Hurricane Irene intent on exacting a toll

A satellite image is worth a thousand words.

irene

Governors of five states have already declared a state of emergency. And as Nate Silver warns in the New York Times, after assessing the history of hurricanes making landfall in the Northeast:

“Apart from the inevitable loss of life in the most densely populated part of the country, history suggests that the economic damage could run into the tens of billions of dollars, depending on the severity of the storm and how close it comes to the city. Unlikely but theoretically plausible scenarios could have the damage entering the realm of the costliest natural disasters of all time, and perhaps being large enough to have a materially negative effect on the nation’s gross domestic product.”

A sobering if not downright frightening assessment of possible damage is offered by meteorologist Mike Smith here. “The damage potential is huge,” he writes. “Even if the “best case” occurs, I believe the damage may be north of $10 billion.”

He also notes that on its current path, Irene will hit New York City with ground-level winds of 70 to 90 mph. “However, above about the 20th story of buildings, winds will gust well above 100 mph.”

– Jay Bookman

389 comments Add your comment

Paul

August 26th, 2011
2:59 pm

Jefferson

Thanks for the thoughts. That is one area where the broad-brush application runs counter to what I see as the intent.

As far as a cost of doing business, it is that. Yet many are not able to raise rates to cover every cost increase. About the only industries that seem to get away with that are shippers and airlines – then they all move together for fuel surcharges.

I just got to thinking about it in terms of the FICA ceiling. Might be an area for comprise – raise the ceiling but tax only at the employee rate.

Else, you start including interest, dividends that sort of thing, make no distinction between earned and unearned income, then what’s the argument for not taxing that income at the self-employed rate? They’re earning it, it comes from a non-employer, so it’s subject to the self-employed rate?

Details, details….

getalife

August 26th, 2011
3:00 pm

“I was a straight line Democrat up until last year (post electiO”

I doubt that.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:00 pm

Dusty: And I suggest a shovel ready job for Adam who does nothng but count bloggers on his fingers for an occupation.

Oooooh I hit someone’s nerve. I’m so, SO sorry.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:01 pm

“You said “elders” made the worst except when your puppy ate garbage”

Again, another lie. I did not write that. I would appreciate it if you would not project your immoral behavior of lying onto me.

Mick

August 26th, 2011
3:01 pm

**I was a straight line Democrat up until last year**

Yeah, uh-huh, you sure are convincing…

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:01 pm

jm — “Joe Mama – fail”

Right back at you, Dudley.

“Your team” stop inserting words in my mouth narc”

If you’re going to make it a habit, then don’t get all exercised when others do it.

So what’s it going to be? Presuming to speak for each other, or showing some honesty and character? I can do either.

How about YOU?

Kamchak

August 26th, 2011
3:03 pm

And it appears Man U. got off kind of easy.

Yeah, so did Barça.

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:03 pm

jm — “Joe Mama – you know what, come to think of it, you’re right. I was a straight line Democrat up until last year (post electiO”

Shrug. Sorry to hear that.

It’d be easier to believe if you didn’t appear to be so heavily invested in the GOP/TP narrative. Whereas I’ve criticized the President and Democrats *many times* on Jay’s blog.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:03 pm

Results so far (3:01p):

Anti-Obama posts = 2
Individual anti-Obama posters = 2
Anti-Bush posts = 0
Individual anti-Bush posters = 0
Posts meant to skew the results = 3

New since last result set:

Hootinanny Yum Yum @ 1:43p – Counting as “post meant to skew the results”
Dusty @ 12:54p – previously anti-Obama, has been removed since it didn’t attack Obama enough, really, to be counted
moonbat betty @ 2:09p – Counting as “post meant to skew the results”

Fred

August 26th, 2011
3:04 pm

Wow, Bosch seems a little grumpy today and very short on patience.

