Citi Logo

Paula Scher’s original napkin logo sketch. Michael Bierut talks about it:

When Citibank merged with Travelers back in 1998. On the very first meeting of the first day they worked on the project, Bierut doodled the “T” of the word “Travelers” as an umbrella handle. Now, he said, you see pretty much that exact idea everywhere. “99% of the word was done on the first morning.” He also good-humoredly acknowledged that partner Paula Scher insists she did the fateful doodle.

Chaise Longue

Photographer Marlena Bielinska

“The model should be confident with her own sensuality. She must be sensual – sometimes that only shows in her eyes of pose. Confidence must exude from my subject every time I shoot. Even in a simple catalog shot, just the way the model moves her legs, arches her back or smiles – She should perspire assertiveness.”

Backstory: In the late she 80′s went to New York to model. In 1993 she was fascinated by photography and already she began photographing models. Since then her work has appeared in more than 20 U.S. magazines such as Vogue, GQ, Elle, Playboy, Glamour, Cosmopolitan. She was born in Poland and educated as a psychologist. 

Purveyor of the provocative. Beautiful work.

Steve Jobs

I can’t compose a proper eulogy for Steve Jobs. There’s too much to say, too many capable of saying it better than I ever could. It’s one thing to miss someone, to feel a void when they’re gone. It’s another to do something with their legacy, to honor them through your actions.

Steve devoted his professional life to giving us (you, me and a billion other people) the most powerful device ever available to an ordinary person. Everything in our world is different because of the device you’re reading this on. What are we going to do with it?

Call the Ball

“Call the ball” “Roger, I have the ball.”

Visual Landing System for a US Navy Aircraft carrier. As the aviator approaches the flight deck, the aviator watches the light and puts the ball in the centre of the square mirror.

The goal is to keep the ball in line with the row of green lights on either side of the mirror. The typical exchange to an incoming naval aviator, a la Top Gun, “call the ball” which illuminates the lighting system followed by, “You have the ball…”

Very practical mechanical system for tracking progress around the trajectory of an in-bound plane in the middle of the ocean. This has many great (slightly obvious) parallel for the skills of landing projects and tracking things.

Hawk Symbolism

Reading the divine-sparks blog about hawk’s representation to humanity, the hawk is called messenger, protector and visionary. Keen vision is one of its greatest gifts. Hawks see things others miss.

The hawk comes to you indicating that you are now awakening to your soul purpose, your reason for being here. It can teach you how to fly high while keeping yourself connected to the ground.

As you rise to a higher level, your psychic energies are awakening and the hawk can help you to keep those senses in balance. Its message for you is to be open to hope and new ideas, to extend the vision of your life.

The Hawk is an animal of flight. It soars through the air looking down, and sees everything. It has a larger perspective of what is going on down below. With its keen eyesight, it looks down as it soars through the air looking for its prey. It can see the smallest of creatures below.

Pretty powerful symbolism.

The Hawk is known as a messenger, similar to the planet Mercury, for the hawk soars close to the Grandfather Sun, as does the planet. When you listen to the power of the Grandfather Sun or Wise Spirit that lives within, you are protected from all types of harm.

The Hawk teaches you to be observant and take a close look at your surroundings. It soars with the power to overcome difficult situations. It soars in circles over the life of the earth, asking you to circle over your life and view it from a higher perspective.

Any quote that makes abstractions about viewing the landscape, from 20,000ft is good reading.

The Hawk has a distinct cry, one that most people are aware of. Its cry signifies awareness. If you hear the cry of the hawk use your intuitive ability to discern the message and seek the truth. If a hawk has soared into your life, you require a higher perspective. You need to see the details of what is going on and look at the bigger picture. Take a look at your situation from above.

Meaning, passion and purpose are good enough reasons to find noble higher purpose . That’s the beginning of a life changing decision.

Confederate Air Force

Confederate

“An awfully small tail trying to wag an awfully big dog”

No, this isn’t an alternate history scenario involving a rogue time-traveling general from Alabama trying to rewrite the Civil War. There were actual formations of white fighter planes belonging to the CFA flying over Texas.

Back in 1962, SAGA Magazine for Men (long defunct) sent a photographer by the name of Leonard Kamsler to interview the pilots of the CAF and take some photos. SAGA was wholesome by the standards of the time, no blood-drenched tales of lesbian murder, no gross pictures from a nudist camp, just tales of high adventure and war stories. The photographer, Leonard Kamsler, would go on to have an impressive career including work for Disney.

The CAF’s “Rebel Field” was located near what passed for downtown Mercedes back then and the man most responsible for founding the ragtag bunch of pilots and old crop dusters was Floyd Nolen. “Colonel” Nolen. Every man in the unit referred to himself as a colonel to show equality among the pilots. Billy Drawe, another pilot, liked to smoke cigars and drink mint juleps in his cockpit after a flight. Class act.

HT @somethingawful

Prank

Comedy derived from customer service revenge. The only disappointment in this otherwise brilliant stunt. They should have targeted the head of customer service. A word to the wise, the guard is frankly a saint:

Never acted unprofessionally patiently repeated accurate descriptions of the problem. Never blamed the reps for defects in the system, graciously accepted the apology and declined compensation. Immediately shared “forced” compensation with peers. I hope he gets something good for this.

Press 1 for chocolates.

Volvo = You

Volvo’s “You Inside” program inviting customers to be the inspiration for the next generation of Volvo cars very instructive.  With this program Volvo joins a growing number of companies, many featured on this board, who are designing their futures with customers.

HT @ariegoldshlager

Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert, 1958

Designers: Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert, 1958

These are so familiar that no one notices how clever they really are. They convey important information quickly, unambiguously and without distraction to motorists travelling at speed. This demands expertise in perception and information processing, but the result is anything but academic, combining shape, type and symbol with simplicity and style. They look as good today as they did 50 years ago and have made motorway travelling safer and easier for millions. It is one of the hardest tasks to be simple. And it’s a triumph.

HT @designmuseum