It's a far better thing, as well as much easier, for government to act to prevent a disaster, or at least to warn residents loudly and clearly of the potential consequences of their foolish choices.

Why such a difference between the handling of the California fires, vs Katrina in New Orleans?

These bridges have needed fixing for 25 years and they're still operating?

The amount of space TIME used trying to mislead us shows how important the court really is.

What can the UAW do with $50 billion?

Is there a shortage of conflict in the world today, that we need to dredge up past wrongs?

Somewhere in the Great Beyond, Hermann Goering is laughing.

What does Mr. Gates plan to do with all the extra people that won't die from malaria now that his foundation has found a cure?

In recent years, the dream of home ownership has gotten farther and farther out of reach, as house prices have escalated. According to a recent study, the primary cause is excessive zoning laws - that is, government over-regulation.

Inspecting IDs is a waste of time and money, but it's ideal from the bureaucratic point of view because it doesn't solve the problem.