BREAKING NEWS: Water pouring over Ninth Ward Levee in NO

[lester]

About two feet of water is in lower Ninth Ward after water flows over levee.

HOLY CRAP!!!!!

[arcticfire]

people have brought this on themselves, if the levee system was build a lot better and stronger, than Katrina would have probably never breached the levees, and Rita wouldn't make it worse- It's been 40 years since Betsy when the build the levee system, and yet in those years they couldn't make a stronger, modernized levee system, I mean that is absolutely pathetic

The government should have helped with modernizing the levee system a long time ago.

I heard the military was was trying to get funding several years ago to rebuild the levy system, however, congress shot it down....

can somebody find this info...?

We don't need to build levee's around congress. Dunno why NOLA residents seem to have this idea the reast of the nation should pay for their wall. If NOLA residents didn't want this to happen , they should have funded a better system.

But it's common to demand the "goverment" fix all your personal problems without assuming personal or community responibility for them. Very typical of the "everyone should pay for it except me" mindset we have nowadays.

[TSmith274]

people have brought this on themselves, if the levee system was build a lot better and stronger, than Katrina would have probably never breached the levees, and Rita wouldn't make it worse- It's been 40 years since Betsy when the build the levee system, and yet in those years they couldn't make a stronger, modernized levee system, I mean that is absolutely pathetic

The government should have helped with modernizing the levee system a long time ago.

I heard the military was was trying to get funding several years ago to rebuild the levy system, however, congress shot it down....

can somebody find this info...?

We don't need to build levee's around congress. Dunno why NOLA residents seem to have this idea the reast of the nation should pay for their wall. If NOLA residents didn't want this to happen , they should have funded a better system.

But it's common to demand the "goverment" fix all your personal problems without assuming personal or community responibility for them. Very typical of the "everyone should pay for it except me" mindset we have nowadays.

Ya know what man? We can't afford it. It's as simple as that. Not only that, the failed levees that we do have were designed and built by the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. So, the way I look at it, they are liable... this is at the federal level. The levees failed in a classic "water pressure burst". Why should we pay 100% to fix something that the federal governmnet screwed up?

[gpickett00]

are there any live cameras of any of the breeching levees?

[jawa89]

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody, and Katrina

This is a (Sad) little story about four (Groups of) people named Everybody (in New Orleans), Somebody (in the Federal Government), Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government), and Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers).

There was an important job (of raising the levees) to be done and Everybody (in New Orleans), was sure that Somebody (in the Federal Government) would do it.
Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could have done it, but Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) did it.
Somebody (in the Federal Government) got angry about that because it was Everybody (in New Orleans)'s job.
Everybody (in New Orleans) thought that Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could do it, but Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) realized that Everybody (in New Orleans) wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody (in New Orleans) blamed Somebody (in the Federal Government) when Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) did what Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could have done.

[Canelaw99]

Ya know what man? We can't afford it. It's as simple as that. Not only that, the failed levees that we do have were designed and built by the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. So, the way I look at it, they are liable... this is at the federal level. The levees failed in a classic "water pressure burst". Why should we pay 100% to fix something that the federal governmnet screwed up?

Before you get too hot over this, read the article(s) that I linked on pg. 2 of this thread. Here's a quote from the one about "questionable" projects:

"In Katrina's wake, Louisiana politicians and other critics have complained about paltry funding for the Army Corps in general and Louisiana projects in particular. But over the five years of President Bush's administration, Louisiana has received far more money for Corps civil works projects than any other state, about $1.9 billion; California was a distant second with less than $1.4 billion, even though its population is more than seven times as large.

Much of that Louisiana money was spent to try to keep low-lying New Orleans dry. But hundreds of millions of dollars have gone to unrelated water projects demanded by the state's congressional delegation and approved by the Corps, often after economic analyses that turned out to be inaccurate. Despite a series of independent investigations criticizing Army Corps construction projects as wasteful pork-barrel spending, Louisiana's representatives have kept bringing home the bacon."

Time for blame will always be there. Right now, these levees are failing, and they were set up to fail for a while now. Something will have to be done, and it's an important question to think about who should pay for it. There's been a lot of money poured into these levees and they weren't fixed. If I were a N.O. resident, I'd start questioning my officials and those others in charge of deciding where that money went. However, I'm not and I'm an outsider who can just research and post the info I find.

[sunny]

I am so tired of all of this. The people of New Orleans did not ask for this. So what should we do? Tell us.

[jax]

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody, and Katrina

This is a (Sad) little story about four (Groups of) people named Everybody (in New Orleans), Somebody (in the Federal Government), Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government), and Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers).

