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The Return of Physical Graffiti! August 2015

21 Aug
 August 21, 2015
 
Back in 2010, I published the post you’ll read below. Don’t worry, it’s short and I’ve edited it down just a bit. At the time, it was one of the little mysteries that seem to take a hold of you for a brief time, then just fades away as other things come and go. That’s life. And while the story was very interesting to me at the time, it was fleeting. But now it’s back. Here’s the original post, which I called Physical Graffiti since back then I had a strange habit of naming posts after Led Zeppelin albums. (See In Through The Out Door for another example.) And afterwards, read the major update at the end.
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From June 28, 2010

I am not a fan of graffiti. Call it spray can art, freedom of expression, whatever, if you spray it on private property it is defacement and a crime.

I’ve also seen strange tags and mottos. This is one I’ve seen in at least three places in Brooklyn: “I NEVER WIPE!” or simply “NEVER WIPE!”

Is the “artist” making a statement about his strange bathroom habits? Are we being encouraged to follow suit? Your guess is as good as mine. But it beats the “I STILL KILL” I’ve seen around Staten Island.

Here is the first one I noticed:

NEVER WIPE!

Greenwood Cemetery

It is sprayed on a wall alongside a bus depot across from Greenwood Cemetery. I have no idea how long it has been there but it feels like forever. I drive past it a few times each week and I can’t remember not seeing it. It is in a slightly odd location and cannot be missed as you drive down as the road does a bit of a zigzag and at one point the tag is right in front of you.

Bay Parkway

This is much more recent, within I’d guess the last year and a half. Unlike the previous one, this one includes the “I.” Does he work from a big stencil and the letter didn’t fit on the other wall? There is an identical tag on the other side of the lot, but without the arrows.

Avenue P (1)

Avenue P (2)

These two pictures were taken on the same block within fifteen feet of each other. As you can see, one is older and defaced. Did the artist do the second one after seeing how bad the first one looked? That brings up an interesting question- does this guy check up on his work?  Does he replace work that has been damaged or defaced? Notice that one has the “I” and the other, presumably older one, does not. Is the “I” a recent addition? Also notice that these both lack the exclamation point.

If anyone has spotted any other “I NEVER WIPE” graffiti, please let me know.

 

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And we’re back to 2015. Most of that graffiti faded away. The ones on Ave. P were painted over. The ones on the blue wall were destroyed when the wall was eventually taken down. A medical plaza stands there now. And the one near Greenwood Cemetery was covered by many layers of new graffiti, the most recent one being the Wu Tang Clan symbol. But just the other day, it was back. Never Wipe has struck again!

NW50

It’s back in the same place! Reclaiming its territory, I guess. And I have no doubt it is the same person responsible. Look at how precise the lettering is, identical to the older ones. But my favorite part? It has been upgraded. Never Wipe 5.0!

I don’t know if I missed 2.0., 3.0., and 4.0. but I am going to keep my eyes open for more Never Wipe graffiti.

The Return of Never Wipe! That would make a better blog title than The Return of Physical Graffiti but I’m stuck with it.

 

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Star Wars Card Trading on eBay: Not Getting Your Money’s Worth

16 Aug

August 16, 2015

People are stupid. They’ve always been stupid. That’s no surprise to anyone who has ever tried to drive down Bay Parkway in Brooklyn. There, the rule of thumb for pedestrians is “there are no cars. None. Bay Parkway is an empty street. Shut your eyes and meander randomly in the middle of the road.” In other words, when driving down the stretch of Bay Parkway that runs from about 65th to 70th streets, you can expect to have to slam on your brakes and swerve out of the way of people who decide, for no logical reason, to cross, stand, stop, or eat lunch in the middle of the street. Walk and don’t walk signs are a foreign (language) concept to most of these people. Red lights? Green lights? Doesn’t matter since no one looks at them anyway. Is it a good idea to stop in the middle of crossing against traffic in the middle of the block to take a sip of your egg drop soup as you step out from between two trucks? No, but it happens anyway.

But as stupid as people are, they are getting stupider. Here’s proof.

Someone will buy these!

Someone will buy these!

There’s an app called Star Wars Card Trader. You can use credits to buy virtual packs of cards that you can trade with other people on the app. Many of the cards are rare or limited. Like real cards, the contents of the packs are random. They cost nothing to buy, though you only get a small number of credits per day. Helpfully, Topps allows you to buy more. But remember, you don’t have to spend a penny and the cards are free.

Most cards range from 5,000 to over a million printed. Some are as few as 50. But recently, Topps came out with a card limited to 10 and the users went crazy, spending all kinds of real money to buy credits to get this virtual card which does not physically exist and has no monetary value at all.

And according to the terms of the user agreement, you don’t really own any of these cards, Topps does, who can delete or revoke them anytime they want.

But people went totally gorilla-balls nuts for this ultra-rare card and you can find a few on eBay for $900 – $950.

Crazy! Who the hell is going to buy these? And I have no doubt they will be bought. What will you do with a card that can disappear as soon as the internet falls apart? Once again, I think the economy must be amazingly strong if people are buying these. Either that or people are getting stupider by the day.

But it gets worse. Topps made so much money selling credits to people who didn’t get the card that they released yet another ultra rare (and ugly) card. And you know what? Despite all the grumbling, moaning, and complaining on the message boards and forums, the users went gorilla-balls crazy and spent mucho dollars on credits again.

Pink Vader? Is he the new Hello Kitty?

Pink Vader? Is he the new Hello Kitty?

If there is a character less suited to pink I don’t want to know. But at least the seller for this one has helpfully allowed you spread your stupidity over six months. This way, instead of one regretful purchase, you can regret it all over again every month when the bill comes in.

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