God has already punished California with earthquakes, forest fires and mudslides; New York with 9/11; and Florida with Hurricanes Bonnie, Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne and the early version of Katrina.

And Illinois got Sammy Sosa?

Emily, where's the wedding? You might find a cheaper hotel close by.

Got in touch with my parents finally, once they discovered that text messages will go through even when cell phone calls will not. They moved to the hotel my grandparents are at, which actually has power and phones. I feel much better.

I am now tasked with a few projects, including e-mailing CNN to make fun of one of their useless news anchors.

I'm so glad to hear it, Dana.

When the State Office Building was hit by lightening last year, I was personally told it was because we were evil. Which was proved because the lightening struck on the 5th floor of an 11 storey building. Since this is where Big IT is, it just goes to prove that Big IT is evil. Thank goodness it didn't hit on the 8th floor. That meant that we were ok in the library. Not good, but not quite evil either. I'm sure it had nothing to do with all of the wires going into the 5th floor, or that the floor is almost solid metal with all their computers and telecommunications, or with all the extra telecommunications stuff hanging off the side of the building.

If it had to do with relative evil, there are places in town, or even in the building, that I could see as better suited, but that's just me.

Much of my career has been related to electric utilities, so one of my first instincts was to check the power company websites. Mississippi Power's website begins, "All of the company's 195,000 customers are without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina."

Entergy is the main utility for that area, and its site says:

Nearly 1 million Entergy customers remain without power in Louisiana and Mississippi. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage. Due to the scope and amount of damage to its electrical system, Entergy expects a long and difficult restoration.

The number of reported customer outages peaked in Mississippi and Louisiana at nearly 1.1 million. The outage total has more than quadrupled the previous Entergy single event record of 270,000, set only last month during Tropical Storm Cindy. The record prior to that was 260,000 following Hurricane Georges in 1998.

Good evening. I'm trying not to punch people in the face or snap at them irrationally.

Yay Stephanie! Congratulations.

~ma for pretty much everybody right now.

Trying to dwell on the fact that all my people are accounted for.

Also trying to figure out why my phone is off when the bill isn't due until Sept 6.

Best news of the day- overheard at work (this was said while jokey picking on coworker) "You're messing up, girl. You're not going to be here long. Heather's the only one I'm worried about keeping right now." and "Our admin rocks!" So that's nice.

I am so glad to hear that you have heard from your parents and that they are okay.

Go forth now and mock the CNN anchor.

I'm glad you heard from your parents, Dana. How are they coping?

My cousins' mom, who I'd assumed had gotten out because when I asked after one of the cousins, she wasn't mentioned was horribly lucky. She doesn't have a car, but had rented one that day to do some errands. She just kept it and went north. There but for the grace of Enterprise goes she.

They're sort of stunned and hoping against hope that some of the house has survived.

Your people are all okay, right?

I'm so glad you heard from your parents, Dana.