PHOTOS: Earthquake hits Haiti [See Pic #7: Looter With Obama T-Shirt]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-haiti-earthquake-pictures,0,5859695.photogallery ^ | January 15th 2010

[UCANSEE2]

After further investigation (you could have just told me), I found there were more aftershocks from the SF quake than there have been so far in Haiti.

Your original comment on this was the most informed (duh), and you are correct about the difference in construction being instrumental in the amount of damage.

Your comparison was valid, and I was wrong.

[UCANSEE2]

Well, what I really meant was the difference between dust-covered man in his own destroyed neighborhood, desperately scrounging for food and water VERSUS Well-dressed clean teenager from an undamaged part of the city searching for TV's, IPODS, etc.

However, in a situation like this, the local LE has no choice but to arrest anyone looting, no matter what the apparent 'motive'.

[spectre]

Did you run off at the mouth before you knew the facts?

The caption with that photo reads "(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times / January 15, 2010)
"A man taking part in the looting of a downtown Port-au-Prince store wears an Obama T-shirt."

So you owe Steel Fish a big apology. By not doing so, you're the one who has actually disgraced FR.

sw

[Cvengr]

Almost a wantabe of these fellow Obama supporters, taken from actual mugshots. How many mug shots have you seen with guys wearing Roosevelt, LBJ, Nixon, Bush, or even JFK tee shirts?

[editor-surveyor]

"I heard today that the Haiti quake was a release of 3X the energy of the North Ridge quake. I have a feeling that might have hurt even high quality structures. Not as much, for sure, but still ..."

If you look at photo #113 in the LA Times spread, you will see what is clearly a reinforced concrete building, only two stories tall, and just left of center is a complete mat of reinforcing steel, looks like 12" x 12" #5 bar, shaken completly free of the concrete that once encased it.

[Balding_Eagle]

If you’re right about the rebar, it indicates the concrete was not of the right mix/strength

[editor-surveyor]

And you are a master of understatement! :o)

[TigersEye]

I wondered about the concrete mix too. There could also be issues with the foundation and proper connections between one section of the construction and another. Soil conditions might be drastically different than other locations like CA.

But it seemed to me that your post was an indication that I might have had a point. This quake was a monster.

[editor-surveyor]

I’m guessing that they have a low Ph problem with their water (like near volcanic sulphur deposits) which makes it hard to get a true class A mix.

Also, you’re right about soil; in California we lots of high plasticity clays, which do grip foundations well, but the Carribean is known for sandy volcanic rubbish.

[Balding_Eagle]

Chuckle, yes, given the picture, what I said is almost stupid!