conveying a positive image

i'm not separately writing entries about all the fuck-ups i'm encountering, but am just collecting them. i don't have a good way of marking what's new, because i don't want to futz around with HTML, i want to keep reading primary sources.

however, this one, this one just chafes my butt too damn much. i've had it up to my eyeballs with michael brown, the unqualified dimwit in charge of FEMA, who has been busy lying to the press instead of taking responsibility.

now an internal memo has come to light.

The government's disaster chief waited until hours after Hurricane Katrina had already struck the Gulf Coast before asking his boss to dispatch 1,000 Homeland Security workers to support rescuers in the region - and gave them two days to arrive, according to internal documents.

Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29. Brown said that among duties of these employees was to "convey a positive image" about the government's response for victims.

convey a positive image. form over content. i am so mad i could spit venom.

on the lighter side

the little black cat whom we are not adopting slept in my bed last night. first she took a tour above the covers, then below, purring loudly all along.

the paramour calls her "tripwire". i call her "little black cat", because once she has a name, it's all over.

tomorrow i really should go to the neighbours (the ones opposite our driveway), because i am still thinking she could be theirs and just likes hanging with us better because we actually pay attention to cats. she's clearly not feral. maybe i could put a collar on her with a note "call us if this is your cat, cause otherwise i'm taking her to the humane society".

oops, not so light a side. i don't like taking cats to the shelter. i will die a skeery curmudgeonly old person in a rocking chair on the porch of a decrepit house full of cats, no doubt about it.

wireless volunteers

hey, none of my CU pals has written about this yet:

Last week, Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network launched the "Katrina Community Wireless Rapid Response" project to funnel grass-roots offers toward areas in need.

this might be the sort of thing for which people in war_on_error want to be on the lookout. head on over there, btw, and help brainstorm, if you have a moment.

abbott and costello at the white house

from today's white house press briefing:

Q Scott, does the President retain confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security?

MR. McCLELLAN: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We're focused on solving problems, and we're doing everything we can --

Q What about the question?

MR. McCLELLAN: We're doing everything we can in support --

Q We know all that.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.

Q Does he retain complete confidence --

MR. McCLELLAN: We're going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I'm just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you're trying to get me to engage.

Q Okay, but that's not at all what I was asking.

MR. McCLELLAN: Sure it is. It's exactly what you're trying to play.

Q You have your same point you want to make about the blame game, which you've said enough now. I'm asking you a direct question, which you're dodging.

MR. McCLELLAN: No --

Q Does the President retain complete confidence in his Director of FEMA and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: I just answered the question.

Q Is the answer "yes" on both?

MR. McCLELLAN: And what you're doing is trying to engage in a game of finger-pointing.

Q There's a lot of criticism. I'm just wondering if he still has confidence.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and blame-gaming. What we're trying to do is solve problems, David. And that's where we're going to keep our focus.

Q So you're not -- you won't answer that question directly?

MR. McCLELLAN: I did. I just did.

Q No, you didn't. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn't he?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that's fine --

Q Scott, that's ridiculous. I'm not engaging in any of that.

MR. McCLELLAN: It's not ridiculous.

Q Don't try to accuse me of that. I'm asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said -- that's exactly what you're engaging in.

Q I'm not engaging in anything. I'm asking you a question about what the President's views are --

MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely -- absolutely --

Q -- under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. Okay? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that, as well.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you're trying to engage in a blame game.

Q I'm trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q I am trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Q That's a dodge.

[... quite a number of other questions ...]

Q Scott, you declined in this news conference to express the President's explicit confidence in Secretary Chertoff or Director Brown --

MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely not.

Q In the past you've said anyone who serves in this administration does so at the pleasure of the President and with his full confidence.

MR. McCLELLAN: This is an attempt by some in this room to engage in finger-pointing and blame game and I'm just not going to do that. I've made it very clear --

Q Can you say the President has full confidence?

MR. McCLELLAN: I've made it very clear -- and the President spoke about them last week, and his comments stand, in terms of what he has said about the great work that they have been doing round-the-clock, 24 hours a day, to help people on the ground. There are some in this room that want to continue to engage in that. We're going to continue to focus on solving problems and getting help to people on the ground.

If you all want to continue to engage in that, that's fine. But we appreciate the efforts of Secretary Chertoff, Undersecretary Brown, and all the others at FEMA and at the state and local level that are working round-the-clock to help the people in the region.

Thank you.