Timewaster Of The Week-Aug. 20

Hurricane Dean.
I'll admit that I got caught up in the Hurricane Dean hysteria Saturday. I spent the day driving around Beaumont in search of a 5-gallon gas can.
If a storm hits, I'll be up at the newspaper, where we've got plenty of supplies and whatnot to see us through.
However, the gas is needed for my family, which might need a little extra should another road-jamming, gas-guzzling Texodus occur, like it did prior to Hurricane Rita in 2005.
I had enough in storage for about half a tank for them, but I figured a little more wouldn't hurt.
So there I was Saturday, driving to all the usual places where they would carry gas cans. I also noticed that there were no D batteries and big containers of water available, more evidence of the controlled panic that gripped the land as Dean tore up the Caribbean.
However, the only cans available were the little bitty ones, so I ended my search, figuring that what I had would be good enough, if the family got out early.
It appears, for now, that Dean will be Mexico's problem. My church is connected to an orphanage down there, so toss in some thoughts and prayers in that direction.
Dean provided Southeast Texans with what seemed like their first post-Rita jolt of fear and paranoia. It certainly seemed worse than it was for Wilma.
The simmering stress also reminded us of a time when storm-jaded Gulf Coast residents would yawn at hurricanes, even those in the Gulf, until their strike zone became clearer.
Ultimately, it's better to be alert and prepared, and I still plan on purchasing that extra gas can as soon as they get re-stocked.