The “snake run,” a retro design first popular in the 1970s, features bowls with modern radii for gaining speed, pipe coping for hand holds in tricks, and smooth transitions—“trannies” as the skaters call them—throughout.

Before his death in 1955, the Pictou-born man was one of the country’s top corporate lawyers, known for driving around the streets of Halifax in the city’s first Rolls-Royce limousine. During the Second World War, Mr. Stewart was in charge of the country’s coal supplies, working for the federal government as what was known as a dollar-a-year man.

In Wall Street parlance, a very long period of falling or, at best, sideways-moving stock prices is termed a “secular” bear market. And there have been some doozies in relatively recent U.S. history.

Misogyny, anti-intellectualism, vindictive political opponents, an out-of-control press—the resignation of Wendy Alexander as leader of the Labour party at Holyrood offers something to everyone with a thesis about the loss of public respect for the UK political process. First, misogyny. In recent years the Scottish political classes have introduced a new verb to the English language—the idea of being “wendied”—a term invented to describe the way that Alexander apparently browbeat her civil servants, assistants and anyone else who didn’t match her exacting demands. A wendying was often said to be carried out in a shrill manner—another word that cropped up in descriptions of her style.

“They’re paying $50 to fill up their cars, and they see me pay my $3,” said the Frankenmuth man who recently bought a 50cc Bronc scooter. And gas mileage that can reach up to 100 miles per gallon is exactly what has local dealerships selling the road-ready bikes as fast as they can get them in. It isn’t happening just in mid-Michigan, either. Nationwide, sales of what some affectionately call “gas-sippers” have jumped 24 percent in the first quarter of 2008.

Several online sites for outdoorsmen sport tips about how to use pantyhose in the great outdoors. In fact, one couild start calling it “mannyhose,” which was once a term for pantyhose made by G. Lieberman and Sons, a company that still makes hose for men and now calls it ACTIVSKIN®.

Hamilton described the chic look as “Miami style,” with flowing, white drapes and extensive lighting. “Gay-listers,” as she calls them, are set to attend, such as local business owners, non-profit leaders, the media and Pride entertainer Jen Foster and her crew.