Methinks this may be the new torrid tagging. Hey, grafitti can actually be a bit of a good gig, and not just gonzo — ask Simon and Garfunkle and their lyrics about the words of the prophets written on the subway walls and tentament halls — given their right platform and placement on it. And we have seen such locally, and especially in the last few weeks. Things got started down in River Falls, near music clubs, with the promos for some alt bands, with their insignias.
The trend newly minted, is when people place posters of index-card-size on a power pole, or that propping up a street sign, sticking on/to their message via stickum. 3M thus disavows. Although people continue to post it.
Just a different mechanism. Similar messages, as when my friend yesterday noted that the lettered images tagged on the many sides of railroad cars that streamed past as we sat placid at — a flashing red crossing signal — were indeed beautiful, or when I first saw all those colorful and cool cartoon characters painted all along the dike road leading into the St. Croix River. (Just don’t tell the past parks and rec director.)
One sticker that stood out for me, set just a nod to north of two downtown Hudson bars, could be seen as contradictory, if not quite controversial. It at length calls for all gang activity to just go away, then adds, “police not welcome.” After about a month, the sign had been taken down, but again, the stickum remains dark brown against lighter brown, to this day. With pole position by many-shades-of-multi-ethnic Rage Against The Machine? And Ziggy’s enters in with their stickers that say to support local and live music, and police too, that are plastered everywhere within their block.
— News break: I love the Hudson Hot Air Affair this year more than ever because given the nature of my website, this affair is all about … music! A marriage made in heavenly tunes. On this the coldest night (Thursday) of the new winter, there is a launch party with this year’s theme, Rockin’ With The Coldies, at Ziggy’s Hudson. Tim Sigler and his expanded country-based act is upstairs 8-11 p.m. and Tim Grady is on the sing-along piano on the level Down Under, if you hurry on down there. See a much expanded promo of the Hot Air Affair, which takes place the whole first weekend of February, later on this website. —
— Hey, did it start here? On a (single) intersection next to a bunch of fast food and grocery and convenience stores, there were posted numerous stickers on the back of stop signs saying “Drive now, text later.” (Don’t assign and post the stickers while doing those other two aforementioned activities.) Was the DOT behind this, as the same message is on their many glowing standalone marquee signs along the freeway? Or was this a grafitti artist with a message that matters?
At the next place where streets collide — OK this is just a parking like with like stores all around — there where no such insignias. I guess going at crawling speed as you approach an actual intersection doesn’t count. So forego the headset here?
On the back of one last sign and its pole were a code for construction workers — and I don’t want to get religious again but here I go — that used three numerals that when combined spelled out seven total. Get it you numerology freaks? And with the DOT, there was a truck parked nextdoor that had yet another code, text me about “how I’m driving.” (Even though the parked vehicle was not in motion.) The code consisted of six digits — is there a theme here? — in total. These could be a lot of calls to keep track of. —
It seemed just, right and salutary to write this post on (the debacle that was) Jan. 6.
Nearby, and also contoversial, was a sign with an image of someone who looked like Stalin, or Lenin, adding a big gray beard, with its left side sheen worn away. I think that when the missing letters are added, it spells out Communism. Get Organized. Followed by what’s illustrating either a letter T or a pistol, or a combo, then Revolution.
At the nearest stage, the Friday night band pounded out Nothing Changes On New Year’s Day, by U2. TGIF.
Up the way, pasted on the back of a stop-sign-like-light-signal, reads something like this, listed at eye level as a dot.com. Where is Jack? Was Jack Here? Or, you don’t know Jack.”
Seems odd that I then looked up and saw, a newly placed and fully lit plastic sidewalk snowman.
In response to people who have messaged me with various questions, and described the desire to fully subscribe, please hang in there as that option/button is being added very soon. For sure before the next new year. I could be coy and convey that good things happen to those who wait, and patience is a virtue when it comes to publishing, and not just print. Until then, you can reach me, Mr. NonTechno — and that’s a clue for you questioners — at joewint52@gmail.com.