shut up and shut up

Shut up, hang up, and drive. Here's why. Anecdotes are not proof I realize, but I've been almost run over twice by people yakking on cell phones while driving. It's worse than talking to another person in the car -- at least then there is a second set of eyes on the road (maybe), and the person understands the context the driver is operating in and (maybe) will shut up or even yell "Look out!" once in a while as the situation warrants.

Cell phone lobby doesn't like this and equates talking on the cell phone to eating while driving. The fact that this isn't the only dangerous habit for drivers to indulge in doesn't excuse it. Or would the cell phone lobby also like to push for the revocation of drunk driving laws? After all, a driver who is mildly drunk but is otherwise paying attention to the road may be a lesser risk than somebody in the middle of an animated conversation with their best friend calling about her vacation in Vegas...

Speaking of shut up, I'm tired of hearing about people whose beach houses were damaged in a hurricane. Comes with the territory, folks. You don't like it, move back to Nebraska or even just a couple of miles inland.

Finally, a pre-emptive shut-up to whatever Bushie or evangelist spokesoid comes out to refute this study that says access to the morning after pill didn't raise unprotected sexual activity among women in Britain. I'm sure they'll say that allowing these medicines will just encourage sluts to be sluts.