Hurricane update: Ike is now headed straight for Lake Jackson/Clute/Freeport, TX- Ron Paul's home.

A Ron Paul supporter for this election cycle and a Mississippi Gulf Coast (Bay St Louis, MS) Hurricane Katrina survivor (in the attic of my house as the waters rose), I wonder how Ron Paul will respond to the upcoming disaster in his own district.

Being one of only 11 Representatives to vote no on Katrina Aid, I am curious as to what his position will be when the disaster visits his own neighbors, community, friends and constituents.

Will he vote a resounding "NO!" to the upcoming Hurricane Ike Aid Package that will be proposed for his own district after this upcoming disaster? Will he declare "Why should people in Arizona pay for those who chose to live on the beach?" as he did for the Katrina Aid?

I love me some Ron Paul but....this will truly test his ability to stand on principles as opposed to doing what will be absolutely necessary for his own district to recover. It will not be enough to make a statement that it would be better to send the money directly to the communities affected and circumvent the FEMA waste hole. A statement that is absolutely true! But...if you want the money you'll have to get it in the only way it is going to be offered! He will have to enact a piece of Legislation to do such a thing. And that will take time and time is not something that he will have.

Galveston and Houston our thoughts are truly with you.

Rove is controlling it with a joystick in his office.

bump, this is pretty serious folks.

While Gustav was the most pathetic storm in my 33 years, I also sat through the weakest part of it. The NE quadrant is the strongest and the SW the weakest. (I was in the SW) The NE path of Gustav took main power lines out in a path about 100 miles long and the storm took out power for almost 90% of the state at some point. Sections of Baton Rouge and New Orleans will remain without power for another week or two. There were lots of trees knocked down, some on houses, some killing people, and there were plenty of tornadoes.

Some of these power outages are affecting gas stations and grocery stores being open, as well as sewer systems not working to capacity. Read that again.

Sometimes the outerbands bring more wind and damage than the inner part of the storm. For Rita, we mostly experienced a strong tropical storm being on the NE side, though we were about 80 miles away from the center. The next day, we experienced an outerband with 90 mph sustained winds. (over 1 minute constant) And then the flooding came.

Yes, trees do break the wind much, but the storms do take out trees on top of you sometimes.

I have family that rode out a cat 2 in Destin, Fl. They were scared crapless and will never do that again.

Sometimes you get lucky, usually you don't. If you are less than 30-40 miles inland and/or less than 40+ feet above sea level, get out if it's above a cat 2, and even for a 2 you might want to leave if you are too exposed/vulnerable to wind/surge.

**Katrina was officially a cat 2 when it hit New Orleans and Mississippi. If a storm reaches cat 4 or 5 and then weakens as it comes ashore, expect a still powerful surge, large wave action on top of that, and gusts that might surprise the heck out of you.

**Rita had an official surge of 16-18 feet, with 20-40 foot waves ON TOP of that in some areas - my Uncle had a 16 foot surge with 25 foot waves on top of the surge which crashed over his house and he is almost 80 miles from where the eye made landfall.

**Georges, a cat 2 several years ago, reported 90+ foot waves at the mouth of the Mississippi. (yes I said 90 feet)

These storms CAN be serious. Each one is different, and the effects vary as wildly as to intensity as they do in location and duration.

The prediction has been shifted further south. They have been consistently missing and adjusting hurricane Ike. I think they just like to say it will hit the US just to keep us alarmed and tuning in.

AHHHHHHHHH

I just looked at the track of Ike, and it does look like it may go in away from our town of Lake Jackson, more toward Brownsville, closer to where my son lives! But I wouldn't want it aiming toward Gulf Shores, AL, because I have a daughter there. We will hope for the best, and we will be okay.

Marilyn in Lake Jackson
I live in the same town, and we are stocking up on water and boarding up, and getting ready to get out of town if need be. Please pray.