Delta is in backruptcy. United, too? I'm not sure.

After reading the extended meteorlogical stuff I'm hoping for a weakening before I have to make a decision.

However...despite the favorable large scale environment...Wilma is near its maximum potential intensity and further strengthening is not anticipated. Most likely...the small eye will collapse followed by slight weakening or some fluctuations in intensity. Eyewall replacement cycles will likely control the intensity for the next 2 to 3 days while the hurricane is over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Thereafter...once Wilma reaches the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and encounters the westerlies and high shear...weakening should begin.

My mother (in NY at the moment) lives in a manufactured home right in the projected path on the west coast. I am about to call her and ask her for a list of stuff she wants removed. I don't want to upset her, but I'd rather err on the side of caution here. We'll be heading over to help sis and bro board up.

Northwest.

The MTA is lowering fares during the holiday season:

The fare reduction will, alas, be temporary. The authority intends to reduce the base fare by half - to $1 - on weekends between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day and throughout the last week of December, using part of an unforeseen surplus that could reach $928 million by the end of the year.

In addition to the base fare reductions, "bonus days" are to be added to the life of 7-day and 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCards. Riders of the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad who buy a monthly pass in December will receive a free 10-trip off-peak pass "for use by family and friends." Those who buy a weekly pass that month will get a free round-trip ticket.

Hugs to everyone. It sounds like we need it.

And then she jumped out the window of my flat

!!! Oh my.

I was trying to explain to a friend why I think it is strange that the hurricans will not go from names to letters. I think they should be names starting with Alpha. Like Apollo or something.

I'm being paranoid because both my mom and dad have had travel rearranged due to flights cancelled in various going-under cost saving schemes. And I'm just not that flexible. Which is why I also avoid O'Hare like the plague.

unforeseen surplus that could reach $928 million by the end of the year.

OK, while I am happy about the weekend holiday savings. This kinda pisses me off, because the MTA has been whining about no $$ for a while and has cut back on cleaning and manned token booths, Not to mention the last rate hike. Why not just let the fare go down to $1.75 or something?

Also? A lot of those weekends, NYCers will be out of town and tourists will be the ones reaping the benefits.

I have to say, not that impressed with the (temporary!) fare reduction. It's such an obvious ploy for people to forget MTA's murky accounting, unnecessary fare hikes and aloof management. "Here's $20. We'll be wanting that back in a couple years when we raise the fares again. Oh, and with 500% interest. Have a good one!"

ETA: and what msbelle said, especially about the usefulness of weekend discounts.

I vote for Hurricane Zim.

::takes tissues from Laura, snurfles through the entire box in an ungodly short amount of time::

Crap. I've got to get moving and get out of here.