Hellbound

So hey, I'm going on vacation slightly north of here.

It doesn't sound like raithen and family and animals are on evacuation watch yet, though. So that's all right.

(no subject)

Sobering column by Maureen Dowd at the New York Times (free registration may be required).

I've been thinking for a long time now that what the Iraq situation has been crying out for is some decent PR. I don't mean spin and "everything's-just-fabulous", I mean clear communication from the occupying force about its goals, activities, and challenges: "We want to help you. Here's what we're doing to restore water and power and public order. Here is our estimated timeline for doing it. Here's what's been hampering us." Managing expectations, in other words.

What really baffles me is that so many of the morons in Washington still don't seem to have a clue why the Iraqi people have no reason to trust them. All along there's been this sort of wounded "why don't they like us?" tone.

Unfortunately it seems like things may have gone beyond the power of PR to fix.