Over the Rhine concert tonight with Carrie at a viennese coffee house... in Virginia. Fabulous.

Awe and concern over the rest of the world's response to our disaster here in the super-competent US of A. The latest London papers were bashing us for our slow response, unfavourably comparing slow disaster relief after Katrina to the swift takeover of Iraq. Meanwhile Nigeria is offering our government monetary help, and Sri Lanka has already donated generously to the Red Cross.

I'm loathe to return to an environment where America-bashing is so fashionable. How can I be gracious and sensible without getting all worked up and defensive?