EMERGENCY RESPONSE.....

From the Houston Chronicle :

Houston has 'better plan' than most cities-

Many major metropolitan areas simply improvise, experts say -

Even factoring in the spectacular traffic jams, Houston was better prepared to respond to a major disaster than most major U.S. cities, experts said Monday. "Houston has a better plan than many major cities I have looked at," said Paul Light, an expert on emergency response with New York University.

"Chicago doesn't have a plan that I know of. Los Angeles can't figure out how to evacuate, and New York just has too many choke points to get people out," Light said. "Conventional wisdom is that if Washington was forced to evacuate quickly, it would be a mess."Light said Houston's plan worked about as well as could be expected, despite the glitches that developed. "Some things are going to occur under the 'stuff happens' heading, like failing to have tanker trucks stationed in the right place or reversing traffic flow," he said. "All you can do is learn from it."

James Car-afano, a homeland security expert with the conservative Heritage Foundation, shared Light's assessment. "Right now, a lot of cities just
improvise these things," he said. The Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have begun an effort tolearn the lessons of Rita and Katrina, officials said Monday.

Pito....

I just learned that Pito, my dads dad, has fallen and fractured his leg. We still dont know much as of right now but this is bad news to everyone in the family specially my dad. We are praying for him so he can get better and walk again. So dont forget to put him in your prayers for me....Thanks!

Rita -- on the rocks, no salt.....

Rita came and went by like nothing....Now there are people throwing parties...."I survived Rita....", which is cool but you have to thank God that you made it first. Katrina came and did major damage.....Rita just came and made everyone run out like crazy. But I'm glad that all of us safe. Coming home I saw many broken windows and other little things broken but nothing big. So that was Rita.....now gots to get back to work and find out when my conference calls for the NBC....so this week will be fun....

12:11pm

Rita came and went with big noise....right now I'm glad to say is that the majority of what we got was heavy winds and little rain. I was up for some reason until 5am to see how bad it was going to be but nothing. Outside it looks fine...checking out the area there wasnt much damage at all. Just on the roofs of some new houses that were being build. I was able to hear transformers blowing up every so often from the distance. But thank to God we are safe and good.

----------ESPAÑOL-----------

Rita vino y fue con mucho ruido.....ahorita estamos contentos q solo lo q recibimos fue fuertes vientos y poquito de lluvia. Estuve levantado hasta como las 5am de la mañana para ver si algo pasaba o no. Afuera se ve bien, mirando la area todo se ve bien, solo hay unas casas nuevas con los shingles de el techo q se querian pelar por el viento. mientras acostado escuche varios transformadores explotar seguidamente en la distancia. Pero gracias a Dios todos estamos bien y la abuela tambien.....

Houston misses a BULLET...1:49am

The monstrous storm that sent more than 2.5 million Texans running to safety in the largest evacuation in state history lost some muscle late Friday, but pummeled the coast miles from its previously forecast path. The eye just now hit land just of the border of Louisiana. Here where we are at we still have strong wind and a bit of rain but not much. So prety much we got lucky and thank God this storm got weak. We will find out what kind of damage it did later on in the morning when the sun comes out. Im out for the night....

-----------ESPAÑOL------------

Houston sobre vive una bala.....este huracan q mando mas de 2.5 millones de personas corriendo por sus vidas es la evacuacion mas grande en historia despues que la tarmenta perdio pulso ya tarde ayer viernes. Pego la costa casi 100 millas de donde pensanvan donde iva a pegar. El ojo del huracan acaba de pegar en Louisiana. Aca ahorita siempre con mucho viento y poco lluvia pero dicen q llovera mas tarde y posible por casi 24 horas. Gracias a Dios fuimos suertudos que la tormenta perdio fuersa. Mas tarde nos daremos cuenta que tipo de daño dio el Ruracan Rita cuando salga el sol.....yo me voy por hoy noche....

Latest on Rita and its wind....1:26am

Rita:
• Category 3
• 29.2ºN 93.5ºW
• Sustained winds 120 mph
• Moving northwest 11 mph
• 934 mb (27.57 in)

Winds Speeds:
Houston:N 28 mph, gusts 41
Galveston:N 40 mph, gusts 54
Beaumont:N 36 mph, gusts 54

Impact in gas...

A great big impact in gas that these hurricanes have done is huge here in Texas and all over the country. And prices will be rising more and more.

What a headache for Bush....

This has been one really nice year for Bush....2 huge hurricanes, a war that he doesnt want to end and bring our troops back..and lots of people hating him....What a year...dont you think....?

Latest on Rita and Houston.....

These are the latest on rita....


This is how Houston looked like all day today after more than 2 million people evacuated Houston to escape Hurricane Rita.

Latest.....

The monster of Rita....

....11:59pm

As of right now everything is still the same. but we are sitll waiting for the rain....

--------ESPAÑOL-------------

Hasta ahorita todo esta lo mismo....todavia estamos esperando la lluvia....

