This probably sounds strange, but that last set of photos seemed very distinctively American to me. Although I was amused by the very familiar pigeon skewers on the Strait Lumber sign.
I'm not at all familiar with American payphones, so it strikes me as kinda interesting to see 1-800-Collect using a Fortress given MCI's role in the breakup of AT&T.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Any idea who would have operated that payphone originally? The 1-800-COLLECT branding seemed tacked on...
Remember back in the 50s when they'd record like Elvis singing YOU AIN'T NOTHIN BUT A HOUND DOG and then they'd turn the record over and reverse it and it was all NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP and people were all like, "That is actually the voice of Satan coming from that song."
My family somehow got the "Presidential Suite" of a motel once. It had a lounge area with a TV that led into the actual bedroom, which also had a TV.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
The more I look at these photos the more I notice details I didn't before.
In the one with the left-pointing Aurora Motel sign, you can see a spot on the building that's clearly been painted over. Graffiti, you think?
@ Anonus: I think it was a combination of the lettering and the illuminated motel signage.
Motels themselves are also very American, to my mind.
@ CA: Like I said, I don't know American payphones, but I've noticed those handset-shaped perforations seem common on American phone hoods; is there a specific company they were originally associated with?
It's definitely a repurposed kiosk; the empty sign indentation on the side confirms that much.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Since Fouria G has got me thinking about payphones lately...
This isn't a payphone, but it's similar. Apologies for the blurriness; sometimes I forget my cameraphone needs to be held perfectly still AFTER you press the button.
(Included the sign as well 'cause I love me some Avant Garde Gothic, even if I did black out my school's name)
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Presumably. The building it's in was built about 10 years ago, so I guess cellphones weren't quite as commonplace among students here as they are now.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
I was taking some items to the dumpster while volunteering earlier and I spotted these trash cans. Anonus will know why they caught my attention:
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Also until just now I didn't realize they both had the same house number, which means whoever lives there paid the Department of Public Service for an extra bin.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
^^ Well, around here the trash collectors only take what you put in the can; you can't set extra bags next to it or anything. If a lot of people live in that one house, they might generate too much garbage to fit in the one can.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
I have a bunch of stuff from today, but here are a few highlights.
Nonstandard "No Passing Zone" sign. It's hard to see in the picture, but instead of the standard yellow, the sign is the fluorescent yellow-green reserved for pedestrian and school crossing signs. Additionally, it's mounted on the wrong side of the road; these are usually seen on the left-hand side.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
They do, huh? I imagine the older ones appeal to you more than the new ones...I know they do for me.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
It's actually a fairly common practice nowadays to retrofit older signal heads with LEDs, as a way to cut back on power consumption without replacing perfectly good signals. You get the best of both worlds!
Also, in the past few years LED traffic lights have evolved; they used to have a sort of dot-matrix look to them but newer ones much more closely resemble their incandescent predecessors.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Some old styles of pedestrian crossing signal from Whitehall, Ohio:
Two-section signal with text indications: with DONT WALK lit and with WALK lit. This one happened to be yellow but I've seen this style painted black as well.
One section with icon indications: with the orange hand lit and the walking man lit. This "outline" style was banned in the 2000 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, IIRC, but existing installations are allowed to remain.
And, as a bonus: A pre-1970s style of state route marker for OH 317, at the same intersection as the last pair of signals. There used to be an old US 40 marker on this pole as well--you can see clean spots in the rust where it had been mounted.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
(Admittedly this post is more for Anonus than anyone else, because it's not that interesting)
Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio, here's some of its road signage:
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Frutiger strikes me as more legible too, and it's one of few humanist sans that I actually like. (I'm indifferent towards most.)
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Alrighty then! This is a former greenhouse store in Clintonville, Columbus, Ohio. I say "former" because unfortunately when they remodeled it last year they updated the exterior as well, though being the idiot I am I didn't think to get a picture of the new exterior. Maybe next week!
Dairy and bread aisle. It's funny, this store is actually on the small side, but the way it's set up it doesn't feel small.
And finally, the deli area. I don't know how I managed to make only parts of the photo blurry like that...it must have to do with my cameraphone hating bright lights.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
I don't know. In a way, Myriad has always seemed somewhat generic to me, espeically when you see it used across things like Wal-Mart that don't really have any personality to speak of.
For some reason I associate generic humanist sans with the early 2000s.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Oh, thanks for reminding me, Lee; I was going to upload those to Flickr's "Kroger" group. I wish the quality of my cameraphone weren't so suckish, though.
Food Lion has yanked YouTube videos for including their stores? Is that even a thing you can do?
I've learned to tolerate drama...except on the boat
...crap, I don't really remember where I saw some of that. I think somebody on TVNewsTalk said something a few years back about a Food Lion not allowing people to capture video in their store because it might wind up on YouTube.
That might have been some paranoid manager and not actual corporate policy, but then, given Food Lion's propensity to cut corners, I wouldn't be surprised if it came from corporate...
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
(I've always wanted to say that)
We had a pretty big storm in Columbus this afternoon. It knocked out the power a few places, blew down some trees...typical storm damage, you know how it goes.
Apologies for the quality of these shots, they were taken with a cheap cameraphone through a wet windshield.
Remember back in the 50s when they'd record like Elvis singing YOU AIN'T NOTHIN BUT A HOUND DOG and then they'd turn the record over and reverse it and it was all NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP and people were all like, "That is actually the voice of Satan coming from that song."
Heh, the windshield wiper in the third photo looks like a funnel cloud. How appropriate.
Anyhow, there doesn't appear to be any major damage aside from the traffic lights. If this really is the case, that's good. Now we just need to get to fixing the gravity-defying signs and stuff.
You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
Went out today and got a few more pictures of the aftermath of yesterday's storm.
Comments
I'm not at all familiar with American payphones, so it strikes me as kinda interesting to see 1-800-Collect using a Fortress given MCI's role in the breakup of AT&T.
...why am I still seeing this shit on motels in 2012
^Because they're run-down relics of the past.
Motels themselves are also very American, to my mind.
@ CA: Like I said, I don't know American payphones, but I've noticed those handset-shaped perforations seem common on American phone hoods; is there a specific company they were originally associated with?
It's definitely a repurposed kiosk; the empty sign indentation on the side confirms that much.
Some people...
Also traffic lights surprisingly appeal to me.
One-section signal with text indications: with DONT WALK lit and with WALK lit. The grate on the front keeps it from being read except from specific angles.
One section with icon indications: with the orange hand lit and the walking man lit. This "outline" style was banned in the 2000 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, IIRC, but existing installations are allowed to remain.