I began in a horribly cliché mood: the coverage of Rita sliding ashore at a leisurely pace truly was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.  But then I suddenly realized it was surprisingly entertaining.

Reporters braving the storm are making fools of themselves.  It provides no intrinsic value to listen through the wind blowing across the microphone and rain hitting everything, yet watching the affected sacrifice for the sake of the news is priceless.  People falling over, whipped to and fro by an unrelenting wind, pelted and blinded by torrential wind-driven rain, and generally doing precisely what we told the evacuees that they should not do.

Uh, that would be subjecting oneself to a massive hurricane like Rita or, in this case, specifically Rita.  They are inadvertently demonstrating all the reasons the evacuation was a good idea.  It is, in my general opinion, never a good idea to present oneself in such a disheveled state.  It is terribly common.

This is not a belittlement of the press.  Well, yes, I suppose it actually is, but not for the service they provide.  I understand the need for the information and updates on the storm so others can plan and react accordingly.  I am simply pointing out that so many of them lack even a modicum of self-respect in presenting themselves the way they must under these circumstances.  There are some who choose not to stand in the middle of the street unprotected while tropical storm-force winds batter them about and beat them profusely with driven rain, a target for any debris which may happen upon them.  Those not so foolish — or perhaps those with fashion sense — tell the story just as well and, via the camera, are able to demonstrate its impact.  They just tell it using what appears to be a more intelligent approach: do so with at least minimum cover and protection.

That being said, I started by admitting I had discovered the fruit filling of the Rita spectacle.  Adventitious though it seems, I find the press to be pushing a misbegotten plan of over-coverage to its maximum.  The story has taken on a bizarrely delightful flavor while never leaving behind the slow train wreck motif.  Perhaps this was their intent with what can only be called true interactive TV — to take the edge off of the Rita situation by interjecting physical slapstick and very bad fashion statements into their stand-up routines.

Brilliant! [quoting the Guinness commercial]

Someone should get a bonus…  Like me.

Momentarily discovering I do have a serious thought once in a while after mentally derailing my own post by talking about the exceptionally illusive bonus.  And yes, I meant to say illusive rather than elusive, but the latter is applicable as well.

And I digress again…

The wind started picking up here earlier this evening, although I sadly do not remember the exact time.  Now, if I step outside, I can hear the trees blowing relentlessly.  It is by no means bad, especially compared to what is seen on the news at present, but it is an interesting reminder, from this great distance, of the size and power of this hurricane.  Our skies clouded over in the later afternoon, too.  Dallas is hundreds of miles away from the coast, still we can already see Rita directly.  Impressive.