A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-12-02

FreeTheHostages; MudboySlim; Billie | Billie; MudboySlim; FreeTheHostages

[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: 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.

                     

HOLIDAY TOP-TEN-LIST CONTEST
by FreeTheHostages and Mudboy Slim
Graphics and layout by Billie

         

HEY YOU!!
Yeah, YOU! We're talking to YOU!!

Ever said to yourself, "My posts here are so clever, so nice, shouldn't I win a prize for them?" Good question!

Here's our answer to this question: Maybe yes, maybe no. Let's find out! THE HOLIDAY TOP-TEN-LIST COMPETITION HAS COMMENCED!!!

Another Freeper Finest Contest Thread!! With a REAL PRIZE: Your Chance to Win a Copy of the Clinton Legacy Cookbook!

Top Ten Reasons You Should Join the Contest

10.  You have to play to win: must post by 10 PM PST tonight! Multiple entries accepted.

9.  The judging will be completely irrational (FreeTheHostages and Mudboy Slim!), so your chances of winning are no less than the next person's. We'll probably have Honorable Mention designations and such.

8.  Did we mention you get a *real* prize mailed to you - a copy of the Clinton Legacy Cookbook? This is a long time in the making, a work of love by Carlo3b with the help of many Freepers and his beloved Angelique. A $20 value, you can have yours free!!

7.  You pick your theme for the top ten list, as long as it is somehow vaguely tied to the holidays.

6. It can be funny. It can be serious. It's whatever you want. For example:

"Top Ten Excuses for Not Doing One's Holiday Shopping"
"Top Ten Things Santa Should Put in Daisy Scarlett's Stocking"
"Top Ten Things I'm Getting the Freeper Finest Hostesses for Christmas"
"Top Ten Reasons Why Hanukkah is Better"
"Top Ten Things President Bush Wants for Christmas"
"Top Ten Reasons Why I'm Looking Forward to Christmas In America"
"Top Ten Cute Things Mixer's Puppy Could Wear on December 25th"
"Top Ten Holiday Wishes for the Families Who Lost Loved Ones on 9/11 / in Vietnam/ etc."

5.  If you don't join the contest, and the top ten list that wins reads like it was written by a reptile, it will be too late for you to say, "Sheesh, my five-year old son could have done better than that."

4.  There are so many different ways you can make your list "count" and make your fellow Freepers laugh or smile. Cuteness countess. Patriotism counts. Humor counts. Sincerity counts. Everything counts. Clever counts a lot.

3.  Here on FR's Finest, your literary work will be read and, if you're a regular, you know that your Finest friends will find something nice to say about it, even if you do submit a list with the theme:

"Top Ten Things I'd Like to Give My Ex-Boyfriend for Christmas - the Guy Who Dated Me For Five Years But Would Never Go So Far as to Commit to Suggesting That I'm the One Until He Broke Up with Me (He Claims) Because I Seem Unhappy About Something."

You just know that some cheerful Pippin or Aquamarine or Mixer will stop by your post and say, "Well now, isn't that lovely!" with a big smile.

2.  If you run out of ideas before you get to 10, there are always amusing ways to fill out your list.

....and the number one reason you should enter our contest:

(Drum roll please)

1. Because you *just know* you're so clever someone *ought* to give you a prize, right?

The Rules

1.  We don't have 'em. Your judges, FreeTheHostages and Mudboy Slim, aren't big on rules.

Holiday Helpers

So we're not having any. We're guest-hosting this thread to help out the regular hosts this holiday, so we pretty much figure we can all do what we want and will dispense with the rules. Think of us as your substitute teachers for the day! That said, of course it would be immensely useful, if when you post your entry, you would ping your judges - FreeTheHostages and Mudboy Slim - along with whoever else you wish to ping. This will let us keep track of the entries.

2.  If you want to ask us about whether there's a rule on this or that, feel free, but you'll find our answer is "there's no rule." Can you work in teams? Sure. Can you steal from a couple of the best entries of a peer? Sure, although the judges are not likely to be impressed by such behavior. Can you use graphics if you wish? We don't see why not.

3.  What is our specific grading system? We don't have one. Do you have a legal recourse if you think the judging result indicates someone had too much buttered rum? Nope. Etc. etc. Get the general idea? :) You're putting your contest fate in the hands of the unrestrained discretion of the judges - whose work, if you've seen us on the gingerbread thread, certainly is laughable. So there should be no shame in losing.

The Suggestions

We do suggest you:

• Post by midnight PST.
• Consider bribes or flattery. We're into that.
• Be patient if you win. We'll mail the winner the

Clinton Legacy Book     (signed by Carlo3b!) as soon as it arrives in the mail to us.  There may be about a week's delay due to the holiday mail, but you WILL get your book before Christmas!

The Motivation

Our prize is a gem of a prize. Carlo3b describes his labor of love, the Clinton Legacy Cookbook, as "The only item to escape the Clinton Administration without DNA on it!"  Makes you hungry right away, huh? ;)

If you really hate cooking, just the names of the recipes should be fun reading. But still if you'd rather, we have an alternate gift - a 2003 Wall Calendar with the theme: "Proud to Be an American."

Our Expectations

Now, you were all smart enough to find the FR's Finest thread. And so we do have the greatest expectations that *every* entry will be just wonderful. So, thinking caps on, everyone!   Embrace competition like a good conservative and ........... to work!
~ FreeTheHostages and MudboySlim

Once again, I'd like to thank our Guest Writers (and Judges) for providing me with another entertaining script to 'play with' and 'pretty-up' for our Finest FReepers. You've made the holidays such fun with your delightful and humorous writing; the prizes you've offered in these two contests are an added bonus! Thank you both for being such an important part of our Finest Family. ~Billie

FreeTheHostages

MudBoySlim

Only Thirteen More Days Till Christmas!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-09-02 Paul Atreides 12-10-02 Gingerbread House Contest 12-11-02 Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

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

[Billie]

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.

