Houston, we have a problem...
by BubbaFan on Sep 11, 2008 6:04 PM EDT
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PrintThe other day, I joked about Hurricane Ike heading for Bubba Crosby's house. I was half-kidding; the entire coast of Texas was in the "cone of uncertainty." But lo, and behold...today, it looks like Houston really is in the crosshairs. Ike is projected to pass just south of Houston/Galveston, which is the worst possible track. (It means Houston gets the "dirty" side of the storm - the stronger side.) Though the NHC is predicting it will make landfall as a Category 3, some forecasters are predicting it will be a Category 4.
There's also an interesting new measure of hurricanes. (Call it hurricane sabermetrics.) Jeff Masters describes a new scale coincidentally called IKE (Integrated Kinetic Energy), that is supposed to be a better measure of a hurricane's power than the Saffir-Simpson scale. By that measure, Ike is the powerful Atlantic hurricane in 40 years.
The good news is that it's avoiding the major oil infrastructure. The bad news is that there are many refineries in the Houston area. They are being shut down and evacuated. The Gulf area is not fully recovered from Gustav, and now they're having to shut down again.
Not surprisingly, wholesale gasoline had a record-setting price spike today. Actual shortages are a possibility, since so many refineries are shut down. (It takes a couple of weeks for refinery products from the Gulf to reach midwest, and longer for the northeast, so if there are problems, they won't be immediate.)
This looks like it's going to be a bad storm, and it's probably not possible to evacuate Houston at this point. They are concentrating on evacuating only the lowest-lying areas, and asking everyone else to "shelter in place" in order to keep the roads clear for those who must evacuate. Reports from Houston are that the highways are bumper-to-bumper, and many gas stations are out of gas.
The warnings from the National Hurricane Center are very stark:
LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!All neighborhoods...and possibly entire coastal communities...will be inundated during high tide. Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one or two story homes will face certain death. Many residences of average construction directly on the coast will be destroyed. Widespread and devastating personal property damage is likely elsewhere. Vehicles left behind will likely be swept away. Numerous roads will be swamped...some may be washed away by the water. Entire flood prone coastal communities will be cutoff. Water levels may exceed 9 feet for more than a mile inland. Coastal residents in multi-story facilities risk being cutoff. Conditions will be worsened by battering waves. Such waves will exacerbate property damage...with massive destruction of homes...including those of block construction. Damage from beach erosion could take years to repair.
As you might expect, Ike is wreaking havoc on sports schedules. The Washington State-Baylor football game has been moved up to Friday night. Texas-Arkansas has been postponed, TCU-Stanford has been moved up, and Houston-Air Force was moved from Houston to Dallas.
The Houston Astros really, really wanted to get their series against the Cubs in this weekend. They have a roof, so they've never had a weather cancellation. They have a chance to make the postseason, and they didn't want to give up home field advantage in this key series.
However, a Category 4 hurricane is not exactly your typical inclement weather. The Cubs balked, not wanting to get stuck in Houston during a hurricane. Eventually, the Astros saw reason (or Bud Selig stepped in). The games have been postponed.
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One of the exhibitions I work with was just installed in a museum in Houston
They all had been ordered to evacuate by noon, local time. Thank god they weren’t unloading the thing when the hurricane hit.
According to a friend of mine in Houston
many businesses told their employees to go home at lunch time today, so they could prepare for the hurricane.
But many did not. There could be a lot of people unprepared this time, because this hurricane was very hard to predict, and they didn’t want to evacuate a big city like Houston if there was no reason.
I also heard an unconfirmed report that Roger Clemens bailed out of a dinner last night, presumably to go board up his mansion.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
You sure it wasn't to go have promiscuous sex with many underage women?
"You never want to give up a 7-0 lead, in your rival's ballpark, that would put them in first place. Never want to do that." - Ron Darling
Could be
But I’m pretty sure it was past their bedtimes. School night, y’know.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
by BubbaFan on Sep 11, 2008 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think he's just mad that the name of the hurricane didn't begin with K
by Brendanukkah on Sep 11, 2008 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
But in the Latin alphabet
J-Hova begins with Ike
Kentuck Arts Festival: October 18th.
