A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...4-25-03....Whiskered Warriors and Flippered Friends

Billie and Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

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:  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

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 9A: 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.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: 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.

                     

Today's featured "Finest"
in the spotlight are

Some of the most interesting news stories reported during Operation Iraqi Freedom were of the specially trained dolphins helping the Coalition forces locate mines near the port of Umm Qasr.

I thought it appropriate that the dolphins and sea lions deployed with our military receive recognition and official status as "Finest Friends" for their invaluable contribution to the war effort.

The U.S. Navy's Marine Mammal Program boasts a unit of 20 crack sea lions as well as about 70 dolphins specially-trained to defend and protect US sailors and installations from explosive marine attacks.

Meet "K-Dog"

A Navy dolphin, K-Dog, shows Sgt. Andrew Garrett what he's learned as he trains near the USS Gunston Hall, in the Persian Gulf.

In order for President Bush's promise of massive humanitarian aid for the Iraqis to materialize, the port of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq needed to be cleared of mines for safe travel.

And when the harbor, which was mined by the Iraqis to hamper a U.S. invasion, was opened, it was due in no small measure to the efforts of a pair of bottle-nosed Atlantic dolphins; Makai and Tacoma. These mine-sniffing dolphins are part of the U.S. military's Mammal Maritime Unit.

Until the marine mammals arrived, clearing the mines was the job of the British. They located the mines by hand, and many said swimming in the port was like crawling around in mud with your eyes shut.

Though the Navy has been training dolphins for years, this is their first operational deployment. With their natural sonar systems, the dolphins can detect mines even under the most difficult conditions.

The deployment of dolphins and sea lions to a war zone is not without controversy, however these dolphin have been specially taught to avoid touching the mines, which might cause them to explode, said Capt. Mike Tillotson, a Navy bomb disposal expert. He said there is "very little risk to animals in doing this kind of work".

Signalman 2nd Class (DV) Bud Bickford, a mammal handler from Commander Task Unit 55.4.3, brushes the teeth of a bottlenose dolphin, Makai, in the well deck of the dock landing ship Gunston Hall in the Persian Gulf on March 17. "Basically, he’ll work as long as his attitude feels up to it."

Sea Lions play secret
agent overseas...


Meet "Zachary"

While the U.S. Navy has used sea lions for recovery missions for the last 30 years, some of them are now being retrained to not only to detect enemy divers, but to catch them too.

"We train a select small set of sea lions to actually find divers and attach recovery lines to the divers" to allow them to be captured, said Tom LaPuzza who has run the mammal program since its inception in 1960.

"Those are the sea lions that are in Bahrain. This is a new capability that we are demonstrating for the first time," he said adding that if the new recruits did well in their test, they could be used to protect U.S. harbors.

The yelping secret agents are trained to attach a restraint device — a C-shaped, handcuff-like clamp — to the leg of an intruder with their mouths before deploying a floating marker signaling the attacker's position.

These whiskered warriors can swim at 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) and carry out repeated dives of up to 300 meters (1000 feet).

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 04-21-03 Buster (A Nose for Danger) 04-22-03 daughterofTGSL (Stormy Weather) 04-23-03 cmsgop (Up Close & Personal) 04-24-03 JohnHuang2(John's Two Cents)

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

[LadyX]

"particularly with my speling, and, punkuation? ;-)"

Yes - and yew shurely are 'etroidernaree..:))!!"

[SassyMom]

Hi! I just got home and guess what????? MY KITCHEN IS A DISASTER!!!! But, it is ok because kneezles is doing good work. Now, I just need him to start the BBQ. hehehehehe

I hope y'all are having a terrific day!

[LadyX]

Free-zee - on last night's thread you asked me a question about the Original Freeper Island. Rather than have you have to load that one again, I'll answer you here - - -

"Please tell, do you mean you would distract the wrongdoers and bring them to your island so that the rest of the seas were safe for sailing?"

Never would we have allowed a disrupter/flamer anywhere NEAR our serene and lovely island!

No - if one of us came across a thread that was getting contentious(and many were in those days), the Hail Goode Fellows Summons would go forth....

We would merely interject our banter back and forth to distract them and interrupt the flow!

They would soon tire - forget for the moment to be vile and ugly..:))

Our intent was to 'entertain' them into civility or 'Cease Fire,' whichever came first.

If you go to Billie's Profile Page, there is a link to a thread in 2000 reminiscing about Freeper Island, to give you the flavor - and a link to Freeper Island itself on that thread.

It is HERE

Freeper Island itself loads slowly (be sure to have it 'animate'), but is WELL WORTH THE WAIT !!!

[Warrior Nurse]

Only at Sea World when I was stationed out at San Diego.

