Gerd Arntz was commissioned by Otto Neurath to develop the Isotype visual dictionary, consisting of over 4000 symbols. According to his website, “The idea was to create a series of iconic images that can bridge between languages, are easy to grasp and, when done well, also nice to look at.” Gerd lived in communist Germany and Russia, so it’s interesting to see how that played into his icons.

Thanks, Mike!

Happy 2009 everyone! We wish you all the best and hope that you and your loved ones enjoyed ringing in the new year!

Though it is not Lunar New Year, there is a chinese superstition about the new year and the benefit of walking out into the new year with new shoes and clothes as a way of leaving last year behind and greeting the year anew. In that vein, it would be nice to walk out in a pair of the Gravis line of IVsk8 (for skate) sneakers. The Filter and Lodown are two of their paired-down skate shoes for this season. I like the wingtip-ish toe on the Filter and the leather upper on the Lodown is an uncommon material for a slip-on.