A podcast about history

That's not stuck in the past

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An Oakland-based Christian radio network spent $100 million to spread messages like this all over the world.

The latest episode of my KPFA-FM radio show features interviews with two of my favorite local journalists – Rick Paulas and Sam LeFebvre. (Listen here)

In the first segment, I chat with Rick Paulas, who has written about East Bay-related topics for outlets such as the New York Times, Vice, and many others. He’s been based in Oakland for the past few years, but sadly, he’ll be leaving us soon, so consider this a bit of an exit interview. Here are links to Rick’s stories that we discuss in this interview:

A Hot Take on the Steamy History of the Jacuzzi (Spoiler alert: It was invented in Berkeley!)

What Happened to Doomsday Prophet Harold Camping After the World Didn’t End?(Spoiler alert: The people who gave him $100 million to fund his apocalyptic ad campaign didn’t get their money back!)

Harold Camping, the former head of Oakland-based Family Radio, used his doomsday predictions to create a global media frenzy. (Photo via Wikimedia user Küñall)
Listen to the full story on KPFA: Jacuzzis, doomsday predictions and squats.

For the second segment, I talk with Sam LeFebvre, who has written for just about every local outlet that you can think of – mainly about the music industry, arts community, and housing issues. This interview focuses on an article Sam wrote for Open Space all about one of my favorite abandoned buildings in Oakland. I have a small, but meaningful personal connection to this space, so I’m so grateful that Sam dug up the fascinating history behind this very prominent, very decrepit location. [Note: This interview appeared previously on episode 35 of the podcast.  To see more photos related to this story, click here.]

After Terry’s TV went out of business, this building was taken over by the squat known as RCA. The building has been vacant since a fire in 2014. (Photo: Elizabeth Sy)
Before Terry’s TV, the building had been occupied drug store. Note that this photo was taken before the street names had been changed to Martin Luther King Jr. Way and West MacArthur Blvd.

If you enjoy the episode, please support East Bay Yesterday: www.patreon.com/eastbayyesterday

Jacuzzis and doomsday predictions

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