Comments on: The joy of looking at the Ballantine's Ale logo http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 11:44:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: mmmark http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127255 mmmark Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127255 I used to love Ballantine's jingle on their commercials: "Make a ring, then make another ring, then another ring, and then you've got THREE RINGS! Ballantine- and now it's premium. It's a very special glass of beer." I used to love Ballantine’s jingle on their commercials:
“Make a ring,
then make another ring,
then another ring,
and then you’ve got THREE RINGS!
Ballantine- and now it’s premium.
It’s a very special glass of beer.”

]]> By: Jeff http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127071 Jeff Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127071 This is a Trinity knot and of Celtic design. I like the way the company has taken the Irish-Catholic design and used it for selling beer. This is a Trinity knot and of Celtic design. I like the way the company has taken the Irish-Catholic design and used it for selling beer.

]]> By: brundlefly http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127072 brundlefly Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127072 Oh, wow. I've seen that sort of design before, but never realized the rings were unlinked but inseparable. Oh, wow. I’ve seen that sort of design before, but never realized the rings were unlinked but inseparable.

]]> By: chetspartan http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127081 chetspartan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127081 Reminds me a bit of the design I used in my table renovation... http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img08791hq.jpg Reminds me a bit of the design I used in my table renovation…

http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img08791hq.jpg

]]> By: corvi42 http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127088 corvi42 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127088 Borromean rings? Aren't these the ones that Boromir smashes apart with his sword? Maybe I'm getting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_knot">confused</a>. Borromean rings? Aren’t these the ones that Boromir smashes apart with his sword? Maybe I’m getting confused.

]]> By: Joel Johnson http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127098 Joel Johnson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127098 #3: That's a hell of a table! Nice work. #3: That’s a hell of a table! Nice work.

]]> By: Shawn Wolfe http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127099 Shawn Wolfe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127099 You just blew my poor mind. You just blew my poor mind.

]]> By: Rummager http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127103 Rummager Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127103 That'd be John Bonham, too!, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoso">here. </a> That’d be John Bonham, too!, see here.

]]> By: rodriquezseeds http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127104 rodriquezseeds Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127104 You might be interested in a slightly <a href="http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/ChemScience/Volume/2005/8/Borromean.asp">smaller</a> version of this... And <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/060621nanojewels.html">this</a> has a bit more background on the rings as well as a demonstration of the potential to combine chemistry and traditional "design". You might be interested in a slightly smaller version of this…

And this has a bit more background on the rings as well as a demonstration of the potential to combine chemistry and traditional “design”.

]]> By: Certhas http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127107 Certhas Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127107 Jeff, why not, given that Christian Monks (remember Friar Tuck?) started the whole beer brewing thing (at least in the western world): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihenstephan_Abbey And the best breweries in Bavaria were operated by Monks until secularisation and are still named after the corresponding monastic orders: Augustiner (Augustinian) Paulaner (mendicant orders) Franziskaner (Franciscan) Starkbier, a particularly strong beer is brewed exclusively during lent, and was brewed to nourishment during fasting times (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppelbock). Mind you, today Weihenstephan also houses a university faculty on brewing beer, so secularisation has clearly made some impact. One of the breweries still operated by a monastrie is Andechs: http://www.andechs.de/englisch/brauerei/ A favorite for school trips in the area. Jeff, why not, given that Christian Monks (remember Friar Tuck?) started the whole beer brewing thing (at least in the western world):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihenstephan_Abbey

And the best breweries in Bavaria were operated by Monks until secularisation and are still named after the corresponding monastic orders:

Augustiner (Augustinian)
Paulaner (mendicant orders)
Franziskaner (Franciscan)

Starkbier, a particularly strong beer is brewed exclusively during lent, and was brewed to nourishment during fasting times (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppelbock).

Mind you, today Weihenstephan also houses a university faculty on brewing beer, so secularisation has clearly made some impact.

