A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-23-03..."cmsgop...Up Close and Personal"

Dutchess and Billie

[dutchess]

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.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. 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 can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn'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, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

<

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.

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

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

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

         

GROUP 5A: TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68. MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797. BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack.

GROUP 6A: 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.

GROUP 7A: 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.

GROUP 8A: 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.

                     

"News is Mainly My Hobby and Golf...(oh how I love golf)... it is My Passion"

He has energy…enthusiasm…is way too funny and shows a clear zest for life. On top of that he is a dedicated conservative…I'm sure you'll enjoy getting to know him as much as I have.

Please joining me in welcoming....

cmsgop

as todays Finest Freeper

Often we will edit the profiles and participate more in the text of the profiles just to "break it up". Finest Friends….…that's not possible this time as I would do an injustice to try to change cmgsgop's words… So here you have it ….cmsgop, upclose and personal!

A common theme is finding FreeRepublic through Drudge…not so for Chris!

I found FR one afternoon while napping. Yes thats right ,napping. I must have left the TV on and awoke to the MFJ Rally. It caught my attention and I watched. I LOVED IT! I said to myself....."OTHERS FEEL LIKE YOU DO"!!!!!!! I saw it was sponsored by FR.com. I just got my iMac, I checked it out,......I have never left since......

A Little Background on Today's Finest….

I was born in Encino,Ca in 1970. In 1978 we moved to Bloomfield Hills Michigan. In 1979 we moved to Los Altos,CA, In 1980 we moved to McLean,VA and in 1984 we moved to Newport Beach,CA. Military Brat you may ask ???? No my Dad was in retail leasing. He worked for big developers, so as soon as the project was done he would just find another project. He is 73 and still working his butt off. Mostly it was shopping centers. He opened Georgetown Park in DC, Fashion Island in Newport Beach as well as the Old Cleveland Train Station in downtown Cleveland (converted into a shopping center).

I Had to Ask…(a little tongue in cheek…and afraid to offend)…So IS There a Mother????

Oh yes I have a Mom.....LOL! Homemaker is her career. She was always a stay at home mom.

On Activism and Freeping

Chris and freeper SW6906 at a post election rally in Seattle

My first activist thingy was is Dec 2000 in Seattle during the Election madness season. What a Friggin' RUSH, So Much Fun!!!! I also FReeped By Myself on Nov 7th for Bush in Redmond ,Washington.

Chris also Attended the the Puget Sound Chapter's "Hog Roast" held at the home of "Right in Seattle"

"BilltheDrill" brought his Homebrew ...ALOT OF IT!!! Ale's, Darks, you name it!

Chris with the famous "homebrew" of BilltheDrill and freeper Publius

Chris grew up in a moderate GOP home. The first time he knew he was GOP all the way was an after graduation trip to Laguna Seca Raceway to see the "Grateful Dead" in '88.

I was stuck there for 3 days with hardly any money. I hated the music the atmosphere and the hypocrisy. Hippies are supposed to be cool?? Then why did they charge $20 for a twelve pack of Misterbrau ? Hypocrite's ALL!

When I turned 18 My first vote was for Bush (88) My second vote was for Bush(92). About that year I noticed something was wrong with Clinton, I promised myself I would keep an eye on him and had another beer and went to the beach….

For anyone who knows me…pets are something I'm always interested in and had to ask. Not the usual response here.

Well my first job was at a Pet Store when I was 13. I brought home everything in sight. I saved and spent $500 for an Umbrella Cockatoo. I was so proud..........then I left the window open and it died soon after. (Don't tell PETA)! I

This was too fun….I insisted on more pet store stories

Um ..as far as the pet store highlights, remember the Shar-Pei ? (wrinkly dog) I sold them for $3500 a pup when I was 13. I would have gotten the "Employee of the Month" parking space but my Mongoose Dirt Bike would have looked kinda silly there..............

And the doggie question…

I have always had small dogs. Mostly shih-tsu's. I will stick with them but I might get a Pug very soon! As you can tell I love Vet bills.

