Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

I’m still mesmerized by the film footage from New Orleans and points east. It’s water with rooftops dotting it. Water with people slogging through it, knee deep. Water with debris of all kinds floating by.

I can’t help but think that the producers of the television show “Survivor” couldn’t pick a better place for their next season. Because of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has all the primitiveness and drama that the previous seasons’ locales had. In addition, there’s the search for water, for food, and for shelter – just like the TV program.

But unlike “Survivor,” this is not a situation where someone is voted off the island and goes home to a comfy bed. Nor will anybody win a million in the end. Rather, it’s reality, not just a reality show. And the real truth is that New Orleans, with its rich layers of history, its contributions to American music, and its traditions of fun will never be the same.