Lemme start by saying that I’m about to go home from work, and therefore will not be able to participate in any kind of discussion for very long, but I just had to say this.
You know those bumper stickers that have an american flag on them as the background for the words “These Colors Don’t Run”? It was supposed to make us feel confident about going to war and “slapping back” the terrorist meanies that killed our civilians on 9/11. We don’t run away, we’ll come get you.
Have you seen any that lasted more than a few months before fading away? There are plenty of other bumper stickers out there that last for YEARS, even the ones made by lame punk rock bands that only last for a few hit singles. This has got to be some kind of intentional practical joke by the makers of patriotic stickers.
Seriously, it makes all those people look rather stupid when the colors are running off the flag…and only the flag…of their bumper sticker that claims it won’t happen. :smack:
The problem is, it’s really hard to make a red pigment that won’t fade badly when exposed to the sun. They used to be able to do it with lead-based paints, but it turned out that, in the long run, this was maybe not such a good idea: people exposed to lead-based paints as children were 35% more likely to grow up and put a “These colors don’t run” bumpersticker on their car. Understandably enough, lead-based paints were banned as soon as this side-effect was understood.
So, the colors don’t run. per se, but they do fade away…there’s a nice metaphor in there somewhere. Seems fitting.
I have a Union Jack on my car (long story) and it is fading as well. When the red becomes pink, off it comes.
It was a not to cute saying way before the twin towers terrorism. It was around before this other hidious phrase. (Baby On Board) I havn’t figured out why people leave the ribbon stickers on the side of a new vehicle for years until the paint will never match again.
There are plenty of other bumper stickers out there that last for YEARS, even the ones made by lame punk rock bands that only last for a few hit singles. This has got to be some kind of intentional practical joke by the makers of patriotic stickers.