A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-24-02

dansangel and Billie

[dansangel]

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

                     

A FRiend "Across the Pond"

MadIvan Freeper since October 29, 1998

The way that the liberal press in our country would have it told, the US has no allies in Europe in the war against terror.

The reality is that nothing could be further from the truth. We have many allies, especially from Great Britain, our "sister country across the pond." If you doubt that this is true, take the time to read some of the threads that MadIvan puts up. Many of these threads are accompanied by his pithy comments, recognizable by their uniquely colored and italicized script.

MadIvan has been a part of Free Republic for nearly four years. His biting wit and Brit-speak are familiar to many. Also well-known are his conservative stance and allegiance to the current Republican Administration. He is quick to criticize the critics both here and in his home country across the Atlantic.

As a youth, MadIvan relates that he was a member of the Young Conservatives. Recently, he has just rejoined the Conservative Party for his constituency of Islington South & Finsbury. Because he works and is also studying for and working towards an MA in E-Business at night, most of his political activity is right here on Free Republic.

Ivan and "Uncle Ronnie" ~ a "fantasy meeting" (LOL)

What brought MadIvan to FR initially was his disgust of Clinton. "Unglamorous, but true," he remarks. Prior to FR, some of his first battles were waged against leftists on alt.impeach.clinton.

It was during this time that someone informed MadIvan about Free Republic (lucky for us!). He says he was "horrified" to learn that the impression on FR was that everyone outside the USA supported Clinton. Says MadIvan, "And I've been loudly proclaiming my opposition to that idea ever since. ;)"

MadIvan had a strong and definite emotional stake in the horror of September 11, 2001. His mother was in New York and in close proximity to the World Trade Center at the time the terrorists struck.

Not only was he appalled by the enormity of the violent event and loss of life, he was fearful for the safety of his mother. MadIvan was tremendously relieved to find out that she was fine, but deeply angered and saddened by the cold-blooded murder of innocent American citizens.

Ornithopter in flight

In his "spare time" MadIvan is quite the science fiction fan; more specifically, he is a fan of Frank Herbert's "Dune." If you check out his Free Republic Profile Page, in addition to listing his answers to various "enquiring minds want to know"-type questions, you will see that he is a Website designer. One of the Websites that he has created is dedicated to "Dune."

Finally, although he does not mention her by name on his profile page, MadIvan has a beloved who is also a FReeperette! She is somewhat shy and wishes to remain anonymous. However, she can usually be found posting on the various newsworthy threads that MadIvan puts up.

One thing is certain; because they met and FReep together on FR, it is a match most assuredly made in "Conservative Heaven."

When the liberal mush-mouthed news media has you down and has left you to wonder who in the world we can call "ally," let MadIvan and many of his fellow countrymen be the first to come to mind.

Ivan's eyes showing the telltale blue-on-blue from partaking of "the Spice."

Please join me in giving another deserving FReeper, one who happens to be an ally of Conservative America, a warm welcome to FR's Finest...

Today that Finest is
MadIvan!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS

10-21-02 International Profile Pages

10-22-02 Knighthawk

10-23-02 JohnHuang2's "My Two Cents - Maureen Dowd -- All The Drool that's fit to..."

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

[dansangel]

Good Morning (afternoon to you!) Ivan!

I hope you like it. I want to thank YOU for agreeing to be profiled. We need many, many more like you "across the pond" to show the America-haters here that the US is not all wrong in its fight against terrorism.

God Bless you and all of your countrymen who support the US!

[Happygal]

Yes, dansangel, thanks for a great profile about a great guy :-) (even if he is a limey git! *LOL*)

[dansangel]

(even if he is a limey git! *LOL*)

Ooohhhh feed me more of these neat adjectives! Then, I can ***insult*** flamers on other threads....and they won't even know it!

LOL!

{{{{{{{{{Happygal}}}}}}}}}}

[lodwick]

[dansangel]

I have been SO waiting for this, loddie! Thank-you!

(something about getting up earlier than usual to post a thread...heheheheheh)

{{{{{{{{{{lodwick}}}}}}}}}}

[Happygal]

Ooohhhh feed me more of these neat adjectives! Then, I can ***insult*** flamers on other threads....and they won't even know it!

I'm not sure I dare!!!! *L*

Just in case Ivan starts to hurl a few colloquialisms in my direction!! *LOL* ;-)

[.45MAN]

Gongratulations to a truly original person. Have a Great day, or at least rest of a day, your a few hours ahead of us....

