Terry Tate

If it's any consolation, they didn't taste any better when they were brand new. C-Rats were far better at the time. There was an awful lot of experimentation with the first MRE's. When they found they were bad enough that many were adding tabasco to them, they solved the problem by including tabasco. I'm pretty sure I'm still carrying around a package of those crackers in me somewhere.

The evacuee shelters would definitely be a step up in living conditions for some of the people in my area. Especially if their crappy shacks/trailers just went through a cat 4 hurricane. I don't think I'd want to be the one to say it first though. Probably start fewer fights telling people their baby is ugly.

Apparently the only posts of mine you have read are in direct response to you, because I have criticized Bush and the GOP on numerous occasions. A man who now has more experience managing federal hurricane relief (Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne last year) than anyone else I can think of, so I'm don't understand why this is such an important issue for you. The hire certainly seems justified by his performance up to, and possibly including, the largest natural disaster in our nation's history. Worthy of public critique? Perhaps. People make mistakes; poor communications after a hurricane is always an issue. 32,000 rescues, 182,000 people housed in 559 shelters, 7,000 FEMA responders, 4,000 US Coast Guard, 43,000 National Guard, 15,000 Active Duty Military, 11,300,000 MRE's and 18,000,000 liters of water distributed, and you're complaining the FEMA head was fired by some horse association years ago. I don't believe that statement accurately describes either of our posts, but neither of us are the casual observer, now are we? I see you still haven't gotten the memo about being fired as my personal spokesman. I'll go ahead and make sure you get another copy of that.

I predict an undefeated championship season every year. Go Bills! Woo-hoo!

No argument with that; Florida has had some practice at this. I don't know how much coverage one particular aspect has been given. When we were hit by Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne last year, the miles-long convoys of tree, power and phone trucks from every CONUS state in the union were something to see. Being at the scene and seeing the groups of 30-40 trucks and their crews from all over, along with all the Red Cross, FEMA, Salvation Army - here in your town, not some far away place on TV - it was just incredible. I was very much appreciative of all the efforts I saw; I don't recall anyone calling for the FEMA's director's resignation because he wasn't capable of watching TV. I've seen a number of those convoys since Katrina hit, but this time they're Florida trucks heading out to help out our neighbors.

I was agreeing with the latest sophmoric trend in stating the FEMA director is unqualified, albeit sarcastically. So personal insults are ok when you do it, but not anyone else - ok counsellor. From FEMA's web site: Under Secretary Brown has led Homeland Security’s response to more than 164 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster and the California wildfires in 2003. In 2004, Mr. Brown led FEMA’s thousands of dedicated disaster workers during the most active hurricane season in over 100 years, as FEMA delivered aid more quickly and more efficiently than ever before. Maybe he doesn't meet your standard for initial hire, but it sure sounds like he's had plenty of OJT. Having lived through the hurricanes in Florida last year, I can tell you FEMA's response was certainly appreciated here. I'd like to know where all the juvenile "he's not qualified" posts were then. I guess you weren't an expert on selecting FEMA directors last year, huh? It's bad enough you can't recognize you don't know what the F you're talking about, but to further embarrass yourself by continuing to argue it is just, well, you. Mickey for FEMA director - he's capable of watching TV!

I understand the line of reasoning, but I would probably characterize it as common rather than traditional. One of the original associate justices was actually nominated for CJ, but was never confirmed. To support the theory, there have been only three sitting associate justices elevated to CJ: Edward White (1910-1921), Harlan Stone (1941-1946), and William Rehnquist (1986-2005). Charles Hughes served as an associate, resigned, and was later nominated as CJ (1930-1941). So three out of sixteen. Four if you count Charles Hughes.

On the upside, it's gotta be eating up Charles Manson to be missing all this.

More to the point, NO is still part of this country, and no one is fleeing across international borders to avoid persecution. If that caught your eye, I have a better one for you. The misuse of "refugee" is not quite as bad as the anchor I heard refer to armed thugs looting the city of NO as "rebel forces, if you will". Honestly, if I were the producer, I would have replaced her at the next commercial break (only to avoid a scene on camera).

I think glass-half-empty folks are already doing what makes them happy. You can always ignore them. They'll identify each other, and commiserate about how all the hopeful outlookers are idiots and they're the smartest guys in the room. Not the way I like to go about things, but it apparently works for some.

Bush should've hired someone with experience in directing a federal government organization that has dealt with a cat 4 hurricance followed by a levee break and flood of an entire city. Idiot.

Roberts is stupid. Let's throw rocks at him. BTW, I'm a genius. Really.

Guy who wears makeup on TV. It's the in thing now; everyone's doing it. Best place to get your news, ever. I guess Keith got his resume in ahead of the other 400 sportscasters who apply for every anchor job, and didn't have to go the "human windsock" route of the rest of the "journalist/reporters", getting his "street cred" by getting his hair done and standing in front of the camera in a khaki shirt with epulets.

I really hate the rule that doesn't let the Bills game plan for the other teams. It's so unfair. They don't stand a chance.

Two words for all the doomsayers - don't watch.

AAAAAAAAH! Sorry. Involuntary reaction. Carry on.

Good job. I want to state it again here - someone mentioned looking into making donations through your employer, as many of them match either a portion, in whole, or exceed employee charitable donations. And cash donations are in no way a small thing. Everyone's situation is different; time to just do what you can.

Thank you. Can't be said enough. If anyone knows of any other useful contributions we can make besides immediate cash donations to the Red Cross, I would find that a lot more useful right now than the Monday Morning QB'ing going on. Money. Food drives. Cash. Blood drives. Someone mentioned donating through employers that match funds - one of the best posts this week - forgot all about that aspect.

A guy who wears makeup on TV sensationalizing a tragedy. Never saw that coming.

May God bless you and yours. Thank your wife for us, and thank you for supporting her. The only support I can offer right now is to contribute what I can afford to the Red Cross to help pay for efforts like this. Families like yours are what make communities and our nation great.

I propose establishing a "Camp Stadium Wall" outside the White House. We stay until the President and his cabinet meet with us personally and answer the question of why aren't they dropping water out of planes. Meet you there. I'm gonna have to stop and buy gas first.

Not sure which one you're looking for. I don't know if Venice Beach has a paper. Here's one from the Santa Monica Mirror. USA Today's story was pretty good, too.

A guy who gets paid to wear makeup on TV sensationalizing a tragedy. Never saw that coming.

And add the "sent from a friend of a friend" at the beginning, and I guess I can see your guys' point, but it didn't occur to me until it was brought up. But for all the bad news in the aftermath (looters), I don't doubt there are some heroes in the making down there too. There always are.

Actually, the ratings numbers they give each team mean the 'smart' money - that is, the safest bet is first on the Patriots, then Jets before the Bills to win the division. The point they make is the Bills bet is a good small money additional bet, because they feel the payoff far exceeds the risk. Those gambling sites are ridiculous anyway. You ever see their commercials with the guy yelling "LEAD PIPE CINCH!" or "THIS WEEK'S LOCK!". The goal is to generate action. Of course, I may still visit a sports book this weekend...