Only an Aussie learner talking, but one with a battler's insight. Why talk so much about putting New Orleans back like it was, only to be washed out again. Can they learn from Holland holding the record for reclaimed sea-lands? Or did Dutch experts try to help but it finished up costing too much?

Looks like its time to forget about historical romantics and this time do the job properly - then get back to the romantics because the story of New Orleans including the fact that it was purchased from Napoleon for a $song makes its story even more enticing.

George C, WA - Bushbred

I believe in taking responsibility for ones actions so....If NO is rebuilt then all people wanting that will have to take responsibility for the effects of the next Hurricane that breaches levies and wipes up the high seas. (Mother nature will always win.) It is a risk v reward I suppose but if the risk is more people lost then should not the hard questions be asked? Because, this event will more than likely happen again.

And due to the very litigious nature either the government now takes responsibility saying "yes it is safe and it will not happen again". leading to civil claims against the government....Dollars .... Or the people sign a contract not to sue because they understand the fact that NO is inherently "of faulty design".

Ultimately protection of the populus is paramount. I hate to see people and their livelihood put in harms way. And if it happens again and again then at what point do outsiders patience run out.

That is the fear.

Tales of New Orleans sound realistically to those never had been in this place, a majority of AUSTRALIAN professors surely.

Be blessed America for having centuries ago kicked out stupid mean hypocritical rule of English feudals and a short caste vision of their contemporary descendants allowing only a caste-based possession of professional jobs somewhere in Sydney and around.

Prices on food in New Orleans were among the highest in the US, even compared with Alaska, and it was single place in a country where greedy shop-owners instantly added tax to government-sponsored biscuits. No famous American super-markets in vicinity – FAMILY BUSINESS rule! And US$ 2.17 for a quarter-gallon bottle of a drinking water was nothing special. Afro-population majority gained some status in democratically selected local authorities but Australian-style colonial traditional businesses, which were a small trade and entertainment - sex, music and some gambling, cannot help much with employment opportunities. In addition, the vital services were privatised.

Last time I left Big Easy a week prior to a tragedy, none believed in anything next days newspapers round the States broadly informed of, picturesque equipped with maps sustaining scientific predictions, even much more dramatic than what a world witnessed today. The sky was blue but it was terribly humid, not hot but radiated all around as the first sunrays appeared, and even air pushed out from this place I liked, like and would like to see again.

Although reviving New Orleans is a matter of money and time, segregating it into COMMUNITIES could benefit the Americans questionally.