Blog

1. Twinsies: Josh vs Chris

   Mr. Fister

   

   For your consideration: the latest installment in our ongoing series on intra-office stylistic synchronicity.

2. Ten-Pin Alley

   Percy Klickiburr

   

   The last Friday of every month, by the good graces of the prime minister, we are bade exit this popsicle stand en masse to go get our teambuiliding on.

3. The Science Fairy

   Flip McGovern

   

   So we redesigned our website. Some folks loved it, speculating that it was a placeholder site while we re-redesigned behind the curtain. Others dissed us, claiming it was a cheap publicity stunt. The truth, as usual, is more interesting.

4. Ho Ho It's Magic

   Dane Leach

   

   Happy holidays from Parliament! If you'd like your very own Peppermint Narwhal/Piratical Kringle Mer-Poster, give a holler. We're running out in real time...

5. Do you know this beaver?

   John Brown

   

   This morning, we were both befuddled and delighted to find this little guy loitering outside our door, staring into the darkened corridors of our world headquarters and bearing a slightly disconcerting message.

6. Par-tay

   Aaron Noah

   

   Our Christmas party at Irving St. Kitchen was ten kinds of awesome. There was of course much rejoicing, and some really good eats and a bit of libation, but besides the exquisite company, the highlight would have to be our white-elephant gift exchange.

7. Snackus Maximus

   Sherry Cardigan

   

   Holy Ding Dongs, we may have overdone it. It was recently decided that Parliament's minions needed something besides their nails to nibble on while performing their top-secret duties.

8. Gift bag sneak peak

   Clarence Witherspoon

   

   One of the upsides to global treks? Plenty of gifty gifts come Christmas.

9. We be the judge

   Scooter Parkinson

   

   Chris joins Heads of State, Frank Chimero, Mikey Burton, Jessica Hische, and tag team Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit as a judge of How Low Can Your Logo. Let the bloodbath begin.

10. When It's Best Made

    Flip McGovern

    

    I've been loving Best Made for a while, and I wanted to take a moment to spread the love.

11. We're Big Overseas

    Leonard Klipter

    

    It’s no secret Hasselhoff still rules foreign soil, but this month Parliament gets a big high five from two outstanding overseas publications.

12. Quest for the Golden Tusk

    Clarence Witherspoon

    

    After months of toil, I am proud to announce the opening of the Academy of Classroom Liberation, and I personally welcome your application of internship and your petition to join the Quest for the Golden Tusk.

13. Feeling the Love

    Preston Esquire

    

    Our hearts were full this Valentine's Day. Thank you to all of the people who took the time to write, blog, or tweet about our studio remodel and portfolio.

14. Northern Outpost Candidate

    Flip McGovern

    

    Now you see it, now you don't. This cabin might have come in handy last winter when our Arctic Circle observatory was ruthlessly attacked by a pack of hungry wolves and one small child.

15. What Type Are You?

    Bobby Terwilliger

    

    What types are the Parliamentards? Great question, and to get it answered some of our folks took Pentagram's What Type are You quiz. Without further ado here are the results.

16. It’s Been a Great Year

    Clarence Witherspoon

    

    With so much already planned for the next year, 2009 feels like a world ago. She was good to us, though, and I reckon it's worth the effort to pay respect to some of our finest moments.

17. Our Lady of Lucha Libre

    Chris Erickson

    

    Mega-props to Pale Horse for, well, just about everything they do. Really, really nice work.

18. A Night at the Races

    Scooter Parkinson

    

    Last night we represented at the first annual Stumptown 40. After the plastic hit the road and the smoke cleared, we came away with trophies for most creative car and second place.

19. Leica & Hermes Ltd Edition M7

    Leonard Klipter

    

    I certainly don't claim to be an expert on photographitism, but I know what looks good, and, goshdarnit, this limited-edition M7, from Leica and Hermes, is one of the best-looking devices I've ever seen.

20. Preparing for Stumptown 40

    Chauncy Boil

    

    Parliament is taking on Portland's finest creative talent in the first annual Stumptown 40 Pinewood Derby. Watch out, folks, we're gonna bring it hard!

21. The Big Book of Green Design

    Sherry Cardigan

    

    Many thanks to the publishers of The Big Book of Green Design for including explorethecycle.com. Grab yourself a copy when you get a chance.

22. Pie!

    Mr. Fister

    

    Nothing says job well done like an eight-pound home-baked apple pie.

23. In the year 2004

    Percy Klickiburr

    

    "Scientists from the RAND Corporation have created this model to illustrate what a 'home computer' could look like in the year 2004..."

24. Hwy 99

    Chris Erickson

    

    On the way back from a midnight press check, we came across a dying strip mall on Highway 99 that had a half-dozen killer vintage neon signs and a few hand-painted backlit wonders.

