Hurricane Ike Reflection

Tonight is a much peaceful than last Friday. One week ago at this time, I was hunkering down for Hurricane Ike which made landfall last Saturday at 2:10 AM on Galveston. The monster hurricane I have dreaded for years has come to reality in the form of Ike. We had howling winds and heavy rain all night. It was really scary. Being in a hurricane is something no one should ever go through. I would not wish that on my own worst enemies.

By the time, Ike past us, many areas got 6 to 12 inches of rain over a large area causing widespread flooding, coupled by the high storm surge of up to 25 feet in Bolivar Peninsular that wiped out the towns of Gilchrest and Crystal Beach. Only one house stood in Gilchrest, but it was still badly damaged. Hopefully no one was in Bolivar Peninsula because they could all be washed out to sea and never be found.

The power went out shortly before Ike made landfall. I was out of power and phone for five days. Never been without power for that long. I have seen disasters on TV, but to be in a disaster zone is a nightmare which words cannot describe. It is truly a humbling experience. I was in a disaster zone and Ike is as of right now, the third most costliest hurricane in US history after Katrina and Andrew. Currently, the assessment is still being done and we will get the true damage cost and lives lost from Ike in the coming weeks and months.

Could things have been worse? Absolutely. Ike could of been a Category 4/5 hurricane and made landfall south of Galveston and it would be an absolute nightmare. We could see storm surge as high as 35 feet and many more houses flooded and destroyed. Also, power would not be restored for weeks or even months. Many lives could of been lost because many stayed along the coast. There is a curfew and many people still are without power. I had my power restored last night. Sadly, there are people who lost loved ones and all their properties. My condolences and prayers go to them.

Never forget September 13, 2008, a day that we will all remember as long as we live.

Local Hurricane Ike Advisory

HURRICANE IKE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

…TIDE LEVELS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS IKE APPROACHES THE UPPER
TEXAS COAST…

.AT 100 PM CDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.4 NORTH…LONGITUDE 93.1 WEST OR ABOUT 165 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A TURN
TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY…WITH A TURN TOWARD
THE NORTH EXPECTED ON SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE
CENTER OF IKE WILL BE VERY NEAR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST BY LATE
TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY. HOWEVER…BECAUSE IKE IS A VERY LARGE
TROPICAL CYCLONE…WEATHER WILL BEGIN TO DETERIORATE ALONG THE
COASTLINE VERY SOON.

DATA FROM BOTH NOAA AND AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANES INDICATE
THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 105 MPH…WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-
SIMPSON SCALE BUT COULD REACH THE COAST AS A CATEGORY THREE…
MAJOR HURRICANE. STRONGER WINDS…ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS…ARE
LIKELY ON HIGH RISE BUILDINGS.

IKE REMAINS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 275 MILES.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT
IS 957 MB…28.26 INCHES.

TXZ200-213-214-235>238-131845-
/O.CON.KHGX.HU.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-HARRIS-JACKSON-LIBERTY-MATAGORDA-
132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

…HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT…

…NEW INFORMATION…

UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS SECTION.
UPDATED STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE SECTION.
UPDATED WINDS SECTION.

…AREAS AFFECTED…

THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS:

BRAZORIA…CHAMBERS…GALVESTON…HARRIS…JACKSON…LIBERTY…
MATAGORDA.

…WATCHES/WARNINGS…

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ADDITIONAL HAZARDS.

FLOOD WATCH.

…PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PERSONS WHO LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES OR POORLY-
BUILT STRUCTURES EVACUATE TO A SAFER LOCATION SUCH AS A WELL BUILT
HOME. PERSONS WHO LIVE IN HIGH RISES SHOULD CONSIDER EVACUATING AS
WINDS CAN BE AS MUCH AS 20 TO 30 MPH STRONGER AT THE TOP OF A HIGH
RISE THAN AT GROUND LEVEL. PERSONS OUTSIDE OF THE MANDATORY EVACUATION
AREAS WHO HAVE NOT EVACUATED SHOULD PLAN TO SHELTER IN PLACE IN A
WELL BUILT STRUCTURE DURING THE PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS.

CURRENT EVACUATION INFORMATION:

BRAZORIA COUNTY:

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITIES OF PEARLAND…ALVIN…MANVEL…
AND ANGLETON WHICH ARE UNDER A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION.

CHAMBERS COUNTY:

A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

GALVESTON COUNTY:

POWER OUTAGES HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA.

A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF GALVESTON
ISLAND.

A MANDATORY EVACUATION IS IN EFFECT FOR BOLIVAR PENINSULA…
OMEGA BAY…SAN LEON…BACLIFF…FREDDIESVILLE…TIKI ISLAND…
KEMAH…AND CLEAR LAKE SHORES.

