Author: Vic Socotra

The Circle

This is where I left the story in 2011. You can see the Pentagon façade just under the overhang to the left. It is where the jet came in a quarter-century ago. The old Navy Exchange gas station was located at what was called Quarters K, a name left from the old Army layout on […]

Galley Proof

What is a galley proof? Galley proofs are books in the pre-publication stage, sent around to interested folks who might want to review what is coming before the final version goes to print. Vic claims to have worked for McGraw-Hill in a previous century, and he reminds us that publishers used to send the things […]

Socotra House Public Health Service Announcement

  Word Spread over the weekend that the parasitic infection that has affected thousands of consumers across the country with severe gastro-intestinal ailments. It was attributed yesterday by officials at the Food and Drug Administration as being transmitted by chopped lettuce products served at Taco Bell and provided by Taylor Farms de Mexico. Today, that […]

It’s Finally Freakin’ Over!

Right? We lurched unsteadily through yesterday’s coverage of what was, arguably, one of the largest shared human events in history. They say a billion of us watched—a thousand million people around the globe taking part in the same emotional, bewildering spectacle. Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS represented the cultural diversity celebrated throughout the FIFA […]

A Mess of Lo Mein

England defeated France, 6-4, in Atlanta yesterday afternoon to claim Third Place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Parisians finished fourth after a tournament run that was considerably more impressive than the phrase “finished fourth” makes it sound. But that leaves only the REAL END to the athletic spectacles of the last three months. […]

Summer Recreation

There was a certain amount of controversy in the Conference Room this morning. Splash said three of the Zoomers actually took the Uber to Dulles and may be fetching up on the soil of France in order to celebrte Bastille Day tomorrow. You know about that significant demonstration of the People’s Liberty by crshing into […]

Senator Lindsey Graham

There was a shocker in the headlines this morning, and it had the Boomers gathered in the Conference Room. The average age of the group is somewhere in the mid-70s, so the news that South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham had passed away suddenly yesterday came as a genuine surprise. His office announced that he died […]

Gremlin Gazette

Dad’s WW II Cartoons: “Gremlin Gazette’ Afternoon, Gentle Readers! A curious thing happened after a cheery celebratory digestive id inadvertently sloshed itself over the old Laptop. Although it eventually dried out over the months of June and July, but the office situation was becoming a major irritant, There was a hasty effort to replace it, […]

The COSTCO Run

The Costco Wholesale over in Chantilly is only seven miles away- seven and some change- but it is a balancing act that has distilled itself down to a stock-up trip about once a month. The Whole Foods is much more convenient-I can implore one of the The Boys to go down and across the street. […]

Air Alert & Skillet Stuffer

So, you will be seeing a lot of unusual air traffic over the next few weeks as the National State Fair Celebration kicks off on the National Mall. It is an exciting time here in your Nation’s Capital and we are NOT under sttack. At the moment, anyway. Miles says we can append one of […]