omg guys look out. another one!

[LA_MERC_Sniper]

have you guys seen rita it is possibly going to hit louisiana. right now it is supposed to go somewhere between texas and louisisana. you guys dont need that. hopefully it willl weaken by then

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Crap, Batten down the hatches again. Rita is making a B line.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

crap! this one looks to be heading my way!!!! dar she blows!!!!

[SweetGirL]

...dar she blows!!!!

:roll

They're evacuating the Keys as we speak. The little Rita is not even a Cat I......you guys are whimps. *holds breathe and knows what happens when storms enter the warm waters of the Gulf* :doh

[Biggs]

f' it. man, i pray this thing dont come back.

[|Team Moped| Kripto]

ANDY ANDY.... WHERE ARE YOU?

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

dang...you guys just can't get ahead during slurricane season!

[LA_MERC_Drax]

Well this hurricane is pretty much the worse case senario for the rigs in the gulf. Its gonna clear every rig pretty much. Hopefully this one don't get well conformed and blurs out......

[Little Birdy]

Hmm, and the season continues even after this one... Boy oh boy!.....

[LA_MERC_Spark]

aint it funny... just get through rebuilding the entire network here in Beaumont and the fkin thing is headed here! :(

[LA_MERC_Sniper]

yeah its not strong yet but katrina was a weaak cat 1 until it passed florida :(

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

well it's looking like the Katrina area will be okay. I just don't want to see somewhere else go through what we have.

We can make air cannons.. why not get super air cannons firing roundafter round into the eye of these dang storms? HELLLO????

[SweetGirL]

well it's looking like the Katrina area will be okay. I just don't want to see somewhere else go through what we have.

We can make air cannons.. why not get super air cannons firing roundafter round into the eye of these dang storms? HELLLO????

Funny you say that...I've always wondered what it would take to stop or minimize hurricanes. You'd think that, with all the high tech crap we've come up with (i.e. cloning, etc), someone would have figured a way to weaken these things if possible. Is that possible, you think?

Of course, my water bill last month was $75, because of lack of rain here in College Station & Texas; I had the sprinklers going every couple of days to keep the grass alive! I've noticed the grass is now a nice shade of brown in some spots....wouldn't mind a tropical storm bringing some rain this way!

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

Of course, my water bill last month was $75, because of lack of rain here in College Station & Texas; I had the sprinklers going every couple of days to keep the grass alive! I've noticed the grass is now a nice shade of brown in some spots....wouldn't mind a tropical storm bringing some rain this way!

Blasted women!!! leave the darn grass to die!!!! Don't you know if you keep watering it the crap grows? It's too hot on saturday and sunday these days, especially during football season, then it's too dark in the evenings...especially during hockey season!! :)

[LA_MERC_Andyconda]

Lol, my grass is very pretty shades of brown, orange, and yellow. Not a drop of water in 3 weeks since Katrina. That's not a bad thing. Kripto, I'm still near Mobile so you can bet Rita is headed here. The only reason Katrina clipped New Orleans and came back through Mississippi is that I was suppose to be in New Orleans that weekend and she passed me up but made a brief come back. Well since Ihave no plans to go anywhere this weekend you can bet your bottom dollar Rita is headed towards Mobile Bay.

[-FA- ManiacalClown]

Oh boy. Looks like it's my turn.

My first hurricane since Andrew, perhaps.


:|

[LA_MERC_BS]

Man there is panic in the streets around here. There are mile long lines for gas here now. Theres a rumor going around that FEMA is taking control of all gas stations in 24 hours. People are nuts. Rita is going past us like we were a hitch hiker holding a knife and people still think it may come back our way.

[LA_MERC_Dirge]

people are a little gun-shy I would think. I'm sure it's just as bad around here...

[LA_MERC_th33_r00k]

I wish the best of luck on y'all, and maybe a little boomer cloud for your grass sweetgirl. Hope everyone rides it out ok.

