Free Republic

While the title says it all, I thought a goodbye was in order. While I've been a FReeper for well over a decade, I must declare that it is time to part ways. While I have the greatest respect for a great many of you, the days where I can in good conscience remain silent about the issues that set me apart from the rest of FReeperdom have past. For clarity, or perhaps catharsis, I'm not entirely certain which, I'll lay them out on the table an call the ZOT™ down upon myself. The racism: I just can't handle it...

Tis the season of the vanity I suppose. On the off chance that this is my opus, and while I hope it is not, goodbye if it is. We screwed the pooch. The GOP in it's current incarnation is doomed to not only play second fiddle, but play it indefinitely until it wakes up and realizes that the world has changed, America has changed, and the GOP will have to change if it hopes to remain viable. 1) The primary process on the Republican side is way too bloody and way too public. GOP candidates rip each other to shreds...

I got the idea from this from a reply, but thought it might make an interesting post on it's own. Is the Free Republic conception of liberalism accurate? I'd say that my social circle is easily and neatly split down the middle with about half being Democrats, and the other half Republicans. Not to mention that my wife is a lifelong Democrat. I confess, that I don't know anyone personally who claims to actually follow any third party. One of the things I regularly observe is that conservatives rarely believe what liberals think they believe, and liberals rarely believe what...

Sigh...to make a long story short, my wife has decided that she's getting out of Texas, with or without me. She's listed California, Oregon and Washington as possible places where she'd like to relocate. Well, I'm allergic to the cold, so that leaves California. Any input on possible locations in California where she can "Escape the redneck mentality" and I can still live around semi-sane individuals?

I have a suggestion for the software. How about a box that pops up when I'm posting that says something to effect of: Attention, you've been clicking from thread to thread, and you're about to reply to a topic that has been dead for 3 years, are you sure you want to look like an idiot? I for one would find it useful. :)

A prayer request for my wife. Her father passed away the night before last, and we've been busy with funeral arrangements et al. It's being very hard on her, and any prayers would be appreciated.

A prayer request for my wife. Her father passed away the night before last, and we've been busy with funeral arrangements et al. It's being very hard on her, and any prayers would be appreciated.

I've been debating as to whether I should even post this for several hours, but finally decided that I would indeed bring it up for discussion. As many knows, my wife is, and has always been of the liberal persuasion. After nearly 20 years of marriage, I've made peace with the fact that she'll never change. Luckily, she's not actually very politically active at all, and rarely voices a political opinion unless solicited. Today being Memorial Day, we were at a gathering earlier in the day. An acquaintance, or rather the husband of an acquaintance who I barely know started...

Ok, a rare vanity from me, because I'm trying hard to understand something, and failing miserably. As most of the folks who routinely post on immigration know, I'm far from xenophobic, racist, or isolationist. As a matter of fact, I'm usually the first to bristle at broad sweeping proposals that would target Hispanics en masse with the hope of finding illegals amongst them. However, I'm not getting the problem with Arizona's shiny new law. It amounts to nothing more than a question upon reasonable suspicion, and then those who are found to be here illegally are handed over to the...

I hate to waste a vanity, but I'm just curious to see if I'm alone here, or if my sentiments are shared. I'm seeing more and more links to videos as news sources. I know that I can read several magnitudes faster than I can watch someone speak, so I find it particularly bothersome and never actually watch the video. It's just too slow.

Please forgive the rare vanity, but I need to tap into the vast database of freeper knowledge. I need a Latin Translation for the phrase, "Everyone Dies". I've had poor luck with internet translators, and since it's for ink, it has to be right the first time. Thanks.

You Are What You Ride: Progressive Survey Finds Differences Between Harley and Sport Bike Riders Go Beyond Bike Type Wednesday March 9, 1:33 pm ET Both Dig Body Art But Harley Riders More Likely to Wear What They Ride, Says America's Top Motorcycle Insurer MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2005-- What can you tell about a person by the kind of motorcycle they ride? Plenty, according to a recent countrywide online survey conducted by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, the number one seller of motorcycle insurance in the U.S. The survey finds interesting differences - and similarities - between...

What gives with single freepers and marriage? I've never, ever, ever, thought of myself as the slightest bit old fasioned, but now I'm starting to wonder. I'm going to try to consolidate several points, floating around in several related threads and respond. Things that I just don't get. 1) If you marry a woman she might not stay slim and beautiful. Yeah, so what. Age happens. Not only does it happen, but it happens to both partners in a marriage. I find it hard to believe that here on freep there is a contingent of men who would not only...