Friday, September 23, 2005

GETTING OUT OF RITA'S WAY...ON MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!

Hello, everybody. Well, as I celebrate both my 27th birthday and the season premiere of "Desperate Housewives" this weekend, Galveston and Houston, Texas are getting out as far as they can -- well, maybe to Dallas -- to escape the imminent wrath of Hurricane Rita as the Category 3 storm makes her way to the Texas-Louisiana coast with winds of 120 miles per hour. Landfall is expected to be early Saturday morning.

But Rita has caused new flooding in Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, as the rain and wind sent water gushing through a patched levee on the Industrial Canal. Meanwhile, the Mississippi coast will also see some rain and flooding as well.

Of course, we'll be keeping ourselves informed on whether or not Rita will be like 1900 all over again, when a hurricane (long before they started naming them) nearly destroyed Galveston.

Now, I'm sorry I forgot to break the news to you on Tuesday night, but the amount for the 2005 Alaska Permanent Fund dividend is $845.76, down $74.08 from last year's payout of $919.86, but only $18.83 more from the $826.93 check in 1988. This is going to be the last year we'll be seeing low checks like these; the amounts are expected to go up again slowly starting next year. Many including myself who asked for their dividends to be direct deposited will be in their accounts on October 12; others will have to wait till near the end of the month to see if their check's in the mail.

Well, that's it from yours truly. Now please let me celebrate my birthday in peace, thank you.

No comments: