Damn Smart Canadians

Man, those Canadians are smart...



"Alright!

Bourbon blues on the street, loose and complete
Under skies all smoky blue green
I can't forsake a dixie dead shake
So we danced the sidewalk clean
My memory is muddy
What's this river that I'm in?
New Orleans is sinking man
And I don't wanna swim

Colonel Tom, what's wrong? what's going on?
You can't tie yourself up for a deal
He said, Hey north you're south shut your big mouth,
You gotta do what you feel is real
Ain't got no picture postcards, ain't got no souvenirs
My baby, she don't know me when I'm thinking bout those years

Pale as a light bulb hanging on a wire
Sucking up to someone just to stoke the fire
Picking out the highlights of the scenery
Saw a little cloud that looked a little like me

I had my hands in the river
My feet back up on the banks
Looked up to the lord above
And said, hey man thanks
Sometimes I fell so good, I gotta scream
She said Gordie baby I know exactly what you mean
She said, she said, I swear to god she said

My memory is muddy
What's this river that I'm in?
New Orleans is sinking man and I don't wanna swim

Swim!"

"New Orleans is Sinking
---written by The Tragically Hip


...and just as a disclaimer: I mean no disrespect to any of the thousands of people affected by the recent natural disaster in New Orleans. Unfortunately, things of this magnitude are going to happen and people are going to be affected by it, that's the way it's always been and always will be. Having said that, it makes it none the easier to deal with the suffering and heartache that comes in tow with such a cataclysmic event. I wish I could help those that are suffering, I really wish I could.
It's too bad that our American forefather's didn't have better foresight in planning and building New Orleans. Due to government subsidy and the pursuit of wealth, we've created an environment for disaster there in the city which is now underwater. The French who came to that area were wiser and built "their city" upon the highlands, knowing that below sea level was no place to call home. Having said all of that, there is no blame being placed on the resident of the city and surrounding areas, they just settled where there was a place to settle...
I wish that better discretion had been given to this fact... and/ or the U.S. government hadn't ignored the call for funds by the city of New Orleans to shore up the levy's and surrounding areas to ensure this type of thing would never happen. Way to go Uncle Sam, you've just ordered yourself up a nice tidy little probelem... now go and fix it, and go to the doorstep of the dead and tell them why you never took heed to the warning signs.

Man, those Canadian are pretty damn smart....
(yep, The Tragically Hip are from Canada!)