One of the breweries still operated by a monastrie is Andechs:
http://www.andechs.de/englisch/brauerei/

A favorite for school trips in the area.

]]> By: franko http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127117 franko Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127117 it (sadly) always makes me think of john bonham, too -- especially since word has it that ballantine's was his favorite. it (sadly) always makes me think of john bonham, too — especially since word has it that ballantine’s was his favorite.

]]> By: Lagged2Death http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127118 Lagged2Death Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127118 Would these be those "Ballentine quarts with the puzzle on the cap" that I've heard about? Would these be those “Ballentine quarts with the puzzle on the cap” that I’ve heard about?

]]> By: Certhas http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127124 Certhas Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127124 In other words, drugs of the one form or the other, in the context of religious ceremonies or coping with everyday life, have been part of our culture, and probably any culture really, as long as agriculture and domestication at least, if not longer. Monasteries predate cities as centers of culture and learning and appropriately this was true for food and drinking culture as well. In other words, drugs of the one form or the other, in the context of religious ceremonies or coping with everyday life, have been part of our culture, and probably any culture really, as long as agriculture and domestication at least, if not longer.

Monasteries predate cities as centers of culture and learning and appropriately this was true for food and drinking culture as well.

]]> By: Manko http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127387 Manko Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127387 Well, if we're plumbing the Campbellian/Jungian depths for just how essential the Three Rings are to western civilization, it's worth noting that a truly remarkable DC band called Senator Flux (a buncha Dischord alumni producing really catchy postpunk for semiotics grad students) released an epic on the subject, I believe on their 1987 "Shotgun for Cosmo" LP. "Riding shotgun for Cosmo through the foothills of time/In search of the three rings of Ballantine" it begins, and when the protagonist speaks the words "purity," "body" or "flavor" some kind of psychedelic transfiguration takes place. Well, if we’re plumbing the Campbellian/Jungian depths for just how essential the Three Rings are to western civilization, it’s worth noting that a truly remarkable DC band called Senator Flux (a buncha Dischord alumni producing really catchy postpunk for semiotics grad students) released an epic on the subject, I believe on their 1987 “Shotgun for Cosmo” LP. “Riding shotgun for Cosmo through the foothills of time/In search of the three rings of Ballantine” it begins, and when the protagonist speaks the words “purity,” “body” or “flavor” some kind of psychedelic transfiguration takes place.

]]> By: Shawn Wolfe http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127134 Shawn Wolfe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127134 $40 is too much to spend for a beer. Oh sorry, wrong thread. $40 is too much to spend for a beer.

Oh sorry, wrong thread.

]]> By: Songe http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127136 Songe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127136 Does it represent the holy trinity? Does it represent the holy trinity?

]]> By: Brett Burton http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127139 Brett Burton Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127139 #3, You obviously designed that table for playing Magic the Gathering on. Email me before your next tournament with a list of banned and restricted cards. #3, You obviously designed that table for playing Magic the Gathering on. Email me before your next tournament with a list of banned and restricted cards.

]]> By: scottfree http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127146 scottfree Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127146 Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan used the Borromean knots [technically, they /are/ rings, but he was on a knot trip at the time] as a topograpic map of the psyche. Interestingly, he placed /body/ in approximately the same place Ballantine beer did. /Purity/, I suppose, corresponds to the ego-ideal, and so should be just outside the body ring. And noones ever theorised where in the psyche flavour resides. Presumably, as the object of desire, it should be in the very centre. Wow, this has really made my day. I never thought I would use that knowledge, ever. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan used the Borromean knots [technically, they /are/ rings, but he was on a knot trip at the time] as a topograpic map of the psyche.

Interestingly, he placed /body/ in approximately the same place Ballantine beer did. /Purity/, I suppose, corresponds to the ego-ideal, and so should be just outside the body ring. And noones ever theorised where in the psyche flavour resides. Presumably, as the object of desire, it should be in the very centre.

