>Law Suits :o)
>
>>Sour grapes? How many tourists did NASA accomodate? What's stopping NASA from doing the same thing, or from doing that 20 years ago?

Right :).

Upon coming here, I quickly realized that the legal system here can screw the way of life better than any enemy, from within or outside. There are so many things which are simply normal anywhere else, but aren't done here because one guy from Nashville once sued and got big money out of the lawsuit.

I've probably written about this before, but this is the best and most ridiculous example I have. My wife and girls were swimming at the lake (managed by the county of Albemarle) while I was at work. I was supposed to pick them up later. A big thunderstorm came at around 3pm, and they took shelter at the terrace there - which is about 40x40, with a solid roof. But the personnel kept ordering them to leave the premises, as they've immediately declared the lake closed for public. They managed to hitch a ride, so everything ended fine, but I was baffled with the logic.

There's a storm going on, the road wiggles through a forest, trees may be falling, traffic jams are very likely. The terrace is actually much safer, being low in the valley, no trees nearby, less chance that anything may happen. But they don't care if anyone dies on the road, as long as nobody gets a sprained eyelash while on the premises. The first case is not their problem, the latter may become an expensive lawsuit.