There was an important job (of raising the levees) to be done and Everybody (in New Orleans), was sure that Somebody (in the Federal Government) would do it.
Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could have done it, but Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) did it.
Somebody (in the Federal Government) got angry about that because it was Everybody (in New Orleans)'s job.
Everybody (in New Orleans) thought that Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could do it, but Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) realized that Everybody (in New Orleans) wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody (in New Orleans) blamed Somebody (in the Federal Government) when Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) did what Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could have done.

that is a great story.... well said....

[TSmith274]

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody, and Katrina

This is a (Sad) little story about four (Groups of) people named Everybody (in New Orleans), Somebody (in the Federal Government), Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government), and Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers).

There was an important job (of raising the levees) to be done and Everybody (in New Orleans), was sure that Somebody (in the Federal Government) would do it.
Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could have done it, but Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) did it.
Somebody (in the Federal Government) got angry about that because it was Everybody (in New Orleans)'s job.
Everybody (in New Orleans) thought that Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could do it, but Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) realized that Everybody (in New Orleans) wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody (in New Orleans) blamed Somebody (in the Federal Government) when Nobody (but the Poor Ole U.S. Tax Payers) did what Anybody (in the Louisiana State Government) could have done.

Ok seriously, it was the state of Louisiana's job to build these levees? What are we? A state full of engineers? I've lived here all my life and I've never known that. The cold hard facts are that 1) We cannot afford it 2) US Army Corps of Engineers leadership, engineering, and construction wearwithall were used in building these levees. They failed. Some were topped, but others BROKE. This is an embarrassment to our engineering community is this country. We can build the Hoover Dam, but we can't build a wall to hold back 20' of water. Fine, blame Louisiana... hang Louisiana politicians by thier townails. Blame tham all you want, but we have to fix this problem. Americans, and everyone on this board are good people. I don't blame you for being mad... I am too. But, we need help, and yes, we need money. Call us needy, call us idiots... but just help us.

Yes, our politicians are corrupt idiots. I'm asking if you, as fellow Americans, will come to the aid of our PEOPLE. We need you now.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

^ Personally I don't think New Orleans should be rebuilt. The $200 billion price tag (plus interest since its borrowed money) would benefit a lot more people around the country than the 250,000 post-Katrina population.

Does it really make sense to repopulate an area below sea-level when disaster will surely strike one again.

[Snowzealot]

Honestly, how many of the former residents of New Orleans won't come back to live there? I say at least 25% won't return, judging from tv interviews I have seen. I know I wouldn't come back there.

[alousteau]

people have brought this on themselves, if the levee system was build a lot better and stronger, than Katrina would have probably never breached the levees, and Rita wouldn't make it worse- It's been 40 years since Betsy when the build the levee system, and yet in those years they couldn't make a stronger, modernized levee system, I mean that is absolutely pathetic

The government should have helped with modernizing the levee system a long time ago.

I heard the military was was trying to get funding several years ago to rebuild the levy system, however, congress shot it down....

can somebody find this info...?

We don't need to build levee's around congress. Dunno why NOLA residents seem to have this idea the reast of the nation should pay for their wall. If NOLA residents didn't want this to happen , they should have funded a better system.

But it's common to demand the "goverment" fix all your personal problems without assuming personal or community responibility for them. Very typical of the "everyone should pay for it except me" mindset we have nowadays.

F You! Who do you think you are with that statement. The state and the city puts a hell of alot of money into the levees themselves. You would probably be one of the idiots that would be bitching because the Feds are not doing enough for the fires in the west, or the earthquakes in Alaska, or the Terrorist attacks in the North. WE PAY TAXES TOO. In fact you P!!ys up there in Alaska would rather save the damn polar bears than drill for oil. If you really want to get technical about things NO was there way before the US had anything to do with Alaska. After this Hurrican season I think there should be a law passed by congress that says if your state does not try to find oil or drill for known oil you should have to pay a higher price than the states who are drilling pays. (I know Alaska has wells, etc. but there is a hell of alot more that could be drilled for.

A moderator can kick me off the board for this, but I as sick and tired of hearing all the bull poop from certain places that this is just too bad for NO, and rebuilding is a mistake and the Feds should not foot any of the bill. We do nothing but show compassion here in Louisiana for any and EVERY disaster in our country. We even sent a god damn free fire truck to NY after 911. We went up there and cooked food for the volunteers, etc. And we do it all the time, and will continue even with the crap we are hearing.

You need to keep your damn mouth closed, does anyone remember the big Alaska quake??????? You are due for another one too, and when it comes I hope you get a tase of your own medicine.

