Catching my eye: morning A through Z

Here’s what’s caught my eye this morning:

  • Argghhh! has a reflection on the whys and wherefores of rebuilding New Orleans. I continue to be confused by the public discussion. I certainly believe that if the people of New Orleans (whereever they are) want to rebuild the city they can and should. The Port of New Orleans (2,500 workers) and the tourism industry in New Orleans (roughly 80,000) should be restoreable to full strength with a city about half the size of pre-Katrina New Orleans. Much more on the adviseability of rebuilding New Orleans as-was from Confederate Yankee.
  • For coverage of the results of the German elections I suggest AFOE (keep scrolling) and Davids Medienkritik. See also here and here.
  • California Yankee has a good media rundown and commentary on the recent diplomatic announcement from the negotiations with North Korea on their nuclear weapons program. I agree with him: why is the press hyping this so much? It does seem to vindicate the “six party” approach the Administration has taken (at least a little). UPDATE: Needed perspective from Scrappleface.
  • So much for the inelasticity of demand for gasoline with respect to price. From Econbrowser.
  • How do you spell R-E-L-I-E-F? Hat tip: Marybeth
  • Curious about the federal porkbarrel projects in your home state, county, or town? Check this resource. Hat tip: sisu.
  • The Word Unheard has an outstanding roundup of links on the status of operations in Iraq. Remember Iraq?
  • Check out the handy Middle East Week in Review from Window on the Arab World (and More).

That’s the lot.

2 comments… add one
  • Just as in the aftermath of earthquakes, restorable buildings generally have to be built to the current form of ‘quake resistance, so, too, I think New Orleans should be rebuilt with an eye to that.

    But I also think, given the massive federal investment that will be involved, we all should have a say (and will, somewhat, via the Congress) in whether or not we want to fund a massive fight against nature, to retain nostalgia.

    There is a lot of N.O. that probably ought to go to greenspace or low density light industry, rather than be rebuilt as living space. Which, of course, limits how much else can be rebuilt, given the fact that you need a workforce.

    New Orleans has been given, however brutally, a chance to reinvent itself. Here’s hoping they rise above their political past and forge a smarter future.

    Don’t get me wrong – SWWBO and I *liked* the Old New Orleans, much of which still survives. But that doesn’t mean we should rebuild all of the rest, with no eye to the future.

    Not that you said otherwise – but I though I should stick the oar in the water that the rest of us in the country, who will do much of the funding, ought to get some say, too – just as around here, in the aftermath of the 1993 floods, we had to make some land-use adjustments…

  • Mark Stevenson Link

    I think rebuilding New Orleans the way it was would be another disaster waiting to happen. Instead we move all the residental houses inland and leave the delta that is New Orleans to just shipping docks and major factories/industries, and shipping companies. This way we have eliminated the human cost and a lot of rebuilding costs too. the delta is forever gonna change and mother nature will always win. So lets be smart and and not rebuild it because it shows strength in the country.

Leave a Comment