Corrugated Crisis

I first started noticing corrugated cardboard signs in the hands of Chicago's beggars.

The signs were rendered with black marker scrawled on brown cardboard - telling tales of woe about how the panhandler was stranded in Chicago and needed money to buy a bus ticket out of town... or whatever. The usual stories.

I noticed it here after the City Council passed a law against aggressive panhandling.

I guess it's supposed to look like you're really down and out - you can't even afford poster board to get your message across.

Now the corrugated cardboard look has moved to political demonstrations - of the "Occupy - But Why?" variety. I've seen it here, I've seen it in photos from around the country.

I don't like the look. The signs are hard to read.

I'm thinking of starting a charity to provide
better signs to wave while they stand outside.