Author Topic: Haiti in ruins after earthquake? (Read 4851 times)

Questor · « **on:** January 13, 2010, 02:17:15 AM »

I thought it was already in ruins. What changed?

magooch · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:46:05 AM »

That was my first thought.

Questor · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:19:54 AM »

It was my first thought too. My second thought was that the UN needs to take care of the disaster relief instead of the US.

I was listening to the news on the way to work this morning and it sounds like a real disaster, with many unfortunate people killed and injured. It's a sad thing.

Black Eagle · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:23:21 AM »

I was there last summer and it may be hard to tell the difference before and after this earthquake. Many countries have been pouring aid into Haiti for several years including the USA, Venezuela, and Cuba. Cuba keeps 2100 doctors there full time and has for many years. Cuba supports hospitals all over Haiti that provide free medical care to everyone. Venezuela provided them $87 million last year to "hurricane proof" many of the seacoast structures and then they get hit by an earthquake. The USA provided $300 million in humanitarian aid last year and things just don't seem to improve for those people. Haiti is a global tragedy.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:26:40 AM »

A few more disaters there and maybe they will be back within their carrying capacity. I for one am not for feeding starving people so they can breed more starving people. Kind of a suicidal circle to me.

Black Eagle · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:45:25 AM »

Questor, The U.N. sent $10 million to finance aid in Port-au-Prince yesterday. They expect to send another $100 million at least.

billy, I am inclined to agree with you about sending aid to countries where the people breed like rabbits. Haiti is a very Catholic nation and birth control is anathema to them. My only problem with withholding aid is that I have seen children die in poverty and it is one thing I never ever want to see again or even hear about. It is purely an emotional, and not an intellectual, reaction from me. If it were up to me, I would put birth control pills in their water system and the water systems of a lot of other countries.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2010, 05:00:02 AM »

How about the Dominican Republic , any help need there ? that's the other half of the island . Or was it like the LA. vs. Texas thing where some could fend for themselves while others could not .

burntmuch · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2010, 05:03:41 AM »

I wonder if China will be sending any money

gstewart44 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2010, 05:06:41 AM »

While the UN wishes to send financial aid, the fact is the country has no working airport at this time. The air controller tower and airport were destroyed. Our Prez ordered the USS Carl Vinson to Mayport (near Jax) to pickup a squadron of helicopters and then steam to haiti where the choppers could offload supplies to many areas.

myronman3 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2010, 05:10:15 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 13, 2010, 05:00:02 AM

How about the Dominican Republic , any help need there ? that's the other half of the island . Or was it like the LA. vs. Texas thing where some could fend for themselves while others could not .

a very interesting point.

Redtail1949 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2010, 06:08:47 AM »

interesting comment on the news this am by one i remember as always knocking the US. he said America must come to the aid of Hati as it is the only country that can.

yep, we are always wrong to meddle always the ones that are the cause of the trouble..but when the chips are down who do they look to? who does the world expect to save this nation or that from starvation or genocide? why its the dirty capitalist oil hungry U.S.A.

lets just watch as the rest of the world throws token help here and there and then starts screaming..America is not doing enough.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2010, 07:58:15 AM »

Maybe we should pull troops out of some of the defense bases in Germany , Japan , Turkey, and others to send to help Haiti .

Questor · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2010, 08:13:06 AM »

I saw some of the news pictures today. It looks pretty grim there. I didn't realize that a 7.1 quake could do that kind of damage.

Black Eagle · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2010, 09:32:34 AM »

The Dominican Republic has been giving aid for years and continues to do so. [The Dominican Rep. is one of my favorite escape places. I love to kayak their jungle rivers. It's one of Donald Rumsfeld's too and I ran into him on the beach there a year ago.] China sent in a rescue team and $1 million. The French and the English seem to be competing for the amount of aid they can give. Haiti is going to have more aid providers than they have population. Those people are going to be tripping over each other.

blind ear · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2010, 09:57:23 AM »

Haiti, the land of VOODOO, black magic, zombies and sacraficeing chickens ? May rain fire next huh?

