News story:

A gang of punks robbed an old lady, raped her and then locked her in a cage.

    If that were a real news story, it would upset a lot of people, yet they don't seem to have the same concern when the old lady is Mother Nature.  There is a difference, of course — most old ladies can't defend themselves very well against a gang of punks but nature can. 
    In 1993, the middle of the country was hit with a major flood, a 100 year flood as it is often called.  Now fifteen years later the same area is being devastated with a 500 year flood.  Now some climatologists are saying that because of global warming, the warmer air can soak up more moisture to carry inland and dump in areas that can become flooded as a result, so these major floods will be happening more often.
    The reaction of most people and local governments is that they are going to rebuild their homes and business out in the middle of the flood plains and their going to build bigger and better levees because, obviously, a bigger, better levee will hold. The problem with that logic is that (1) if you build a bigger levee, you will probably get a bigger flood and (2) if you do succeed in making an indestructible levee (again, not likely), you are just channeling the water farther downstream where it just floods some other town or state.     
     The real solution is to stop being a fool around Mother Nature.  Stop trying to beat her into submission because every time you slap her in the face she is going to kick your butt.  Instead, learn to live in harmony and cooperation with nature.  Leave the flood plains for forests and perhaps some crops and build houses and businesses off the flood plains.