Colors Behaving Badly
This new page is dedicated to color disasters.
Blue Goo
A woman who lived in the South Buffalo Township, Pa., reported that her home, sidewalk and swimming pool were covered with blue, black and purple ice clumps. Local agencies say it’s quite possible that it’s what's known as "blue ice" – airline lavatory waste from a passing passenger jet. Although it’s illegal for planes to dump this waste in flight, it’s possible that it can break away from aircraft as they descend to warmer altitudes.
More info
More goo from an eery blue sky
The dark midnight sky turned a weird blue from horizon to horizon. A minute or so later houses started rumbling and residents heard the sounds of tiny particles hitting their houses. Police were deluged with calls reporting falling rocks striking homes and cars. Scientists later reported that an exploding meteor had streaked through the skies in the midwestern United States on March 26, showering the area with rocky debris. Not another case of blue ice! (2003)
She hated green but ....
I'm a designer who specializes in architectural color and lighting. I had a client a few years ago who rejected a color palette for the exterior of her new house that included a subtle green hue. She insisted that she "hated green". She wanted to change the green to blue and I explained why this would not work. She was adamant about the green. Finally I pointed out that she had just had her architect, against his better judgment, lower the wall in front of the house a few feet so she could see more of the trees in the park across the street. Go figure. But, finally, she painted the house to match her Mercedes.
Deadly Color Matters
It was reported on CNN.COM that the US government had to change the color of their food aid parcels dropped in Afghanistan. It seems the bright yellow color of the food drops - which had been chosen because it stands out against the landscape - is the exact same shade of bright yellow of the cluster bomb. In other words, Afghanis may approach and handle unexploded bombs thinking they are food parcels. Note: Who was responsible for research and planning when choosing the color of this packaging. (2001)
Source
One of the most common color design mistakes
You can't read yellow text on a white background.
Global Color Changes
Color is nature's way of telling us something's wrong.
Coral Bleaching In Hawaii
Corals in the distant atolls of the Hawaiian Islands are bleaching - a sure sign of distress. Scientists report that coral bleaching has increased worldwide over the past several decades, particularly in Florida, and that unusually warm waters are to blame. Some environmentalists have warned that coral reefs are headed for extinction.
Source: SFGate
Snow on Mount Kilimanjaro
The legendary snow cap on Mount Kilimanjaro, may be gone in two decades. This 11,000 year old ice cap in Africa has shrunk by 80% in the past century. Scientists report that rising temperatures are to blame.
Source: MSNBC News and Allafrica.com
Bad blue filters
Joel Silver, President of the Imaging Science Foundation sends this citation:
After gathering well over a thousand on site field reports since 1994 we can inform you that Americans are viewing their TVs through Blue filters!
The proper color balance of almost all consumer color TVs is unfortunately skewed towards blue. The reasons for that relate to the "Science" of "Marketing" and is a story in itself. The good news is that many manufacturers now offer an alternative setting on the on screen menus for consumers that is more accurate. The bad news is that the vast majority of retailers do not understand enough about what they sell to recognize a "feature" that delivers more accurate color balance at the touch of a button.
Where is the Color Police when we need you?
Joel Silver
ISF
(an educational group that encourages the use of test patterns and color measuring devices in the consumer electronics industry.)
http://www.imagingscience.com/
