A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...2-27-03...JohnHuang2's Two Cents

JohnHuang2, Billie,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.

                     

The DNC Winter Meeting -- a Watershed?

by JohnHuang2

Whip out your calendar and jot down these dates: February 20-22.

The occasion? The DNC's winter meeting, just concluded. The gathering, held in the heartland -- the Hyatt Regency hotel in Washington D.C. -- featured an ever-burgeoning parade of '04 presidential wannabes, spanning the party's ideological spectrum, from Lenin all the way to Stalin.

Yet, the event, in a sense, was a watershed, conspicuous in that the target of political ire was frequently -- and oddly enough -- "president" Saddam Hussein, potentially neutralizing GOP advantages on issues of national security and defense. The tone harkened back to Bill Clinton's Sister Souljah speech during his '02 campaign. Rebuking the popular black rap artist known for racist bombast, Clinton appeared to reshape the party's 'too-far-to-the-Left' image, allaying swing voter concern.

What we heard at this winter meeting was not one, not two, but a whole flurry of Sister Soulja speeches -- aimed right smack-dab at Saddam. And not just from presidential candidates, either. The wildly enthusiastic reaction in the packed hall, given the partisan nature of the crowd, was particularly stunning -- and very unlike the muted crowd response Clinton got over Sister Soulja. Again and again, attendees, many of them senior party officials, rose to their feet with standing ovations as speakers assailed "president" Saddam Hussein and his policies.

"We will expose the credibility gap between Saddam Hussein's lofty political rhetoric and the harsh realities of his policies," thundered Democrat House Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, her welcoming address drawing wild cheers from the audience, setting the tone for the 3-day powwow as Democrats plot to regain the political initiative on national security.

"Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action," said the 7-term Congresswoman from the liberal of liberal 8th district, dismissing Saddam's latest promises.

Pelosi, addressing the potential use by Iraq of biological and chemical weapons, declared that Saddam threatens to roll "back 30 years of bipartisan environmental protections -- from clean air to clean water to pristine forests and national parks...For the sake of our children and future generations, America's environment deserves better."

Pelosi vowed that "over the coming months," her party "will make clear distinctions between Democrats and Saddam's Baathist Party," a rather tall order, say veteran political observers.

RNC Chairman Marc Racicot appealed to DNC members in an open letter Friday, urging them to stop their "negative message" against President Bush, whose approval rating in most polls still hovers near 60%.

The Democrat Party faithful, strikingly, took Racicot's admonition to heart, even Racicot's counterpart Terry McAuliffe, directing their fire at Saddam instead.

"Are we going to hold [President Saddam] accountable when he says one thing and does another?' the DNC chair asked. "Yes!," the crowd roared, shaking the roof as they danced on their seats.

McAuliffe added that what "unites us all is a belief in the principles of the Democratic Party and our belief that Saddam must go!"

But he cautioned that "it won't be easy folks."

"Saddam is going to...try and stop us. And the only way we're going to be able to do this [get rid of Saddam] is if we speak with one voice...!"

Some may ask, in a twist of George Will's Newsweek dig of how many French soldiers it takes to defend Paris: Can a Democrat be patriotic? Answer: Nobody knows -- it's never been tried before.

After this DNC winter gathering, nobody's joking anymore.

"[Saddam Hussein] is not going to be easy to beat," said Dick Gephardt, echoing McAuliffe's cautionary caveat, adding "don't underestimate him."

"But," the ousted House leader and '04 hopeful hastened to add, "let me tell you something. We can beat him!" The crowd broke into a frenzy.

Gephardt's vision? He left no doubt: "We need a President [in Iraq] who...will not merely" try "to bully other nations.".

Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina was equally harsh, calling Saddam a failed leader.

"[Saddam's] presidency is a failure," the freshman Senator declared, adding, "that's wrong. Wrong for our children, wrong for our parents, wrong for our values and wrong, wrong, wrong...!"

Alluding to weapons and Big Oil contracts with France and Germany, Edwards said Saddam's government is a "government of the insiders, by the insiders and for the insiders."

Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, joining the already jam-packed '04 competition recently, blasted Saddam for "saber-rattling that has made us all hostages to fear," saying it "must stop."

Al Sharpton dismissed Saddam as an illegitimate president.

