Sugar Honey Graham Discovers 20th Century Technology

This morning, just as I concluded a consultation about Boko Haram’s latest overtures to ISIL with a distraught Nigerian diplomat, Gretchen buzzed me on the intercom. “Mr. Collins,” she told me, “there’s this old Southern lady on Line Two. She sounds exactly like Woody Allen imitating Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.” “Did this… Continue reading Sugar Honey Graham Discovers 20th Century Technology

Did Petraeus Betray Us? Only His Mistress Knows for Sure!

My dear sister Rose’s oldest son, Hank Jr., came down to DC this week from Rhode Island, where he is studying art at Brown, in order to curate some recent modern art acquisitions for the Smithsonian. He brought along his current girlfriend, Lorelei, who is an English major. Hank Jr. dropped by my office on… Continue reading Did Petraeus Betray Us? Only His Mistress Knows for Sure!

Secret Service Seeks Sarcasm Sensitive Software

When my sister-in-law Katje gets a bug in her ear concerning a certain subject, she’s pretty much implacable. So when she called me on Wednesday to make arrangements for dinner at my place in Great Falls, Virginia Saturday night, and insisted on doing all the necessary shopping and making everything herself so my brother Rob… Continue reading Secret Service Seeks Sarcasm Sensitive Software

McAllister and Peacock on CCTV, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Climate change, with its polar vortexes and March snowstorms delayed the start of spring here in Washington DC until about five days ago. Consequently, now that it’s suddenly around eighty degrees and sunny, and very well watered after weeks of thoroughly soaking, if bone chilling rain, everything is happening at once. Instead of the usual… Continue reading McAllister and Peacock on CCTV, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Welcome to Zunzuneo, Brought to You by USAID

Last night I stopped by the Round Robin Bar before meeting Cerise to take in a performance at the Woolly Mammoth Theater.  There I saw Cabot, who is with the United States Agency for International Development Office of Transition Initiatives.  Now, USAID is associated with the State Department, and everybody knows how those folks can… Continue reading Welcome to Zunzuneo, Brought to You by USAID