This Labor Day weekend will feature more labor than I would prefer, but that’s the way it goes. There’s a few things worth mentioning, however, before I take a couple of days off from blogging:

Got a chance to go over to Tracey’s workplace last night, and the damage from the previous night’s storm was incredible. Word is they got hit by a microburst around 10 PM – that was the time of the fourth storm I mentioned that seemed only a little less severe than #3 but seemed to be pummeling the areas north of us). Trees snapped off four feet from the ground or down completely; a part of the roof caved in where the storm ripped a huge air-conditioning unit off and dumped it in the parking lot. Lots of water damage on the second floor where Tracey worked. An e-mail she received from her laboratory manager says it all:

“Two 20 X 20 sections of the roof were ripped off. Toxicology [department] severely damaged. Cytogenetics sustained major physical damage, but all equiment and specimens were saved. Client Services, customer systems, and the majority of all administration offices (including the Pathology offices) sustained major damage with 3 inches of water on the floors. Entire sections of ceiling panels have been damaged or destroyed.”

Needless to say, these were really bad storms and we were extremely fortunate to be located where we were. I’m told just five miles to our northeast they had a 30-minute hailstorm. For those wanting to see pictures of the damage throughout the Valley from these storms, click this link.

Of course, this reminds one of just how fragile our comfy existences here on this ball of rock called Planet Earth can be: it only takes one major rain event, severe thunderstorm, tornado, or hurricane (something Rob knows all too well – BTW, you and Louisiana are in our prayers, Rob) to change lives drastically.

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Mark me down as one of many who are pleasantly surprised that John McCain had the testiculos to choose someone like Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. And that’s obviously the case on the other side of the polical aisle, as well, where the sneering hypocrisy (“lack of experience“) and the weeping and gnashing of teeth knows no bounds. To me, the amazing thing about it all was that McCain was able to contain the leaks regarding his choice. That takes no small amount of discipline in a major political campaign.

Ed Morrissey, as usual, hits the nail right on the head in torpedoing the various talking points being put forth by the Obama campaign and their numerous friends in the mainstream dino-media, not to mention the delicate line Democrats will be forced to walk if they want to avoid charges of sexism were they to go after Palin too harshly.

My view is that, as great a pick as I think it was, the jury is still out on how well Palin holds up to both the intense scrutiny about to descend upon her and the pressure of a presidential campaign. But for now, it seems to me McCain has hit a home run if for no other reason than by choosing someone that has energized both Republicans and the conservative base in a way no one thought possible just a week ago.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, everyone. And stay safe, you folks out there on the Gulf Coast – you are in our thoughts and prayers.

See y’all Tuesday!