From the Washington Post

Sunday's Washington Post had a decent opinion piece where they basically came out predicting that New Orleans will not be rebuilt.

They say essentialy that all the goodwill and promises by politicians mean nothing in the face of economic reality. New Orleans had a shrinking population for decades before Katrina. The city was already dying a slow economic death. The only industry it has left is tourism and the port. Since the advent of standardized shipping containers and automation, the port employs a small number of skilled machine operators, not the thousands of dockworkers of previous decades, and the tourism industry isn't large enough to support the whole city. The historic old district, which was mostly unharmed, will remain, and so will the port, but the rest will never be rebuilt.

I pretty much agree that rebuilding a city below sea level is a fool's errand. If anyone wants to do it, they should have to pay insurance rates that are high enough to cover the increased risk without turning to the rest of the country for help after the next one.

i'm with you Glatt.

I agree as well. However, since when has common sense ever played in the decision making process of us grown adults? Here's my prediction:

They will rebuild NO with the help of billions of tax payer's dollars. Attempting to make it the centerpiece of an urban rebuild program the likes we have never seen before. All the while, ignoring all the other highly damaged areas such as Mississippi and Alabama that would make better sense to rebuild. NO will become the banner of "hey look how well we respond to those in need" for the current administration.

Well, you know, it would be okay if they'd rebuild it taking into consideration the advise of ecologists, geographers, urban planners, etc. Have 'em all read tw's Scientific American article first. I know, in my wildest dreams! I imagine they'll salvage the French Quarter and places like Loyola and Tulane. You gotta keep in mind that Halliburten jumped right on the gravey train, as usual, so we'll probably see a lot of highly expensive, ultimately worthless construction. We'll have a New Orleans with a smaller population than the old one, and I bet not much done when it comes to wise planning. But, hell, I'm just a cynic.

Ditto. They could make a nice little town out of NO, but who is served by rebuilding a depressed area below sea level... besides the Democratic Party. Seriously, they should really think about the environment down there. The GOP can use the greenie spin to eliminate how many Dem districts? It is win win for the evil or is that the stupid party I keep forgetting. I really don't like pissing away tax dollars on losing situations and that area is a loser. Bring on the swamps er wetlands.

Not so many, really.

Blame blame blame.... It's a massive natural disaster. It could have been much much worse. We're lucky it didn't turn out worse. Let's finish the recovery effort and then POSITIVELY start restructuring our disaster response system. Its being POLITICIZED to death. It definitely showed the fractious partisanship of the blame game.

Not much of a surprise .... since it definitely showed the RACIAL HANGUPS of the media, if not society in general.

That's true...the media could have left the "race card" alone, and no one would have EVER showed up. :dead:

Yup, we coulda been hit by a giant asteroid and the entire planet vaporized, Thanks for reminding me. I feel EVER so much better now!

By the way, how is some white chick's blog evidence of the "racist" media? What, is she an editor for the Washington Post or something?
:worried:

Did you say Race Card?

Heh heh heh...do we get to see a pic of the Righteous Whitey Card too? Maybe Syc will scan his and post it for us. :lol:

I don't have a Righteous Whitey card, but I do have one of these.

I carry it in my planner in case of emergency.

Bawhaahahahahah! Now that's comedy Wolf.

That is hysterical, but I'm betting Walter Williams and Louis Farrakhan don't spend a lot of time having lunch together, if you get my drift.