....8:27pm

Wind, rain, and lightning are moving in to the area. We had gone outside to take pictures of the sky and how the wind had picked up. The sky had a really nice color to it....it was like a orange/yellow color. We also saw from a distance from what it looked like there were transformers blowing up and putting up a light show of different colors. Here are some pics that we took....

---------ESPAÑOL----------

Fuertes vientos, lluvia, y rayos ya estan moviendose en la area donde estamos. Fuimos afuera para tomor unas fotos de afuera y de el cielo. Tenia un color anaranjado con amarillo...super chivo! En la distancia vimos como si fueron unos transformadores explorar por el furte viento. Aca no veremos eso gracias a Dios por q todo lo de electricidad esta bajo de la tiera. Aqui estan unas fotos .....

....6:41pm

As of right now, 2 of the hurricanes first rain bands just passes by us and all we have gotten was just wind. Still havent seen any rain. The few neighbors that stayed behind down here are outside drinking and enjoying the wind. But from looking at the radar rain should be coming in in the next few hours.

------------ESPAÑOL-------------
Por ahorita, las 2 primeras bandas de lluvia nos pasaron pero solo lo q hemos recibido es fuerte vientos. Todavia no hemos visto lluvia. Los vecinos q se quedaron por aca estan disfrutando de el viento y echandose un poco de vino. pero mirando el radar, la lluvia si nos va llegar en como una hora o dos.....con la abue, ahi esta bien gracias a Dios. Si pueden darle el # a mi tio Luis de aca hay se lo dan.

.....3:58PM

Well as of right now everything is good. Its windier and dark clouds are showing up now. we are calm and hopefully everything goes well. ...

-----------ESPAÑOL----------------
Bueno hasta ahorita todo bien. ya hay mucho mas viento y se a puesto mas oscuro. Todos estamos calmados y esperando q todo salga bien. mi abuelia se esta poniendo medio preocupada pero estamos tratando de calmarla y cambiar de conversacion y no hablar tanto del huracan.

Rita's path and latest numbers

• Category 3
• 27.8ºN 92.2ºW
• Sustained winds 125 mph
• Gusts 161 mph
• Moving northwest 10 mph
• Hurricane winds 85 miles from center
• Tropical storm winds 205 miles from center
• 931 mb(27.48 in)

The latest on Rita....

• Category 4

• 26.2ºN 90.3ºW

• Sustained winds 140 mph

• Gusts to 165 mph Moving west- northwest 10 mph

• Hurricane winds 80 miles from center

• Tropical storm winds 185 miles from center

• 917 mb (27.07 in)

NASA and refineries shut down...

NASA evacuated Johnson Space Center and transferred control of the international space station to the Russians. The storm surge projections put most of the NASA space center underwater in the event of a Hurricane Rita. Environmentalists warned that the stretch of coast threatened by Rita is home to 87 chemical plants, refineries and petroleum storage installations, raising the possibility that the storm could cause a major oil spill or toxic release.

Rita aims at the heart of the oil industry....

This graphic shows the location of oil refineries, terminals and oil fields along the Gulf Coast. The forecast path has shifted to the right since this graphic was created, but it clearly shows how much of the oil infrastructure is in danger from this storm.

Why storms strengthen in the Gulf....

Both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita became very strong as the crossed the Gulf of Mexico. This graphic from the Sun-Sentinel explains why: As hurricane traverse the Gulf of Mexico, they pick up strength when crossing over the Loop Current, a section of the Gulf Stream that carries warmer water from the Caribbean to the central Gulf of Mexico.

175-mph Monster...

Forecasters said Rita could be the most intense hurricane on record ever to hit Texas, and easily one of the most powerful ever to plow into the U.S. mainland. With winds of 175 mph and gust now reaching 215 mph shows that this mo' fo' is a monster for real. As I drove trying to get to my sisters house today, everyone was trying to get the heck out. Traffic was bumper to bumper and it took me about 5hrs to get to her house when it usually takes about 25 min.

I also got a hold of the Harris County/Houston Flood Zone map and it shows the area where I live in falls in the flood zone. See if you fall in any of the flood zones. Also you can check out the local NEWS here and find out the lates. Hopefully I will be updating to let you know how things are doing here. I'm out....

The latest on Rita....

RITA BY THE NUMBERS
• Category 5
• 24.8ºN 87.6ºW
• Sustained winds 175 mph
• Gusts 215 mph
• Moving west 9 mph
• Hurricane winds 70 miles from center
• Tropical storm winds 185 miles from center
• 898 mb (26.48 in)

Rita becomes third most intense hurricane on record

Hurricane Rita's winds have increased to 175 mph, and its pressure has dropped to 897 mb. This makes it the third most intense hurricane in terms of pressure for the Atlantic Basin. Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 holds the record for most intense with a pressure of 888 mb. The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which hit the Keys, is No. 2 with 892 mb.
Rita is now No. 3, but it still has time to intensify.

Category 4......

Hurricane Rita intensified into a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds and threatened to devastate the Texas coast. Meteorologist of the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Rita could strengthen to a Category 5 with wind over 155 mph as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf, or it could ease to a Category 3, with wind of less than 130 mph.

Hurricane Rita Links....

