Now that rollerbladers have finally learned how to become fairly civil on bike paths, wouldn't you know it's time for another device, the Trikke, whose whole means of human-powered propulsion seems to depend upon weaving. If you're a bicyclist on a bike path, or a pedestrian on a sidewalk, this is about as welcome as a swarm of scooters, only more dangerous.

My father passed away on Monday. The cause: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This disease is the fourth leading cause of death in America. Please consider a donation to the American Lung Association.

Geography gives people a funny impression of how a country feels. The recent presidential election is the latest example. For a more realistic view of how the country really looks, by population instead of geography, visit this page. Bob Herbert said it well: "The election's been lost but there's still a country to save."

I was in Denver last week and picked up a copy of Westword, an alt-weekly. The cover story, Go With the Flow, offered a fascinating peek into how skateparks are designed, and mis-designed. The road to skateboarding, too, is paved with good intentions, but with mixed results.

Michael Moore puts it best: "To Non-Voters: I understand why you stopped voting. Politicians suck. Nothing ever seems to change. You’re only one vote. Yes, politicians suck. But so do car salesmen – and that hasn’t stopped you from buying a car." Unfortunately true in today's America.