This one is serious.

Hurricane Katrina will be the fourth Category 5 hurricane to strike the continental United States. The referenced warning speaks volumes about the danger this storm brings. I have quoted the more poignant portion of the National Weather Service dispatch in case the link expires.

HURRICANE KATRINA
A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL. PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE
CERTAIN WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

ONCE TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ONSET...DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE!

Slush Drawer No More

New look, new name, same Donnie-- but the name does reflect change. It can mean all sorts of things, and it's meant to be ambiguous. More on the name another time. For now, I'm headed next door to do laundry. The washing machine died a loud and painful death recently, so it's off to the in-laws' house to ensure Alicia, Emma and I have clothes for the coming week.

Cheers!

TV Blogging Redux

TV Blogging Redux

It seems I am not the only one who felt so strongly about Tara's awful performance. Tonight, INXS told her to hit the road. This move makes it much more likely that I watch again next week. In other television news, tonight I learned that my favorite CSI: New York character will be written out of the show. I don't think anyone that reads this blog is a fan of CSI: NY, but I'll keep the details under my hat so I don't spoil it-- just in case.

Blogging TV

Blogging TV

Rock Star: INXS is a Mark Burnett reality series that chronicles the convoluted audition process of a replacement singer for the band INXS. The would-be rock stars have big shoes to fill; the late Michael Hutchence had presence and talent. I absolutely hate American Idol and all the vocal wankery exhibited there, and this is a nice contrast. Rock Star does suffer from minor oversaturation, occupying two hours of weekly prime time television spread across Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I caught the latter half of tonight's episode, and I have to rant about one of the performances.

Tara Sloan. There was nothing to enjoy about this girl and her song at all. She looked like she selected her wardrobe in the dark and from a rack of clothes two sizes too small. She sings without soul, joy or stop-plosives. For the love of God, woman, learn how to enunciate. That, or never get in front of a microphone again. Seriously. Shit.

Ok, I'm done.