A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-19-02

Billie, JohnHuang2 and daisyscarlett | JohnHuang2

[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.

                     

Gore's calls it quits: Bad news for the White House?

by JohnHuang2

Well, I guess you can say that it was just too good -- way too good -- to be true. A rematch with Sore-Loserman, that is. Now I'm really worried -- very, very worried -- on the prospects of holding the White House in '04.

The former Veep, whom the media maintains was the real winner in 2000 because every recount of Florida ballots showed that Bush got more votes than Gore which doesn't really count because we know it was all part of some right-wing plot to steal the election, made it official Sunday: I'm out.

In a taped 8-minute interview on the CBS news show 60 Minutes, Gore, the father of the internet, said he was still gung-ho on "ending" the evil Bush administration, which he accused of using war in Iraq which isn't a war to take the focus off the recession which isn't a recession.

"I personally have the energy and the drive and the ambition to make another campaign," Gore assured a sad and dejected looking Lesley Stahl.

Okay, so what's the problem then?

Gore put it this way: "While I have the energy and drive to go out there and do it again, I think that there are a lot of people within the Democratic Party who felt exhausted by that."

Well, there you have it, folks. His party won't let him, you see. Poor Al. It's bad enough when the country rejects ya, and that FOXNEWS and Rush Limbaugh and the Washington Times and Rubert Murdock are 'out to get' ya, but now even your own people are dissing ya! Sheesh.

So, now it's a Vast, Right-Left-wing Conspiracy keeping Al out of the White House. Well, at least he can say he's united the country on one thing: We don't want Al!

Polls had Gore well ahead of the pack for the nomination, but Party money-men were telling Al to stay out. Wow, some "Democratic" Party, eh?

Gore said he didn't want the contest to be about the past. Odd statement, given that's all his party seems be doing these days: Dwelling on Trent Lott and the past.

"Gore's decision was not good news for the White House," reports David Broder in the Washington Post. Of course, had Gore decided to run, the Goebbels-wannabe would still say, 'Gore's decision to run was not good news for the White House.'

Broder's brilliant logic goes something like this: Gore is too much of a light-weight to have a snowball's chance in a rematch with Bush, but light-weight Gore would mop the floor with powerful heavy-weight challengers for the nomination. Comprende now?

Okay, it may sound contradictory, but Methinks Broder's on to something this time.

Gore's decision potentially could spell big trouble for Bush.

How? Well, have you seen the field of ultra-heavy weights Bush'll be up against?

First up, John F. KKerry, whom polls show to be the odds-on-favorite for the nomination now that Gore is out. Why, just that name alone is enough to keep White House political strategists lying awake at night.

They're worried and I'm worried and for good reason: History. We all remember what happened last time a Bush ran against a juggernaut from Massachusetts, don't we? H.W. Bush got stomped. Oops, I mean Michael Dukakis got stomped -- by a landslide 54%-46% and 426 electoral votes. Not since Martin Van Buren succeeded Andrew Jackson in 1836 had a sitting Veep won the Big One.

Okay, so the White House probably relishes the prospects of Kerry as Dukakis II, but what about Bush up against super-dooper heavy-weight Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, hmmmm?

Don't laugh. Check out how skillfully Edwards answers critics who charge he's too inexperienced in foreign policy: "I've been to Iowa, New Hampshire and other countries like that many times. Next week I'm off to California -- a country of 30 million people! Heck, I'm so good at this foreign policy-ing stuff I think I can hammer out a Texas-Oklahoma peace deal in my first six months in the White House."

Asked his position on Kyoto, he wondered, 'is that that Chinese restaurant on the corner of Washington Avenue?'

See what I mean? Be afraid, be very afraid.

Gov. Howard Dean of Jumpin' Jeffords Vermont?

Another heavy-weight to keep an eye on. If he decides to run, I guarantee you he'll give Bush a run for his money, believe me.

What? He's already thrown his hat in the ring? Well, I didn't know that.

Okay, okay, so Gov. Dean isn't exactly a power-house. But just wait till people south of the Mason-Dixon get to know him -- especially his support for civil union for same-sex couples. That'll make him wildly popular in states like Georgia. I can just see it now, people across Tennessee, Kentucky and Louisiana chanting, 'We want Howard! We love Howard!' You'll see.

Tom Daschle is said to be mulling a run, too. Tom Daschle! Now there's a winner, folks. Daschle, who couldn't even hold the Senate in '02 says he's a good bet to win the White House in '04.

See if you can follow this: From media accounts, Daschle is considering challenging Bush because Bush is so popular in South Dakota that he fears being swept from his Senate seat in a Bush '04 re-election tide. Gee, so Tommy fears Bush coattails in South Dakota, but won't have any problem unseating Bush in the rest of the country, right? One thing worries me, though: Daschle is said to be getting campaign advice from George 'I-Couldn't-Even-Win-My-Home-State-Of-South-Dakota-In-'72' McGovern.

