When Running Becomes A Sport

As many of you know I was once a young star athlete with plenty of promise.

I could have gone pro in Football, Baseball, Shot-Put or Badminton but sadly a career ending injury causing weak ankles combined with packing on about 200 pounds of "Molson Muscle" brought an end to that dream.

So it always does my heart good to hear of other young Canadians who are excelling at their chosen sport. It could be Sidney Crosby in Hockey, Cindy Klassen in Speed Skating or Jason Bay in Baseball.

Now I don't mind admitting that I don't think "running" is much of a sport. I understand that you have to be in great physical shape to be a runner of both short and long distances but lets be serious...you're only running. It's like walking, only faster.

However, if you were to combine the running activity to something else, then you might have something. In fact, they already have something and it's called a Triathlon. This combines three events; swimming, biking and running. It takes a well conditioned athlete to compete in this competition where three disciplines are involved. For all those people who just run, try running 10-thousand metres after you've completed a 1500 metre swim and a 40 kilometre bike ride.

On May 13, 18-year-old Kirsten Sweetland became the youngest Canadian to win a triathlon World Cup race by capturing the women's event in Richards Bay, South Africa. The win moved her into 3rd place in the world rankings.

Sweetland's time of two hours, three minutes, 32 seconds put her 15 seconds ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Magali Di Marco Messmer of Switzerland. Christiane Pilz of Germany was third.

As a 15-year-old from Victoria she showed her determination to compete. After taking a spill during a bike leg in 2004, she slid her face along the asphalt transforming it into a bloody mess. She didn't quit but instead picked up her bike and continued on. Her father asked her if she wanted to call it a day prior to the run but bleeding profusely she refused and showed her true Canadian grit and determination.

She managed to climb all the way back into fourth place and after she crossed the finish line she proceeded to pass out.

Congratulations Kirsten! You have given us yet another reason to be proud to be Canadian.

Another Lost Snowbird

I was saddened to learn that another member of the Canadian Air Force Aerobatic Team known as the Snowbirds had crashed and been killed on Friday.

Capt. Shawn McCaughey of Quebec was killed after his jet crashed Friday afternoon in Montana while preparing for a weekend air show. No one ejected from the jet after it broke formation and crashed.

The Snowbird pilots are great ambassadors of Canada and represent the thousands of men and women in our armed forces wonderfully. It is always sad to see a tragedy like this happen but these pilots all know the risk and are willing and able to take on this challenge which they believe in so strongly. It makes me proud to be a Canadian every time I am lucky enough to witness them first hand. I've been very fortunate to live in an Air Force town which has given me countless opportunities to see this team in action over the years.

By my count there have been six pilots who have died as a result of a crash while performing with the Snowbirds. This is the 36th year that the Snowbirds have been in operation after forming in 1971. There have been several more close calls with pilots having to eject due to malfunctions or coming into contact with each other. Thankfully the total number of deaths is not higher.

I have always been a fan of Air Shows and up until recently, the annual Trenton Air Show was something I always looked forward to but that tradition appears to have come to an end with no mention of any further shows. The last Air Show in Trenton was in 2003 and like all of the Air Shows before then, I was in attendance.

The first time I saw the Snowbirds fly was in 1972 at the Trenton Air Show. It was just their second season and sadly, this was also the sight of their first fatality. I was almost 4 years old and I can still remember it today.

My mom and dad and my brother Scott and I were standing at the fence line watching the Snowbirds perform and were amazed by what we were seeing. They had already done a couple of maneuvers in formation and the two solo pilots were now doing their well known head on pass. The planes approach each other and at the right time they do a roll and avoid each other while giving the crowd a thrill.

The two planes passed in front of us. I don't remember hearing any sound of them clipping wings but I recall my mother saying, "Look, they're dropping leaflets." As it turns out it was actually aircraft parts falling to the ground. The Snowbird heading East went into a spin and flew into the ground and exploded on impact. The plane going West continued on into the distance and was wavering from side to side tipping its wings. The rest of the planes broke formation and a couple flew after the solo pilot still in the air while the remaining aircraft landed.

