The average price of gas surged nearly 6 cents nationwide as Hurricane Ike hits Gulf Coast and analysts fear more increases, especially in Texas.

Shortages are predicted because of the large number of refineries shut down on the Gulf Coast ahead of the storm. In a brief televised statement, Bush said the Environmental Protection Agency waivers on certain reformulated gasolines were suspended Friday night to make it easier for imports to get into U.S. markets.

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Thousands of people are fleeing coastal Texas or planning to evacuate as Ike churns toward them across the Gulf of Mexico.

Whether you are staying or going, you should gather emergency supplies and keep them by the door. The emergency box or bag should include a first-aid kit, an NOAA radio, flashlight, extra batteries, copies of birth certificates, prescriptions and health, auto and house insurance documents. Also, have cash, non-perishable foods and bottled water. A fuller list of what to have can be found on the Red Cross Web site.
If you have time, the Texas Department of Insurance also suggests taking steps to protect your home such as turning off all gas and water lines and securing structurally unstable building materials. The agency also offers this fact sheet.

Preparation for staying
Make sure you have at hand all essential medications and at least five gallons of water per person and 3 to 5 day supply of non-perishable food, eating utensils, cleaning supplies and a can opener. The Texas Governor’s Division of Emergency Management Web site offers more tips on what you will need
Know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning, and listen for mandatory evacuation orders from the government.

Evacuation
Most important is to have an evacuation plan – know when and where you are going to go. Texas has posted emergency evacuation routes on the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management Web site.
Current road conditions and closures can be found on this Texas Department of Transportation Web site. It would be smart to check it before you leave. Traffic will probably be slow-moving, so make sure your gas tank is full, you have cash to buy more gas and you have plenty of food and water.
If you have pets, you can use this Web site to check out which hotels take animals.
If you need shelter information in Texas call 1-512-424-2208. You can continually check the hurricane’s status at the National Weather Services’ Southern Region Headquarters’ Web site.

Important numbers
Probably the biggest cause of confusion in an emergency is a lack of communication. Keep a list of all emergency numbers or program them into your cell phone’s address book. The federal Web site EcoWatch provides a list of local and state government numbers.
Also, designate one friend or family member out of the storm’s path to coordinate communication. Everyone can contact that person to report their location, condition and new contact information.
If you are not in the region being hit by Hurricane Ike, but would like to help out, CNN.com has a list of agencies that are dedicated to helping hurricane devastated regions and victims.

Source CNN.com

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About 200,000 residents have fled low-lying areas of metro Houston as the powerful storm approaches.

Authorities in Harris County, which contains Houston, asked residents in low-lying areas of the county to leave, and about 80 percent to 90 percent have complied, County Executive Ed Emmett said Friday morning.
Residents in safer parts of Houston were instructed to stay inside.

“We’ve asked people to hunker down,” Emmett said.
Most law enforcement and rescue officials will start to leave Friday night, Emmett said, so residents will be on their own after that.
The military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby, one official said.

Floodwaters surged into Galveston Island neighborhoods Friday morning.
Waves washed for blocks inland, the beginning of a storm surge that forecasters warned could reach up to 22 feet and bring “certain death” to anyone who remained in Galveston Bay homes.

More than half of the community of Surfside Beach was inundated by 8 a.m. Friday, and rescuers drove a dump truck through the streets in a final bid to get people out before the storm hits, the Houston Chronicle reported.

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Everyone at Highway Gamers, sends thoughts and prayers of love, and support to those who died, lost their lives trying to save others, and those who continue to live with the painful memories.

RIP 9/11

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Spore is an “attack on Christian values”
Anti-Spore site “can not allow the gaming industry to poison the minds of our children”

“This entire game is propaganda aimed directly at our children to teach them evolution instead of creationism, or ‘intelligent design’ if you go for stupid PC terms.

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Confirmed: Ensemble Studios To Close After Halo Wars Completion

Microsoft plans to shut down subsidiary developer Ensemble Studios after the release of its upcoming release Halo Wars, Gamasutra has learned from industry sources.

Tying up with comments made by our sources suggesting layoffs at the studio today, Shacknews is also reporting that developers attached to the Halo Wars project have been offered incentives to remain at Ensemble until the game ships. Its last announced release projection was early 2009.

Founded in 1995 and located in Dallas, Ensemble is known for its long-running Age of Empires series of historically-themed PC real-time strategy games. It was acquired by Microsoft in 2001.

The company’s most recent full game, Age of Empires III for PC, was a commercial success with over two million copies sold, but it is less clear how its two subsequent expansion packs fared.

Speaking to Gamasutra, a Microsoft representative declined to issue a statement but claimed an official response is en route.

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California tackles ‘cactus crime’
It’s 109F (43C) in Palm Desert, a parched city in Southern California.
Outside, little stirs that doesn’t need to.
But Spencer Wright, the city’s landscape manager, walks me through neat desert gardens at the city’s visitor centre, pointing out short, round, spiny plants that are the target of local thieves.

Those prices relate only to the small golden barrels that are 6in (15cm) across.
They can grow, slowly, up to 2ft (60cm) in diameter and can fetch up to $4,000 (£2,200).

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Apple has unveiled the latest version of its iPod Nano, featuring what it says are the thinnest measurements yet.

The fourth generation Nano was launched at a US press conference by Apple chief Steve Jobs, who announced new shuffle and library features.
He also listed the Nano’s environmental credentials, including arsenic-free glass and a mercury and PVC-free body that is “highly recyclable”.

The Nanos are expected to sell in the UK for £109 ($191) for the 8GB version.
The 16GB version will retail at £149.

Speaking live in San Francisco, Mr Jobs unveiled Apple’s new Genius function which allows users to create automatic playlists from the iPod’s library with the click of a button.
He said the function worked by taking one song and creating a playlist based on the user’s song library and could also suggest other tracks the user might want to buy.

Mr Jobs said the new Nano also had a “shake to shuffle” mode, which sends the gadget to shuffle mode with the flick of a wrist allowing you to go backwards and forwards on your playlist.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Visitors to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, soon may be greeted by more than sand dunes, seagulls and beach umbrellas.

If offshore wind advocates have their way, scores of 140-foot blades will be spinning in the ocean breeze nearly a dozen miles away, barely visible to the sunbathers.
Offshore wind has taken a back seat to offshore drilling for oil and natural gas in the current energy debate. But those wind-driven turbines probably will be operating long before oil platforms appear off Atlantic Coast states.
Delaware hopes to be the first state to construct a wind farm off its coast….

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AMERICAN shock jock HOWARD STERN will create his biggest outrage yet – by auctioning off a girl’s virginity on his radio show.

The 22-year-old brunette, who is using the pseudonym of NATALIE DYLAN “for safety reasons,” says the money will pay for her college tuition.

She was introduced to Howard by the owner of a brothel in Nevada, one of two US States where prostitution is legal.

The winner of the auction will get to consummate the relationship at the brothel, where the student’s sister already works.
Natalie says: “I don’t have a moral dilemma with it.
“We live in a capitalist society. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to capitalize on my virginity?”….

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