Blathr Wayne Lorentz

What is Blathr?
Showing blathrs with the tag “Design.”

Bees wax

Friday, December 9th, 2022 Alive 18,854 days

A cartoon bee on a shipping box

I know itʼs supposed to cute and clever and funny, but for some reason a cartoon bee stuck under the shipping label on my package from Fortnum and Mason makes me a bit sad.

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Yes, I mean no

Saturday, October 29th, 2022 Alive 18,813 days

The new checkmark control in Appleʼs Stocks program

Hereʼs an odd design choice. In macOS 13/Ventura, the Stocks program allows you to add a stock youʼre viewing to your watch list. To do that, you press the + button. To remove a stock from your watch list you press the checkmark button.

In my lifetime, a checkmark has always meant something along the lines of “yes” or “confirm” or something else affirmative. Using a check to remove something — an inherently negative action — is counterintuitive to me.

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Way way wayfinding

Wednesday, August 10th, 2022 Alive 18,733 days

The CTA Red Line Lake station

This is an example of wayfinding done right.

With a mere glance out the door of a subway train, I can see three signs telling me that this is the Lake station.

The signs are large, clean, and clear, with very high contrast.

Itʼs remarkable how many transit agencies and airports, large and small, forget the importance of wayfinding, communication, and consistent design.

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Canʼt argue with that

Sunday, April 4th, 2021 Alive 18,240 days

An explanation of the COVID-19 risk levels in New Mexico

Risk tiers that include the color turquoise are likely to be nonsensical to anyone who does not live in New Mexico.

Albuquerque Journal, March 27, 2021
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Paging Doctor Rorschach

Friday, April 2nd, 2021 Alive 18,238 days

A mess in my sink after dying Easter eggs

Now that Iʼve cleaned up after dying Easter eggs, I have to clean up the clean-up.

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Lido Dido

Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 Alive 17,332 days

A sign warning of rattlesnakes

I wonder what a “Human” icon would look like, if snakes could make signs.

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Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 Alive 17,332 days

The Chief Apartments in Winslow, Arizona

For Millennials, itʼs not just a home; itʼs a hate crime.

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Wednesday, July 4th, 2018 Alive 17,235 days

An advertisement with placeholder text

Once you’ve tried Your Text coffee, you’ll never go back to Folger’s crystals.

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