My worst fears are being realized. The Mayor of New Orleans estimates the death toll in the hundreds, maybe even "thousands." Will the city ever be the same? This is a fundamental blow to the life-on-the-edge psyche of this city. Perhaps the party is finally over. I hope not, but how could a city like New Orleans not take life just a little more seriously after such a tragedy.
Today on CNN I saw a picture of the 17th Street Canal, which was breached and poured water from Lake Pontchatrain into New Orleans. This was my old neighborhood while I was in college. I lived on the west side of the canal, in Metarie, LA. Directly on the east side of the Canal is New Orleans. From the picture on TV, the breach occurred on the New Orleans side, and Metarie side appeared dry.
When will the finger pointing start? I can already hear it now on Larry King: "Who's fault was it?" "What could have been done to avoid this tragedy." "Why is it taking so long to help."
In America, there's always someone to blame when a natural disaster occurs. There's no such thing as an act of God. America always needs a fall guy, because in the process of crucifying the fall guy, we maintain the illusion of being in control of nature. Afterall, if it wasn't for the fall guy screwing up, no one would have died, right? So who is the fall guy going to be? Stay tuned.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
New Orleans
One of my favorite cities. I fell in love with my wife there, graduated from college there. Today I'm praying for the people down there as Katrina is smashing into the city. This is the sort of disaster that everyone down there accepted, joked about, named a drink after.
I was there in the late 80's. In 1988, I was there when hurricane Francis (a very small hurricane) glanced the city's east edge. It was the biggest storm I'd ever seen in my life. I learned to respect hurricane's in a big hurry, but of course, the locals just joked and shrugged it off. Hurricane's aint no big deal to the locals. That's why I'm very worried that this bon ton roule attitude is going to account for a huge death toll in New Orleans. Even after mandatory evacuation orders, how many people will have been smug enough to try and ride it out in their 150 year old home.
I've been watching the live coverage on WDSU.COM. This New Orleans TV station has done a masterful job. Right now, the hurricane has just passed, and news photographers are sending back pictures of collapsed buildings, a hole in the Superdome, looters running wild in the street, flooding.
Gods speed, New Orleans!
I was there in the late 80's. In 1988, I was there when hurricane Francis (a very small hurricane) glanced the city's east edge. It was the biggest storm I'd ever seen in my life. I learned to respect hurricane's in a big hurry, but of course, the locals just joked and shrugged it off. Hurricane's aint no big deal to the locals. That's why I'm very worried that this bon ton roule attitude is going to account for a huge death toll in New Orleans. Even after mandatory evacuation orders, how many people will have been smug enough to try and ride it out in their 150 year old home.
I've been watching the live coverage on WDSU.COM. This New Orleans TV station has done a masterful job. Right now, the hurricane has just passed, and news photographers are sending back pictures of collapsed buildings, a hole in the Superdome, looters running wild in the street, flooding.
Gods speed, New Orleans!
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Plans unfulfilled
Fall is coming and I can smell it in the air, and see it in the frenetics of nature.
It's only late August, but the first signs of fall are manifest: the loud late-summer bugs that creek through the night, the heavy red apples breaking the tree branches. Most of the song birds have departed after raising their young. An abundance of little white and yellow butterflies are flecks against the green landscape. The morning sun comes later, and departs earlier in the evening. The darker mornings make it harder to get out of bed. The days temperature is comfortable, but reaches ever lower in the early morning hours. The farmer's fields are harvested and plowed under.
The message is clear: if you had Summer plans that remain unfulfilled, you'd best get started. For Jane and I, Summer always begins with great expectations and big plans. We were going to do all these great things with the kids, spend more time at the lake, take a big family vacation, etc. Indeed, we managed to pull off some of it. But at the end of August, the realization that good plans will go unrealized begins to sink in.
Fall is a season of great change in our household. Its the time the kids "move up" the ranks: Jorgen to first grade, Chloe to pre-k, and little Pete to the big-kids room. If only progress were as easy to measure for us adults.
It's only late August, but the first signs of fall are manifest: the loud late-summer bugs that creek through the night, the heavy red apples breaking the tree branches. Most of the song birds have departed after raising their young. An abundance of little white and yellow butterflies are flecks against the green landscape. The morning sun comes later, and departs earlier in the evening. The darker mornings make it harder to get out of bed. The days temperature is comfortable, but reaches ever lower in the early morning hours. The farmer's fields are harvested and plowed under.
The message is clear: if you had Summer plans that remain unfulfilled, you'd best get started. For Jane and I, Summer always begins with great expectations and big plans. We were going to do all these great things with the kids, spend more time at the lake, take a big family vacation, etc. Indeed, we managed to pull off some of it. But at the end of August, the realization that good plans will go unrealized begins to sink in.
Fall is a season of great change in our household. Its the time the kids "move up" the ranks: Jorgen to first grade, Chloe to pre-k, and little Pete to the big-kids room. If only progress were as easy to measure for us adults.
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