[Billie]

Congratulations to Sweet Liberty for winning first prize in the Gingerbread House Contest on Tuesday with her winning entry HERE!

And to GailA's second place entry HERE! And Tgsltakoma's third place entry with the second photo HERE!

Honorable Mention was given to xJones, DiverDave, and Aquamarine for their excellent entries, as well.

I said I was glad I wasn't a Judge! They had some tough decisions to make. Thanks, FreeTheHostages and MudboySlim, for the Gingerbread House Contest, and for that which we are about to begin today. :) Whoo Hooo!!!!

[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots who were killed in that war the following were lost on DEC 12. God bless them all.

1963 CW2 William E. TH. Flowers (USAR) -- 611 TC CO, Age 37, Columbus, Georgia
1963 1LT Ronny L. Woodmansee (USA) -- 611 TC CO, Age 30, Austin, Texas
1968 WO1 Davey M. Adams (USAR) -- 120 AHC, Age 23, Greenville, Mississippi
1968 WO1 Michael T. Murphy (USAR) -- 120 AHC, Age 20, El Paso, Texas
1969 CPT Charles P. Hood Jr. (USAR) -- C/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 27, Aledo, Texas

In memory of 1LT Ronny L. Woodmansee.
Excerpt from a website tribute to 1LT Woodmansee:
FROM ONE MEMBER OF YOUR AUSTIN FAMILY Dear Sir, It has been over thirty-five years now since we lost you. I am sitting here with a friend tonight, who also knew your wife Jean, at The University of Texas, when your boys were small. Linda Borchardt and her husband John have already signed the guest book, and now, I am guiding them through these pages. John even taught one of your sons. We were remembering you tonight, at the dinner table. Your wife wrote an incredible tribute to you in the Austin American Statesman several years back. It was easy to visualize you through her eyes: "Wearing those Charlie Dunn boots and that Travis Heights smile". We still see you, and all those who fly with you now as Friendly FAC, encircling all of us still left down here on the deck. Please continue to keep watch over all our now deployed troops in the Persian Gulf.we have more of the "Same old, same old" going on right now. Thank you for your service.

With all overdue respect, Sandy Vinson, Linda and John Borchardt.

1LT Woodmansee and CW2 Flowers were killed while flying the CH-37B Mohave, the only one to be destroyed during the war.

Unit patch of the 611th Transportation Company

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE

SCOUTS OUT!

[anniegetyourgun]

Wow...what talent we have on FR! I can hardly get my gingerbread men to come out looking good! These culinary architects are incredible!

[Teacup]

Good Morning all. I'm Backkkk! We had a heck of an ice strom here in our part of Virginia yesterday. I was without power until 10 PM last night. Blurrr! We were cold and bored, LOL, but we made it through OK.

It's still icy outside, but the weather folks say the ice will melt today. We lost a good number of trees, and the roads are awful, but this too shall pass. Hope everyone is having a great day.

[Mudboy Slim]

Howdy!! As I told FTH, I'm gonna be on the road almost the whole day today, so I'll haveta play ketchup this evening!! Y'all have fun with this and BE CREATIVE!!

So long...MUD

[Billie]

Five very sad families and friends on this date lost a loved one. Thank you for remembering them for us all, ladtx.

[FreeTheHostages]

Um, OK. I'm just getting sober from the last one, so this is hitting me hard!

[FreeTheHostages]

(And Honorable Mention to Flyer as well.)

[lodwick]

Austin Salutes!

[FreeTheHostages]

I think *you* should do a top ten list. Like, "Top Ten Reasons Substitute Holiday Hosts are Slightly Better Than Nothing." :D

[lodwick]

[FreeTheHostages]

As a former prosecutor, I'm liking that. That's the real list.

[lodwick]

Top ten viruses reported to Sophos in November 2002

Position Last month Virus Percentage of reports
1 1 W32/Bugbear-A

29.4%

2 New W32/Braid-A

8.5%

3 2 W32/Klez-H

7.7%

4 3 W32/Opaserv-A

5.4%

5 6= W32/Opaserv-C

5.1%

6 Re-entry W32/Flcss

4.6%

7 Re-entry W95/Spaces

3.3%

8 New W32/Opaserv-F

2.5%

9 10 W32/Opaserv-B

2.1%

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Billie.

[Temple Owl]

Good morning Billie; all. Please have a wonderful day.

[Aeronaut]

Top Ten Reasons you know that you are hosting Christmas at your house this year:

10. You have helped bake ten dozen Christmas cookies.

9. You have purchased several more characters for your Nativity Scene.

8. You have already washed the holiday stemware (knowing you will do it again).

7. You have discussed, for nearly an hour, where all the animals will be kept while the guests are here.

6. You have spent nearly $100 for tree trimings (called Spruce Tips) to decorate the garage.

5. The new carpet has been installed.

4. The new diningroom furniture is in place.

3. The carped shampoo crew has been called back to re-do the living room.

2. Every wall in the house has been painted - several have had wallpaper borders installed.

1. You are looking foreward to the alcohol abuse that will occur when the guests have left.

[FreeTheHostages]

ROFL!

[FreeTheHostages]

Hey Billie! I've got my hands on the White House Christmas Tour book for this year, and it includes a Christmas White House "pet" game. So although sadly it appears that I have no photos of my beloved cats (one good, one bad) to share, I can send you this?

[lodwick]

The Top Ten Ways to Tell if Your Homepage Sux