THE GALVESTON-BOLIVAR FERRY HAS CEASED OPERATIONS.

THE BOLIVAR S.U.D. HAS INDICATED THEY HAVE CEASED WATER SERVICE
TO THE PENINSULA.

HARRIS COUNTY:

A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE FOLLOWING ZIP
CODES…77058…77059…77062…77520…77546…77571…77586…
77598 AND 77507.

PERSONS THROUGHOUT HARRIS COUNTY THAT LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES OR
HIGH RISES SHOULD CONSIDER EVACUATING DUE TO THE HIGH THREAT OF
DAMAGING WINDS.

FOR RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS…PLEASE CALL 311.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES HAS SUSPENDED FLIGHTS INTO AND OUT OF HOBBY
AIRPORT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

JACKSON COUNTY:

A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TODAY.

MATAGORDA COUNTY:

A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

PALACIOS SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL REMAIN CLOSED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER
15TH.

…STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE…

TIDE LEVELS REPORTED AT 1230 PM CDT:

HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL/BATTLESHIP TEXAS – 4.7 FEET
CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE – 4.6 FEET
ROLLOVER PASS – 5.4 FEET
EAGLE POINT – 5.9 FEET
MORGANS POINT – 5.1 FEET
NORTH JETTY – 7.7 FEET
PIER 21 – 6.8 FEET
PLEASURE PIER – 8.9 FEET
FREEPORT – 7.4 FEET
PORT O`CONNOR – 3.6 FEET

WATER LEVELS WILL BEGIN RISING VERY RAPIDLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON
WITH WATER LEVELS PEAKING BETWEEN 11 PM AND 3 AM TONIGHT AS THE
STORM SURGE SPREADS ONTO THE COAST AND BAYSHORE AREAS. MAXIMUM
STORM TIDE LEVELS ARE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK OF THE STORM
AND VARIATIONS IN THE TRACK OF ONLY 15 MILES CAN MAKE DIFFERENCES
OF SEVERAL FEET MORE OR LESS FROM SOME OF THESE VALUES.

MAXIMUM WATER LEVELS FORECAST:

SHORELINE OF GALVESTON BAY…15 TO 22 FEET

BOLIVAR PENINSULA…17 TO 20 FEET

GALVESTON ISLAND……14 TO 17 FEET

GULF-FACING COASTLINE FROM SARGENT TO
SAN LUIS PASS…8 TO 14 FEET

GULF-FACING COASTLINE WEST OF SARGENT…4 TO 7 FEET

SHORELINE OF MATAGORDA BAY…3 TO 5 FEET

SEVERE INUNDATION IS LIKELY NEAR THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND BAYSHORE
AREAS!

NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE STORM SURGE…AND POSSIBLY
ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES…WILL BE INUNDATED DURING THE PERIOD
OF PEAK STORM TIDE. 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 CLOSER TO THE COAST. 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.

HIGH TIDE TIMES:

MORGANS POINT…
FRI 2:52 PM.
SAT 2:59 PM.
CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE…
SAT 10:43 AM.
EAGLE POINT…
SAT 8:32 AM.
PORT BOLIVAR…
FRI 1:52 PM.
SAT 4:52 AM.
SAT 3:00 PM.
GALVESTON CHANNEL…
FRI 1:38 PM.
SAT 4:38 AM.
SAT 2:46 PM.
GALVESTON PLEASURE PIER…
SAT 3:32 AM.
SAT 1:40 PM.
JAMAICA BEACH…
FRI 4:16 PM.
SAT 7:16 AM.
SAT 5:24 PM.
SAN LUIS PASS…
FRI 1:29 PM.
SAT 4:29 AM.
SAT 2:37 PM.
FREEPORT…
SAT 3:54 AM.
SAT 2:02 PM.
PORT O CONNOR…
SAT 2:01 PM.

NOTE…TIDE LEVELS ARE REFERENCED FROM THE MEAN LOWER LOW WATER.

…WINDS…

THE WIND FIELD SURROUNDING IKE IS UNUSUALLY LARGE. TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE
COASTAL COUNTIES IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS…AND SPREAD INLAND TO THE
HOUSTON AREA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS OF AT LEAST TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WILL LAST UP TO 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 74 MPH WILL REACH THE COASTAL
COUNTIES LATE THIS EVENING. THESE WINDS WILL SPREAD INLAND THROUGH
THE HOUSTON METRO AREA BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 3 AM CDT. HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS MAY LAST FOR UP TO 12 HOURS.

PEAK WIND GUSTS OF 90 TO 110 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS
HARRIS…LIBERTY…BRAZORIA…GALVESTON…AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES.
WIND GUSTS NEAR 115 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR WHERE THE CENTER OF
THE STORM COMES ONSHORE.

