[at-l] Frances and Home Destruction

[lpark at uvm.edu (Logan Park)]

My following question is obliquely related to hiking but more closely to 
hurricanes.  As such, it probably suggests replies should be offlist.  I 
thought I'd toss it out, though, in light of the Frances hullabaloo.

That said:

Why do folks live in areas that have a regular, significant risk of 
total home destruction by hurricane, wildfire, etc.? I admit I have a 
rather sick fascination with watching the news when something like 
Frances crops up and trying to hold back the "I told you so" or "well 
duh...".  My heart DOES go out to the folks that suffer tragedy, truly 
it does and everyone's should (in my opinion).  I just wonder how, if 
they have smarts enough to be able to pay for a home, why they are not 
locating the home in a safer place?

Truly, *truly* no disrespect meant to folks in Florida who are in a 
tight situation right now.  I have a lot of cherished family there myself.

Hop-the-offtopic-Lite

PS my graduate studies involve this sort of thing to a degree (no pun 
intended), so  I'm curious to hear folks' opinion, especially that of 
you Floridians currently battening down the hatches.

PPS  Now I get to ring the bells of Swamp Blar and Wench one more time 
for being AWESOME JOURNAL TRANSCRIBERS!!!  AWESOME!!!  If you enjoyed my 
journal during this summer, it was totally due to their efforts.  Wench 
and SB:1 World: 0