"Ray-Ban Stops Traffic in New York City!" screams the headline in an e-mail sent my way by the iconic sunglasses company. Well, really, what doesn’t? Every time a falafel cart jumps the curb, it’s snarled for blocks. The missive goes on: “A public stunt will be held in New York City in the first week of July that will literally stop traffic—and draw attention to one of the five unique billboards that will be unveiled. The stunt is top secret but will draw widespread attention from New York’s television and print media.” Don’t New Yorkers have enough misery in July with the humidity and tourists from Spokane? It’s all part of a promotional push in which five NYC artists fashion billboards “inspired by Ran Ban’s new colored Wayfarers.” (The black-and-white ones, of course, were made popular by Joel Goodsen.) They should let the traffic flow and stick giant shades on that giant wheel of cheese Beemster plopped on the Grand Central Station platform last year. Did they ever haul that wedge away? It’s way past it’s sell-by date.

—Posted by David Gianatasio