Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Today's batch of found items will be a little more serious than most. These are all things that I came across this morning when I went to breakfast in Center City Philadelphia with The Gryphon.

The first was a flyer handed to me by a woman wearing a red long-sleeved shirt, whom we encountered in the train station. It's an informational flyer about the problem of sexual trafficking, telling you to be on the lookout for women who might be victims. The flyer points out such warning signs as the fact that she:

• Looks fearful or depressed, and is not on her own.
• Is being closely watched.
• Does not have possession of her paperwork and money.
• Does not have any luggage.
• Shows signs of physical abuse.
• Does not speak the native language.

For more information on the STOP Trafficking Project, visit the Soroptimists' Web site.

The next item is a particularly accomplished piece of graffiti on a construction wall on Chestnut Street. It combines a Black Power symbol with the legend "LIBER-B ME." This might just be the artist's tag.

Google is particularly useless, offering up countless references to Liber B Vel Magi Sub Figura by Aleister Crowley, an interesting coincidence, because I've been reading the special Aleister Crowley issue (FT231) of The Fortean Times: The World of Strange Phenomena.

And finally, a few blocks later, I saw a city employee holding out brightly-colored brochures for passersby and, out of curiosity, took one. It was a fourfold piece about the Center City District Restaurant Week, from Sunday, January 27, through Friday, February 1, with over 100 restaurants participating. They will all offer three courses for $35. Parking will also be reduced at participating facilities. For more information, visit the Center City Philadelphia Web site.

Copyright 2008 by Alyce Wilson

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