good times roll no more

Hurricane Katrina will be much covered on other blogs, so just some thoughts here, nothing too lengthy or cerebral.

Because I am very likely to start crying at my computer when I look at sad news, I generally avoid anything other than a cursory glance at MSNBC and CNN.com. But today I looked around at the coverage and all I can say is the good times roll no more.

A year and a half ago I spent some time in NO for a convention and one happy afternoon I strolled along the streets of the quarter, through Jackson square and up along the Riverwalk. It was a beautiful sunny day - a nice contrast to the miserable weather I had flown away from in Columbus, OH earlier that morning.

I can't imagine that much of what I enjoyed that spring day is now rotting under several feet of filthy water. I also can't imagine what the people of NO must think of Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, whose planning resulted in a city below sea level and surrounded by water, a great big bowl waiting to be filled. They would probably like to go to Monmartre and spit on his grave.

My prayers for the gulf coast - the great cities of New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport, Mobile and all the little ones in between.