While preparing the graphic for yesterday’s post, Epistemological Revision Enlarges Human Experience – Unless It Destroys The Universe, In Which Case I Apologize, I noticed a smudge on the Heck Of A Guy emblem and, obsessive-compulsive that I am, revved up Photoshop to buff that sucker into pristine condition. Closer examination, however, revealed that the smudge was, in fact, a trademark symbol (“TM”) set in a font size visible only those under 21 or an adult using an electron microscope.
Bummer.
How I Screwed Up With Minimal Help From Anyone
Approximately three months ago, I described the nifty Official Seal Generator web site (see post, Signed, (Officially) Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours1).
As an example of that site’s results, I created the Heck Of A Guy Official Seal. I assumed that I had previously seen the vaguely familiar face of that the pipe-smoking, incredibly white guy sporting the addled mindset in the same clip art collection from which, I again assumed, the Official Seal Generator folks cadged it. In any case, the image seemed to resonate perfectly with the blog; consequently, the seal, in one format or another, has shown up several times in Heck Of A Guy posts.
A bit of research revealed that the gentleman pictured is actually one J.R. “Bob” Dobbs, who founded the Church of the SubGenius after seeing JHVH-1 (or “Jehovah-1″) on his homemade TV. The mission of the Church of the SubGenius is described in The Book of the SubGenius, page 5.
The Church Of The SubGenius is an order of Scoffers and Blasphemers, dedicated to Total Slack, delving into Mockery Science, Sadofuturistics, Megaphysics, Scatalography, Schizophreniatrics, Morealism, Sarcastrophy, Cynisacreligion, Apocolyptionomy, ESPectorationalism, Hypno-Pediatrics, Subliminalism, Satyriology, Disto-Utopianity, Sardonicology, Fascetiouism, Ridiculophagy, and Miscellatheistic Theology.
As usual, one can find the full story at Wikipedia: The Church Of The SubGenius.
My observations on the Church’s web site, which is well worth a visit, lead me to the conclusion that an undocumented major tenet of their theology is a profound belief in the power of the “TM” symbol, which seems attached to every capitalized word on the site.
Despite a concerted effort to shift the blame to somebody other than myself, the best I can come up with is that the Official Seal Generator site, which is a freebie novelty service, completely failed to protect me from my own stupidity.
Onward Ever
After deliberation, the Heck Of A Guy Graphic Artsy-Fartsy Staff, Legal Department, and Executive Committee have officially decided that the original Heck Of A Guy seal has outlived its usefulness after serving continuously on this blog for almost 80 days and will no longer be used here.2
Despite numerous searches, I’ve been unable to locate a desirable, recognizable figure as a replacement. Wacky as it seems, every familiar design is trademarked by the business that developed it. Selfish, selfish, selfish.
So, I spent a couple of hours yesterday creating color and black & white versions of this surrogate emblem.
These are interim seals that may or may not be used long term. I would certainly welcome thoughts, assistance, and, especially, fully executed, non-trademarked designs from anyone with the artistic gene I clearly lack.
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