Listen to “The Great Washing Machine Scam”
As consumer technology improves, basic household appliances, like the washing machine, keep sprouting new, high-tech functions. Not surprisingly, they’re also increasingly difficult to repair. So our journalistic gumshoe ventured to find out: Who put us in this jam? And why?
Western-Wear Designer ‘Jukebox Mama’ Paints with Thread
Sarie Gessner—known for her Western-inspired suits, custom embroidery, and passion for music—is dressing some of country and Americana’s brightest stars for the stage.
Listen to “How Do Tools and Technology Affect Creativity?” with Gary Rogowski
A veteran woodworker and furniture designer considers the relationship between tools, creativity, and intention—a new episode of “The Secrets of Mastery.”
Listen to “Why Letterpress Endures” with master printer Blake Riley
This week on “The Secrets of Mastery,” the creative director of Arion Press discusses his craft’s appeal through the centuries—and his own, surprisingly egalitarian views on what ‘mastery’ means.
The Great Washing Machine Scam
As consumer technology improves, household mainstays like the basic washing machine keep sprouting new, unnecessary functions. Many of those functions are difficult if not impossible to repair, which makes the life expectancy of our household appliances plummet. What’s going on here? Our journalistic gumshoe hits the streets to figure out who’s pulling the strings in the appliance world.
Written by AARON BRITT
The VW Doctor Is In
In a corrugated tin shed that somehow survived California’s massive fires in Sonoma Valley, Gary Freeman labors to keep old VW Beetles and vans—the cars that defined the counterculture of the 1960s—chugging along. Some become great “daily drivers” for as little as $15,000; some get auctioned for more than $200,000. It’s all part of one man’s quest for automotive immortality.
Written by OWEN EDWARDS
Photography by ANDREW SULLIVAN
Listen to “The VW Doctor Is In”
In a corrugated tin shed that somehow survived California’s massive fires in Sonoma Valley, Gary Freeman labors to keep old VW Beetles and vans—the cars that defined the counterculture of the 1960s—chugging along. Some become great “daily drivers” for as little as $15,000; some get auctioned for more than $200,000. It’s all part of one…
Occupy Your Bathroom
Every few years, some new razor system hits the market pledging to save your face and your pocketbook. Virtually all of them miss the boat, because the golden age of shaving occurred 50 years ago. The good news is that all that vintage gear is still available, and a few entrepreneurs are now making beautiful, modern versions that are built to last.
Written and photographed by TODD OPPENHEIMER
The Apprenticeship Ambivalence
Amidst political discussion about expanding apprenticeships in the U.S., two contradictory realities persist. One is a changing landscape, in both school and work, that increasingly needs a sound apprenticeship system; the other is the refusal by many parents to understand why a formal apprenticeship might make more sense for their children—and their finances—than four years of college.
Written by TODD OPPENHEIMER