Author: Vic Socotra

Conspiracies

(Our neighbor Captain Mike Grove, USA, is leading the funeral cortege up Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, bringing President Kennedy’s remains to lie in state under the Capitol Dome. Photo AP). Dawn is just coming up. I have to be at the farm, but I was not going to try to get there in the deep […]

Forever ‘63

(A woman named Moorman took this Polaroid image at the precise moment between the shots that killed the President. The Grassy Knoll is in the background. Photo Bettman Archive). It is snowing some places in this great country. It is not here, a small consideration as the beginning of the Holidays is upon us. But […]

The Central Mystery

(This portion of the central entrance is all that is left of the building in which we heard the news: Barnum Junior High School, in Grabbingham, Michigan.) “I was in Dallas yesterday to manage a contract shut-down and spent the day in Dealey plaza. I will send you some videos and photos if that is […]

Yams On Parade

Placid Jamie could barely contain herself, waiting for the Lovely Bea to arrive at the Amen Corner. She had something she wanted to give us, and was very mysterious about it. Old Jim leaned over to me at Willow, pushing his Bud long-neck aside to get closer. “I want to talk about yams.” “What about […]

Compliance

(Jon-without sets up an impromptu phone booth and compliance space inside the front door at Willow last night. Photo Chanteuse Mary). Yesterday’s story regarded the round of severe budget cuts that are coming to the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. It prompted a couple thoughtful replies, which naturally I ignored. Hahaha- no, the […]

Guns and Butter

(General Martin Dempsey, CJCS, talks to reporters about that boring budget crap. Photo ABC). We are at the point where we really ought to get a cup of Starbucks and talk about where we are going. I am deliberately staying away from talking about the health care thing, except to note that it clearly is […]

Tis the Season

(ATN Aries MK 410 Spartan NVG rifle scope). I heard the first gunshot of this deer-hunting season yesterday around 0550. I was mildly surprised, since it was still as dark as the inside of a black cat on a moonless night. Actually, it was two shots, blam blam. Then silence. It looked like someone got […]

Blue Ribbon Panels

(Mac and Elizabeth-with-an-S at Willow). It is the start of deer season here this morning. I have heard no gunfire, though I have been listening, and am going to avoid going in the woods for the rest of the month. In the spirit of the hunting season, and the astonishing developments back up North in […]

Feels Like Old Times

(Naval Intelligence legend and Babe Magnet Admiral “Mac” Shower with The Lovely Bea at the Willow, 2011. Photo Socotra). I spent a couple minutes yesterday bringing you up to speed on the scandals plaguing Naval Intelligence at the moment. There are two, events of which are unheard of, in my time in the business. One […]

Scandals

It is past time to talk about it. You know what I mean, if you have been following any of the revelations that are sending shock-waves through the Navy in the Pacific, and like a Tsunami, the reverberations are stirring the normally placid brown water of the Potomac. I have no idea who these guys […]