What Those ‘Alien’ Signs in Rochester Really Mean

Have you seen these blue spaceship signs that seem to say 'alien' around various yards here in Rochester? Just what do they mean?

Well, as it turns out, they actually don't say 'alien.' They say 'Allen'-- as in Sean Allen, who's running for Rochester City Council President this fall. And no, that's not a space ship. That's actually a blue version of the Med City's iconic Ear of Corn water tower.

I first noticed a few of Sean's signs around town earlier this year, and glancing quickly, I, too, thought they said 'alien.' And the shape of the sign does kind of resemble one of those 50's-era space ships, doesn't it?

I didn't think too much about the blue alien signs, though, until I read THIS column in the Post-Bulletin. Ah-ha. So I wasn't the only one that thought they said 'alien'. When you look at it closer, it's obvious that the signs says Allen. And, if you check Sean's site, you can see the iconic Ear of Corn water tower prominently displayed in his logo.

I'm thinking it must be the yard sign's vertical layout between the two L's that makes our minds think it says 'alien.' When I quickly glance at it, it's pretty easy to mistake that second L for an I.

Then again, maybe it's just me. When I showed the sign to my wife, she totally got that it said Allen, not 'alien.' Maybe it's time to see the optometrist...