[SweetGirL]

Thanks, Rook. I think I specifically said that a "tropical storm" would be nice to have for my grass....not a Cat 5, dammit!! pfft College Station was bad enough with all the little Aggie students, then the evacuees from Katrina...now we're congested with Galveston people. I guess I don't mind it really, except they don't know how to drive!!!! Anywho, best of luck to all in Rita's path. We have stocked up on plenty of food, water, supplies, etc in case the poewr goes out here. Most importantly, I have my pedicure and nail appointment for first thing in the morning! wooT! haha

[-FA- ManiacalClown]

I'll be picking up some supplies tonight. Batteries mainly in case of power outage.


Here's President Gates' statement if you missed it, sweets:

September 21, 2005


Statement by Texas A&M President Robert M. Gates


Based on the latest available forecast (noon Wednesday), the path of Hurricane Rita may pass near Bryan/College Station late Friday night and Saturday. After consulting with local and state emergency authorities and law enforcement, deans, and vice presidents, I have made the following decisions:

1. Classes will be cancelled on Friday and University offices will be closed. We expect to re-open Monday morning, but staff and students should check the University web-page for an update on this after 5 p.m., Sunday the 25th. Essential staff personnel identified by the respective vice presidents should plan on reporting for work on Friday and available through the week-end. Regular food services will be available on Friday, closed on Saturday and, depending on the impact of the storm, open on Sunday. Students in residence halls and apartments who use University food services should plan to have food and water available in their rooms for Saturday, when it may be unsafe to be outside. There will be no campus bus service on Saturday and Sunday, and the Student Recreation Center will be closed on Saturday.

2. All university-supported student activities and events from Friday through Sunday night are cancelled.

3. University buildings are strong, and we believe students on campus will be safe. Security, maintenance and emergency medical staff will be on-duty and on-campus. We strongly encourage students to remain on campus (and inside) during the storm. This is especially true of those who live in the Houston and Galveston areas, in southern Texas, and in the hill country to the west. In the case of students who decide to return home, we urge that you depart well in advance of the storm and plan to arrive before the hurricane makes landfall Friday night.

4. All university garages will be open and free of charge from 6:00 a.m. Friday through Sunday at 6 p.m. so that as many students as can be accommodated can park their vehicles in protected areas.

5. We have agreed to provide shelter for students from the University of Houston and Texas Southern University. In addition, the College of Veterinary Medicine has been asked to serve as a back-up medical facility for hospitals in the Galveston/Harris County area.

6. Students, faculty and staff prepared to volunteer at Reed Arena should sign up via the web at http://reedvolunteers.tamu.edu/.

I have talked with the President of Texas State University, and we have decided to play our football game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The weather is expected to be clear and we believe the game will be televised. Yell practice will be at 9 p.m. Wednesday on Simpson Drill Field.

This was an exceptionally difficult decision, and I made it based primarily on the strong desire of both teams to play, the strong sentiment expressed by our students to attend, and by the fact that the student athletes from Texas State can return home safely
on Thursday night and our students will have plenty of time to go home should they choose to do so.

However, circumstances require that we make adjustments in addition to timing. Above all, we must do what we can not to add to vehicular traffic on Brazos County highways, which may be heavily used by evacuees. I urge, in the strongest possible terms, that all fans who do not live in Bryan and College Station remain home and watch the game on television. This will ease the burden on local and state law enforcement and emergency personnel. Also, we understand there will be no hotel rooms available in the Bryan/College Station area Thursday night. Let me be clear: we are holding this game primarily for the students, and if you do not live in Bryan and College Station, STAY HOME.

We must all hope that these precautionary measures and decisions will prove unnecessary. Our students, faculty and staff showed the entire country what the Aggie Spirit was all about in our many efforts to assist others in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now we must look to caring for the Aggie family – and the guests we will welcome from evacuated areas -- as Hurricane Rita approaches. I have no doubt that in the days ahead we will see the same level of commitment, selflessness hard work, generosity and character -- in short, Aggie Spirit – as we saw after Katrina.

[LA_MERC_Spark]

this is one bad mutha... It may be the biggest of all time. @ 10 pm it was already as powerful as Katrina, and it WILL get stronger. Only chance is an eyewall replacement cycle before landfall...