Don’t forget it’s Nat’l Dog Day Bosch, THAT should put a grin on your face. :D

Dusty

August 26th, 2011
3:04 pm

Paul..way back somewhere here

You thought the one billion estimate of costs for regulations was out of line. You figure that no one knows exactly how much they will cost or what the effect of not having them would cost..

Maybe so. But we do know that costs usually overrun their estimates and rarely come out less.

So it works both ways. There may be under estimates and there may be over estimates. Any way you put, it is going to cost the government/taxpayers a lot of money to start with. Nebulous future results are but a guessing game..

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:04 pm

Kamchak,

That’s too bad about the German beast. I used to keep up with the Bundesliga and the English Premier League, but I just couldn’t keep up.

Oooooo, how did you make that fancy Barca “c”??? :)

Pat Robertson

August 26th, 2011
3:05 pm

Mother Nature is mad at America for gay marriage and is exacting revenge….

Tom Middleton

August 26th, 2011
3:05 pm

Jay sir, where’s the music? How about B.B. King’s “Stormy Monday”?

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:05 pm

Fred,

I’m not grumpy, I am just calling the liars out. Somebody must. God doesn’t like liars, he smites them, so Dusty should get indoors.

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:06 pm

Pat Robertson — “Mother Nature is mad at America for gay marriage and is exacting revenge….”

BUSTED. Mother Nature is a PAGAN figure.

Mick

August 26th, 2011
3:06 pm

bosch

I don’t get it, how could anyone possibly have an issue with you?
Humor-check, loves animals-check, snappy commentary-check, helfer dreaming – double check, youare double A-OK in my book; except football over soccer eight days a week…

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

August 26th, 2011
3:06 pm

Government aid always comes with strings attached (I helped you; now vote for me), so private assistance is more desirable for retaining our freedom.

Well, that’s right as rain! Us folks down here in GA can just pass the hat to help the Northerners out after the hurricane hits. Heck, I’d be willing to throw in a penny or so. If every person in GA did that, there’d be enough money for a good down payment on a trailer for some family that watched their house go out to sea. They can just learn to live the way we do.

Who needs guvmint when you got people like us?

Fred

August 26th, 2011
3:07 pm

Bosch: For funky feriner letters and such:

http://usefulshortcuts.com/alt-codes

Granny Godzilla

August 26th, 2011
3:09 pm

Dusty

August 26th, 2011
2:52 pm
Yeah, granny, I hate children. That is why I produced and love five of ‘em.

Strangely enough, I thought feeding them a good diet was a sensible idea before any government ideas came along. Glad somebody told you how to have a healthy diet. When does yours start?

so what happened? why did you change? why do you now think polluters are more important than children?

Oh and by the way, I had two girls and between the two of them there was only one “sick visit” to our pediatrician in all those years.

No allergies, no ADD, no ear tubes….

(Hate? Wow)

God

August 26th, 2011
3:09 pm

“God doesn’t like liars, he smites them, so Dusty should get indoors.”

Bosch, don’t speak for others, hypocrite!

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:10 pm

Mick,

And I even, when the opportunity presents itself, will help old ladies across the street (unless their name is Dusty)!!!

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:11 pm

RC (R) — “Who needs guvmint when you got people like us?”

I would expect that you have a good old pickup truck with a winch, a towbar, some ropes, cables or chains in the back and maybe a toolbox with one’a them little chainsaws in it. Hell, you could do some disaster relief all by yourself in a setup like that.

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:11 pm

God — “Bosch, don’t speak for others, hypocrite!”

BUSTED. God is a MYTHOLOGICAL figure.

Mick

August 26th, 2011
3:12 pm

Here is a very enlightening piece called social security for beginners – all you younger folks please read and pay attention-
http://www.truth-out.org/bernie-sanders-introduces-bill-lift-payroll-tax-cap-ensuring-full-social-security-funding-nearly-7-0?q=social-security-beginners/1311356627

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:12 pm

“God” should be a banned username

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:13 pm

Joe Mama: BUSTED. God is a MYTHOLOGICAL figure.