Wow, this has really made my day. I never thought I would use that knowledge, ever.

]]> By: TomOliver http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127157 TomOliver Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127157 I love this logo too -- and I don't want to denigrate the more cultural/religious possibilities for the origin of the logo, but I'll throw in one more. On traditionally rigged sailing vessel, a 'balantine' is a means of stacking the line from a halyard so that it will run free without tangling in case you need to strike sail quickly with little notice. To translate a bit from boat speak -- When old-school sailing ships are carrying cargo or troops or whatever, clearly there is a balance between safety and speed that any ship captain wants to maintain. To go faster, you set more sail, usually setting large sails higher up the mast. The downside here is that if the weather changes, or the wind picks up, a quick squall can capsize a vessel in a hurry if the crew doesn't get the extra sails down quickly. The danger then is to get the lines that pull up the sail (the 'halyards') to run smoothly out so that you can get the sail down -- if the line tangles, that sail stays up and your whole ship might just find itself in a James Cameron flick in a few centuries. In comes the balantine. Once the sail is up, you have all this extra halyard line on deck, and to get it ready to run, you start at the end of the line, and start 'stacking' it on deck, essentially drawing a one big circle and then three smaller interlocking circles that all fit inside the big one. You 'draw' one small circle, then the next, then the next, then back over the first. By the time you've stacked all the line up to where you'll release it to drop the sail again, you've got a carefully organized pile of line that will resist falling over or getting tangled in many hours of rocking back and forth, but in the instant you need it will run clean and free. To me and many other sailorly types, the shape of the balantine is not only beautiful but is also beautifully functional. It reminds me of careful balance in the face of danger, and the simple, thoughtful tricks that can take you from creeping along paralyzed with fear, to hugging the edge of risk, confident in your ability to manage it. The beer's okay too. I love this logo too — and I don’t want to denigrate the more cultural/religious possibilities for the origin of the logo, but I’ll throw in one more.
On traditionally rigged sailing vessel, a ‘balantine’ is a means of stacking the line from a halyard so that it will run free without tangling in case you need to strike sail quickly with little notice.
To translate a bit from boat speak — When old-school sailing ships are carrying cargo or troops or whatever, clearly there is a balance between safety and speed that any ship captain wants to maintain. To go faster, you set more sail, usually setting large sails higher up the mast. The downside here is that if the weather changes, or the wind picks up, a quick squall can capsize a vessel in a hurry if the crew doesn’t get the extra sails down quickly. The danger then is to get the lines that pull up the sail (the ‘halyards’) to run smoothly out so that you can get the sail down — if the line tangles, that sail stays up and your whole ship might just find itself in a James Cameron flick in a few centuries.
In comes the balantine. Once the sail is up, you have all this extra halyard line on deck, and to get it ready to run, you start at the end of the line, and start ‘stacking’ it on deck, essentially drawing a one big circle and then three smaller interlocking circles that all fit inside the big one. You ‘draw’ one small circle, then the next, then the next, then back over the first. By the time you’ve stacked all the line up to where you’ll release it to drop the sail again, you’ve got a carefully organized pile of line that will resist falling over or getting tangled in many hours of rocking back and forth, but in the instant you need it will run clean and free.
To me and many other sailorly types, the shape of the balantine is not only beautiful but is also beautifully functional. It reminds me of careful balance in the face of danger, and the simple, thoughtful tricks that can take you from creeping along paralyzed with fear, to hugging the edge of risk, confident in your ability to manage it. The beer’s okay too.

]]> By: ill lich http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127159 ill lich Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127159 My brain hurts. I always just thought it was supposed to be a pretzel. My brain hurts.

I always just thought it was supposed to be a pretzel.

