The Haitian Dichotomy--and I have no good answer!

Now that we have a handle on the immediate rescue problem we need to look at the long view. From a construction point of view, economics plays an important role. I have witnessed island construction of concrete block buildings that I could see daylight through what should have been mortar joints. There was no rebar and the concrete was inferior because of insufficient cement. There are no building codes in place and corruption is suspect. And this is prevalent throughout the Caribbean nations.
Where to draw the line between safe construction and over-building is difficult. When hurricanes or earthquakes destroy buildings, the new construction does provide new jobs in a poor economy. But when the economy is inadaquate to provide quality materials and competent workmanship, the results will be inferior. The salt air rots steel construction but rust-proof paint or galvanizing costs extra-no immediately visible benefits. And the replacement a couple years later provides work.
There are a variety of considerations to take into account: the involvement of knowledgeable foreign business with guarantees of investment return. Also the education and training of contractors and their workers and the implementation of building codes. And last but not least, motivation of the population with less emphasis on religous superstition and voodoo and a better work ethic.

I Question This Country's Security Concerns

Executive Order 13440 of July 20, 2007, is revoked -dated January 9, 2009. "...in order to improve the effectiveness of human intelligence gathering..." WHAT!!

The intelligence team and it's authority have been removed and not replaced in over a year. So this country has no authority to question the Christmas Day bomber??? I think that we had better start to be concerned over this nations security and how this administration is (not) handling it.

Motorhead Progress

Now that I have finished my motor rebuild I figured I had to give it a nice new home to flex it's 330 hp muscles. It's nice to be able to get in and work on things in a real full-size truck-not SUV.