iPods: the new cigarette?

"Play that funky music whi.... Oww!! oww!!, my head's on fire....."

Ha ha ha. But really, it seems that iPods are quite dangerous and they just might kill you. Check out the following stories.

In an article in the Denver Post "Lightning zeros in on teenager's tunes", this picture appeared of a kid who was outside mowing the lawn and was struck by lightning, apparently because of his iPod. He woke up singed and bleeding from his ears. What a mess.

Our own Sydney Morning Herald ran this one "iPod blamed for Aussie death". Mot so funny, but can you really blame an inanimate bit of plastic and circuitry. It's not like you can be beaten to death with an iPod, or forced to use it whilst riding your bike.

One thing I have seen with my own eyes (only tried it once) is driving with the iPod hooked up to my ears. I've seen so many people doing it and I wanted to see if it was to blame for their shit driving. I think I proved the theory correct. You cannot hear a thing, so you don't react properly, and you are also distracted by the music itself.

This kid had his iPod explode in his face. Sure, the kid was fooling with the iPod with a knife, but it blew up. Funny thing is, he is trying to sue Apple. Imagine going to Sunbeam and saying, "I stuck a friggin knife in my toaster and nearly died, gimme some money".

iPod hearing loss. Here's one that's been tested in the courts already. What are kids doing with their lives these days? I lost my hearing at ear killing live gigs in the early 90's, not on a walkman.

On a serious note, it seems that some poor trash simply want an iPod, without having the dough or the wit to get the dough, to buy their own, so they kill for them. 2 Are Charged With Murder in iPod Theft. I've heard of muggings and assaults and just snatch and grabs, particularly in New York and on the London Underground.

My tip is, buy black headphones and keep your shiny gadget in your pocket. It's the crappy white Apple ear buds that give it away anyway.

Or, if you are sick of your iPod, you could always bury it at sea.