Help Wanted

Book-review editor for the Western Hemisphere for Foreign Affairs magazine. Candidate should be an academician and possess in-depth knowledge of Western Hemisphere political and cultural affairs and trends. Must have the ability to produce literate and thoughtful review and analyses of books and publications on historical, political, and social subjects related to the Western Hemisphere on a bi-monthly basis. Candidate must demonstrate absolute ability not to piss off Henry Kissinger. Salary is negotiable. Availability

Schneier on Iranian Cryptography

When Bruce Schneier speaks, everybody listens. In his latest Cryptogram he effectively describes just how complicated the Chalabi betrayal has become. We might have know, they might have known, they might have known that we knew, and we might have known that they knew... and so on. Most interesting is that the world's secrets are being kept by private companies, like Crypto AG, and we're relying on market forces to ensure that they produce an effective, secure product. If they're considered suspect or compromised, they're out of business. For all but the most powerful countries (the U.S.), this is what you rely on to ensure that your communications are secure.

Nunn: too pleased

I spent last night on a downtown DC roof deck with a group of people who can only be described as inside. Their clear consensus is that John Kerry's running mate has all but been chosen and it will be former GA Senator Sam Nunn. This squares with what I heard Kerry tell a small group of big donors not long ago that he does not believe he can win without the South and his Veep choice will reflect this. And all this time I thought he was talking about Mary Landrieu...

You think you have a bad job?

Scott McClellan has to go into a room the size of a mop closet twice a day with 30 of the world's sharpest journalists and answer for his boss. From today's lashing: Q Why do you say you've made it clear on Geneva Conventions when it's -- obviously, they've been violated ever since we went into Iraq? MR. McCLELLAN: Are you talking about the abuses that occurred at Abu Ghraib? Q And Guantanamo and everywhere else. MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know what specifically you're referring to, everywhere else...

Nightmare on K Street

twin towers What's the only thing worse than a DC lobbyist? How about a DC lobbyist who has learned how to clone himself.... Tommy and Timmy Keating--you can't make this stuff up--specialize in asbestos liability reform.