I'm on travel with a dodgy internet connection, so I can't update the blog with news as much as I'd like. But as most of you must know -- and some are experiencing -- hurricane Irene made landfall, and is now thrashing the U.S. east coast. NASA has GOES 13 satellite video of the event from space:

You can find out more about this video and what it means at NASA's page on Irene

. I grew up in Virginia and spent a summer in Houston, so I've seen my share of hurricanes. This one looks pretty nasty, so I'm hoping everyone stays safe. If authorities tell you to get out, get out. If you guess wrong and stay, it's not just your life at stake, it's those who have to rescue you as well. Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project, Dennis Chesters