genxlib
genxlib's Journal*UPDATE* May I have a word about the Surfside Building Collapse
*UPDATE*
Edited to add
I am getting deployed after all. I will be onsite in the morning. I had my doubts that my team would get called up for a number of reasons but we are getting mobilized.
I may or may not have time to check in but will let you know what I can when I can.
Wish me luck.
I am seeing speculation all over the place about what happened.
Please, just let it be for now. This is a time to let the professionals go to work. The immediate goal is rescue of the living and recovery of the dead. There will come a time for cause and blame later. For now, let's stick with mourning the dead and hope that more survivors can be found.
One of the reasons that this is bugging the shit out of me is that this is kind of my wheelhouse and even I don't have an opinion yet about what went wrong.
For context, I am a Structural Engineer trained to be a Structural Specialist on FEMA Search and Rescue teams. I have been doing it for over 25 years and have been to disasters like 9/11, Katrina and Haiti. I have spent countless hours training for evaluation of exactly these kinds of issues. At least two of my compatriots (and probably others) are on site as we speak. You may have seen me talk about it before in posts like this one https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028880342#post27 where I fight technical issues with all kinds of misguided opinions.
Aside from all that, I have lived and practiced engineering in South Florida for over 30 years. One of my biggest current projects is right down the street from this disaster. I am familiar with the geology, construction, codes and conditions of this area.
So I say with no small amount of confidence that I am better positioned to have an opinion about this than anyone. And I HAVE NO IDEA what happened yet. It may take weeks or months to figure it out.
So give it a rest. Express grief for the victims and hope for the missing. But please refrain from trying to guess what went wrong.
Highly recommend the "In The Heights" movie
If you are unfamiliar with it, this is the movie version of the Lin Manuel Miranda hit musical that he wrote and starred in before Hamilton.
It is a glorious explosion of latinx culture with music and dancing. What felt kind of constrained on the stage bursts out into the real streets of Washington Heights. It is a lot of fun.
It is running on HBO Max this month as well as the theaters. It is such a spectacle, it is one of those movies that is worth the big screen.
Here is a longer review of it https://www.vox.com/22440448/in-the-heights-movie-review-miranda-ramos-chu-hudes
My whole family loved it.
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Florida
Member since: Thu Aug 16, 2012, 05:52 PM
Number of posts: 5,524
