A brief history of my favorite San Francisco tree — My favorite San Francisco tree is this majestic, lone Mexican palm on Grove Street, nestled between the old Double Decker diner and the snazzy 300 Ivy complex. It’s very tall. It pops up above the rooflines of the five-plus story buildings around it, and it’s visible from quite far away…

‘Smart’ home appliances are cheaper, better, and creepier. There’s only one company that might think different. — Remember when your television didn’t spy on you? Technologist and Glitch CEO Anil Dash suggested a while back that there must be some big market out there for “dumb” appliances: Dash’s pitch is certainly appealing to those of us who don’t like giving up any notion of privacy, but unfortunately…

Thoughts about a new direction for desktop UI — The long-lived “desktop” operating system has been with us for almost 40 years. Although some of the mechanics have proven remarkably durable, contemporary computer usage is very different from the context these were born in, and it’s time to do some rethinking. I’m going to outline the original idea, illustrate…

A Detailed & Illustrated Compendium of Recent Designs (1921-present) San Francisco’s signature street signs have gone through a number of subtle revisions in design and typography. I’ve written at length about the complete history of street signage in the city going all the way back to the Gold Rush era…

Some of the art works chosen in the 1990 heist have puzzled analysts. The Museum’s own self-published Guide offers some uncanny clues to the haul. When I was a kid growing up in the Boston suburbs, we lived next door to the family of would-be art thief Brian McDevitt. He…

Want to recap an original Naim NAIT? Here’s what the authorized shops use. Warning: extremely niche-audience post ahead. I’ve recently had the opportiunity to perform a service and calibration on an original Naim NAIT integrated amplifier (new capacitors and bias adjustment). …

If you’re eligible for the shot, just go ahead and take it. Over the past month, I’ve spoken to more than one friend who has become eligible for the covid vaccine, signed up to get it, and then come down with a case of ethical self-doubt. These friends are what…

Digital art and collectibles are a rich vein of opportunity, but this isn’t the way. I don’t live under a rock, but I’d never even heard of “NFTs” until about a month ago, and now they are absolutely everywhere. Mainstream artists and pop acts are “minting” digital collectibles, artists are…

San Francisco streetscapes feel fun and weird and creative and human now — Sometimes good things don’t require a decades-long policy process. Most good things, I’d venture. The Covid-19 pandemic upset business-as-usual everywhere, and San Francisco’s bureaucracy was no exception. …