Visit our Popular Forums

Polux · 19-04-2015, 05:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Looks like Haiti has an average IQ score of 67.

No wonder they can get their stuff together.

Regarding that study:

Several negative reviews of the book have been published in the scholarly literature. Susan Barnett and Wendy Williams wrote that "we see an edifice built on layer upon layer of arbitrary assumptions and selective data manipulation. The data on which the entire book is based are of questionable validity and are used in ways that cannot be justified."

"Richardson (2004) argued, citing the Flynn effect as the best evidence, that Lynn has the causal connection backwards and suggested that "the average IQ of a population is simply an index of the size of its middle class, both of which are results of industrial development". The review concludes that "This is not so much science, then, as a social crusade."

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc...=rep1&type=pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_and_...lth_of_Nations

Claude_Marie · 19-04-2015, 05:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by colemj

I read recently that less than half of that aid has been distributed so far. The aid that has been released mostly went to foreign contractors, subcontractors, etc - with huge cost overruns. The US aid money mostly went to US contractors.

Mark

Funny from an European to an American, let's smile about it.

If the money went to US Contractors, at least I take from granted that it did not end up into some corrupted oligarch pocket.
Well done !

colemj · 19-04-2015, 05:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claude_Marie

If the money went to US Contractors, at least I take from granted that it did not end up into some corrupted oligarch pocket.

I wouldn't assume that. If so, it would certainly be a first.

Mark

Claude_Marie · 19-04-2015, 05:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by colemj

I wouldn't assume that. If so, it would certainly be a first.

Mark

Would I be more supportive about the US aid policy than you are yourself ?

Can we agree that that an US contractor is likely to deliver a better quality finished product than a local one ?
By the look of Port au Prince after the earthcake, I am not impressed by Haitian building standards.

colemj · 19-04-2015, 05:58

I'm neither supportive nor unsupportive because I don't have many facts and haven't paid much attention to this case. I was just stating what I read recently in a news article. I agree that US contractors could probably deliver a better finished product, but it appears that these finished products are not occurring due to massive cost over-runs, sub-sub-sub-contracting tangles - and most likely bribes to local oligarchs, which was what I was responding to.

Personally, I think Haiti is a lost cause like several other countries (Somalia, parts of the Middle East - and maybe Greece next

). I don't know how the world would go about pulling some of these places up into reasonable sustainability. Sometimes you just can't get there from here.

Mark

Canibul · 19-04-2015, 06:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claude_Marie

Yes, Geneva harbour was definitely toungue in cheek.
Honesty commands to say that I have never been to Yokohama (casual name dropping based on the global reputation of Japan being a very safe country), Arkangelsk is (amongst others) a Russian Navy harbour, expect to be gently "looked after" by local autorities, which is nice in a way safety wise.
Australia, hundreds of anchorages, you meant thousands, but remained humble ?

Edit : Geneva (lake) Switzerland not Genova Med Italy.

Duh, that was my point. It's certainly safe to anchor here. And in most of the Bahamas. The Keys. West Coast of North America, until you get down to just south of San Diego. The Med, the Aegean, even big parts of the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, South China Sea. Most of Europe. Japan.

But when you start talking about really poor places, Things start changing. Much of Africa, the northern coasts of South America, parts of Central America. When you show up in a boat worth more than the collective valuables of an entire village, from a foreign culture, anchoring on a temporary basis, with not a friend or acquaintance in sight. And you probably don't speak the language in use locally.

It's kind of like some rich idiot waving a steak dinner under the noses of a starving crowd. Will a few of them take a bite they knows they can get away with?

Duh. I would.

pbbmorton · 19-04-2015, 06:09

It is true less than half the money was distributed. Most went into the hands of the oligarchs.

US citizens that volunteered as first responders are very well respected. In fact they could walk unprotected through the slums in complete safety. It is the US government along with all the other governments that are just considered part of the oligarchy.

Steadman Uhlich · 19-04-2015, 06:33

Violence often has unfortunate victims. This is a sad story. I can imagine the terror of that couple. Very sad. I am glad they made it out of the situation alive, but can imagine they will have that terror feeling for a long time.

