A stroll through the French Quarter today

Bordering on Ghost Townish. A handful of tourists. No waiting in line for anything. However, New Orleans did get the National Guard and State Police in town today to maintain law and order. Citizens have yet to return in Mass but the crime is back, big time.

beginning.

Since our incompetent government keeps ignoring domestic problems pretty soon the whole country will be under guard.

I sent what I could to help rebuild through AAR on Randi's site .It is truely a sick thing what these people have to endure and for so long now ,it's ranks there up with the occupation in Iraq if you ask me .

I fear it is just an indication of just how little the administration cares about the citizens in this country and people should keep this in front of their minds at all times .

come on down for a visit. The city needs tourists to flock and spend and get drunk and enjoy and eat and go on a swamp tour and eat and drink some more and go to the Aquarium and the Zoo and shop and eat and drink some more. You'd be helping the city and having one helluva good time.

And welcome to DU!

It will be the third one after the convention center re-opens. I have mixed feelings about going to that place, but we have to heal and move on, and as you say, the city needs some visitors' dollars.

I haven't gotten over it yet. I shed tears with a shop owner on Chartres St. Her story was probably no different than many others. Every person I met was so thankful that I had walked into their shop/restaurant/business. I spent some time with America's Second Harvest food bank and the stories they had to tell were heartwrenching.

I urge people here to remember that New Orleans is NOT okay. Things are NOT back to normal. They still need tons of help now that the federal government has cut and run from the people in the Gulf area.

It's so easy for people around the country to assume that all is well there. I echo your sentiment that people should visit New Orleans and see for themselves. It's impossible to visit there and feel the same way ever again.

Best of luck to you and your fellow residents of the area. I'm looking forward to coming back soon.