The fire trucks rolled and were on the scene but the damage had been done as Captain Lloyd Waterer (24) was killed instantly. I had heard from my uncle who was on the ground crew that day and was one of the first on scene that Captain Waterer did eject, but his plane was spinning so fast that he actually ejected while upside down and ejected into the ground.

It is my hope and my belief that this will not cause people to cry out that this team should come to an end and be disbanded. After previous incidents there has been talk of this happening but thankfully so far it has only been talk.

The only question might surround the aircraft themselves as they are an aging machine. The Canadair CT-114 Tutors have been a very reliable airplane and you can bet they receive thorough inspections on a regular basis but sometimes change can be good. I'm not sure what they'd be able to use instead but I'd love to see them flying CF-18 Hornets or something similar in the future. As long as they continue to fly and perform, I and many other Canadians will be happy.

Goodbye Wahoo's

Last night the city of Trenton lost one of it's more popular restaurants...The Wahoo Cafe burned to the ground.

Located in downtown Trenton along the Trent River, the restaurant with its outside patio was a nice place to have a beer on hot summer day and it had the nicest outside patio for enjoying a meal.

At night it was also a popular place for people to gather upstairs in the bar for karaoke or conversation.

One can only hope that it will be built bigger and better than ever before too long.

Here's a video that was shot as the bar burned to the ground.

Another George Dubya Bush Moment

I saw this and I couldn't help but laugh.

The President of the United States has had bigger and more embarrassing bloopers but this one ranks right up there as one of the few truly funny moments of his presidency. I think the Queen may have even cracked a smile...well, on the inside at least.

Bundy's DVD Reviews - 1st Edition

I don't know about you but I never have time to go to the theatre to see a movie when it first comes out. Just this weekend Spiderman 3 was released and I'd love to see it but it seems I'm either working or sleeping and just don't have time. Not to mention the price to see a movie at a theatre is a little steep.

There are some movies that just have to be watched on a big screen which is why I some day hope to own a 60-inch TV with an awesome surround system to try and get that movie theatre feeling at home. The last movie I actually went to see was the Lord of the Rings - Return of the King which was a must for me and was well worth the price of admission. That was on Boxing Day in 2003 by the way.

So like many folks, I usually wait for the movies to be released on DVD so I can spend five bucks and watch it at home when I am able to do so. Lately I've been fortunate to watch several movies and without going into too much detail I thought I'd give a brief review of some of them; nothing too elaborate. If you've seen any of the same movies, please feel free to post a comment to give your thoughts.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest:
- A thoroughly enjoyable movie which I actually enjoyed more than the first installment. I'd recommend it to everyone if you haven't seen it yet. (8/10)

Glory Road:
- Considering I don't even like basketball, I was even more surprised by how much I liked this movie. The story is strong and it didn't wreak of trying to drive home the sappy message of the first college coach to start an all black team. (8/10)

Annapolis:
- About a boy from the wrong side of the tracks whose dream of attending the U.S. Naval Academy becomes a reality. Yes...it was as boring as it sounds and the acting was less than impressive. There's a reason why it wasn't considered for an Academy Award. (3/10)

Firewall:
- Harrison Ford plays the head of security at a major global bank whose wife and children are held for ransom in order to convince him to rob his own bank for millions of dollars. This movie actually wasn't too bad. I preferred Harrison Ford when he was flying the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars but he does a good job in this movie with a captivating story. (7/10)

Inside Man:
- It takes places during a hostage situation in which a tough cop (Denzel Washington) matches wits with a clever bank robber, who sets to pull the the perfect heist. Not a bad story with a couple of interesting plot twists. I enjoyed it. (7/10)

The Sentinel:
- A suspense film based on the novel by former Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich starring Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland. I wasn't expecting much from this movie and was rewarded with a good plot that kept me entertained for the entire movie. (7/10)

United 93:
- A real time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot. I really felt what it must have been like for those on the plane and for those dealing with the terror of this day on the ground. I highly recommend this film. (9/10)

Mission: Impossible III:
- Tom Cruise returns to one of his signature roles, Secret Agent Ethan Hunt. In this pulse-racing, mind-bending action thriller, Hunt confronts the toughest villain he’s ever faced. this is easily the best of the three and the story, action and suspense will keep you entertained the whole movie. I can't understand how this didn't do better at the box office. (8/10)