[arcticfire]

people have brought this on themselves, if the levee system was build a lot better and stronger, than Katrina would have probably never breached the levees, and Rita wouldn't make it worse- It's been 40 years since Betsy when the build the levee system, and yet in those years they couldn't make a stronger, modernized levee system, I mean that is absolutely pathetic

The government should have helped with modernizing the levee system a long time ago.

I heard the military was was trying to get funding several years ago to rebuild the levy system, however, congress shot it down....

can somebody find this info...?

We don't need to build levee's around congress. Dunno why NOLA residents seem to have this idea the reast of the nation should pay for their wall. If NOLA residents didn't want this to happen , they should have funded a better system.

But it's common to demand the "goverment" fix all your personal problems without assuming personal or community responibility for them. Very typical of the "everyone should pay for it except me" mindset we have nowadays.

Ya know what man? We can't afford it. It's as simple as that. Not only that, the failed levees that we do have were designed and built by the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. So, the way I look at it, they are liable... this is at the federal level. The levees failed in a classic "water pressure burst". Why should we pay 100% to fix something that the federal governmnet screwed up?

You bring up a good point actually. They are partly to blame for the failure of the levee in prinipal. However if you can't afford to defend that city from nature why on earth do we insist on having it there. I know why of course thats not really the point. I like what dondal trump had to say in an interview I saw , "I don't understand why it costs billions and billions of dollars to build a wall". He is right , in principal.

The same buracratic nonsence and red tape that screws up everything is really what did NOLA I imagine. It's true of every local government and all the way up. However government is no more going to reform , then my opinon will prevent tax $$'s from flowing into a nother poorly built government payed for levee system that will fail in a few years when the next 3-5 rolls threw NOLA.

Residents of NOLA would have to demand of their politicians they get a proper defence built , regardless if it involves state taxes or congress boot licking. That likly won't happen thow either since we are all so disatached from our politicians we have forgotten they work for us not the other way around.

See now ya gona and made me get on a soap box shame on you

[sunny]

^ Personally I don't think New Orleans should be rebuilt. The $200 billion price tag (plus interest since its borrowed money) would benefit a lot more people around the country than the 250,000 post-Katrina population.

So, shall we same the same thing for any other city that is destroyed by a natural disater? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Miami considered "high-risk" to hurricanes as well? So if they get leveled, we should not rebuild?

[sponger]

Dont worry TSmith, NO will get a world class levy the Dutch would be proud of. We may walk away from the Ninth ward we may build it on 10 foot stilts, but the new levy will be a badass cat 5 standard.

[Canelaw99]

Alou, I can understand why you're upset, however, many of us in other states have helped out y'all from LA too. I know for a fact that there have been at least 30 kids enrolled in Broward County public schools, and a lot in our colleges down here. These college kids have been given all kinds of help, as have those in the public schools. Additionally, we had a search and rescue team go there from Miami-Dade County and when they came back, another went in as relief. Also, all of radio and news stations ran relief drives with I don't know how many truckloads of stuff going over there.

However, I, for one, question the sense of rebuilding NO back as it was. Now, notice, I said as it was. I've been to NO and the culture that's there is amazing, but it doesn't make sense to rebuild it under sea level the way it was, especially if the levees aren't upgraded and done properly. I am not an engineer, and therefore do not know what it would take to properly safeguard a city built there where NO is, but I do know that the city was sinking over time as it was, regardless of the levees. Some serious time and thought need to be put into the rebuilding plan before action is taken. It's the "take action now, think about it later" mentality that gets people, especially government, in trouble.

Now, you may disagree with me, and that's fine. But, I know that we here in S. Fl are going to be hit eventually with another major storm, and when we are, the debate will rage over us as well. It's ok...it's what makes America great - that we can all have opinons and speak them freely. I, for one, hope that when our time comes that those in LA are there and able to help us out as we have them - that's what else makes this country great - we're all Americans and can help one another.

[jawa89]

We know that N.O. will be rebuilt... If this huricane season ever ends. It just kind of bothers me that we now have to spend jillions of dollars to fix what two old women, a shovel and a wheelbarrow and EIGHTY YEARS could have done. I guess we can blame it on the Bullmoose Party and get to work.

[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]

^ Personally I don't think New Orleans should be rebuilt. The $200 billion price tag (plus interest since its borrowed money) would benefit a lot more people around the country than the 250,000 post-Katrina population.

So, shall we same the same thing for any other city that is destroyed by a natural disater? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Miami considered "high-risk" to hurricanes as well? So if they get leveled, we should not rebuild?

