A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day 08-29-02

Aquamarine and Billie

[Billie]

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: 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

                     

Grampa Dave
FReeper since 08-04-00

Graphic by Ebuck and Paul Atreides

Grampa Dave By Aquamarine

Grampa Dave feels passionate about enjoying the environment of the great outdoors; he especially loves to fish the great rivers out West and can tell some unforgettable fishing stories that will make you feel you were right there in the river with him! But he doesn't stop there -- he'll even tell you the best way to cook the catch!

He also has great knowledge of the greenies and the damage that they are doing to the farmers, loggers and the environment with their inside-out, backward approach to common sense. You will find him on the environmental threads fighting them with all his might! He also worked tirelessly on the Klamath threads last year and gave untold hours of knowledge to the threads during that trying time.

Grampa Dave also works very hard on the fundraising threads on Freerepublic. He loves his children and grandchildren and can tell the sweetest stories about them on any given day. I'm proud to call Grampa Dave a FRiend of mine and consider him to be one of the Finest. ~~Aquamarine

I want to thank Aquamarine for her words about Grampa Dave above (and for that neat fishing pole gif!), and for introducing him to us. I wrote him for additional information and learned that he has been posting a continual thread since the middle of July about Oregon burning.... or, as he said, "Rural Cleansing as a result of the Watermelon Green Jehadists of Oregon."

That thread has developed a great cadre of Oregon people close to the fires, as well as a lot of others from other states.

Grampa Dave has a collection of cartoons that show the end goal of the Watermelon jhadists re burning our forests to prevent any logging. I have included a couple of them at his request.

The graphic by Ebuck and Paul Atriedes at the beginning of the thread was the result of several exchanges between Grampa Dave and Ebuck and others. Ebuck came up with the great idea of renting a billboard off of I5 to show disgust re the fires in Oregon and to lay the blame at the feet of those responsible.

A wonderful, unnamed Freeper donated the money to pay for the art work and the rental for the first month. (FReeper Blackie has the exact location of this billboard). There is a committee composed of Oregonians, and Grampa Dave to coordinate the funding to keep the billboard up until after the November elections. Please contact Grampa Dave via FReepmail for further information on how you might help.

Links to some of the threads where Grampa Dave's passions lie:

*VANITY* environ-MENTAL-ist Bulletin Board!! Containment nearing on Biscuit Fire (Oregon still burning) Saving Water, U.S. Farmers Are Worried They'll Parch Red Flag Warning/Fire Weather Watch Information, for SW Oregon Area

Grampa Dave and his wife will have their 41st wedding anniversary in September! They have two grown sons, and two grandchildren. As Aquamarine said, he is quite a doting grandfather. (the screen name he chose just might have revealed that!)

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1962 - 1964, during the Cuban Crisis, and was discharged from the Reserves in 1970. A Republican all his life, he became a conservative during the Cuban Crisis! Church is a vital part of his family life; both he and his wife have served on vestries, and both the grandchildren have already been baptized.

Grampa Dave became a backer and supporter of George W. after he saw who his 'enemies' were and became more involved with FReeRepublic after the election, fighting along with other FReepers to keep the gore backers from stealing the election. He was responsible for getting many young people involved in politics for the first time in their life.

There is so much more to Grampa Dave than I have touched on in these brief paragraphs. Many of you have 'met' him, 'stood' beside him during the Klamath Basin Crisis, or rallied beside him in his fight against the environmentalists on many other threads. Please take a few moments and visit his profile page (link is provided at the beginning of this tribute). You'll see why he has been chosen ONE OF FR'S FINEST!

Please come and say hello to Grampa Dave, but if you don't hear from him after about 9:30 AM PDT, it's because he's......

THIS WEEK'S THREADS

08-26-02 D.C. Freepers
08-27-02 Freedom Poster
08-28-02 humblegunner

[Pippin]

Hi, Grampa!

Congrats on being today's finest freeper!

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks, this is great way to start a day!

[Pippin]

Hi, LOUIE!

[Pippin]

Hi, Flyer!

[lodwick]

Thanks a bunch, for the tunes
and the lunch. Looks great. ;-)

[ladyinred]

I know Amy, farmers are being treated horribly by the gov't wackos! But I did my part the other night for the grape industry! I try never to drink water either so the farmers can have it! Honest I don't! :)

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' Papa. Beautiful flag story with your grand-daughter.

On a few occasions, our other grandson has come to visit and stops at the flag to recite the Pledge or sing "America."

The Bible tells us not to have a prideful heart, but it sure is hard when we marvel at what He has blessed us with - be it our children or grandchildren.

PR 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (NIV)

[Flyer]

G'morning to you!

[Pippin]

HI, DD!

[Aquamarine]

Oh, thanks for reminding me I almost forgot to serve the wine! ;)

[JulieRNR21]

Congratulations on being FR's Finest! That billboard is a super idea!

[Pippin]

I'm a honorary Texan! (grin)

[JustAmy]

A brunette and a blonde are walking along in a park one morning.

Suddenly, the brunette notices a dead bird. "Awww, look at the dead birdie," she says sadly.

The blonde stops, looks up into the sky, and says, "Where? Where?"

[Pippin]

Hi,Amy!

[lonestar]

Luv the water toys!

[Grampa Dave]

Great photo.

Years ago on one of the Lakes in SW Oregon, there was a bald eagle nick named Sam. Which I didn't know BOUT or what Sam would do until a little later on this trip.

Sam would circle around watching fly fishers bring the big trout back to their fishing prams or one man pontoon rafts.

I was up in the late fall and had seen Sam circling that morning and thought nothing of it. I hooked a really big trout and was bringing it closer to my little pontoon raft.

The fish came to the surface about 20 feet away. Suddenly this screech came over my head and the shadow of Sam went zipping over me and the water. He hit the fish and I about lost $1,000 in rod, reel and line as he tried to lift up the still hooked fish.

The light tippet broke and the trout got away and survived. I kicked and paddled into shore, and I was shaking like a cold wet puppy dog. It took me an hour to get back in the water. In the meantime Sam took a fish from another fisher about a quarter of a mile off.

Later I told a guy at the local flyshop about my encounter. He smiled and said that was Sam, and he often got breakfast, lunch and dinner that way.

So your photo reminds me of Sam.

[JustAmy]

Hello again Grampa
I can get away with the blonde jokes since I was a blonde; now it's more silver threads among the blonde.
Gives the impression of a halo! LOL

[Billie]

You DID get here, Dave! Good! And what a sweet story about your granddaughter and the flags!

Hope your fishing trip is great fun, and be sure and check the thread again when you get back, so you can read the later posts to you!

[lodwick]

Blonde takes taxi


After traveling a few blocks, a blonde realizes she had no money and immediately informed the driver. "You'd better stop. I can't pay you and it's ten dollars already," she said.

The driver checked her out in the rear-vision mirror.

"That's okay," he said. "I'll turn down the first dark street, get in the back seat and take off your bra."

"You'd be cheating yourself," she replied. "This bra is only worth five dollars."


Take that, Amy. ;-)

[Pippin]

HOWDY,LODWICK!