Bonddad from DailyKOS and My Left Wing has sounded off today at the latter site. He's hunkered down in Houston. The way Rita seems to be going, it looks like he will be spared the worst of it. However, I would have been happier had he opted to evacuate.

However, I have another friend whose parents simply were too frail to evacuate from their home in a community on the border between Texas and Louisiana. And they are right on the projected path of Rita. Oh dear.

And, of course, Rita is headed right for a whole shitload of refineries. 23 refineries are either still shut down from Katrina damage or shut down anticipating Rita's arrival. (Sorry, soul-sucking registration required. Try BugMeNot and look for NY Times.) This is not good at all for fuel prices. $4 or $5 gasoline is a possibility.

Not good. Not good at all.

Update 9:07pm PDT: My friend's parents...and his dog...are now safe in the vast interior of TX. I have heard too many stories from Katrina where people too frail to evacuate basically die. A little less to worry about.