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[Miguel]

Now now, I know there's only a 10% chance of it directly hitting Galveston (meaning it's only 60 miles from Houston), but, if it were to hit? Would you ride it out? Get the fuck out?

Me, I'd probably either
1) head out to New Braunfels, where my mom had rented a hotel because we were supposed to go tubing on the Guadalupe River.
2) head to SA/Dallas since Austin seems to be booked cause of some ACL festival or some crap.
3) Stay at work and try to get some OT being locked in at work for 3-4 days. As long as I have my cell phone and PSP charger (generators WOOT), and some food in the fridge. Fuck yeah. Internet access, AC, Food, Entertainment, hopefully the phones are down. While on the clock. AWESOME!

 

[tetsuoxb]

Unless it was a category 5 headed straight for Houston, if you evacuate from 60 MILES inland, you are a straight fool.

Everyone living in South Florida is within 20 miles of the coast, and you don't see mass evacuations for all but the biggest storms.

Quit letting Katrina media hype overwhelm your sense of security in being that far inland.

 

[Miguel]

:lol

That's why I'm leaning towards 3..

While half the city bails out and heads for parts unknown farther north/west, about 70% of our customers suddenly aren't using us anymore. :lol (I work for a dialup ISP )

Only about 30% of our normal users will be using EV1. , all out of state. I could very easily "get stuck" at work. I'd have my PSP and cell charger in the car, along with some food for a few days if necessary (incase of flooding like during Allison), and since we have generators (at least to last us a few days), I'd be indoors, AC, with TV, radio, PSP, cell phone (assuming some of the cell towers are still up) and phone, possible if the lines aren't knocked out.

I'd be on the clock and taking like, 2 calls an hour at most.

 

[fennec fox]

http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/

Galveston has already called for a voluntary evacuation, and may make it mandatory by Wednesday.

For coastal residents, that's a good time to think about leaving.

If you don't live near the coast, and live north of I-10 and west of Galena Park, you probably should not be thinking about evacuating. Unless Rita brings Allison-like rainfall, which is unlikely, most homes in Houston will not flood.

If you want to get an idea of whether your home is likely to flood from a storm surge -- water pushed ashore by Rita's winds -- the National Weather Service has good maps available here.

For Harris County, even in the face of a category-5 storm, the surge only affects the eastern part of the county. And no one, at this point, expects Rita to approach category-5 strength.

If you're not planning to evacuate, consider filling your pantry with some emergency supplies, but please don't hoard. The weather service has a recommended list of supplies here.

The bottom line is this: don't panic. Not everyone in Harris County need evacuate if a major storm comes this way. Most of the city won't flood, and that that does will drain a day or two after the storm passes. Tropical Storm Allison was a bad event for most of us, but we lived through it.

Where I'm at, the worst-case scenario seems to be that all the roads are flooded for a couple days.

 

[tedtropy]

:lol

That's why I'm leaning towards 3..

While half the city bails out and heads for parts unknown farther north/west, about 70% of our customers suddenly aren't using us anymore. :lol (I work for a dialup ISP )

Only about 30% of our normal users will be using EV1. , all out of state. I could very easily "get stuck" at work. I'd have my PSP and cell charger in the car, along with some food for a few days if necessary (incase of flooding like during Allison), and since we have generators (at least to last us a few days), I'd be indoors, AC, with TV, radio, PSP, cell phone (assuming some of the cell towers are still up) and phone, possible if the lines aren't knocked out.

I'd be on the clock and taking like, 2 calls an hour at most.

Happen to know a guy by the name of Kenneth Smith? He's a buddy of mine that started working the graveyard shift for EV1 tech support like two or so months ago.

As for the coming storm/whatever it turns out to be, I'll be riding it out. I live in a town called Crosby that's outside most predicted impact zones and is a fair distance from Galveston. I'll be damned if I'm leaving my new HD set behind and I'll be damned if I'm moving it.

