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Haiti is not doomed. To the extent that Haitian culture inhibits prosperity, Haitians will do as people in that condition always have: they will work around their culture—or leave it, and benefit their home countries no less by doing that.
Archive for the ‘Disasters’ Category
January 18th, 2010
Category: Disasters, Economics, Haiti, Organizing, Political Science, Politics and Leadership, Post-disaster reflections
January 18th, 2010
Category: Disasters, Organizing, Political Science, Politics and Leadership, Post-disaster reflections
I’ve been waiting for this story ever since the earthquake. It turns out the rich folks up on the hill are pretty much OK, and they are being protected from looters as always by the police who have been invisible to date down among the poor. Haiti is a society operating under rules called amoral [...]
August 30th, 2009
Once again, southern California is prey to wildfires, an environmental hazard that has become commonplace as the earth has heated up. But I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.
April 19th, 2009
…went in dumb, come out dumb too.” LSU is doing its best to make Randy Newman right about this, with a remarkably ham-handed firing to shut up one of its most distinguished faculty (more here). Apparently, like so much of Louisiana, they would rather have a nice steady flow of federal money coming into the [...]
April 7th, 2009
Category: Disasters
Just in case you think buildings that can’t survive earthquakes are only a problem in other countries with weak codes and corrupt enforcement, think again. Memphis and Boston are coming due for big shakes, and they are full of old masonry buildings that will cause hundreds, maybe even thousands, of deaths. I’m probably safer living [...]
April 6th, 2009
Category: Disasters
unreinforced masonry buildings do. No earthquake ever hit anyone in the head or buried a child; forget about the earth opening up and swallowing people. It’s heavy stuff falling on you that kills, period. Piles of brick and stone with rooms in them in seismic zones are scheduled for demolition, either at a time chosen [...]
September 10th, 2008
The LHC doomsday scenario and similar risks.
September 1st, 2008
Category: Disasters, Watching Conservatives
Cindy McCain says that the appearance of Hurricane Gustav means that “this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats.” Being a Democrat, of course, means that you never had to take off your American hat in the first place. It’s a shame that Republicans see such [...]