I hope the sailing community can help them.
________________

A Thought Provoking Case

The yacht was boarded by six men!

As with any case involving some danger, it is natural to think "What would I do in this situation?"

Most of the ("pirate" or "gun") threads on this forum that discuss yacht defense against an intruder are about dealing with a single intruder/boarder. Dealing with 6 men at once is a different situation.

If I were in my 70s with my wife aboard (and her in her 60s) the options for response become very limited.

Most of the "just give them what they want" posts in the "pirate" threads evidently think handing over a wallet is the answer and that the criminals will just "go away."

This case shows that handing over a wallet is not enough for some criminals.

FamilyVan · 19-04-2015, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claude_Marie

@ Polux :

Wiki :

The USA is the largest foreign source of relief aid to Haiti from the 2010 Haiti earthquake, although in December 2011, the Haitian President Michel Martelly said that "The cooperation with Venezuela is the most important in Haiti right now in terms of impact, direct impact.".[1] USA, through USAID is giving more than $712 million in aid.

I did not bother looking up E.U aid, Japan aid...etc...etc...

What does it take to get ourselves a good name ???

It takes more than foreign Aid/investment to get a good name. China pumps huge amounts of cash into a lot of economies, but nobody sees China as a knight in shining armour.

US foreign Aid in under developed nations has long been viewed as a poorly disguised imperialism.

Dutch/Australian couple attacked. Australian embassy involved. Australian embassy lacks the teeth to do anything, likely because it's a tiny embassy on the other side of the planet. So who does the Australian Embassy contact in order to get meaningful diplomatic support. Not the US embassy. No no no. The Canadian Embassy.

I think that says everything that needs to be said about the kind of aid Haiti gets from the US.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

smj · 19-04-2015, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by cards26

I'm happy with this thread, and glad there are so many people that know the deal about this part of the world. There was another thread along these lines recently where I thought some of the posters fell off the turnip truck, LAST NIGHT.

I have guards outside my home 24/7 armed with AK-47's and grenades....they're there for a reason, and it's money well spent.

Man you must have a lot of money and must have really pissed some people of. Did you gain your riches by pissing people of? Just move dude, sounds like a really sucky lifestyle!

**JPA Cate** · 19-04-2015, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Violence often has unfortunate victims. This is a sad story. I can imagine the terror of that couple. Very sad. I am glad they made it out of the situation alive, but can imagine they will have that terror feeling for a long time.

I hope the sailing community can help them.
________________

A Thought Provoking Case

The yacht was boarded by six men!

As with any case involving some danger, it is natural to think "What would I do in this situation?"

Most of the ("pirate" or "gun") threads on this forum that discuss yacht defense against an intruder are about dealing with a single intruder/boarder. Dealing with 6 men at once is a different situation.

If I were in my 70s with my wife aboard (and her in her 60s) the options for response become very limited.

Most of the "just give them what they want" posts in the "pirate" threads evidently think handing over a wallet is the answer and that the criminals will just "go away."

This case shows that handing over a wallet is not enough for some criminals.

Well said, Steady Hand. He's 70, badly broken arm and crushed finger, as well as various cuts. It will be a matter of luck if he heals to 85%, let alone 100%. We heal slower when we're older. Worst case, he won't be able to sail any more. This is a personal tragedy for both Hans and his wife.

It was mentioned above that the proximate cause of their being vulnerable was the decision to not heave to on the offshore tack to rest, but to go somewhere there was land to seek safety. I'm wondering if it is only people who have learned from experience that the "hard bits" are where danger is, turn to the safety of the offshore tack.

For me, I wish both of them a speedy and complete recovery from both the physical and emotional trauma.

Thanks for the news, Mark J.

Ann

RTB · 19-04-2015, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by smj

Man you must have a lot of money and must have really pissed some people of. Did you gain your riches by pissing people of? Just move dude, sounds like a really sucky lifestyle!

Well, it does say he lives in Colombia....and wants to move - http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-s-144746.html

Ralph