Domestic Bliss

I asked my wife to marry me in '98 in Ocean Shores,WA. I rented a HUGE beach house and a Chevy S-10 Blazer. It took over a month to plan with everything. It was a surprise under the guise of her birthday. She can read my mind so I had to be very careful.

So…did she say yes????

Oh yeah to finish out the wedding thing. So on Oct 9,1999 we flew to Orange County,CA and got married at the Beautiful "Surf and Sand" Resort in Laguna Beach. We did this because all of our friends and family live down there.

Chris couldn't send a wedding picture…(a scanner impaired thing) BUT did send this noting that they got married at the spot where the 3 unknown persons are sitting :)

Mr. Tool Time Man...

I was blessed to buy my first home in December. I owe the motivation to my wife. No more apartment living for her! she said. I was just fine, it was a real nice joint and I did not have to fix anything!!! Now that we have a home, nothing has changed. SHE FIXES EVERYTHING!!! Tools and me don't mix at all. In the Immortal Words of Dirty Harry....."A MAN MUST KNOW HIS LIMATATIONS" But I did buy a Hammer recently, It did not come with directions though......BUMMER!

The Career Man….How He Supports His Habits!

My then girlfriend, now wife, and I were living in Palm Springs in 1993 bored out of our minds. Her brother opened a little café in south Seattle which got very busy very quickly. He said to come up and we did later that year. We have built the biz slowly and carefully and it has been very good to us…… We sell newspapers, espresso, pastries and juice. Drive thru and walk in service. Yes it is our career

Why don't we all get together today at Chris's "cyber café", order an espresso and pastry and share in fellowship as we honor this finest freeper!

cmsgop YOU ARE one of FR's Finest!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 04-21-03...Buster...a Nose for Danger 04-22-03..."Stormy Weather" Daughter of TGSL

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 an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[WVNan]

Actually I walked my two and a half miles and worked out on all the machines. Looked at cars (Jack wants to buy again. He changes cars like I change dresses). Then I had to run several errands. I've been pretty much resting this evening. How's your arm and your eye?

[WVNan]

What kind of car does he drive?

[LadyX]

Had to scoot over to the Prayer Thread for dix - sent an e-mail to him through the hospital link.

Saw Eaker post he saw him, out of ICU now after surgery, and was clutching some of the e-mails already delivered.

More prayers for dix - more for Grant and Priscilla going up - - -

[Billie]

Heeeeyy! Wolfie and LadyX, I was just coming over to say goodnight and find you two're talking behind my back. :)

Thank you again, dutchess, for another great presentation! 'Nite, all!

[WVNan]

I'm behind the curve on a lot of things apparently.

[MeekOneGOP]

Hey, folks. My cousin Ronnie showed me the write up in the Denton Record-Chronicle for his Dad. Nice write up, I thought. (Reference in this to Don Hilliard is incorrect. Should be Ron Hilliard).

Hilliard, county commissioner for 12 years, dies at age 89
Denton Record-Chronicle ^ | April 23, 2003 | Denton Record Chronicle Staff

Posted on 04/23/2003 9:42 PM CDT by MeeknMing

Hilliard, county commissioner for 12 years, dies at age 89

04/23/2003

Staff report

People thought former Denton County Commissioner Ernest F. Hilliard was crazy when he paved the way for a four-lane Interstate 35 in the 1950s, his son said.

Mr. Hilliard, who died Tuesday at his home in Flower Mound at the age of 89, helped bring the interstate, Loop 288, Grapevine Lake, Lewisville Lake and numerous farm roads to the county, said his son, Don Hilliard.

"He always said Denton County was the first county in the state of Texas that got its right of way for 35," Don Hilliard said. "He was so proud of that, even though it was odd in the 1950s to build a road with a 400-foot right of way. Of course now it’s crowded. Back then we went from a little two-lane road to a 400-foot wide thing."

Ernest Hilliard served as a commissioner from Jan. 1, 1951, to Jan. 1, 1963. He worked with three county judges during that time. In 2001, he was honored by Denton County for being the oldest living county commissioner.

