Well this is just all kinds of peachy. Since most of the news media things nobody lives further south in Texas than San Antonio, I haven’t heard anyone on CNN or FOX or MSNBC mention the fact that the Rio Grande overflow floodways down here are already at their capacity. Now, with two separate storms getting stronger in the gulf, we’re getting near a “crisis” stage on flooding down here.

Right now, here’s what NOAA has forecast coming our way…

The first storm, down by where I live, just formed near the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s coming north west-ish and looks like it might send a bucket or two of water my way.

It probably won’t be a hurricane, but it’s no dainty little spritz bottle either.

Second, and more fugly, is this one still way out by Florida.

It’s got a lot of time to bulk up as it travels over the gulf, but so far the forecasts say it’s not supposed to get near where I live, but just pass by and slightly nick the area.

The problem with both of these storms is that we’re already dangerously close to something pretty damn serious. This next photo is one I took as I crossed over one of the Rio Grande overflow floodways Tuesday. (There’s a “bulge” distortion because I was driving as I took the photo.)

This second photo was midway over the floodway bridge. (I had to lighten the photo because the 1st generation iPhone camera stinks.)

I don’t have a “before” photo for comparison, but trust me, that whole thing was a completely barren wasteland not too long ago. I’m talking as far as you could see. About a five or six story deep valley of absolutely nothing. Dry brush. The occasional south Texas tree. The occasional giant hawk circling overhead for a meal.

Now? It’s River II, the revenge of Rio Grande.

Most of the problem is due to hurricane Alex dumping a ton of water in Mexico a short time ago, and Falcon Dam is constantly releasing water into the Rio Grande because the flood waters on Mexico’s side are already cresting on their own dam walls (no pun intended).

The dam’s constant release has maxed out the floodways, and now with these two new gulf kids wanting to come over and play, you can see how things could get really bad down here.

The Weather Channel did release a “SEVERE” warning about this problem. Here’s the release in its’ entirety…

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Local Severe Weather Alert for McAllen, TX (78503)

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BROWNSVILLE HAS EXTENDED THE  * HYDROLOGIC ADVISORY FOR… SOUTHERN HIDALGO COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…CUEVITAS…LOS EBANOS…HAVANA…LA JOYA…PENITAS…HIDALGO.  THIS ALSO INCLUDES PORTIONS OF THE CITIES OF LA VILLA…MERCEDES…PROGRESO…WESLACO…MAINLY FOR LOW WATER BRIDGES…ROADS…AND STRUCTURES INSIDE THE MAIN FLOODWAY AND THE NORTH FLOODWAY OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY FLOODWAY SYSTEM.  IN ADDITION…THE PORTION OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE RIVER BETWEEN ANZALDUAS DAM NEAR GRANJENO TO RETAMAL DAM NEAR PROGRESSO LAKES. THIS INCLUDES THE SANTA ANA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE…ABOUT 7 MILES EAST OF THE CITY OF HIDALGO.  * UNTIL 530 PM CDT THURSDAY  * THE EXTREME SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH PORTIONS OF HIDALGO COUNTY NEAR THE LOWER RIO GRANDE RIVER…AS WELL AS LOCATIONS WITHIN AND NEAR THE MAIN FLOODWAY AND THE NORTH FLOODWAY OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE FLOODWAY SYSTEM…WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE FLOODING DUE TO VERY HIGH WATER LEVELS ON THE RIVER. THE HIGH WATER LEVEL WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND AS THE WATER RELEASES FROM FALCON RESERVOIR CONTINUE. A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TOWN OF LOS EBANOS. RESIDENTS HAVE EVACUATED CUEVITAS AS WATER CONTINUES TO ENTER THE TOWN. A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION CONTINUES FOR THE CITY OF PENITAS. A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION CONTINUES FOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE NEAR MILITARY HIGHWAY IN THE CITY OF LA JOYA. A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CITY OF HAVANA AND A MANDATORY EVACUATION REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HOMES SOUTH OF MILITARY ROAD IN THE CITY OF HAVANA. THE CHIMNEY PARK RV RESORT NEAR MADERO CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE FLOODING AND ANY REMAINING RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO SEEK HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.  FLOOD WATERS APPEAR TO HAVE PEAKED IN THE MAIN FLOODWAY AND THE NORTH FLOODWAY OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE FLOODWAY SYSTEM. AS OF MONDAY…WATER HAD RISEN TO HALFWAY UP THE LEVEE OF THE FLOODWAYS IN SOME PLACES.  FIFTEEN TO TWENTY RESIDENCES WITHIN THE MAIN FLOODWAY SOUTH OF MILITARY HIGHWAY AND “I” ROAD WERE UNDER VOLUNTARY EVACUATION. ANOTHER FIVE HOMES WITHIN THE MAIN FLOODWAY WERE IMPACTED SOUTH OF WESLACO…AND MOST ROADS LEADING TO THE PROGRESO INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE REMAIN CLOSED.  LEVEE STRUCTURAL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED AT THE EDINBURG PUMP STATION IN PENITAS…AND A BERM WAS COMPLETED AT A PUMP NEAR MISSION.  IN ADDITION…MAJOR FLOODING CONTINUES INSIDE THE LEVEES DOWNSTREAM OF ANZALDUAS DAM…ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF GRANJENO…ON THE RIO GRANDE RIVER TO JUST ABOVE THE RETAMAL DAM…ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PROGRESSO LAKES. ALL IRRIGATION PUMPS…LIVESTOCK… AND EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM INSIDE THE LEVEES IF NOT ALREADY DONE SO.  ADDITIONAL FLOWS DOWN RIVER FROM UPSTREAM RESERVOIRS WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP WATER LEVELS HIGH. STAY TUNED FOR CONTINUING UPDATES ON WATER LEVELS AND POTENTIALLY MORE SERIOUS FLOOD ISSUES FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.  PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…  RISING WATERS IN THE MAIN AND NORTH FLOODWAY ARE ALSO FLOWING QUICKLY AS WELL. LOW WATER BRIDGES IN SEVERAL AREAS ARE NOW IMPASSIBLE…AND OTHERS WILL BECOME IMPASSIBLE THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. KEEP CHILDREN AND PETS AWAY FROM HIGH WATER! THEY MAY BECOME CAUGHT IN THE TURBULENT FLOW…AND COULD DROWN.  DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD…AND ESPECIALLY AROUND BARRICADES. DRIVING AROUND FLOOD BARRICADES IS A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS…SUBJECT TO FINE OR POSSIBLE IMPRISONMENT.  &&

