Saving a sinking ship.

[jg26]

Who can really talk about anything but Katrina?

I've been listening to on-point this morning on npr. The point of the show was how and if New Orleans should be rebuilt. Lots of intelligent engineering conversations. It's one of the first time I've heard a serious discussion of whether or not to rebuild. It's also the first time I've ever tried

Comments

[artana]

I'm afraid that I agree with you. I think that we need to cut our losses with New Orleans. If Andrew proved anything in FL, it's that people don't really return to rebuild their homes, because by the time they have a chance to rebuild they've already settled elsewhere.

[jg26]

That's an interesting point. I hadn't heard of the phenomenon where people were not rebuilding in-place, but re-settling elsewhere. The impact of Katrina is obviously much worse than Andrew since there was still solid ground after andrew.

I guess I'm a little ignorant of anything but the most obvious consequences of Andrew. I was a self-absorbed teenager at the time, and thus, not paying much attention to the news other than 30 second sound bytes. Now that I'm a self-absorbed adult, I'm thinking about a much bigger picture. ;) Anything else you've learned from andrew will be most welcomed.

[artana]

I don't know how much about Andrew will really be hugely relevant. In Miami, it took 2 weeks to get power back. In New Orleans, I don't think they could get power back in less than three months.

There is the fact that the insurance companies can only pay so much to the people before they have a choice between bankruptcy or stopping the payouts. This is where FEMA steps in and gives individual assistance.

[bluechromis]

Ah, I assume I'm the person you're referring to about horrified looks...it isn't that I don't agree that it may be time to cut-losses...but it's easier to say that when you aren't involved. Not to mention the fact that New Orleans is a special city in terms of history and demographic makeup, so it's very sad to see it go even if you aren't involved. That's all...it probably is doomed from all accounts, but maybe it's not.

[jg26]

I assume I'm the person you're referring to about horrified looks..
I mentioned it last night too, out at zee bar, and didn't get what one would call support, so I thought I'd just drop it (until this morning, when I heard that other people were thinking the same)

..but it's easier to say that when you aren't involved
Very true. This is why prefaced the whole thing by saying that I was being callous. ;) If artana's point about people re-settling after being uprooted is true, then perhaps the city need-not be rebuilt. The city, as it was, is currently gone. You would have to re-build it. The city will never be the same. Do you think its possible that every building, assuming its still there, isn't going to need to be rebuilt. Saving the city as it was is unrealistic. At the end of this, you will have a new city (Perhaps named "REALLY NEW Orleans"). Building this new city in such a completely flawed location, seems like a big mistake. If you do, you're just dooming the inhabitants (or maybe their descendants) to more pain and

[bluechromis]

I mentioned it last night too, out at zee bar, and didn't get what one would call support, so I thought I'd just drop it (until this morning, when I heard that other people were thinking the same)

Oh, don't even try it, I know it's all about me. ;-)

You are right that rebuilding the city there is likely setting the inhabitants up for future heartache. Also, I've heard the barrier islands are virtually gone, so there's much less protection from the next big one that comes along.

From what I heard, the French Quarter escaped mostly unharmed, which is a good news as far as culture/history preservation goes (also, drunken frat boys with plastic beads can breathe a sigh of relief).

Yeah, although I've heard it's being hit the hardest by the looting (because it's accessible and things are relatively intact). Have you heard that Fats Dominoe is missing? So sad.

[jg26]

I've heard the barrier islands are virtually gone, so there's much less protection from the next big one that comes along.

Huh, I keep learning more and more which supports this theory.