What to do now? (NOLA)

[Morrigoon]

Here's a rather interesting article about the limbo state that NOLA evacuees are currently in:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9359356/

I thought it was very well done and gives you a picture of where these folks are at, financially and emotionally, positive and negative.

Oh, and something in the article brings forth an interesting thought. It says something about having a Mardi Gras-type celebration to cap off getting people out of shelters, but taking that a bit farther... you've got a place that's absorbed 200,000 people from N'awlins. They didn't leave their culture behind. This is an opportunity for Houston (and possibly Dallas) to establish strong Mardi Gras celebrations of their own. The folks that do the MG parades must be included in that crowd, and would know how to do it right.

Frankly, considering the huge financial burden Texas cities have taken on, it would be in their best interest to try and capitalize on that positive aspect of their newest citizens. Establish Mardi Gras right away, and fuel it. Promote it, get local businesses to support it. A healthy tourism trade would mean quite a lot in the form of tax revenues, as well as help create more jobs (which I'm sure are in short supply now - boy I'd hate to be an unemployed Texan this month).