TWO FROM JANE ADAMS ON HOLIDAY IN TOKYO

Today I was in the Frisian city Heerenveen and met these manhole covers:

And also these, despite of the fact that Heerenveen is in the far North of the Netherlands and Weert in the far South province Limburg:

Manhole cover in the city of Zwolle:

Thanks Heleen. The Zwolle one is very good indeed. This afternoon I watched the Volta Limburg -- an Eijsden to Eijsden 150 km, 5 hour cycle race -- in, ...Limburg! I recognised lots of the roads I used to cycle on when I lived in Cadier en Keer (near Maastricht). I didn't see any manhole covers...but it was pouring with rain there, and very sunny here. Thanks again, Val

My pleasure, Val, thank you!

Probably you then (and now they) rode so very fast that you (and they) might have been too quick to notice the manhole covers? :-)

Here is another manhole cover, fresh from the camera, in Kampen (mentioning Nijverdal, both cities are in the province Overijssel)

ANOTHER ONE FROM JANE ADAMS IN TOKYO

THREE MORE FROM JANE ADAMS* IN TOKYO

(* Jane Adams, formerly Jane Carpenter, formerly Jane Herman)

From Haptic Erni in Hamburg:

a marker in the park :-)

Manhole cover in Noordwijk at the Sea (Netherlands)

In the town - north of the river Waal - named Lent, which used to be independent but finally has been caught by the city of Nijmegen (south of the river Waal, but thanks to the Waalsprong - ‘jump over the river Waal’ - Nijmegen is now notth snd south of the river..)

Somewhere in Warsaw .......

Rain/Drain water in the Dutch city Zwolle 

And ‘vuil water’ (dirty water) in the same city

Somewhere in Warsaw ....

Amazing indeed!

I think more manhole covers should express their thoughts and feelings. Though thoughts, feelings, dreams seem to be of little weight, while the manhole covers are rather heavy...

Somewhere in Poznań (Posen) ........ Plate bearing the town's coat of arms from the historic town seal.

Thanks Heleen, If I was a manhole cover and people walked and drove over me all day long without realising  what I was , what fuctions I served, etc, I'm not at all sure that my thoughts, feelings and dreams would be repeatable to anyone/anything other than another manhole cover!

A  NARBONNE MANHOLE COVER FROM HAN FISCHER

TWO SWEDISH MANHOLE COVER FROM JOHNNY SKOOG

TWO MORE NARBONNE MANHOLE COVERS FROM HAN FISCHER -- who says he is becling 'addicted' to Manhole Covers

Somewhere in Warsaw .......

Same manhole cover, twice, in evening sun in Amsterdam:

‘Vuil water’ (‘dirty water’) manhole cover in beautiful clean picturesque Zaanse Schans, the Netherlands:

(The accompanying city Zaanstad has two whales in its coats of arms)

somewhere in Warsaw......

Manhole covers in Maarssen (Netherlands)

Common manhole cover covered with too many butts:

Uncommon manhole cover (?):

Two manhole-covers-to-be in unfinished road:

Somewhere in Warsaw .....

Somewhere in Warsaw ....

Problems can arise when the manhole cover isn’t covering the manhole: 

Seen in the Museum of Comic Art in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

(Don’t know why the second photo is across, maybe iuoma hopes the roller skater this way is prevented from falling into the hole?)

Thanks Heleen,

That's a great skating cartoon.

I'd love to use it on the cover of the manhole book I am writing.

Do you know if it's from a Disney cartoon book?

If it is, then I could either 'steal' it and hope that I don't get caught and that the Disney Empire doesn't catch me; or I could ask that Empire for pemission to use it, which would probably take a long time to get a response, and if it was positive then cost me a lot of money for image rights.

Quelle dillema!

Somewhere in Warsaw ....

FROM HAN FISCHER IN EINDHOVEN,NL

Hi Val,

Not every cartoon is Disney :-)

On the second picture you can see the description. The comics is named Fix & Foxi, by German comic artist Rolf Kauka.

According to the description this 'Illustration with Rolf Kauka's Lupo, Fix & Foxi (1954)' was made by Dorul van der Heide and Werner Hierl. And it is copyrighted by Rolf Kauka's Comicosmos Establishment.

If you don't get a license, I could make some other illustration for the book. You just have to send me a message with your wishes / mention how the skater and the bystanders must look like, and I'll make you some sketches of which you can choose one which I then shall work out :-)

Bonjour Heleen,

Thanks for the cartoon message. I'm not tuned in to the world of comics -- except for Asterix, of course!

I had never heard of Kauka and Fix and Foxi before. I'm not going to apply for a licence to use that cartoon, because it would cost me time and money, and at the moment I have not much of either one; I'm trying to get the Manhole Cover book finished this week so that it will be ready for my exhibition at the start of September. And, as usual, I am far from rich (or quite poor!)

As to your very kind offer to make me a cartoon/illustration, I would like to accept if you can get me something by the end of the week. I don't have anything special in mind -- I'm sure your imagination for these sort of things is much, much better than mine (and I'm not very good at drawing cartoons anyway!), so just send me something usable.

To help you, there are two parts to the book -- the first a short (about 3-4 pages) introduction to the manhole covers in their historical and contemporary settings (I can send you, via email a draft of this if you like: it's too long for IUOMA); the second about 120 manhole cover photos (including some that you have sent me) from about 100 cities and 20 differrent countries. I would put your cartoon/illustration between the two of these.

