[OLS]

I am worrying for my friend Chingas.....He is RIGHT there in the Raritan Estuary near the Jersey Shore and
that puts him in line for a hell of a disaster in the coming storm surge. I know there are many of us in the
path of doom, but he is my main man up that way. It hurts to know that he is gonna get it. I have ridden out
well in excess of a dozen hurricanes in New Orleans and I know firsthand what you guys are up against.
What's worse is, mine were always in a very temperate climate. You guys are gonna get wet, cold and damaged.
That hurts me. I know all too well the impact of these storms. You have my sympathies and my thoughts are
with you.

And by the way, there is no shame in a hurricane party. It's not like dancing on someone's grave, its exactly
what it sounds like. Hunkering down in a secure place with plenty of beer, water, food, weed, cigars, women,
you name it, and thumbing your nose at the impending doom. Had more than a few in my time. My mother
would look at me like I was nuts. But I would drive out to the bayou and hang out and party long into the night.
NOW that I know how scared she was for me and for herself and my grandmother, I would not do it again, but it
was fun then.

And last, I mean NO ill will to anyone on this one, but a hell of a lot of people are going to get a SMALL taste
(Category 1 or below) of what New Orleans went through in Katrina, Betsy, Camille, and a dozen other Cat 4-5 storms.
I can almost understand that the rest of the country got tired of hearing about Katrina and the lasting physical and
psychological damage that the storm caused the people of the gulf coast, and I hope it doesn't take you five-ten years
to bounce back. It is a complete roll of the dice everytime.