Hawaiian

This is not going to end well for many poor souls. Luckily I am retired and have no outstanding debt with good medical insurance and retirement.

Bamboo scaffolding and not used as concrete reinforcing.

The structure was "topped off" about a year ago. That is more than sufficient time for the concrete to cure.

China's unemployment problem is sure to get much worse, especially among the restless younger generation.

Agree.

The Thai government likes to use the latest technology, but always wants to do it the Thai way. And time after time we have seen the results.

China insiders are well aware of China's worsening economic problems. BRI has turned out to be an expensive adventure that has used debt trap diplomacy to expand its over capacity construction industry outside of the country. An industry that relied heavily on the collapsing real property sector. Potential BRI participants are not falling for that con. Many fall for the CCP propaganda about a booming Chinese economy. Recently there has more and more revelations by MSM that China is not living up to that hype. Sooner or later China will pay the price for a managed economy.

Does it have anything to do with the increase in Medicare premiums that are automatically deducted from your SS? The premium for Part B went up by 6%.

Just the section you belong in.

You mention Thalidomide, but yet fail to see the connection with germs, vaccines, and other medical issues. Nature is imperfect. You are a prime example.

Evidently nature failed to help you.

So if we do not accept the Germ Theory then we have to rely on nature to cull out those who lack the ability to develop a natural immunity. Is that correct?

That means the concrete had more than enough time to cure. So that rules out that avenue of blame for the failure.

You can't help a Luddite. Since Luddism not a disease only nature can cure it.

Unfortunately, it is just a matter of time. All the men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Since they have no qualms about these corrupt practices at home in China, then its obvious this goes on outside the country. Money is their god.

Just because it has been edited doesn't mean the columns depicted are not "for real."

I've experienced many earthquakes in my lifetime including a 7.1 and a 7.5. Videos taken during the quake in Bangkok definitely indicate more than a shiver.

During my lifetime I've experienced a number of big earthquakes on the island of Hawaii. The scariest was a 7.7 that generated a local tsunami close to 50 feet high. Luckily only 2 fatalities from the tsunami. The seashore close to the epicenter subsided 12 feet. Years later I went fishing in the area where former cliffs were now at sea level.

One of my best friends in Thailand is a retired project manager. I've been on his job sites and watched him in action. He would not allow any deviation from the construction plans. However, I would say he is the exception rather tan the rule.

Buildings are not designed for slabs to carry the weight of collapsed columns and beams.

Poured concrete reaches 70 to 90 percent of its strength during the first 7 to 21 days. I wouldn't rely on windows for added strength.

Just because the information was not acted upon does not excuse the breech of security. Why do you think Hillary Clinton destroyed her cellphone and other incriminating evidence? Because she violated the rules. Convenience never trumps security.

Too big to fail? Heard that one before.

It is. But the argument might go like this. If it were designed properly it would have withstood the earthquake. The question is who would buy that argument.