Open the Astrodome

An unprecedented disaster calls for an unprecedented response.

That's why the Harris County Domed Stadium, known to most of the world as The Astrodome, should be opened up as a shelter for the people of Louisiana.

The air conditioners work, the toilets work and the roof doesn't leak. The same can't be said for the Louisiana Superdome, where estimates say up to 30,000 are living with no A.C., no working toilets and holes in the roof.

Fly 'em to Houston on C-130s. FEMA can help foot the expenses and Reliant Energy might be persuaded to provide free electricity to make up for price gouging California consumers during their energy crisis.

The Rev. Joel Osteen, I'll bet, of Houston's world famous Lakewood Church, would be happy to conduct a Sunday service out at the Astrodome. If anyone ever needed to hear the sort of positive message he can deliver, it's the people of New Orleans.

Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins and a major shareholder in the publicly traded Six Flags amusement park company, can pull a few strings to open up Astroworld, located across the freeway from The Astrodome, so the dispossessed youth of The Crescent City can have a little fun. This would have the added benefit of helping Snyder with public relations in his current hostile takeover of the Six Flags company.

Who could help make all this happen?

Howsabout Houston Favorite Son George W. Bush, who's president of this United States of America?

Seize the day, Mr. President.

Houston, we don't have a problem, but our neighbor does. Let's do something. Let's put "the eighth wonder of the world" back on the map. It's sitting there, empty. Open her up and crank up the A.C.