Hurricane Dean Doomsday Scenario

How's this for a doomsday scenario?

1. Stock market oscillates
2. Banks start going belly up
3. Housing continues to lose value
4. Hurricane Dean destroys Gulf oil rigs and Texas refineries (1/3 of the U.S. oil production)
5. Hurricane Dean severely damages Houston (now home to more energy companies since New Orleans bottomed out)
6. Lives are lost
   
7. Texas economy tanks
8. Oil up, inflation ensues
9. Stock market crashes

Hey, all I'm saying is that it could get worse. For concrete scary stuff that is happening right now, go visit Mama.

Brendan tells Jamaicans to get out. NOW.

And for Texans he says this:

If you live in Texas, it’s far too early to think about evacuating from Hurricane Dean — he’s at least five days away yet, and could potentially go anywhere from Belize to Louisiana, or perhaps even further east. But Eric Berger offers some good advice to Texans, particularly in the Houston-Galveston area: review the relevant disaster plans and maps, and decide if you’ll eventually need to evacuate, if Dean heads your way. That advice works well for the whole Gulf coast, actually. As Scar from The Lion King would say: “Be Prepared!”

Here's Eric Berger's advice (read the whole thing):

Residents in the outer zone along the coast are advised to evacuate during any hurricane, those in the middle zone for major hurricanes (Cat 3, 4 and 5) and those in the inner zone for Category 4 and 5 hurricanes. If you live outside a surge zone officials do not recommend evacuation unless you live in a mobile home, or until you've waited for coastal residents to evacuate.

During Rita, we stayed. East of I-45, there was considerable flooding and some friends were without power for weeks. It was nerve-wracking staying. Even here, it felt like a ghost town. The stores are closed for days after the storm. As food dwindles anxiety increases. My husband flatly stated that next time we would leave. In The Woodlands, we are clearly outside the recommended evacuation zone.

I'm inclined to evacuate after last time. This is inspiring me to take another grocery trip. More water. More water.