patrick.net

I also got to visit New Orleans only once. The wife and I spent a few days there in the French Quarter & Garden District during Christmas, 2002. Veritas is right --it definitely has a mystique and flavor like no other city in America.

And now it looks like most of it's gone. Tragic --a huge cultural loss. I'm still holding out hope that most of the French Quarter (which is on higher ground than the rest of the city) will survive. We shall see...

Last I heard on the news last night the Superdome was being evacuated. I don't know what the government is doing at this point other than the Navy is in the area at the moment helping with the rescue effort. But the area's are so overwhelmed that I'm not sure how much they can do. They also showed on the news a prison they were trying to evacuate. The prisoners were in the cells with water literally up to their chests as they were trying to get them out. As far as I know they were able to evacuate everyone, but you can imagine how difficult the rescue is when so many need rescuing.

Paul_from_Oz,

Yes, it seems New Orleans is becoming our Venice, as sea levels rise (thanks to all the nonexistent global warming), I would hope former residents and politicians alike thing long and hard about that before reflexively rebuilding in exactly the same spots. The non-historic neighborhoods (where the majority of NO residents live and work) can and should be moved IMHO. Not sure if this is politically acceptable though.

I do not, however, think relocation will be possible for the historic French Quarter, Garden District, etc. It would cost an impractically large fortune to tear down and move that many buildings. Plus, once you've removed the buildings from their original environs, you lose a lot of that "mystique" and history. Maybe they could just build high permanent levies around those two areas and move everyone else.

Veritas or other current/former residents have any opinions on this?

For NOLA, the priotiy should be given to the people. The city can be rebuilt. People may be gone forever if they are not rescued in time.

I'm kind of surprised this thread is not seeing more comments given Katrina and her effect. I've been watching coverage and it is certainly relevant to our discussions. The gulf coast has just been devestated and since coastal communities have seen the largest rise in home values, it really makes you stop and think.
I really love the ocean, always have. But ever since I was a kid I've seen areas like Malibu and other really nice areas get hit again and agian by storms that wipe out neighborhoods. But to see a storm destroy several cities is unbelievable. NO looks like Thailand after the tsunami. Thank God the U.S. will have the capacity to get help sooner than aid was able to get to the tsunami zone. My brother is now living in Thailand, he moved there after the tsunami because he always loved it there and wanted to go back and help rebuild. It was so sad though, everyone he knew on phuket island was killed. Fortunately some of his friends in N. Thailand survived. But knowing people who were killed in a natural disaster really helps put a human face on it. In a perfect world I would live on the beach, but in the real world a home with an ocean view will probably not be in my future. At least I'll sleep better at night.

I don’t know if its just being short sighted for so many people, or if the draw of living on the water is so great, that it casts care aside.

I get the lure, I've loved the ocean my whole life. There is a powerful attraction to being able to hear the ocean and sit in the sand or go surfing whenever the mood hits. But as I get older the risks seem too apparent and I just can't see risking my house, and as is the case in NO, my life on having a home on the coast. I really feel for the people in NO though. I lot of people in the region are very poor, and now they don't even have what meager possessions they had managed to accumulate. It also breaks my heart to see the children.

I agree, it is so relevant to what is happening in the housing market. This indeed puts a new face on the value of waterfront property.

I still want water-view property. However, I would prefer one that is at least 100 ft above sea level.

May the looters in NOLA live in interesting times! It is understandable if they are just getting food and water so that their families can survive. No... they are greedy and are taking advantage of a tragedy!

May the looters in NOLA live in interesting times! It is understandable if they are just getting food and water so that their families can survive. No… they are greedy and are taking advantage of a tragedy!

Probably a mixture of the two with the latter being the more common. Let's hear it for Karma.

More on the topic of the greedy taking advantage of a tragedy. It's gotten so bad that rescue helicopters are being fired upon and they are unable to get to those in need because some areas are too dangerous. At one hospital the staff has had to move to upper levels and barricade themselves in due to looters in the lower floors of the building. There are real people in need but there is an amazing number of people who are getting off on the anarchy. But you just know that if martial law is instituted and they start shooting back at these assholes some civil rights attorney is going to start bleating about their 'rights' and start making noises about racism etc. Pisses me off.

Friends,

I haven't been participating that much lately because I am concerned for a friend and his family in New Orleans. If any of you (or the lurkers) know Robert L. Warner Jr, sisters Helen and Sabrina or other members of their family, please post here for me or on any new topic. I check here regularly, and am checking all the lists that have been posted over the internet. If you'd rather not give me the information here, just let me know and we can communicate off this site.

Thanks all,

BayQT~ (I am posting this on our current topic as well.)

Veritas

WOW. I hope they're all ok. I'm glad they took what measures they needed to get out safely, at this point anything goes.

Veritas

It's great that you're thinking of helping. Most of us are only able to donate, so I think it's wonderful when people actually are able to physically lend a hand. My brother is actually living in Thailand now helping with the rebuilding effort and he couldn't be happier.