The National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count is a census of birds. The Count is performed annually in the winter by volunteer birdwatchers. The purpose is to provide population data for use in science.
In the same vein, this is a Berkeley Bumper sticker census taken in 2016 by Mykael Moss. We in Berkeley wear on politics on our sleeves – and our bumpers. Bumper stickers are material culture, so – why not collect photos of them? The idea for this was hers. All photos are hers.
Jesus – that’s a lot of them. Good job Mykael!
And who, you ask, is Mykael Moss? She is relatively new to Berkeley, but she is a quick study and clearly groks the Quirky Berkeley ethos.
Mykael Moss Self Portrait
Of herself, Moss writes:
Originally from Quincy, Massachusetts, I moved to Chicago after college, raised my family and retired to Berkeley only two years ago. Being a newcomer to California, I was fascinated by the casual lifestyle (I gave away every pair of high heels I brought from my administrative jobs) as soon as I looked around at the hills and dress “codes”. I happily discovered people-watching as my newest hobby, with so much diversity and individualism in Berkeley.
My husband John and I got involved with the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, hiking around to discover the richness of nature and history in our new local. We have had our eyes opened to seeing this exciting city and San Francisco as endless opportunities to explore and discover the wonders of nature, both natural and human.
I noticed an abundance of great vanity license plates and bumper stickers here, and started documenting them (those I could safely catch up to without causing accidents). Every day, there are additions as we see new political, anti-political, intellectually provocative, controversial and suggestive ones.
She tells us to “Keep your eyes open to the myriad of causes, humor and new ideas posted by Berkeleyites on their bumpers.”
Good advice. And a good census.
I took the draft post to my friend. He is currently driving a 1967 Dodge Dart, a slant six, the first model with a rear window with compound inverse curves. It is in pristine condition. Not a single bumper sticker. But this was not always the case with his cars. He flipped through a scrapbook to find a photo to express his feelings about this post:
