The ZehnKatzen Times A blog by a Portland graphic deisgner about finding interesting and fun things in design and life and looking for his big payday Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 54 3575

Articles from The ZehnKatzen Times

[bloggage] Critical Content Link Love 2007-12-23 11:33:00 1200. As someone who blogs regularly I like to think that maybe, sometimes, people come here because of something in particular that appeals to them. It's incredibly flattering, since I'm still climbing up off the Long Tail, when someone does so.Today I discovered that someone linked over here specifically because of a series of posts; germanely, the Channel Surfing series I've been doing. For those just joining us here, that is the series of posts I'm doing that are examining the many ways the TV station logo can go, number by number. We're currently on the 8's. We're taking a very brief breather, then going into the 9's, headed for 13, the end of the VHF dial, and will rejoin the series very soon now. We haz the rhythm, you see.Anyway, the post that referenced that is here, at the ironically-named telescreen.org (we adore 1984). But I am not afraid of Big Brother; at least he will link to me (seriously, sir, thanks for the hat tip. More TV Channely-goodness to come!).In other ...

[design] About Jeff Fisher's Identity Crisis! @ Designorati 2007-12-21 20:19:00 1199. Yeah, I reviewed Jeff's book @ Designorati ... and I'd do it again, see?The review has been noted at Jeff's Identity Crisis! book blog, and I also shout out to Jeff (since I was unable to attend Portland Graphic Designers Kaffeeklatsch today – I'm planning on doing next month, promise!). I adopted a more catholic tone over there, but this is my personal space, and I can be a bit more unreserved about it; seriously, this book kicks it major ways.It is a terribly good book, and it will be of especial interest to graphic designers in general and the logo-enabled in particular. But what really impressed me about it was the way it appealed to the 'non-designers' I know (of which there are, of necessity, several). Maybe it's the book's design, and maybe it's Jeff's personable style, or maybe it's both. But they really enjoyed reading it and I did have to do a bit of inveigling to get my review copy back.My favorite design books are the ones that you read then, in slack mom ... Design

[design] The Contest Is Closed; The Judging Begins 2007-12-21 12:47:00 1198. I have been advised that my Snow Patrol cover submission has been received. There's a slideshow including it at this link. The incriminating evidence:Quite frankly, I think it stands up quite well amongst the throng.Tags: Snow Patrol, Shut Your Eyes, 94/7fm ... Design

[design] Seek=yes; Find=? 2007-12-21 12:41:00 1197. In the last missive, I mentioned the questionnaire that W+K had that I responded to. It said Robin would be in touch.Robin has touched. Mission: fill a generally-defined space (max pages, layout size, file throwweight) with whatever. The only parameters I'm given are those.Such an open remit is exciting. And terrifying. And exciting. And time limited.I have about 1 month's time from two days ago.Tags: Weiden+Kennedy, W+K ... Design

[liff, design] Weiden+Kennedy=Ineffably Intriguing Recruiting 2007-12-19 13:49:00 1196. One of the channels I'm tuned in to, as a designer trying to find employment, is Craigslist's art/media/design jobs postings. You never know what you'll find there.Today there was a post simply saying "Wieden+Kennedy Seeking Designers, Writers, Thinkers, Makers" (sounds kind of like stalking, no?). Suppressing the urge to scream, in my bad Chuck Heston, "W+K is made of peoplllle, it's PEOPLLLLLLE!!!!!!!1!, I sallied forth down the URL.I mean, what the hell, right? I may only have junior designer skills, but I'm not afraid to bite the big one, as my personal history might amply illustrate. We shall not explore that territory here, however. What I will say is that I think I filled in an employment app. I think so. It was a polished but adventurous sortie about what I think of myself.I was given a list of qualities, and checked off the ones I think applied to me. I found out I was checking off quite a lot. I'm sure I wasn't Lake Wobegonning myself, but I do see a whole lot of ... Design