[LA_MERC_Cowboy_From_Hell]

HOLY CRAP!!! 897 milibars!!! Katrina only got down to 902.

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/?from=wxcenter_news

Good luck all...

[SweetGirL]

Well, dammit......I had so many plans this weekend. Nothing fancy - just bought a range hood @ Lowe's the other day and planned on replacing the old one, was gonna paint the living room, recaulk a bathtub, throw a little cedar mulch in the flower bed, get the Autumn/Halloween crap outta the attic to decorate the front door & the house (for the kids sake, of course lol), Robby had a swim meet on Saturday morning with his Aggie Swim Team, then a soccer game that afternoon, Rachel had a birthday party to go to on Sunday afternoon that she's been counting on, squeeze Mass in there, Reed had a soccer game to play on Sunday afternoon, etc etc. *sigh* HOWEVER, as the Southern girl that I am and having lived on the Mobile Bay all of my life, I never underestimate the power of these hurricanes. And, in keeping with the Southern tradition of preparation for a hurricane, I purchased a sh*tload of alcohol yesterday! Think about it .... trapped in the house, no power, no cable tv, NO INTERNET *gasp*, and to top of it.....3 KIDS! Not to mention, that I have family coming in to stay with us .... they are bringing THEIR 3 kids! Peter is gonna "chew the paint off the walls" with all these kids here...I plan to stick him in a closed room and keep him slightly inebriated to knock the edge off & keep him quiet. haha

Thanks for that letter from Gates, Clown. You'll have to stop by sometime and visit me (I'm off SW Pkwy & TX Ave area). Be safe all. ~Sam~

[LA_MERC_Heater]

Well we're above in the Jasper area and i will be leaving today to head to Oak Grove Louisiana today..Not going to chance this storm..170mph wind already and it has another day to grow.Ouch
Everyone be careful and i will be praying for you all.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

Good luck everyone in the Tx/LA border...its going to be an interesting weekend...

[LA_MERC_Drax]

I guess I don't mind it really, except they don't know how to drive!!!!

Must be a bunch of women driving around then :stick :shootme:

[LA_MERC_Cowboy_From_Hell]

Must be a bunch of women driving around then :stick :shootme:

lol @ Dead man walking....

Get 'em Sweets

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

I'm glad I left out of Houston Thursday evening..it took me 14 hours to get from houston to Monroe which is normally a 6 hour drive. I count my blessings that we made the decision to leave when we did.

[LA_MERC_Cowboy_From_Hell]

Yeah, I heard stories of 13 hours of gridlock and people needing as from roadside assistence.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

yeah it was pretty bad for me and I didnt' even see the 'bad' time....I think it was bumper to bumper on I-45 for about 120 miles....people were dying from carbon monoxide poisoning...and that bus blew up too.

[LA_MERC_Heater]

Took me 9hrs to get to Monroe La.That was a long dang trip...Glad im here tho now.

[LA_MERC_Sabre]

W00t...looks like we can have a MERC lan this weekend in Monroe!!!!

[SweetGirL]

Must be a bunch of women driving around then :stick :shootme:

If the stupid men would have listened to their wives and girlfriends telling 'em to leave back on Tuesday and Wednesday, the damn roads wouldn't have been bumper to bumper! I completely blame the men! It's nothing BUT men driving that I am complaining about! I feel the women are doing a good job at their usual job of "co-piloting".

[LA_MERC_Drax]

I feel the women are doing a good job at their usual job of "co-piloting".

Otherwise known as back-seat driving, that aggravating wench telling you to go the wrong direction.

Remedy for the situation: 1 hour before drive time, apply one Xanax to drink, watch her sleep the trip.

[-FA- ManiacalClown]

I'm good, obviously.

[LA_MERC_LaTech]

good to hear...obviously. ;)

[-FA- ManiacalClown]

Yeah, we were fortunate enough to miss the storm entirely. Our worst damage was a few small branches downed by the outer wind gusts. Don't think they broke 30 mph, though.