I’m not a big fan of cell phones. Yes, they are extremely useful in case of emergencies and I believe everyone should have one for that purpose. But more often than not, they are used frivolously and are a huge distraction. I constantly see people yakking on them while walking or driving through the City, while acting oblivious to their surroundings. It’s gotten to the point where some people value these stupid phones more than life itself. Case in point, Lina Villegas, an 18-year old who yesterday, dropped her phone onto a subway track, jumped onto the track to retrieve it, and was then killed by an oncoming train. It’s splashed across the front page of today’s “Daily News” as a huge tragedy and, while it is indeed tragic, I have no sympathy for such stupidity. First of all, odds are good that the train would have glided over the phone with no damage done and she could have called a member of the Transit Authority for assistance in retrieving it. But even if it couldn’t have been retrieved, it sickens me that one would risk their life for such a meaningless materialistic item.

Later today, Wesley Clark will announce that he is withdrawing from the Presidential race. General Clark, I salute you! I thought he was a fine candidate who would have fared well in a general election. However, as a novice to politics, his candidacy stumbled in the primaries and he failed to gain any traction. This became apparent when John Kerry surged ahead of the pack, using his Vietnam veteran credentials to his credit. Suddenly Clark wasn’t the only candidate who could argue that he was a decorated military vet. Hopefully, the general will remain active on the campaign trail and who knows? If we get a Kerry Administration, he might qualify as a good candidate for Secretary of Defense.