Horst Prillinger has posted a groundbreaking photo-essay on the chewing gum infestation of urban sidewalks.

However, as I commented to him, I am profoundly skeptical about this so-called chewing gum:

Funny you should be writing about this. I was recently commenting to a friend about the so-called chewing-gum blotches found all over EVERYWHERE on urban sidewalks. I asked her: When was the last time you saw someone on the street chewing gum? I couldn't remember ever seeing anyone even chew gum while walking down the street, never mind spitting it out in public. And if you consider the mass quantities of the so-called chewing gum blotches, statistically speaking you ought to see it all the time! I hardly know anybody who chews gum, but of those who do, not one of them would ever just toss it onto the sidewalk. Who are these purported barbarians, anyway?

In short, I don't believe it's chewing gum. That's the official government explanation for what is probably either some top secret program or an alien invasion. Or maybe it's some kind of nocturnal bird poop. Whatever. I just don't buy the chewing gum explanation.

Seriously now, how do we account for this? Have you, or has anyone you know, or anyone you've ever seen spit chewing gum onto the sidewalk? Think about it ~ that's a LOT of chewing gum! I think exactly once in my life have I stepped in a freshly discarded piece of gum. You'd think that would happen a lot more often too.

I know that there are special cleaning services who will remove the "chewing gum" from the sidewalk in front of your commercial establishment (not only have I read about them, I actually saw one of them at work outside a local Starbucks). My best theory now is that these people go around planting the chewing gum so that they can stay in business.

2:22:23 AM    please comment []