Recent Articles

song_summer_thumb squid 09.01.10 Staff List: Songs of the Summer

The Bureau Staff crowns the pop champions of the past summer.
humor 08.30.10 Everyman: A Bildungsroman

Garland Grey tells a universally relatable story about coming of age in America.
arts 08.27.10 Ingredients: Bánh Mì a la Sheraton

Attempting to make “comfort food” while on a business trip, Daniel Adler tries to assemble a Vietnamese sandwich in his hotel room. The result isn’t pretty.
humor 08.25.10 Controversial Corporate Brands, Reviewed by Kanye West

Blogger extraordinaire and social media guru Kanye West is known for his impassioned opinions. Nick Martens captures the singer’s thoughts on some polarizing design decisions.
personal 08.23.10 Tony and Me

Darryl Campbell reflects on the recent death of historian Tony Judt.
personal 08.20.10 The Most Photographed Trailers in America

Kara Phelps wonders if Florida’s Airstream Ranch is merely a roadside attraction or something more? Or something less?
humor 08.18.10 Arthur Neville Chamberlain Answers the Information Technology Help Desk Hotline

Zachary Martin gets his computer questions answered by the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
personal 08.16.10 A Diary of Unemployment

Brandon Lueken chronicles his life after being let go.
travel 08.13.10 The Fog in Beijing

Connor O’Brien takes in nationalistic wonders and airborne toxins at Shanghai’s Expo 2010 — the largest World’s Fair ever held.
humor 08.11.10 Dear Parents and Graduates

Ben Bateman’s graduation speech touches on the usual topics: how far the class has come, how graduating is just the first step in life, and how to escape when you’re kidnapped by a crazed hillbilly.
humor 08.09.10 Domestic Conflict, Explained By Stock Photos

Kevin Nguyen imagines the backstories behind the stock photos he found of couples fighting.
personal 08.06.10 House Hunting: Taking Advice

When it comes to buying a home, Whitney Carpenter has heard everything from horror stories to happy endings. Whitney has advice about taking advice.

Mission Statement

We don’t write perfectly, but we do respect writing.

We believe in publishing good ideas and polished prose. We edit everything. We argue about every inch of our site because we care about details. We cherish and shamelessly emulate those who do it better than us.

We want, more than anything, to improve. That’s what The Bygone Bureau is about. If you see something that needs fixing, tell us. If you think you can do better, or just want to get better yourself, we’re all ears.

We expect quality from ourselves and everyone we work with, and we hope you expect that from us too.

We’re not suggesting anything groundbreaking, but we know how often smart voices get lost in the overwhelming expanse of the web. So we invited some of them here to be found. If you’ve got something to say and think it matters to say it well, you’re in the right place.

Welcome.