"It's time for a nation to return the favor" to NOLA

[funkybutt]

an excellent editorial:

"The federal government wrapped levees around greater New Orleans so that the rest of the country could share in our bounty.

Americans wanted the oil and gas that flow freely off our shores. They longed for the oysters and shrimp and flaky Gulf fish that live in abundance in our waters. They wanted to ship corn and soybeans and beets down the Mississippi and through our ports. They wanted coffee and steel to flow north through the mouth of the river and into the heartland.

They wanted more than that, though. They wanted to share in our spirit. They wanted to sample the joyous beauty of our jazz and our food. And we were happy to oblige them."


http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/editorials/index.ssf?/news/content/editorial112005.html

[Kikosexy2]

1. I want debaunchery...

and decadence again....Save NOLA!!

[Jacobin]

2. So, FEMA sends us a $3.8 BILLION bill for fucking up the relief

effort.

I'm so steamed at the fed's response/non-response and their getting in the way of rescue and relief and rebuilding that I would be glad if they would just leave the state alone.

[KamaAina]

3. True. But, does it have to be this one?

Ideally, of course, it would be, but our government seems to have been knocked out of commission by Hurricane Bush** :(

What to do? I've floated this one before: form an NGO to represent the city and environs at the U.N. If our government can't -- or won't -- get the job done, by George (sorry), we'll find one or more that will! Besides, how could they resist an NGO bilingual in the UN's two languages, with a name like la Fondation pour la Nouvelle-Orleans?

Sound crazy? Well, that's just me. :-) Seriously, if New Orleans is not a world heritage site, then the phrase "world heritage site" has no meaning. Mayor Nagin is already making overtures to Jamaica while he's down there on vacation. Obviously Jamaica alone won't be enough, but something (Jamaica) is better than nothing (Bushovia)!

[BOSSHOG]

4. When people in New Hampshire have to pay $10 a gallon

for gas maybe we'll get some love. No payback for New York Post 9-11, ya'll good with that? Where's the French Qtr in New York. No payback for earthquake relief in Los Angeles. Ya'll good with that? Where do the streetcars go in LA? No payback from Iraq. Ya'll good with that? How many bars ya gonna visit in Baghdad? How many beads ya gonna toss in fallujah?

Thanks Funkybutt. I'll terminate transmission before I get pissed.