Danger is my Middle Name

Welcome back everyone to another post from The View from the Front Seat. It's going to be a little different for a few days as it's coming to you from beautiful, downtown Tempe, Arizona ... home the Arizona State University Sun Devils. I traveled here on a business trip without my business partner, so the commute to work (the focus of this blog) will obviously be a little different for the next few posts. So my day started off early this morning being herded like sheep through various security check points and processes (removing shoes, being careful not to say anything that can be construed as "suspicious," etc) as I was making my way to my flights to get me to Tempe.

All the while I was thinking how strange it is that we would put so much effort into strengthening security at airports (which I agree should have been done) and not really do much about other potentially dangerous situations. I can tell you my girlfriend is a nervous wreck when I travel, always tracking my flights online and making me call after each leg of the journey, etc. What people often forget is all the other dangerous (many even much more dangerous than flying) situations people face everyday. As a bit of a reminder, I've assembled a list of some of these things; perhaps we can work together to come up with solutions to protect us from these equally dangerous risks (arranged in no particular order):

1. Driving in a smart car. Come on people ... these are not smart cars ... not only do you look dumber than everyone else on the road, but if you were to collide with a bug any larger than a housefly your smart car would crumple into a piece of tin you could fit in your pocket.
2. Bringing a camera phone into a Michael Richards show. You think security at airports is tough now? You'll certainly be in the minority if you try to tape some of this show.
3. Going on the Jerry Springer show. Oh nevermind ... these idiots deserve everything they get.
4. Driving with Nicole Richey. The key mitigation strategy here is to try to get her to eat something before she drinks.
5. Bringing Mel Gibson as your guest to a bar mitzvah. You may wish to nominate Mel to be the designated driver for this party.
6. Bending over to pick up the soap in a prison shower. Let it go my friend ... better to let it go down the drain than to take one in the drain, if you know what I'm saying.
7. Marrying / dating OJ. You may argue with me about that, but I betcha you wouldn't give it a go either.
8. Buying meat in New York City, unless of course you're actually looking for armadillo, chimpanzees, iguanas, turtles, etc .... See "Smells like Fish, Tastes Like ... Armadillo?" for more.
9. Being the only person with a donut at a Jenny Craig meeting. It's better to take your chances with a bunch of hungry dobermans.
10. Sleeping over at Michael Jackson's place. Enough said.

So there you have it. There are all kinds of things more dangerous than flying that nobody thinks twice about ... in my opinion, it kinda takes the fear out of flying. Anyway, I've offended enough people for one day; I'll pick you up again tomorrow. In the meantime, keep your eyes on the road ... dangers lurk everywhere ...