*The valedictory piece above is penned by somebody who calls himself/herself Domani da Lontano.  The writer says he/she is “leaving the State Department” because of its “insufferable culture.” The author hopes that “a future Secretary will focus on improving the culture”  and requested that we publish “this attempt to ask that others consider how jaded we have become.”

The pen name Domani da Lontano is Italian for “tomorrow from afar.”