I love my birthday-- Leonard Bernstein, Elvis Costello, Marti Noxon, Tim Burton, Mel Ferrer (tickles me no end), Geoff Downes, Rollie Fingers, and Sean Connery, among many other cool folks.

Makes up for the fact that I also share the day with George Wallace, Rachel Ray, and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Elvis Costello

You win.

You win.

I share a birthday with the board, so I think maybe I do.

I don't want a hurricane to hit anywhere, especially since Florida's gotten so much rain lately, but I would appreciate some "no-hurricane-hitting-New-Orleans"-ma.

Considering where Storm Track is putting it, you need the ~ma

but I would appreciate some "no-hurricane-hitting-New-Orleans"-ma.

Completely understood. Stay out to sea until the winds die down and then rain in only those places that need it ~ma it is!

I would appreciate some "no-hurricane-hitting-New-Orleans"-ma.

Oh cripes, no, no, no...No more hurricanes hitting New Orleans. (Or Florida.)

Let it hit some deserted stretch of coastline... somewhere.

I don't want a hurricane to hit anywhere, especially since Florida's gotten so much rain lately, but I would appreciate some "no-hurricane-hitting-New-Orleans"-ma.

I'm with you. WWL has been sending me updates for the past few days.

My dad says that the reason the overall cone is pointing towards New Orleans is because they've averaged the tracks that have it hitting Texas or Florida. Apparently no individual track has it predicted at New Orleans.

But that's not preventing moderate hysteria, of course.

The current curve has it trending towards landfall in Mississippi. Which is still too close.

I remember when I worked for a press clipping agency and my job was to monitor the news broadcases for New Orleans. They talked about how bad it would be if the winds came over Lake Pontchratrain (sp?) towards the city. This was back in the 80s. I think about that every time a hurricane heads just to the east of New Orleans.