Monday, December 21, 2009

Later, Snow Guy

WHEN: December 2009
WHERE: Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh
This snowman was dumped with a mess of other trash, headed for the landfill, even if he is trying to hide behind the telephone pole.

Friday, December 18, 2009

A Bridge Too Far

WHERE: Smithfield Bridge, Downtown Pittburgh
WHEN: November 2009
I'm at a loss to describe this -- a baby frog? some random green creature in shorts? Also, what's with the ABC on its shirt? One thing for sure: A pile of dead leaves on the bridge is no place to call home.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Street of Shame

WHEN: December 2009
WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Mac H. in Pittsburgh
Was it a hard-partying night that left this bear face down and ass up in the snowy street?

Monday, December 7, 2009

The Housing Crisis Cuts Deep

WHEN: November 2009
WHERE: Silicon Valley, Calif.
PHOTO: Lizzie in Calif.
LIzzie notes that with so many properties "underwater" in California, even the dolls are just walking away from homes.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy (Sad) Thankgiving

WHEN: December 2008
WHERE: South Side, Pittsburgh
The soggy remains of some kid's construction-paper turkey

Monday, November 23, 2009

Sidewalk Slumpin'

WHEN: November 2009
WHERE: Astoria, New York
PHOTO: Kim in NYC
Looks like another morning-after from the another night-before for this guy

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Looking for Some Tail?

WHEN: November 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
There's a sad furry somewhere who's missing a clip-on tail. Grrrrrr.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Out of Bounds

WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: Downtown, Pittsburgh
Steelers football wedged in window of shuttered restaurant.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Blue Blob at Bus Stop

WHEN: November 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
This guy was just hangin' out at the bus stop. He looks like he's been drinking.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Buggin'

WHEN: January 2009
WHERE: Bloomfield, Pittsburgh
The cold weather comes, and the insects die.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Fangs for Nothing

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
When Halloween's over, these fancy teeth just get kicked to the curb. Sad.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Hey Boo!

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: South Side, Pittsburgh
ADDED PATHOS: Cigarette butts
The happiest, saddest ghost head.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Baby Help-Me-Up

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: East Liberty, Pittsburgh
Won't somebody help this naked baby?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Broken Arrow Alert

WHEN: October 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
In cheesy thrillers, a "broken arrow" is a lost nuke. Here, it's ... well ... just a broken arrow.

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Perils of Kewpie

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Oakland, Calif.
PHOTO: Lizzie in Calif.
Lizzie writes: "This kewpie doll was in Oakland, obviously in danger. I felt so sorry for it that I picked it up and now it's living on my windowsill with a lot of other toys. A happy ending!"

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Today's Post Is Brought to You By ...

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: Point Breeze, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Jill in Pittsburgh
... the letter "M."

Friday, October 9, 2009

Your Ride Is Over

WHEN: August 2009
WHERE: Homestead, Pa.
It's official: The reign of mini-vans is no more; park these babies out by the garbage.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Boo Hoo Boohbah

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Lydia in Pittsburgh
Dumped on the curb, outside the Ronald McDonald House.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Go, Puppy, Go

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
I like how it looks like this dog is running, but, in fact, he's not getting anywhere except under the wheels of another car.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Please Curb Your Dog

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Santa Clara, Calif.
PHOTO: Lizzie F. in Calif.
Uh ... looks like we're gonna need a bigger trash can. Love the crazy pink color, the placid suburban background. Woof!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Bye Bye Bunny


WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Ravenswood, Chicago
PHOTO: Jane in Chicago
Dumped, but this bunny is going out on his own terms. The body language says: Chillin', all cool.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Make Mine a Redhead


WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Uptown, Pittsburgh
I saw this from the bus, and hopped off. You can't miss a flaming redhead plopped down on the sidewalk. (Two hours later, thousands of anti-globalists and riot cops came down stomping this very block. It's likely something very terrible happened to Red.)

Friday, September 25, 2009

Rock This Town ... or Not

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: Strip District, Pittsburgh
Another promising musical career abandoned.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Urban Farming

WHEN: December 2008
WHERE: Homestead, PA
A tough row to hoe.

Monday, September 21, 2009

If I Had a Hammer ...

WHEN: June 2009
WHERE: Bloomfield, Pittsburgh
... or at least part of a toy hammer ...

Friday, September 18, 2009

Suck on This

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: North Side, Pittsburgh
Never mind that this is lying on the ground ... who would design a pacifier to make a baby look like it's sucking the brains out of the back of a cat's head?

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Dress Still Looks Great

WHEN: September 2009
WHERE: beach at New Rochelle, NY
PHOTO: Rose in NY
I dunno if this gal washed in from the French Revolution or what, but this is pretty tragic.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

America's New Frontline

WHEN: August 2009
WHERE: Kohl's, North Hills, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Jill in Pittsburgh
Keeping our discount department store restrooms safe from freedom-haters.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 7 Cycle Ball

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: South Side, Pittsburgh

Monday, September 7, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 6 Baseball

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
Today, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance to lock up one of the greatest records in all of professional sports: most consectutive losing seasons (17). To show support, I offer this busted baseball.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 5 Golf Ball

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Strip District, Pittsburgh
A classy ball and a classy car on a not-so-classy alleyway

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 4 Mickey Ball

WHEN: January 2009
WHERE: Bloomfield, Pittsburgh


Friday, September 4, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 3 Basketball

WHEN: June 2009
WHERE: Braddock, Pa.
PHOTO: Gisele in Braddock

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 2 Eight Ball

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: Garfield, Pittsburgh

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Seven Days of Balls: No. 1 Thunderball

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
Balls on the loose are the most commonly seen sad toy. This mini-series highlights a variety of forlorn orbs.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Shrek Dreck

WHEN: August 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
Here's a much-marketed green guy who's overstayed his welcome. Now, blow away.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Every Dog Has Its Day


WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
I found this 1950s ceramic poodle planter lying in a trash heap in an alley. Cleaned it up, and found it a new forever home.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Wheels Up

WHEN: August 2009
WHERE: Homestead, PA
Another in the trash-for-clunkers series.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Ball of Confusion

WHEN: August 2009
WHERE: Homestead, PA
As far as I can tell, this is a brown tennis ball that's sprouted a huge two-tone Davy Crockett tail.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Monkey Business

WHEN: August 2009
WHERE: Friendship, Pittsburgh
This little guy needs to do a better job of blending into the jungle.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Mini-Series: National Park Tragedies No. 3

WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
A tennis ball far from home but the wildflowers are pretty companions.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Mini-Series: National Park Tragedies #2


WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: Camp Mather, Yosemite National Park, Calif.
PHOTO: Candi in San Francisco
Candi sez: "What freakish wave washed this tiny boat ashore ... under the mighty pines of Yosemite?"

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Mini-Series: National Park Tragedies #1


WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: Yoho National Park, British Columbia
This rather pathetic plastic sandbox rake definitely gets a boost from the scenery: Takakkaw Falls, Canada's second highest waterfall.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Moose, No Longer Loose

WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: East Village, Manhattan
PHOTO: Andrew N. in NYC
With dog, Henry Hudson, this almost looks like one of those fancy old paintings -- the hound and the giant creature he's just nobly brought down. However, Mr. Hudson simply came across this downed moose on the sidewalk.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Disposable Razor

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
Remember the frenzy when everybody just HAD to have one of these Razor scooters? Well, it's over.