People should take responsibility where they decide to live. South Florida already pays skyhigh premiums in homeowners insurance. NOLA on the other hand, despite being below sea-level, relies on a government subsidized flood insurance program. So they pay a lot less than they should given the risks of living in a bowl located below sealevel.

Again why should the government give $200 billion for NOLA when it will only benefit 250,000 people and risks being washed away again in the future. Why not spend a fraction on that in Houston, a city of 4 million so people aren't stuck on the interstate for 24 hours during the next mandatory evacuation.

[arcticfire]

people have brought this on themselves, if the levee system was build a lot better and stronger, than Katrina would have probably never breached the levees, and Rita wouldn't make it worse- It's been 40 years since Betsy when the build the levee system, and yet in those years they couldn't make a stronger, modernized levee system, I mean that is absolutely pathetic

The government should have helped with modernizing the levee system a long time ago.

I heard the military was was trying to get funding several years ago to rebuild the levy system, however, congress shot it down....

can somebody find this info...?

We don't need to build levee's around congress. Dunno why NOLA residents seem to have this idea the reast of the nation should pay for their wall. If NOLA residents didn't want this to happen , they should have funded a better system.

But it's common to demand the "goverment" fix all your personal problems without assuming personal or community responibility for them. Very typical of the "everyone should pay for it except me" mindset we have nowadays.

F You! Who do you think you are with that statement. The state and the city puts a hell of alot of money into the levees themselves. You would probably be one of the idiots that would be bitching because the Feds are not doing enough for the fires in the west, or the earthquakes in Alaska, or the Terrorist attacks in the North. WE PAY TAXES TOO. In fact you P!!ys up there in Alaska would rather save the damn polar bears than drill for oil. If you really want to get technical about things NO was there way before the US had anything to do with Alaska. After this Hurrican season I think there should be a law passed by congress that says if your state does not try to find oil or drill for known oil you should have to pay a higher price than the states who are drilling pays. (I know Alaska has wells, etc. but there is a hell of alot more that could be drilled for.

A moderator can kick me off the board for this, but I as sick and tired of hearing all the bull Number 2 from certain places that this is just too bad for NO, and rebuilding is a mistake and the Feds should not foot any of the bill. We do nothing but show compassion here in Louisiana for any and EVERY disaster in our country. We even sent a god damn free fire truck to NY after 911. We went up there and cooked food for the volunteers, etc. And we do it all the time, and will continue even with the crap we are hearing.

You need to keep your damn mouth closed, does anyone remember the big Alaska quake??????? You are due for another one too, and when it comes I hope you get a tase of your own medicine.

Ok cupcake , I can see your a little upset , so I'll ignore the tone of your post and pretend it was made by a calm rational person carrying on a conversation.

Firstly about us alaskans. You want to know who the only people who support drilling in ANWAR ? Alaskans. It's the bleeding heart environmental too much time on their hands can't keep their nose out of other states business lower 48'ers that keep blocking it. All we keep hearing about is about the "poor carribo" blah blah. Ya know what ANWAR is ? It's farking tundra , wide open expanse of NADA. Plus the carribo have been thriving merily trotting around the oil rigs already on the N slope. So try not to get up in arms , we have been supporting more drilling for ages, it's the tree hugging yo yo's sent up from the lower48 that stop it.

Next natural disasters. I know it's easy to confuse the two but earthquakes are not hurricains. Earthquakes are not predictable , trackable , or able to give warning. We all live up here with the sharp reality of what could happen any second without warning. People always talk abotu the big one for San Fran , that is childs play compared with the 64' quake which our geologist tell us to expect a repeat of sometime between now nad the end of the world. You can run from a hurricain , you can prepare against it , and when you get right down to it , the loss of life from one it totally preventable.

I fully support helping those people who get hit by hurrcains. I'm happy as a clam my tax $$'s go twords helping them survive. What I disagree with is the nation possibly being throw into a depression paying for people insisting on going back to live in the markidly worse place possible to build a city.

As to the rest of your comments about how new alaska is to the nation comapared to NOLA. Yeah your right , want to know another fun fact ? Alaska is 1/3 the size of the contental US , which makes your whole state rather tiny in comparision. Which might explain your way of thinking....

[msbee]

of course N.O. will be rebuilt as it well should be.
Just build it better than it was before.
pour more federal, state and local money into doing the right thing insted of the federal cut backs and the federal,state and local mis-spending.
There's lots of blame to go around but in the meantime it is the poor people..the people like you and me and all of us on this board.who are suffering.
God, this could happen to any of us in the hurricane belt.
Let's not kick them when they are down by tellnig them it's their fault!
This is nothing but incredibly sad.
I watch CNN and the water pouring over those levees and I cry!