You are what you eat...

I'm starting this blog post off with something that has nothing to do with triathlons.

The best news coverage in the world is the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), specifically the "National News" . It's been a long time since I watched it, but I did tonight. I normally watch the US News, either ABC, NBC or CBS. But not for the reasons you think.

I watch the U.S. News for the ambiance. Next to golf, it's the most soothing thing to watch and fall asleep to.

The commercials just make it even better. All those pharmaceutical ads that gently tell you all the side effects, while showing beautiful visuals. You get so hooked on the picture of a old guy pushing his old wife on a swing, that you don't notice them saying " your penis may fall off".

The U.S. news is so beautiful, it gives so much and asks you to use so little. The CBC on the other hand, gives you an objective story that lasts more than a sound bite and actually gives you enough information to learn something.

For the first time in a long time, I watched the CBC tonight. While I watched, I used a lot of words like, "no way", "I didn't know that" and "that's crazy". It's like your eyes get opened. It's not comforting nap-time news.

My family "hates" the fact that I put on the U.S. News. I have to, it's a beautiful transition from workday to training day. I love to come home, eat, turn it on, fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to train.

Tonight, I had no evening training. I did it all before dinner. Instead, I sat downstairs with Alice, talked and watched "The National". It had been so long since I watched it and I forgot how good it was. The only problem with the Canadian News is you need to use your brain.

I'm actually glad I don't watch the "National" that much, I'd probably want to "take up a cause". It shows you how bad the world is and just by watching, you feel compelled to do something. If I was 20 years old, I may be interested. At 44 years old, I'm not so interested, at least not outside of my own Country.

I've become jaded in my old age. I used to be altruistic and thought the world could live in perfect harmony, just like the Coke commercial. Not now. There is too many crazies in this world with incomprehensible motivations, usually fuelled by religion.

I used to think I was adventurous and would like to travel the World. That's no longer the case. I still want to travel, but only to places that I don't need to get some sort of "health shot" before visiting.

You will never find me doing an Ironman outside of any Western culture ever again. I've come to realize, through the virus I picked up in China AND watching the CBC, that the world can be a dangerous place. Visiting some places, is like "playing with fire".

The way I see it, I have two choices. Try to "change the world" or "just try to enjoy my world". I choose the later. I understand that what I'm saying is "politically" incorrect" and I fully agree with that, but I don't care. I'd rather spend time in "my world", trying to help people in "my world", than trying to change "someone else's world" to what I think would be best for them. One of my favourite sayings is, "The highway to hell is paved with good intentions".

I watched the video from WikiLeaks today and have included it below. It showed the leaked footage of innocent civilians getting killed by U.S. soldiers. I'm not blaming the soldiers, but it was disturbing. I'm sure if I was in the soldiers situation, with all the nonsense you have to deal with, you have to error to the side of caution. It's kill or be killed. What disturbed me the most was, "why are we there?".

These people don't want us there. They have their own way of life. I guess what pissed me off the most today was hearing the Afghan president say that he was thinking about joining forces with the Taliban if the West doesn't stop pressuring him. This was the "straw that broke the camels back".

How could our leaders be so stupid, as to send our family, friends and neighbors to the "arm pit" of the world to help their government, with our autistic intentions, only to have our citizens die on their behalf, and then have their government threaten us with revolt. That's bullshit! I'm not mad at their government, I'm mad at ours. "What were we thinking, sending our troops into harms way".

If I was the prime minister or president, I'd have the troops evacuated within 48 hours. I'd have every plane available (including Commercial Airlines), pick them up and get them the "f#@K" out of there. Forget about a multi-year withdrawal, it would be a multi-hour withdrawal. Let them fight it out amongst themselves and when they want to sit at the "big boy's" table, they'll have to show us they know how to behave themselves.

For those "bleeding heart tree huggers" that think we need to get rid of nuclear weapons, you're out of your mind. I'm all against NOT using them, but we need them. If it wasn't for their women and children, I'd have no problem making parts of the world a "parking lot" if we where genuinely threatened.

I understand the world is a nasty place, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy my corner of the world. I look at Countries as lifestyles. If you like a lifestyle, go to the country that gives you that lifestyle. If you really want the lifestyle bad enough, you'll find a way to get into that country. Our ancestors did.

What a rant!!!!!!! I guess I should stick with the U.S. News and not watch CBC. It would be better for my blood pressure.

Now I'm going to make this a completely surreal blog post, I'm going to segway from blowing people away with "nuclear annihilation" to "how my day's training went".

Just kidding. Not.

This afternoon I swam in the same lane as John and Hugh. John gave me a compliment that my swimming is smooth and he could tell when I passed by him because of the wake I left. After the swim, I did weights. I was going to bike tonight, but have a sore left Achilles and wanted to rest it, so I postponed the ride until tomorrow.

I think I swam so good today because I had fish and chips for lunch. My theory is based on the following; Fish are fast in the water. Fish eat fish. If I eat fish, I'll be fast in the water.

Where's my medication?

Swim - 1:01:40 / 3000 meters

Weights 30 minutes.

180.8 lbs / 21.3 % BMI
9