Category Archives: Texana

Houston after Ike

Posted on September 18, 2008 | Comments Off on Houston after Ike

The Texas Rainmaker, who did not evacuate, has a good post on the storm, the aftermath, and the continued deprivations in the old (1830s-40s) capital of Texas. His photographs tell the story of downed trees and signage, blocked roads and long lines at gas stations and groceries better than words. Our evacuated friends from Kingwood, on Houston’s northwest side, are still in Austin, but not staying at the rancho as they have two dogs. A wonder they found a hotel that would take the dogs, but they did.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

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The six-gun tamed the West

Posted on September 17, 2008 | Comments Off on The six-gun tamed the West

Not hardly. It was something a lot bigger, a lot nosier, and still necessary after all these years.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Vince, we hardly knew ye

Posted on September 17, 2008 | Comments Off on Vince, we hardly knew ye

Vince Young, injured and depressed at being booed when he throws an interception, seems to be a different fellow than the one who won a national title for the Longhorns in 2005–after throwing more than a few interceptions.

Now he’s talking of suicide and carrying a gun in the glove compartment of his car. Even with Chris Sims (Chris Sims!) to mentor him now he seems to be having second thoughts about the NFL, possibly because of all the pressure: the hits, the fans, the coaches, all the relatives with their hands in his pockets. Hey, Vince, you can always come back to Austin and sell cars.

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Posted in Texana, Texas Football

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Evacuating Houston

Posted on September 15, 2008 | Comments Off on Evacuating Houston

Mom’s friends who live in Kingwood, on the northeast side of Houston, didn’t choose to evacuate before Hurricane Ike arrived. But, now, they’re thinking about moving to Austin temporarily, if they can find a motel. Many of them already are full with other evacuees. We may wind up taking them for a few days.

Like blogger Melissa Clouthier, a chiropractor who lives in the Woodlands, on the northwest side of the city, they’re tired of the squalor. The power is out, so there’re no lights, no air-conditioning, no water, and no refrigeration. The phones don’t work, and cell phone service is spotty. Their neighborhood grocery is open but they have to use what they buy pretty quickly or it will spoil. Even their employers are without power and therefore shut down. It’s like a return to the 19th century, without the ice deliveries.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana

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Sonnentheil House survives

Posted on September 13, 2008 | Comments Off on Sonnentheil House survives

A Galveston landmark, in the city’s East End Historical District, the Sonnentheil House appears to have survived Hurricane Ike handily. And why not? It survived the 1900 hurricane that stripped the island city of many homes, and four others.

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Posted in Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Why we need more refineries

Posted on September 13, 2008 | Comments Off on Why we need more refineries

Drilling is a good start, nuclear power plants are, too. But Hurricane Ike will show why they won’t be enough:

"I think people need to understand how profoundly the [Houston area] refining being down is going to affect the nation. Even if the refineries could get back going the minute the storm passes, it will take at least a week to get going again. And, it should be noted, the refineries will not get going the minute the storm passes. America needs to build more."  –Dr. Melissa Clouthier, Houston blogger.

Via Instapundit.

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Posted in Texana, Weather/Climate

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Forecast changes

Posted on September 12, 2008 | Comments Off on Forecast changes

This could be my last post for a while, if the power goes out tonight or early tomorrow, as it may. The wind is picking up. No rain yet. But we have an upgrade in the weather forecast and there is an abundance of trees around power lines in Austin.

Weather service is now looking at 50 percent chance of thunderstorms tonight and wind gusts to 45 mph. Then, early Saturday, 100 percent change of rain, heavy at times, with gusts to 50 mph. Still looks like a normal fall thunderstorm, even with the wind gusts, so long as they’re not sustained for long periods. Fortunately for us, Ike’s core is forecast to stay well to our east. If you want to follow events in Houston and Galveston, where the worst is certain to occur, go to KHOU television for their video reports as long as they have at least generator power to stay on the web. Also this Houston area blogger, and this one. Both have local blog rolls for more. And Houston Chronicle’s blog.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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