In Japan, the word Kanban means “sign”, and those companies who use the Toyota Production System of just-in-time inventory control see and use a lot of Kanbans.  I just started a new job at a Japanese-owned company, and I saw a sign in the Ladies restroom which I had not ever seen before.  It took me a minute to figure out what it meant, but I finally did.  Have you ever seen a sign like this one?

A large proportion of the production staff at my company is various flavors of Asian, and many of their home countries use a different kind of toilet, a “squat toilet”.  This sign tells them not to use our sit-down kind as a “squat” kind, since it might break the seat.

On our trip to Colorado last April, we passed through the town of Boulder, and I saw this sign outside a retail store.  It brought me up short, and I wondered if the owners didn’t think anyone would object to how they named their company.  I think they sell personal-care products, but I was a bit taken aback by the name.

Also, at the bottom of this photo there is a rather cleverly-disguised newspaper box.  And I didn’t even notice it when I took the photo!  However, just lately I have seen a number of these transformer-boxes brightly painted.

This one is in the town of Leavenworth, Washington.

Outside a Japanese restaurant in Wyoming, this guy gives a pretty good indication of what kind of food will be found inside! The other guy in the photo is my husband.

I took this photo of the car in front of me on the ferry a while back.  She certainly gets her message across, doesn’t she?

Food trucks are mobile advertising, besides being mobile restaurants!  These two brightly-painted vehicles make you want to go and have something to eat!  They also do a great job of getting their message out (with the help of open windows spreading the aroma of goodies).

Here’s the Link to this week’s Original Post.  And Tina’s too!