Mail call this morning brought a magazine in a nondescript brown paper envelope — the sort one imagines is used for pornographic magazines. If the return address affixed to the envelope didn’t say “CTBTO Preparatory Commission,” I would have been very worried.
Turns out it is just the latest edition of CTBTO Spectrum featuring an article about Academy Award Winner Michael Douglas, who serves a “UN Messenger of Peace.” I can only image, were he still alive, what fun Jesse Helms would have had with this publication when our CTBTO contribution came up for debate.
On the cover, a man crouches with a camera. He has a camera, a notebook and thick glasses. Scando-glasses.
It’s Persbo! He’s on the fricking cover of CTBTO Spectrum!
He denies it, but I’ve seen that camera, notebook and glasses before.
Oh. My. God. We are going to tease him forever about this. The first step is to find a nickname for him.
Katherine Tiedemann suggests: “Dreamboat.” I like “Pretty Boy.” What do you think, dear readers?
Josh | May 7, 2009
I do believe that’s a Moleskine.
kerbihan | May 7, 2009
Looks like the cover of that special edition of Bird Watching: “How to Protect Yourself in an Era of Avian Flu”.
Major Lemon | May 8, 2009
Call him Captain Banana
th | May 8, 2009
Andreas is EVERYWHERE, just like Elvis!
lsxaq | May 8, 2009
I think ‘Mr. Bond’ would fit nicely, considering the glasses he is wearing is Persol which are exclusive James Bond sunglasses: http://site.sunglassextreme.com/Article_images/bondpersol.jpg
and both are on a fact finding missions.
lsxaq
Joseph Logan | May 8, 2009
When “one” imagines the nondescript brown paper envelope being used for pornographic magazines, is “one” recalling certain parcels in “one’s” own mailbox wedged between Vanity Fair and an overdue water bill?
The orange ball cap and the igloo cooler are distinctly East Tennessean, and the white coveralls suggest an Oak Ridge sort of feel. Maybe “Daniel Boom”?
anon | May 8, 2009
People still get porn thru snail mail!?..oh, how 20th century! C’mon wonks!
Sean Meyer | May 8, 2009
I hear John Kyl now – “so this is how they are going to verify the treaty – with binoculars and a notebook”
Andreas Persbo | May 9, 2009
Moleskin, Persol, 400D. Elvis. Captain Banana. I can see why you would think it is me.
While it would seem like I’m everywhere, I’m actually stuck in a lounge at JFK at the moment, with 5 hours to go until the flight.
Yossi | May 12, 2009
Andreas is a real expert on non-proliferation and writes excellent blogs.
Assuming he volunteered for the nice cover photo above, why this metaphorical gathering around him and calling names? An occidental custom left from prehistoric days?
It seems the arms control community allows extraordinary levels of inter-personal aggression between its members. More like hungry lions than peaceful sheep.
mike | May 12, 2009
How else would you expect the postal service to deliver wonk porn? Think of the children damn it!
Jeffrey Lewis | May 14, 2009
Yossi:
Andreas is a dear friend. The teasing is affectionate.