Wednesday Whimsy, 10/13

(Experimenting with a new name. Stay tuned.)

As we are based in Pittsburgh, and just to get it out of the way, general congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the Pirates beating the Yanks in the World Series.

(Crickets chirping).

OK then.

A couple design points for discussion.
Point 1. An underappreciated, or more realistically, not-appreciated, form of design, metallurgy, in the function of the manhole cover and other doors to the underworld. The name East Jordan Ironworks is on many such covers hereabouts. And many of them are, in addition to being so heavy, durable and constructed from valuable ores and metals/ores as to be worth stealing, very cool looking.
One is above, I love how the water has oxidized the metal differently between different thunderbolts of the lid.

Point 2. When form rules all. My friend and colleague James Hilston and his bride, Amy Chapman recently visited New York City and splurged at Rice to Riches. Whereat customers shell out for rice pudding in lovely, beautiful plastic bowl and utensil sets. Which are, when empty of rice pudding, thrown out. Why? Why? Why? Especially with all the love given to the vessels on the company's Web site. And those colors! Is there any combo better than green, brown and red? Not for my money. (OK, lavender, green and tan are up there, too.)

Last word: Rice to riches has a nice sales design concept. But their sustainability, unless, I am missing something, is nil. Therefore, as pretty as their company, business model and packaging are, if that pretty packaging gets tossed after one use, RtR gets a totally failing grade.

Last last word: Sirius in the western sky early this a.m. Beautiful planet in a silent morning.