Bad Earthquake

[Ron61]

Just been looking at some of the pictures and it is bad. Just imagine what a quake like this would cause in L.A. or the Bay Area.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100113/...iti_earthquake

Ron

[rustyBob]

a quake like that did kick the crap out of the bay area....remember the quake during the Worlds Series ??????????

[Ron61]

Bob,

I remember it well as I was working down there at the time. But everything now is older and much more in need of repair. If you get a chance watch the show "The Crumbling of America." Our whole infrastructure is way outdated and needs repairs or replacement. Redding, as small as it is, has had several sewage line breaks in the past few years and all they can afford to do is fill in the holes and repair that small piece of line except in one instance where they just shut off that whole line.

Ron

[392cobra]

Those people in Haiti had Nothing before this disaster and have even less now.
The human misery they deal with on a daily basis is unbelieveable.

To compare the hardships endured between the people in the Bay Area and Haiti after a earthquake is unreasonable.

[Ron61]

I wasn't comparing the hardships. I was talking about the amount of people on the highways and working during the day. And the buildings would stand up better than most of those did but it would still be a disaster.

Ron

[392cobra]

I know you weren't Ron.

[SP01715]

The problem is the way they construct their buildings in these third world countries. I can drive down to Mexico and see the same crap. I saw the same stuff in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. They build from brick or block with no rebar. When a quake hits the stuff crumbles and falls down. A modern city like Los Angeles would fair much better IMO.

[Got the Bug]

To add insult to injury, Pat Robertson decided he need to weigh in on the earthquake in Haiti. What an ignorant SOB!


US evangelist says quake-hit Haiti made 'devil' pact
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100113...m-9700fcb.html

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by 392cobra

Those people in Haiti had Nothing before this disaster and have even less now.
The human misery they deal with on a daily basis is unbelieveable.

My great-uncle has been working with the poor in Haiti since 1958; he has been forcibly retired a few times and has managed to argue his order into sending him back to the only place he feels needed - northern Haiti.

We waited two weeks to hear from him after Ike (he had to swim out); we may not hear from/of him for two weeks again.

He would probably have a few things to tell puffball Pat.

[392cobra]

Originally Posted by Gunner

My great-uncle has been working with the poor in Haiti since 1958; he has been forcibly retired a few times and has managed to argue his order into sending him back to the only place he feels needed - northern Haiti.

We waited two weeks to hear from him after Ike (he had to swim out); we may not hear from/of him for two weeks again.

He would probably have a few things to tell puffball Pat.

I guess Pat forgot that they are God's Children too.

It is impossible to realize how bad these people have it "on a good day" unless you have spent some time there.

I was there in the mid-80's working.Don't imagine anything has changed much.
Garbage/trash we would not consider as anything but garbage/trash was snapped up and used.Very little would be left.

I feel so bad for them having to deal with this disaster on top of everything else.

They are good,decent hard working people.

This is what happens when Goverment has a strangle hold on it's people.

[Gunner]

Originally Posted by 392cobra

This is what happens when Goverment has a strangle hold on it's people.

Not really. This is what happens when you live in an overcrowded slum with absolutely no natural resources, nothing any willing person could use to bootstrap themselves out of poverty. As in Somalia, the government problems become secondary - distant secondary. The most perfect government on earth couldn't help either of these places.

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by Gunner

Not really. This is what happens when you live in an overcrowded slum with absolutely no natural resources, nothing any willing person could use to bootstrap themselves out of poverty. As in Somalia, the government problems become secondary - distant secondary. The most perfect government on earth couldn't help either of these places.

I realize I'm speaking from ignorance, but this is why I'm asking the question.

What is different about this island than some of the others that do well with tourism and other small industries, such as growing spices and such?

[Gunner]

It's a downward spiral. Haiti was stripped of nearly all its forests by 1900 or so, leaving it a barren and unappealing place. Agriculture is hampered by a lack of a proper self-contained ecosystem. Overpopulation is rampant. Add in forty years of despotic rule and the problems, already grievous, become so entrenched that they are insoluble by ordinary means. This makes Haiti very unappealing to even adventurous travelers, and the attempts to carve out attractive resort areas have largely failed due to the lack of infrastructure, acceptable employee pools, etc.

Many years ago I had a soc professor break "the third world" into three parts. Third world nations are like Brazil - not on a par with the large industrialized nations, but generally with the props and resources to get there if they try. Fourth world nations are down and out, but have the potential for self recovery with extensive outside help. Fifth world nations... ruined sinkholes with nothing and for which no conceivable amount of support will ever lift them out of the pit. Haiti and Somalia and two of the most notable in this last category.

[Ron61]

I was just looking at some of the latest pictures from there and it is really going to be hard to get everything organized.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cb_haiti_...l0aXF1YWtlc3U-

Ron

[Excaliber]

Whew, with the hospitals gone, the Government buildings gone, the UN devastated (they were the primary police force) where the heck do you even START to get a handle on it all?

[Ron61]

It is going to be hard plus the fact that there could well be disease spreading from the bodies and other things. And from the pictures, even the newer buildings are mostly rubble. The streets are blocked and they really have no way to do much at this time. Doctors trying to work in tents and no communications as of now.

Ron

[Excaliber]

In a day or two the bodies laying around will be a very serious health threat. The emphasis is on looking for survivors and rescue right now. That will end shortly, next step is immediate mass graves to deal with the bodies. Following that, clean water. Maybe massive air drops of bottled water?

[Ron61]

Ernie,

I believe that water and shelter will be the main first priorities. Also the cleaning up and disposal of bodies. Sorry to sound so callous but that is a must. But with the roads the way they are, even moving around is going to be hard for a few days. I see that France has three planes flying some of the injured to France for treatment.

Ron

[Excaliber]

I'd do bodies first, even before water and shelter, I guess...

[SP01715]

Bill Clinton was on the news last night saying that it was a priority to recover bodies so their families could have closure. He said some good things during the interview, but this was not one of them. In Iraq we had to bury Iraqi soldiers in mass graves for health reasons. The same must be done in Haiti IMO.