Slippery Symbolism
Dow engineer Charles Baldwin gets the credit for creation of the biohazard symbol in this much-referenced New York Times piece. However, a close reading shows he didn't design it. Who did?
"We saw a need for this kind of a symbol and proceeded to develop some symbols with the help of the Dow marketing people -- the package-design department, I think it was called. The only parameters that I set down for them to noodle through were, it had to be unique and something that would be striking enough that it would be remembered....
"We tested the sample symbols across the country -- the marketing department had survey groups to test different labels for Dow products. There were half a dozen of our original symbols in this survey of 24 different symbols....They were asked to look at them and then asked to guess at what each one meant. The biohazard symbol got the fewest guesses."
Apparently, as a tattoo, the symbol has become a defiant statement of HIV+ status.
Others look at the same symbol and see something rather different:
Many seekers on the pagan & occult path would recognize it as a secret symbol of the goddess that represents the maiden, mother & crone plus the other metaphysical aspects of pagan culture and associated magick. Always worn to improve inner psychic abilities, ESP, channeling, PK, astrology, tarot, herbalisim[sic], healing powers, etc.
Baldwin got huffy when his baby was 'misused:'
"I ran into a peculiar situation one time a couple years ago when someone was putting on a seminar on biohazards. As gifts for the participants, he devised a beautiful tie with little biohazard symbols all over it. This got me upset, and I sent him kind of a nasty letter saying this symbol was not designed to be used sartorially."
Makes me want to send him a goddess pendant just to wind him up..
UPDATE: Just encountered this article about the confirmation hearings for acting FDA head Lester Crawford, with its provocative graphic, on Google News. If anyone can figure out the reason for the binary background, please let me know--I'm stumped.
Bio by Mickeal:
About the bio hazard pic on ya site, U could'nt send me a bigger version of it or tell me where i could find one could ya... Cheer's... -Micheal-
Hazard by Sebbo:
I got it off the page linked-to at the left of the image. If there's a larger version to be had, they're the ones who'd have it.
comment by kilikjkjmjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj: