....Global Warming and our Future

On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 00:57:41 -0400, "Scott Hedrick"
wrote:

Zoning and codes boil down to one thing- keeping the riff-raff out, where
riff-raff is defined as someone who can't afford whatever you think they
should have.

Building codes have nothing to do with that.

If someone wants to live in a paper shack, this is the United States- *let
them*. Yes, even next to me.

You must live in a really nice neighborhood OK- your neighbor's paper
shack catches on fire, and it spreads to your house. I guess you don't
care. You're insured. Or your kids are over there visiting and die. They
should have known better. Oh well, at least you had them insured too.

The preamble of the Constutution states that a purpose of government is to
"provide for the common defence". I think most people include the forces
of nature in that. And it's the role of building codes and zoning to prevent
people from doing stupid things which may endanger others, as well as
themselves. It's not about "keeping the riff-raff out". Geez...

I suppose you're insured against every possibly contingency, huh? Or
are you in the insurance business?

Dale

"Dale" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 3 Apr 2006 00:57:41 -0400, "Scott Hedrick"

wrote:

Zoning and codes boil down to one thing- keeping the riff-raff out, where
riff-raff is defined as someone who can't afford whatever you think they
should have.

Building codes have nothing to do with that.

Yes, they do. For example, after Hurricane Andrew (with 75+ mph winds), it
was declared that windows should be able to stop a 2x4 impact at 34 mph.
This alone added about $1k to the price of an average home. I found it
interesting that, even though hurricanes are 75+mph winds, the decision was
made for 34 mph impacts. Why *not* demand windows stop a 2x4 at 75mph, if
you are interested in safety?

If someone wants to live in a paper shack, this is the United States- *let
them*. Yes, even next to me.

You must live in a really nice neighborhood OK- your neighbor's paper
shack catches on fire, and it spreads to your house.

Not mine- too many trees around to stop the flying paper

I guess you don't
care. You're insured. Or your kids are over there visiting and die. They
should have known better. Oh well, at least you had them insured too.

Why should the government decide what kind of house you want to live in? Why
do you want the government to be your mommie? If *you* want to live in a
tar-paper shack on your property, why should the government or anyone else
that doesn't own the property get a say? I don't have a problem with setting
minimum standards for a house that's going to be sold (meaning you can't
sell your substandard house), mostly because I have doubts that someone that
builds a tar-paper shack is going to fully disclose its condition.


The preamble of the Constutution states that a purpose of government is to
"provide for the common defence". I think most people include the forces
of nature in that.

Most people think "separation of church and state" is written in the
Constitution. Most people can't even spell "Constitution".

And it's the role of building codes and zoning to prevent
people from doing stupid things which may endanger others, as well as
themselves. It's not about "keeping the riff-raff out". Geez...

This is America. You're allowed to be stupid. Our political system is set up
to guarantee mediocrity.

I suppose you're insured against every possibly contingency, huh?

Every contingency that I'm not willing to assume the risk for.

Or
are you in the insurance business?

I'm a writer. That means I'm a prostitute. I have to stand on the street
corner in heels and fishnet hose holding a laptop. "Hey, sailor, want a
novel? Short story? How-to book?" My chest hair keeps catching in the seam
of my bustier.

In sci.geo.geology, on Sat, 01 Apr 2006 16:19:49 GMT,
Fred J. McCall sez:

` " wrote:

` :I kinda wonder if we have another KILLER hurricane season if bush &
` :company will get their head out of the sand about global warming.

` Nobody who actually knows anything think there is any connection
` between the two. The amount of 'global warming' the theory predicts
` leads to something like a 1-2 knot wind change in hurricanes.

` :That brings the question of new orleans, no mass rebuilding has
` ccured, many neighborhoods look like the flood just occured.

` Probably because many of those neighborhoods should not be rebuilt.

` :although I DONT like big government spending if we can spend trillions
` :for iraq

` We haven't.

` :we should rebuild the homes in new orleans or relocate the
` :residents permanetely

` That's sort of their choice and not ours, isn't it?

` :turning the low elevation areas into permanent
` arks, or raising the elevation of these areas with dirt brought in by
` :rail.

` Go work out how much dirt that is.

Consider a sand/gravel platform under each new building construction.
That becomes more tractable. Where I live, on a flood plain, the
law requires preloading of construction sites with fill equivalent
to more than the weight of the final structure, for a period like
a year, in order to ensure the platform is well settled. Developers
are not the least deterred by this requirement. Often they choose
to leave some of the fill in place (I guess that means they have to
use a larger preload as well), in order to improve flood protection.
By the way, no one will ensure any but major commercial/industrial
buildings against flood anywhere in this region, even in specific
sites which are clearly in local (high, rocky) terrain which would
have virtually zero risk anyway. The policy is blanket to the region.

This area has about 300,000 people living on deltaland behind dikes
at roughly sealevel, on the Fraser delta. Without the dikes it
would be tidal saltmarsh. It is actively pumped. Having an eight
foot fill elevation under your house is a desireable feature, and
increases resale value. With housing values so high (1/2million
for a basic modest house on a small lot) the cost of the fill
is not a large extra expense. By this process the average terrain
elevation slowly increases, to the point where old original
homes in some neighbourhoods look like they're sitting in potholes,
and if a new buyer doesn't level and rebuild, he is likely to
hoist the house on jacks and add fill to come up level to the
neighbours, if only to avoid living behind a moat in the rainy
season. (Before anyone asks, yes, there is a non-rainy season,
and we treasure those two months).


--
================================================== ========================
Pete Vincent
Disclaimer: all I know I learned from reading Usenet.

On Tue, 4 Apr 2006 08:21:34 -0400, "Scott Hedrick"
wrote:

Most people can't even spell "Constitution".

LOL- I probably shouldn't even attempt to type until after the current run
of 15 hour work days is over. Or operate heavy machinery.

Thanks, Scott.

Dale