Google’s algorithm will now look at the layout of a webpage and the amount of content visitors see “above the fold” upon first arrival at the page. That information will now be factored into the ranking of search results.

Check out this article at the Google Webmaster Central Blog for more details on this change.

This change seems like a great step toward joining search engine technology, good design principles, and improved user experience!

NOTE: If you’ve got a website and are wondering what area on your site might be considered “above the fold”, grab a smartphone or tablet and visit your site with the device held horizontally. While there is certainly not universal demarcation, as the area initially visible will vary based on the your site visitor’s hardware, screen settings, browser preferences, and other factors, this should give you a rough idea of your “above the fold.”

Click on any of the thumbnails below to view samples:

To learn about about NECC’s history and the college’s celebrations surrounding this important milestone, visit http://www.necc.mass.edu/celebrating-50-years-of-making-a-difference/

Inspiration often comes from unexpected places. During a recent visit to Ireland, while walking through Kinvara, a small seaside village approx 15 miles south of Galway City, I noticed this utility cover in the sidewalk. Marked with “uisce” (water) and “WSCR” (water service control box), these wonderfully detailed access covers can be seen throughout much of the country. Beyond the lovely design and patterning, they convey a pride in workmanship and an attention to detail that I find inspiring.

Many others have found inspiration from Ireland’s manholes and other access covers, and put that inspiration to great use. One such artist is Chen Jiale, the creator of “Water Marks of Dublin,” an exhibit featuring prints, made from the ancient Chinese water mark printing method, representing the variety of design to be found in Dublin’s manhole covers.

Of course, such wonderful covers are in no way unique to Ireland, and the deep appreciation for them throughout the world can be seen in many places around the web. Here are just a few examples…check them out, and you might never view utility covers the same again.

• Flickr manhole group
• Manhole Covers & Street Markers from Japan
• Old French Manhole Covers
• Hatchcover art in Seattle
• Manhole Covers of the World – Dan Heller Photography (includes Ann Knight’s relief map cover in Seattle, WA)
• Sewer History: Photos and Graphics – Manhole Covers As Art

It’s no secret that the word “green,” and even more so the phrase “go green,” have entered the ranks of cringe-worthy marketing cliches, as they continue to suffer widespread abuse at the hands of countless disingenuous advertising slogans designed to cash in our desire to be good environmental citizens. So, admittedly, it was with a dose of skepticism that I learned of the USPS’ “Go Green” stamps, first released a few weeks ago. However, after picking up a set at my local post office, I was immediately pulled in by the wonderful illustrations and the simple messages contained in each stamp.

It is perhaps the simplicity of those messages, coupled with the backlash to things dubbed “go green,” that has brought about some criticism of the stamps, including this rather snarky review posted by Fast Company. However, in my opinion, these stamps are right on the mark, largely BECAUSE of the simplistic messages this type of criticism points to. The stamps’ messages speak to the laziest of us, saying “These are thing you can do easily. Just try these simple changes in your daily habits and you’ll be making a difference in some small way.” Refreshingly, there are no messages for you to buy something, except for maybe local produce, as one stamp urges.

The stamps playful illustrations are the work of San Fransisco artist Eli Noyes. Noyes spent over six months creating the set, calling upon his own daily habits in developing the messages. “I’m a San Franciscan – I go to the farmers’ market. OK, farmers’ market stamp. I compost. Compost stamp.”

Noyes’ generously allows us to peek into his process in designing these stamps by sharing some of his great work on USA Philatelic site Beyond The Perf, including some of the early concept panes, and a slideshow of his sketches for the project.

You can also view a fun, animated video based on these stamps on the USPS’ site here.

FOOTNOTE: In addition to adding some positive vibes to the task of letter mailing, these stamps have reminded me to dial back my cynicism and resist the initial urge to react skeptically to anything containing to the phrase “go green” these days.

Weidemann’s spirit is beautifully captured in this video from Gestalten TV, filmed in his home studio in Stuttgart. He shares a bit of his rich experiences, including a decade spent breaking rocks at a Russian prison camp during WWII, his work as an identity consultant for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, his views on typefaces, the distinction between professional design and art, and at the very end of the interview…the keys to his success! I highly recommend taking 16 minutes to watch this video.

Kurt Weidemann 1922 – 2011: The King Is Dead, Long Live the King! from Gestalten on Vimeo.