[Long Cut]

I'll start off with a few of my own Favorite FReepers, who've done so much over the years to educate, chastize, amuse, and challenge me. Do I agree with all of them all the time? HAAAAIIIILLLL, NO! But no matter what, their presence on a thread will get that thread a look and a thought from me.

In no particular order, some of MY Favorite FReepers...

68-69tonkingulfyatchclub: Tonk is the tireless Coastie who runs the Canteen threads. His heart and abilities are at all times tuned to the welfare and morale of America's military. He and his band of merry Canteeners have many times brightened this Sailor's day, and comforted me at dark times to numerous to count.

tpaine: tpaine can recite the Constitution from memory, or at least seems to be able to. He holds the line for the Libertarian/Constitutionalist FR contingent, and he always adds enough abrasiveness to his comments to assure that his victims spool up like a jet engine. Always a pleasure to read, even if one disagrees.

poohbah: Pooh is an amazing clear-thinker untainted by too much zealous ideology. Frequently his posts are a welcome breath of sanity on emotionally overheated threads, and he's not afraid to voice an opinion which might be counter to the "prevailing winds" of a thread.

archy: The best source on FR I've found for weapons and firearms information, pics, links, and historical information about same. I thought I knew a lot about guns, then I met archy. Not to mention, he is a perfect gentleman and has enourmous patience with those who know less than he. A great FR resource.

PatrickHenry: The ringleader of FR's evolutionist band of brigands, PH posts some wonderful scientific articles, and he and his lads and lassies, most especially Ichneumon and Vade Retro can provide what seems like thousands of links and evidence at the drop of a fossil. Many's the night I've watched them, over many hours, demolish nonscientific arguments and educate those who wanted to be.

Modernman: A libertarian-leaning legal eagle who I've watched defend the principle of individual liberty with good humor and impeccable manners in the face of flames that would make Godzilla proud, MM takes everything thrown at him and never seems to get angry. His debating skills are an example of how to win one.

MurryMom: One of the very exclusive club of hard-core Leftists with the tolerance of the famed and feared FR Moderators, MurryMom can be counted on to cause an instant spike in all FReeper's BP. As FR's resident liberal punching bag, her presence on a thread will attract many people who really don't care about the thread itself, but who line up to hurl abuse at her. In that, she performs a valuable service...as a target and a venting mechanism.

These are just a few of mine. There've been others, some have been banned in fact. IMHO, in most cases we are all the poorer when that must occur. FR is made so much better because of its more colorful members.

[Terabitten]

My favorite freeper will be whichever lady Freeper decides she has has a thing for slightly overweight middle aged guys with delusions of rock stardom... and lets me know about it lol....

[Lando Lincoln]

I gotta say I like 'em all. Except for those I don't like! Well okay, I'm partial to MeekOneGOP, FairOpinion, southak, Pokey78, ladyinred (she can zing others sooo graciously), and a bunch of others.

Lando

[swany]

I rarely see monkeyhshines post anymore, but would always look for his/her posts when I lurked in the beginning.

Harpseal is sure missed.

Always love to see what Lazamataz is stirring up. Haven't seen him post much lately, hope he's ok.

SJackson, SJackson, Alouette and crew have taught me much.

I won't pass by a thread, no matter what subject, if I see Torie is posting.

[StayAt HomeMother]

As has been said, there are too many to list, but here is my start:

Null and void and the rest of the Situation Room gang.
tgslTakoma, kristin, angelwood, and the DC Chapter for setting (and maintaining!) the Freeping standard.
nutmeg and mhking, for the pings.
snippy_about_it and SAMWolf, for the Freeper Foxhole.
TexasCowboy and Brad's Gramma, for the Texas Termite thread.
Hillary's Lovely Legs, for the live TV threads.
Howlin and Laz and Tonk and ... (The orchestra is starting up, telling me to get off the stage...)

[Lady Heron]

Commentator: for politics

Registered: Humor

[TonyInOhio]

Others have mentioned our notables. I'd like to add a few more:

LS always offers excellent perspective. He's my favorite historian (after Victor Davis Hanson).

I wish I was half as witty as Petronski, and he's not always cranky.

Dan from Michigan knows his politics and his hockey. What more could you want?

Whatever Constitution Day writes is worth reading, trust me.

Dales and DrDeb will help me keep my sanity this fall, I hope. If you have any interest in polling, statistics, or electoral politics, watch their posts.

[Aura Of The Blade]

For starters:

Lurker (anybody who likes science fiction is okay in my book)

Travis (Matt) (nice to see a FReeper grab the spotlight with a novel)

Marine Inspector (always too the point)

Dog Gone (common sense and cool headed)

SamWOLF (liked him ever since I read his FR bio)

Quid(Cdn)nunc (likes to stir the pot, but he's ok)

CaptCrunch (represents the best of what being a LEO is about)

Albertabound (you would have made a good jumper, since you don't give up)

Archie (always enjoy reading his posts)

Jim Robinson (A man with a vision)

[Revolting cat!]

classygreeneyedblonde, of course!

