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Posts Archived Under Design
Forget the eagle; is this the real
Great Seal of the United States? |
On many previous occasions, we’ve talked about conspiracies and secret societies,those groups who really run the world while the rest of us go on blithely ignoring the Truth. Somehow, there are so many such groups -- the Illuminati, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderberg Group, the Bohemian Grove, the Carlyle Group -- that how each of them manages to run the world to the exclusion of the others is a mystery we’re not qualified to solve.
That said, there is one group whose footprint is all over the United States, particularly its founding. So much so, that we feel we have to mention them again -- this week especially. That group is the Freemasons, and on September 18, 1793, George Washington, a Master Mason, laid the cornerstone to the United States Capitol -- while wearing his Masonic apron! But Washington was far from the only Founding Father who was a Mason. Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, nine were Masons, including John Hancock, Edmund Randolph, and Benjamin Franklin. Of the signers of the Constitution, thirteen were Masons. And thirty-three of Washington’s generals in the Revolutionary War were -- you guessed it -- Masons.
But that’s not all. Paul Revere? John Marshall? Ethan Allen? All Masons. Even the Marquis de Lafayette, the Frenchman whose participation in the Continental Army was essential to American independence, was a member of the Brotherhood.
You might think that would be enough, but we’re not even close. Like London, the city of Washington DC is laid out to mirror the Masonic pentagram, with one of its points at Washington’s Masonic temple and another at the White House itself! (Of course, Sandusky, Ohio is also laid out according to this plan, too, so it may not be all that much of a conspiracy ...)
And let’s not even get started on the symbolism in American money. From the "All-Seeing Eye" to the eagle to the thirteen stars, stripes, arrows, olive branches, and steps of the pyramid, the dollar bill alone might as well be a business card for your local Masonic lodge.
Author Dan Brown's new book, "The Lost Symbol," comes out this week, and this time, the "Da Vinci Code" author takes on these Masonic symbols in an attempt to crack the code – the code of what, we're not quite sure, but we can rest assured that the groups that really run the world will continue to do so, no matter who they are.
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Directory categories:
Freemasonry, Freemasonry -- Opposing Views, Conspiracy, Washington DC, Dan Brown |
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Archived under: 18th Century, American History, Anniversaries, Benjamin Franklin, Buildings, Conspiracies, Cover Ups, Da Vinci Code, Design, Dictators, Freemasons, George Washington, Government, History, Mysteries, Mythology and Folklore, Organizations, Presidents, Revolutionary War, Rumors, Secret Societies, Secrets, Society and Culture, United States, Urban Legends, Weird Stuff |
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So if it got really hot,
would the building pop?
(Photo by brendagayle) |
Just west of Sioux Falls, in the small South Dakota community of Mitchell, there stands an elaborate palace of corn, complete with onion domes and minarets. Sounds nutritious, delicious, and downright fascinating, doesn't it? We thought so, too. Today, on the first day of the annual Corn Palace Festival, we here at the Spark would like to honor Mitchell's most renowned landmark: the world's one and only Corn Palace.
For over 100 years, the Corn Palace has served as a place where city residents and their rural neighbors could gather to celebrate the end of the crop-growing season and harvest. It was originally built as an artistic expression to extol the fertility of South Dakota soil. Just to be clear, the palace isn't itself made of corn, but is instead covered in it: Large murals constructed entirely from locally-grown corn and other grains adorn the many facades of the structure.
Each year (with the exception of 2006, when the redesign was nixed due to drought) invites a new theme -- subjects like "Lewis and Clark" and "Everyday Heroes" have been interpreted in painstaking, granular detail by local artists, including the distinguished Native American painter, Oscar Howe. This year's theme, "American Destinations," was developed and crafted by Cherie Ramsdell, who has been at the artistic helm since 2003. It honors the United States' most celebrated tourist destinations, including the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Kennedy Space Center, and, naturally, the Corn Palace itself.
If, in your travels, you happen to be near South Dakota this week, we urge you to stop by Mitchell for some great music, fantastic food, and a tour of the nation's "corniest" (argh!) roadside attraction. You can't miss it -- just follow the hungry birds.
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Directory categories:
Entertainment and Arts in Mitchell, SD, Roadside Attractions, Buildings and Structures, Corn, Mitchell, South Dakots |
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Archived under: Architecture, Arts, Buildings, Corn, Corn Palace, Creativity, Decorating, Design, Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Midsummer, Popcorn, Recreation and Travel, Regional, Roadside Attractions, Sculpture, Small Towns, Summer, Tourist Attractions, Travel, United States, Vegetables, Weird Stuff |
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"His Master's Voice"
(What you don't see is that Nipper is
sitting on the coffin of his dead owner) |
In company logos and advertisements, animals are a fairly common sight. So common, in fact, that you probably haven't given these mascots a great deal of thought. But those whose job involves selecting an animal representative for an organization or company face no small task. With their choice, they will be aligning themselves with whatever qualities people tend to associate with that animal. Once they’ve found their totem, they may forever be associated with it.
A prime example of logo longevity is "His Master’s Voice," a design trademarked by the Victor Record Company on this day in 1900, sealing forever in our minds the image of Nipper the dog listening attentively to a Victrola, and connecting it further with the Gramophone Company (later known as HMV). In the ensuing century, plenty of other corporate critters have made their marks on our cultural consciousness. How many times have you heard Leo, the MGM lion roar?
