Vermont Guardsman 7th at Lake Placid Bobsled Race

Updating an earlier posting, it's nice to track our military athletes who compete in Olympic sports. 

Even more exciting is to see that Vermont Guardsman Sgt. John Napier back from his combat tour and making solid runs down the ice in the FIBT World Cup bobsled races.  Though, placing out of the medals isn't what most athletes want to accomplish, gaining solid top 10 finishes when having not trained all summer for a winter sport, is quite an accomplishment. 

Hopefully we'll see some better results out of Napier as he gets more comfortable in the sled and he and his brakemen (Laszlo Vandracsek) get more in sync with one another. 

GO USA! 

H/T Military Times

QOTD: F#(% You! I'm Irish!

God bless the Irish!  Bunch of drunk, take no bullshit, hard asses!  If more political discourse was of this nature, maybe we would actually see more progress! 

From (of course) Zero Hedge comes our quote of the day.

A year ago Irish Green Party politician Paul Nicholas Gogarty told Irish Labor Party TD "With all due respect, in the most unparliamentary language; Fuck you, Deputy Stagg, fuck you!... We Are Screwed As A Country Because Of The Wrongdoing Of Others."

As the Tyler Durden post relates after the quote, it took them almost a year to prove it, but can the Irish Green Party can say "We told ya so!"  Further, Durden opines:

Now that the "others" have been identified as virtually every UK and German bank, not to mention every insolvent financial institution in the world, and of course, the Fed's banking buddies, one wonders: just how will Ireland respond? Also, when will America finally see one of its pathetic excuses for representatives finally do the right thing and actually speak the truth. InTrade over/under: never. 

Of course, poor Ireland was backed into a corner and forced to take a second bailout without much choice from the EuroZone.  As AK Fan and I discussed earlier today, the European Monetary Unit has never been about openness and unity as much as it has been about controlling the political disagreements amongst the member states.  In good times, the nationalistic pride is easy to forget, but in bad times, the resentment is hard to keep from festering.

In terms of political progress and the hopes of freedom, I certainly wish the Irish people well in their efforts to right their economy and get a handle on the plutocrats who are controlling their country and destiny. 

Olympic Bobsledder Also Vermont National Guardsman

In a little known Monday fun fact, the Military Times has this little snippet on Olympic athlete John Napier.

As a member of the US Bobsled team, Napier competed in both the two and four man competitions this past Olympics in Vancouver, but also has another hero's role as that of a National Guardsman.  Thankfully, Napier is returning to the interational bobsled circuit in the month of December to join fellow teammate, and veteran (and Olympic Gold medalist), Steven Holcomb, where they will compete for the world championship in sliding.

GO TEAM USA!

Credit to Military Times for the info and the picture.  

Semper Fi & Happy 100 Marine

From the feel good department, I had to share this link.  Samuel (Sam) Domino turned 100 back on July 12th and Leatherneck Magazine was there to cover the honors.  Having lived through the great depression, WWI & II, Korea and Vietnam, Chief Warrant Officer Domino got a wonderful birthday present from his brothers in the Corp. 

From one patriot to a far better and more deserving patriot, happy birthday Chief, Semper Fi and many more. 

Team USA, the time is now!

As I start this blog, I must keep a sort of self promise. A few weeks ago, a cousin told me to find some extra joy in my life and stop ranting on facebook about politics. I will save the rest of the founding of this thing for anther time but you now have the context for this post.

The youtube video linked in the post title can't come at better time for myself, and perhaps our country. While you may see me call out the political establishment, I have to remind myself that life has a lot of dreams to be chased. The gents of USA Soccer are doing exactly that. The thing is the whole of the country needs a distraction and something to grab onto to truly feel united. Will futbol spelled weird grab hold and stay caught on here once the world cup is over? Who knows. Heck even my wife has made me a true fan of the sport going back to last years ConfedCup.

The point is, watch the vid knowing the outcome that your country just did basically what it was supposed to do, advance. Then watch it again and let yourself get lost in the raw shock, disappointment, and pure overwhelming joy that was witnessed with friends and stranges alike. You may not like the sport but it is evident that it has a way of uniting a country with great pride, history, and the ability to do anything it wishes if one just dreams a bit.

Sooooo...HERE COME THE YANKS!