To add a few more thoughts:

There are many people of all faiths and colors who have picked themselves up and rebuilt. There are more groups that come in to help out from other areas than can be counted. We are really blessed with the people who come to town and just do the work without any fanfare and it's all faiths and manner of people.

The biggest problem is that not all areas of New Orleans should be rebuilt. There are just too many problems to fix. These areas are both white and black, rich and poor.

Some common sense must be used in trying to rebuild.

1. The economy can not sustain a popluation more than say 250,000.

2. The outflow of business from the Orleans parish area has been going on for years. The few mid size companies that were stuck here not have a reason and in many cases the means to relocate. Many jobs moved north of I-12 because there is more land and it's much easier to delever your goods to the whole metro area from there instead of being tied up in town.

3. The ;port" is not what it once was. Just like most places, it's either bulk transfer or containerized. There just aren't 100's of jobs waiting for people in the port.

4 Many of the problems with the wetlands were created 30 - 40 -50 years ago with pipeline canals and the ACOE keeping the Mississippi within it's banks so that silt and fresh water was not washed into the wetlands during the spring floods. The salt water intrusion has killed such a large % that it would be tough to see much improvement anytime soon.

5. Many areas of the city were built on filled in swamp land after the 30's & 40's. It's still sinking with no signs of stopping.

6. DAILY people are still leaving. People who have been able to make plans and put thns in motion are packing up and leaving. My area did not flood yet there are 5 houses on my block vacent from people transferring out.

7. Insurance. Few can afford it. With 38% to well over 100% jumps in insurance coverage, few people can buy a house even at dirt cheap prices.

8. Crime. It's much worse than many people outside the area know. Much of it doesn't even make the local news. We can't get a corrct number on how many police we actually have. Besides the warzone of Orleans Parish, many areas of Jefferson Parish have become horrible.

9. Healthcare. Our healthcare system is bare bones to say the least. Don't come for a visit unless you are 100% healthy. While we do have some functioning hospitals, many people have to be brought to baton Rouge or further for treatment.

10. The ACOE has been fighting to keep the mississippi River on it's path but the battle could be lost within years, creating a flow south from Baton Rouge through Morgan City.

Why try to rebuild New Orleans as large as it was ?


Too many people in New Orleans can't accept the fact that our lives and our city has changed forever. No matter how many billions of dollars are spent we can't make it what is was, nor should we. We have to plan and live smarter than we were. The sad part is too many people refuse to accept facts and re-elect the same type of morons that put us in this mess in the first place.

But I do thank all of you who donated, supported and have given time and energy to help us survive.

All I ask is that just because a majority of the people shown on the news are takers with the goverment plan of cradle to grave care, not all of us are.