Got an airborne chemical problem? Who you gonna call?

Dr Mask, that's who.

on WRAL.com

Just getting ready to head out the door, and I give CNN.com a glance... this is what I see: Toxic cloud from plant fire forces thousands to evacuate:

APEX, North Carolina (CNN) -- Half of the 32,000 residents of Apex, North Carolina, have been asked to evacuate Friday after explosions and fire at a hazardous waste plant released noxious gases and flames 150 feet high over the town.

People "are putting themselves in very grave danger by being near or around this smoke. If you see smoke, get away from it." said Bruce Radford, town manager of the Raleigh suburb.

"There are pesticides, oxides, chlorine gases, there are all grades of contaminated material in this fire and in this smoke," he said.

No deaths have been reported from the fire at the plant, called Environmental Quality Industrial Services, but more than 100 people have been hospitalized.

I live in Apex, NC. I'm about a mile from the edge of the evacuation zone.

"This is the worst possible hazardous materials incident you could have," Radford said.

"There are all grades of contaminated materials in this smoke and the fire," he said. "If you see this smoke, get away from it."

...

Weatherly said the fire had spread to a nearby petroleum farm and had ignited four storage tanks containing a total of about 200,000 gallons of fuel. Officials were unsure if the fire had spread beyond that, however, he said.

The evacuation area sits between me and my job. Maybe I'll go in late stay home today.

Conventional wisdom says that gasoline prices in the US drop after Labor Day (start of Sept). Is that true? Well, I went to the U.S. Retail Gasoline Historical Prices page, put out by the US Dept. Of Energy, to check.

It turns out that, for 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, gas prices went up from August to October, for the Central Atlantic region (where I am). It wasn't always a big increase, but it was definitely not a decrease. This year, though, prices have dropped by 60 to 70 cents per gallon in the same August through October timeframe. Odd? Not really. It makes sense if you take a look at what the government has been doing with the strategic oil reserves this year. And, cheap gas is better than expensive gas. So, yay for that. But, on the other hand... don't be too surprised at the low prices...

... of Jet's new record: Ouch. It's even harsher than their review of Jet's first album.

From The Onion:

"The Bill of Rights was written more than 200 years ago, long before anyone could even fathom the existence of wiretapping technology or surveillance cameras," Ashcroft said. "Yet through a bizarre fluke, it was still somehow worded in such a way as to restrict use of these devices. Clearly, it had to go before it could do more serious damage in the future."

The president agreed.

Be sure to check the date.

1066 - William the Conqueror lands in England
1919 - Giants beat Phillies, 6-1, in 51 minutes
1964 - Harpo Marx dies
1970 - I got birffed
1978 - Pope John Paul I dies
1991 - Miles Davis dies
1991 - I purchased my first legal beer
1991 - I saw Jesus Jones and Ned's Atomic Dustbin at the University of Rochester
2006 - I went to the dentist

This is utterly gross.

Like, wow...

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The Democratic party is dead to me. "Worthless passel of cowards," indeed.