YJCMTSUIYT
NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans greeted the first day of hurricane season with prayers and a parade for the mayor who led the city through devastating storms last year. Mayor Ray Nagin swept through the historic narrow streets of the French Quarter in a white horse-drawn carriage surrounded by brass bands and dancing costumed Mardi Gras "Indians" on his way to inauguration for a second term.On the streets as the parade gathered, Nagin was confident. "We are ready. I am really comfortable. It looks like we met all the critical deadlines," he said, referring to work by the US Army Corps of Engineers to restore the levees protecting New Orleans to pre-Katrina levels or better.