Eating while driving

Oak Park, Ill., is trying to crack down on distracted drivers.

A story came out recently that lawmakers in the community outside of Chicago want to create a comprehensive bill banning all distractions while driving. That means talking, texting, grooming and yes, apparently, even eating.

According to this story from the Chicago Tribune, if Oak Park ultimately passes an outright ban on eating while driving, it might become one of the first in the nation to do so.

Oak Park Village Trustee Colette Lueck, who is initiating the push against distracted driving, said she would like to ban applying make-up or drinking, in addition to eating and cell phone use.

“To me, this is an issue of public safety,” she said. “This isn’t government overreach; this is the government protecting people. Distracted driving puts everyone on the road in danger.”

Almost anything could be considered a distraction while driving: fiddling with a car radio or CD player; scratching an itch or blowing your nose. More and more, municipalities are allowing digital billboards along their roads and highways. Who's paying attention to the road when their watching the signs change?

Eating while driving a distraction? Yeah, probably. And if it is, I'm guilty.

It's almost a pre-requisite as a journalist to master the art of eating while driving.

In my former journalistic life as a high school sports writer for a weekly newspaper, eating in my car was essential. There were many Fridays or Saturdays in the fall where I would cover a football game in the afternoon, then another that night. The only way to find time to eat was to go through a fast-food drive-thru and scarf down a burger and fries on my way to the next event.

I wrote a column in the late 90s on the best fast food to eat while driving. (Unfortunately, that column is unavailable on The Mercury's website.) At the time, my unscientific study revealed that is was a McDonald's quarter-pounder with cheese. Now, it would be anything off a fast-food restaurant's value menu.

I don't eat as much in my car as I once did, but when I do, it's usually a breakfast sandwich or pastry instead of a burger and fries. And I don't believe it's ever been a distraction.

If you can't master the art of eating while driving, you mustn't be much of a driver!

Are "The Simpsons" nearing an end?

I"ve been a fan of "The Simpsons" since it first started on FOX in 1989 and for years it was the best show on television. But now, the longest-running animated TV show in history may not make it much further.

"The Simpsons" producer said Tuesday that the show's current financial model may keep it from continuing. A report said that producers are demanding a 45 percent pay cut from the six voice actors, who reportedly make nearly $8 million each for a season. The website said the voice actors have offered to take a 30 percent pay cut in return for a portion of the show's syndication and merchandise revenue.

According to the Associated Press, the Fox network reportedly loses money each year on new episodes, even as all the old episodes run in perpetuity in reruns and are a cash cow for producers and creators.

"The Simpsons" is averaging 7.1 million viewers for its new episodes this fall, down 14 percent from last year. Back in the 1991-92 season, an average of 21.7 million people watched it every week, Nielsen said.

For more, go here.

World Series or bust

Manager Charlie Manuel watches the Phillies
work out Friday at Citizens Bank Park. AP Photo

When the Phillies signed free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee in the offseason, they instantly become the favorites to win the World Series this year.
With a club-record 102 wins and a fifth straight National League East crown on their resume, the favored Phils begin their quest for a 3rd World Series title on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Expectations are high, but there's a lot to be concerned about:

• The offense: Sure, this team stuggled A LOT to score runs. But I believe that with the regular lineup on the field since the acquisition of Hunter Pence, the team is undefeated. Yes, it's only a handful of games, but you get the point. Manager Charlie Manuel's late-season change to put Chase Utley in the No. 2 spot, Pence third and Shane Victorino fifth seems to be the best use of his personnel this postseason. The key will be leadoff man Jimmy Rollins. If he gets on base, it will have a trickle effect down the lineup and guys on base for cleanup hitter Ryan Howard, who knocked in 116 runs. As Rollins and Howard go, so go the Phillies.
• The bullpen: During the final month of the season, Antonio Bastardo, who dominated the first 5 months, struggled to get hitters out. As the lone lefty in the bullpen, his resurgence is crucial to postseason success. As is Brad Lidge. The former closer missed the first 3 months of the season with arm troubles, but was solid in the 2nd half of the year. He'll likely pitch in the 8th inning with the game on the line.
• Health: The Phillies struggled with injuries all season and they are the oldest team in the National League. Howard has a sore left ankle/heel that he will play through, but who knows how it will affect him at the plate. Third baseman Placido Polanco has had problems with an elbow and a sports hernia. Utley missed the first 2 months of the season with a knee issue, but seems healthy now. Rollins was on the disabled list recently with an injured calf. Ironically, left fielder Raul Ibanez, the oldest player on the team at 39, was one of the few regulars not to spend time on the disabled list.

Phillies players celebrate their fifth straight
National League East title. AP Photo.

