WI - 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapses!

[Paladin]

Is there a list available of the missing/injured/dead? One of my fiance's bridesmaids live there and we can't seem to get a hold of her. Although, she is notorious for being unreachable.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Dozens are structurally deficient, and the US is spending billions in another country (Iraq). I just want to scream.

SNIP

Current spending in Iraq and Afghanistan is $12 billion per month, but that will go up to $15 billion per month in 2008. $610 billion has been spent in Iraq and Afghanistan so far. If the war would end today, the total cost would still end up being well over $1 trillion, probably closer to $2 trillion.

Meanwhile President Bush will veto the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill because it is $41.6 billion, instead of his preferred $36.3 billion. The additional $5.3 billion is mostly to secure our Southern border with Mexico.

His priorities are different than our priorities.

The cost of the war is IN ADDITION TO the almost $600 billion dollar annual Defense Budget.

 

[SewingDeb]

There is a Red Cross list of safe and well.

https://disastersafe.redcross.org/

 

[cheko1]

Exactly. I like that..."It puts a face on this disaster". Great line, Cheko!

Who took those photos? They must have gotten there immediately afterward because I am not seeing many police, but more civilians. Then there is the one with what looks to be a woman standing alone on the second deck...eerie sight knowing what she had just been thru.

OK this just up on our news...WHO does this guy think he is talking to?! I read the reports already on our local bridges and it is NOT what TRIP says at all! Hmmmm...wonder if I should send him the articles?! Maybe he doesn't know! LOL

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials sought to reassure the public Thursday that the state's bridges are safe for motorists.
http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=132934

Here they are discussing the bridge I cross twice a day or more for work! Ack!:

"A deck may look great, but then like across underneath of the Arkansas River where you have chlorides or something like that attacking the bridge, you may have a beam underneath that has come out of contact with its support,” said deputy director Paul Zachary.
Zachary watches 256 bridges in the Tulsa city limits. He says dozens are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=132904

Why thank you SS.....LOL All of the pix shown on TV seem so far away.I don't know who took them. My neighbor sent them, I emailed him to ask. I heard many people had taken awesome pix. Probably someone he worked with.

I sincerely think the Feds & State Govt are just going to pass the buck on the bridges. None of the states will spend the money to replace the bridges unless they collapse like I- 35 did & people get killed. As we see here not a one of the agencies will take responsibility for the disasters.

 

[SewingDeb]

Buzzm,

How much did we donate to Tsunami victims not that long ago. Wasn't it $329Billion? That's about twice enough to fix all of our deficient bridges. I knew when Bush pledged it that we would come up short on some other things in this country.

Between that and the war on terrorism, we taxpayers are footing a lot of spending but we don't see our hard earned money used enough in our own country.

 

[cheko1]

They found 1 more body & expect the count to go up today.

Divers are planning on going down in 4's for 1/2 hr each. Conditions are very dangerous with whirl pools all around the area from debris. According to Fox 9 local news.

 

[SewingDeb]

Cheko,

Those pictures are better than any I have seen on the internet or TV. Puts it all in perspective.

 

[cheko1]

Buzzm,

How much did we donate to Tsunami victims not that long ago. Wasn't it $329Billion? That's about twice enough to fix all of our deficient bridges. I knew when Bush pledged it that we would come up short on some other things in this country.

Between that and the war on terrorism, we taxpayers are footing a lot of spending but we don't see our hard earned money used enough in our own country.

Bush is coming to the Twin Cities Sat to look at the destruction of the collapse. Someone on early radio station stated he should pledge the money its going to cost the state of Mn for him to come lok at it. It costs the states hundred of thousands of $$$$$ for him to fly over the scene & he does nothing. Money he says will come usually don't.

 

[cheko1]

Cheko,

Those pictures are better than any I have seen on the internet or TV. Puts it all in perspective.

They are great pictures & you can see everything so clear, totally awesome.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Buzzm,

How much did we donate to Tsunami victims not that long ago. Wasn't it $329Billion? That's about twice enough to fix all of our deficient bridges. I knew when Bush pledged it that we would come up short on some other things in this country.