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I’ll be heading back out to that floodway bridge area later this week, and I’ll be sure to take either the Sony HD video camera or my plain Sony camera to see how it looks then.

But now I think it would probably be a good time for me to unpack my scuba gear. I wonder how much are life rafts are at Cabela’s?

Well whaddya’ know!

A new article on Washington’s Blog says “Due to popular rage at the ban on reporters and photographers from within 65 feet of the oil spill, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has rescinded the ban. Specifically, Allen announced tonight that the media will have full access, as long as they do not interfere with safety or security.”

Glory Hallelujah!!!

I’ll have to take back some of the bad things I said about the Coast Guard now.

Thank you Admiral Thad Allen for doing the right thing.

Now! We! Need! More! Photos!

Here’s the link to the Washington’s Blog post and here’s the original press release on the Deepwater Horizon Response website.

I just found a website called new world report that is updating with photos of what is happening in the gulf.

A dolphin from the oil spill

Washed up fish from the oil spill

A pelican trapped in the oil spill

There needs to be a 13th circle of hell just for BP.

All these terrible things…all these nightmares that will never be undone… just to save a few pieces of colored paper.

Here’s the link to the website with more photos.

Here are some news stories from this week that I think the mainstream media completely missed out on. All links are from legitimate news sources and not the fringe / wacko sites.

* UFOs are now showing up in China? You know times are tough when UFOs don’t even want to stay in the United States anymore! [DAILY MAIL]

* Speaking of China, things are about to get very ‘spensive for WalMart and a lot of toy companies. Apparently Chinese laborers are getting sick tired of working in crap conditions for almost nothing, and companies are being warned to… “brace for [the] end of cheap made-in-China era.” The good side of this is that this will also be the end of the era of new products breaking in the first year of ownership! [YAHOO]

Mercedes? Is that you?

