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#147945 09/16/05 05:53 PM
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I'm wondering if the sticker phenomenon isn't the same type of belief-exibitionism that makes so many people in the U.S. have their flags on their homes.

It's one of the first thing Canadians notice when they drive on down - flags on nearly every home. It's kinda like wearing your heart on your sleeve for everybody to see.

It seems that bumper stickers have the same role, na?


#147946 09/16/05 06:07 PM
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>>flags on nearly every home<<

Where?

But apt.


#147947 09/16/05 06:32 PM
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Well, not on NYC apts, insel. [rolleyes]


#147948 09/17/05 12:58 AM
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On a related note, why are they called bumper stickers? I was under the impression this part of a car was called the fender in the US.

Bingley


Bingley
#147949 09/17/05 01:45 AM
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the bumpers are attached to the front and back of the car; the fenders are wheel guards on the sides. bumper stickers do go on the bumpers, front or back (usually back, to facilitate reading!)

edit: fender stickers would tend to ruin the paint job!!

#147950 09/17/05 08:18 AM
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Many thanks everyone for details galore, and especially of Troy for the bumper stickers, decals and magnets. By the way, is "decal" short for something?




#147951 09/17/05 10:24 AM
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"Decalomania"

French décalcomanie, from dcalquer, to transfer a tracing (de-, off, from from Latin d-; see de- + calquer, to trace; see calque) + manie, craze (from its popularity in the 19th century) (from Late Latin mania, madness. See mania).]

(American Heritage)


#147952 09/17/05 03:58 PM
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yeah, but...

"decals" are clear-- they are very thin pieces of plastic or celloid that have printed images. they are sold mounted on paper.

you soak the decal in warm water, and then carefull slide it off the paper, and onto a surface (usually, but not exclusively glass--some decals are designed for putting on plain tiles, to make them look like hand painted ones)

the decal has a somewhat water soluable glue-- and it sticks to the glass (or tile) permentantly (to remove you moisten, and scrap with a blade.. no amount of soaking will loosen the glue!)

they are commonly sold in home decorating stores and art stores and craft stores (for home use)

Colleges and Universities make decals for rear view windows that are usually just the name of the college or university.. the letters are outlined, and the decal, placed low on the window does not significantly interfer with the view out the window.

some organization, (like Police Benevolent Organizations) also offer decals.. these are about 10 cm to 20cm (4 to 8 inches) in size(some are round, some are shaped like a sheild, some are square or rectanglular) --and are often displayed on drivers side rear (passenger) windows

some universities also have parking permit decals and these are also displayed on passenger windows. (usually these are smaller, less than 10 cm square.)

decals are also used to decorate china--and create what looks like hand painted designs.



#147953 09/21/05 06:59 PM
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I think they became popular when driving vacations became popular. You got a bumber sticker of the exotic places you had been in your car (e.g. Nanaimo - Bathtub Capitol of the World) to impress and amaze your friends. I have the vague impression that they started with stickers proving that you had paid to enter or park at major attractions and moved on from there.


#147954 09/21/05 07:58 PM
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>>paid to . . . park at major attractions<<

Like the Long Island Expressway. And I thought it was free.


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