Breaking: Major Freeway Bridge Collapse in Washington State

“People and vehicles are in the water”
US News • Views: 33,454
Credit: Skagit Valley Herald

SKAGIT COUNTY, Wash. - — Both north and southbound lanes of the Interstate 5 Skagit River Bridge collapsed Thursday evening, said officials with the Washington State Patrol.

The collapse happened between south of Burlington and north of Mount Vernon just after 7 p.m.

According to the State Patrol, people and vehicles are in the water.

Via: I-5 Skagit River Bridge Collapses; People, Vehicles in Water | www.kirotv.com

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432 comments
1 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 7:53:25pm
2 thedopefishlives  Thu, May 23, 2013 7:54:31pm

Minnesota sends all its love and prayers. We know what you’re going through.

3 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 7:56:40pm
4 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 7:58:06pm

Where was private industry to repair and strengthen this bridge?

5 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 7:58:21pm
2010 Inspection

Status: Open, no restriction [A]
Average daily traffic: 70,526 [as of 2007]
Truck traffic: 12% of total traffic
Deck condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]
Superstructure condition: Fair [5 out of 9]
Substructure condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]

Channel protection: Bank is beginning to slump. River control devices and embankment protection have widespread minor damage. There is minor stream bed movement evident. Debris is restricting the channel slightly. [6]
Pier/abutment protection: Navigation protection not required [1]

Scour condition: Bridge foundations determined to be stable for assessed or calculated scour condition. [5]
Operating rating: 63.4 tons [57.6 metric tons]
Inventory rating: 37.6 tons [34.2 metric tons]
Evaluation: Functionally obsolete [2]
Sufficiency rating: 59.8
Estimated cost of work: $1,035,000

uglybridges.com

6 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 23, 2013 7:58:47pm

re: #2 thedopefishlives

Minnesota sends all its love and prayers. We know what you’re going through.

As does Illinois, and especially Chicagoland. We’ve got many bridges here, and know the peril that would occur if one of them collapsed.

7 sagehen  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:00:02pm

re: #5 jaunte

uglybridges.com

Estimated cost of work: $1,035,000

Estimated cost of not doing the work: ten times that much.

8 Stanghazi  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:00:27pm
9 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:01:54pm

re: #6 Dark_Falcon

This ‘uglybridges’ site has a list of Chicago bridges:
uglybridges.com

10 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:02:16pm

re: #7 sagehen

Estimated cost of not doing the work: ten times that much.

Estimated cost of forthcoming lawsuits: More than it would have cost to repair/replace the bridge.

11 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:02:46pm

Looks like it buckled under in the first north section between the expansion joints.

12 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:04:36pm
13 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:06:33pm

KING5 Live Stream
king5.com

14 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:06:39pm
15 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:07:49pm
16 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:08:04pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

Damn, look at all that corrosion under the paint.

17 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:08:12pm
18 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:10:14pm

re: #16 Gus

Damn, look at all that corrosion under the paint.

Imagine my surprise. They probably thought it cheaper to just keep painting over the rust than to replace the affected beams.

19 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:13:57pm

Eyewitness: “…a violent sound of metal creaking…”

20 geoduck  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:18:15pm

As a WA state resident, it’s only going to get worse infrastructure-wise. Despite our liberal image, the state has a horrifically regressive and broken tax structure, and no political will to fix it.

21 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:19:17pm
22 dragonath  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:22:08pm

re: #20 geoduck

As a WA state resident, it’s only going to get worse infrastructure-wise. Despite our liberal image, the state has a horrifically regressive and broken tax structure, and no political will to fix it.

Your Supreme Court struck down the 2/3 tax requirement that California had, though:

State Supreme Court strikes down two-thirds vote for tax hikes

23 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:22:49pm
24 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:22:58pm
25 dragonath  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:25:21pm

re: #16 Gus

Damn, look at all that corrosion under the paint.

Considering the age of the bridge, it could be red lead oxide paint…

26 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:25:59pm

KING 5 TV: All three known victims have been reportedly rescued by first responders.

27 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:27:17pm

Newscasters describing the river at this point as “snowmelt.”

28 teleskiguy  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:28:24pm

Jon Stewart observes this, our sometimes dire infrastructure problems, in this video. Start at 2:15.

Ever since I saw this I’m always thinking “what if” on my drive to work, which happens to cross a number of bridges.

29 Interesting Times  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:29:14pm

re: #24 Charles Johnson

Blaming Obama for Benghazi GOOD! Blaming GOP for blocking infrastructure spending BAD! Herpity derpity derp.

