How To Host A ‘Name That Tune’ Party On Zoom
Want to get away from the worry and stress for a couple of hours, and do something fun on Zoom
Category: Fun
Bagpipes Never Sounded So Good
Our neighbor here in Berkeley has been playing bagpipes in the evenings, in his apartment, for nearly 15 years. But
How Great Posters And Distributed Design Made Extinction Rebellion A Global Movement
Most climate posters are one-offs. And so are most climate protests. But Extinction Rebellion broke that mold, becoming the first
Amazing Cuban Poster Exhibit From the 1960s and ’70s
I recently saw an exhibit of Cuban posters that took my breath away. Pictures speak louder than words, so I’m
Climate Escape Room: Make Your Own Fun Group CO2 Learning Game
Last week at the Getting To Zero (carbon) conference I played an excellent group game that showed how with a
Photoessay: My Private Tour Of The New York Times’ Morgue
Today I spent a couple of hours in a basement archive belonging to the New York Times. It was a
In The Recording Studio With Dad (Grandpa Harry)
Dad and I finally got into a professional recording studio last week, at U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. I
For A Fun, Educational Project, Build This Cardboard Pinball Machine
What can America do with its mountains of recycled cardboard? Make educational toys, that’s what! Last week, in Burlington, Vermont,
Berkeley’s Wall For Peace, Revisited 30 Years Later
How long can a symbol of hopeful activism last? A long time, in the case of Berkeley’s Wall For Peace,
Life Advice From Letterpress Artist Amos Kennedy Jr… ‘It’s a Joy To Make Stuff’
If you’re a creative person and want to get inspired, watch this talk with Detroit letterpress artist Amos Kennedy Jr.
Bruce
His book is worth reading – and his second act worth considering. A friend snapped this cell phone picture of
Local Music Moments, Caught on Video
Wurlitzer Organ at Berkeley High School, Jan 13, 2018 Was walking by Berkeley High today and saw the door to
The Best Lap Swim Pools in the East Bay (Updated)
Looking to swim laps in the East Bay? We have some awesome pools here. Here’s my roundup so far, after trying
Bay Area Artists I Like (Updated)
Here’s a list of local (Bay Area) artists I’ve discovered – and liked – for one reason or another. I’ll
Capitola Sea Wall Tiles Project
I was in Capitola last weekend and came across this awesome public art project, on the boardwalk downtown, from 2008. What’s
My House Concert Experiment Was a Hit
Just wanted to post a few pictures and a video from my house concert this Saturday featuring the awesome bluegrass
A Few Local Bluegrass Jam Resources
Here’s a few resources I’ve come across (or am developing myself), that may be useful for people getting more into playing
Mystery Bronze Fixture (With Ring)
In many years of going to the Alameda antiques market, I’ve stumbled across some unique and mysterious items, but nothing
Cobalt Blue Sign From the Dawn of Global Banking
I bought this sign at the Alameda antiques market after noticing it a few months in a row. I’m into
Abbey Rents Folding Chairs
For years I’d been searching for a matched set of vintage wooden folding chairs. Recently, just as I was about
Songs About Pollution, 50 Years Later
Most songs about political issues aren’t very good songs. But check out these tunes written in the 60s and 70s,
Songs From The War on Coal
Every good fight needs some fight songs, but the climate change battle doesn’t have many. People don’t sing much about car
Hungry, Foolish, Hitchhiking.
“The frame of mind of the young hitchhiker is one of the freest frames of mind there is,” Stewart Brand
How to Build a Picture Rail Railway
Want a model railroad layout inside your house that takes up almost no space and is barely visible? Got a
In Search of Great Posters
While researching poster art for my virtual poster display, I’ve stumbled upon some great online collections. They’re hard to find, because
House Concerts: Worth Going
I went to my first official ‘house concert’ today – what’s up with these? I’d been hearing about them for
Berkeley Protest Posters, 1968 to ’73
The late 1960s and early ’70s were a period of intense innovation in poster design, from psychedelic music posters to
BART’s Launch Marketing, 1972
When the sun rose on BART in 1972, it was a joyous, miraculous thing – the future had arrived. At
Early Boston Telephone Book
Among all the random stuff I’ve collected over the years, this 1881 Boston phone book is one of the standouts.
Inside Berkeley’s Hidden History Vault
It’s no King Tut’s tomb, but the History Room at the Berkeley Public Library is worth a look. Due to
Virtual Poster Display
Bill Gates once spent millions of dollars to build virtual art displays into his new house. Well, now the cost
Tracking Public Art
Over the past few years I’ve been noticing public art more. It’s gotten way more interesting – we’re finally past
Cast Iron Georgia O’Keefe
Since moving to Berkeley, where I have more space, I’d been thinking I really needed a trophy wall of some
1950’s Workbench Stool
Bought this badass stool today… I’m assuming it’s Korean War era, since it’s marked “Selective Service System,” and looks to
Mass MoCA: Creativity at Huge Scale (Hope it Works)
This weekend I saw two breathtaking, ambitious, large scale projects that captivated me: The new Sawyer Library at Williams College, and
Love Poster Auction
Saw these Love posters by Yves St. Laurent up for auction in a gallery in Hudson, NY, and thought they
Hanging Pot Rack (From Old Teller Window)
While looking around a local architectural salvage yard in search of something to use as a hanging pot rack, I ran
Why I’m Buying Books
I’ve been on a strange book-buying binge over the past few weeks. The paper kind. Almost 100 books and counting.
The Power of Staying Power: Pete Seeger Never Stopped Teaching
[The following is an email I sent out to my team a few days after Pete Seeger’s death on January
CEO Weekend Project: How to Hang Swings in Your Office
Let’s face it – you need a break from the firehose of decisions, meetings and stress that comes with being
My Brief Glimpse at (Maybe) the Last Big Private Wood Type Collection
In December 2011 I got an email that a designer here in SF was selling a large wood type collection,
Bank of Really Old Post Office Boxes
I bought this complete bank of fifty one 1880s nickel-plated post office lockboxes in the Sierras from a woman who’d owned
I Saw a Monster Last Weekend
Originally published on Collectorsweekly.com. Recently I read an interesting obit in the New York Times about a guy who spent
The Disappearing Art of Porcelain Signs
Originally published on Collectorsweekly.com. In this interview, Michael Bruner talks about collecting vintage 20th Century porcelain advertising signs. I liked
An Interview with George Gruhn
Originally published on Collectorsweekly.com. In this interview, George Gruhn talks about collecting vintage electric and acoustic guitars. DM: How did
Cook Quality Office Chair
This amazing old swivel chair has the original cast iron hardware and is fully adjustable (seat, backrest and back post).
My Brief Wig-Wag Love Affair
In 2005 I bought and had a brief infatuation with a type of antique railroad signal called a ‘wig-wag’. With some
1905 Hamilton Manufacturing Co. Catalog
This spectacular 190-page catalog has to be seen to be believed (download the 32MB pdf). If you’re into printing, graphic
Best Standing Desk Ever
I got this six foot long standing desk in July 2005. Taking a break from a Microsoft conference in Minneapolis, I
Ice Carving Goes Digital
This article was originally published in the New York Times in 2004, as part of a series I did for their