*bemused glance at M. Ted, who has managed to draw such interesting inferences from my little attempt at a reasoned point about New Orleans' future*

gee, M.Ted, isn't "... you are advocating the destruction of all of these families and communities and all the misery and alienation that that displacement would cause..." a bit heavy? And suggesting that I'd equate other cities' situations with that of N. Orleans and advocate abandoning them is just....ummmm...silly? (well....maybe San Francisco, if they get an 8.7...)

It seems to me that anyone who advocates putting those "families and communities" right back where they were is playing dice with the very lives we are ALL concerned with protecting!

Sure, a 'city' is more than the infrastructure, but.."...if all the buildings had been washed away(and they weren't), the city would still exist, because the relationships--".etc.... hmmmmmm, and I suppose Pompeii still exists in some sense, also...and Carthage, and Mohenjodaro.

   It seems I am not exactly alone in my fears....serious planners and experts are beginning to be heard about the wisdom of allowing 'spirit' and nostalgia to interfere with reason. Some residents OF N.O. are beginning to say that the 9th ward is basically un-salvagable, and that it is foolhardy to attempt to rebuild it...even over time. There are other areas which are almost as bad.

   I have just been watching a program on how the Dutch dealt with their water problems, and the scale of engineering necessary to get N.O. to that level of security is immense! It took the Dutch 20 years to build the multiply-redundant series of barriers and locks, and I don't think I want to bet that the increasing hurricanes will all go somewhere else while we pretend we are coping!

The Corp of Engineers says they don't even have authority to TRY right now...they can only repair to the previous level....and reports now say the previous system was VERY flawed...both in concept and in construction.

M. Ted...I lived in New Orleans...it was a 'small' hurricane that drove my family out, and I'd LOVE to know that places and people from my memories would be there for me go go visit again....and no doubt many will be. There are areas that could be protected with a concerted effort...but they DID have water standing on Canal St. and if that is to be avoided in the future, someone has to foot the bill!

   So far, I see no way to pay for even the cleanup, much less the 'restoration' and even less for the level of protection that ought to be afforded for your "families and communities" to dare living 8-20 ft below sea level again!


Oh....about that ".. prolonged traffic jam on Georgia Avenue"...yep...that IS an issue. I don't even TRY to get home on Georgia at certain times.......and did you see today's Post?....seems the traffic jam is already showing up in Fredrick and Fredricksburg as the planners refusal to admit that bridges and local traffic are overloading the carrying capacity of I-95 & I-66.

Not quite the sensitive issue that New Orleans is, huh? Really s...l...o...w disasters seldom are. Ask me again in 15 years...