# Brownie did a heck of a job. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 3, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318 "2005-11-03T17:51:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/21 "2005-11-03T22:59:01Z")
He should have said “hell” of a job. Because it was literally HELL. God, I don’t know whether to cry or puke. I just wish the direct links weren’t PDF files, which my computer can’t handle. ( **light strand** , you might want to warn people when you link to PDFs.) ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/22 "2005-11-03T23:07:57Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I’m glad he’s gone. He hasn’t gone anywhere. He’s still pulling a cool 145 large a year of our money. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/23 "2005-11-03T23:54:31Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > What he meant was, “The sooner we can get the medical patients out, the sooner we can get the DMAT staff out.” > > Sure, it wasn’t phrased in the clearest possible way, but I’m willing to cut THE ONLY FEMA OFFICAL IN NOLA some slack. God forbid that the head of a vitally important emergency agency have the ability to produce clear written communication. Stressed or no, most professionals with considerably less responsibility are able to write a simple sentence without introducing confusing ambiguities through inept use of grammar. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/24 "2005-11-03T23:55:50Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > I don’t watch the tv news. Cuz it sucks. > > Can anybody tell me if this will be or has it been covered on the tv news? Both ABC and CBS covered the “fashion God” emails tonight. CBS segued between them, shots of the disaster, Bush telling Brownie he was doing a heck of a job, and Brownie sticking up for himself at senate hearings. TV news does frequently suck, but not _always_. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/25 "2005-11-03T23:59:34Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > You actually found Brown defenders? Yeppers. Bush defended him, and so did some people here at the Dope. It was all the fault of the locals - the people who “chose” to not leave either because they had no transportation, or were blocked by the Gretna police - and the mayor - and the governor. FEMA according to them was doing “a heckofa job”. and ay criticism was met by “wait until all the facts are in” or some variation of “liberal bastards who hate America”. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/26 "2005-11-04T00:03:51Z")
Well then…are the facts now in? Are we allowed to judge? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/27 "2005-11-04T00:08:04Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Well then…are the facts now in? Are we allowed to judge? Not sure just yet. Are you gonna judge he was good, or bad? ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/28 "2005-11-04T00:09:54Z")
While I don’t think Brown was a competent leader, I also think that publicly releasing most of those emails was dirty and unwarranted. A lot of the things that people are harping on the most, like the emails about food, clothes, dog sitters, and so on, seem like a complete non-issue, and I find a lot of the outrage surrounding them completely ridiculous. Yes, he was making jokes. Yes, he was worried about his image. Yes, he didn’t have a dog sitter. So fucking what? Worrying about your image is OK, in fact, it’s sort of mandatory if you’re a public figure. Joking is OK, even when you have a really important job. It’s how a lot of people deal with stress. And even people in important positions have to eat and make arrangements for their pets. Of the entire bundle of emails, most seem needless and inflamatory. The truly outrageous emails are the ones that aren’t getting as much attention: Take the one where he asks a subordinate who’s just outlined some serious problems and in response he asks if theirs anything he can “tweak” or specific actions he should take. _That_ kind of email is evidence of weak and incompetent leadership. That was the problem, and that should be what the focus is on. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/29 "2005-11-04T00:24:20Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > He should have said “hell” of a job. Because it was literally HELL. > > God, I don’t know whether to cry or puke. I just wish the direct links weren’t PDF files, which my computer can’t handle. > > ( **light strand** , you might want to warn people when you link to PDFs.) I am really sorry. My home computer hates them too, but I was at work, and didn’t even realize it was a pdf. Sorry again. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/30 "2005-11-04T00:29:46Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Of the entire bundle of emails, most seem needless and inflamatory. The truly outrageous emails are the ones that aren’t getting as much attention: > Take the one where he asks a subordinate who’s just outlined some serious problems and in response he asks if theirs anything he can “tweak” or specific actions he should take. _That_ kind of email is evidence of weak and incompetent leadership. That was the problem, and that should be what the focus is on. I speak for no one else, but that was the one that bothered me. You have to keep this in context, though: his questions about his appearance and dog-sitter wouldn’t look so bad if Brown hadn’t failed so miserably at the job he was supposed to be doing. If FEMA had done a bang-up job, nobody would have asked for these e-mails, but even if they’d leaked out somehow, it wouldn’t be a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/31 "2005-11-04T01:01:06Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > You actually found Brown defenders? “What can Brown do for you?” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/32 "2005-11-04T01:16:29Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > “What can Brown do for you?” Nothing! Nothing! Keep him away from me! OK, I’m on fire! I’ll deal with it! ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/33 "2005-11-04T01:28:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Nothing! Nothing! Keep him away from me! OK, I’m on fire! I’ll deal with it! Just stop screaming long enough to write him an email with a specific task (e.g., “please use the fire extinguisher in the pantry to extinguish the flames currently consuming my flesh”) and he’ll forward the email on to a subordinate within a week. ---
**Author:** ![lonesome\_loser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@lonesome\_loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lonesome_loser)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/34 "2005-11-04T02:29:40Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > [Link](http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/03/brown.fema.emails/index.html). > > Wow. Has anyone had a chance to read some of these emails? They are amazing. I used to work with a puts like that, and it drove me abso-fricken-lutly crazy. But I laughed at the secretary telling him to roll his sleeves up to look busy. The complete non-responses were depressing, and negligent, but the half-assed responses are comedy gold. > > He testified to congress of his accomplished leadership skills, yet sought advice on how to dress. The emails at some points sound like a 7th grader IMing. > > **And he’s still getting paid by FEMA.** > > And Chertoff refuses to relese the emails between them. A cool 146k a year. Great work if you can get it. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/35 "2005-11-04T02:38:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I speak for no one else, but that was the one that bothered me. > > You have to keep this in context, though: his questions about his appearance and dog-sitter wouldn’t look so bad if Brown hadn’t failed so miserably at the job he was supposed to be doing. If FEMA had done a bang-up job, nobody would have asked for these e-mails, but even if they’d leaked out somehow, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Right. If he had done a bang-up job AND kept up his appearance and found a dog sitter, he’d’ve been doing a heckuva job. But the fact is, he couldn’t even make a decision about his fucking SHIRT, let alone the job he was supposed to be doing. The “tweak” email was appalling to me because it could be roughly translated as “What do you want me to do? Just tell me what to do, because I haven’t got the foggiest idea. YOU tell me, and I’ll sign it. K?” ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/36 "2005-11-04T02:41:00Z")
I too use a knife. But instead of rolling I fold the dough loosely, then cut with a VERY sharp meat cleaver. (Dull knives tear and smush.) Sometimes if I’m bored I sit in front of the TV and roll little odd sized noodles out between my hands. They’re variably lumpy and have pointy ends. They serve up purty that way. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/37 "2005-11-04T02:42:08Z")
sorry, too many windows. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/38 "2005-11-04T02:44:22Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > sorry, too many windows. I’m really glad you clarified that… ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/39 "2005-11-04T03:00:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I’m really glad you clarified that… Yes, it’s definitely better suited to the CIA gulags/torture thread. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318/40 "2005-11-04T03:43:26Z")
**Metacom** , I see your point, but take into consideration this: He cleary took the time and energy to reply to the emails on daily minutiae. The vastly more important emails were ignored or only garnered a dismissive reply. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-did-a-heck-of-a-job/329318.md?page=3)