New Orleans: Exhausted. Complaining, but at the same time tossing around optimism ("Noo Awlins'll be back!") like deck officers on the Titanic. Busy blaming everybody but themselves for their Katrina losses. When you point out how something could be done better, you get a shrug: "Whatcha gonna do?"

Simply put, things here are circling the bowl.
.

__________________
* *
-- Paul W. (The Benzadmiral)
('03 Buick Park Avenue, charcoal/cream)
Formerly:
'97 C230, smoke silver/parchment; '86 420SEL, anthracite/light grey; '84 280CE (W123), dark blue/palomino

I was in New Orleans the past few days with friends who have lived there for generations and didn't get that attitude at all.

Louisiana, in the regi9on hardest hit by Katrina & Rita, in which thousands are still in trailers. Generally optimistic and determined to improve things. Our unemployment rate in my town is under 5%. Entry-level jobs pay well above minimum wage and skilled labor jobs are dying for applicants.