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If you read the geologist reports on La Conchita it actually sort of makes one want to prosecute all the parents who lived there who lost kids for murder....

The evidence was obvious and plain as day the area was unsuitable for human habitation.

The front page of the Santa Barbara News-Press featured an article about a woman who had been buried and survived. I know her personally since I worked two offices down from her for 4 years. She is a fine person and a hard worker. The slide trapped her in her home, broke two vertebrae, twelve ribs and her clavicle. She nearly died.

That said, I fully concur with your assessment. Ten years ago I remember her explaining about how she and her ex had to dig out of an earlier slide. This destruction was no surprise to anyone. You might as well build a house on the lip of an active volcano. Arnie says that they "will rebuild." Nonsense. This place should be declared a hazard and turned into a tent camp - one which is closed during the winter rainy season.

For my part, I would be very interested to see what role of land use planning laws or other government actions were in this tragedy. If you make it expensive and or time-consuming to do the right thing (build a big damn wall) you are part of the problem.

If you read the geologist reports on La Conchita it actually sort of makes one want to prosecute all the parents who lived there who lost kids for murder....

AND! I heard on the radio this morning, that they want the government to fix the hillside so that the can stay in their littel place of paradise.

I kid you not!!

The evidence was obvious and plain as day the area was unsuitable for human habitation.

The township/borough/city zoning board also bears some responsibility. They should condemn the ground and allow no more structures on it. The tax revenue isn't worth the destruction and tragedy.