Gulf Coast Suffers

Years past Hurricane Andrew, acres of land where homes once were south of Miami lay desolate. All day today, I've been thinking and thinking, "How will the Gulf Coast recover?" Is it even possible? I don't see how.

Pensacola is still not right a year later. Parts of Houston destroyed by Tropical Storm Allison still sit empty--abandoned homes, abandoned lives.

Will New Orleans just become a small tourist area focused in the French Quarter? Will the businesses move out rather than rebuild on such dangerous ground?

The papers and news stories share braggadocious assertions that "it may take years but we'll come back." I'm not so sure. There will be many reasons to leave New Orleans. With everything destroyed and decimated, it will be difficult to find reasons to stay.

Drudge has awesome links. So does Instapundit--especially if you want to donate to relief efforts. I was going to make a list of donation links myself. No need. Just go there.