Details at Sinful Savage Tigers
by Man Mountain on Sep 11, 2008 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Well
It’s early yet. There may yet be a Hurricane Kyle.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
BubbaFan is a professional meteorologist ....
What’s the Stormy forecast for tonight?
You can tell your uncle stuff that you could not tell your dad. That is kind of the role of an uncle. I feel very much like a father sometimes but sometimes I feel like a teammate.
Dusty Baker
Benched
Along with the rest of the team. :-)
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
UHHHH yeah - no game 2nite
So after bowling I listened to ‘Charlie’ Gibson’s interview with Sarah Palin. You know folks I was born and raised a moderate Republican (although I have left any party affiliation after the last 7years) and as a moderate and reasonable person I must conclude that I think McCain would have made a better choice if he’d chosen Dusty Baker fro VP. Dusty’s not very creative and maybe not the smartest guy but he doesn’t resort (as far as I remember) to just making shit up and lying.Imagine what would happen if ‘President’ McCain died in office. We’d have the makings of a rather cutesy story of how a Hockey mom becomes President of the U.S. and saves the country. Can you imagine having a president or vice president that does not believe in the scientific method. Dusty’s approach is by the book, old fashioned and boring but at least he have some kind of a template on which to formulate a plan.
Vote Dusty Baker for Vice-President !
As opposed to Kwame Malik Kilpatrick – the Mayor of Vice.
You can tell your uncle stuff that you could not tell your dad. That is kind of the role of an uncle. I feel very much like a father sometimes but sometimes I feel like a teammate.
Dusty Baker
Dude
Dusty’s not very creative and maybe not the smartest guy but he doesn’t resort (as far as I remember) to just making shit up and lying.
But…that’s a politician’s job. Complaining about a politician lying is like complaining that Dusty Baker spends all his time at baseball games.
And we have only ourselves to blame. We refuse to vote for any politician who tells us the truth.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Maybe I should have only directed my commnets to Gov. Palins
1. Ridiculous hairstyle
2, Her Stepford Husband
3. Her frightening lack of knowledge about…almost everything in today’s political world
4. Her command of the English language
5. Her amazing ability to not answer questions directly ( the gift of a great politician)
Well now I’ve gotta go and pray that this RR site is the will of God.
WWBD ?
What would
You can tell your uncle stuff that you could not tell your dad. That is kind of the role of an uncle. I feel very much like a father sometimes but sometimes I feel like a teammate.
Dusty Baker
Bubba
is from Texas, so I greatly fear he is a Republican. I try not to think about it. He was born and raised not far from Sugar Land – home of Tom “The Hammer” DeLay.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
You realize that if Dusty became president,
CPat would head the defense department. We also would be able to use only 1970s era weapons rather than those newfangled ones just developed. And I’d fear hearing, “And this one belongs to the Reds” with a Russian ring to it.
We Are ... Marshall!
by Thundering Turtle on Sep 12, 2008 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions
hmmm,
Dusty :: Reds
as
King Zog :: Albania
Don’t believe me? Try these wikiquotes out:
“During his reign he is said to have survived over 55 assassination attempts.”
“He was also addicted to perfumed cigarettes [toothpicks], and smoked about 150 a day. His household expenses made up nearly 2% of the national budget [payroll].”
“The King made more than a few enemies – rumour had it that he was the subject of over 600 blood vendettas”
...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield
by Cy Schourek on Sep 12, 2008 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions
you forgot the best line:
on one of the many attempts on his life – “The attackers struck whilst Zog was getting into his car, and he survived by drawing his own pistol (which he always carried) and firing back at his would-be assassins. This is the only occasion in modern history when a Head of State has returned fire with potential assassins.”
this guy was awesome. i need to read more Albanian history. before i clicked the link i assumed this guy was some obscure sixteenth century weirdo, but no this was the 20th century. hardcore.