Poseidon:
- When a rogue wave capsizes a luxury cruise ship in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, a small group of survivors find themselves unlikely allies in a battle for their lives. If you saw the original...save your money. other than when the ship is hit by the wave it's average at best. (4/10)

X-Men: The Last Stand:
- The final chapter in the "X-Men" motion picture trilogy and probably the best as well. Good effects and a good story with some surprises. An entertaining movie if you're into this type of genre. (7/10)

Click:
- Adam Sandler portrays a family man who gets a universal remote for his television with magical powers. This was another movie where I didn't expect much but was surprised by an interesting story that makes you think about how each moment of your life is precious. An enjoyable movie. (7/10)

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby:
- The film tells the story of NASCAR stock car racing sensation Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) whose "win at all costs" approach has made him a national hero. Obviously this isn't a thinking persons movie but if you're into stupid comedy, racing and laughing...it's entertaining. Then again, I'm a Will Ferrell fan. (8/10)

World Trade Center:
- Oliver Stone's drama about some of the heroes of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Not as riveting as the 9/11 documentary I saw or even the movie United 93 but still a feel good story that came out of one of the worst days in our recent history. It's worth renting. (7/10)

The Departed:
- A film about Irish-American mobsters and the cops in Boston who are their nemeses. Each side working feverishly to flush out a mole, with deadly consequences. This is a fantastic movie and certainly deserving of it's Oscar for Best Picture. A great cast with a wonderful story. (9/10)

Flags of Our Fathers:
- The Battle of Iwo Jima, which took place in winter 1945, was a turning point in the Pacific theater. The battle produced one of the most enduring images of WWII: a photograph of U.S. servicemen raising an U.S. flag on the flank of Mount Suribachi, the island's commanding high point. The story wasn't exactly what I expected as it wasn't a typical war movie as it followed the men in the photograph back home. Still, it was a very good film and I'd watch it again. (8/10)

Bobby:
- A film chronicling the intertwining lives of a grand cast of characters present at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel in the hours leading up to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination. This was a very interesting film. I wasn't aware of its plot prior to watching the film but in the end it all made sense. An excellent story that was both entertaining and shocking. (7/10)

Eragon:
- A boy whose discovery of a dragon egg leads him to become a knight and battle an evil king. Yes, it's a fantasy story but it's not a bad story. It's worth a rent and the best part is the story is to be continued with more chapters to be released. (6/10)

Rocky Balboa:
- In the film, Rocky has long since retired but is drawn back to the boxing ring one last time. I was glad that I actually enjoyed this movie because I was so disappointed in the last Rocky movie and didn't want it to end on such a bad note. If you're a fan of the original Rocky, you'll enjoy it. (7/10)

The Good Shepherd:
- The tumultuous early history of one of the most covert and powerful government agencies in the world is viewed through the prism of one man's life in this espionage thriller. This movie is one of the best I've watched in a long long time. A great story that keeps you guessing and draws you into the plot. Awesome movie. (9/10)

Dreamgirls:
- Based on the award-winning hit Broadway musical about a female singing group called the Dreamettes. This was a painful movie to watch and I came close to turning it off a couple of times. Eddie Murphy was about the only enjoyable character in this movie. I also lost a lot of respect for the Academy after seeing Jennifer Hudson's performance. It was average at best and certainly not worthy of an Oscar. (3/10)

Night at the Museum:
- A bumbling security guard at the Museum of Natural History accidentally lets loose an ancient curse that causes the animals and insects on display to come to life and wreak havoc. This is a super family film with good effects and a wonderful story. How can you go wrong with Mickey Rooney and Dick Van Dyke? (7/10)

Casino Royale:
- In his first mission, James Bond must stop Le Chiffre, a banker to the world's terrorist organizations, from winning a high-stakes poker tournament at Casino Royale in Montenegro. In my opinion the was the best Bond film ever. With action galore and a Bond character that was believable as a spy it was an excellent film. The older films were good but this was the way Bond was meant to be. (9/10)

That's a lot of movies and there were more I could have talked about. Perhaps in my next review. I hope you take the time to see some of these films...but avoid Dreamgirls like the plague.