I've always enjoyed comparative analysis. Constantly juxtaposing and contrasting things, using similes and metaphors by any means necessary. My ongoing free association always involves bringing two things together, no matter how obscure.

Lately I've been rather obsessed with motorcycles, explicitly my own, and for the last six weeks this has been my primary point of reference. I also enjoy (though am far from obsessed with) video games, and I've recently completed playing one of the latest Star Wars games called The Force Unleashed.

Today in Toronto another cyclist was killed by an automobile, something that is unfortunately not uncommon, as illustrated by this map of bicycle fatalities in the GTA (click on each mark for more info):

Each death further discourages people from riding in the city, as it creates the perception that it is not safe on Toronto's roads. I was an avid cyclist in this city for decades, and only stopped due to health reasons. I obtained my driver's license only three years ago, and since then have spent quite a bit of time thinking about how cars and bikes share the road.

When I was a cyclist I was aggressively anti-automobile. I generally regarded cars as mortal enemies who sought to snuff me out and splatter my brain on the road. Now that I'm a driver, I'm a little less anti-automobile, but not by much. I still regard bicycles as having more rights to the road than I do, and when driving I try to do my best to help out cyclists.