* This looks like something that crawled out of my 1970s toybox and is really mad I left all the batteries in it to corrode. Apparently Mercedes-Benz has been working on a “armored personnel vehicle” concept for awhile, and a new headline says that Mercedes-Benz just unveiled this “Snazzy New Armored Patrol Vehicle” this last week to the public. “Snazzy”? You can’t use “snazzy” and “Mercedes-Benz” in the same sentence, dammit! What gansta’ rapper can come up with something hardcore that rhymes with “Snazzy”? [DEFENSE TECH] and [AUTOBLOG]

* The United States military just came out with a “green bullet” in the popular 5.56 cartridge. It does even more damage to living tissue than the previous 5.56, but it doesn’t harm the environment! Um… misplaced priorities much? [ARMY.MIL]

* Speaking of the military, did you know Aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a “biochemical warfare agent”? Aspartame is also known as “NutraSweet” and “Canderel”. Now the company that owns and sells this “biochemical warfare agent” is changing the name again to “AminoSweet”. Damn! Last I heard, the Pentagon used real sugar in coffee and left the Aspartame for the front lines. And if that’s good enough for the Pentagon, it’s good enough for me! [HUFFINGTON POST]

* Scriptwriters can’t easily find a job in Hollywood anymore? Here’s a hint for all the poor, sad, unempoyed scriptwriters out there… QUIT REHASHING THE SAME CRAP I SAW ON TV IN THE 19-FRIGGIN’-80s AND TRY COMING UP WITH AN ORIGINAL IDEA YOU POOZERS!! That is all. [LA TIMES]

* Speaking of Hollywood, the next time somebody wants you to prove to them that the movie industry is full of lying snakes, show them this… Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix made almost $1 billion dollars, but the studio cooked their books to show that it is still almost $170 million in the red! What circle of hell to corrupt accountants wind up in? First? Fifth? [DEADLINE]

* And speaking of going in the red, Illinois, the state, is about to go under. Big time. The state owes over $5.01 billion, and it’s just adding to the amount every single second. So, ah, Oprah? Obama? John Cusack? Calista Flockhart? Denise Richards? Gary Shandling? Daryl Hannah? Billy Zane? Ludacris? Virginia Madsen? Frances McDormand? Gary Sinise? Harold Ramis? Michael Clarke Duncan? You’re all from Illinois, right? Soooo… what’chall waiting for? Help your home state out! [NY TIMES]

* In the “uh-oh” category, this little clip from the Wall Street Journal is fairly terrifying… “President Obama said earlier this year that the health-care bill that Congress passed three months ago is “essentially identical” to the Massachusetts universal coverage plan that then-Gov. Mitt Romney signed into law in 2006. No one but Mr. Romney disagrees. As events are now unfolding, the Massachusetts plan couldn’t be a more damning indictment of ObamaCare. The state’s universal health-care prototype is growing more dysfunctional by the day, which is the inevitable result of a health system dominated by politics.” Somebody needs to repeat this on one of the big networks. Soon. [WALL STREET JOURNAL]

* In the deep deep deep “uh oh” category, “NSA has issued a $100-million contract to defense contractor Raytheon to build a system dubbed “Perfect Citizen,” which will involve placing “sensors” at critical points in the computer networks of private and public organizations… an unnamed Raytheon employee describes the system as “Big Brother.”” OK. All you crackhead politicians out there asking for this damn system… show me ONE terrorist all this illegal surveillance of private citizens caught. JUST ONE! All this  government surveillance isn’t good, it isn’t right, and it needs to be taken down and thrown out along with all the punk-ass politicians who approved it. [RAW STORY] and [WALL STREET JOURNAL] and [THE REGISTER]

* Democrats are demanding sales taxes in everything sold on the internet. Oh yeah. This is going to be popular. Way to bury yourselves, guys! [CNET]

* A handheld laser that can blind people and set fire to skin? Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! [DIGITAL TRENDS]

* So what can possibly go wrong with researchers finding a way to edit a person’s memories? In the history of bad bad bad bad ideas, this one takes the gold medal. The only good news I can see out of this is I can start a business called “Guaranteed Life”. It would be a “memory insurance” company, where I would backup a person’s memory and keep it secure for them in case their present memory gets wiped out. Call me Google! Call me Hollywood! [NY TIMES]

* You know the government is out of cash when it now has a $450 fee to “formally… renounce your U.S. citizenship.” [CNN]

* What does drowning really look like? Not like the movies! Here’s what to watch for… [MARIOVITTONE.COM]

* And finally, Kevin Costner has been secretly working on a high-tech way to clean up a large oil spill? For years? And now that tech is in the gulf? And it works? Kevin Costner is apparently the new Buckaroo Banzai!

That’s all I got this week. Back Monday!