I read the guidelines and checked, so God-willing, this isn't a bad topic or a bad place for it.

I was thinking about the stencils and everything else that we've been provided with through one means or another, coupled with the fact that there is a message to be spread. I thought that another little hobby of mine could help.

If you've never heard of the Toynbee tiles, I'm not completely surprised. Basically, they are rubber 'signs' of a sort that have been embedded into streets across the northeastern US and a few in South America as well. The message "TOYNBEE IDEA IN MOVIE 2001 RESURRECT DEAD ON PLANET JUPITER" is pretty cryptic and people like me have been trying to find a meaning for years (some people claim to have found the answer and are making a documentary), but it's been effective, especially because of how persaive they've been.

Check out http://www.resurrectdead.com for some info and pictures, or look for "Toynbee tiles" on Wiki.

If you HAVE heard of them, then you know where I'm going with this. The tiles don't seem to be difficult to make. In fact, I believe that the anarchist's cookbook, in response to the tiles, has a fair recipe for how to do it. Basically, it involves a linoleum (sp?)-like tile (which is what your message is carved into), tar paper, and some sort of asphalt glue or crack sealer. When layered properly and placed effectively, the heat from the sun combined with pressure from cars literally bakes the message into the street while wearing away the tar paper, allowing it to be there long term. Don't believe me? I live near Pittsburgh and unless something was repaved, the tiles here remain and have been there for years. The same goes for many other cities. The prep work takes time, but placing the tile takes a matter of seconds.

This would be a phenominal way to spread a message relating to AiR. Tiling is considered a form of guerilla artwork. If we could some up with a consistent message and style for the tiles, I think this would be a good and lasting way to get something across, to at least get people looking. A friend and I plan to make and glue a practice tile in the next several weeks just to get an idea of the work involved...

Thoughts?

Sounds pretty neat.

Hah well that's nice. If we coordinated it so they were placed at roughly the same time, then they'd appear at roughly the same time and don't tell me THAT wouldn't get some attention once someone started looking. Participation might be hard to get, but you really only need a couple of people per major populated area. The toynbee tiler was only one guy, though now there are copycats.

The message being laid down would have to be pretty direct at what we're aiming for, yet cryptic enough to grab attention. If that makes any sense.

I'd say that if that Resistance 'motto' or whatever ever comes around, that would probably be a nice choice.

Can't just be laying flags everywhere and expect non resistance members to understand what it means.

Exactly, the flags are cool but won't do too much.

Maybe taking some of the text from the fliers that were handed out (I saw images somewhere else here) would be effective? This should be something that is well thought through. I dunno. We definitely need more than just us in this conversation. This has do be done in a warm season, and we have to get enough participation to matter.

Why not use the concert AiR fliers. Those we're cryptic enough to get us to goto the .coms

I love the idea. I'd definitely want in.

Heh, well then I like the direction that this is going. The bigger benefit is that outside of Philly, new tiles don't seem to be appearing. Also, no one else to my knowledge has tried yet to do this. Let's start tossing around ideas, and in the meantime I'll try a few combinations for test tiles and see what sticks and try to get a good estimate of costs.

I'm curious about how to get that select pure linoleum, or is it just a perk?

I'm not sure. The "true" linoleum is supposed to be hard to find, which is why I may have to find substitutes. Plus, I've never bothered to look through the entire anarchists cookbook to find the specific recipe suggested by them. I'm nearly completely positive that everything you need for this can be found at the local Home Depot, Lowe's, or comperable hardware store. AiR certainly has given me more of a reason to find out.

Who doesn't have at least an electronic copy of the Anarchists Cookbook?

It never left my mind throughout most my early teen years.

Well, the problem is that the tile article is not in the web book, and I've never managed to track down the hard copy. The tiler himself placed instructions for how to make them on one of his tiles in my hometown - since been paved over, sadly. Between that and some study of a freshly placed tile that a guy found in the middle of the night in Philly, we have a pretty good idea of what needs to happen. Basically, for the tile, we need something rubberish that will stand up to heat, wear, and pressure. This is a product that should exist and I bet we'll have an easy enough time finding an equivalent.

its a matter of organisation. easier said than done at times unfortunatly

10 people, 10 different metro areas, 3-5 tiles apiece, I'd be happy with that as a start. More people will latch on as things get done, too.

I'm down, but I can only get as metro as Burlington VT. Though it is small and unheard of, that pretty much entitles you to infecting the entire state just in one city.

We'll take what we can get. And if you ever go on vacation...hah

What I wouldn't give to get a tile down at the Outer Banks this summer...

When global warming hits at its hardest and the oceans rise significantly, that fantastic place will be one of the first to go...

I live in Vegas. That a big enough metro-area for you?

Crashing for the night, but I'll definitely be in touch.

Vegas sounds very nice. Crosswalks are the target here. I'm about to go for the night too, so get thinking...

http://www.resurrectdead.com/crimethinc_article_checked_2.htm

Article with highly detailed instructions and ingredients necessary to do this.

Make sure to note- if you're in an area that rains frequently, initial application of those tiles will be difficult.

I'd focus on cities that do not get a high rain-fall. Las Vegas would be a wonderful choice.

-Nunzilla

It figures, I've been on resurrectdead so often just to check up on what they've found...but I never saw that article.

The VCT is brittle and for our purposes, I think, unnecessary. Messages could possibly be stenciled over linoleum with a spray can if we think the rest of it is too much work. This wouldn't last as long, but it would still be there for a while. Some older tiles look like the message was carved right out of linoleum, relying on the street for text coloring instead of any inset letters.

Regardless, you can see from that article that none of this is too complex and it wouldn't be too hard to get some scraps. Maybe your parents got a new kitchen floor last year. Give 'em a call. I guarentee they have samples and scraps left over. It may not be the exact right material, but this isn't very expensive. Again, the work is in the preparation and if enough people want to prepare, then hopefully we'll attract attention.