VERY DANGEROUS WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE AND
DESTRUCTION OF MOBILE HOMES IS LIKELY.

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WILL INCLUDE THE MAJORITY OF MOBILE HOMES BEING
SEVERELY DAMAGED. THOSE THAT SURVIVE WILL BE UNINHABITABLE UNTIL
REPAIRED. HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE MAJOR
DAMAGE…INCLUDING PARTIAL WALL COLLAPSE AND ROOFS BEING LIFTED
OFF. MANY WILL BE UNINHABITABLE. WELL CONSTRUCTED HOUSES WILL
INCUR MINOR DAMAGE TO SHINGLES…SIDING…GUTTERS…AS WELL AS
BLOWN OUT WINDOWS. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL.

PARTIAL ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED AT INDUSTRIAL PARKS…ESPECIALLY
TO THOSE BUILDINGS WITH LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL AND ALUMINUM
COVERINGS. OLDER LOW RISING APARTMENT ROOFS MAY ALSO BE TORN
OFF…AS WELL AS RECEIVING SIDING AND SHINGLE DAMAGE. UP TO ONE
QUARTER OF ALL GLASS IN HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDINGS WILL BE BLOWN
OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL CAUSE DAMAGE…INJURY…AND POSSIBLE
FATALITIES.

NATURAL DAMAGE WILL INCLUDE ALL TREES WITH ROTTING BASES BECOMING
UPROOTED OR SNAPPED. NEARLY ALL LARGE BRANCHES WILL SNAP. BETWEEN
ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF HEALTHY SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TREES
WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED…MOST COMMON WHERE THE GROUND IS
SATURATED. UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF NEWLY PLANTED GROUND CROPS
WILL BE DAMAGED.

…INLAND FLOODING…

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.

RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE WILL BEGIN SPREADING ONTO
THE UPPER TEXAS COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE HOUSTON METRO
AREA BY EARLY THIS EVENING.

WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 5 TO 7 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 10
TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE STORM.
SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST
RAINFALL.

…TORNADOES…

THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY BY THIS EVENING AND
CONTINUE THROUGH LATE SATURDAY AS IKE MOVES ONSHORE. YOU SHOULD
PLAN TO SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AWAY
FROM WINDOWS.

…NEXT UPDATE…

THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530 PM CDT.

$$

Link

Looking more grime for us in the Houston area.

What’s More Dangerous?

Since Hurricane Ike is a large Category 2 hurricane. One has to wonder, how dangerous is it? Since hurricane force winds in Ike extend up to 115 miles and tropical storm force winds extend up to 275 miles, it makes it more dangeours. It is even larger than Hurricane Katrina. Now, the question is, what is more dangerous, a large Category 1/2 hurricane or a small major hurricane. I say a large non-major hurricane.

Here is why I think that. A large hurricane will produce large storm surge. Storm surge is also dependent on the angle of the storm and depth of water. If a hurricane comes a right angle and the water is shallow, you will have higher storm surge than compared to an area that has deeper water. One reason why Hurricane Katrina ravaged Mississippi with 30 foot storm surge. It is why Mississippi and Louisiana got it really bad from Katrina. Katrina was a monsterous hurricane, despite the fact that it weakened from a Category 5 hurricane. Katrina had hurricane force winds extending up to 125 miles.

Hurricane Charley was a strong Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida. It only produced storm surges of p to 6 feet. Charley had hurricane force winds only extending up to 25 miles. Charley was largely destructive because of the strong winds.

The Upper Texas Coast, which includes Houston and Galveston are vulnerable to high storm surge because we have lots of shallow water. If a large Category 5 hurricane was to come here, we could see storm surge as high as 35 feet! Well, with Ike, the highest forecasted is 17 feet, which is still high.

September 11, 2001

In Memory of the 3,000 People Who Died and World Trade Center 1973-2001

I know Hurricane Ike is heading towards Texas. Let us take some time to reflect what happened seven years ago today. The September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack happened in New York, Arlington, and Shanksville. 3,000 people died on this horrible Tuesday and leveled the World Trade Center and left the Pentagon smoldering. It is a very dark and sad day that everyone will remember as long as we live. It felt like yesterday for me, even though seven years has passed.

I feel very saddened about this horrible day. I did not know anyone who died in the 9/11 Terrorist Attack. I really miss the World Trade Center and New York is not the same without them. They were like family to me because they were my favorite buildings. It really sucks to be me. I cannot stop thinking about what happened to the World Trade Center on 9/11. It really saddens me that I cannot even cry. The 3,000 people and World Trade Center are in a much better world looking down on us. The sad thing is, I never felt so sentimental to any building I see and it happened to be the World Trade Center.

Really sad video. I could not watch the whole thing. It puts a human face to this horrible tragedy.

