Author: SDM

Ethnography * Technology * Design

Happy Flag Day!

Oregon City Bridge, 9/11/2004 - photo by Ken Dale

PFA member Ken Dale took this striking image from the Oregon City Bridge on September 11, 2004. It seems an appropriate image for Flag Day (June 14th).

According to former West Lynn major Alice Norris:

The photo is from our annual 9/11 ceremony, a silent remembrance of the September 11 attacks. The City of West Linn originally initiated and planned the event and Oregon City co-hosted it until last year when we held no ceremony since the bridge was under construction. The City of West Linn bought the flag and ODOT placed the hardware on the bridge that holds that flag, and ODOT workers unfurl and remove the flag each year. It hangs for about a week. … The short ceremony usually involved a bagpiper playing ‘Amazing Grace’ on the bridge as traffic was stopped at 9 am; the two communities meeting in the middle of the bridge; the unfurling of the flag; the mayors of the two cities throwing wreaths into the river, and community members, students and others tossing flowers into the river….all wordless, a silent tribute. I always found it very moving and beautiful. One year (it might have been 2004), someone stole the flag, and a students from a charter school in West Linn raised money to purchase a new flag.

Who could replace John Hood?

The answer, of course, is no one. However, as John reveals in his Open Letter to Members in the latest edition of The Vexilloid Tabloid, someone must replace John as editor of this venerable publication if it is to continue. Over 29 issues John has diligently and with great humor built the Tabloid into one of the finest vexillological publications in this country, but serious health issues are forcing him to step down from serving as editor and publisher.

Vexilloid Tabloid #28

Just published: The September 2010 issue of The Vexilloid Tabloid features:

  • Oregon Flag Registry (Ted Kaye)
  • The Neutral Flags Fraud: How the new U.S. flag perpetuated the slave trade on behalf of the British Empire (Patrick Genna)
  • and as always the “What’s That Flag?” quiz, Flags in the News, and notes from our most recent meeting (John Hood)

Click here for this latest issue (PDF, 2.3MB), or see portlandflag.org/vexilloid-tabloid for access to this and all previous issues.

What flag should I fly today?

Flags want to be flown, and John Hood knows when to fly them, according to history and customs.   In the new issue of PFA’s newsletter, The Vexilloid Tabloid, he draws from his extensive database of flag flying days to suggest a flag a day for the next two months. Also in this issue, Michael Orelove writes about flag retirement ceremonies and his visit to Willamette National Cemetery last Flag Day to attend such an event.  And as always you’ll find notes from the most recent PFA meeting, John Hood’s “What’s That Flag?” quiz, and Flags in the News.

Click here for the current issue (PDF, 2.8MB), and see portlandflag.org/vexilloid-tabloid for access to all back issues.

And to answer the title question for today, August 1st:   John suggests Switzerland, as today is the Swiss National Day.

Vexilloid Tabloid #26 is here!

The May 2010 issue of John Hood’s PFA newsletter The Vexilloid Tabloid features:

  • We Have a Flag — Now What? (John Hood & Max Liberman)
  • Review of El libro del conocimiento de todos los reinos (The Book of Knowledge of All Kingdoms) edited and translated by Nancy Marino (Ted Kaye)
  • and as always the “What’s That Flag?” quiz, Flags in the News, and notes from our most recent meeting (John Hood)

Click here for this color-, fun-, and fact-filled issue (PDF, 2.7MB), and see portlandflag.org/vexilloid-tabloid for access to all 26 issues of this venerable publication. All free, all worth every penny!