A very specific movie. Some claim the best sports movie of all time is Bull Durham. I liked it. I like most of'em, especially Rudy and Brian's Song. But . . . I am secure in the conviction that Miracle is the most uplifting if not the best.

America was really down--as low as it had been in my adult lifetime--in 1980, the last year of Carter's disastrous presidency. Everything seemed wrong, and most of it was. In one of his fits of pique he cancelled us out of the summer Olympics because of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan.

In what was called "The Miracle on Ice," the American hockey team scored an incredible victory over the best hockey team in the world--Russia--and then went Gold

Miracle, the movie, was made in 2004 starring Kurt Russell as the coach, Herb Brooks. It is perhaps his finest role on film. His supporting cast was as remarkable as was his team.

The movie is wonderfully choreographed, using original voice recordings from the Olympics, matched to filmed action and events which reminds of the exact nature of the games. When those recordings were made no one knew the outcome. Now we do, and I am still thrilled by them.

The brilliant coaching, hard work, and team-play by "the boys" were alone astonishing as they moved into the medal rounds. But the Russian team had played together for 15 years, the boys 6 months. The Russians were mature men, some having played together for the entire time, having been almost undefeated for 15 years. They were a shoo-in for the gold, again, and everyone knew it.

But Brooks knew they could be defeated, and instilled in his boys the will to believe, and to win.

In the dramatic game, portrayed masterfully in the film, the Russians led off with a goal, matched later by a U.S. goal. The Russians scored again, but with one second on the clock the boys matched it. First period score was 2/2.

The Russians became alarmed and started being vicious, but our guys shrugged it off and matched them. The Reds scored again, and in their haste to overpower, drew a two minute penalty with a "slashing" call. With only seconds to go in the penalty time the boys scored again, tying it at 3/3.

With 10 minutes left, the U.S. scored again. Ahead at last! The remaining ten minutes were exhausting, but they held. At the bell, USA! USA! USA! rang out. It was as thrilling as the first time, 30 years ago. And it is every time I watch the film. That's why I watch.

IT WAS A LOT MORE THAN A HOCKEY GAME! It provided a much needed boost to American morale.

It was the last time we used amateurs in the Olympics. Since then we've depended upon the pros; a mistake in my estimation.

Brooks commented:
"Now that we have 'dream teams' we seldom get to dream. But on that weekend, as America and the world watched, a group of remarkable young men gave the nation what it needed the most: a chance, for one night, not only to dream, but a chance once again to believe."

I need that again. We need that again. I believe that we can prevail over our present difficulties if we again work hard, tend the goals and continue to believe. To hell with this looney "hopey-changey" crap. Hope doesn't accomplish much. Only hard work. . . . and a little luck helps, too.

Watch the movie and get motivated.

The answer now is the same as it was 200 years ago with the Barbary Pirates: destroy their land bases. This B.S. about getting the U.N. interested, and "helping Somalia" develop a liberal democracy, thus to control piracy, is absurd. Look at all the U.N. has accomplished in Palestine since partition. Wow! Impressive. Who's afraid of that "big bad wolf?" Nobody! And, besides, those people couldn't organize a one car funeral.

Blue water patrols can help. Sinking a few of the bastards might get their attention. But Jefferson had the right idea (not Wm. Jefferson--42nd . . . t'other one: Thomas, 3rd president of the U.S.) who loosed an invasion to largely destroy one of the Barbary bases, kill some of the cretins, and threaten the power structure with further damage.

Then, and only then, did the pirates decide they'd had enough. Stephen Decatur had earlier infiltrated their harbor with a handful of marines, and destroyed a valuable ship they had captured. Later, as piracy continued, a local army, and a handful of U.S. marines, (remember: "the shores of Tripoli?") marched in from the deserts to the East, wiped out one base and threatened to overthrow the Bashaw. He got the message. "Peace" was declared.

So . . . maybe Savior Obama should parley with the other (pathetic) Western "powers" to assist in this endeavor. Failing that--and it will fail--SEND THE MARINES!

I have recently been communicating via e-mail with a bright, pleasant nephew who has immigrated--permanently--to Australia. Now . . . I have nothing against that. Indeed, I encouraged him to do so for a lot of reasons.

He is an almost rabid supporter of Obama. I have difficulty with that, since he is prone to argue rather than debate his support. Nonetheless he is entitled to his opinion, and I cannot dissuade him from his conclusion.

My problem is that he is a permanent expatriot who has absolutely no intention of ever returning to the U.S., except to visit . . . yet he is privileged and encouraged to vote by absentee ballot, since he is a U.S. citizen.

I am offended by this. His vote counts, yet he will be unimpacted by the vote he casts. We've communicated about his right to vote, about which I have some doubt under the circumstances, but I do feel he has a positive obligation not to vote because he will experience none of the consequence of that vote.

I object !!

And I presume that if he takes up dual citizenship he will still be allowed to vote, both there and here.

The same applies to my daughter-in-law by marriage who has moved to England to live. Permanently.

Think about that. Two people, amongs hundreds of thousands I suspect, who are permitted and encouraged to impact upon our government with none of the obligations. No taxes, no consequence to their vote, yet they help determine who will govern US !!