Federal Flood Insurance

Floods are different from house fires. The chance of a house fire is about the same for every house in the country. Thus the premiums of the many go to make the few fire victims whole again. Everyone buys fire insurance and thus there is enough money to pay out the claims. Floods are different. Property too close to the water and too low is the only property liable to flooding. Therefore, only the few on the flood plains buy flood insurance, and sooner or later, they all have losses. Commercial insurance companies figured this out many years ago and now refuse to offer flood coverage.
A great cry went up from all the waterfront property owners. Congress critters heard the cry and Uncle Sam began offering flood insurance to all comers. Despite hefty premiums, federal flood insurance racks up heavy losses to the taxpayer. The program is really a taxpayer subsidy to waterfront home owners. Availability of flood insurance has subsidized a lot of construction in flood prone areas that should not have been built in, and paid for the inevitable rebuilding after the predictable flood.
As a taxpayer I see no reason for my tax dollars to pay people who build houses in flood prone locations. Every one would be better off building on higher ground, of which there is an enormous amount. No body needs to build on the river bank. If people want to build there, fine, but I don't want to be taxed for it.
A new flood insurance bill is floating thru the Congress at this very minute. If it is impossible to vote it down, how about limiting the payout to ONE flood. The flood victim gets paid off, but his flood insurance is canceled, and the site goes on a list of "too flood prone to insure" properties. If the owner rebuilds on the same site, it is at his risk, not mine. It's a free country, and people are free to build where ever they want. But I shouldn't have to pay for other peoples risky decisions.

Iraq casualties less than Afghanistan casualties

Looks like peace is breaking out in Iraq. US casualties have dropped below those in Afghanistan. Ever trustworthy MSM imply that Afghanistan is getting worse, although they don't bother to supply any numbers to support their viewpoint. Is the glass half full or half empty?

Words of the Weasel, Part 6

"Progressive". We used to call them liberals, in fact Republicans and Rush still do. Liberal policies have been less than successful over the years, so the liberals now call themselves progressives, while advocating the same old stuff. They hope the name change will disguise them well enough to get them elected.

Are the tomatoes innocent of all salmonella?

A couple of weeks ago I posted doubts about the guilt of tomatoes in the salmonella scare. Seems now the FDA is having second thoughts. They have admitted to Fox News that they don't have a clue, and the slamonella cases are still coming in. Great work. I'm sure the tomato farmers appreciate it.

Climate Confusion by Roy Spencer C2008

Very thought provoking book. Spencer does believe that global warming is happening. Has graphs that show same. He just doesn't believe that the small amount of CO2 increase is significant, compared to the enormously greater amount of water vapor (as strong a green house gas as CO2 and 100 times more plentiful) in the atmosphere. He also points out that atmospheric circulation carries heat from the surface to high altitudes where it radiates the heat into space. The magnitude of this heat transfer dwarfs the tiny amount of extra heat trapped by rising CO2 levels. He casts doubt on the reliability of computer models (very reasonable doubts that, after 40 years of computer work, I share). The effects of cloud cover are poorly understood, and the relationshp between a warmer earth, more water evaporation, forming more clouds is even less well understood. The model's handling of clouds, increasing humidity and numerous other factors is problematic.
Well worth reading.

Solar Energy put on hold due to "environmental concerns"

Alternate energy any one? US bureau of land management wants a two year study period to "study" the environmental impact upon the desert. Full story here. The US is getting so wrapped around the environmental axle that we cannot do anything. Can't drill for oil, can't expand refineries, can't do solar, can't do oil shale. Can't do nothing, 'cause everything has an environmental impact. Pretty soon we start to freeze to death in the dark.

Heavy Sour Crude oil, cheap and plentiful

All you have to do is refine it. According to Classical Values, the Indians are planning to do just that. The EPA has stalled a Cococo project to expand an Illinois refinery to handle 500,000 barrels a day of heavy sour Canadian crude. I blogged about that here.