HEATHEN! BURN! BURRRRRRN! Burn your house down with explosive lemons!

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:13 pm

Mick,

And I also have a mad crush on this girl, and since the topic IS about rain, it’s appropriate, I posted it last night in case you saw it, but she’s so cool, I’ll think I’ll do it again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aWcXlG1sgY

Kamchak

August 26th, 2011
3:13 pm

Oooooo, how did you make that fancy Barca “c”???

I simply googled Barca and copy/pasted from the google results page, but I’m gonna bookmark Freds shortcuts link. Thanks Fred.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:15 pm

Actually Shirley Manson is no mere “girl” and she is older than I am.

Heck of a job, Brownie

August 26th, 2011
3:15 pm

GW: “Hey O’bummer, word of advice-don’t do a Air Force One fly-over of the damage”

P.S. You can borrow my flight suit with accompanying exagerrated cod piece.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:15 pm

Bosch: Shirley Manson is MINE! You can’t have her! :D

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:16 pm

” but I’m gonna bookmark Freds shortcuts link. Thanks Fred”

Yeah, me too and ditto Fred!

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:16 pm

Adam — “God” should be a banned username”

The simple expedient of requiring registration and a username to post generally eliminates sockpuppetry.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:16 pm

Adam,

As stands says:

I’ll fight you.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:16 pm

Crap I forgot to put “O bummer” in my search for anti-Obama posts….

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:17 pm

Bosch: Only if we do so with her as the judge of who wins XD

moonbat betty (hurrican czar)

August 26th, 2011
3:18 pm

Bosch, here is a chick for you (black pig tails):

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:18 pm

And I would like to dedicate this song to Dusty, the liar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N29vkIT3eo

Although in the place of “girl” it should be “old boring lady”

Joe the Plutocrat

August 26th, 2011
3:18 pm

not to make light of the pending storm, but are hurricanes really “disasters”? my Webster’s New World Dictionary defines Disaster as; sudden misfortune; calamity. what is “sudden” about ANY hurricane? we have an entire “season” dedicated to hurricanes? perhaps the real “disaster” is overpopulation and over-building? ditto earthquakes. they’ve been happening since long before we started walking upright and brushing our teeth after meals. I think Mother Nature maybe thinks homosapiens as a species is the “disaster”. what say ye, theists and other snake jugglers?

Keep Up the Good Fight!

August 26th, 2011
3:19 pm

Zeus is the god of lightning… and we’ve had at least one poster who thinks he is a god to women….or was it just the gods gift to the women of this blog?

moonbat betty (hurrican czar)

August 26th, 2011
3:19 pm

ooops, missed linkee

Bosch, here is a chick for you (black pig tails):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T4BsnXmJaI

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

August 26th, 2011
3:19 pm

Well, matter of fact, I do have a pickup with a chainsaw in the back. It’s squeezed between the antitank weapon and the two machine guns I use for hunting and self-defense. But somebody’s got to pay for my gas before I do any rescue work. My Ford F-450 eats gas like a addict sniffs cocaine. And I’m not about to get arrested in some state that has laws against my 2nd Amenment Rights.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:20 pm

Adam,

I’ve never been a huge “chick singer” fan, but Shirley and there are others do not fit in that category. She can play with the big boys. :) Like me.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:20 pm

Bosch: Dusty, the liar:

Bosch! You are better than Dave R!

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:20 pm

Adam,

She lied, what else can I say?

Fred

August 26th, 2011
3:20 pm

Dudes? is that the chick the was in the Terminator series? She’s scary looking………….

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:21 pm

“BUSTED. Mother Nature is a PAGAN figure”

Yep. I wonder how many Christians know that to early Christians the female figure was Wisdom. God the Father, Wisdom the Mother.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:21 pm

Joe: Perhaps the real problem is assuming that there is no risk of natural disaster where anyone lives.

