Will you people just calm down?

Here comes Gustav. Big damned deal.

People across New Orleans (including 90 percent of the people I know) are panicking, thinking we have a repeat of HER coming this way. Ain't gonna happen.

Should we be prepared in case it looks this early track comes to fruition? Sure. Should we have plans in case we have to pick up and leave? Absolutely. Should we begin to call the insurance company to get our claims ready? Get real.

If you plan on living here, get over it. Get yourself prepared, make a plan, even take all the cash from the bank you might think you'll need on a road trip. Hell, even fill the tank up with gas. Just stop the freakin panicking, because it's NEVER going to change. Every year there will be one, two, possibly three or four storms in which the projected path takes it within 100 miles of the city. One likely will be projected to be a Category 3 or worse. One every other year will be projected to come right up the mouth of the river. And 39 times out of 40, it will veer to the right, or better yet, never even come close to the projected path.

Take Gustav, for example. Monday's 5 p.m. forecast for then-Hurricane Gustav had it strengthening to about 90 mph and heading WNW about 150 to 200 miles by this afternoon. Instead, it weakened to a 45-mph tropical storm and moved west-SOUTHwest about 80 or 100 miles.

The point is, da weatherman doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. Bob Breck even said so last night. "Folks, we just don't know where it's going yet."

Everyone, please, please, please, continue to watch the toupee king and by Saturday, we might have a clue. Until then, if you can't take the water, get out of the soup bowl you live in.

Be safe.