Sickness

I've been sick for the past several days with a vicious sinus infection and that's put the podcast project on hold. Sucks.

I think there's a conspiracy with the cable stations to motivate people to go to work even when they're sick. My basic cable package (yeah, I'm too cheap to spring for the premium package) has over 70 channels but the only thing on TV during the day is soaps, Jerry Springer, and Law and Order.

Actually, the various incarnations of Law and Order are pretty much on 24/7 these days. So I've watched a lot of L&O these past few days. There's something comforting about hearing that "dong dong" in between scenes. You know no matter how messed up these cases get, everything will be resolved in an hour. Not like reality, in which a special prosecutor can tie things up for two years and then announce, "Hey, we know something sleezy happened here, but we're not going to indict Karl Rove after all."

Sheesh.

Anyway, as much as a sinus infection really sucks, I guess I'm better off today than Ben Roethlesberger. Big Ben takes a spill on his motorcycle and breaks his jaw and fractures his skull. I find it ironic that a guy who wears a helmet in his job doesn't think he needs to wear one when he rides a motorcycle. I mean, isn't his main responsibility during the spring months staying healthy?

Of course, the real irony was the thousand or so cyclists who held a rally just the other week to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the repeal of Pennsylvania's mandatory helmet law. The reasoning behind the repeal still escapes me. We're in the middle of this national "click it or ticket" campaign telling drivers that you'll get two fines if you're pulled over and you're not wearing your seat belt. But motorcycle riders don't have to worry about any safety precautions. What makes their "personal liberty" more sacred than mine if that's what the repeal is all about?

Of course, the sensible thing to do when driving is wearing your seatbelt, law or no law. And the sensible thing when riding your motorcycle is wearing a helmet. The one thing you can't legislate is the common sense to realize this. Big Ben has already gotten heat for his "role model" status. Maybe this lessen will teach him that his moral responsibility, whether he likes it or not, extends beyond his own skull. Kids do imitate their heroes.

Maybe they shouldn't but they do. Big Ben, wear the helmet.