Katrina Plus Four Months, Part 1:
The Rude Pundit went to different areas of metro New Orleans this past week, prior to the New Year. What he saw is a vibrant, alive, breathing city transformed into a necropolis. Tomorrow he'll tell stories, of what he saw, of people he spoke to. Today, just some pictures of the area four months after Hurricane Katrina. Take a look. You can ask yourself then if nation-building should begin at home.

Slidell, Louisiana, about 20 miles outside of New Orleans, on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain:





A couple of photos from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, where everything looks like the week after the water receded:




Tomorrow and the rest of the week: Stories, photos, interviews from New Orleans.