Here are some links for the hurricane....they are the satellite loop images:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/gmex-ir4-loop.html

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/gmex-vis-loop.html

Hurricane Rita.....

Hurricane Rita stretches her legs out on the Gulf to gain more strength and power. Rita was upgraded to a Category 3 storm early today with 115 mph winds and forecasters said it could further intensify. Once Rita gets closer and hits our coast, she can send a 20-foot storm surge over the Texas coast by Saturday. I will be posting more on Rita to keep all close ones informed...

Eye in the Gulf....

Many people are still not ont their feet after Hurricane Katrina.....but now we got a new storm....Rita....she is projected to hit here in Houston by Saturday @ 2am....are we ready for this one???

A threat to communities in El Salvador...

There has been increased activity by the volcano Ilamatepeq in El Salvador recently and potentially pauses a threat to communities in the area. El Salvador Officials said Tuesday they are stepping up emergency preparations after a study by experts indicated that the rumbling Ilamatepec volcano is likely to erupt soon. The 7,812-foot peak, also known as the Santa Ana Volcano, sent out clouds of gas and vapor and apparently spat out some glowing rocks. By searching more on this I also found that fresh magma has been detected entering the volcano's chambers 4 to 5 miles beneath the surface. The volcano last two times it erupted in 1920 and in 1904.

TSA sucks in security....

How are u going to let 2 guys steal about 100 pairs ( Jordans, Shox, Adidas, etc...) of shoes and 27 guns from 3 different TSA stores without even trying to stop them....that shows you how much customer service there is aorund in those stores.

This one is for you Mom!!!

Less than 15 hours after Clemens mom died in Georgetown, he took the Minute Maid Park mound to beat the Florida Marlins 10-2, pushing the Astros within a half-game of the National League wild-card lead. It was a really strong game for him but he had the support of all of his team and fans. My prayers are with you and may God Bless her.

What's wrong with this picture?

Who is to blame for the late help ????

Bush: It's her fault.

Nagin: It's not my fault.

Blanco: God save me from men with more power than brains.

A BIG rescue two weeks later...

From the Chronicle: A California National Guard soldier carries an emaciated man who had been stranded since Hurricane Katrina struck two weeks ago today in front of his home in New Orleans.

9 yrs later....

Its been 9 years now since Tupac has been gone. His music is still heard all around the world and in a week, on Sept. 20th, 2005 to mark the ninth anniversary of his death, the estate of Tupac will release a new album inspired by his poetry. Do you think he's dead? I dont.

LSU all over Arizona State....

Joseph Addai and Members of the Louisana State University football team get a big welcome from supporters as they arrive in Phoenix. Joseph ran for 2 TD and over 100+ yards as LSU beat ARizona State. Here are some more pics from the game.

Addai, Ronnie Prude (8),and Bennie Brazell (17) pray on a Louisiana outline on the field after the game.

Help at last....

I know I havent updated lately but now many New Orleans people have been helped and now are being put in better places to stay at. The numbers at the 'Dome are getting smaller and so I am glad to see these people get somewhere were they can atleast make plans to rebuild. But until New Orleans recovers, Houston will be here for them.

Whats gone wrong??

ABC 13 is reporting live right now that Houston police are turning away buses from the Astrodome. They're saying that the Astrodome is full, and that the buses need to go somewhere else to go look for refuge. Tomorrow was supposed to be a big day for bringing people to the Dome. How could it have filled up already? Whats going on ? What is the police doing....FTF!!!This is messed up!!! Now they are saying that prob 1 person has died in the Dome.

What has gone wrong???

The National Disgrace that followed the Natural Disaster Katrina

This article really cought my eyes....I found it reading a Katrina Aftermath blog site....to me I find it very true but what do you think?

- The Katrina response seems rather slow. Combat pilots are turning away because they are taking “pot shots” from the ground? The Superdome has thousands of refugees starving and dehydrating from lack of water and food? Rampant lawlessness, looting and rape in an AMERICAN city days after a catastrophe? We are the richest nation in the world with the most powerful and sophisticated military on the planet. We have abundant resources, with all the means we need to deliver life saving goods. You don’t need to be an expert on CNN to know this. We mobilized an armada to rush to Iraq to defend oil interests within what seemed like a matter of days.

And we can’t move enough food and water to feed a few thousand refugees on American soil. A few thousand AMERICAN refugees. People are dying of thirst and treatable injuries because our military [imagine tanks, armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, etc] who are paid to get shot at are taking “pot shots” from a few lawless people?

The problem is not that we don’t have the resources; the problem is that minorities are the victims. New Orleans is predominately black and poor and this just isn’t at the top of Mr. Bush’s priority list. We’re back to 1963 again. Except this time the “back of the bus” is a devastated city and the open racism that put African Americans there has transformed into a subtle racism that hides behind “delays” in evacuation and assistance. It seems that racism flows through all levels of our society now. The government apathy with the poor that fosters social stratification now has reached a new low. People are dying on the streets like animals because that is exactly how they view use: animals. This week I am truly ashamed to call myself an American.