"for integrity of races and the game" - Dusty Baker
by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 12, 2008 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
"Energy Independence"
just got a big “Fuck You” from Mother Nature.
...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield
Game off
MLB postponed today’s and tomorrow’s games against the Cubs, which is supposed to hit the area tonight. Sunday is still on. They may play two then and finish the series on Monday, an off-day for both teams. That’s not a bad plan if they are confident that they can get the games in Sunday, but if the storm lingers or if the Cubs have a hard time getting back to Houston the teams will have to make up the games at the end of the year. For two contending teams, that would be a serious problem.
A neutral site would have made sense (Arlington is open this weekend), but it sounds like the Houston players and management were against it. They also declined Chicago’s generous offer to play the games in Milwaukee.
I knew Houston has been playing well but I didn’t realize they were 3 games back in the WC and a game and a half ahead of St. Louis. What the hell happened to this team, besides Carlos Lee getting hurt and Shawn Chacon beating up their GM?
Also, talk about your getaway day
Oswalt shut out the Pirates last night in Houston. Game lasted 2 hours, 9 minutes. Oswalt faced the minimum, allowing three hits and no walks and getting 3 DPs. 90 pitches. Baker and our traveling secretary would’ve been proud.
Two players: TheTroy and The Wolf
Game changers. Ed Wade is a genius.
Also, I hope they play the double header on Monday since the team I am playing in fantasy baseball has Ryan Dempster pitching on Sunday. If they play the double header on Monday, then Zambrano will probably pitch Sunday (he was supposed to pitch on Sat.) and Dempster will move back to Monday, which starts a new week in the fantasy world. Maybe I can send a petition to Bud Selig.
"You never want to give up a 7-0 lead, in your rival's ballpark, that would put them in first place. Never want to do that." - Ron Darling
There's already a gas panic
In the southeast and parts of the midwest. Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida reporting scattered shortages. Some stations in North Carolina are trying to limit purchases to 10 gallons a customer.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Kentucky and Alabama declare state of emergency
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear on Friday declared a state of emergency to prevent gas price gouging in the state, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.
The declaration, in the wake of Hurricane Ike’s approach to the Gulf Coast, allows the governor to apply a state law allowing for the investigation and prosecution of suspected price gouging for gasoline, building supplies and other items.
"We have received an overwhelming influx of of reports from across Kentucky regarding gasoline price spikes and even rationing," said Attorney General Jack Conway in the release. "I felt it was important to get the price gouging protections in place as soon as possible to protect the commonwealth’s consumers and businesses."
Governor Bob Riley on Friday afternoon declared a state of emergency for Alabama after he received new information from the U.S. Department of Energy that energy shortages will likely occur in the state due to Hurricane Ike.
The Governor’s declaration notes that "disruption of essential utility services, systems and severe energy shortages will likely occur."
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Seven years ago
I actually called the KY State Attorney General’s office and reported two stations that set their prices at $5.99/gal on 9/11. Don’t know if they were ever punished, but damn I hope so. Gas here in Cincy inexplicably jumped 30+ cents yesterday, the same day that oil closed belopw $100/barrell for the first time in months. Cocksuckers.
Our problem this year has been offense and defense. -- MixFMKyle
cocksuckers indeed
i was late for work yesterday morning so i told myself i would get gas on my way home. it was almost 40 cents more. its like watching a kid with crumbs all over his face say “i didnt steal the cookies, honest!”
"for integrity of races and the game" - Dusty Baker
by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 13, 2008 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
The price of gas is jumping
Because the problem is the refineries. That’s partly why oil is going down, too. There’s less demand for crude oil – the refineries are offline – but more demand for gasoline (the product the refineries produce).
