Hurricane Katrina

I would like to take a moment to send my thoughts and prayers to the people of New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. I cannot imagine such devastation as what you are experiencing.

In case you've been living under a rock, a Category 5 hurricane hit southern Louisiana yesterday. The damage is said to be catastrophic, especially in the northeastern sections of New Orleans, and the city of Slidell, which is said to be under 20 feet of water. I have been reading blogs most of the evening from those inside the "strike zone" of Katrina, and, to say that my heart goes out to those people is an understatement.

I do not fully comprehend the topography of New Orleans, however, I am told that it sits in a "bowl" that is contrcuted of natural topography, levees, and causeways. A two-block stretch of the 17th Street levee in New Orleans broke a few hours after the hurricane's passing, and, as Josh Britton, who lives in New Orleans (or close by) reports:

"According to Mike, WWL is reporting that “80% of the city is underwater, up to
20 feet deep” and “both airports are under, the yatch club is gone, water is
still entering, houses have broken off their foundations and are floating free.”
This is all presumably because of the delayed breach of the 17th Street canal
(see below). Lake Pontchartrain is entering the city and become Lake New
Orleans. The cable news networks have not really caught on yet to what is
happening. [...] If this is as serious as it sounds, the worst-case scenario is
happening. The bowl is filling."

Grammar, people! Grammar!

I saw this tonight on a local job board:

Will mow grass along state highways using a medium size tractor and rotary
mower. Will also operate a week eater. Will assist in minor maintenance of
equipment. Must have some tractor related experience, be 18 years of age and
have a valid driver`s license. Must be willing to travel around Northern and
Central Idaho. Will work 50-60 hours per week. Pay starts at $7.50 per hour with
overtime over 40 hours per week. $100 per week per diem. Job will end around
Sept. 1.

The first person who correctly tells me three things grammatically wrong with this ad will get a free copy of my book when it comes out. (There are actually, logically speaking, WAY more than three things wrong with this, but I'll accept the person with any three correct responses.)

Site Designs

I decided that the web site for my book was lacking and that I needed a personal author's page, so I went looking at what some other people are doing on their sites, prepared to be completely wowed.

I wasn't.

It turns out that a lot of writers have REALLY crappy web sites... even well-known writers. What's worse, some of the writers have majorly crappy artwork for their covers. Most of these are, typically, ePublished authors, but, still. Come on. I saw this one where there was a computer generated vampire that looked like he was stolen off of a Commodore 64 game and altered to have sharp eye teeth. Another was an erotic fantasy novel that had almost the same Commodore 64-style look to him, but, despite being set in modern day, the guy was wearing a coat that had puffy sleeves ala the era of Henry VIII.So, I don't feel so bad. Still no ideas on the web sites, though.

More Blank Filling

The band played in Spokane and twice in Cusick and worked on the record and got a photographer to take pictures for the CD and bought a van. The layouts for my book got almost finished. Got my classes for my second-to-last semester of college before I have my BS. In August.... The band played once so far... drummer maybe leaving (taking our keyboard player/backup singer with him... can't decide to use the same guy to finish mixing the record; ... getting "okay" reviews on the songs, though.