You're On Your Own

On the eve of hurricane season, New Orleans has learned Katrina's lesson: Trust no one and nothing

You don't have to ask Alicia and Eric Hansen if they are ready for the next hurricane to hit New Orleans. Visit them in their sunny yellow bungalow, which took on 3 ft. of water after Hurricane Katrina. The house now sits high and dry on concrete columns that soar 11 ft. into the air. The first time Alicia walked up a ladder into her living room, she stomped on the floor to make sure the whole thing wouldn't collapse like a wobbly flamingo. Now, she says, nothing but the "perfect storm"--a Category 4 or 5--will budge her. "I'm not planning...

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