DAILY MUESLI: Pity Port Arthur

Good morning. Hurricane Rita's forecast track has been shifting up the coast since the last time I wrote about the storm. That means that the worst case scenario -- the storm's powerful northeast quadrant heading up Galveston Bay flooding Houston and waterlogging a quarter of the U.S. oil refining capacity -- probably won't materialize in a totally catastrophic matter, but regardless, the storm is still very powerful.

So pity the people of Port Arthur, Texas, which calls itself "Energy City." Hopefully people have left Port Arthur. Instead of that odd storm Hurricane Ophelia taking the letter "O" storm, I wish that Rita could have been "Hurricane Octopus," because this graphic from the Port Arthur International Port would fit somewhat better. But just imagine the octopus with the head of Rita Moreno, and you can see what the storm's going to do to Port Arthur and its future as a container port.


1.) Got brunch plans for Saturday? (Please note the Oculus doesn't endorse full-fledged socialism, but the Oculus does enjoy good music.) Head to Asylum for Champagne Socialism.

2.) I wanted to note that my old college paper, The Michigan Daily, has launched a set of blogs. Congrats ... and I'm a little surprised they didn't move on this earlier. But it's a good sign. Now if they could only improve the overall website.

3.) Don't expect many updates over the weekend. (Remember, Fridays are my Saturdays, and Saturdays are my Sundays ... and Sundays are my Mondays.) I have two house guests staying this weekend, including one independent journalist and longtime friend who is sure to remind me that despite all of the hurricane activity, there are still problems in Iraq. (But Dave also went to New Orleans ...)