Writings by Mark Stone
The Pacific Northwest is a remarkable blend of technology hub, West Coast culture and attitude, and spectacular natural settings. It is global and local. Home to the some of the world's largest technology companies, with a decidedly international vibe to its urban centers, yet sprinkled with a constellation of rural small towns.
It's where we work, where we live, and what we have come to call home. We hope what we share here will help you to work smarter, live happier, and make your Pacific Northwest life better.
Understanding Ukraine - The Third Rome. March 2022. Russians have long had a saying: "Moscow is the third Rome; a fourth there shall never be." The two sides of this coin offer a bright side, and a very dark side. And to those of us who received a typical western-oriented education, drawing a line from Rome to Moscow will seem surprising at best. Read more.
Greg Noll. March 2020. Greg had a way of showing up at important moments in people's lives, and so everyone who passed through Sonora has a Greg Noll story. This one is mine. Read more.
Rainbow Bridge. February 2020. I have been listening to this album a lot lately. It was introduced to me in college by Peggy Simms Little's husband Tom (aka "Derelict") who was my roommate and close friend. Donald Dickson was also a really important friend of mine in those days, along with Varnum Ouyang, my roommate from the previous year. Read more.
The New Colossus. January 2020. On the occasion of the impeachment trial vote, and in the wake of the State of the Union, when I take comfort on an evening run from seeing Lady Liberty's light shine bright in the dark of night, it seems appropriate to quote the full text that we so often abridge. Read more.
Friends Along the Way. June 2019. At 7:10 on Memorial Day morning my Lyft driver has just dropped me off at the Northwest District entrance to Portland's Forest Park. I'm walking along the broad path that begins Forest Park's iconic Leif Erickson Trail, to check in for the 50k. Read more.