Happy Hour hadn’t started yet when there was a startled roar from the end of the Conference Table that has the unobstructed view east through thr floor-to-ceiling windows in the east side of the building. From the 4th floor there is currently a broad view of the territory where Fairfax protrudes into Arlington.

It is a big deal since the President announced he was going to fix the big blob of flat linear concrete just west of of our new HQ complex. He made the announcement during his presentation on how he is going to make things affordable We had to take notes quickly. Some of us used to spend time over there waiting for jeyss or departing on them.

There is a pleasant terminal building you have doubtless seen in pictures if you have not enjoyed a drink in the lovely lounge after checking your bags for some exotic destination.

Wem were relieved the plan is not to alter the terminal design, contributed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. He was chartered to create a structure that “expressed the movement and the excitement of travel” as the first commercial airport designed specifically for jet air travel. We think that part will continue, even if some of the early design features have become outmoded.

Like this one- a “people mover” intended to move passengers to waiting aircraft. This one ran into a ditch last month, injuring two passengers and forcing the evacuation of 18. Public funds will be used to fix the airport.

Which is what we discussed while Rocket and Holly mixing some holiday beverages. The moon was spectacular in the clear sky as it rose shortly before sunset. The sky was still bright, making the brilliance of the December “Cold Moon” shout dramatically and unopposed above the intersection between the Rotonda and RedHat buildings to the east.

Splash was excited this morning, since the final in a trio of year-ending super-moons takes center stage tonight, reaching its fullest point just in time for an evening show. It is supposed to be partly cloudy tonight, so there is no telling if it will match the majesty on display last night, but we are making sure the Galley is well prepared in case there is another display.

Which brought us around to discussions of other duplicative displays which are becoming more visible. There have been revelations of the astonishing foreign fraud activity that have looted the treasury of Mary Morgan’s home town of Minneapolis.

Initial reports that a billion dollars had been lifted from illegal billing on Child nutrition and autism prevention programs. The idea that a thousand million dollars could disappear without anyone noticing was the initial shocker on that story, but it turns out that additional adjectives could be applied. Further whistleblower claims are that eight or a dozen other Minnesota governmental agencies might have contributed equal amounts, taking the total fraud to eight billion or more.

Last June the lawmakers there passed an austere $66 Billion State budget. It make turn out, based on the new revelations, that about 12% of the state budget was disbursed to crooks and thieves, many of whom live in the Horn of Africa.

Most of us live in Virginia, since we would prefer to live under the sometimes rattional rule of Richmond rather than madness of Baltimore. But that was just a prelude to the first reports that Maryland may be infected with the same financial management schemes as Minnesota.

We will wait to see what develops on that matter, which is less than fifteen minutes away if you take the Beltway north from Tysons. As for tonight? The Cold Moon will become 100 percent full at 6:14 p.m. Eastern time. It will be the third consecutive supermoon to close out 2025 and the third of four in this series.

For the notebook, Splash produced his notes shwoing we are somewhat more distant than last month’s supermoon but nearer than the full moon in October. If the clouds don’t get in the way, we should get a super bright shine from the moon’s proximity to Earth will help it shine extra bright.

Since these are also some of the earliest sunsets of the year as the Winter solstice approaches, we are going to move Happy Hour up a half hour to accommodate orbital mechanics of the Holidays!

Copyright 2025 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com