A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-04-03...The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob

Dutchess and Billie

[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:  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.

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

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.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

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

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

      

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.

                     

A constitutionalist, a political satirist, a writer,a commentator AND a Patriot…. please join me in welcoming Congressman Billybob as today's FR Finest….

The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob, cyberCongressman from Western Carolina

So Just Who is Congressman Billybob and How Did He Get here??? (This is good folks…a real original…)

This here's the (More or Less) Honorable Congressman Billybob from Western Carolina. Of all the 100,000 folks who've signed up for FreeRepublic, give or take a few, I may be the only one who posted here before he ever visited the website. To explain:

Here we go…AND IT WASN'T A DRUDGE LINK…!

Seven years ago, a friend who was commissioned to create a humor section ("Newsgrief") on the dreaded AOL, invited me to write a weekly column for that. But who should write it? J. Armor, Esq., which is who I am in the real world, is not known as either very colorful or greatly humorous. So I created the (More er Less) Honorable Billybob, etc. to write the column And at the same time I created Felicity Fahrquar, his Close Personal Assistant. The deal was that Felicity was younger, prettier and smarter than Billybob.

About a year and a half later, I got an e-mail from a reader that he'd posted one of my columns on "FreeRepublic," and he gave the webaddress. So I went there, found a group of intelligent, funny, dedicated Americans in a community largely free of the political garbage that fills the minds of entirely too many Americans, today. I felt at home. I signed up. I've never looked back.

THEN AND NOW…..

Speaking at the DC Patriots Rally III, 1/18/03

Since then, I've participated often in the D.C. Chapter's Freeps of the Clinton White House. I've spoken at three of the Rallies on the Mall, and another in my state Capitol, Raleigh, on 22 March.

And again...last month at the Raleigh SC Patriots Rally

My weekly column, which I'm still writing, first escaped AOL and onto the Net, and now it has been picked up by United Press International. I post those on FR once the final text is on the wire.

Lastly, my column has led to weekly radio broadcasts on a national show, "American Breakfast," and on a statewide show, with Jerry Agar on WPTF in Raleigh. It has also earned a monthly slot on RadioFreeRepublic.

C. BillyB is on FR Radio the 2nd Thursday of every month on the times noted.

Congressman Billybob, the Lawyer and Constitutionalist

FR is entirely in line with the strongest interest in my personal life. Encouraged by excellent teachers in high school and college, my abiding interest in the US Constitution began early. I lead my class in Con-Law at Yale, and again at Maryland Law. Believe it or not, the first case I ever tried as a lawyer was not a fender-bender accident, or a marijuana cigarette case, but a First Amendment challenge to the election laws of Maryland which went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Alas, that first case was a loss. But as with FR I was hooked. Four years later I got back to the Supreme Court with a similar case, and won. I expect to file my 17th brief in that Court, against the Campaign Finance "Reform" Act, when that issue gets there.

A Peek at the Personal Side and a Cyber Dream True

I'm married with four children and two grandchildren. I'll maintain an element of privacy but WILL share the following….

Five years ago, Newsweek recommended my column in its Cyberscope feature. A lady working in a medical office in Indiana, read the recommendation, read the column, and sent me a funny e-mail. Hundreds of e-mails followed, then hours of phone calls. We met, and eventually we married. So, Kem has become the real Felicity Fahrquar. And she is younger, prettier, and smarter than the Congresscritter. Freepers who have met her, and had posts with her, can attest to that.

Hobbies???

As for hobbies, I dimly remember what those were like. I used to engage in mountain climbing and white-water rafting. Now, between my full-time work AND full-time Freeping, I barely have time to eat occasionally and breathe from time to time!

Pretty Impressive…In His Spare Time….BB is Writing his 8th Book….

My seventh book is now out. "To Restore Trust in America," is described here.

My eighth book, "These Are the Times That Try Men's Souls," is on Thomas Paine and will be out this year. My ninth book, on writing for pay, is "Write. Get Paid. Now." It will include a computer disk with a professional writing program, "WordCrafter" (tm), on it. My co-author, Bob Calco, is doing the heavy lifting on that project. His wife Olga, a Russian-trained artist and architect, is my co-author on the former project, doing the excellent line drawings in the book.

An Open Invitation to all Freepers

We live in a restored farmhouse on Kettle Rock Mountain in the Blue Ridge, in Highlands, North Carolina very near to the junction of NC, SC and Ga. There's a wrap-around porch, an 80-mile view (weather permitting), and we are smack dab on the Eastern Continental Divide. Any Freepers who make it to this small corner of the world are welcome to "set a spell onna porch with us'ns."

Please join me in recognizing a TRUE FR's FINEST....The (More er Less) Honorable Billybob!!!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-31-03 Salute to the Military (Inspirational) 04-01-03 Ladtx Essay.."Courage" (an awesome read) 04-02-03 Tatze 04-03-03 JohnHuang2 Essay

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

[Pippin]

Thank You, Daisy!

[daisyscarlett]

Good morning...can just see you rocking on the porch with CBB in Highlands...Enjoying all the springtime mountain flowers there...dogwoods are in bloom, I hear..

