Inconspicuous Consumption

Inconspicuous Consumption

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Mysteries

The Case of the Mysterious Bird Feeder Surprise
In which I find a strange item in an even stranger place. Plus a bonus mystery and a new Inconspicuous News Roundup.
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Paul Lukas
34
A Very Unusual Traffic Light, and Some Additional Roadway Oddities
As we continue to discover, standardized highway signs and signals aren't always so standardized after all.
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Paul Lukas
17
What’s the Deal with “Both Phones”?
A simple but confusing phrase used to be common on promotional materials. Here’s the story behind it.
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Paul Lukas
13
The Shrinking Footprint (and Signage) of a Brooklyn Business
Solving an intriguing sign-based mystery.
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Paul Lukas
5
An Intriguing Lefty-Righty Distinction I Hadn’t Noticed Before
I’m usually very attuned to handedness, but a recent restaurant visit taught me something new.
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Paul Lukas
24
A New Rabbit Hole: The Better Sleep Blanket Support
A fun vintage sign for an unlikely-seeming product leads to some interesting revelations.
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Paul Lukas
15
A Deep Dive on a Classically Inconspicuous Clothing Detail
Your shirt may be harboring a small design element that has a long and complicated history.
28
The Very Strange Exit Signs on the New Jersey Turnpike
An extensive Inconspicuous Consumption investigation into some highly unusual highway sign graphics.
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Paul Lukas
17
UPDATED — Oddly Compelling: The Sire Records Logo on a Spinning LP
My quest to find the story behind a classically inconspicuous detail — and the music-biz legends I met along the way.
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Paul Lukas
11
What Caused the Shift in Our Default Pen Color?
An Inconspicuous Consumption inquiry.
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Paul Lukas
50
An Unusual Speed Limit Sign
And a municipality that’s in no hurry to talk about it.
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Paul Lukas
24
Did This Shop Just Invent a New Letter of the Alphabet?
It sure looks that way. Plus: A rare graffiti sighting of my name and an unusual speed hump sign!
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Paul Lukas
17
© 2025 Paul Lukas
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