Ben Shoemate's Notebook

This is like an Onion parody on steroids. Only it’s 100 percent real.

Inspired by President Obama’s “Sputnik moment” speech back in January, the government-sponsored Smithsonian Institute has launched a new blog called “Department of Innovation”. As they describe it:

Seems a long time ago, but it was only back in January when Barack Obama told us that America had reached a “Sputnik moment.” He was referring to the competition with China to be the Big Dog of the 21st century global economy, but the subtext was that the country needs an attitude adjustment, that we need to start channeling Silicon Valley, a place where people may pledge to “Do no evil” but the true religion is innovation.

It made for one fine sound bite. But it hasn’t exactly inspired a bunch of innovation rallies and bake sales. So in the spirit of banging the drum for new ideas and fresh thinking, this blog will track all things innovative, not just in science and technology, but also in how we live, how we learn, how we entertain ourselves.

Sharp-eyed reader Rob M. certainly found the “Department of Innovation”s logo entertaining. You will, too.

Take a closer look:

As Rob wrote me this morning: “Check out the logo. 3 interlocking gears arranged in this fashion will not move in any direction. They are essentially locked in place. Which when you think about it, is a perfect analogy of today’s government!”

Also a perfect analogy for a hapless administration’s pretense of entrepreneurial expertise: Total non-starter.

And that, my friends, is your government logo fail of the day…

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Another commenter at the Smithsonian blog also noticed: “I love this feature. I thought, however, that I would comment on the Department of Innovation meshing gears logo. The gears can’t turn. Perhaps that was the intended effect?”

Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Our commenter Cynosura adds: “Not to pick at nits, but the position of the gears (interlocking, thus unable to turn) is not the only problem with the logo. The gear pitch (space between tooth centers) is not consistent. I realize that it’s a logo and not a technical drawing, but it hurts my eyes to look at it. Even if the small gears were separated, the gears would likely jam during the first revolution…”

Snortalicious!