Asking for some consistency and purpose in design doesn't mean removing all design or making it boring. The red-tinted sky looks more scary than cool. When the unread titles are one color and the visited titles another color, I cannot tell which is which until I click on a few titles and see the resulting colors. Good design doesn't require the user to figure it out, it's obvious. Good design uses a consistent color scheme that reflects the emotional intent of the site -- uplifting, fear-driven, trustworthy, etc. I'm guessing most people don't realize what goes into good design because good design is not the focus. Instead, good design allow for the dissemination of the information without distraction.