But one thing not to be concerned about is the starting pitching. Roy Halladay, Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt are all playoff tested. Oswalt missed two months with a back issue, but based off his performance in September, he's healthy. Halladay threw a no-hitter in his first postseason start last year. Cliff Lee is 7-2 in the postseason, his only losses coming in last year's World Series when he pitched for Texas. He was 4-0 with the Phillies in 2009. And Cole Hamels was the NLCS and World Series MVP in 2008.

The Cardinals, who ralled from an 8 1/2-game deficit to claim the Wild Card berth thanks to the Phillies' 3-game sweep of Atlanta in the season's final series, led the league in hitting and have future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols anchoring the lineup. But last year, the Reds led the league in hitting and the Phillies disposed of them in 3 games, including Halladay's no-hitter and a shutout from Hamels in Game 3.

This series will come down to the Phils' offense. If they can score 4 runs a game, they should have no problem with Halladay, Lee and Hamels lined up. They looked ready to go during their sweep of the Braves.

The Phillies are expected to get to -- if not win -- the World Series. Not winning the World Series will be a disappointment. Not getting there would be considered a failure. The Cardinals won the season series from the Phillies, 6 games to 3, which may cause some anxiety. But the Phillies are the better team, and they take their first step to the World Series against the Caridnals.

Phillies in 4.

Man gets 2 DUIs in 1 night

So much for learning a lesson.
Police in western Pennsylvania have charged a man with driving drunk twice in the same night.
According to the Associated Press, Robert Brodnick, 58, of Washington, was arrested twice by state police for DUI -- the second time about 15 minutes after they released him into the custody of a friend.

 Brodnick's blood-alcohol limit was at least double what the law allows when he was arrested, police charge. Trooper Joseph Christy says troopers released Brodnick to the custody of a "responsible party" but say that person must have dropped of Brodnick at his vehicle because the same trooper who arrested Brodnick saw him driving again.
Brodnick tells WPXI-TV that he had two or three beers and just wanted to drive his new car home.

Father, son die 67 minutes apart

Saturday was a very difficult day for a family from Irwin, Pa., which is mourning the deaths of a father and son who suffered fatal heart attacks 67 minutes apart.

According to the Associated Press, Charles McCauley Jr. was rushing to his father's home Saturday after learning of the older man's death when the younger McCauley began suffering from chest pains. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Charles McCauley Sr., 83, had been watching the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason game on television at his Irwin home when he suffered a heart attack. His 54-year-old son was at the game and was stricken after being called by paramedics and walking out of the game to his car.

Family friends called the double tragedy difficult to grasp.

Abercrombie no fan of "Jersey Shore"

Apparently, I"m not the only one who despises MTV's reality show "Jersey Shore." So does Abercrombie & Fitch.

AP Photo
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino

On Tuesday, the Ohio-based clothing retail giant released a statement saying that it is concerned that having cast memeber Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino wear its clothing could cause "significant damage" to the company's image.

The company is so adamant about the situation (no pun intended) that it has offered what it says is a "substantial payment" to Sorrentino and the show's producers so he'll wear something else. The company says the offer will be extended to other members of the cast.

MTV, however, isn't buying A&F's stance.

"It's a clever PR stunt and we'd love to work with them on other ways they can leverage 'Jersey Shore' to reach the largest youth audience on television," MTV said in a statement.

That's gotta hurt

I don't know how much pain this guy was in, but it had to be pretty bad to consider self-surgery.

According to the Associated Press, a Glendale, Calif., man was in such pain from a hernia that he stuck a butter knife in his belly in an attempt at self-surgery.
After 911 was called, the man was placed on psychiatric hold in a hospital.

Here is the AP story:
GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California man stuck a butter knife into his belly in a failed bid at self-surgery to remove a painful hernia, police said Tuesday.
The wife of the 63-year-old Glendale man called 911 on Sunday night and told the emergency operator her husband was using a knife to remove a protruding hernia, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.
"She said he had impaled himself with a knife," Lorenz said.
Officers found the man naked on a patio lounge chair outside his apartment with a 6-inch butter knife sticking out of his stomach.
The man's wife told officers that her husband was upset about the hernia and wanted to take it out.
While waiting for paramedics, the sergeant said, the man pulled out the knife and stuffed a cigarette he was smoking into the bleeding, open wound.
"What he was thinking, I don't know. I don't know if he was cauterizing it (the wound)," Lorenz said.
The man wasn't screaming or showing any signs of pain, the sergeant said.
Based on his actions and statements from the wife, Lorenz said the man was placed on psychiatric hold and taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.
Because he's on psychiatric hold for up to 72 hours under the state Welfare and Institutions Code, Lorenz said the man's name and condition cannot be released.
"You just never know what to expect," said Lorenz, who has been on the police force for 29 years. "I've seen self-mutilation, but not a maneuver like this."