Ok, let's just dive right in.

Now I realize that those of you who live in New Jersey and work in NYC probably DO see this every day, since this is just outside the PATH exit near Ground Zero.  For the rest of us, this was a real head-scratcher.  Personally, I came around the corner, saw this and stopped dead in my tracks.  What the hell is this thing?  A giant balloon animal?  What animal?  Nothing like this appears in nature!