]]> By: stevew http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127163 stevew Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127163 Episcopal alters, stained glass and signs sometimes have a 3 interlocking rings in the same knot signifying the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Always enjoyed comparing the churches rings the Ballantine's Ale rings; Purity, Body and Flavor. It was a bad idea in religion class. Lament the loss of the India Pale Ale. Anyone interested in Ballantine's Ale should see http://www.falstaffbrewing.com/ballantine_ale.htm Episcopal alters, stained glass and signs sometimes have a 3 interlocking rings in the same knot signifying the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Always enjoyed comparing the churches rings the Ballantine’s Ale rings; Purity, Body and Flavor. It was a bad idea in religion class.

Lament the loss of the India Pale Ale. Anyone interested in Ballantine’s Ale should see http://www.falstaffbrewing.com/ballantine_ale.htm

]]> By: TomOliver http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127165 TomOliver Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127165 Not to drive the sailorly thing into the ground, but check out this 1951 Ballantine Ale Ad. The tired, hardworking guy in the white shirt is relaxing having a Ballantine Ale, while sitting on a Ballantine'd line. That's the stack of rope he's using as a stool. Notice he's on a dock and nowhere near a halyard, but that's what they look like from the side, while they look just like the logo from the top. http://cgi.ebay.com/1951-Ballantine-Ale-Ad-Sailors-Seamen-Marina_W0QQitemZ290041103176QQihZ019QQcategoryZ35716QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting Not to drive the sailorly thing into the ground, but check out this 1951 Ballantine Ale Ad. The tired, hardworking guy in the white shirt is relaxing having a Ballantine Ale, while sitting on a Ballantine’d line. That’s the stack of rope he’s using as a stool. Notice he’s on a dock and nowhere near a halyard, but that’s what they look like from the side, while they look just like the logo from the top.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1951-Ballantine-Ale-Ad-Sailors-Seamen-Marina_W0QQitemZ290041103176QQihZ019QQcategoryZ35716QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

]]> By: Memory Harker http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127168 Memory Harker Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127168 Gah. Mark ~ cut it out! My mind ... boggled ... useless for the rest of the day ... Gah.

Mark ~ cut it out!

My mind … boggled … useless for the rest of the day …

]]> By: jguerrero http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127169 jguerrero Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127169 It is a nice logo for beer. I may be somewhat retro but for me is ok. It is a nice logo for beer. I may be somewhat retro but for me is ok.

]]> By: zenhammond http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127171 zenhammond Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127171 Those rings always remind me of the movie "The Lost Weekend". There is a scene when Ray Milland is explaining the rings left on the bar from a shot glass. When Nat the bartender comes he says: "Don't wipe it away, Nat. Let me have my little vicious circle. You know, the circle is the perfect geometric figure. No end, no beginning. " Those rings always remind me of the movie “The Lost Weekend”. There is a scene when Ray Milland is explaining the rings left on the bar from a shot glass. When Nat the bartender comes he says:

“Don’t wipe it away, Nat. Let me have my little vicious circle. You know, the circle is the perfect geometric figure. No end, no beginning. ”

]]> By: Zon Wakest http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127688 Zon Wakest Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127688 This logo makes me think the the IOOF, the International Order of Odd Fellows, http://www.ioof.org/ logo While its only three interlocking rings, its a symbol that is in every city in America. I challenge anyone to find a single city, doesn't matter what size, that doesn't have atleast one building that wasn't an Odd Fellows hall at one point or another. This logo makes me think the the IOOF, the International Order of Odd Fellows, http://www.ioof.org/ logo

While its only three interlocking rings, its a symbol that is in every city in America.

I challenge anyone to find a single city, doesn’t matter what size, that doesn’t have atleast one building that wasn’t an Odd Fellows hall at one point or another.

]]> By: sabik http://boingboing.net/2008/02/18/the-joy-of-looking-a.html#comment-127448 sabik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127448 <i>a topograpic map of the psyche.</i> lolpsyche has a flavour? a topograpic map of the psyche.

lolpsyche has a flavour?

]]>