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.

                     

\

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.

[MeekOneGOP]

Associated Press
Family members and friends gather for today's memorial service at
Johnson Space Center honoring the Columbia astronauts.

[LadyX]

Good morning, g'nad!
Glad you've come to grace our day.

[dansangel]

{{{{{{{{{{{ladyX}}}}}}}}}}}

I have spent many a winter in New England (48 inches of snow in one blizzard, Feb. 1978 - couldn't find my car!!!) and Ohio (sustained real temps of -25 for a week, winter of '95-96) and cannot lay claim to the fact that I've been cured.

I reiterate....if it's below 72 degrees....it's ***freezing***!!

[dansangel]

{{{{{{{{{{{{{Mama_Bear}}}}}}}}}}}}}}!!

[LadyX]

"Did you recognize Alaska in that picture?"

Give me credit for just seeing the picture!
Read until 0200 after departing The Finest, and was on my first cup of coffee when I saw it..:))

Just getting cranked up, I am - and no, WVNan - I'm not 'cranky!'
RESIST! LOL

[LadyX]

Oh, what a wonderful breakfast spread, Diver Dave!

Ah jus love it when you mess around, swabbie...:))

[Mo1]

As always .. love your 2 cents John

[LadyX]

Hi there, Meekie - -

I'm a cousin of Silly Shelly (aka WVNan), and wanna tell you
I have a crush on Carlsbad Caveman!
He is w-a-a-y cool!
The sight of 'im stirring the coffee with the pencil
just makes me - - all stirred up..:))

Will ya give him my pichur and send me his?

Love,

Silly Sally

[jwfiv]

Good morning and afternoon to all our Hostesses...JH2's most excellent essay, and all your good company, puts me in a fine mood today...also, it's President Reagan's birthday.

So many reasons to be glad to be American.

I love our President...all I wanted was a real genuine guy who doesn't lie...well, he is that, and more...he is our Champion. God bless him...

...and y'all, too.

To love...to love is a fine thing.

[LadyX]

Speaking of our President, did you perhaps watch Powell describing this morning to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee how President Bush has LED the way all this time?

Completely dispelled the notion he was just dragged kicking and screaming to do things.

If not, please read my reply #75.

[FreeTheHostages]

Powerful happenings are in the making. I'm not sure it's a good time to live in the DC area. I know we have to do this, but I hope there's not more domestic terrorism.

I choose instead to worry about other things, such as The Thin Man's morale.

FreeTheThinMan!

[jwfiv]

Lady, I read your #75...inspired reporting it is...didn't see Powell on TV except in excerpts.

Gotta tell ya, watching Dubya and his team play poker has been an amazing and beautiful drama.

Powell is correct, of course...the President led us to the present moment...a true leader he is.

[Molly Pitcher]

dutchess (and Billie - LOL!) thanks for the thread today, and John - the moving essay. You hit it outta the park!

ohio - You are in my thoughts and prayers today...

dutchess and Nan, your comments last night made me chuckle....I'm sure being born in TEXAS had something to do with my ambition to master a firearm.LOL. AND it's fun to defy stereotypes....but I bet if you looked at the membership of Second Amendment Sisters, you'd find quite a number of slight, older women like me....and I've been blessed to meet some of them.

Have a great rest of the day everyone!

[LadyX]

Yes - Yes !!
Shout it to the rooftops and throughout the land!
To heck with Free Willy - FREE THIN MAN !!

Standing by to receive further instructions.
Send forth the Clarion Call, Free.

All two of his unable defenders shall heed it and act - up.
( you 'n' I make a formidable team - look out, world )

It is a Definitely a Defining Day of Decision at the Finest.....

[GailA]

I had to do a back click to make sure I read it right.

[GailA]

It's half snowing and half raining here in Memphis today. About 2 inches when I got up this morning. Rocky LOVES the snow..he tried to eat it.

[Aquamarine]

It has started to snow hard here now. The ground must be warm, it's not sticking yet.

[LadyX]

Okay Self - shape up.
Preview after aaaamending the last line, inserting aaanother word aaand using too maaany aaa's..:(

[LadyX]

Yo - BILLIEEEE !!!!

Think I found another base for a Hostess/Essayist/Gif Guru/Guest Writers
graphic for ya - -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

( How did they manage to get all of them still ?!! )

[GailA]

You don't know whether you need an umbrella or a snow shovel here.