A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-06-03...A Pit Stop by John Huang

JohnHuang2, Billie, Dutchess | JohnHuang2

[dutchess]

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.

                     

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Honoring the seven astronauts who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, jets fly over the crowd in a missing man formation during a memorial service at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003. White House photo by Paul Morse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Pit Stop in Texas

by JohnHuang2

Bush spoke movingly at the memorial service in Houston's Johnson Space Center Tuesday, a ceremony in honor of the seven Columbia astronauts killed tragically Saturday minutes before their scheduled Florida landing.

In words both somber and hopeful, consoling and defiant, Bush saluted the daring heroism of the crew, 7 fearless frontiersmen of space whose high-spirited lives of quest and adventure tragically ended in the morning skies over Texas. So poignantly true-life his portrait capturing their vivacious spirit, Bush's words reached out to heaven and brought our hero seven, one by one, back down to Earth, here among us if ever so briefly -- a fleeting, yet quiet pitstop before resuming their voyage eternal.

"Each of these astronauts," said Bush, "had the daring and the discipline required of their calling. Each of them knew great endeavors are inseparable from great risk, each of them accepted those risks willingly, even joyfully, in the cause of discovery."

Bush, his stature grown to hero status in the wake of 9/11, has braved the latest jolt of tragedy seemingly unruffled, his calm and steady poise reassuring a nation girding for possible war.

Indeed, almost from the moment George W. Bush set foot in the White House, his leadership has been tested. And, on each occasion, with grace and eloquence, wisdom and style, he's more than met the challenge head on.

If ever existed a textbook case of exemplary leadership in times of crisis, the kind of guy you would want at the helm during days like these, President George W. Bush would have to be it. Against the greatest tests and challenges, he rallies the nation together, with unflinching courage, he takes command with bold and decisive steps early on, seizing the initiative, buoying hopes with fierce determination as he resolves to remain resolute, regardless how thankless, how joyless, how unrequited the task.

Bush is a shoulders-to-the-wheel President, self-possessed, unwaveringly iron-willed -- displaying a mettle and grit, valor and boldness in his discharge of duty equaled only to his unyielding sense of mission, virtues rare in an age of polls and focus groups and 'moist-finger-to-the-wind' politics.

Passionate yes, yet a master of his passion, strong and resolute, always a leader, mindful not to let events or emotions spiral out of control, his feet at all times planted firmly on the ground. At times like these, our nation demands a leader, and challenges and problems have, for this reason, more than met their match in George W. Bush.

Bush's enemies, hoping the loss of Columbia and the search for clues in the painful aftermath would derail war plans, fail to grasp an essential ingredient of Bush's character: Purposefulness. The course of action he's chosen is firm and final, undeterred by outside pressures and events, the guiding mission of his Presidency redeeming his pledge to win the War on Terror.

Our seven Columbia heroes would have it no other way.
God bless them, God bless their families,
and God bless the United States of America
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyway, that's...

My two cents..

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-03-03 Homeschool Mama 02-04-03 Sauropod 02-05-03 ST.LOUIE1 Birthday

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

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

[Billie]

Good morning, Kay. Good seeing you! (I used your 'house' for the pledge graphic on Tuesday's thread.)

[Aeronaut]

You beat Aeronaut! :)

I didn't get pinged very early...:-(

[Billie]

Just an FYI...Nan sent me a couple of pictures that her husband Jack took of the Columbia in 1983 at Edwards AFB in Calif. His band was playing at the Officer's Club and one of them took him out to an area right beside the landing site. Thought it would be appropriate to post one here.

[Diver Dave]

You were up late last night! :)

Yep. It's JH2 and dutchess' fault. Always anxious to read John's words of Wisdom.

Breakfast is now being served on the forward mess decks...

[Billie]

Good morning to you, too, 'nad. More poems anytime you want. :)

[Billie]

Good morning, dear Aqua - how appropriate your beautiful picture and music. Thank you for always knowing how to decorate our pages.