Financial institutions have adopted symbols of strength, including an elk and a lion, though Merrill Lynch was wise to select a bull rather than a bear. Animals in advertising have also provided memorable and humorous moments.
Cuteness gives many animal representatives their appeal. The Geico gecko is pretty adorable, as is Snuggle, the Fabric Softener Bear. Some creatures are simply effective because they are cartoons, and appeal to kids, such as the Trix Rabbit and Sugar Bear.
Turns out there’s a science behind the success of animals (or "visual identifiers," as the marketing analysts call them). While some wine critics may claim they avoid "labels bearing cute animals," the rest of us are drawn to these images almost against our will, according to researchers. Did you pick up that bottle of Syrah because it had a kangaroo, chameleon, or a cute dog or kitty on it? It’s not your fault -– you're a victim of your own "perceptual fluency."
In light of the incredible sway these animals have over us, some mascots may not have been the best selections. Joe Camel, for example, the longtime rep for Camel cigarettes, was no longer depicted in cartoon form due to objections that he appealed to children too effectively, and Budweiser’s Spuds MacKenzie faded into obscurity before anyone noticed that a dog in a Hawaiian shirt was probably not the most appropriate spokes-animal for beer. After all, wouldn’t you rather share a tall one with a creepy penguin?
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Directory categories:
Advertising, Commercials, Pop Culture, Graphic Design, Phonographs |
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Archived under: 19th Century, Advertising, Animals, Anniversaries, Bears, Birds, Brands, Cartoons, Design, Dogs, History, Images, Mascots, Music, Music History, Nostalgia, Records, Society and Culture, TV, Wine |
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If there is any one principle that resonates through the work of architectural legend Antoni Gaudí, it's that nothing beats the beautiful ingenuity of Nature.
Born on this day in 1852, Gaudí was infatuated with the natural world. He immersed himself in nature's forms -- from sea shells to mushrooms. Organic shapes inspired Gaudí's stunningly original monuments in and around Spain's cultural mecca, Barcelona. His bizarre buildings are wrought with swirling ceilings, gill-like window vents, molten façades, ruffled rooftops, and whimsical chimney creatures.
Even the structural elements of Gaudí's buildings take on surreal, nature-inspired forms through tree-like columns, bone supports, helicoid staircases, and rib-shaped rafters. Despite his innovations, Barcelonians didn't think much of him during his lifetime. Aside from the few rich clients who adored (and funded) his artistry, most civilians -- and frankly, most of Gaudi's colleagues -- scoffed equally at his major works.
Nevertheless, the Catalan creator of biomorphic curves eventually earned posthumous praise from master architects and artists, solidifying his status as a forefather of Modernism.
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Directory categories:
Antoni Gaudi, Master Architects, Barcelona Local Guides, Art Nouveau |
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Archived under: 19th Century, Antoni Gaudi, Architects, Architecture, Arts, Birthdays, Buildings, Creativity, Design, Europe, History, Regional, Spain, Tourist Attractions |
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The always-dapper Babe Ruth
styles for the camera |
Today is National Tailor's Day; a day dedicated to the men and women who sew and fashion our clothes so that we always look our best.
On such an occasion, our minds turn naturally to that most American of outfits, the baseball uniform, for it was on this day in 1849 that the New York Knickerbockers became the first baseball team to wear uniforms.
In the century-and-a-half since, the uniform has undergone many changes: pants have been both tighter and looser, as well as shorter and longer. Sleeves have been long, short -- and even non-existent. Materials have changed, from flannel wool to polyester to today's poly-cotton blends.
While some teams have maintained the same look for decades, others seem to change with the seasons; sometimes bland, sometimes colorful -- sometimes downright bizarre.
While many of us have a mental image of how baseball players are supposed to look -- mid-calf pants, stirrup socks and sanitaries (usually, but not always, white), and short jerseys with colored undershirt -- that combination has all but disappeared in recent years, though some younger players are trying to restore the classic look.
Believe it or not, there are some folks who are obsessed with this kind of thing; who create spreadsheets to track the various uniform combinations their favorite teams wear.
But let it not be forgotten that all those variations on uniforms are cash cows for Major League Baseball teams, who schedule games saluting individual players, Negro League teams, or who "turn back the clock" to wear modern versions of vintage kits -- all in the hopes of selling replicas to fans.
Unfortunately or (fortunately), the teams' ability to salute the past exceeds their ability to predict the future. A 1999 multi-team promotion that "turned the clock ahead" gave teams the chance to wear some designer’s idea of what ballclubs would wear "in the future;" the event provided fans with a bizarre collection of jerseys that made the teams look less like professional athletes than an assignment on "Project Runway."
But for every giant compass or silver helmet that the future may (or may not) hold, traditionalists can rest assured that pinstripes and team names rendered in script will never go out of style.
Suggested Sites...
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Directory categories:
Baseball, Baseball History, Athletic Wear Manufacturers, Men's Custom-Made Apparel, Sporting Goods |
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Archived under: 19th Century, Anniversaries, Apparel, Athletes, Baseball, Baseball Players, Clothing and Accessories, Collectibles, Design, Events, Fanatics, History, MLB, Sports |
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