Hurricane Ike Public Advisory 36

000
WTNT34 KNHC 100236
TCPAT4
BULLETIN
HURRICANE IKE ADVISORY NUMBER 36
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092008
1100 PM EDT TUE SEP 09 2008

…IKE BEGINNING TO STRENGTHEN…

AT 11 PM EDT…0300 UTC…THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS CHANGED THE
HURRICANE WARNING TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE CUBAN
PROVINCES OF MATANZAS…LA HABANA…CIUDAD DE HABANA…PINAR DEL
RIO…AND THE ISLE OF YOUTH.

AT 11 PM EDT…0300 UTC…THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR FLORIDA BAY
AND FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE WEST END OF THE
SEVEN MILE BRIDGE IS DISCONTINUED. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE WESTWARD TO
THE DRY TORTUGAS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 1100 PM EDT…0300Z…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 23.2 NORTH…LONGITUDE 84.3 WEST OR ABOUT 120 MILES…
195 KM…WEST OF HAVANA CUBA.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH…15 KM/HR…AND
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

DATA FROM A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT THE
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH…130 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED…AND IKE COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE
IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES…55 KM…FROM
THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175
MILES…280 KM. KEY WEST RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45
MPH…72 KM/HR…WITH A GUST TO 60 MPH…96 KM/HR.

THE NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE OF 967 MB…28.56 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING AND WAVES ALONG THE COASTS OF CUBA
SHOULD GRADUALLY SUBSIDE OVERNIGHT. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3
FEET…ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS WAVES…ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
LOWER FLORIDA KEYS.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IKE WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EAST COAST
OF FLORIDA FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO. THESE SWELLS COULD GENERATE
DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS.

IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES
OVER WESTERN CUBA…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20 INCHES
POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH
FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. RAINFALL
ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA
KEYS AND EXTREME SOUTH FLORIDA OVERNIGHT.

REPEATING THE 1100 PM EDT POSITION…23.2 N…84.3 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD…WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…80
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…967 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 200 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500
AM EDT.

$$
FORECASTER PASCH/BERG

Hurricane Ike Public Advisory 36

Looks like Hurricane Ike is heading for Texas. It could hit as a major hurricane, likely a Category 3 to even 5. I expect calls for evacuations by Wednesday. It is likely Ike will be a large hurricane and can make landfall from Mexico to Louisiana. Most likely it will be Texas. It has me concerned. I will post you updates on Ike.

Computer Models for Ike. Subjected To Change.

Three Day Cone for Ike. Do NOT focus on the center.

September 10, 2001

Today is September 10, 2008. Seven years ago at this time, it was a normal Monday, a week after Labor Day. The previous weekend, I went to a frat party and had a great time. It was a very mundane day for me. I was in college that time. The night of September 10, 2001 was normal, I studied and watched TV. I was looking forward to Tuesday, which was forecasted to be a nice day, which I was looking forward to. We had lots of rain and some flooding problems that time. September 10, 2001 is the last day of innocence for America and the world. I went to bed around 1:00 AM on September 11, 2001. I did not realize how my world would change for the worse, as we will discuss tomorrow.

Josef Stalin acted rationally in killing millions, claims Russian textbook

Josef Stalin acted rationally in killing millions, claims Russian textbook
By Chris Irvine
Last Updated: 8:39AM BST 03 Sep 2008
Telegraph

The book, A History of Russia, 1900-1945, will be used as a teaching guide in Russian schools, 55 years after Stalin died.

It is designed for teachers to promote patriotism among the Russian young, and seems to follow an attempt backed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to re-evaluate Stalin’s record in a more positive light.

Millions were shot, exiled to Siberia or died of starvation after their land and homes were taken to fulfil Stalin’s vision of massive “factory farms” in the 1920s, while in the 1930s anyone who was a threat was executed or exiled to Gulag labour camps in Siberia.

Historians believe up to 20 million people died as a result of his actions, many times more than were killed under Hitler’s Nazi regime in Germany.

Full Article

Stalin may have thought that, but he is the personification of evil right there! I think Stalin killed 60 million. 20 million is too conservative of a number. Lavarentii Beria is evil. Thankfully he was executed on Christmas Day of 1953. A gift from God for humanity right there! I don’t know why Beria’s name is tossed around like Hitler. Frankly, I get sick hearing Hitler being tossed around all the time. It’s called Godwin’s Law. I mean seriously why Hitler. Why not Stalin or Pol Pot. I think Pol Pot is extremely evil and personifies evil of the worst kind. Joseph Stalin was Georgian, not Russian. That made him really bitter and self-hating. Stalin was also a sex pervert and a pedophile. You know who else admired Stalin, Saddam Hussein. He had a real sick obessession with Stalin and worshipped like he was God. Our soldiers were disturbed and appalled by it.