The Katrina Myth; the Truth about a thoroughly unnatural disaster

OramAndy Says:

Aug 10, 2009 - Katrina WAS a natural disaster. It's not because the levees failed, it's because they didn't prevent. It could have been prevented, no doubt. But I get upset when over a thousand people lose their lives, and people point fingers. Also, logical fallacy. Myth 2 = New Orleans is in the wrong place due to geography, but this video refutes that with economic facts, rather than geography facts. New Orleans is in the right place economically, but being below sea level on the coast is wrong physically.

OramAndy Says:

Aug 10, 2009 - Also, another logical fallacy. If the levees are the cause of the flood, then it's obviously not the lack of wetlands causing floods. Also, this video contradicts itself. It says New Orleans is in the right place economically (although the myth is that it's in the wrong place PHYSICALLY) because it's a major hub for commercial trade. But it also says that the commercialization of New Orleans (Oil interests, canals) have weakened it's defenses against floods.

OramAndy Says:

Aug 10, 2009 - Yet another contradiction. Take a look at Myth 3. It says the fact that New Orleans is below sea level is false, that large parts of it are above sea level. Well, then it isn't completely false then is it? "Large parts" is very subjective. Here's a fact that's not subjective: the AVERAGE ELEVATION of New Orleans is BELOW sea level. I'm not really against a city on the coast that's below sea level...we have the technology to keep the water out. I'm against videos using false arguments to win =D

OramAndy Says:

Aug 10, 2009 - Myth number 4 isn't so bad. People should know that New Orleans isn't the only place this could happen at. However, New Orleans is unique, due to its location on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Detroit might have levees, but it's just not sitting on a huge, warm body of water that is prone to hurricanes.

friedley52 Says:

Aug 13, 2009 - As a former resident of New Orleans, and being very well connected, I can attest to the fact that the colapse of the levees was one of the reasons that New Orleans ended up under water on August 29, 2005. I know for a fact that the levees were built to withstand ONLY a category 3 hurricane, but the US governemnt pulled funding of the levee system AND the levee board has been charged with pocketing money that was meant to reinforce the levees. .

OramAndy Says:

Aug 14, 2009 - Yep. The levees were definitely not up to the task. But that's all this video needs to say. The truth? Levees failed. Let's spend less time pointing fingers, and more time making sure this never ever happens again. Proper funding is a good start. I was upset with this video's use of logical fallacies and contradictions to form arguments.

SFergie100 Says:

Aug 17, 2009 - I'm not even going to argue with you. It would be pointless to argue with an idiot like you...

AwkwardProductionsTV Says:

Aug 23, 2009 - ok listen dont call some one an idiot when your name includes"fergie" lol

latech1116 Says:

Aug 23, 2009 - Not "unnatural". Galveston Island wiped out by Hurricane. California wrecked by earthquakes. No man on earth is perfect therefore cannot construct "perfect" structures to withstand GOD's creation. NOLA is below sealevel, soil is delta/unstable, sits on the Gulf in the path of weather forces.

bapabob Says:

Aug 23, 2009 - Comparing New Orleans to London and Holland is a joke. Neither London nor Holland have to worry about hurricanes.

SFergie100 Says:

Aug 24, 2009 - London Now has hurricanes Huh? You're an IDIOT...

infrogmation Says:

Aug 28, 2009 - IIRC surveys show of the actual inhabited area, some 40% above sea level, 20% at sea level, and 40% below. Most the below area is suburbs developed in the 20th century by draining swampland, which has since subsided (same technology of draining and develping used even more widely in Florida). "Sea level" by itself is not an indication of flood risk. Death Valley, over 250 feet below sea level, is one of the driest places in the country, while places thousands of feet up have flooded.

infrogmation Says:

Aug 28, 2009 - A joke? What's the funny part? The comparison is very apt. Hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast and major storms in the North Sea both cause severe weather and dangerous storm surges. Read up about the great North Sea storm of the Spring of 1953 and its effects on the Netherlands and the U.K. They got serious about flood protection. There's no technical reason the U.S. couldn't as well; thus far we simply haven't.

pabon7 Says:

Aug 28, 2009 - you cant fight the water. the water will devour us in a minute.

horridkitten13 Says:

Aug 29, 2009 - It's very difficult to feel capable of effecting change while living in New Orleans. It's like being in a very messy room and not knowing where to start cleaning.

thedefiantywc Says:

Sep 2, 2009 - and yes the port needs to be open but 800000 people are not needed to keep a port open so if you move to new orleans and this happens to you dont run around blaming every1 just look in the mirror and blame your dumbass self.

rafael22222 Says:

Sep 7, 2009 - power to the people!

wawawaamigos Says:

Sep 16, 2009 - this is fucking stupid if it wasn't for Katrina flooding would have never damaged the levees.... this was a natural disaster

Keither9 Says:

Sep 17, 2009 - Something to look into, the engineers have orders and funding. If the funding for the levees or the orders were somehow interfered with then the disaster was avoidable at a whole nother level.

gmfutube Says:

Sep 21, 2009 - If it wasn't for the man-made destruction of the wetlands, New Orleans would not have flooded. Aren't you upset that your tax$ were wasted by poor engineering?

oran6es Says:

Sep 22, 2009 - And if you move to south Florida?( severe hurricane strikes 4X as often as NOLA), and if you move to L.A. on a major earthquake fault line, and if you move to tornado alley? and if you move to terrorist strike central (NYC) ? or if you move to a river flood plain? Need I say more?

LeveesOrg Says:

Sep 23, 2009 - Saying "if it wasn't for Katrina flooding would have never damaged the levees" is like saying "if it wasn't for traffic, that bridge in Minneapolis would have never been damaged.........Both Katrina and the traffic revealed structural flaws; both exposed engineering mistakes.

fuelban Says:

Nov 2, 2009 - A well made. Well constructed well presented video, i have worked and lived in holland meny times since the 1970s, they do have summer long maintainance programs on the dams / levees, you only need be there to see, but the locals the people, take note and interact get involved, you americans need to do the same at every level guys.... every level.... thom in scotland.

fuelban Says:

Nov 2, 2009 - i have to say, here in europe UK, we have a department called the board of trade, and various other departments that would not allow army engineers to do civil work, outside an emergany situation, if a company done this, uk, and it had 53 faults, then all engineers and paper work involved would go before the board of trade inquiry, and those whom were found at fault would.... GET FUCKED. THOM.

1000altoids Says:

Nov 11, 2009 - So hurricanes are the only source of flooding? I didn't know that... ;)