Column by Jim Dykes in the Knoxville Journal (423-584-9606), 2/8/96. (...) I had a call the other day. About the DEA. Try to keep all these damn acronyms straight: DEA is Drug Enforcement Agency. Call was from an old cowboy - well, former Air America pilot, to be more precise, CIA. (There should be a federal agency to control us old men better.) To make a long, long story short, I have some names and phone numbers of people around the country - Customs, Immigration & Naturalization, maybe even some DEA, who can discuss rather interesting money ripoff techniques by DEA agents involving Title 18, Title 21, and Title 19 of the Federal Code. There was a time when I would have busted a gut - and a phone budget - trying to snare some bent government agents. But, now ... Let me make it perfectly clear that this old persimmon really doesn't give a damn. I am long past being shocked at venality and corruption in public servants. But, if anybody wants to be a hotshot investigative reporter (and run up a helluva phone bill for his or her employer) just give me a call. (That lets a lot of you out, since it would have to be somebody I know and trust.)