Oh, well, what about Joe Lieberman?

Joe who?

Anyway, that's...

My two cents..

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-16-02 Christmas Is...FReeper Memories 12-17-02 FReeper Pets on Parade 12-18-02 Places in the Heart (Molly Pitcher)

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

[Mudboy Slim]

"Thank goodness for cruise control and the wide open spaces."

Two of God's Greatest Inventions, IMHO...MUD

[lodwick]

Boca Raton

[Pippin]

Yeah! I feel like having dems fer breakfast! GRRRRR!

Lemme at 'em!

[lodwick]

Good morning guys.

[EternalVigilance]

Your difficulties with the Tahoe were unfortunate, but look at the bright side---you had the good humor still to tell us about it and start our day off with a smile. :-)

[Temple Owl]

Good morning Daisy: Ladies. Tell John that he forgot to include the latest Democratic heavyweight--Fast Eddie Rendell. This will keep us awake at night.

[Mudboy Slim]

Oh what a beautiful Morning...oh whatta beautiful day...
Next, we shall FReep "PUNK" McAuliffe...what will the Lib'uh'rulls say?!

FReegards...MUD

[Mudboy Slim]

"I feel like having dems fer breakfast! GRRRRR!"

The DemonRAT Target fer today is...Terrence P. McAuliffe, DNC Chairman and Slick Willie's sometimes lover...on a parallel thread, we will be running a MajorContestWithKewlPrizes in which we will be asking FReepers to provide the BestEvidenceAvailable that Slick's RAT-PunkButtboy is a Closet Racist!!

FReegards...MUD

[SheLion]

Good morning, daisyscarlett! Good morning everyone!

6 more days until Christmas.

[FreeTheHostages]

LOL!! Yes, JohnHuang's more fun to read, a survey of right-wing pets has shown.

[FreeTheHostages]

Mixer's dog #7 on this Top Ten Holiday dogs list, as we count down to Christmas:

[Pippin]

Sounds like a plan!

[GailA]

Good Morning ALL..Just 6 more days and I get to see my grandson. Most excellent essay John.

[Mudboy Slim]

"Slick's RAT-PunkButtboy is a Closet Racist!!"

And historians will come to call it "OperationSuperFReep!!"

Gotta go to another Christmas Party, but when I get back, "On my signal, UNLEASH HELL!!!"

Heh heh heh...MUD

[SheLion]

Just 6 more days and I get to see my grandson

I bet your ecstatic!!! Good for you! You will be on Cloud 9!!!

[FreeTheHostages]

I dunno Yertle. I'm not sure. Lee Atwater's dying words were expressions of regret for making race too much of an issue in a presidential campaign. I don't think polarizing on the race issue is a good way of doing battle with Democrats.

I'm firmly against racism and I've been active in constructive civil rights projects in the past. But I'm just not sure it's effective to throw labels around.

[Salvation]

Thanks, daisyscarlett,

I can hardly believe that two years have come and gone since I signed on to FR after lurking a lot during the post-election process and the fiasco of Gore's mafia during the 2000 elections.

The one thing I remember the most was watching Judge Sanders Saul's courtroom proceedings and the disgraceful performance of the SCOFLAWs in their attempt to re-write law rather than to interpret it.

God bless and have a great day today!

[Mudboy Slim]

"Lee Atwater's dying words were expressions of regret for making race too much of an issue in a presidential campaign."

Says who?! Bob Woodward, perhaps?! I love Lee Atwater, but that's sounds like the incoherent rantings of a dying man!!

"I don't think polarizing on the race issue is a good way of doing battle with DemonRATS."

Who said ANYTHING about "polarizing on the race issue"?! Wasn't me...I believe we need to quit pretending that Pubbies are Racists and DemonRATS are pure as the driven snow!! Let's bring this issue to a head, then pop the Left's Big Ol' Issue** once and fer all!!

"I'm firmly against racism and I've been active in constructive civil rights projects in the past. But I'm just not sure it's effective to throw labels around."

There ain't a prejudiced bone in my body, as each and every one of my black friends will tell you...but I'll throw around labels as I see fit and if the RATS wanna own up to the labels I'm throwin' around, it's 'cuz the RAT Party is RACIST!!

FReegards...MUD

**Left's Big Ol' Issue...think of the Race Issue as a Big Ugly Zit!!

[FreeTheHostages]

Gail, I love your angelic Teddy Bear. It says "Grandson" all over it! Thanks.

Lodwick, thanks for another sunrise. God is great.

[FreeTheHostages]

I respectfully still dissent from whether it's an *effective* strategy. I think it's more effective to explain to people of all races that we're the party of economic opportunity and of meritocracy. I think a positive message by Republicans reaching out directly to different groups is much more effective. Like Jeb Bush's efforts in Florida. I'm not doubting your point that there are racists Democrats is accurate. I'm most respectfully doubting the effectiveness of such a strategy.