A Few of Fr's Finest....Every Day....11-14-02

JohnHuang2 and Billie

[daisyscarlett]

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

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

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

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

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 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.

      

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.

                     

They still don't 'get it'

by JohnHuang2

The lawmakers were tough -- real tough --

on the Bush administration, chiefly it's plans on dealing with Saddam Hussein, who faced a Friday deadline on whether to accept or reject a unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution, sponsored jointly by the U.S. and Britain, calling on Iraq to disarm or face "serious consequences", a euphemism for military action. (Saddam accepted Wednesday).

One after another, angry lawmakers rose to the floor, denouncing -- in language which, even by Washington standards, seemed unduly over-the-top -- what they deemed Bush's 'reckless' 'aventurism', his impetuous penchant for unilateralist, diplomacy-be-damned belligerent foreign policy and jingoism. Adding fuel to the fire: A New York Times report Sunday that Bush had tentatively approved Pentagon plans for striking Iraq, using 200,000 to 250,000 troops in a coordinated land, sea and air assault.

Watching the proceedings, it's like I'd been transported to some strange, parallel universe, a world where Tuesday's GOP election resurgence, which gave triumphant Republicans control over the Senate as well as the House, had never happened. It was if Republicans had lost, rather than netted, 2 Senate seats, or Democrats had recaptured control of the Speaker's Chair in the House.

'New tone'? Ha! What 'new tone'?

One high-ranking lawmaker excoriated Bush, calling his policy towards Iraq nothing more than 'a pack of of lies' and 'falsehood', motivated by 'ill intentions.'

The war resolution "does not have the minimum of fairness, objectivity and balance," he lividly told fellow lawmakers in a bitter, blistering speech, adding that Bush's take-no-prisoners approach 'flagrantly ignores' painstaking progress achieved with Iraq "in past years."

I thought to myself, 'man, O man, don't these people get it? Heck, even the U.N. got the message in the form of that U.S.-backed Iraq ultimatum, I thought. Sheesh, we can get even Syria -- still on Foggy Bottom's list of terrorist nations -- to endorse Bush's tough line against Saddam, but we can't get these clowns to budge an inch?

All right, all right; maybe I'm reading too much into Tuesday's midterm results, and perhaps it's ridiculous for me to expect the Iraqi Parliament -- oops, did I mention that by 'lawmakers' I meant Iraqi "lawmakers"? That I was merely talking about the Iraqi "Parliament" all along? -- to knuckle under.

Which brings up an interesting point, in a weird sort of way.

For those who think elections don't matter a lick, that Republicans and Democrats are but 2 sides of the same coin, imagine (if you will) had November 5th gone the other way; imagine a tsunami sweeping Democrats into office Election Day, with the Donkey Party ruinously capturing control of the House and padding its majority in the Senate -- shouldn't be too hard to do, given the bloodbath the White House typically faces during its first midterm elections, costing the party an average of 30 House and 8 Senate seats; imagine waking up Wednesday morning to learn that Nancy Pelosi, the wingnut from San Francisco, was poised to become Speaker of the House, a heart beat away from the presidency (Gephardt had planned to resign his leadership post to run for president, regardless).

What a tragic, calamitous defeat for the White House: A seismic shift in power in a time of war to a party whose seething aversion to military conflict is equaled only by the loathing it harbors for the U.S. military itself.

The world, not just the U.S., would feel the reverberations, the political shock waves spawned as a newly emboldened anti-war party, overwhelmed by a sense of vindication, boisterously seized the reigns.

A landslide for Democrats would mean the U.N. Iraq resolution would still be languishing in the Security Council, headed for certain defeat. President Bush, his prestige in tatters, would no longer command respect on the global stage, his toppled influence a smoldering rubble on the ground.

Elections don't matter, eh?

If that's true, then why was Saddam Hussein secretly rooting for Nancy Pelosi's team?

