Signs. Caution: Flags and Stays.

 

Do not think your illegally dark tinted glass will make you invisible. They are all seeing and all knowing. You will move to the left as waved. (© image)

OMG. Something ahead. Sit up straight. Do not make eye contact. Look social.

Concerned it might be some social justice warriors, those who flag opposing views, waiting ready to curb people.

There’s one poised down the way – silent and waiting like a spider and the fly.

Hmm, is it a Flag Man? One made out of flags?

An individual from the Land of Flag? (And exactly what is the protocol for greeting such?).

Judging from behavior, this individual is “one who flags” (Although you can’t always tell by appearances – even if seen with your own eyes…)

Oh, thank goodness. It’s just a “professional traffic control person” (Official title).

A designation which sounds like it was coined by an elementary school teacher or self esteem consultant…sort of like gender neutral  “Sanitation Engineer” for garbage man.

We currently only have garage guys around here…possibly because it hard, heavy, dirty work. Probably breaks fingernails – we won’t even get into the lint of undetermined origin that can lodge in lashes, or the occupational stench that could overpower any perfume, hand cream, or laundry dryer sheet.

Somewhere, someone must have been worried about offending the current abundance of victims waiting to be offended and in an attempt to avoid getting bullied on social media, stakeholders updated the job title to Flaggers.

Honestly sounds like a substitution for a curse words: “Oh, flaggers!” See? Fits.  

OSHA approved city holiday decorations. (© image)

Difficult to stay on the mark sometimes. Never sure which way the wind is blowing.

In this era of frivolous lawsuits and unending parade of potential victims, there must have been serious discussions concerning Christmas tree displays among this city’s legal department and health and safety teams.

The city decorating team conscientiously added metal stays…like it’s going anywhere: (“Sit! Stay!”)

Still it’s better than last year’s which featured screaming yellow crime scene tape so no one would trip over the guy-wires. (Like so many actually flock here to take selfies…)

Seriously. Can’t get a couple of styrofoam candy canes, slice them open, then wrap them around the guy-wires? Or even wrap some foil fringe around to flutter merrily?

It’s Christmas. Wish the city elves would get creative.

Noticing the signs can avoid some big missteps and ouchies.

Watch that first step. It’s a doozie. (1917.Sayre collection of Theatrical Photo. USPD/Common.wikimedia.org)

Having your head in the clouds is one thing, but having uninvited snoops in your cloud is something else.

“Unless Congress stops it, foreign police will soon be able to collect and search data on the servers of U.S. Internet companies. They’ll be able to do it without a probable cause warrant, or any oversight from a U.S. judge. This is all happening because of a new law enforcement deal between the U.S. and the United Kingdom….”

Read more here at Electronic Frontier Foundation who discusses warrants, judicial authorization, probably cause, and the 4th Amendment in historical context of the revolutionary war.

Also as it is written:

“Macmillan, one of the “Big Five” publishers, is imposing new limits on libraries’ access to ebooks—and libraries and their users are fighting back”… “The publisher is imposing a two month embargo period on library ebooks. When Macmillan releases a new book, library systems will be able to purchase only one digital copy for the first eight weeks after it’s published.” Read more here

Macmillan says they are worried that library e-book copies are cannibalizing their sales. Library systems are saying new books need to be available when readers’ interest is high – as well as e-books can easily become large font size (critical for older readers and those sight impaired). There’s a petition with more information here.

The other major publishers are watching and evaluating the backlash. Soooo, you readers and authors, take note.

Stay alert and stay jolly.

Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge