Don't let anyone tell you offshore drilling is safe, or that it has no costs.

At least 500,000 gallons of oil — nearly 12,000 barrels — spilled into the ocean and tidal wetlands along the Texas and Louisiana coasts after Hurricane Ike ripped up oil platforms, and ruptured tanks and pipelines, according to an Associated Press investigation.

That's about 5% of the oil spilled due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

A look back at the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the deadliest natural diaster in U.S. history, by way of Wikipedia. (If you click nothing else, don't miss this post at the Edge of the American West.) Stay safe, Houston.

UPDATE: This is looking very bad.

* As many as 24,000 people on Galveston Island, and 250,000 in the greater Houston area, chose not to evacuate. Emergency crews will not be able to offer help until after the storm has passed at the earliest—and with a predicted storm surge of 19-20 feet (or more) over a 15-to-17-foot wall (reports vary), Galveston Island may be underwater for days.

* Galveston County Jail was not evacuated; one thousand prisoners remained locked in their cells.

* KPRC is Houston is broadcasting their storm coverage over the Internet.

* It's not just you: hurricane activity in the Atlantic has increased since 1970.

Just out over the wires: People sheltering at ground level at Galveston Bay when Hurricane Ike hits face "certain death," the weather service warns.

Hurricanes, as seen from orbit. At the Big Picture.

It looks as if Gustav, now only a Category 2 hurricane, will mostly miss New Orleans. That's very good news, but I can't help thinking of the initial optimism after Katrina. We really have to wait and see how the new procedures and infrastructure weather the storm before we speak with any certainty about Gustav.

Quick links.

* Is McCain's unvetted VP pick really associated with the Alaskan Independence Party (actual self-description: "No longer a fringe party")? Really? Is this a joke?

* Johann Hari tries to game out the partisan political implications of Hurricane Gustav. I'm reserving judgment—you can't underestimate how much Americans love kitsch, and I think McCain's political opportunism in heading to the disaster zone could play really well among low-information voters. You and I know that a high-profile visit like this draws needed resources away from rescue efforts, but sad to say most swing voters just aren't that savvy.

* So what if Kafka enjoyed porn?

* And, via Cynical-C, Steve Buscemi on The Big Lebowski.

Good Gustav coverage at Weather Nerd and blogofneworleans.com.

Monday night of the Republican National Convention has been canceled in anticipation of Gustav, with Tuesday-Thursday up in the air. Only essential business will be conducted...

Midnight links.

* A mandatory evacuation has been ordered in New Orleans—and Gustav is looking very ugly.

* Somebody shut up Michael Moore. This guy, too.

* Apparently you can now arrest people for intent to protest. Good to know.

* Flowers for Algernon: The Blog. Via MeFi. See it now before the DMCA takedown.

* Steve Benen has a good roundup of shocked reactions to the Palin pick from both Alaskans and Republicans. (Apparently Romney and Pawlenty are not happy either.) Or take this from an off-the-record Bushite:

If it said something admirable about President Bush that he chose a running mate who would be more helpful in governing than in campaigning, what does it say about Senator McCain that he did the opposite? One of the most loyal Bushies calls the selection “disrespectful to the office of the presidency.”

And this, from the Politico:

Whatever you think of the pick, here are six things it tells us about McCain:

1. He’s desperate.
2. He’s willing to gamble — bigtime.
3. He’s worried about the political implications of his age.
4. He’s not worried about the actuarial implications of his age.
5. He’s worried about his conservative base.
6. At the end of the day, McCain is still McCain.