Gasoline was already very tight, because of Hurricane Gustav. (Takes about two weeks for the product to move through the pipeline.) Not only did Gustav shut down a bunch of refineries, Gulf Coast residents who fled Gustav (and later Ike) used up a lot more gasoline than usual. Some areas reported a 500% jump in demand.
It looks like Ike wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but there might still be shortages of refined products. Not just gasoline, but diesel, jet fuel, and heating oil.
We do have a strategic heating oil reserve, but we don’t have gasoline or diesel strategic reserves. We have crude oil reserves, but that doesn’t really help if the problem is the refineries.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
I really think that the oldtime players would have played right through this weather
Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Pie Traynor, Ty Cobb, Lou Gherig, Hobart Cabrerra – these guys were no no sense players
Hell Mel Harder played from 1908 until 2002. Those guys were player’s players.
You can tell your uncle stuff that you could not tell your dad. That is kind of the role of an uncle. I feel very much like a father sometimes but sometimes I feel like a teammate.
Dusty Baker
looks like he had ~3k/9
crafty right-hander indeed. Makes Joe Blanton look like Jo(han) Santana
...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield
by Cy Schourek on Sep 13, 2008 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Texas oil refineries could be down 9 days-US senator
From Reuters
WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Texas oil refineries disabled by the massive Hurricane Ike could remain idled for up to nine days and Americans should brace for possible gas shortages, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said on Sunday.
‘We are looking at another week or eight or nine days before refineries are up and going, so refined gasoline is going to be in a shortage situation because of the power outages and flooding,’ the Texas senator said on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation.’
‘It is going to be felt for the next week, that we have gasoline shortages, so people need to be prepared for that.’
And I guess the Cubbies have a good excuse for not wanting to play in Houston this weekend. Aside from the lack of electricity and questionable water and sewer service, that is. The airport is closed.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Game on (but in Milwaukee)
The first two games of the series will be played today and tomorrow in Miller Park. The final game will be at Enron at the end of the season, if necessary.
A nice break for the Cubs in gaining two “home” games. Even though Milwaukee hates Cubs fans even more than we do, I can’t see enough of them showing up and rooting for Houston to make a difference. Plus, the Brewers and Astros are only 2.5 games apart in the WC.
Plus, to the extent you believe in momentum Houston’s now cold after winning 6 in a row and 14/15 (!!).
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080913&content_id=3467132&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Damnit all
As of this moment, I am still without power. This ain’t worth a shit.
Our problem this year has been offense and defense. -- MixFMKyle
Hey guys - calm down
As soon as the off shore drilling bill is passed everything will be Okee-Dokee.
Roofs will be fixed
Power will be back on
Gasoline will sell for only 19 cents a gallon
The stock market will recover
Dusty will be replaced by a cloned Fred Hutchinson
Corey will be a 30-30 man
And Hobart and Bako wil be DFA’d
lighten up…getting that bill passed is all the free market economy needs to get right back into another house of cards bubble…
Ibn Khaldoun and Hilrich Zwingli - now that's real reform, Mr. McCain.
I wouldn't bet on it
We’re turning into Argentina. They want to put us under IMF monitoring.
“Now I think the time has come,” said Yashwant Sinha, former finance minister of India. “After the crisis here … the U.S. should accept some monitoring by the IMF.” Sinha thinks an IMF review might have sounded an additional warning about America’s still-unfolding mortgage crisis.
It’s worth noting that the IMF is the world agency that countries turn to when they’re in serious trouble, as Argentina has done during its recent flirtation with the brink. The IMF functions as a kind of global loan shark. Nations get money, but with a lot of strings attached. The IMF also doles out advice. A bunch of experts come to your country and conduct interviews. They look at your books and write a report.
And China wants to dump the dollar as a reserve currency.
We’re turning into a Third World country. I’d love to blame it all on Bush, but it goes back to the dot-com boom, maybe earlier. Both parties are to blame. Both parties are still trying to keep the debt binge going, when what we really need is to pay the bill.
Change you can believe in.
And about all you’ll have left when this $#!+storm is over.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
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