25. A to Zero of Refrigeration

    Bobby Terwilliger

    

    There is something about midcentury product branding that really speaks to me. Perhaps it's just old-fashioned nostalgia, but so many of today's products seem pretty soulless.

26. SHIFT: A Green Salon

    Percy Klickiburr

    

    Chris delivered a five-minute presentation to a rapt audience at AIGA's latest Shift event...

27. Objectified on DVD

    Preston Esquire

    

    Gary Hustwit brought his latest documentary, Objectified, to Portland this past summer, and we were fortunate enough to catch the showing at Cinema 21...

28. Mort Gets a Gold Star

    Leonard Klipter

    

    We've been living without handles on our kitchenette because we couldn't find anything worthy, until Mort came up with this genius idea...

29. Welcome, John & Chris

    Clarence Witherspoon

    

    We mopped the floors and spritzed our billiard table for the arrival of Parliament’s newest recruits, John Brown and Chris Arth.

30. Quattro & Rhodia

    Percy Klickiburr

    

    Truth be told, I'm a sucker for two things (at least): shoes and sketchbooks. I recently came across two families of sketchbooks and it was love at first sight.

31. Membership Cards

    Chris Erickson

    

    Parliament's membership cards are fresh and hot! Thanks to everybody who poured out the blood, sweat, and tears necessary to finish them up.

32. Sidewalk Evandalism

    Scooter Parkinson

    

    I came across this treasure while walking back from lunch on SE Washington.

33. Getting Our Glamour On

    John Escher

    

    Clarence announced that we were to come to work on Monday morning prepared for glamour headshots. It went downhill from there.

34. Parliament World HQ

    Preston Esquire

    

    Parliament's world headquarters is now finished, and we halted production for the day to document our new digs with photographer Lincoln Barbour...

35. Late-Night Poster Session

    Leonard Klipter

    

    Aside from close calls with inappropriate Snoop Dogg and a YouTube meltdown at 3:12 a.m., we managed to power through and get the office finished.

36. R.I.P

    Bobby Terwilliger

    

    This time, he didn't beat it. But he sure had a thriller of a career.

37. Keatley Visits

    Mr. Fister

    

    Get on the John Keatley train while you can. He’s leaving the station on his way to photography stardom, but as of yesterday he was still willing to visit the old chaps at Parliament...

38. Prime “Time” Minister

    John Escher

    

    In yet another blow to our self-esteem, the “staff” at Parliament was forced to halt production today (again) to accommodate our Prime Minister's personal agenda, this time for the paramount importance...

39. The Cycle Is a Webby Finalist

    Chauncy Boil

    

    The Cycle is a Webby finalist. We're so pumped! Congrats, RecycleBank and all of our folks who burned the midnight oil to make this project such a success.

40. Just Call Me Mort

    Clarence Witherspoon

    

    Scot “Call Me” Mortimer just nailed his interview and will become the latest addition to Parliament’s blooming body of designers. We welcome Mort with open arms and refrigerator...

41. Draplin Spotting

    Chris Arth

    

    While wandering the halls of the Olympic Mill Building (home of Parliament headquarters), one of our crackpot designers spotted a beast of a man heavily Carhartted out and sporting a powerful goatee...

42. Victory at SXSW

    Leonard Klipter

    

    Parliament’s finest delegates took to the red carpet this past weekend at the ever-blossoming SXSW Festival in downtown Austin, Texas. Despite battling a crowded field of iPhone-toting, Twitter-mad tech nerds...

43. Explore the Cycle Sketchbook

    Jono Stark

    

    This morning I stumbled upon some sketchbook gems from our Explore the Cycle project for RecycleBank. Here are some of my faves. Enjoy!

44. Kyle Sharp ID

    John Escher

    

    After working with Kyle Sharp on our office renovation, we wanted to help give his ID a facelift...

45. Magnetic Walls

    Jono Stark

    

    Anybody who likes to develop ideas without a keyboard and hates whiteboards as much as I do is sure to appreciate our floor-to-ceiling magnetic walls.

46. Bantam

    Sherry Cardigan

    

    Today's shipment brought in a glorious Bantam couch from Design Within Reach. The destination? Our Prime Minister's office, of course.

47. Explore the Cycle Launched

    Bobby Terwilliger

    

    Thanksgiving came a little early to Parliament this year with the launch of RecycleBank’s new microsite, explorethecycle.com. There’s always satisfaction in a job well done, but this site is especially exciting to see live...

48. Partners in Crime

    Clarence Witherspoon

    

    Parliament welcomes Dane Leach and John Escher into the fold. Dane's good looks earned him a spot on the design team, while John’s bronzed tan found a home on the writing squad.