Redtail1949 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2010, 10:12:01 AM »

no doubt about the damage and the suffering. with no system in place there to do anything at all, the people are in a world of hurt.

rex6666 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2010, 10:12:43 AM »

I heard on the news that this quake was very shallow and because of that would be followed by others.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #17 on:** January 13, 2010, 10:24:08 AM »

I am not a Haitian supporter but they estimate that 500,000 people may be killed, that is devastation where there already was squalor! Its sad and not that far from here actually!

torpedoman · « **Reply #18 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:59:59 AM »

Been there, it was a disaster BEFORE the quake. I can only imagine how bad it is now. If most of the houses collapsed on their inhabitants they could just lift them off and go on cardboard and tin just aint that heavy.

myronman3 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2010, 12:39:14 PM »

whenever stuff like this happens, they paint the worst possible picture they can. usually when things cool off, it isnt as bad as they first said.

gypsyman · « **Reply #20 on:** January 13, 2010, 12:44:45 PM »

Just watched a news report, and they said that there are over 40,000 Americans working there. Wonder what kind of jobs that many of them had, because if it was me, they'ld have to pay me ALOT, to work in a 3rd. world country like that. gypsyman

Cabin4 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 13, 2010, 01:47:32 PM »

Quote from: myronman3 on January 13, 2010, 05:10:15 AM

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 13, 2010, 05:00:02 AM
How about the Dominican Republic , any help need there ? that's the other half of the island . Or was it like the LA. vs. Texas thing where some could fend for themselves while others could not .
a very interesting point.

They are two entirely seperate countires. The Dominican Republic (DR) is also a very poor country. They are far better off than Haiti but likly not in much of a position to provide much help. I've been there twice since 2004 and I can tell you that other than the resort areas, the DR is a pit.

myronman3 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 13, 2010, 02:49:57 PM »

the point is, if it is an island, and the earthquake caused so much damage, one would think the other side of the island would have suffered some damage as well.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:11:27 PM »

Quote from: myronman3 on January 13, 2010, 02:49:57 PM

the point is, if it is an island, and the earthquake caused so much damage, one would think the other side of the island would have suffered some damage as well.

The quake was centered a couple hundred hundred miles from any largly populated areas of the DR. We just had a 6.5 quake about 200 hundred miles north of me and we felt nothing here at all. However, 300 miles in the other direction, it was felt but no damange. The quakes appear to be a fairly focused area of high intensity.

We did have a small 4.1 here last week when I was at work. It shook the building and stopped everyone in there tracks for about 20 seconds but no damage.

One other point about Haiti, its known for its extremlly poor building construction practices. So buildings that crumble there may not crumble under same stress in other areas that actually build a good structure.

1marty · « **Reply #24 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:02:05 PM »

I live in a community which has a good amount of Haitians. They are all hard working and really keep their kids in tow. Haiti is a country which has few resorces and but does have a corrupt government. I really feel sorry for the people.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:05:22 PM »

Quote from: 1marty on January 13, 2010, 04:02:05 PM

does have a corrupt government. I really feel sorry for the people.

Sounds like the USA to me.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:12:37 PM »

I see Haiti as a barn with so many rats in it that they eat themselves out of food. The farmer feels bad that the rats are starving so he feeds them. They keep breeding and he just keeps feeding more and more of them. Haiti has over 900 people per square mile, its herd needs thinning.

Matt · « **Reply #27 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:14:59 PM »

Natural Selection....

BrianB · « **Reply #28 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:28:30 PM »

This could be a disaster larger than ever. I'm trying to get down there, but I'm not sure my company will approve it.
I am sorry that some folks here are so willing to condemn them. I am very happy that so many folks here are concerned about the situation, kinda makes me feel better about humanity.

BrianB · « **Reply #29 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:33:18 PM »

Quote from: billy_56081 on January 13, 2010, 04:12:37 PM

I see Haiti as a barn with so many rats in it that they eat themselves out of food. The farmer feels bad that the rats are starving so he feeds them. They keep breeding and he just keeps feeding more and more of them. Haiti has over 900 people per square mile, its herd needs thinning.

I wish I was so smart that I could dribble out conclusions like that. Absolutely disgusting! Something tells me that most of your church-going friends feel the same as you.

Ooops, had to delete a part of this post because GB said religion can't be discussed here.