(I heard the holiday greeting issued from someplace near the White House yesterday. It was about having a good “long weekend.” We have those periodically through the year, but this one is not “long.” For some it is forever. The vistas of Washington used to captivate me. An accidental project seemed to draw me in- […]

(The famous Marine Corps Monument on the National Mall. Sculpture by Felix W. de Weldon from an image of personnel of Company E, Second Battalion, USMC, by AP Photographer Joe Rosenthal, taken 23 February, 1945). Cool rain coming in on the Piedmont, a couple days of it according to the Lady in Red on local […]

Editor’s Note: Sorry, the events of the week have cascaded into production gridlock at Socotra House. HR distributed a questionnaire to ascertain inclinations of the staff on sensitive social matters, micro-irritations and the direct impact of events that happened to people you might have heard of in some other historical era, and relative willingness to […]

John William Warner, 18 February 1927-25 May 2021 Senator, Secretary of the Navy, Gentleman (Above: John Warner being presented an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth in 2009. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock) As you are aware, Socotra House attempts to keep a respectful account of the departure of people who have shared- or shaped- the events of this […]

Goodness, there is a lot to cover this week! Some of it is sort of fun. Other parts are weird. Some of that seem to be part of madness. There is word the new Department of Defense Budget will be proposed on Friday, and it contains lots of fun items. That is in parallel to […]

(This is the Long Green Table used for staff meetings. It is normally more vibrant, but Legal gave the opinion that having the people who sit at the LGT in the picture could be used by others to identify potential non-linear thinkers, militia members or other threats to good order and discipline. A training unit […]

We have been talking about them for a couple decades. They came the last time a little short of two decades ago. They were a trip- big bugs long as most of finger. Cool looking, efficient wings and a loud voice. Up North in Arlington and the DC sprawl west they were staggering in number. […]

(SS Savanah underway on Steam Power, 1819). If you were expecting some news about the Brood X Cicada outbreak you will have to wait. It is May 22 today, and one to honor one of those things on our National Calendar. You may still be celebrating National NASCAR and Pizza Party Day, which of course […]

What a morning! Up just past 0600 as the ambivalence of the pre-dawn Piedmont faded into a warm and golden dawn. A massive high pressure airmass embraces the land below, the greenery is nearly full and the fresh-cut pastures are welcoming in their lighter green abundance. It promises to be an excellent country day. I […]

We could have used a Letter of Marque to deal with the Colonial pipeline hack attack. Of course, I am not a nation state, though I do have a certain undocumented leaning in that direction. What is such a letter? Essentially, it is authorization to hire a pirate to punish people who screw with you. […]