarge, Aquamarine's dad.
MIDDLE: HuntsvilleTxVeteran.
BOTTOM: Its_me_K.E.T.'s son, Veloxherc, SeeRushToldU_So.




                     

06-28-05 HALL OF FAME #12

THE WEEKEND THREAD 10-28 thru 10-30-05... T.G.I.F. at the Finest

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[LadyX]

"The date for the First Day of Issuance (FDOI) of the Distinguished Marines block of stamps, is set for 10 November 2005."

Thanks, Dubya.
The date, The Marine Corps Birthday, of course, is as much a part of us as our own birthday.
Right after that is the date when we as individuals entered the hallowed 'halls of Montezuma'..:)

Know you'll laugh at this one, but today I was looking for something in my Bible, and among the 'treasures' tucked in it, is a sheet 53 years old (June 1952) with my Marine Corps GCT (General Classification Tests) Scores on it.
With a Perfect Score established at 161, there were 4 sections - Reading & Vocabulary, Arithmetic Computation, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Pattern Analysis.

There were 73 women in my Platoon, spread along rows of desks placed end to end, with half a dozen men handing out the tests and watching to be sure we did not look at our neighbors' answers. Each one was timed, and promptly collected.
The Average Score for a person was 100.

The fellow on my row was, well - flirty - and 'reassured me' when he placed each part in front of me to just take my time.
That was especially true with the last one - surely Pattern Analysis was a Man's Domain, and I was to take my time and not worry about finishing the 100 of them in the 5 minutes allowed.

HA! I smiled sweetly and thanked him - child's play for the daughter of an engineer who surveyed our land (he holding the rod, and me working the transit) at age 11, and was the first girl at Melbourne High (Florida) to take Mechanical Drawing.
Required to do 6 assignments every 6 weeks, I did them at home on my drafting board, and in class visited with my boyfriend when he came in from football/baseball practice, in the hall, with the teacher's blessing. He taught shop to 7th grade boys at the same time as the 5 in our class, and didn't care.

I zipped through the Pattern Analysis well before the time was up, put down my pencil, and he noticed, and had a shocked expression on his face...a worse one when he graded it and out of 161, I had a 151 - truly a Never Underestimate The Power of A Woman Moment..:))

It wasn't for me a Man/Woman thing or "competition" of any kind - I just loved learning and doing things well.
That was balanced with all the normal Southern Lady things a girl had to conquor that my mother (had been a school teacher) taught me.
My parents were far ahead of their time in thinking a child should be what they wanted to be, regardless of gender, and simply do as well as they could.

[luvie]

((((hugs)))) Lady!! Another one of your wonderful stories....and what a smart Marine you were. Perfect score! Not many people could boast of that, I'll bet!

[deadhead]

Love reading your posts :-)

"It wasn't for me a Man/Woman thing or "competition" of any kind - I just loved learning and doing things well."

I have always been like that, never a man/woman thing... always love to learn and doing things well, like you :-) And we learn something new everyday. Will always be like that. Though, I do have a bit of competitiveness when it comes to sports, I do like to win :-) Must be something I learned from my brother's.

Hope you and yours are doing well.

[LadyX]

Thought you were like that, Colleen.
I liked to win as well - like in Chinese checkers when young - Parchesi, Monopoly, etc., and then Scrabble with my older sister; always with a Sara Lee pecan coffee cake to inspire us...who finally refused to play with me in our adult years..:))

Oh, yes - when I was stationed at Parris Island and went to the outdoor pool to swim, invariably fellows would dare me to race them.
A Florida girl who grew up near the ocean and pools?! While I was not at all a Big Person or especially strong swimmer, I knew from competitive teen years to dive in and instantly swim as hard as I could.
Oh - did I mention I always made the bets for ACROSS the pool rather than the LENGTH of it?!!
Noooooo - not cheating at all; just a guarantee I was never beaten. LOL

[deadhead]

"Oh - did I mention I always made the bets for ACROSS the pool rather than the LENGTH of it?!! Noooooo - not cheating at all; just a guarantee I was never beaten. LOL"

LOL, good for you Maggie! When we were young ones, in the summer we would play Clue, Monopoly, Scrabble, etc. And, we use to have Chess and Backgammon tournaments at my neighbors house. Guess I have a little bit of 'geek' in me :-) I love to play tennis with my sister, though we haven't played in a while. We both have that 'I want to win' attitude and we are at the same level

[LadyX]

"Must be something I learned from my brothers."

I was the last of three daughters, with NO brothers.
I therefore chopped kindling and later wood for the fireplace, and was The Yard Person, from age 11.

Mind you, mowing was with a push reel mower in tough Florida grass, and I used a hand swing to lower the growth in the citrus grove next to the house.
Really was ecstatic when at 15 we acquired a power mower! Loved outdoor and indoor work...it all made life easy as I roamed the States with all kinds of 'challenges.'

[LadyX]

I played chess, too, and taught my two sons how.
They'd come home from school and we'd have tournaments - -
*until* they were 15 and 16 and able to beat me - LOL.

[deadhead]

I have always loved outdoor work. My Mom and Step-Dad bought a farm in the 70's, upstate N.Y. That is where we would vacation in the summer. It was a lot of fun, but we also worked while vacationing. LOL, we all became very familiar with the push mower, the gas mower...but the most fun was the sit down mower. One day when I was riding it, the gears broke and I found myself going up the stairs backward.....no harm done...but everyone had a good laugh. We would cut back trees and bushes, it would look great...the next summer, do it all over again :-) We always had a great time there. Wonderful memories.

I miss the farm.

[FreeTheHostages]

I'm buying the stamps for sure! Thanks for the post. LOL.

GIRL POWER!

[Billie]

You always find the neatest gifs!

[Dubya]

Never Underestimate The Power of A Woman Moment.

Thats for sure. Way to go Maggie Marine.

[deadhead]

Glad you like it.

P.S. Loved your Scary Kerry graphic :-)

[Aquamarine]

Phantom of the Opera

(Going to watch it now...)

[Victoria Delsoul]

Happy Halloween, everybody.

[Darksheare]

Good evening.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hiya Darks. So how did it go?

[Darksheare]

Heh heh heh.

[Darksheare]

Fairly good.
And.. I was asked to draw a beagle.

[Victoria Delsoul]

No shooting or fireworks?

[LadyX]

How great to see you posting, Freezie!!
I observed you tried to lure The Thin Man out, baiting him with goodies..:))