Comments on: Shoefiti

By: edkohler

edkohler — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 18:42:47 +0000

Ask real people? That's crazy talk. I do ask people on the streets from time to time. For example, I asked a hooker who was keepin' in real yesterday about what they mean.

By: spacemanpete

spacemanpete — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 15:33:52 +0000

For many reasons, I can’t imagine hanging shoes on a powerline would signify gansters being shot. The best reason tho, is that someone being shot is pretty much the best sign out there — you don’t really need to advertise that one too much; people tend to talk about that sort of thing. But I have a novel idea, Ed, why don’t you just ask some kids on the street . . .

The real reason I’m writing tho is because “whatever that means” just doesn’t cut it Rex. Care to expound on post-debate world ? I’m intrigued.

By: alexis

alexis — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 01:53:45 +0000

Kristoffer: Awesome picture. That’s now my new wallpaper.

By: alexis

alexis — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 01:49:37 +0000

Oh, I’m sure it started as something more subversive. I remember hearing back in the 90s that it was a sign of a gangsta getting killed in a gang shooting. Kids just wanna be tough little gangstas.

By: rex

rex — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 23:05:42 +0000

I’m with Ed on this — I don’t think there’s a single, definitive answer. Most of the time, it’s probably pranksters, but it also probably started as something more subversive. And even if it is all pranksters, that still makes it entertaining.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 22:57:48 +0000

You know, I was always told that this was an urban myth. The links presented here seem to detail that, too:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/factoids/a/sneakers.htm

By: kristoffer

kristoffer — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 20:58:09 +0000

My friend Dan did a nice take on the idea for a fashion spread in Fugue Magazine. Here. I'm sure drugs were around somewhere.

By: rex

rex — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 18:31:02 +0000

As usual, I'm in the middle about this.

The Mpls Issues Forum (let's link to it, so people know what we're talking about) has too many blowhards on it, fer shure. There are so many completely random posts about the most esoteric topics -- I can see how someone might point their finger and laugh at the loonies.

On the other hand, it is also full of elected officials (and wannabe elected officials). So sometimes you'll hear comments directly from the source, which can be refreshing. And I actually think that some of the conversations that happen there can change public policy.

(There are days that I wish MNspeak took on more of the "serious political issues" around town, but it's oftentimes hard to frame them in a way that isn't boringly obvious. I'm personally so tired of the notion that "blog" is equatable to "political opinion" -- I think there's room for something more subtle. I believe in a "post-debate" world... whatever that means.)

One's opinion of the Mpls Issues Forum tends to correspond with one's opinion of local politicians -- ineffectual busybodies or noble citizens? The answer is probably both.

By: ?

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 18:03:26 +0000

>>> work for non-profits <<<

So, in other words, crazy people.

By: edkohler

edkohler — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 17:29:36 +0000

Alexis, I think the introduction to the post on The Straight Dope is worth noting:

"Lacking a proper way to investigate it, I figured I might as well cast aside the pretense of science and post it to the Net"

A great brainstorming session, but no conclusions. I'm sure the example you cite does account for some of the shoes hanging from powerlines, but that doesn't mean they're all the result of hijinks. This also doesn't mean that ALL shoes correlate with nefarious activity.

taylor, I'm not crazy. Wow, isn't that such a crazily obvious thing for a crazy person to say? Love em, hate em, or dismiss em, the folks on the MPLS issues list are the kind of people who are crazy enough to run for elected positions, work for non-profits, or attempt to get to the bottom of issues that nag at them.