A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-28-03....Anatomy of a Finest Thread

Billie | Billie

[Billie]

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.

                     

Please don't adjust your monitors....this really is in black and white. :) No colors, no pretty backgrounds, no fancy fonts, no pictures....not just yet anyway.

I know that many of you don't understand who does what, when, and why on our threads (of course you may not care either! LOL), so today, because we need a filler this week, I'd like to explain what goes on behind-the-scenes at the Finest and what it means when you see different names as author and/or source, and why my name is always there, even when one of the other hostesses prepares the thread for the day.

The reason you always see my name included with the other hostess' name at the top of the thread information is simply because of the top part of the thread, which relates to the introduction, and the veterans' photos. I prepared this part at the very beginning of FR's Finest in order to picture some of our own Veterans and Active Military every day; and with the exception of a special thread on occasion, we always use the top part in addition to the ever-changing daily profiles or essays, which ARE prepared by different ones of us.

There are five of us who write and/or prepare and post all the threads: DaisyScarlett, Dansangel, Dutchess, Mama_Bear, and me.  JohnHuang2 writes an essay every week for us; FreeTheHostages writes two profiles each month for us; Ladtx writes two essays a month for us. Occasionally, we have another Guest Writer. These writers all do just that - WRITE! (And may I add...do it WELL!) It looks exactly like what you're seeing now when they send it to one of us. (well, except for the colored names) It looks like most other threads on FR. It's very interesting to read, but on the Finest, we like to make it interesting to read and pretty to look at as well!

That's where your hostesses do their thing. :) We take the information from the profilee OR the writer, and transform the words into colorful and visually pleasing pieces to read. Many of the photos we receive via email attachments from the profilee must be cropped and resized and often lightened a bit, and then uploaded to our own servers. We also search for additional graphics that might 'fit' the profilee, and in the case of the essays, we provide ALL the illustrations.

Probably the first thing we do is get the photos edited and uploaded. Next we're ready to decide the 'mood' of the thread, so we choose a Title for the Profilee (though our essays' titles are usually furnished by our writer - as are Free's profile write-ups), and background, colors, font, etc. (the "layout"):

Anatomy of a Finest Thread by Billie

Aha! We have a background, our colors determined, and a title! The rest just falls right in place...a piece of cake! (sorta)

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Now that piece of cake above is very pretty, but the white background is just not good; likewise, most of the photographs are 'not good' just sitting on the background alone, so we dress them up with 'tables'. Sometimes they look best at the left or right of a paragraph instead of centered, like the cake on the right.

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We sometimes like to break up different sections of the essay or profile with bars or dividers or lines. (I'm partial to that squiggly line above....the others usually like to divide the sections with a pretty or patriotic divider/graphic.)

Perhaps a nice one to use with the plaid borders of this thread:

Sometimes, in the case of a profilee, another table is used to set off "In their own words":

My Story, My Life on FR by Freeper So and So

This is also a good place for pictures of rallies, etc.

Picture goes here

And more text, some more photos, more dividers, maybe some links, etc, 'cause we love getting to know you : )

Even more text, another picture or two, a divider....we know all about you now. :)

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Congratulations, Freeper So and So!
You are One of FR's Finest!

Quiz at 10 PM to see if you've learned anything. :) Now it's time for Freeper So and So to take his/her bow.  Diver, the Atta Boy if you will!

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THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-24-03 MJY1288 02-25-03 NUTMEG AND ZELIG 02-26-03 AERONAUT 02-27-03 JOHN HUANG2 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

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' Billie. Uhhh, You appeared to be stuttering this morning. It seemed to lock up my 'puter so I had to switch browsers and now the stuttering is gone. You really are a magician, aren't you? :)

Diver, the Atta Boy if you will!

Your wish is my command Your Highness.

[Diver Dave]

Uhhh, Cap'n. Several of the crew have come down with "The Brown Bottle Flu." It caused Billie to stutter this morning.

I guess the "flu" epidemic comes from your leading by example. :)

[Aquamarine]

I'm going to try this again. I mispelled the title on the last post and the subject matter is just too important to be done sloppily.

This is the new song that you requested yesterday by Daryl Worley.

Have You Forgotten

[Billie]

This looks like a good place to thank all the hostesses and guest writers for the fantastic job that you all do here every week. The talent in here is priceless!

Then let's ping the rest! Thank you, ALL, for your wonderful contributions - regular contributors, Guest Writers in the past, and special guest writers during the Christmas holidays!

[FreeTheHostages]

Just Freepmail me your cellphone number -- I'll share it on site with whoever else wants to call in.

[Billie]

Another fine piece of work, but we would never expect anything else!

You memorized your lines just perfectly! I won't have to use my "Billie Club" on you after all! LOL

Thanks, gunner. :)

[Billie]

You have mail!

Hi, Pip - read and answered. :)

[Billie]

Morning, TLL! Thank you for your kudos!

And the choice of profilee can't be topped. Winners all!

I knew that Freeper So and So was a friend of yours, so consider this thread's for you, too. :)

[jwfiv]

A big Howdy to our Hostesses! I appreciate the inside scoop on how this daily miracle is wrought. I try to keep in mind just how much work goes into each of these gems, how much time out of your days must go into making sunshine for our mornings...thank you all...)

Regards to all Freepers...the last day of the second month...Spring is just around the corner...so is War.

God bless America, land that I love.

Dubya rocks.

Let's roll.

[FreeTheHostages]

Good stuff, Aqua.

[Billie]

Morning, Meekie. I saw your earlier post about FR running smoothly, but by the time I got here, it was crawling again. I think the number of deleted posts is telling(they're duplicate posts, I imagine; I posted my first one 3 times, because I kept getting the message "Web page not responding", without any indication it was going to post anyway. Now when I get that message, I open another window to see if it DID in fact post after all.

[FreeTheHostages]

Wait a minute! You mean I don't *HAVE* to pick the title?? LOL, I've been doing extra work for nothing. I've got to join the union!!! LOL. I didn't know that wasn't generally done by the writer. who knew?

Louie, I think of you last night because, well, of course that's what ALL the FF women do but in addition because: you sometimes call me "Free" for short and last night I was having dinner with, among others, a Freeper from Indianapolis who's handle is "Republic." And there we were, sitting right next to each other: "Free" and "Republic"!

[The Thin Man]

I don't get it. Please explain again. :)

[Billie]

Hi, wasp, the mailroom is worse than the forum, but you have mail.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Morning, TLL! Thank you for your kudos!

The Babes are the BESTEST! : )

And the choice of profilee can't be topped. Winners all!

I knew that Freeper So and So was a friend of yours, so consider this thread's for you, too. :)

LOL

[Pippin]

Thanks, FTH! I just sent it through freepmail.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Louie, I think of you last night because, well, of course that's what ALL the FF women do

LOL I wouldn't want to put thet to a vote. But as long as *you* do..... : )

but in addition because: you sometimes call me "Free" for short and last night I was having dinner with, among others, a Freeper from Indianapolis who's handle is "Republic."
And there we were, sitting right next to each other: "Free" and "Republic"!

LOL That is sooo cool! : )

Morning, Free!

[Billie]

Please give So and So my best. :) LOL!

[Pippin]

((((LOUIE))))!!!!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Morning, JW!