Think about it, if Saddam could vote, which Party do you suppose he'd prefer: The Party led by one George W. Bush, or the party ruled by a Leninist crackpot, a flag-burning 60s throw-back who idolizes Fidel Castro?

Vice President Dick Cheney or Albert Gore -- which one gets Saddam's vote-of-confidence, as it were?

Condoleezza Rice or Jim McDermott?

Colin Powell or David Bonior?

Donald Rumsfeld or 'Barbra' Streisand?

Any questions?

Didn't think so.

Anyway, that's...

My two cents...

THIS WEEK'S THREADs

11-11-02 Veteran's Day
11-12-02 Temple Owl
11-13-02 Mo1 and The Freeople Thread

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

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[Temple Owl]

Good morning folks. Please have a good one.

[GailA]

I have a rant this morning. I am SICK and TIRED of hearing that harold ford, jr would make a GOOD GOP canidate. BULL HOCKEY!

SCAM, FLIM FLAM, CON JOB ALERT! JUNIOR IS A SOCIALIST, ANTI-GUN, PRO-ABORTION LEFT WINGER! FROM A LARGE FAMILY OF VERY CORRUPT POLITICIANS! He is a klintoon/algorebatross BUTT KISSER DELUXE! There are about 4-6 points different according to the ACU on his voting record and pelosi's. He voted only 38% of the time for W's agenda...and 85-93% with klintoon's agenda. Gore plays fixer to 'crooked' uncle How vice president used police to 'take care' of friends, family WND

Memphis Flyer..ultra liberal rag

THIS IS ON HIS DADDY, WHO REALLY IS RUNNING THE SHOW

In some ways, it lacked the focused drama of the two previous such years -- 1993, which, among other things, saw the pivotal trial and acquittal of former congressman Harold Ford Sr. on bank-fraud charges; and 1997

Uncle State Sen john ford is a wreckless driver who will kill some one some day yet the law won't deal with it. He has several out of wedlock kids. His drunken ex-wife has cat fights with his several mistresses which get violent and destructive. john has his sticky fingers up to his neck in the Day Care cookie jar. He's fired a gun...er smoking cell phone at truckers, pulled a long gun on 5 Memphis Light Gas & Water workers. Another uncle who recently died had his in to the tune of $10M the State tried to get back..no luck there. daddy dearest was part of bank fraud..got of because of who and what he is a black politician. Two more uncles sit on the Memphis & Shelby County Commission & Mempis City Council. Both are CROOKED. The Fruit does not fall far from the Tree..in this case daddy dearest..harold ford SR. Who as I said RUNS JUNIOR's life and votes!

They bus in 10 year olds, the dead, dying, sick, mentally infirm, mentally retarded, winos, drugees, prisoners, etc every election day to ensure they stay in power.

WE DO NOT NEED THIS SCION WHO INHERITED HIS SEAT FROM DADDY TO BE IN THE GOP!

I've lived in the Memphis area nearly 18 years! I know ALL about the CROOKED FORD MACHINE! .

[ValerieUSA]

Good Thursday Morning Fine FReepers

[Mudboy Slim]

"BREAKFAST southern style"

Where's the grits, ma'am?

FReegards...MUD

[Aquamarine]

Good morning All!
Another great read John. Thank you.
On the run today see y'all later. :)

Click on the pic

[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots who were killed in that war
the following were lost on NOV 14. God bless them all.

1966 CPT Leon G. Chadwick III -- VMO-6, Age 26, Raleigh, North Carolina
1967 CPT Thomas A. Carter -- VMO-6, Age 23, Ft Lauderdale, Florida
1967 WO1 Raleigh L. Hewitt II -- 119 AHC, Age 21, Kenosha, Wisconsin
1967 CPT Milton G. Kelsey -- VMO-3, Age 24, Madelia, Minnesota
1967 WO1 Frank A. Murrietta -- C/227 AHB 1 CAV, Age 22, Phoenix, Arizona
1967 WO1 Larus W. Roland -- 170 AHC, Age 26, Portland, Oregon
1967 WO1 Stephen H. Thornton -- 119 AHC, Age 20, Albuquerque, New Mexico
1968 WO1 David M. Morris -- B/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 20, Tewksbury, Massachusetts
1968 CW2 Charles D. Plummer -- 199 INF BDE, Age 32, Bluefield, West Virginia

