How smart are we?

According to Morgan Quitno Press, we are wicked smaht, almost as smart as Vermonters. But Karl wonders:

... How smart could we be if we build towns that are protected by 173 year old wooden dams? Is it just me, or is anybody else shocked to realize that most dams in this state are privately owned (and barely inspected)? I mean, how does a single person own something that could essentially wipe out an entire community? What a liability (and, I'd assume, insurance issue). Wouldn't that individual be responsible for the damage? Hell, if you don't shovel your sidewalk you can get sued. ...