"... I have a briefing with the president in exactly half an hour, and because we all know he doesn't bother to read the daily intelligence briefing, it will fall to me to explain what the hell is going on. So explain it to me. Use small words on me so I can use smaller words on him...."
Mr Scalzi, you scare me. This book is supposed to be published next spring. Means you wrote it last year(?).