[liff, design] Weiden+Kennedy=Ineffably Intriguing Recruiting 2007-12-19 13:49:00 1196. One of the channels I'm tuned in to, as a designer trying to find employment, is Craigslist's art/media/design jobs postings. You never know what you'll find there.Today there was a post simply saying "Wieden+Kennedy Seeking Designers, Writers, Thinkers, Makers" (sounds kind of like stalking, no?). Suppressing the urge to scream, in my bad Chuck Heston, "W+K is made of peoplllle, it's PEOPLLLLLLE!!!!!!!1!, I sallied forth down the URL.I mean, what the hell, right? I may only have junior designer skills, but I'm not afraid to bite the big one, as my personal history might amply illustrate. We shall not explore that territory here, however. What I will say is that I think I filled in an employment app. I think so. It was a polished but adventurous sortie about what I think of myself.I was given a list of qualities, and checked off the ones I think applied to me. I found out I was checking off quite a lot. I'm sure I wasn't Lake Wobegonning myself, but I do see a whole lot of ... Design

[liff] Charities We Wouldn't Give To 2007-12-18 09:43:00 1196. Now that the season of giving and getting is in full swing, a lot of people are taking a second look at their giving and getting.And we here at The Zehnkatzen Times approve. We tend to agree that, on the whole, this is more of a "what's in it for me" society and that maybe it should change just a little bit. So, the trend in giving to charity in other's names is a bit of welcome cheer (even if it's kind of a buzzkill for anyone younger than, say 12).But you just can't give without checking out the charities. Due diligence is required. Here are few charities we've heard rumors about that we don't suggest giving to: Doctors Without Licenses My Next Door Neighbor's House's Foundation The Foundation Garment Foundation The Banana Appeal Foundation for a Silly Life Association for Building Strong Bodies 12 Ways The Disorganized Way The Just Give Me Money Foundation Drunks Against Mad Mothers Jerry's Squids The Center for Not Being On The Edge The I.M. H ...

[liff] Charities We Wouldn't Give To 2007-12-18 09:43:00 1196. Now that the season of giving and getting is in full swing, a lot of people are taking a second look at their giving and getting.And we here at The Zehnkatzen Times approve. We tend to agree that, on the whole, this is more of a "what's in it for me" society and that maybe it should change just a little bit. So, the trend in giving to charity in other's names is a bit of welcome cheer (even if it's kind of a buzzkill for anyone younger than, say 12).But you just can't give without checking out the charities. Due diligence is required. Here are few charities we've heard rumors about that we don't suggest giving to: Doctors Without Licenses My Next Door Neighbor's House's Foundation The Foundation Garment Foundation The Banana Appeal Foundation for a Silly Life Association for Building Strong Bodies 12 Ways The Disorganized Way The Just Give Me Money Foundation Drunks Against Mad Mothers Jerry's Squids The Center for Not Being On The Edge The I.M. H ...

[bloggage] Strange Gray Blocks 2007-12-18 09:20:00 1195. In preparing that last entry for publishing, I found something very strange–when viewing in Firefox, there's big gray boxes, about the size of a YouTube embed. obscuring parts of the article. Two of them, in fact.I have no idea why they're there or what they're doing there. I've looked at the HTML and can't find anything odd. I'm off to find out why that is but in case I can't, you can see the whole thing in Opera, Safari, or IE 5 (they didn't make IE6 for the Mac).Tags: bloggage, Opera, Firefox, IE, Safari ...

[bloggage] Strange Gray Blocks 2007-12-18 09:20:00 1195. In preparing that last entry for publishing, I found something very strange–when viewing in Firefox, there's big gray boxes, about the size of a YouTube embed. obscuring parts of the article. Two of them, in fact.I have no idea why they're there or what they're doing there. I've looked at the HTML and can't find anything odd. I'm off to find out why that is but in case I can't, you can see the whole thing in Opera, Safari, or IE 5 (they didn't make IE6 for the Mac).Tags: bloggage, Opera, Firefox, IE, Safari ...

