Since the advent of the printing press, around 1436, by German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg (and much earlier, in China and Korea), the written word has had a staggering effect on our world. Venice – a primary, Mediterranean shipping hub in the late 15th century – was fertile ground for a fledgling global news network, as…
Editorial Page
How Substack Supports Writers and Readers
If you haven’t heard of Substack, you’re in for a treat! Substack is an online platform designed to support writers, bloggers, philosophers, citizen journalists, and literary creatives of all types. The designers of Substack believe good writing is invaluable. What we read, what we learn, what we think, and how we engage in the world…
Terms of Concern
Terms of Concern
In March 2021, Forbes Magazine ran an article titled, “The Roots of Conspiracy Theory.” According to Helen Lee Bouygues (the author), “What’s needed is a more nuanced understanding of what drives conspiracy theories, and what kind of interventions can actually be effective against them.“ Labeling conspiracy theories as “far fetched ideas,” she reminds us that…
Entertainment
January Crossword
Welcome to our January puzzle! ****** SPOILERS!**** Answer Key below Last chance to look away, look away before the Answers appear! Okay, here is the – ACROSS: 4. lemon 5. zinc 7. ionophore 8. raw 9. nature trails 11. coffee 12. sleep DOWN: hydrated 2. walking 3. vitamin D 6. chocolate 10. honey
Island Voices
Falling Through the Cracks – Part 1
By March Twisdale In 2021, my husband and I began to prepare for his retirement, planned for March of 2023. Most of my husband’s friends and family had already retired. They’d had no trouble. We expected the same. Then, we tried to create an online Social Security account, and couldn’t get past the first screen….
Literary
An Old Take on the Emperor’s New Clothes
If you blended Beatrix Potter with Stephen King, you might come close to Hans Christian Andersen. All three writers started life with severely limited opportunities. All three overcame those challenges through hard work, grit, and the necessary dashes of chutzpah and luck. And, all three focus (in their own, unique way) on the tough realities…
Editorial Page
“It Takes a Village” – In Action
“It was the truly international murder case that captivated the world.” This is how People Magazine described the media circus surrounding the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher in the home she shared with Amanda Knox in Perugia, Italy. Across the globe, millions watched, wondered, gossiped, and guessed at what truly happened on that…
Literary
The Endless Light of Life
If modern scientists are to be believed, when the star we orbit starts to die, it will expand into a red giant, becoming so large that it engulfs Mercury and Venus, and possibly the Earth as well. Until then, life will endure on our planet, and the vast majority of that life will be non-humanoid….
Editorial Page
Loop Upgrade – How You Can Help
Since its inception, The Vashon Loop has been two things: free to all and primarily supported by the Vashon business community. We aim to keep the first and change the second, and we are asking for your help to do this. Our reasoning is simple: The past three years have been extremely challenging for small…