Not again

With the effects of Katrina still a major influence on daily life down here in Louisiana, attention is turning to Rita with a philosophy of "not again". New Orleans, which had just begun to allow some people back into the city, is again under mandatory evacuation -- the levees are barely repaired, still leaking, and couldn't withstand a particularly strong thunderstorm right now, much less even the tiniest edge of a category 5 hurricane.

In terms of size, windspeed, and overall destruction potential, they are saying that Rita is *worse* than Katrina. Katrina destroyed New Orleans and much of the Mississippi coast as a category 4 hurricane (it downgraded from category 5 shortly before landfall). Rita is currently a category 5, and set to hit Galveston and Houston head-on.

If Rita doesn't downgrade before making landfall, it will be the only time in US history -- since records began being kept in 1851 -- that the US was hit by both a category 4 and a category 5 in one season.

This is the new future, folks. Global warming and coastal wetland erosion have conspired to make the hurricane season longer, and the hurricanes stronger, more frequent, and more devastating.

We will be keeping a close eye on this storm over here. Even though it's set to hit Texas, there's always the chance it'll turn east and hit Louisiana.

I hate this.

Hoax!!

Hi, my name is Ruby Smith, volunteer with the Humane Society of West
Louisiana! We are fielding THOUSANDS of calls from people affected by
Hurricane Katrina because we are the closest Humane Society with a working
telephone! (approximately 4 hours west of New Orleans in Rosepine, LA)

We are doing all we can but have one big problem. SPACE! We are taking as
many strays from the area as possible but are having a hard time finding
room for the family-owned pets that are having to be given up! These are
people who have NO choice but to give up their beloved pets due to this
catastrophe.

We are looking for help from "Breed Specific Rescues", or anyone, to find
homes for these babies! Currently, this is just an example of our purebred
hurricane victim dogs, who have all been very well behaved, but will be
euthanized if homes are not found.... soon!! We just don't have
SPACE!!!!!!!!!!!

3 yo Husky, very sweet, getting very depressed, is eating less and less
7yo Pomeranian, won't stop shaking unless being held?
??yo Poodle, just adorable, but shivering and very difficult to get out
of cage
1yo+ Collie, won't stop crying, unless being held
4yo Cocker Spaniel, very cute, very, very upset.

Of course, we have an abundance of "mutts" that are just as deserving as a
loving and safe home... If you know anyone who can foster/rescue these
loving animals, or any other rescue group who are willing to help out,
please contact the Humane Society of West Louisiana! It is likely that we
will be getting more and more calls from owners who are having to make the
choice of surrendering their pets, but we just do not have the room for
them!

Thank you So much!! Please, continue to pray for the victims of Katrina,
both human and pets!

Humane Society of West Louisiana Ask for Rita 337-462-3321

PS. Even if you cannot help one of these babies, yourself, you can make a
difference if you will forward this e-mail to everyone you know!! Please,
please, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This email has been making the rounds, but is actually another case of faulty information. The organisation and the phone number are real enough, but I called them and they said that the email had not been written by any of their staff, and that they in fact are in no need of foster homes at this time.

Just goest to show, take everything with a grain of salt.

(no subject)

I have succumbed to t3h 3v1l.

I ate McDonald's for lunch.

And on a related note, I will now relate (pun intended) a humourous anecdote told by my grandmother, about my uncle Don.

Driving past a McDonald's with my uncle in the back seat, my grandmother pointed out the restaurant and sing-songed "Mic-mic-mic-mic-Donald's". My uncle, not realising she was referring to the restaurant, returned with "Mic-mic-mic-mic-Mommy's!"

Crane Project

I've got about 40 cranes left to fold to make 1000. I'm going to save them for tomorrow night, while waiting for Rita to hit. This project began with a hurricane, and it'll end with one. I figure that's appropriate.

And who knows, depending on what happens maybe I'll start folding another 1000 for Rita.

Scary to think we've still got more than two months of hurricane season left.