 

[SSGMUN10000]

I plan to ride it out. It doesnt get to flooded in the area I live in.


Hey Mig I didnt know you started to work at ev1. Now that you have experience look out for the job postings at Time Warner. We are always hiring.

 

[Miguel]

:lol

Do you guys have an office that's NOT in North houston, a 25 mile drive for me?

Yeah, I've gotta update my resume. I mean, I like this job, and some of the benefits are nice...but that 25 mile a day drive is a bitch. At least I have Civic, only have to fill up once a week...still, that's 30 bucks.

 

[SuperPac]

I'm on the second floor of my apt. complex near the Galleria. Some of my co-workers have commented that a Cat 3 can be ridden out. But I think if there are any calls for evacuations in Houston itself I'll probably hop in the car and get the hell outta dodge. I also just got a new TV and don't want to leave it. (Oh, sweet sweet television.) Hrm.

 

[Lhadatt]

That's what apartment renter's insurance is for.

I've considered bolting, but now I'm not so sure. I thought of going to Austin, but that's going to be crowded due to ACLFest. Dallas is blah. San Antonio? Maybe.

Perhaps I'll just stay here and hope my Internet connection and power stay up.

 

[SSGMUN10000]

:lol

Do you guys have an office that's NOT in North houston, a 25 mile drive for me?

Yeah, I've gotta update my resume. I mean, I like this job, and some of the benefits are nice...but that 25 mile a day drive is a bitch. At least I have Civic, only have to fill up once a week...still, that's 30 bucks.

The tech support office is only in the north houston center. We do have a work at home program.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

I'm in Corpus. About 1 mile from coastline. This will be interesting. I've ridden out a cat 2 before, but my car barely survived.

 

[Miguel]

 

[pestul]

2 PM EDT TUE SEP 20 2005

DATA FROM NOAA AND AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANES INDICATE THAT
RITA HAS REACHED 100 MPH WINDS. RITA IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO ON THE
SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. THIS SPECIAL ADVISORY IS TO REFLECT
A CHANGE IN BOTH INITIAL AND FORECAST INTENSITY. THERE IS NO CHANGE
IN THE FORECAST TRACK.

 

[Mashing]

Damn.. that was quick

 

[Miguel]

WE ARE ALLLLLLLLLL GONNA DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

 

[Miguel]

Update on my plan for "evac" if there's a Rita stays at Cat 2-3 or stronger, and hits anywhere in the general coastal area near Houston.


1. My mom, bro/sis, and mom's side of the family will be in New Braunfels, had a trip planned to go Tubing in the Guadalupe River.
2. My dad will be in Kentucky, then Tampa, then Boston, and on his way back home driving on a business trip. He doesn't plan on arriving in Boston until sunday/monday, so, by the time he gets back the storm will be over.
3. I will probably stay at work, until they deem it not safe to be here, then I'll hightail it out. As long as it's still "safe" to be here, and they're willing to keep me around, I'll stay working. I'm still barely getting by cashwise, although I don't have many bills, it's enough to make me not want to miss many days. We're in North Houston, a good 60-70 miles from the coast. My house on the other hand, and my dad's side of the family, all lives in Southwest Houston. About 40-50 miles from the coast.
4. Dad's family will probably be stubborn, and refuse to leave until there is a mandatory evacuation. If there's a cat 2-3 on the way to Houston, and I decide to head out from work, I will go back home, get my cousins to grab their shit, and take them with me. If my aunt's want them back, she can come get them
5. My HD will be the first thing out of my computer, and I will take my aunt's laptop with me, along with my external enclosure. My cousin has a digital camera, so I will probably go home and take some pics for insurance purposes, cause I know my dad is too lazy to.

Tonight, I start to get all important papers ready to place in one location for easy access. Ugh.

 

[Jewbacca]

im going to hug my toilet.

