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From designer colleague Miles Harrison (following an exchange of bon mots on the GDC Listserv last week), of course with a nod to René Magritte… sometimes a logo is not just a logo.

Manchester, UK

Learn Something Every Day is an ongoing, self-initiated daily project by design studio Young.

Tim Minchin’s ‘Storm’ is a 9-minute beat poem that has become an anthem for critical thinking… “In the confines of a London dinner party, Tim argues with a hippy named Storm…”

Thanks to colleague Scott Gillam for the link.

Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba

I’m the chuffed new owner of the one-of-a-kind Paddlelele built by master luthier Fred Casey (of C.F. Casey Guitars). This tenor ‘ukulele began as a child’s canoe paddle… by dent of imagination and practiced skill it evolved into Fred’s entry into the Lake, the WAVE/WINNBAC art show currently on exhibit at the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli, Manitoba (I was attending the show with Ev, who’s entry was entitled On the surface all seemed normal…, and the Paddlelele called to me the moment I saw it on exhibit).

Lake Winnipeg (the world’s 11th-largest freshwater body) looms large for anyone living in these parts. Commenting on Paddlelele, Fred says: “To me, the lake means canoeing: slipping along in a sheltered cove or quiet backwater. Canoes and ‘ukuleles just seem to go together: a couple under a full moon, he paddling slowly as she serenades him with her ‘uke.”

Paddlelele, front, back, and side views. The original paddle is white poplar, back and sides are black walnut, as is the fingerboard. The tuning pegs are hand-carved black walnut, salvaged from one of Fred’s early dulcimers.

—Marshall McLuhan

Worldwide Alerts

With the intent of sharing a bit of bile humour, yet with the attendant and inevitable risk of offending some (I apologize in advance), here’s a piece attributed to John Cleese, sent to me by designer friend Lorna Williams:

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s get the Bastards.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France’s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability.

Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbor” and “Lose.”

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Americans, as usual, are carrying out preemptive strikes on all of their allies “just in case.”

Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from “No worries” to “She’ll be alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we’ll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is canceled.” So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

And finally… Canada is at the “That’s not nice and please stop” threat level, and has passed a bill in the House of Commons to never raise the level any higher so not to offend the terrorists.

Gimli, Manitoba

This is an invitation for anyone in the Manitoba Interlake region to attend the vernisage of ‘the Lake’ art show at the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli tomorrow (19:00-21:00 Friday, 25 March 2011). This exhibit (open until 6 May) is a precursor to the 10th WAVE Artists Studio Tour.

Image: my girlfriend Evelin Richter’s piece in the show, a ceramic sculpture entitled “On the surface, all seemed normal…”.

—Ernest Hemingway

(good counsel… thanks to Bruce Campbell for the quote)

Anywhere you go…

Like most designers I know, I am always taking pictures of signs. Though well-intentioned, the goal of clear, unambiguous communication (such as advisories, warnings, way-finding aids, notice of restricted activities, etc.) is frequently misconstrued and misinterpreted—and often with humorous results. I’ve finally started to compile a collection of some of my sign pics from around the world in a Facebook album, here.

Above: warning of a steep path in a crocodile sanctuary, South Africa (thanks to colleague Guy Schockaert for this pic from a game farm we visited together a decade ago); a particularly confusing railway crossing/right-of-way sign in Wanganui, New Zealand; “no motorcycles or riderless bikes” in Havana, Cuba; “touch electric crotch at your own risk” on a Caribbean cruise ship.

(I also welcome sign-pic submissions from others: rob[a]robertlpeters.com).

—Doug Swanson (original source unknown)