[oceanperch]

I like all the voices in my head except that one that shouts and argues about everything.

[tpaine]

Google ranks Free Republic's "most popular" posters [Vanity] [Free Republic]
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a9090d24e00.htm

[don-o]

Those who run the Freepathons. Cast varies. Check current thread for their names.

Uh, I assume, there are no Freeploaders on this lovefest, eh?

FR ain't free. Bills must be paid.

[smith288]

John Robinson The dude puts in some serious work.

Lazamataz Humor as well as philosophical

Registered Chopping genious. I learned alot looking at his work

dead I might disagree with him from time to time, but he tweaks the mind.

Hillarys Lovely Legs The name is hillarious and she is a pleasure to read.

There is more but im drawing blanks.

[Renfield]

Now, we're talking about the far upper end of the bell curve here, so it's a good group all around, but I particularly appreciate the freepers from other countries....Shaggy Eel, Dr. Zin, Michael81dus, BogdanPolska, etc, etc....their perspectives are fascinating. God willing, some day I will get to meet some of them.

[scan58]

jwalsh07
Paul Atreides
Cicero
PhiKapMom
Cincinatus' Wife
PhilDragoo

I have learned alot from reading posts from all of the above.

[NewLand]

Too many great FReepers to choose from...doug from upland, MeekOneGOP (former Meek-N-Ming), but this post sticks out in my mind as one that entertained many of us...and may need to be revived in time for the November election...

McGavin999 Addresses The Nation

And of course, there is always this award winning classic...

NewLand Rants In Support of President Reagan

[eddie willers]

Too many to mention, but suffice it to say, if I'm on your ping list...you're one.

I'd mention Howlin and mhking but, heck, you'd be hard pressed to miss a thread they're on. :o)

Since you're opening paragraph stated...

"when THAT SCREENNAME jumps out at you in a "to" or "from" position. You are powerless to resist; if THAT GUY's there, it's gonna be a good thread..."

...two of my MUST read are AnAmericanMother and The Beloved Deb.

[PatrickHenry]

PatrickHenry: The ringleader of FR's evolutionist band of brigands ...

Very kind of you to think of me as the "ringleader" of such a splendid bunch; but I'm really more their clerk. I maintain the ping list, and I have a formidable stock of useful links. But others have links too, and when it comes to the nuts and bolts of science, I leave the heavy lifting to the experts.

[spodefly]

I'm sure you meant well with this thread, but one must consider the potential that someone somewhere might be negatively impacted by it.

There could be many posters out there who post frequently, who have been around for a few years, who always try to speel all their words correctly, who attempt either overtly or subtely to convey information, humor, irony, absurdity, whatever, in their posts.

Maybe they don't have an exciting life. They may live alone with cats. They may have no plans for a Friday night. But they have Free Republic. And they come here, and see this thread ... and their heart jumps. "Maybe someone will list me" they think. "Maybe I am someone's favorite freeper!"

So they scan the posts, looking in vain for their name. And the sadness comes over them in a wave. "No one listed me as their favorite" they mumble to themselves. The moment is devastating. All their efforts, all their attempts at humor, or profundity, or the conveyance of useful information have been for naught. No one has noticed them. They are no one's favorite.

And the sadness and emptiness they now feel crushes them like runaway freight train. The emptiness and meaninglessness of their life sweeps them into a vortex of despair.

I'm not saying that has happened, or that it will. Just that it could.

So, this post is for anone who has not been listed by someone else as their favorite. If your name is not anywhere on this thread, then YOU are MY favorite. We are brothers. We have each others back, you and me. We are kindred spirits. You are not alone.

[Richard Kimball]

JohnHuang2 has posted some great articles. I don't pay a lot of attention to who posts, unless they have a very distinctive personality. Interestingly, although I didn't thoroughly scan the thread, I didn't see very many of my favorite Freepers. Aloha Ronnie is interesting, Archie Bunker on Steroids was always great for a laugh, Chris, whose screen name I can't remember, but always posts the anime pictures with his sig is insightful, I miss Sneaky Pete, and I may be the only one, but I always got a big kick out of Illbay, who I believe had to be the grouchiest individual ever to post. Bush2000 is a hoot. I like reading Lorraine's posts when I'm in a "Days of Our Lives" mood, and miss Inspector Harry Calahan and his acerbic posts.

[4mycountry]

My favorites are:

All of the Viking Kitties, of course!

TheBigB has a great sense of humor; sciencediet makes great pictures; MeekOneGOP can spot trolls for 8 miles; King Prout has a knack for finding the best threads and smashing all idiots to smithereens; mhking has the best ping lists around; If Zavien ever comes around, he's hilarious. There are so many VKs, and they're all the best FReepers out there!

And the non-VK favorites:

Lazamataz: you know a thread's gonna be good if he's on there. One word: Popcorn!

netmilsmom: my homeschoolin'-mom buddy!

Fangorn: My good old FRiend who was sadly banned over a fight with some other freepers. *cries*

There are lots of others I can't remember right now -- but I will! :)