Posted 9/18/2005 06:26:00 PM by Douglas

This article has been sitting in my mozilla tab since Friday, and I still don't know what to say about it.

Look a few hundred miles to the west, at Houston — a well-run city with a widely diversified economy. Without much in the way of old culture, charm or tradition, it has far outshone New Orleans as a beacon for enterprising migrants from other countries as well as other parts of the United States — including New Orleans.

Houston has succeeded by sticking to the basics, by focusing on the practical aspects of urbanism rather than the glamorous. Under the inspired leadership of former Mayor Bob Lanier and the current chief executive, Bill White, the city has invested heavily in port facilities, drainage, sanitation, freeways and other infrastructure.

At least in part as a result of this investment, this superficially less-than-lovely city has managed to siphon industries — including energy and international trade — from New Orleans. With its massive Texas Medical Center, it has emerged as the primary healthcare center in the Caribbean basin — something New Orleans, with Tulane University's well-regarded medical school, should have been able to pull off.

It looks as if there are three distinct possibilities:

• Rebuild the city exactly like it was and act like nothing happened.
• Rebuild it without any balls and make it look like Houston.
• Let it slide into the sea.

Monty, can I see what's behind door number four?