We are fucked

Let the chaos begin:

"We know it's going to head into the Gulf. After that, we're not sure
whereit's heading," said Rebecca Waddington, a meteorologist at the
Miami-based National Hurricane Center. "For that reason, everyone in Gulf needs
to bemonitoring the storm. At that point, we're expecting it to be a Category
3hurricane."

New Orleans officials began planning for possible evacuations, and
urgedpeople who might need help in the event of an evacuation to call an
emergencyinformation number. Mississippi Emergency Management Director Mike
Womackadvised people along the coast to prepare.Gustav is raising concern
particularly because there are few surrounding wind currents capable of shearing
off the top of the storm and diminishing its power, the hurricane center said.
"Combined with the deep warm waters, rapid intensification could occur in a
couple of days."

"A bad storm churning in the Gulf could be a nightmare scenario," said
PhilFlynn, an analyst at Alaron Trading Corp. in Chicago. "We might see oil
pricesspike $5 to $8 if it really rips into platforms."