 

[Incognito]

i dont want you all in san antonio. traffic's already bad enuff.

w3rd

 

[Miguel]

i dont want you all in san antonio. traffic's already bad enuff.

w3rd

<3

 

[AirBrian]

You could come to Dallas and root against the pansy-ass Cowboys. Did I mention the Cowboys suck? THE COWBOYS SUCK!!!

Texans > Cowboys.

I hope no one gets hurt because of Rita, but I'm looking foward to the cooler weather and rain. It was friggin' 100 F today! In September!

 

[Miguel]

You could come to Dallas and root against the pansy-ass Cowboys. Did I mention the Cowboys suck? THE COWBOYS SUCK!!!

Texans > Cowboys.

I hope no one gets hurt because of Rita, but I'm looking foward to the cooler weather and rain. It was friggin' 100 F today! In September!

When your you walk outside on your birthday (Nov 8th), and you open your car, and it feels like an oven.....then you go inside and check the weather, and it's 96 degrees...

Then you can complain.

Ok, maybe not that bad, but high 80s/low 90s in Nov have happened.

 

[AirBrian]

When your you walk outside on your birthday (Nov 8th), and you open your car, and it feels like an oven.....then you go inside and check the weather, and it's 96 degrees...

Then you can complain.

Ok, maybe not that bad, but high 80s/low 90s in Nov have happened.

Yeah, that's happened here too. But, I will give you that it's much nastier humid-wise down there than up here. I complain about Dallas' heat, but at least it's mostly a dry heat. I would not survive in Houston.

I'll actually be in Houston in a couple of weeks for a wedding. (And I'd offer my spare room to someone if I hadn't to my friend and fiancee who are getting married.) Hopefully this doesn't impact them.

BTW, how far is Katy (just north, right)? There's a miniature Forbidden City there I wanna hit up on the way back to Dallas. Looks pretty cool.

 

[Miguel]

Katy = About 10 miles West of Houston.

 

[AirBrian]

Thanks.

 

[Desperado]

to the middle of nowhere...at least i'll be safe..

 

[Future Trunks]

Looks like I'm heading back to Tampa tomorrow...ugh. Indecisive co-workers...

 

[Miguel]

I thought we were bros, Future Trunks.



Bye FT

 

[Future Trunks]

I thought we were bros, Future Trunks.



Bye FT

You were gonna high tail it to El Paso without me! I wanted wings and beer! WINGS AND BEER!...or similar non-alcoholic beverage.

 

[Macam]

It's now a Category 3 hurricane, but I'm not particularly worried about the situation, as though I'm in Austin, I certainly have friends and family in Houston. I think most people are simply overreacting due to Katrina, as someone else noted, and while it's better to be safe than sorry, it's unlikely we're going to see anything really catastrophic.

People definitely shouldn't be coming to Austin in any case; as the OP noted, Austin City Limits has dibs on every spare hotel here and it's already a clusterfuck with UT back in full force, some Katrina refugees taking home here, and ACL about to occur.

 

[Miguel]

You were gonna high tail it to El Paso without me! I wanted wings and beer! WINGS AND BEER!...or similar non-alcoholic beverage.

BEER?! BEER?!?!?!

CADILLAC SAYS
"I'M DISAPPOINTED IN YOU FT"

 

[Ninja Scooter]

You can come to California but you have to become a Laker fan. ANd wouldn't it be funny if right when you got here an earthquake swallowed the entire state?

 

[Lo-Volt]

I'm on the second floor of my apt. complex near the Galleria. Some of my co-workers have commented that a Cat 3 can be ridden out. But I think if there are any calls for evacuations in Houston itself I'll probably hop in the car and get the hell outta dodge. I also just got a new TV and don't want to leave it. (Oh, sweet sweet television.) Hrm.

By the way, Rita was just upgraded to Category 4 (winds > 131 mph). Maybe you should rethink this?

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Is God waging a war against oil? I just noticed that the Port of Houston might just get devestated, which besides being a hub of importing oil, but is also the busiest port in terms of foriegn tonnage, all which spells doom and gloom for the economy. Hmm...