[Billie]

Ilene, don't know if they can add the url thread numbers to the links for This Week's Threads, but if not, when daisy posts tomorrow's thread, and puts the link to it at the end of this one, maybe she will include the links for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday along with it....Daisy?

[Temple Owl]

Good morning dutchess. Keep smiling, spring is just around the corner.

[Billie]

Good morning, Sistah Free. Thanks! Always a big thanks to you - don't know how we got along before we adopted you!

[MeekOneGOP]

You are the greatest, sweetie ! Thank you.

[Billie]

As a matter of fact....just this past Monday....I forgot to add "Homeschool mama - the Exclusive Interview" after "A Few Of FR's Finest." I yelled for help, the moderator graciously came and added that for me, and all was well with my world!

Hi, dansy - I remember that now - you copied your mail (to the Admin. Moderator) to me. Now, please, Lori, tell us you've goofed, too!

[Billie]

Hi, Mixer - am glad you have time (or are just TAKING time!) to be here earlier today!

[dutchess]

Billie....Just popped in between meetings and had a freepmail from dave reminding me not to forget to do the ping list! Told him next week he needs to run me through a checklist before I can go to bed LOL. I can only get better cause I can't get much worst than today!!!! Back later!

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody !! Happy Thursday !

41 degrees as I post this now. Can you believe it? They're calling for
snow...tonight...tomorrow...again...maybe...we'll see!...

Have a cup while you FReep !

For those who prefer hot chocolate.....

[LadyX]

May I echo your sentiments, Mixer?

Step by step, we are being guided through very intricate dance steps on the world's stage.

Just minues ago, Secretary Powell, appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was responding to questions from Senator Kerry.

He laid out clearly some f-a-c-t-s!
Informed them that all along, our President has led, back in AUGUST discussing with him and others at a meeting his belief we should go forward through the United Nations.

Amplified on this, saying despite the notion promoted the President had to be persuaded on this, he led every step of the way.

They worked six weeks within the U.N. to draft and pass the resolution for Iraq, and on December 12th, Secretary Powell - after the initial report by Iraq to them - told them if they meant the first resolution, cautioned them not to avoid passage of a second one, should that be necessary.

He is portraying subtly the fact the United Nations Organization might be regarded as totally irrelevant should it shirk its responsibilities.

Powerful happenings are in the making, and how privileged we are to have front row seats, thanks to modern communications.

His clear message, though, was that President George W, Bush is due full credit for the logical, steady course we have been following, and that it is not in response to pressure by anyone.
(Not White House staff, Congress, nor the media, implied.)

It is a good day in America, and another Fine one right here.

[dansangel]

Breathtaking!

Thank-you for posting that!

[Aquamarine]

And thank you Billie for always giving us so much to work with.

I can always see your hand in finding just the right seeds each day, with the other hostesses and contributer's planting them here to grow on these threads.

[Mama_Bear]

Now, please, Lori, tell us you've goofed, too!

LOL. Welllllll, actually, no. I've just been very lucky, and this just means that my big goof-up is coming. It is looming on the horizon as I type. LOL! It happens to everyone, sooner or later.

Morning, Finest hostess sistahs. I have a list a mile long of things to take care of before we leave tomorrow. I haven't even read John's essay, but I have to leave. I'll try to do that later today. Have a nice day, y'all.

Hugs all around!

[MeekOneGOP]

Excellent 2 cents JH2 ! Thank you !

KHOU-TV
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush join
in prayer during the memorial service.

---

AP
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush
led mourners at the memorial service.

---

AP
President Bush wipes his face before
speaking at the memorial service.

[LadyX]

"I'm done with winter....can't it be, like, 72 degrees from now on???"

This reflects our Florida upbringing, dansy..:))

I honestly considered, growing up, anything below about 68 was 'freezing!'
My perspective was drastically altered after a year in South Dakota, and then 3 1/2 in Fairbanks, Alaska.

During the latter, I genuinely thought "everything will be all right if it will just get up to ZERO" - and meant it!

That was shaped by weeks hanging around 50 below, and 'highs' of 40 below.

I complain no more..:))