I just remember seeing a documentary a year after Katrina (long after I had forgot about it) where parts of the city looked the same as they did the day after Katrina hit and people were crying and saying, "nobody fixed anything and the news people all left and we're still here." It was very depressing. I saw another show about how gang crime rose exponentially in Houston and other areas where New Orleans refugees were shipped due to the fact that rival gang members ended up living in the same homeless shelters and such.

Hurricane Katrina affected me greatly (mentally) and at one point I was devising a plan to retrofit a school bus with a giant gas tank to drive over there and get people out, Mad Max style. Then my dad informed me that people would most likely shoot me and take my bus. The plan was abandoned. My dad has a good way of bringing me back to reality. I once threatened to beat up a cousin of mine who robbed myy sister's house. Dad reminded me that "your cousin has spent half his life in prison and will mop the streets with your fat ass."

Stupid reality.

Flack wrote:Nope.

Been to Baton Rouge, though. Fun town.

I would be interested in hearing a review of current New Orleans. Depending on who you ask, it's either still in shambles and everyone quit talking about it, or things are back to normal.

Yeah, the thing I worry about is that I'll have absolutely nothing in common with anyone living in that city, except a great love for the football team.

Maybe that will be enough? Can love bloom on a battlefield??!

I spent an evening there while with a chick on 2 week roadtrip of the us about 15 years ago. Make sure to have dinner at a nice restaurant near burbon street then do a walk of shame to every place open within a couple blocks of bourbon street until you pass out about 4 am. The advice at that time was not to venture too far from bourbon st at night and I doubt a devasting hurricane improved things like that. Other than that you've got the streetcar ride to see the stately slave era mansions uptown on a hill that completely saved them from flooding. They have a beach too and a public market and gambling.

You're you in it!

Nope.

Been to Baton Rouge, though. Fun town.

I would be interested in hearing a review of current New Orleans. Depending on who you ask, it's either still in shambles and everyone quit talking about it, or things are back to normal.

So, looks like the trip is on. I will be going to New Orleans for a Saints game in November at some point.

I have never been to New Orleans.

I don't know how much time I'm going to have there, but I understand that there are hurricanes, and jazz music and I will probably understand Effinger books a whole lot more.

Jolt Country, have you ever been to New Orleans??!