This will hurt me...

Indeed. Brisbane Street, Hobart. October 2011. Stencilled graffiti: acceptable or cop out? For the record, I like the good ones, but decreasingly so if they become too ubiquitous. Simpler is better. While I'm not anti- politically-charged graffiti in any way, I am anti-stupidity and often the lines are blurred. I'm more a subtle/ whimsy kind of fellow... Also, although this post has very little to do with FISH, I suspect that Theme Thursday might be back!

It's been too long since I've posted a web comic, so today I'm headed back to John Campbell's pictures for sad children , which always seems to catch my mood.

In the world of art, there is a concept known as “so bad that it is good”. Some examples include Ed Wood’s Plan Nine From Outer Space ; Swayze’s Road House ; Schwarzenegger's Commando ; the occasional entrant in The Eurovision Song Contest ; McGonagall’s The Tay Bridge Disaster . I will be honest with you and say that don’t feel that any of today’s logos qualify. In fact, I feel that more likely they belong in the far broader category of “so bad that it is horrible” class. So, lest my rambling on gets in the way of my rambling on, I offer to you this week’s category! EPISODE THREE: DUD LOGOS These two featured just two weeks ago, but I really could not pass them over. If we are talking bad art, it just isn't possible to overlook the Hamilton Tigers 1921 effort that fused the tiger and the Elephant Man (on the left). Rendering what is arguably the most majestic and fine-looking creature in the world as a malformed and miserable mutant takes some beating, and ...

Today I present to you the second instalment of Sports Logos Worthy of Ridicule or Admiration . Last week we dealt with Tigers, and I found fertile ground for derision and approval. This week though, we lean a little more heavily towards the ridicule. Given the topic, it could not be avoided. So, without further ado, this week’s topic! EPISODE TWO: ANIMALS IN SWEATERS It appears to be a noted feature of the US collegiate system that animals are often best presented in nifty sweaters with embroidered logos. I would like to think that today’s collection proves otherwise. Here we have the archetype: the poshly-named college jock from sunny Florida. The Florida Gators logo seen here was in use for most of the 1990s. It shows Albert E. Gator, who – judging by appearances – is a constipated former Marine drill sergeant positively radiating a passive/aggressive tendency. I personally think that Albert looks a bit of a nob, but not everybody thinks would agree. In June 2007, Sports Illustrate...

A brand spanking new concept today, in the vein of some of my other ongoing and broken down ideas, it will no doubt have some legs. I have over the past few months amassed a large number of logos of various sports teams from every area of competition. The majority are North American (as is often the nature of the online world), but I am always on the lookout for more (that is an open invitation to point me in the direction of where I might find them). My problem has been that I have so many now, but did not really have an idea of how to present them to the world. So, I have decided to run with themes. So this week, for the inaugural Sports logos worthy of ridicule or admiration (or both) , I have decided to run with Tigers . EPISODE ONE: T I G E R S As the mascot of a sports team, the tiger can rarely be beaten. In real life they are a powerful and majestic beast, with a pretty cool set of colours that you can swipe straight off the shelf. Let’s face it; tigers are maybe the most re...

I came across this photograph of a sign while browsing through teh Internets today. I do love an image that can be terribly grusome, yet rather cute at the same time. It reminds me of an image in one of my all-time favourite ads that has been previously featured on this site. Regular commentator and all round good guy the Political Ump mentioned on the original post how the pig with the samurai spirit reminded him of the sickeningly pleasant bovine bred to willingly and happily suicide in order to feed the guests in Douglas Adams's Restaurant at the End of the Universe . He's right, and now there is a whole website dedicated to such animals, the aptly titled Suicide Food , for hundreds of grisly yet happy pictures, pop on over and have a look. [Tip of the hat to Boing Boing for alerting me to this one.]

Here is a shot of Mount Wellington – which sits overlooking Hobart – as seen from the eastern shore of the Derwent River. This was taken just down the road from our house. For a reasonable chunk of the year, there is a good covering of snow on the mountain, which brings with it a chilly wind over the city. As a bonus, I've also included a picture of a younger Henry after his trek to the summit last July to experience the snow.

Here are a couple of pics to give all motorists the willies. Described as the 'classic traffic jam', this took place on the Moscow Sadovoye Koltzo [ring road] in October 2007. Here it is in the morning: Here is is that afternoon: And here they are, still milling about into the night: Dark Roasted Blend have posted this morning these pictures, and a wide selection of the world’s most torturous traffic conundrums that is well worth a visit .

This is a poster that appeared during the Spanish Civil War, seems to be encouraging roosters and their girlfriends to have more and more little chicks. Perhaps there was some grand plan to train and arm these revolutionary offspring and send them to the front to tackle Franco and his troops. Or perhaps there wasn't. Anyway, I am a sucker for chickens, especially cute little fluffy ones, and I feel that this is a good companion piece to the last ad that I posted, which I lovingly titled “Soviet Cock” . I’ve no doubt that a crucial factor undermining the eventual goal of communist domination of the entire globe was not enough chickens. Or at the very least, a lack of revolutionary zeal in the chickens that were produced. Now if you doubt my reasoning, and are actually interested in the real story behind this poster, the title maybe gives it away. “Intensificar la reproducción es hacer obra revolucionaria” pretty much translates as “Intensifying reproduction is revolutionary work”. ...

You know, this kind of freaks me out a bit. Like some sick game by perverts, many of whom may well get off on it. It also reads as a slight overreaction, and will no doubt annoy these kids. For more the story behind this picture, visit the Daily Mail , those fine purveyors of nonsense.

Here is what I think is a rather cool picture of a vessel battling through heavy seas. Dark Roasted Blend has posted this pic and a whole lot more in their "Ships versus Waves Spectacular" .

I hate mosquitoes very much, so I really enjoyed these .

Jennifer has sent me this picture of Henry at lunch today. I appears he decided that all he was going to eat for lunch was yogurt, and if he wasn't allowed to feed himself he wouldn't have any of that either. Apparently, his aim isn't too poor; he's just not too very adept at turning the spoon around.

Seriously, why on Earth did Nokia change their logo from the original? I for one would back a return to my favourite mobile phone company. Click the link for a very interesting look at the evolution of tech company logos . Well, at least I know that Jen will be interested! As an aside, Neatorama has plenty of fascinating stuff on it, well worth the stroll over.

I stumbled a memorable site upon the other day that I would thought I'd share. It collects photo albums of German soldiers found (or seized) by Soviet forces during World War II. I find looking through these pictures an odd experience, especially as we have no knowledge at all of whom these men are, what they did, how they ended up. For whatever reason, I find it a little disturbing. Well worth a visit though.