You know, it's too bad the Kingdome isn't still up, or else the refugees could have experienced the trifecta of butt-ugly 1960s and 70s domed stadia.

Well, it's a bit of a trek for the refugees, but we do have an attractive late '90s roofed stadium we won't be using in another months or so....

From the pictures, I'm pretty sure that those weren't re-enactors, but LARPers. I'm quite doubtful that it was SCA as bloggers reported from the look of the gear (cardboard props, etc.)

Since I don't know the difference, I'll bow to your greater wisdom.

A new reason to be in Iraq:

''If Zarqawi and [Osama] bin Laden gain control of Iraq, they would create a new training ground for future terrorist attacks," Bush said. ''They'd seize oil fields to fund their ambitions. They could recruit more terrorists by claiming a historic victory over the United States and our coalition."

So we need to be in Iraq to product the oil in Iraq from the situation that we created by invading Iraq.

Definitely LARP, in Montreal.

I've just heard that my NO family is driving (sans extra clothes or anything) up to NY where the rest of their immediate family is living. They're safe, they're lucky considering, and I really can't bear to think about it.

I haven't even asked about family friends yet. I'm just assuming that if it had been extra bad, I'd have heard by now.

I'm just assuming that if it had been extra bad, I'd have heard by now.

The latest terrorists attack in Israel (this week) was in a city in which most of my mom's family lives. I used the same line of thought. Thankfully, I turned out to be right.

ita, it's good to read that they are at least safe.

I just can't grasp the weather being so huge. Ours is so much smaller.

Oh ita, I'm glad at least that they're safe. And I think your thinking strategy is the only sane way to proceed.

Nilly, I'm curious - how big is the hurricane story there?

The latest terrorists attack in Israel (this week) was in a city in which most of my mom's family lives. I used the same line of thought. Thankfully, I turned out to be right.

Oh, Nilly! I'm so glad your family is okay!

how big is the hurricane story there?

Big enough to open a few news broadcasts, which - considering how crazy things are here usually - is pretty big. It's also being constantly mentioned in the very short hourly updates that most radio stations broadcast, which usually contain only the headlines with "the biggest font" and try to not repeat themselves. So, yeah, it's pretty big. I guess that if it had timed itself to two weeks ago, the local disengagement news would have taken it off the headlines, but now that things have calmed down a bit, it has a larger place.

[Edit: thanks, Teppy.]

Since I don't know the difference, I'll bow to your greater wisdom.

No worries, Brenda. I'd remembered the boingboing reporting of the event as SCA/re-enactors and wanted to clear it up. LARPers are roleplayers, which might explain their enthusiastic reception of the zombies. Someone doing a historical re-enactment might not be so amused at being flashmobbed.