Charley Reese Examines Natural Disasters: "Loans and Grants"

King Features Syndicate, Inc. ^ | 11-03-03 | Reese, Charley

[Theodore R.]

Loans And Grants

It's too bad Southern California isn't part of Iraq. If it were, then the federal aid it will get would be in the form of grants instead of loans. If Southern California were Israel, it could get $4 billion a year in grants without fires.

Even so, it's better to be temporarily scorched Southern California than part of Iraq. Iraq doesn't have forest fires, but that's because there are no forests. Iraq has sandstorms instead. Israel is afflicted with perpetual war.

It's sad to see so many lose their homes, but it's just nature. Southern California has what is called a Mediterranean climate — warm, dry summers and falls and mild, wet winters. Droughts are fairly frequent. By the time the winter rains come, there will be mudslides from having lost so much vegetation to the fires. The current disaster in Southern California is not unlike the fires that ravaged southern France earlier this year.

What is happening in California is what is happening in most parts of the United States — population growth. As urban areas spread, they not only gobble up agricultural land (and we will miss that dearly one day in the future), but they also put people into forest areas, where there is always a risk of wildfires.

The Bible says the poor will always be with you, but so will wildfires, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, avalanches and earthquakes. They are just part of our natural world, and nature doesn't adapt to us; we have to adapt to it. Whenever Mother Nature gets into a foul mood, metaphorically speaking, it always reminds us of how puny we are. Sometimes we need that reminder.

There's nothing that can be done as far as nature is concerned, but new houses in fire-prone areas can be built to resist fire, and the owners can establish firebreaks around their properties. Big shade trees are nice unless they are on fire or are being blown over onto your house or car by big winds like we have in Florida.

I've had the excitement of experiencing a couple of hurricanes, the near miss of a tornado, a mild earthquake, the Santa Ana winds and a North Atlantic storm while at sea. I'm not complaining. They were all interesting experiences, but in case the gods are listening, I'm quite satisfied. Please, no more entertainment of that type.

I once got a Coast Guard big shot out of joint by writing that it was silly for the government to require people to wear life vests. That's just common sense, but to make them mandatory is to interfere with evolution.

He came up with that old excuse that if I didn't wear a life vest, the government would have to go to the expense of rescuing me.

"Not me you won't," I told him. "I've had my sea voyages, and I don't go anywhere that land is not 25 yards away and in plain sight." And besides, I reminded him, we have to pay for the Coast Guard whether its members rescue anybody or just sit around playing cards. I quite agree with Brother Dave Gardner that the ocean is the natural habitat of sharks, and since the sharks don't show up in my back yard, I'm not going to show up in theirs. Oceans are nice to look at and to wade in, but that's it, as far as I'm concerned. If I ever get an itch to see what the bottom looks like, I'll watch "National Geographic."

The rains normally come in Southern California in November, so let's hope they're on time. After that, it will just be blizzards and snow for everyone to worry about until the next tornado season in the spring of 2004 — unless, of course, the big earthquake comes.

California is certainly a beautiful state, but it seems to me there are several good reasons to live someplace else besides on top of the San Andreas fault. One day, those folks might part company altogether with the North American continent.

It's much safer in Florida. Except for the roll of the dice in regard to hurricanes, we don't have much to worry about. Even if Earth warms, that will just mean that those of us who live inland will get waterfront property at a bargain rate.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2003 by King Features Syndicate, Inc