Between that and the war on terrorism, we taxpayers are footing a lot of spending but we don't see our hard earned money used enough in our own country.

You had three extra zeros in your number SD.

U.S. announces $350 million in tsunami aid
Pledge will deflect criticism, provide major boost to relief effort

The United States is pledging $350 million to help tsunami victims, a tenfold increase over its first wave of aid, President Bush announced Friday. The U.S. aid contribution could rise even beyond that, if needed, Secretary of State Colin Powell said later in the day.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6767190/

Americans, as I recall, donated far more on their own, than our government provided.

 

[cheko1]

You had three extra zeros in your number SD.

U.S. announces $350 million in tsunami aid
Pledge will deflect criticism, provide major boost to relief effort

The United States is pledging $350 million to help tsunami victims, a tenfold increase over its first wave of aid, President Bush announced Friday. The U.S. aid contribution could rise even beyond that, if needed, Secretary of State Colin Powell said later in the day.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6767190/

Americans, as I recall, donated far more on their own, than our government provided.

I wonder if other countries are going to provide aide to Mn?
To date I haven't heard of any.

 

[Buzz Mills]

I wonder if other countries are going to provide aide to Mn?
To date I haven't heard of any.

Hugo Chavez wouldn't hesitate to aid MN; he likes to show Bush up, as he did with providing fuel oil, at reduced prices, to many on our East coast.

 

[Camper]

Could someone help me find Cheko's pics, I have tried to find the post and came up dumb.

.

 

[cheko1]

That would be great if he does.

With the news out at how bad the bridges are in the USA we'll certainly become the laughing stock of the world.

 

[cheko1]

http://www.conphoto.net/collapse.htmlHere you go camper........I'll try to repost them on every page or 2.

http://www.conphoto.net/collapse.html

 

[Buzz Mills]

Not at all ignoring the tragedy of the MN bridge collapse, but there is a positive aspect that comes as a result of this.

This provides an opportunity for all Americans to learn about the deplorable state of our nation's infrastructure, and it should have more Americans rightfully questioning as to how, where, and when, our tax money is spent. These are positives, as so often we just go on with our lives, assuming that our governments, city, state, and federal, are taking care of everything for us. This is another wake-up call for all Americans.

 

[Camper]

Thanks Cheko.

I heard a comment on TV last night that rang my bell, was that when the older bridges were built, the traffic volume has dramatically increased over the years and years since then. Then the sports complexes that are often built nearby, add more and extra wear and tear on them. Just more hmmm's.

The fact that was presented was that many of the same contractors built so many many of these bridges.

.

 

[Trino]

Somehow this reminds me of the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the signs of early decay was the lack of repair to infrastructure, i.e. bridges and roads.

Paul Harvey's radio program brought the idea of infrastructure repair to the front today. He proposed people find an appropriate slogan. I cannot recall what he suggested, but he proposed that people get behind this slogan and pressure the government to fix roads and bridges.

Anyone have any ideas about a slogan?

 

[Camper]

Somehow this reminds me of the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the signs of early decay was the lack of repair to infrastructure, i.e. bridges and roads.

Paul Harvey's radio program brought the idea of infrastructure repair to the front today. He proposed people find an appropriate slogan. I cannot recall what he suggested, but he proposed that people get behind this slogan and pressure the government to fix roads and bridges.

Anyone have any ideas about a slogan?

--->>>I will work on it. Al Gores info highway donut take cars and trucks.

Checo, this link is so powerful with the pictures a great slide show with BIG pictures --- Mind boggling http://www.conphoto.net/collapse.html

.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Somehow this reminds me of the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the signs of early decay was the lack of repair to infrastructure, i.e. bridges and roads.

Paul Harvey's radio program brought the idea of infrastructure repair to the front today. He proposed people find an appropriate slogan. I cannot recall what he suggested, but he proposed that people get behind this slogan and pressure the government to fix roads and bridges.

Anyone have any ideas about a slogan?

Rome was spending all their money sending their armies all over the world while their homeland crumbled. Hmmmmmmm..............................