For years, warnings that it could happen here

[News]

For nearly a decade, scientists have told city and state officials that New York faces certain peril: rising sea levels, more frequent flooding and extreme weather patterns.

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[SeaCatMich]

This may sound cold and callused but I really don't have a ton of sympathy for those on the eastern seaboard when they build structures so close to the ocean and don't protect their infrastructure, then are "surprised" when a big storm causes major destruction. If they are going to insist on living on Long Island, Manhattan, the Jersey Shore -- all of which are technically barrier islands -- they need to implement the levies and improve the building codes.

If mass transit systems in this part of the country are the prototypes that the current federal government thinks are the solution for the rest of the country... they are crazier than I ever thought. It's broke now and there isn't any alternative to get people around. The news was reporting 4 hour one-way commutes for many people instead of 1 to 1.5 hour "regular" commutes. Heck the regular commute seems outlandish to me.

I don't see a whole lot of difference between the situation there and the below sea level situation of New Orleans or the people that continue to build in the flood plane of the Mississippi. I can appreciate how nice it must be to live on the ocean in good weather but to now be so surprised that this has happened is ridiculous. Florida gets hit by storms with much higher wind speeds and more rain much more often and you don't see nearly the same devistation. This is the 2nd big storm in 2 years to hit this area of the country and while this one was bigger than others, it isn't like this is something new... it happens every few years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_hurricanes).

There is a reason that insurance companies will not write policies for flood insurance on much of the area affected and the insurance is through the federal program.

Unfortunately it isn't limited to just hurricanes and tropical storms. How many winter snow or freezing rain storms have happened that completely paralyze New York or Boston? It happens almost every winter but do they make improvements? No! If the Great Lakes states did it the same way no one would live here, but our states have the necessary equipment to deal with moving the snow and putting out salt. We have coats, boots, gloves, snow blowers and vehicles to deal with the cold and snow. I think New York and New Jersey could learn a few things.

Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie (and maybe Superior and Ontario too) all had record or near record wave heights and sustained winds. Sure there were news reports about minor beach damage, but no one builds houses or boardwalks or amusement parks right on the beach where 20' waves are going to wipe it out. We also don't build subway systems that would get flooded.

It is pretty much the text book definition of insanity -- repeat the same process over and over... and expect different results. I really hope (as the article indicates has been recommended for years) that improvements are made and the "same old" stuff is not just put back in.

I'm sure that federal funding will rebuild it and given the economic impact that NYC has on the whole country, I sort of understand... but I am tired of good money being put forth to repair things. I really hope that they don't follow the standard model of repeating the past -- what's the definition of insanity... repeating the same process over and over, and expect different results. Spend the money to fix it right in the first place!