[GailA]

It's not a bear but it sure is mighty awesome

Good afternoon ALL...today's graphic

[Mama_Bear]

Today's graphic is BEAUTIFUL...even if it isn't a bear! Thank you!

[Mama_Bear]

I just heard a jet fly over fairly low........that is unusual. I haven't caught much news lately, I am wondering if this is some of the air wing coming into Lemoore from one of the ships returning.

How exciting for these service men and women, coming home at last! I heard that one of the ships returning on May 5th has been out to sea for 10 months! They were coming home after their six months deployment and then received orders to go back to the Gulf.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Hi! I just got home and guess what????? MY KITCHEN IS A DISASTER!!!!

LOL

But, it is ok because kneezles is doing good work.
Now, I just need him to start the BBQ. hehehehehe

So you're not gonna give him a break and order out, huh? That's downright mean. : (

I hope y'all are having a terrific day!

I think kneezles was - 'til you came home. LOL

Hi, Sassy! : )

[SassyMom]

I'm just a MEAN woman!!!!! grrrrrr LOL

Ok, I'll fix dinner tonight and kneezles can rest.

[GailA]

I thought you'd like it. If I had room, which I don't I'd have a house full of Horses and Eagles figurines. I have several bone china horses, many have suffered broken legs from moving over the years no matter how well they were packed. I just glue the legs back on. I bought them as a teenager when we visted relatives in LaFollette, TN in the summers.

[LadyX]

Mama_Bear, I simply must post something my daughter-in-law sent! Long - but so funny!!

An updated version of a classic....

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road ?

GEORGE W. BUSH
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either with us or it is against us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL
Now at the left of the screen, you clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

HANZ BLIX
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed access to the other side of the road.

JACQUES CHIRAC
We will veto any resolution regarding non-compliance of the chicken whether it has or has not crossed the road!

MOHAMMED ALDOURI (Iraq ambassador)
The chicken did not cross the road. This is a complete fabrication.
We don't even have a chicken.

SADDAM HUSSEIN
This was an unprovoked act of rebellion and we were quite justified in dropping 50 tons of nerve gas on it.

AL GORE
I invented the chicken. I invented the road. Therefore, the chicken crossing the road represented the application of these two different functions of government in a new, reinvented way designed to bring greater services to the American people.

RALPH NADER
The chicken's habitat on the original side of the road had been polluted by unchecked industrialist greed. The chicken did not reach the unspoiled habitat on the other side of the road because it was crushed by the wheels of a gas-guzzling SUV.

PAT BUCHANAN
To steal a job from a decent, hard-working American.

RUSH LIMBAUGH
I don't know why the chicken crossed the road, but I'll bet it was getting a government grant to cross the road, and I'll bet someone out there is already forming a support group to help chickens with crossing-the-road syndrome.
Can you believe this? How much more of this can real Americans take?
Chickens crossing the road paid for by their tax dollars, and when I s! ay tax d ollars, I'm talking about your money, money the government took from you to build roads for chickens to cross.

MARTHA STEWART
No one called to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the farmer's market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

JERRY FALWELL
Because the chicken was gay! Isn't it obvious? Can't you people see the plain truth in front of your face? The chicken was going to the "other side." That's what they call it -- the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And, if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like "the other side."

DR. SEUSS
Did the chicken cross the road?
Did he cross it with a toad?
Yes, The chicken crossed the road,
But why it crossed, I've not been told!

ERNEST HEMINGWAY
To die. In the rain. Alone.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question.

GRANDPA
In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Someone told us that the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough for us.

BARBARA WALTERS
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart-warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting and went on to accomplish its life-long dream of crossing the road.

BILL GATES
I have just released eChicken 2003, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook - and Internet Explorer is an inextricable part of eChicken.

ALBERT EINSTEIN
Did the chicken really cross the road or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON
I did NOT cross the road with THAT chicken. What do you mean by chicken?
Could you define chicken, please?

COLONEL SANDERS
I missed one?

and last but not least...

The real reason the chicken crossed the road was to get to France.

[ST.LOUIE1]

I'm just a MEAN woman!!!!! grrrrrr LOL

Well....not really. : )

Ok, I'll fix dinner tonight and kneezles can rest.

Good! Tell him he owes me. LOL

[ST.LOUIE1]

ROTFL!!!!

JERRY FALWELL

LOL!!!

[JustAmy]

I couldn't get a link to The Fresno Bee, but the article states that the USS Abraham Lincoln will dock in San Diego May 2nd.

