breaking a wrist

Breaking a wrist seems to be the way to get into the international news these days. In Aosta, Italy, an 82 year old man slipped in his bath and broke his wrist. In Vittel, France, a 35 year old man fell of his bike and broke his wrist.

In both cases this is a very common injury for what happened. In both cases putting down your hands to block the fall is the natural (if sometimes wrong) reaction.

Then why-o-why did these two rate so much press. The world over. Internet is full of it. Special television broadcasts were devoted to it.

Surely not because the 82 year old man claims to have a - unverifiable - special relationship with an imaginary friend ? Surely not because the 35 year old man competed in a big sports event ? Surely there are other things to talk about ... are there not ?

A 61 year old woman was hit by a police motorcycle when she tried to cross the road after a group of cyclists had passed in the Tour De France. She died on the spot. She got a 5 second mention in the broadcast and then the show went on.

Bread, death and games ... it is a sad world after all ...