An American `iconic invention´: Now chained to a Philly signpost, guarding your precious parking spot
(WorldNews Business)

It´s that time of year when thousands of those bright orange sentries of safety sprout from the broken asphalt of the region´s roadways. Traffic cones. Utilities and highway departments buy them by the truckload. Quite a few end up flattened in the line of duty by errant vehicles, or unceremoniously forgotten in potholes. But many walk away, purloined to pursue new lives. `When a project is active, securing the cones is a challenge,` said Barry O´Sullivan, spokesperson for Philadelphia Gas Works, which bought 5,000 cones last year. `It is not uncommon for individuals and even private contractors to remove cones from active work sites for any number of reasons, including holding parking...