"Almost 700 pilots and sailors from Lemoore are part of the Lincoln's 5500 member crew. About 36 pilots will fly to the base May 1st in F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet strike-fighter jets. The next day, hundreds of enlisted personnel will arrive after the ship docks in San Diego."

The article also says "A troop rally and family fun day is planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4th in Lemoore"

I'm hoping we can get enough people interested in lining the street into the base next Saturday.

[Mama_Bear]

I got a kick out of that. Thanks for posting it. I have sent it out to some e-mail friends too.

I was smiling all the way through it.........then got to Earnest Hemingway and that one, for some reason (maybe because it was SO serious and 'profound' - coming right after the silliness of Dr. Seuss) cracked me up. LOL!

[LadyX]

Switching gears rapidly here, I received this from Trish today and know everyone here will appreciate it - - - will first delete the Unit designation for the writer for his privacy, and am issuing a

TISSUE ALERT !!

Subject: Last Flight Home

I had this forwarded to me and was very moved by the sentiments expressed. I thought I'd share this with you as well.

_______________________________________________________________________

"I want to tell you of an experience I had last night flying home from Atlanta. The pilot came on the intercom and went through the usual announcements telling us that "we're just east of Montgomery cruising at 28,000 feet" and "you've picked a beautiful night for flying, just look at the gorgeous southern sunset out of the right side of the plane".

He then, however, said this: "Please bear with me as I deviate from the script, but I want you all to know that simply by coincidence you have been granted both the privilege and honor of escorting the body of Army PFC Howard Johnson, Jr. home tonight. PFC Johnson was killed in Iraq defending the freedoms we all enjoy, and fighting to extend those freedoms to the people of Iraq. We are also accompanied by PFC Johnson's cousin, Marine Major Talley, who has been chosen by the family to escort PFC Johnson home.

Semper Fi !!"

The plane quickly became very quiet, but soon erupted in thunderous applause that lasted for several minutes. It was quite moving, to say the least. As I sat there thinking about what the pilot had said, and visualizing PFC Johnson's dead body riding below me in the belly of that plane, I noticed a couple of things. Two rows in front of me sat a father holding his daughter, an infant, and they were practicing "ma-ma" and in the row behind me was another young boy, probably 2 or so, learning to count to 10. Now obviously both are too young to realize we're at war, or that one of our dead was with us, but it made me think, and this is the point: These warriors, mostly young, all volunteers, everyday are prepared to give their lives for our future, for a safer, more secure future for people they don't even know, all based on the principle that fighting and dying for this country is worth it. You all know and agree with this, but not everyone does, so I would ask that if you meet anyone that's not "on board" with this philosophy, i.e. the protesters to which Bob refers, that you "correct the situation".

By the way, the flight ended with all of us deplaning only to line the windows of the gate house to watch PFC Johnson's body, draped in the American flag, be rolled out of the plane and into a waiting hearse that was surrounded by his family members.

Please pray that our soldiers' sight is acute, their aim is true, and that as many come home as God can spare.

Best always, Bob J.

This touching letter from a gentleman in Mobile.

Proudly serving,

Davison Virgil MAJ,CM,USAR

[Mama_Bear]

The article also says "A troop rally and family fun day is planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4th in Lemoore" I'm hoping we can get enough people interested in lining the street into the base next Saturday.

I would love to be there! May 4th is a Sunday, so we might just be able to make it. Maybe they will even let us come onto the base - like they do for the airshow.....but, even if not, we can stand outside the gate and wave our flags.

If at all possible, we will be there! See you this evening.

[azGOPgal]

MOHAMMED ALDOURI (Iraq ambassador) The chicken did not cross the road. This is a complete fabrication. We don't even have a chicken.

Baghdad Bob can also be credited with saying that.

This was posted by GretchenEE on the Day in the Life thread

JACQUES CHIRAC We have no comment on chickens, the chicken industry, who makes or who is denied profits from them, and how the roads got built, which contractor might or might not have skimmed profits from the construction contract, or which came first, the chicken guilty of producing the egg, or the egg, which should have been terminated before it could overpopulate the chicken world (God knows, there are already too many chickens afoot!) before it became a burden on French society. We have no comment on the pharmaceutical industry which strives so hard to maintain quality of life for all the chickens who are unfairly forced to have to rear a full brood of chicklets. Finally, we do have one comment on the future of chickens in France. These fowl creatures are henceforth barred from living here. There have been too many painful allusions for us to continue to harbor such a creature in the great state of France, which will never surrender to such insults

[azGOPgal]

My friend sent me that yesterday, and I just started tearing up. Thanks for posting it so others can read it.

[Jim Robinson]

Yes, I think we should do this rather than our regular Friday night rally next week. We'd love to go to Lemoore to welcome our boys home!