Ida Wanna Nuther Hurricane!

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water (off Nicaragua). While it's not a common sight, this mostly-quiet 2009 hurricane season has spawned a couple of late-comers. The Pacific side got whacked about a week ago, and now Ida has raised her ugly 75mph head deep in the Caribbean. It wouldn't be so bad for us if she would have just spun into land and been a rainmaker, but now Ida is heading North. Due North. As in through the Cozumel/Cancun area and a beeline towards New Orleans. If there's any good news at all, and this is a reach, it's that the Gulf of Mexico has cooled down quite a bit, which should keep Ida from fueling herself into a real monster. But every computer model shows her heading to that little patch from New Orleans to the furthest tip of the Florida panhandle. That's likely to mess up all the Western Caribbean cruise itineraries over the next few days at least. You can ask any of my clients who book from June to December, and almost the 1st words out of my mouth are "Let's look for something out of the hurricane zone." Some listen, some don't. But those who don't always remember after-the-fact that I tried to move them to a safer environment. Weather is weather, and anything can happen. But being a Vegas guy, I always try to play with the odds in my favor. If any substantial news comes up in the next few days, I'll try to update those of you who use me as your weather source instead of CNN or the Weather Channel (like THEY would know anything!).

Snakes On A Plane (sort of)

Customs officers in Norway were amazed to find 14 royal pythons and 10 albino leopard geckos taped to a man's body last Sunday. The unidentified man was arrested after disembarking a ferry from Denmark. Norwegian Officials say he was trying to illegally import the reptiles into the country. "I've seen a lot of things in my time," said Customs agent Olie Bjornsen, "but I'm amazed that he could stand having live reptiles moving all over him like that." His bounty of illegal pets was discovered after agents had found a tarantula in his luggage, prompting a full body search. When questioned why the tarantula was in his bag, I'm guessing her probably said something like "Well, where would you THINK I'd keep a tarantula? You'd have to be an idiot to strap a tarantula to yourself. Ewwww!!" Plead insanity, dude. It's your only shot.

An Oxford Ohio man found himself in big trouble on Halloween night. Police stopped James P. Miller, age 20, for allegedly driving the wrong way without headlights on a one-way street. Oxford police said when they stopped Miller, they found multiple open beer cans in his front seat, with plenty more in the trunk. The accused DUI driver blew 0.158 percent on a Breathalyzer test, almost double the legal limit in Ohio, and he was cited on numerous charges including also having a fake ID in his possession. While this case is sadly too common, the reason I mentioned it is because of the costume Miller was wearing at the time of his arrest.

He was dressed as a Breathalyzer machine.
Be careful what you wish for, son...