Trivia answer

5.

That’s right, 5.

 

But truthfully, I’m not complaining.  I’d let him pee on 10 outfits (or more) if he wanted to.  If he keeps it up, though, he’ll be doing his own laundry sooner than college.

 

No running lately.  I’d like to get out there, oddly enough.  I’m just exhausted.  I’m told that’ll change somewhat in about 18… years.

 

Oh yea, Ray Nagin is an idiot.  Sorry, New Orleans, I’d love to still have compassion and patience for you, but you reelected that idiot.  You’re getting what you deserve.  Why isn’t reconstruction moving along?  You reelected the buffoon, you tell me.  That’s like hitting yourself in the hand with a hammer and asking why your hand hurts.  Dummies.

 

Speaking of New Orleans, here’s something to think about.  The Lower 9^th, that crappy neighborhood full of impoverished renters and crime and drugs and gangs and generally crappy conditions, was nestled behind sub-par levees. 

Has anyone considered that maybe, just maybe, the neighborhood was crappy because the land values were so pathetic? 

Has anyone considered that the land values were pathetic because it was behind sub-par levees? 

Has anyone considered that when (if) the levees are rebuilt to adequate engineering standards that the land values might go up? 

Has anyone considered what the owners (not the residents, mind you, who are predominantly renters) would do with their properties when the values go up?  (answer:  sell for a profit) 

Has anyone considered who will be buying the properties when the landowners do with their properties what landowners do when property values go up? 

Has anyone considered that the impoverished Lower 9^th Ward, that was a crappy neighborhood behind sub-par levees, will not be the impoverished Lower 9^th Ward, a crappy neighborhood, behind vastly improved levees but rather a gentrified Lower 9^th Ward, a residential neighborhood full of town-homes and relatively wealthy residents behind vastly improved levees? 

Seriously, landowners have to pay taxes based on land values.  Do you really think they’ll be renting cheap, falling down, slum shacks AND paying considerably higher property taxes? 

Yea, I didn’t think so either. 

And I don’t think too many people are really thinking through “rebuild New Orleans” very well.  Far too many people are suggesting that the washed out parts of the city be rebuilt right back to where they were without considering the fact that what we HAD was an impoverished area that couldn’t fend for itself and was nearly demolished by a hurricane and completely destroyed by the resultant aftermath (mold, etcetera) and merely rebuilding that garbage on top of what was there will simply be inviting the same catastrophe some years down the road.  After all, those who could get out did, those who couldn’t (read, Lower 9^th Ward) didn’t and suffered the most.

Rebuild the levees to better than they were and cope with the changes.  Maybe the hurricane was a blessing to get you out of your slum and rut and into a productive and contributing role within greater society… and make you an emissary to bring some of the New Orleans flavor to an otherwise bland landscape.  Or you can simply be a victim.  It’s your choice, I suppose.