Joke of the day for those who haven’t heard:

The new attitude of the “FEMA of 2008″, as FEMA Director R. David Paulison reportedly said at a recent U.S. Senate hearing, is that ice is not a life-saving commodity.

To cut the cake-spending, FEMA officials reportedly announced that the agency will no longer directly offer ice to victims after a disaster such as a hurricane. The revelation has caused a storm of protest, and anyone who’s suffered through any hurricane, especially Katrina or Rita, would probably beg to join in and disagree.

Ice – that “commodity” treat of frozen life-saving water, is actually a life-saving necessity, especially when the power is out for miles around and stores are closed for days, weeks, or even months.

Word is, FEMA is slipping the ice job over to the Army Corps of Engineers who will only provide ice on request to a state facing an emergency, to be used for medical emergencies.