Fred

August 26th, 2011
3:21 pm

DaveR………… i KNEW it was quiet around here the last few days. He really holds on to a pout doesn’t he? Can’t say I’m sorry though……….

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:22 pm

Doggone: Yep. I wonder how many Christians know that to early Christians the female figure was Wisdom. God the Father, Wisdom the Mother.

Or that they believed in reincarnation?

Midori

August 26th, 2011
3:22 pm

you guys are having wayyyyyyy too much fun :)

I wish I had the time to laugh at you put jm and Dusty in their places — which is between a rock and another rock.

(speaking of “rocks” – Adam — you Rock!! :) )

however, I must go as duty calls.

have a good rest of the afternoon.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

August 26th, 2011
3:22 pm

Dang it… Adam, will you start tracking how many times someone is falsely called a liar…. Bosch and I must have 3 at least today :D

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:23 pm

Fred: As far as I’m concerned, he did what Jay told him to. He couldn’t be respectful, so he left.

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:23 pm

Joe P. — “theists and other snake jugglers”

I am SO stealing this.

Resistance is futile. I will add your humorous and incisive commentary to my own.

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:23 pm

“He really holds on to a pout doesn’t he? Can’t say I’m sorry though……….”

Me either

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:24 pm

“Or that they believed in reincarnation?”

Well, that one hasn’t really died yet.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:25 pm

Keep: The only way I’d be able to keep up with the metrics of every possible thing would be if I had access to the database OR wrote an app to aggregate the data. I’m not THAT dedicated.

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:25 pm

Fred — “DaveR………… i KNEW it was quiet around here the last few days. He really holds on to a pout doesn’t he? Can’t say I’m sorry though……….”

I rolled a stinkbomb into Kyle Wingfield’s blog about an hour ago and nary a nibble on the line. I’d say his regulars have all gone home or to the lake for the weekend.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:26 pm

Doggone: I mean officially

Paul

August 26th, 2011
3:26 pm

Hello Dusty 3:04

I was questioning process. Seems to me many of the estimates come from industry or lobbying groups.

Which is why I think it best to rely on OMB, with consistent criteria. Then again, many cite OMB estimates, then add their own dire consequences and make it appear OMB wrote the entire piece.

I don’t believe this has been superceded, but the current state of law governing regulations is

“(b) Regulatory action shall not be undertaken unless the potential benefits to society for the regulation outweigh the potential costs to society;
(c) Regulatory objectives shall be chosen to maximize the net benefits to society;
(d) Among alternative approaches to any given regulatory objective, the alternative involving the least net cost to society shall be chosen”

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12291.html

and “Economic Benefits of Regulations Outweigh Costs, OMB Says”

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0611/062711cc1.htm

So in other words, Dusty, what we have are pundit after pundit after lobbying group after trade group complaining about the cost of regulations for THEM

not about the cost of having no regulations for US.

Normal

August 26th, 2011
3:27 pm

Doggone: Yep. I wonder how many Christians know that to early Christians the female figure was Wisdom. God the Father, Wisdom the Mother.

Or that they believed in reincarnation?

Or symbolic cannibalism…

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:27 pm

Oh, no wonder, he had a later blog post up. Oh, well.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:27 pm

Paul: right. Regulations are not something you can point to as having a hard dollar savings value. As though every last thing on earth has to “save money” in order to be a good idea.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:28 pm

Normal: Vampires and cannibals :D

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:28 pm

“theists and other snake jugglers”

What an awesome band name!!

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:29 pm

“Or symbolic cannibalism…”

Oh, that’s still there dude.

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:29 pm

“Doggone: I mean officially”

Oh, Ok…I was thinking more of resurrection, not reincarnation. Though I’m not sure there’s a very wide difference!

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:30 pm

” I’d say his regulars ”

He has those?

Aquagirl

August 26th, 2011
3:30 pm

Burn your house down with explosive lemons!