A tribute to WO1 Raleigh Hewitt: Died of wounds, Kontum, South Vietnam
You are not forgotten
We came home about the same time, you stayed young & I grew old. Now I've got daughters & grandsons--- but part of me is still with you. Semper Fidelis, Dick (USMC)

Richard Oass -- High School friend

A tribute to WO1 Frank Murrietta: KIA, Quang Nam, South Vietnam.
The main rotor was shot off the aircraft by AAA fire from 1,500 feet AGL. It was the command and control ship at the time. All souls on board perished when the rotorless aircraft hit the ground and exploded. A big ball of fire from air observation by other members of C/227. All bodies were recovered and identified later that day.

from CW4 Bill Terry, July 1996

A tribute to WO1 Frank Murrietta
I was a crewchief and flew with Frank Murrietta quite often. He was a pilot in Charlie Company 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division. We miss you Frank.May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Arthur Abendschein -- comrade in arms

A tribute to WO1 David Morris: KIA, Phuoc Long, South Vietnam.
I was a classmate and room mate of Dave's in Army Warrant Officer Flight School. We were both from Mass. at that time. Dave, his sister, my wife and I attended the graduation ball at the Officer's Club at Hunter Army Airfield. I saw Dave in Mass. just before he went over to Viet Nam. He was a good friend. I think of him to this day some thirty years later.

Jim McKinley -- Friend and Flight School classmate

More helicopter art from Joe Kline.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE

SCOUTS OUT!

[dansangel]

Good Morning everyone! Excellent, as always, JH2. I look forward to reading your essays because you have the ability to hit the nail on the proverbial head!

I LOVE the new graphic! It's perfect, especially with Louie being the one with the halo over his head!!

Love and {{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}} to you all. I'm off for another rousing training session! LOL!

[dansangel]

EXCELLENT rant, Gail! Give 'em HECK!

Typical media BS, trying to sway the American public with their liberal, drooling, bedwetting propaganda.

Well, we didn't buy into it this last election, did we? By the Grace of God we are getting a little smarter each day!

Have a wonderful Day!
{{{{{{{{{{{{GailA}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[dansangel]

Sorry that you won't be around much. :-( We'll miss you!

Here's an extra {{{{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} for you!

{{{{{{{{{{{Pippin}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[lodwick]

Nice information and rant - good job there. Thanks for the info. JL

[ladtx]

Good piece JH2, hits the nail on the head.

The war resolution "does not have the minimum of fairness, objectivity and balance," he lividly told fellow lawmakers in a bitter, blistering speech, adding that Bush's take-no-prisoners approach 'flagrantly ignores' painstaking progress achieved with Iraq "in past years."

Amazing to me how the UN Security Council, (unanimously I might add), doesn't believe there has been painstaking progress achieved with Iraq but some of our own "elected" officials want to side with some of the wishy-washy Euros on this one.

[lodwick]

Sunrise in the Smokey Mountains

[ladtx]

How 'bout a good ol' Texas sunrise.

[JohnHuang2]

Aw, shucks -- thanks!

Morning, y'all. Would've been here earlier, but lost my connection twice last night, for some reason. But things appear back up to snuff now, thankfully.

[JohnHuang2]

Thanks =^)

[JohnHuang2]

Morning, amigo.

[Temple Owl]

Oh Boy! Now tell us how you really feel about this guy. Just kidding. It 's a super dooper rant.

[JohnHuang2]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, y'all =^)

[Temple Owl]

i love monarch butterflies.

[Temple Owl]

Whoo! Whoo! Thanks for the birds. They are my favorites.