[deadhead]

Hope you have a nice day too! Cute graphic. Thank You :-)

[Angelwood]

That was a wonderful turnout at the White House protest and we needed everyone to hold up the banners! I'm so glad that you have these photos to share.

Do you still have other photos of the DC Chapter's history? Can we link them to our photo page on the DC Chapter website?

We miss you, Joe. Hope all is well and that we will see you again soon.

[LadyX]

Forgive me for a sharp departure from topic, but it seems appropriate to share this today as a side note in Americana....a hallmark in small town life.

A local radio broadcast has reported the passing of a cherished friend, killed in an auto accident.
An earthly bright light has gone out - to become another in the sky.

Mr. Daniel was 85, and one of my anchors, spending many an hour sharing
our love of the Lord and life in general.
A slight of stature black man who never was a whopping 'success' in the eyes of most,
but precious to many.

Worked most of his life for what was Reid's grocery store. A few years ago, Mr. Reid had been taken into the Food Lion hierarchy as a Big Brass Consultant, showing them for the benefit of the chain how his Southern principles enabled him to do so well; and the local newer Food Lion is his personal baby still.

Mr. Reid a while back gave a huge store party for Mr. Daniel, honoring his many years of hard work - said he had never once asked for a raise! While out of concern for him, he'd reduced his hours at work, I doubt he received any less pay. Big feature write-up in the local newspaper.

Part of the several managerial secrets is how he treats his employees, and especially Mr.Daniel.
As his steps slowed, his welcoming smile did not, and Mr. Reid assigned to him the responsibility of restocking the outside drink machines and other assorted tasks, only sometimes bagging.
All at his pace.

Mr. Daniel and I had many a conversation about his family and mine - how the Lord has been
and is at work in our respective lives - problems of and concerns for some folks.
Every contact left us with smiles and lighter steps and the comfort of connecting as His Children.

He didn't fund a hospital wing - give a million for building a monument.
I often saw him purchase a whole bag of apples or oranges or candy to take
to assorted little ones in his family, who he said were in less fortunate situations.

He was a living monument to beauty of spirit and showing kindness to all he met.
In a small town, that covers just about the whole populace.

He will be missed.

The Shadow passed over, but Mr. Daniel left a light that never can be extinguished.
Rest well, my friend - - - we will talk again one fine day - - -

[Pippin]

Rest in peace, Mr. Daniel!

[deadhead]

I am so sorry LadyX. Prayers for Mr. Daniel and his family and friends.

~~~Colleen~~~

[dansangel]

Wonderful presentation, {{{{{dutchess}}}}}}}. A fitting setting for a hardworking and patriotic man!

{{{{{{{Congressman Billybob}}}}}}}}}} - I have seen your postings all over FR and was curious about the person behind the screen name. I'm so glad to have gotten to know you better. Thank-you for all that you do!

[Billie]

Good morning, dutchess - what's left of it! I looked for this thread last night after we finished 'chatting', but you must have gone to bed after all instead of posting it so early in the morning. It just looks great, Sistah dear!

And, Billybob, I wanted to tell you I've been seeing your posts on FR and remember the first time I 'saw' you was in photos taken at the FR Inaugural Ball. There were so many photos from almost everyone who was there, and I know I looked at ALL of them! Do you remember a thread I did after that, called "The Boys of FR (Part I - HatTricks)"? You were there (you are here) LOL! (This is a larger file than I like to post here - my apologies in advance)

[firewalk]

LadyX, I'm sorry to hear about your friend Mr. Daniels. Sounds like he was a wonderful man.

[dansangel]

[[[[[{{{{{(((((Louie_Wolfie_Man)))))}}}}}]]]]]]

I miss you! :-(

{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}} to the finest sistahs in the world!

[LadyX]

So happy to see you here, MrConfettiMan...:)

[dansangel]

{{{{{{LadyX}}}}}}}}

What a moving tribute to a very worthy man. I could feel the warmth that this man spread through your words. A very big loss for you and your community.

A very big gain for our Lord in Heaven.

[dansangel]

Happy Friday, {{{{{{Meekie}}}}}}

I just love the dancing M&Ms!

Am counting the days until Lent is over so I can have the real deal! LOL!!

[daisyscarlett]

Happy to report that #55 Dry Falls and mountain music is now showing up. Enjoyed it...

[daisyscarlett]

I liked both Whiskey River and Moutain Top...both appropriate to the Highlands graphic...

[The Thin Man]

Congratulations, Congressman! A well deserved member of FR's Finest. I just hope you hope you showed your "more honorable" side with our dutchess. :-)

[LadyX]

I thank each of you for your words.

Out of profound respect for him, and the many thousands of real Americans who do not tread the halls of finance and business and government, etc., I felt he deserved mention.
Rather imagine he 'sees' the post, and is smiling...

[JulieRNR21]

Dear Lady....thanks for introducing us to Mr. Daniel....What a fine gentleman and inspiring spirit. It sounds like he was a blessing to all who had the good fortune to know him.

One of the joys of 'small towns' is getting to really know someone as special as Mr. Daniel. One of the joys of this Finest thread is reading a post like yours!

FRegards, Julie

[The Thin Man]

A definate FR finest!

dutchess, I believe it's "definite." :-)