[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots who were killed in that war the following were lost on todays date. God bless them all.

1968 WO1 Richard S. Riley Jr. -- C/101 AVN, Age 23, Elizabeth, New Jersey
1970 CPT Craig B.Schiele -- 21 SOS, Age 27, Steubenville, Ohio

This narration is from the Arlington National Cemetery website concerning CPT Schiele.

Remains ID'd as Vietnam-era fliers
June 4, 2002

The remains of two Chicago-area airmen killed in a risky Laotian mission during the Vietnam War have been identified and will be buried this week at Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon said Monday.

Air Force Master Sergeant Thomas E. Heideman and Captain Craig B. Schiele were killed October 24, 1970, while serving as crew members of a CH-3E "Black Maria" helicopter sent to rescue friendly forces from Laotian territory.

Piloted by Schiele, their helicopter was the lead ship of a two-aircraft contingent carrying out the rescue at a time when large-scale North Vietnamese forces were operating in Laos.

The friendly Laotian troops were taken aboard, but, shortly after takeoff, Schiele's helicopter crashed in dense jungle. Eight Laotians and two American servicemen survived the crash and were quickly rescued, but a second attempt aimed at retrieving Schiele and Heideman could not be mounted until the following morning.

The partial remains of one of the two fliers were recovered and later identified as Schiele. They were buried at his family's request in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. His only sister, Lynne Schiele of Hazel Crest, who was four years younger, said her brother, who was 27 at the time of his death, was buried in the family plot of his wife, Margery, in her hometown of Bartlesville.

In 1994 the remains of Master Sergeant Heideman were recovered and interred at Arlington National Cemetery in June, 2002.

A Sikorsky CH-3E 'Jolly Green Giant" as flown by CPT Schiele.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE

SCOUTS OUT!

[dansangel]

Just in case Ivan starts to hurl a few colloquialisms in my direction!! *LOL* ;-)

But that's the best way for me to learn! When I was very small, my grandparents would switch to Italian (their native language) when they didn't want me to "hear" what they were saying.

It backfired....I could cuss in Italian as well as I could speak English by the time I was 5!!! LOL!

[MadIvan]

Just in case Ivan starts to hurl a few colloquialisms in my direction!! *LOL* ;-)

As if I would. ;)

tart tart tart tart tart...

Love, Ivan

[dansangel]

Good Morning ladtx!

Thank-you for your remembrance of our fallen heroes. May God have them tucked safely by His side and may the Schiele family gain peace and closure by the return of their loved one's remains.

How awful they had to wait so long. The man whose MIA bracelet I wore as a teenager, Staff Sergeant Richard A. Fitts, remains were not returned to his family until 1990. So many families have had to wait agonizingly long years to put their loved ones to final rest.

{{{{{{{{{{{{ladtx}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[ladtx]

Congratulations MadIvan. I have always enjoyed your view from across the pond. They are clear, unambiguous and best of all, conservative. A breath of fresh air. You always bring clarity to the discussions here, a real credit to the forum.

SCOUTS OUT!

[dansangel]

[writing furiously]

"limey git"
"tart"

Ohhhhh, this is good........

[MadIvan]

In reference to the Clintons and Gores, it's useful to remember a term like "prat", which is equivalent to saying "jerk" in America. But I think it's more effective.

Say it a few times:

"Bill Clinton is an utter prat."

Regards, Ivan

[ladtx]

It is amazing how science has progressed and can help identify remains so long after the deaths have occurred. It must bring a bitter-sweet relief to the families.

[MadIvan]

My sincere thanks for your kind words.

Regards, Ivan

[lodwick]

Salute!

[dansangel]

I don't have the details in front of me, but back when SSgt Fitts' remains were identified and sent home, the family of another soldier who perished in the same crash contested the findings. They had the remains analyzed by an independent forensics lab.

I'm going to have to look up that story because I can't remember what the outcome was.

But, yes, indeed it is amazing what science can achieve.

[dansangel]

I found an article and time has clouded my memory;

Task Force Synopsis

It seems the family of the other soldier contested the remains, but did not have them re-analyzed. The whole thing is just so sad.

[Molly Pitcher]

Great profile, dansangel!

Ivan, I think most of us have had our fantasy meetings with the great Ronald Reagan....God Bless him.