Author: Vic Socotra

Condominium

I live in a condominium, and this book was my travel companion this week. Sometimes Art imitates life, or vice versa. This gem of a paperback set the tone for the adventure to the Sunshine state. It is by John D. MacDonald, a prolific author of detective stories set in Florida, and which I used […]

Ducks and Loons

I was up early- probably some opening day anxiety that something could go wrong. There is a lot of that going around these days. The pool was going to open at ten- and I had to be ready. In preparation I cooked some of the Neuski’s corned beef hash and a couple eggs, sunny side […]

Life & Island Times: Sci-Fi Thought Experiment

Editor’s Note: I was in Tampa for a conference this week and walked into my hotel room in time to catch the first reports about the Manchester bombing. Like most of us, I do not have a decent answer for what we might do about this scourge of murder and barbarity. Marlow has some thoughts, […]

Life & Island Times: Manchester

Editor’s Note: I am traveling and walked in from drinks last night just in time to see the cascade of horror from the UK. This is Marlow’s take on the latest savage act of wanton terror. – Vic We in quiet corners all over the world are suffering another war time loss of family and […]

Arrias on Politics: McGuffey and the Federal Reserve

Editor’s Note: Arrias takes on the bureaucracy this morning. – Vic McGuffey and the Federal Reserve Without looking it up: what are the differences between Alexander Hamilton’s and Thomas Jefferson’s perspective on the role of the federal government? Pundits often question the efficacy of Pentagon strategies, whether it’s Vietnam, tanker escort operations in the Persian […]

Life & Island Times: Rock the Donny

Editor’s Note: Marlow, Sage of the low country, lets fly once more. – Vic Rock the Donny Voted for him when he ran Supported him when he played with the fire Russian thing knocked Donny outta the trees Now he’s on his knees He asking for cover “Please, hey” Donny, Donny, Donny Didn’t you know […]

What On Earth

I stayed in last night. I have been feeling unsettled- some vague nausea that kept me away from happy hour like usual. I was watching TV up here, since the satellite connection down at the farm is on the fritz, and I was down a quart on whatever the latest scandal of the century. I […]

The Copper Fish on Monday

(The bar in the back of the Copper Fish. We had the three stools to the right). So, Jake sent me a note on Sunday, asking if I was in Culpeper to have lunch yesterday with him and his lovely wife. I suggested the Copper Fish at noon on Monday, since the flagship restaurant on […]

Life & Island Times: A Fantasia on the Trump White House

Editor’s Note: To some degree, we are all a little disoriented by the state of politics. This is Marlow’s take. – Vic A Fantasia on the Trump White House Even if we live 200 years, we’re never gonna figure out what’s going on inside today’s White House. Its real nature. We might be able to […]

Life & Island Times: Intel. Dumpster Fire

Editor’s Note: Marlow calls them the way he sees them this morning. I confess, I have never seen anything like this in my life. -Vic Intel. Dumpster Fire Author note: I wrote this early this past week, while our imperial city started spinning out of control. It was so disorienting that I searched the past […]