Can you draw something for me, please, in the next few days?

Thanks, in advance, Val

Sure I love to make something(s). I altready made some pencil sketches, though in the coming days I'm too busy with work and other tasks so time is a bit a 'thing'. Saturday evening and the whole Sunday I'll have more time, but I see you need it sooner, so I'll try to do my best to proceed asap..

Thanks Heleen, and sorry to put you under (even more) presssure. I have sent the completed-but-for-your- contribution(s) text to the people who will turn it into a book, and told them that I may add a page or two in the next few days, so there is no great rush (ie you have all of 17 minutes!). Send me something when you can, ajb. I can use 2 cartoons -- one at the end of the Intrioduction, the other at the end of the photo section. Regards, Val

FOUR FROM KATERINA, ALL FROM ATHENS (where Katerina is now living). THANKS, MOM KAT!

FOUR FROM HAN FISCHER IN EINDHOVEN, HOLLAND : BEDANKT, HAN

Somewhere in Warsaw ....

Souillac, Corrèze, France:

Job Interview Question And Answer: Why Are Manhole Covers Round?

This question was made famous when Microsoft began using it in job interviews. It is an example of a creative problem-solving question that is used to assess how a person approaches a problem with more than one possible answer, and to test their logic, common sense and ability to think through an unusual question in a high pressure interview setting.  

According to Joel Spolsky, one of Microsoft’s early program managers, questions like these distinguish between people who are smart and get things done, people who are smart but don’t get things done, and people who get things done but are not smart.

Microsoft must have been onto something, because this type of question has been adopted by many other companies as an alternative to more traditional interview questions.

A number of possible explanations for why manhole covers are round include:

• A round manhole cover cannot fall through its circular opening, whereas a square manhole cover could fall in if it were inserted diagonally in the hole.
• Circular covers don’t need to be rotated or precisely aligned when placing them on the opening.
• A round manhole cover is easily moved and rolled.
• Human beings have a roughly circular cross-section.
• Round tubes are the strongest shape against the compression of the earth around them, so the cover of the tube would naturally be round as well.
• It’s easier to dig a circular hole.
• Round castings are much easier to manufacture using a lathe.

                            (No, I didn't get the job)

COMING VERY SOON VIA AMAZON....DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE WEEKEND......MY 'MANHOLE COVERS' BOOK

Featuring 120+Manhole Covers from 40+ different countries, AND two special Manhole Cover cartoons from Heleen

TOMORROW BRINGS AMAZON MANHOLE COVER BOOK DETAILS: TODAY DELIVERS HELEEN'S SECOND MANHOLE COVER CARTOON

Somewhere in Warsaw ... 

"MANHOLE COVERS", BY VALENTINE M. HERMAN

My latest book is now available from Amazon.com.  It costs $20/€21 (plus shipping). Alternatively you can buy a copy directly from me for $15/€15 (plus shipping). A signed copy is also available at $15.01/€15.01(plus shipping), and a copy signed by me is also available at $15.02/€15.02 (plus shipping).

Here is a description of the book:

"This book contains images of 120 Manhole Cover designs from 100 cities in 20 different countries.

Manhole Covers are a neglected form of street art. They are largely ignored even though we encounter them every day. We walk, drive and cycle over them. Usually we don’t take any notice of them: they are just there, all around us on roads and pavements in many different shapes, sizes and patterns. – an essential, but ignored, part of the architecture of our urban environment. They are part of our Urban Architecture.

This comprises elements of the cities in which we live, play and work. It includes street lamps; mail and post boxes; shop fronts and signs; shutters and windows; doors and door knockers on private and public buildings; mail, post and telephone boxes; statues in parks; stone ornaments and metal plaques on houses and in gardens in public and private spaces; fountain and monuments; etc. And Manhole Covers.

We live in not one, but rather two, urban environments. An overground one; and a parallel, underground, subterranean one that is hidden from us, is unknown, and consequently ignored. Manhole Covers are an interface between these two worlds of light and darkness.

As a form of street art, a Manhole Covers provide a surface – a canvas, if you like – for a wealth of industrial and artistic expression in the open-air urban art gallery that we (usually subconsciously) visit daily.

The collection of Manhole Covers in this book includes Art Deco-style Manhole Covers with geometric patterns; Art Nouveau-style Manhole Covers with winding and twisting patterns; and a whole range of Manhole Covers with designs both ancient and modern. They are rich in imagery whether it be the coat of arms or view of a city, a company logo, a regional animal, bird or fish, or even an inspirational message --‘I Have A Dream’– a dream of what? A Manhole Cover?"

I would like to thank, nay thank very much, all members of this Group who have sent me Manhole Covers especially:  Heleen   Bradford   Carien  Raphael   Alan B   Bobbi   Katerina   Bonnevieda   Sil   Mim  Mother Brando   Richard C   Irene S  Diane H   Ilya S-B  Amy K

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!

Congratulations on this achievement!

Congratulations, Val, on a great and fascinating project, and surely and interesting book. 

Why are manhole covers round?

...to make happy faces on 'em :-)

Somewhere in Warsaw .... 

ANOTHER ONE FROM HAN FISCHER IN EINDHOVEN, HOLLAND : BEDANKT, HAN§