Baked Brains Sink Campaigns

We have a saying here in the Nation’s Capital that the difference between Hell and Washington, DC in the summer is that Hell has dry heat.  Truth be told, thanks to global warming, the winters here have been getting warmer for decades and, with that strange paradoxical quality with which that phenomenon affects such things,… Continue reading Baked Brains Sink Campaigns

At Least He Can Pronounce “Nuclear”

As has been usual for a while now, my brother Rob Roy and my nephew Jason dropped by at eleven on Saturday and I proceeded give Jason his weekly cooking lesson.  The lad’s been picking it up quite well, I must say.  Last week, for example, he made mayonnaise from scratch, using organic eggs, yellow Umbrian… Continue reading At Least He Can Pronounce “Nuclear”

Unsportsmanlike Behavior

It’s been an incredibly busy week, and more remarkable because it’s a week in July, and the stock market has traditionally waited until autumn to deflate the fantasies of greedy investors.  The gods of commerce apparently decided to get started early this time, handing all those starry-eyed dreamers the stock market’s worst performance in five… Continue reading Unsportsmanlike Behavior

Bombs Bursting Over There

Cerise and I romped until dawn, so it wasn’t all that pleasant to be awakened at 8:38 this morning by a telephone call, but Caller ID said it was from my sister Rose, therefore filial duty required that I pick up instead of letting it roll over into voice mail. Rose: Tom, Hank’s scared to… Continue reading Bombs Bursting Over There

Appraising the Family Jewels

Washington summers are legendary for their heat and humidity, and it’s often told that, before the advent of air conditioning, employees at the British Embassy received hardship pay, as if they were stationed in New Delhi or Rangoon.  In days of yore, then, it is easy to comprehend why Washington ran down like a neglected… Continue reading Appraising the Family Jewels