Morris May Day Weekend

zombie_dog said it better than I would have, so i'm just going to mirror him.

Morris Announcements

Tonight: Dance-Out in Silver Spring

When: Tonight, from 8pm to Pub o' Clock
Where: Ellsworth Avenue, between Fenton and Georgia. This should help.

What: The Foggy Bottom boys will do an informal dance set, then we will proceed to the Quarry House or a similar tavern to go have food and drink.

This event is a great excuse to see the Foggs in action without having to commit to a full event or pay anything. It's informal, it's short, and it's followed by good food and beer. Hope to see you there!

This event is walkable from the metro.

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Saturday: May Revels at the National Arboretum

When: Saturday, April 29 from 10:00am to 2:00pm-ish. The Foggs will dance around noon.
Where: The National Arboretum.

What: The May Revels is an annual event, and this year there's a small celebration at the National Arboretum in addition to the one at the Audubon next week.

The Foggies will be dancing in full kit for this event and will be dancing for longer than tonight's gig, but it's still free. This is a good opportunity to experience some Revelsy things outside of their normal winter trappings.

This event is also walkable from the metro.

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Hope to see a few of you there.

In addition, Monday is MayDay, May 1st.  The schedule for dance is:

• O-Dark:00 - dawn dance at Takoma Park Gazebo
• 10:30ish - Botanical Gardens, downtown
• 12:00ish - Library of Congress

followed by a pub stop. :)

and for our next trick...

No Se Nada: the magic wand: we'll just call FEMA "NPRA" instead!:

the real story here is the main recommendation of the Collins/Lieberman report:

Our first foundational recommendation is to abolish FEMA and replace it with a stronger, more capable structure, to be known as the National Preparedness and Response Authority (NPRA). To take full advantage of the substantial range of resources DHS has at its disposal, NPRA will remain within DHS. Its Director would be assured of having sufficient access and clout by having the rank of Deputy Secretary, and having a direct line of communication to the President during catastrophes.

Ummm.....ok. I guess. So you're going to abolish FEMA, which is an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. And you're going to replace it with NPRA, another agency within DHS. And this new agency is going to have all the same roles and responsibilities as the old FEMA (see below), and -- if I know how the government works -- is going to have all the same people as FEMA. Really, the only thing that's going to change is:

* The director of the new NPRA will directly communicate with POTUS during catastrophes (very good)
* The big yellow letters on the back of the jackets will change from FEMA to NPRA
* The stationary and business cards will all similarly change

Way to go, team! You solved the problem!! Just rename FEMA!!

What part of "FEMA didn't actually use the substantial range of resources that DHS has at its disposal with Katrina" didn't they actually recall from the hearings?  For that matter, what about the whole hassle of DHS not actually having any real money or resources to start with, having shelled it all out on unused infrastructure pieces and random pet projects, none of which have produced a single suspected terrorist yet in any way that wasn't going to happen with the original agencies to start with?