By Andy Valencia In the years we’ve lived on Vashon, I’ve read many an article on Vashon Island Fire and Rescue. All too often, I have finished the article befuddled and no more informed than when I started. As I join the club of people who have written about VIFR, I’m finding a newfound sympathy…
by Eva Deloach My Foundation, called Traditions, (est. 2003) is a 501(C)(3) that contributes to indigenous communities and individuals at the vanguard of the natural environment. Indigenous Elders and these communities protect the natural environment. Numbering more than 370 million individuals worldwide, these cultures have not lost their unique understanding of local environments and cosmic…
In this article I attempt to use terminology that depicts the reality that Japanese Americans suffered in the War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps during World War II, as opposed to the euphemisms employed at the time and often used to this day. For further information, please see the references at the end of this article….
By Andy Valencia When I was the manager of all software development at a fairly large startup, I made the worst management decision of my career. Two of my top technical leads came to me with a design tradeoff which they just could not settle between themselves. They each told me their position, and I…
Thank you for reading the first issue of the rebooted Vashon Loop. The learning curve has been huge, but the journey has been amazing. We are so grateful for the enthusiastic support we’ve received from this community. It’s an honor to serve you! We know these pages aren’t perfect, but they are pure Island. “Ferry”…
Welcome to the reboot of The Vashon Loop! We are honored to have you join us. The Loop has a 20+ year long history. Launched initially as The Ticket by Hamish Todd, Marie Browne and Troy Kindred took ownership in 2004, and The Ticket became The Vashon Loop. Steve Allen joined the team, and in…
You believe something which isn’t true. It’s the human condition, so you should get usedto it. I first ran into this in 2nd grade, when my teacher announced that porcupines flicked their tails to fire quills like missiles. I had just read a science book which refuted this old folk tale, and I corrected my…
By March Twisdale If you’re like me, you prefer the dynamism of learning to the stagnancy of knowing. And so, with a chuckle and a shake of my head, I readily admit to two things: I came to Charlie Krimmert’s front porch knowing very little about Vashon Island Fire and Rescue, and I left with…
By Marc J. Elzenbeck Whether by trying to conduct business at the speed of thought or due to plain old self-sabotage, institutions and traditions are stressed out and stretched thin. Such could also be said for the Postal Service ever since Ben Franklin took it over from King George in 1775. If only Ben had…
What does it mean to be Islanders? What are the unique issues that we face? It hardly bears saying that the past two+ years have been challenging. How do they affect us individually and in our various circles and threads of community? Do you feel that your perspective has been or is being heard, valued,…