Yeesh. Yeah, people screw up, but this is the kind of screwup I just can't wrap my head around.
I do take exception to the concept that it was "designed like a barn" - I do my best to make sure my barns (and houses, storage sheds, schools, bridges, office and retail buildings etc) have a continuous load path, and I'm sure everyone else here does as well. It was just designed to the seismic requirements of a barn, which is something slightly different but important (from the viewpoint of an Engineer).
Of course, I also think blame should be passed around - sure, the SE's the one that is ultimately responsible for his design, but I take exception to the idea that having a stamp means you are exempt from mistakes - I've had reviewers question my engineering before, and while nine times out of ten I had it right to begin with they do catch mistakes (or post-engineering changes, like "we'll just add a concrete floor, we don't have to tell the Engineer.") every once in a while. Of course, my father was a plan reviewer, so he kind of instilled in me the idea that everyone - *everyone* - screws up once in a while.
