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The best video on LA's wildfires and surrounding policy issues that I've seen
437 sats \ 8 comments \ @SimpleStacker 17h Politics_And_Law
Very fair and detailed analysis of the policy situation, though primarily focused on insurance.
One tidbit I gleaned was that the area that burned isn't typically a place that would have done controlled burns anyway, so the narrative that better forest management could have mitigated damage may not be accurate.
Still, I stand by my opinion that more could have been done to mitigate risk. When insurance companies are leaving, that's a huge red flag and it's your responsibility to figure out why and what can be done. Not doing anything is like the dog meme in a burning house saying, "This is fine."
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44 sats \ 2 replies \ @kepford 16h
One tidbit I gleaned was that the area that burned isn't typically a place that would have done controlled burns anyway, so the narrative that better forest management could have mitigated damage may not be accurate.
Something to be noted here is that if you live in a climate conducive to wild fires and landscape that still has vegetation you are rolling the dice. I honestly do not blame to homeowners for this. So many market signals that would save lives are distorted by the various layers of government.
Every time I think about these fires I think about drive down I-5 into So-cal as a kid vs today. I'll be heading down there this week again. It blows my mind how many homes are now on hills that I've seen burn and be subject to landslides. For years I've wondered how the heck people afford the insurance. Well... I guess we are learning more about that now.
I have friends and neighbors that have had properties in the Sierra Nevada mountains and have lost their cabins due to the poor management of the national forests around their properties. Then they lost their insurance or it became so high they could not afford it. Its the same story as in SoCal but in these areas homes are often a second home or a cabin. But, its the same policies.
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60 sats \ 1 reply \ @SimpleStacker OP 16h
I honestly do not blame to homeowners for this. So many market signals that would save lives are distorted by the various layers of government.
While true, I am having a harder time feeling sympathy. You say you want democracy and you don't pay attention. In the end, the politicians you got were the ones you elected. The politicians distorted markets and virtue-signaled instead of actually solving problems, because that's what you wanted from them and you rewarded them for it.
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44 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 16h
Yeah, for real. But remember people are brainwashed from birth into the democracy religion. I'm with you but I used to be right there with them. Very few ever even question what they are told let alone that the whole system leads to these outcomes.
Regardless, many hard lessons are being taught now. Those that fail to learn will be doomed to repeat the lessons.
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44 sats \ 4 replies \ @kepford 16h
One tidbit I gleaned was that the area that burned isn't typically a place that would have done controlled burns anyway, so the narrative that better forest management could have mitigated damage may not be accurate.
This may be true, I don't know but I'll tell you this. MANY fires in the state are in areas historically managed by both controlled burns and logging. I was listening to Bob Murphy interview a guy the other day and he mentioned something I had forgotten about.
When I was growing up I spent my summers camping and righting dirt bikes on logging trails in the mountains around Yosemite national park (well outside the park) and those trails have been left overgrown. Logging in California has been drastically reduced and with that the trails are no longer maintained. This makes it harder for fire fighters to get access to areas.
The issues are many and complex. Those trying to simplify it to DEI or Gavin Newscum are missing many issues 20+ years in the making. California has long been managed by incompetent people. More importantly California is managed by political forces not market forces. Many states are following the same playbook. They need to see where it ends.
One other tidbit I'd forgotten about is how much of the forest land in California is own and managed by the Feds vs. California. Its something like 94% feds, 6% California. Wondering if Trump will do something instead of just pontificating about Newscum. He should have the ability to drastically change how the forests in California are managed.
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81 sats \ 3 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 16h
Oh yeah, forest management (or the lack thereof) is absolutely a problem and I've been seeing articles about it for years. I just don't know if they would have slated the Palisades area for such management either way. I don't even know who is responsible for that area.
I read somewhere that air quality regulations are also to blame, because controlled burns can run afoul of some air quality rules. I even read that, especially in rich areas like the Palisades, residents will complain about controlled burns because of the smoke. California could be an example of too many cooks in the kitchen, honestly.
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44 sats \ 2 replies \ @kepford 16h
Yeah, I think he's right about controlled burns. It would be unsafe near homes and air quality regs would restrict it. I have long thought that there are some place people just can't safely live. Not popular to say but I don't see another option. We aren't gods.
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44 sats \ 1 reply \ @kepford 16h
And you know what? The government (state) is not god either. I get so sick of politicians talking like they can just speak things into existence. They are fools and evil ones at that.
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30 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 16h
One day it just clicked with me. Politicians behave as if the state is a god. They can just speak things into existence. The Federal Reserve (Fiat) is an example of this. They believe they can just make something by fiat and set its value. Its a trick and one that only works for a short time. The consequences are dramatic.
The state is functionally treated like a deity. Its not just a religion but treated as a god. Politicians act like little demi-gods. I say down with the idolatry. There is one God and the Bible is full of examples of God making fools of the state.
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