[logo_design] Channel Surfing: On The 8's 2007-12-18 05:59:00 1194. Continuing up the VHF dial we now have news and information, headlines and station logos ... on the 8's. Let's get started.One of the things we'll be seeing as we run the 8's is that stations with a channel number of eight seem just a little more willing to play sound games with the call sign and the depiction of the number. The number 8, being similar to a minuscule 'g', makes it kind of easy, as the logo for KAET, Phoenix (also pronouncable as "K-Eight" (I was hooked on phonics at an early age)) shows–as well as just being a cool use of color and shadow, and the way the PBS logo is designed into it:KAIT, Channel 8, Jonesboro Arkansas, also plays the "K-Eight" game, but has a clever inspiration in recapitulating the call sign in the numeric part of the logo. Whenever you talk of this station, you'll be saying "K-Eight":KCCI, Des Moines IA, goes with a "Classy" obliqued 8, understated teal rectangle, and a familiar majuscule type f ... Design

[logo_design] Channel Surfing: On The 8's 2007-12-18 05:59:00 1194. Continuing up the VHF dial we now have news and information, headlines and station logos ... on the 8's. Let's get started.One of the things we'll be seeing as we run the 8's is that stations with a channel number of eight seem just a little more willing to play sound games with the call sign and the depiction of the number. The number 8, being similar to a minuscule 'g', makes it kind of easy, as the logo for KAET, Phoenix (also pronouncable as "K-Eight" (I was hooked on phonics at an early age)) shows–as well as just being a cool use of color and shadow, and the way the PBS logo is designed into it:KAIT, Channel 8, Jonesboro Arkansas, also plays the "K-Eight" game, but has a clever inspiration in recapitulating the call sign in the numeric part of the logo. Whenever you talk of this station, you'll be saying "K-Eight":KCCI, Des Moines IA, goes with a "Classy" obliqued 8, understated teal rectangle, and a familiar majuscule type f ... Design

[pdx_politik] "Sho" Me, Mr Dozono ... 2007-12-17 18:06:00 1193. Sorry about that title, it's the best teh funnay I could come up with on short notice.Our regular RSS read Hot Fresh Now just broke (via PTrib) that Sho Dozono, Azumano supremo, is getting ready to take the plunge to challenge Our Man Sam.As usual, me, being distracted as I am, know less than I ought. Time to bone up. But from what I've seen, he could also be good for Portland; at least his social justice heart is in the right place, as this report The Big O did back in aught-four. Putting it succinctly and bluntly, my favorite quote is thus: Today we seem to be a divided nation arguing the pros and cons of same-sex marriage. A question in my mind is: What part of the Declaration of Independence don't we understand? Does it not state that all of us are created equal? What part of equal don't we understand?Well said.Downside: Supported "Curiously-Strong Mayor". Still not crazy about that idea.Finally, the Mayoral contest may be an actual horse race! Let the campagining begi ...

[pdx_politik] "Sho" Me, Mr Dozono ... 2007-12-17 18:06:00 1193. Sorry about that title, it's the best teh funnay I could come up with on short notice.Our regular RSS read Hot Fresh Now just broke (via PTrib) that Sho Dozono, Azumano supremo, is getting ready to take the plunge to challenge Our Man Sam.As usual, me, being distracted as I am, know less than I ought. Time to bone up. But from what I've seen, he could also be good for Portland; at least his social justice heart is in the right place, as this report The Big O did back in aught-four. Putting it succinctly and bluntly, my favorite quote is thus: Today we seem to be a divided nation arguing the pros and cons of same-sex marriage. A question in my mind is: What part of the Declaration of Independence don't we understand? Does it not state that all of us are created equal? What part of equal don't we understand?Well said.Downside: Supported "Curiously-Strong Mayor". Still not crazy about that idea.Finally, the Mayoral contest may be an actual horse race! Let the campagining begi ...

[qumana test post for saving then posting] 2007-12-17 17:25:00 1192. What it says it is.What we're now going to do, with the help of our friend Ampelmann here, is to edit a post that already has pictures in it.At this time, no blog posting client of which I'm aware allows you to upload pix through them into Blogger. As near as I can tell, this is a Blogger thing, not necessarily a client thing; Blogger just does not allow it at this time.This led to problems when using Bleezer to edit the post on the Channel 6 logos (that's why the pix are hard-left justified rather than centered). And ever since I made that edit, the little "envelope" icon for mailing posts has gone freejack (though around here, that shouldn't make much of a difference). So, here it goes. After applying tags, I update. Illo loaded separately, then post re-edited and updated. Tags: qumana, test posting ...