Joe Burris is back, with an observation about a texting hazard for tweens and teens that doesn't involve driving:

"Lately I've come to notice an unusual behavior among tweens and teens, one that I'm surprised hasn't resulted in a spike in collision-related bumps and bruises. Thus far, I haven't come across a word that describes the practice. For now, I'll call it walking while texting, and it seems to be contagious with today's youth.

"Walking while texting is when kids walk (some briskly, some slowly) while holding an iPod, cell phone or other hand-held device to their face, pressing little buttons with their thumbs.

"My 12-year-old daughter Nyaniso walks while texting sometimes in our house; when we're out walking, we store the gadgets. Many of her friends walk while texting. Often I see kids doing it while traveling with adults or while slowly inching forward in a fast food line. I see them doing it while entering or exiting elevators, climbing out of cars, coming off buses.

"Never mind the fact that it's difficult having a conversation with someone who's fixated on a tiny digital screen. What I don't see, to my surprise, is much incidental contact; by now young foreheads all over creation should be filled with protruding knots, the result of not watching where one's going. Instead, kids manage to get around without the occasional collisions.

"Still, I believe we need to advise caution about the practice in the same manner that Nintendo Wii users were warned about the dangers of gripping the remote control too lightly while attempting a tennis backhand. The result could be disastrous."

(AP Photo/Matt Sayles)