"The Supreme [Revolutionary Command Council] set aside a whole election to make him [Saddam] president" of Iraq.

Even Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, often portrayed as a dove in the media, was talking tough on Iraq, chastising the conspiracy-minded in his party who suspect Bush had prior knowledge of 9/11 but did nothing to stop it.

"Bush was not responsible for the attack on the World Trade Center or the Pentagon," he declared. "Bush has not been credibly linked to al-Qaeda's role in 9/11. Bush was not responsible for the anthrax attack on our nation." So, what's gotten into Democrats lately, you ask? Why are they dropping Saddam like a bad habit? Why are they challenging their favorite president -- Saddam -- all of a sudden?

I think we got a clue this week.

CBSNEWS posted this bombshell on their website Monday:

"In an exclusive interview with...Anchor Dan Rather, Saddam Hussein...challenged President Bush to a live broadcast debate on the looming war."

Ah-ha! 'Could the Iraqi leader be mulling a run for the Democrat nomination himself?', many Democrats were probably nervously asking themselves. 'If he's not, why propose a debate?'

They're miffed, too. The offer appears to exclude other primary rivals from participating, giving Saddam, already popular with hardcore Democrats, a national forum to go toe-to-toe with Bush.

Particularly rattling for Democrats: The many advantages Saddam brings to the table should he decide to give it a go.

Among them:

• Executive experience (president of Iraq since 1979)
• Excellent name recognition (everybody knows the name).
• Self-financing campaign (mortgages for presidential palaces can be refinanced, plus huge oil wealth at his disposal)
• Has network of grassroots supporters (See the huge 'peace' demonstrations recently).
• As a Baath socialist, he shares many basic beliefs in common with Democrats (big government, socialized medicine, National Public Radio, public TV, public education, high taxes, reading Helen Thomas, jailing conservatives)...

Wait a minute...gotta run and do yet another one of my infamous 'fact-checks'....

Back....

Oh, brother...I did it again, folks! Never thought it was possible, but I out-did myself again in the boo-boo department.

All those speeches at the DNC winter meeting -- they were directed at

Bush, not Saddam! How stupid can I be?

Pelosi, McAuliffe, Gephardt, Edwards, Moseley Braun, Sharpton, Kucinich -- they were aiming their ire, not at Saddam, but at Bush! I had it all wrong.

Maybe it's just the hour -- pretty late here.

I'll just need to be more careful next time ;^)

Anyway, that's...

My two cents..

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-24-03 MJY1288 02-25-03 NUTMEG AND ZELIG 02-26-03 AERONAUT

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

[JohnHuang2]

G'nite
Sleep well

[MeekOneGOP]

FR's FINEST...where all good dreams comes true!!!!

I'll second that. Amen !

Hey ! It looks like John got the 'bugs' worked out of the FR server problem we had all day yesterday. It seems to be working great right now.

Does anyone know if there was a post tellling what the problem was ?...

[firewalk]

Good morning everyone

[MeekOneGOP]

Hey, JH2 ! I, too, was crippled with the FR problems from yesterday. I just NOW read your commentary. Excellent ! lol. I love it ! Thanks ...

By the way, does anybody know what caused all the headaches yesterday ? ...

[MeekOneGOP]

Pretty fancy new signature there, Meek!

Thanks. I owe it all to FReeper Southerngrit who made that for me ! ...

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin' ! ...

[JohnHuang2]

Thank you, thank you, amigo :^) Glad you liked it.

[JohnHuang2]

G'morning :^)

[firewalk]

Good morning

[ofMagog]

Beowolf has checked in. He leaned out the window of the Tijuana jail and snached a large string of high powered fireworks off a vendor. He lit them and in the ensuing confusion escaped. He hitched a ride on a truck loaded with goats and made his way here to Ensenada. Feinswinesuksass is hosing him down.

Shore leave is continued for the Mardi Gras celebrations. Those returning to ship later than 2200 tomorrow will meet WVNan's inspection and attitude adjustment.

[Billie]

Today's thread is up, but FR hardly is.

[beowolf]

Urrrp....nice hat Capt'n. Say, have I seen you before? Vaguely, mostly, oddly familiar...hmmm, can I go to my bunk, now? Sir?

Oops, I forgot..."Reportingly fr dutuis, swqa..."

Burp...