Why did it have to happen to one of my favourite cities?

OK - I've never actually been to New Orleans, and I've never wanted to: the New Orleans in my head is almost certainly a better place than the real thing. But it looks like that '..legendary Quarter/ Of balconies, flower-baskets and quadrilles' is gone for good. Like Atlantis with Jelly Roll Morton on piano. A terrible shame, and let's hope as many people as possible get out alive.

It should have happened to Thornaby, of course. Filth floating through the streets, desperate people on rooftops, rape, looting, gunfights, disease...Dave would probably have called to tell me that they were having an unusually quiet weekend.