Still Waiting For Rain In Ft. Bend County

How cool would it be for a false alarm? I'll take it along with all of the jokes of media hype and no realization of a hurricane. But I know it is coming.

Power is still here so I've got Internet access at home. Powered down my computers and unplugged them along with all but one TV. Working on my laptop and WiFi now. Trying to find one of my 8 HBO channels that is showing "Entourage" so I can keep my mind off this Ike coverage.

Had a few rain drops around 3pm but nothing but wind in Sugar Land/Missouri City. The kids are surprisingly not stir carzy yet despite me unplugging the Xbox, Wii and PS3. Trying to teach them what a board game is. Helloooo?? Monopoly? Sorry? Life? Welcome to the 70's.

Getting a lot of updates and weather maps online right now. I can't tell you how impressed I am with FaceBook - I am such a fanboy now. I am updating that more frequently than blogs. Social networking is officially here and FACEBOOK is its name. Forget MySpace, Twitter and everything else. This is the here and now.

Late Afternoon Update

I'd like to say we are bunkered down in Ft. Bend but it is more like liquored down. A small contingent of Garfield friends came over this afternoon to watch Ike coverage, play Rockband, Madden '09 and toast the day off.

Not much going out here weatherwise. Saw a few rain drops around 3pm but nothing big. I'd like to ask if something - ANYTHING - is coming but I know we are a few hours away from hell leashing its ugly face on us.

Tired of watching the local non-stop TV coverage I have to once again give a big shout out to Slingbox. This is the only way to keep sane if you are a TV fan. It's actually a device to allow you to tap in to your home TV set. You can view and control your local cable/sat box but if you have a friend who lives in another market who has a Slingbox....BAM! You can watch other TV shows in another market.

Thanks for my friend and former KPRC-TC weatherman Wes Hohenstein for letting me tap into his Slingbox in Raleigh, NC. I now am watching the national network newscasts (Ann Curry sitting in for Brian Willams on NBC). Even better news...if we have power and an Internet connection Saturday night I will be able to watch the USC-Ohio State game via Slingbox instead of ABC 13's local non-stop news coverage.

BTW, Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Polin was strong (sorry Houston viewers who could not see the ABC World News Tonight feed).

Back to the bar...

T-Minus 10 Hours Or So

Ike continues to wreak havoc on Galveston Island. Woke up this morning to see streets already underwater. My home in Ft. Bend County is looking good for gulf coast property after this storm.

Media coverage continues everywhere you turn including the Web. As long as you have power and an Internet connection keep your eye on several websites. StormPulse seems to have the best graphics and no hype. But this site blew me away. Perfect for ADHD people but you literally have your eyes on TV coverage from KTRK, KHOU, KPRC, FOX 26 and two radar/satellite images.

Now that you have hopefully secured your home, pets, kids and stocked up on supplies you have a few hours to shore up a few more things including your technology equipment. I've been on NewsRadio 740 KTRH several times today making sure people and businesses heed these tips:

• CHARGE, CHARGE, CHARGE your cell phones and laptop computers. If you have spare batteries for these gadgets charge them too. I am also charging our portable DVD players so the kids have something to watch in case the power is out for a while.
• BACK UP your important computer files including photos, music, financial information, and passwords. If you don't have an external hard drive then burn the info onto CDs or DVDs or quickly transfer them onto a thumb drive.
• If you do have a hard drive, power it down and unplug it from your machine. Keep the drive in a safe place with you. CPUs and monitors can always be replaced but that data is vital. You will be able to connect that drive to any computer and be able to use it.
• If computers, servers, TVs or other heavy equipment are laying on floors or near windows, move them away. Wrap them up in plastic or blankets and put them on a higher floor or atleast on a raised table or bed.
• Unplug every electronic appliance. Just because a device is not turned on does not mean it is safe from a power surge. If lighting strikes or the power jumps, many appliances can get fried. Surge protectors are good but be safer by unplugging them and moving the power cord away from the outlet.
• If water does damage your gear make sure it dried out completely before plugging it back in. It could take several days for some things to dry out. If water rises above your electricity outlets make sure to have an electrician check out the system before plugging anything back in.

Also if you are having trouble connecting calls via cell phone, try texting. Texting uses less data to go through the network and you will know if a message was sent or had trouble going through.

Hunker down and stay dry!

Y(IKE)S!!! The Sky Is Falling

I must say my brethren in the local electronic media have been doing a bit better with Hurricane Ike coverage than with past storms. I didn't sense as much hype and hysteria - at least earlier this week - as they, er WE, have done in the past.

But as of yesterday afternoon, GAME IS ON! KPRC, KTRK and KHOU all scrapped the national morning show feeds today and I just noticed they shook off the nightly national news from their affiliate HQs. It's all local all the time now. Let's just hope this thing blows over (and we still have power) by Sunday so they don't pre-empt any NFL games.

If you've ever wondered what it's like for reporters to cover a major storm, take a look at some of these iPhone-snapped photos from this afternoon. I was at our Clear Channel radio offices on the West Loop as our folks prepped for round-the-clock coverage, at least on NewsRadio 740 KTRH. Though our studios are on the 5th floor there are no chances being taken.

Plywood was laying in the hallway ready to board up the double-paned windows in case of breakage. Mattresses, blankets and cots were folded up waiting for reporters, anchors and producers to use them for catnaps over the weekend.

And let's not forget food and drink. Charlie Pena, the longtime office manager, made a Sam's run early Thursday and came back with a truckload of supplies to satisfy even J.P. Pritchard. Chips, salsa, cookies, water, soda and almost every other carbohydrate you can imagine is piled high in the several kitchens throughout the office. And if you can't find any batteries in the city, that's because they are all here.

Programming changes have already come down from the Big Wigs. All regular Saturday programming on KPRC is cancelled for continuing weather coverage. That means my show will not be heard this weekend. Ironically, Mayor White was scheduled to be my first guest to talk about Monday's NSTA State of the City Technology Forum which I had planned to emcee. That event was just now rescheduled for Monday, Oct. 6. I got a call from the mayor's office this afternoon with an apology for him being a bit preoccupied this weekend. No prob, Bill. You go guy!

I am on standby to go in to the studio to help anchor coverage and listener response on KPRC and KTRH but we should return to our regular show next Saturday, September, 20.

Buckle up people and be safe.