Observations and eavesdropping in Washington DC

*A long queue to get into the Pentagon through the main security office where bags have to go through the x-ray machine and people are checked for metal. A shapely black woman walks through the metal-detector frame and sets it off. She is sent back and forth and still the machine doesn't like her. She is wearing tight trousers and a black top. The black security man is getting exasperated. "Lift your pants, Ma'am." She looks doubtful. "Ma'am, lift your pants." Still no response. "Ma'am, I want to see your legs." "Don't we all," muttered one of those waiting in the queue. She got it, at last, and hitched up her trousers to reveal her ankles. No sign of anything dubious there. "Okay, Ma'am, you can go through."

*Admiral Eric Olson, the first US Navy Seal to be given command of the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, desribes the direct action his men get involved in in Iraq and Afghanistan: "Manhunting, killing, capturing the enemy, or habeas grabas." He had been introduced by the chairman of the conference as having a reputation "tougher than a woodpecker's lips."

*At a "gaggle" (a gathering of journalists) in the office of the then head of the Press Office at the Pentagon, following a background briefing about military aid to Pakistan, all the assembled US hacks, broadcasters and print, are outraged that it was on background and not on the record. A female reporter from one of the networks, cries: "What am I going to tell my viewers? They will want to know why this was on background. I shall have to write that it was on background because the subject was so sensitive. Would I be right to say that?"

"I'm not telling you why it was on background, other than to say that some briefings are on background and some are on the record, and this one was on background," the longstanding head of press honcho replies wearily.

"But I've got to be able to inform my viewers why this one was on background. I don't understand why you can't give us the reason," she persisted.

"All I'm saying is that this was on background. If you don't like that then you don't have to come," the official says.

Get a life, lady, he should have added.

*I get emailed to me all the twitterings from the White House pool reporters who report every cough, spit and golf swing of The President. What a life they lead. Obama is always referred to as POTUS (work it out). Here's an average type of dispatch.

"POTUS had a nine-holer this morning, and nearly got a birdie on the fourth, Went for a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains with FL (First Lady), told to say this wasn't a holiday, just a short break from work. Retired early, around 9.30pm, said he had a lot to do the next day,  North Korea, Iran, the Republicans in general and Sarah Palin in particular - 'Hell, Veep (Vice-Pres) said on TV he liked her, fancied her moose-ass more like' - Secret Service guys - Bob, Bill, George and Sally - in position for the night. Nite nite Mr President, SIR."

*Love the Washington Examiner, a free sheet and excrutiatingly anti-Obama and right wing, so great fun to read for a laugh. Been a lot of stuff about a bunch of Navy SEALs who have been up before the judge for beating up nasty Iraqi types after the murder of four American contractors some time ago. Latest story is the acquittal of a SEAL who stood by while fellow SEAL did the beating. Headline: "Navy SEAL of Acquittal, Not Guilty of giving boo-boo to captured terror suspect." Doncha just love it.

*Walking down King's Street in Old Town Alexandria, my home town, I spot a chef-looking type standing outside a restaurant with a plastic bucket and a protruding spoon with something on the end of it. "Frozen custard, taste it!" Not on your Nellie mate, thanks all the same. Looked more like frozen Polyfilla.