Most creative taunt I’ve heard in a long time.

Dusty

August 26th, 2011
3:31 pm

Bosch,

To refresh your lagging memory , I suggest you review your remarks made this morning in the “Perry-Social” blog .

At 10:44 in reference to your care of elders in your family you wrote”I’ve cleaned up more old people shyte and other various body fluid than I did with three kids in diapers.” You then suggested that cleaning up after puppies might be worse in some cases.

To add more respect, you posted at 10:56: “Humans stink and can sometimes stink very bad.”

If you think that expresses concern and respect for your elders, then you better not gorw old. Your children will feel the same way about any care for you.

Paul

August 26th, 2011
3:31 pm

Bosch

““theists and other snake jugglers”

What an awesome band name!!”

‘cept I wouldn’t want to be standing next to someone who’s drunk who tries to say ‘Theists”

unless I was wearing a hazmat suit.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:31 pm

Doggone: Well, here’s where I think the difference is:

Resurrection: Same body, same personality, reserved for only ONE demigod figure.
Reincarnation (as believed by early Christians): Come back to earth, new body, new personality, what everyone except the demigod figure gets.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:32 pm

“I was thinking more of resurrection”

I always thought that was just too creepy to actually believe it. That story about Mary Magdeleine seeing Jesus right after he’s resurrected and she doesn’t recognize him and then she realizes it’s him and rushes to him and he yells at her and says something to the effect of “don’t touch me woman” has always been like kind on the horror movie realm of weird to me.

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:32 pm

“Or symbolic cannibalism”

THAT one definitely hasn’t died

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:32 pm

Dusty,

You are talking to my hand. I don’t assosicate with liars.

josef

August 26th, 2011
3:33 pm

Without scrolling back, has the thread been worn out?

NORMAL

What was that holy relic of St. Leibowitz said, “kraut, lb pastrami, bring home to Emily?” Sirrah!

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:33 pm

Normal — “Or symbolic cannibalism…”

Many moons ago during my first undergraduate degree, a cheap local theater advertised a “Catholic Horror Double Feature” one Saturday night.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067229/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058220/

:D

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:33 pm

Aquagirl: Most creative taunt I’ve heard in a long time.

To be fair, I stole it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyLUU3O4zW8

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:33 pm

And Dusty, your 3:31 just showed you to be a liar.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

August 26th, 2011
3:33 pm

Paul, there are also times that some groups lobby for regulations. For example, GA had no contractor licensing until it appeared local cities might enact their own local licensing and then suddenly the associations started to lobby for state licensing regulations to preempt local regulation. So now, does that count as “bad” or “good” regulation.

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:34 pm

“Resurrection: Same body, same personality, reserved for only ONE demigod figure”

right on the first 2, wrong on the last one. Ressurection is believed to be in the future of all when Jesus returns to earth.

Fred

August 26th, 2011
3:34 pm

That’s ok, make fun of my religion all you want, doesn’t bother me. I’m firm in my faith.

But I DO prefer “Ritualistic cannibalism” over symbolic. You can’t imagine the number of preachers I have given fits to when asking them how often they practiced the ritualistic cannibalism. I love God. Church? not so much…………..

dahlonega nose nugget

August 26th, 2011
3:34 pm

Who died and made Adam-Seargant at Arms…

Mick

August 26th, 2011
3:36 pm

Dave r has reincarnated himself as tiberius over at Kyle’s, same old dave r looking to boost his ego against all others. He will wither on the vine over there and eventually return. That’s my guess, there’s just too much ammo to be unloaded here, especially if you are a devoted con or IINO, as dave claims to be…

Tom Middleton

August 26th, 2011
3:36 pm

Jesus said “John is Elijah, who was for to come.” Reincarnation or resurrection?

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:36 pm

“But I DO prefer “Ritualistic cannibalism” over symbolic”

But it isn’t ritualistic cannabalism. THAT would be the actual consumption of the person flesh. Symbolic cannabalism substitutes something else for the actual flesh.