Mr. Hilliard loved his community, his son said. In addition to his tenure as a county commissioner, he also worked for Denton County as a heavy-equipment operator.

Mr. Hilliard lived on the Flower Mound farm that his father bought in 1929 and that he inherited in 1936. The farm has an airstrip called Hilliard Air Field, which was built in the 1960s. At age 55, he received his private pilot’s license.

Don Hilliard said his father’s greatest pleasures in recent years were spending time with his family and taking care of his son’s cows.

Ernest Hilliard was an associate member of First Baptist Church of Flower Mound.

He was a third-generation Denton County resident. He was born in Flower Mound to B.F. "Pete" and Emma Morgan Hilliard.

On April 29, 1933, he married Johnnie Bays in Marietta, Okla.

Survivors include his wife; one daughter, J.R. Martin of Lewisville; one son, Don Hilliard of Flower Mound; one sister, Lou Johnson of Grapevine; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one grandson, Christopher Hilliard, in 1984; one great-great-granddaughter, Sydney Paige Ballard, in 2001; and one brother, Bill Hilliard, in 1980.

A service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at First Baptist Church of Flower Mound. The Rev. David Williams will officiate. Interment will follow in Shiloh Cemetery in Flower Mound.

Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in Lewisville.

Memorials may be made to Ann’s Haven VNA Hospice, 216 W. Mulberry St., Denton, TX 76201-6012.

---

Online at: http://www.dentonrc.com/obituaries/stories/DRC_Hilliard__county.12957c678.html

[WVNan]

Hi and bye Billie. Sorry I didn't get to talk with you. God bless.

[LadyX]

Eye fine - patch off - had physical therapy today, and they have some new Nautilus equipment in, so I had some things to work on the frozen shoulder.

Baker had me try three of those, and it helped considerably, as does the gentle stretching of the upper arm muscles to 'retrain' them.

Forearm and wrist response is excellent - getting there by degrees, and see Dr. Carter Tuesday of next week.

After that, I hope to get out and do some yard work, if only to pluck weeds in the flower beds. I wanna plant phlowers, Nan..:((

[LadyX]

Hugs good night, Billie!!

[Jhoffa_]

He changed to a homosexual model recently.

But, we used to own Camaro's. That's kind of what got us talking to begin with.

[WVNan]

Your Uncle sounds like an extraordinary man. He sounds a lot like our Uncle John. They don't make em like that any more. My paternal grandfather was a county road commissioner in Tenn. for years.

[deadhead]

Prayers for your Uncle Ron.

When I first saw "Hilliard", I thought it was going to be in Ohio. God Bless

[WVNan]

Dittos on the flowers. Yes, there's nothing like exercise for the frozen shoulder. Jack has found that out. I work out on those machines too and I'm still losing weight. 20 lbs now and still going. I need to lose about 30 more. I feel so much better, like you, I want to get to the yard work.

[deadhead]

Hi Billie, saw your flag pole posted on yesterdays thread, catching up today :-) Your flag pole with your flag is beautiful!

[Billthedrill]

Great googly-moogly! I nearly missed your day!

To heck with this! I shall pop one for you immediately and drink your health. We need a FReepermeet - we're overdue, and I have a brew that'll plant your buttocks on the ground...again...hee hee...

Congratulations!

[deadhead]

Good Night All

Sweet Dreams

Colleen

[WVNan]

Okay I'll bite. What is a homosexual model? I know there's a joke there somewhere, but I'm dense. I guess hubby will buy the Buick LeSabre. It will be the third or fourth one we have had. We looked at a van and a crysler too, but we know what a great car the LeSabre is. Good on gas and classy looking. Old folks car.

[LadyX]

Just saw you are here, Colleen.

Good night, dear - hope to see you tomorrow!

[WVNan]

Oh, there you are. I take it you are the culprit which corrupted that boy-child with your home brew likker.

[WVNan]

Nighty Colleen. God love ye.