I've heard from a few sources now that New Orleans is still a mess - 3 years later. Ok, I don't think anyone expected it to be all shiny and new by now but it seems like it was a mess to begin with which just compounds the slow rate that it can be rebuilt.

New Orleans can be compared to the War in Iraq in some ways. It has a military presence and is being rebuilt. How come I don't see any of those bumper stickers on the liberal cars on the downtown and west side of Madison proudly saying "Pull Out of New Orleans"? The Government is pouring money into that cause, too.

Here's an interesting article in the New York Times: Three Years After Hurricane, the Backup Is a Fixture. It explains that the military was brought in for backup of the local police and they seem to be there permanently.

I mean, it's sad that things are like this there. I feel bad for the people who are essentially stuck living there. They have no way out, really. You wonder how they survive.

There was a series tornadoes near Madison in Stoughton right before Katrina. That city picked themselves up immediately and even survived another round this spring. Sure, it wasn't as bad as a huge flood (which we also had in the area) but the communities around here were much more solid to begin with, so it was easier to repair damage.

A good analogy is someone that get sick. If you don't take care of your body and get infected, it's much harder to fight off that infection than if you're someone who eats well and exercises. Their defenses are much better and are back on their feet much, much sooner. I haven't been there and don't know the full story but it seems like New Orleans was pretty sick to begin with. If they get another blow half as bad as Katrina, then why even rebuild?

-T

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