Paul

August 26th, 2011
3:37 pm

Keep Up

That’s a very good point.

I looked for it on the RNC talking points page and couldn’t find it, though.

As far as being a good or bad regulation, the answer is ‘both’ – if the person who thinks they’re bad when gov’t does it but wunnerful, wunnerful when industry does it.

Joe Mama

August 26th, 2011
3:38 pm

Oh, gosh, really pleased to see this movie finally getting released:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1465522/

It’s been done for over a year, but couldn’t get a distributor. It turns the slasher genre on its ear, because the dangerous-looking good ole boys the college kids THINK are the killers really aren’t.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:38 pm

Mick: So Dave 1) Took Jay’s advice soundly, and decided NOT to post using his own name and 2) is more scares of the conservatives cyber-stalking him than the liberals.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:38 pm

To the Catholics out there, isn’t it the tradition that the bread and wine actually physically turn to flesh and blood?

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:40 pm

“IINO”

:lol:

That made me snort.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:40 pm

Bosch: To the Catholics out there, isn’t it the tradition that the bread and wine actually physically turn to flesh and blood?

Like I said, vampires and cannibals :D

Keep Up the Good Fight!

August 26th, 2011
3:40 pm

Paul… oh no… you’re not suggesting…..it can’t be…..

Bumper sticker mentality does not hold up well to the nuances of reality?

I AM SHOCKED. :lol:

Paul

August 26th, 2011
3:42 pm

Bosch

“o the Catholics out there, isn’t it the tradition that the bread and wine actually physically turn to flesh and blood?”

http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap060500.htm

Dusty

August 26th, 2011
3:43 pm

Paul,

I’d love for us citizens to have every breath of air perfectly “clean”, every particle of food wholesome and pure, every bit of ground free of the smallest contaminant, everything we touch gernfree and every tree still standing.. We would have to devote the entire US budget to ever attempt to achieve such a state.

The problem is, we have already overspent on almost everything. The government has grown like Topsy! All of it needing money.

That is why I like Kyle’s piece. Someone is making an effort to decrease costs. We can maintain our independence if we try.

“The time has come,” the walrus said and it is now. We are out of sight with debt. We cannot sustain the notion that we can create Nirvana. Sopmewhere with what is know as ‘common sense” we have to STOP and reconsider. Regulations are one of them.

Bosch

August 26th, 2011
3:43 pm

Paul,

Good grief, a simple yes or no would have sufficed.

Doggone/GA

August 26th, 2011
3:44 pm

Speaking of vampires, I saw an article somewhere, years ago, that postulate the theory that the vampire legend might be pre-historic in origin. The idea was that early man often lived in caves, and so do bats. That someone bitten by a rabid bat would become ill and seek the darkness in the back of the cave, because while a lot of people know about the water aversion of rabies (due to not being able to swallow) a lot of people don’t know that rabies can also induce severe light sensitivity.

And then, as the disease progresses, the ill person beccomes insane and emerges from the darkness to attack people…just as bats do. Hence the association of vampires with bats.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:45 pm

Dusty: Agreed. I just don’t think it’s responsible to go “all the cuts need to be made to EVERYTHING right this very second!” and that cutting an entire program on the basis of it having SOME waste is also irresponsible.

The fact is, you can’t cut out everything and solve the deficit in a single year, nor can you add taxes and solve everything in a single year. This is a long term problem that needs a long term solution, preferably one that doesn’t seriously hurt any one group more than another.

Adam

August 26th, 2011
3:47 pm

Also, regulations, just because they are regulations, doesn’t mean that they are bad. Now I know a lot of Republicans think that, and are even pushing completely unnecessary regulations on the state level in order to restrict abortions, for instance. But this is not the norm of regulations. Usually, regulations come about because someone somewhere was doing something very stupid and damaging, without really considering the consequences of doing so.