Ambushing Gustav

YOU may be enjoying a long holiday weekend, but a friend of mine's nursin' a hurricane. Yes, none other than Turd Polisher left his beloved Baton Rouge hours ago, aiming his station's satellite truck at Grand Isle, where he'll lay in wait for a killer named Gustav. Enthralling as it may sound, it's not how Rick Portier would choose to spend his Labor Day. He's covered many a storm before, including a marquee wind that's still headlining his homeland - Hurricane Katrina. That cured everyone's appetite for tropical weather, silly live shots or not. But with a Class 4 storm headed for his native state, this mild-mannered family man is once again racing toward that furious shore - just to get an electronic look-see. Makes sense to me.

If it seems illogical to you, count yourself among the normal. Making a logo'd bee-line for the beach as backed-up traffic staggers off the island can be downright erotic. It's also incredibly uncomfortable as civilization quickly breaks down around you. Power goes out, businesses close and sensible people disappear. As your live shots multiply, menus choices dwindle. Tobacco habits reappear, recording gear falters and sand rubs everything raw. And that's before the first shard of sheet metal even takes flight. Yes, rushing to continent's edge under such conditions sucks beyond compare. Thank God I've got a job that lets me do it anyway. As for Rick, he's a pro; I expect him make the best television of whatever Gustav throws at him. While he's at it, he's obligated to blog, both for his station and for the solace it provides him. Check 'em out and while you're at it, pray for their safety. I am...