Author: Vic Socotra

Gonzo Station, 1979

“The present-day Pacific Fleet is not bounded by the vast ocean for which it is named. When Iranian militants seized American hostages I November 1979, the U.S. Government decided to establish a continuing presence in the Indian Ocean as a means of demonstrating resolve and ability to project military power. Although that ocean is about […]

Swamp Postcard: Nature Gets a Vote

So, frustrations with satellite internet out here in the lush greenery of rural Virginia were enough to make me sign up for an additional service, one the ads tell me will bring the forces of nature to power my insatiable desire for more information here in the peaceful pastures near the Big River. It actually […]

In the Zone

It was a morning here at Refuge Farm filled with sunny skies, chaos and emotion. Our Director of Physical Tasks arrived with one of his slim Hispanic assistants, and things around the house began to move. Watching them and occasionally holding the screen door open to permit passage of large items exhausted me. Grace was […]

Life & Island Times: Plague Chronicle Notes — Part XXVI — Our Eloi

In my opinion, HG Wells made one mistake in his Time Machine novel. Humanity’s dominant class will never be forced to descend into the earth’s depths and become neo-Neanderthals like the Morlocks. Instead, as we are seeing in this century the elites are pale, urban, and effete, looking more like scrawny, Peleton-riding Eloi than the […]

Arras on Politics: Infallible

Before Jan Sobieski, King of Poland, saved Vienna and Western Civilization, he first insisted that Emperor Leopold I pay his army and provide fodder for his horses (no small thing – he had more than 25,000 horse). Leopold and the Holy League balked, but then paid up, and, in the wake of the largest cavalry […]

Point Loma: Nuke the Wogs

Don’t Piss this Guy Off – Just Do It Vic’s recent soliloquy on the crossing the line ritual we used to “enjoy” that was once a staple of being a Westpac sailor brought back what are now, in retrospect of nearly 40 years, some great memories. Goddamn it was good to be a JO in […]

The Wisdom of Cicadas

As you know, I am blessed to have a circle of pals who possess vivid memories of strange and ancient times and can recreate them with rousing prose. I am also happy to have a resilient Webmistress in the form of the redoubtable Renee, who has been putting up with this drivel for nearly twenty […]

Life & Island Times: Plague Chronicle Notes — Part XXIV — Freedom

Author’s Note: Vic, Your recent turn of phrase “What’s next?” regarding American events these past five months spurred me to write this short piece. I am unsure my characterization of the ending list of phrases, words and concepts answers your query, since I have direct evidence from colleagues that well more than half of them […]

What’s Next

I hope you have been following Marlow’s unique appreciation of the plague on his picturesque and unique Southern town. We are on episode 23 of his observations, and my intent is to compile it as a manuscript for the next book to appear on the website, and eventually for purchase as a smooth eBook on […]