Author: Vic Socotra

Arrias: Strategic Lessons

Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, the man who led the planning and execution of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 (among other things) was quoted as saying that “Errors in tactics can be corrected in the next battle, but errors in strategy can only be corrected in the next war.” His point, accurate then […]

Mild Concern

Sorting things out on a Tuesday is always a challenge, as you well know. We had been talking to a fellow yesterday at the tobacco hut while on the stock-up swing. He was interesting. He had started his life in a place called Yemen, a place we knew and which owns Great Socotra Island. and […]

Arrias: Thoughts on A Recent Trip

I just finished an eight-day trip during which I drove a tad more than 2,700 miles and, for what it’s worth, here are some comments and thoughts on life in general and life in America… The trip was to attend the funeral Mass, and then the burial, of a dear friend, a Marine Colonel, named […]

Coming Ashore Shopping Alert

Bear with us for a sec. We have to work the counter-messaging angle on this information torrent. International, Domestic, all that stuff is peaking like the waves coming ashore in a storm surge. Creative Section Leader DeMille got us in trouble with Socotra House Management last week about conveying a ‘sense of alarm.’ We forget […]

Storm Clouds

We started this morning with a marvelous road report about America in the last few weeks. It conained not only an account of some of the ordinary wonders we take for granted in this fine land, but also the assorted treasure of friendship, family and life itself. We prefer to start the new week with […]

Aces and Eights

We had anticipated a longer appreciation featuring that woman in the upper left of the poker hand held by wild Bill Hickok immediately before his violent saloon ambush murder. He is on the right. Hannah Arendt is the philosopher on the left, though probably interpreted as on the right these days. Her quote is worth […]

Thermodor & Interrobang

It was swarm of data yesterday, dumped in lumps into a ripe August day warm-tinged with moisture under bright sun and clouds that danced gently over Big Pink’s placid pool. The Salts, some still wet from immersion, were arrayed in general loose order, some still in the java phase of the morning and others already […]

Iran-Israel: Dramatic Response Expected 12-13 August 2024

Item in brief: Iran attack on Israel likely within Two Weeks. Massive country-wide rocket and air strikes expected with land incidents on/around Golan Heights possible. Highest point of vulnerability after sunset on 12 August though activity near onset possible for effect. Validity: High generally, though not actionable by private citizens. Reasons for the alert is […]

Direct & Dramatic Response

So, this was about as dramatic as storm clouds get in this life. But not off the top this morning. The dancing messages start the litany of vectors to them. We were told about the biggest US-Russia prisoner swap since the Cold War, more gold medals for the US, and more. The top of the […]

Faces in the Messages

Management had a simple message in the text it sent to frame the morning Management had a simple message in the text it sent to frame the morning production meeting. We assume they intended us to read it before the meeting developed the Daily product, and the contribution to the book they are supposed to […]