I took Jack to the bike shoppe today for her first check up–she’s growing up so fast!  On my walk to the coffee shop to wait for Jack’s return I snapped a picture of this wall that clearly used to advertise all kinds of things, but has recently been cleaned off.  The thing is covered with staples and old bits of paper.  Many, many events have clearly been promoted here, and I’m guessing it won’t be too terribly long before it’s covered again.  It got me thinking about public space and who can post what where.  Where I work, for example, any sign must be approved by somebody in an office, each one individually stamped.  Sure, you can put up unapproved signs, but they’ll be taken down quickly.  Probably.  In most coffee shops around town signs need to be approved, though I’m not at all sure how if they notice or care what folks post.  I often see people plastering phone and light poles with signs, so I guess that’s not considered graffiti.  Or if it is, maybe the city just doesn’t care or have the resources to scrub the poles.  Lord knows there are bigger problems in New Orleans than excessive signage.  Of course, if you’ve got the money, you can buy whatever space you want and say pretty much anything.  But this particular space doesn’t seem to be for sale, and I like it that way.  I just hope somebody fills it soon–I want to know who’s playing where, and somebody please cover up that hole.