Japan Standardizes Bidet Function Imagery

Even if you’ve used a bidet elsewhere—be that a different nation or just a different bathroom—one generally has to interpret the icons that accompany various features. Oftentimes, they’re rather obtuse, leading to unexpected results. Thankfully the Japan Sanitary Equipment Industry Association (aka toilet- and bidet-makers) have agreed to standardize all of the pictograms. The association settled upon eight, with each corresponding to a feature, and …

Mozilla’s New Logo

Using the symbols :// instead of the “ill” in Mozilla, Johnson Banks’ new logo for the company is causing a bit of a stir. While the symbols come from a full URL (aka http://) some are seeing the pre-emoji slant-face emoticon, which traditionally was a meant to express being skeptical, annoyed or undecided. Regardless, Johnson Banks’ design (called Protocol 2.0) has made an impact, and …

America’s Last Disco Ball-Maker

Starting with an aluminum sphere (some as large as a whopping 10 feet in diameter), Yolanda Baker makes disco balls by hand, a craft she has perfected over almost 50 years. While the disco ball boom dropped off—thanks to cheaper, overseas options becoming available, Baker (known as Yo Yo) is America’s last disco queen. During the zenith of Studio 54, flares and doing The Hustle, …