30 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:29:28pm
31 Kragar  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:31:01pm

re: #24 Charles Johnson

Obviously this was orchestrated by Obama to distract us from the AP and IRS scandals…

32 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:32:55pm
33 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:34:35pm

re: #32 NJDhockeyfan

Not from what I’m listening to.

34 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:36:28pm

OK, they have divers. Must have been additional divers that they didn’t need.

35 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:36:50pm
36 blueraven  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:37:15pm

It is time to start spending money on infrastructure. Period. It is old and crumbling. Just do it Congress!…and put some people to work while you’re at it.

37 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:40:51pm

re: #35 NJDhockeyfan

From the comments:

From one of our producers: .. “functionally obsolete” is interesting, but …not the same as structurally unsound, which is WSDOT’s “structurally deficient” category. Functionally obsolete means it might have too narrow lanes, too low clearance etc. Skagit is obsolete, but was not deemed structurally deficient More here on definitions: wsdot.wa.gov
by Bob Payne, Seattle Times 11:37 PM

38 Stanghazi  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:41:13pm

re: #36 blueraven

It is time to start spending money on infrastructure. Period. It is old and crumbling. Just do it Congress!…and put some people to work while you’re at it.

Bring back the WPA!

39 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:42:13pm

America’s Broken Bridges
March 22, 2012

“…When you notice something on these bridges, they have to be shut down right away,” says the University of Minnesota’s Fisher. “It’s not like they sag or start to shake first.” That was the case last year when engineers discovered fissures as wide as a soda can on the Sherman Minton Bridge that straddles the Ohio River, connecting Kentucky and Indiana. The 50-year-old span closed in September 2011 and reopened last month after workers finished attaching 2.4 million pounds of steel plating for reinforcement along the sides of the bridge. It carries 80,000 cars and trucks a day.

The hands-on inspections can cost five to 15 times more than a standard visual checkup using binoculars, reaching into the six-digits and eating up state budgets. State and local governments pay up front for the inspections, then apply for reimbursement from Washington to cover a portion of the work. Keeping up that maintenance could become a problem in October. That’s when the federal pot of money that helps pay for bridge inspections and repairs, known as the Highway Trust Fund, could run dry, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The fund derives its revenue from fuel taxes, which have declined over the last three years as Americans began driving more fuel-efficient cars and buying less gas because of higher prices. mobile.businessweek.com

40 Lidane  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:46:13pm
41 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:46:36pm

Just How Screwed is the Highway Trust Fund?

The Highway Trust Fund won’t be able to meet its obligations come 2015, according to a statement by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to the House Budget Committee.

Federal lawmakers, the report says, would have to cut transportation spending by 92 percent or raise the gas tax by more than 50 percent in order to bring revenue and spending in line.

The Highway Trust Fund, which gets its money from taxes on gasoline and motor fuels, is the source of money for federal spending on highways, bridges, roads and transit. The fund has struggled for years to remain in the black — ever since federal transportation spending started exceeding the dedicated taxes used to pay for it.

42 gwangung  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:48:16pm

re: #41 jaunte

Just How Screwed is the Highway Trust Fund?

And this isn’t just hippie dippie environmentalism. It’s basic, nuts and bolts spending that we’re not willing to do to support what we want to do.

43 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:52:12pm

re: #37 NJDhockeyfan

Functionally obsolete means it might have too narrow lanes, too low clearance etc.

Or not suitable for current traffic volume, speed, weight, etc.

I’m not going to be in a convoy of modern-day 18-wheelers travelling over a bridge built to 19th century standards, even if that bridge is as vestal and pure as the day the last brick was laid.

44 aagcobb  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:52:34pm

re: #36 blueraven

It is time to start spending money on infrastructure. Period. It is old and crumbling. Just do it Congress!…and put some people to work while you’re at it.

Sorry, we are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, just like Greece. Never mind that with interest rates near zero, borrowing money for infrastructure would more than pay for itself. The US is one of the most wretched, poverty stricken nations on earth, and its just amazing it hasn’t already collapsed into a dystopian nightmare of islamo-marxist totalitarianism. But don’t you dare question American exceptionalism; America is the greatest nation that ever existed!///

45 darthstar  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:53:21pm

That’s a pretty rural part of Washington, but it is the main artery from Seattle to Vancouver…a shitload of cars go through there. This is big. It’s going to fuck shit up for a lot of people. There is another bridge about a half-mile upstream, but it’s not meant to carry the volume of traffic that I-5 does.

46 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:54:32pm

re: #44 aagcobb

Imna need a Double Intersection Pratt Truss to get between those two thoughts.

47 darthstar  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:57:08pm

re: #36 blueraven

It is time to start spending money on infrastructure. Period. It is old and crumbling. Just do it Congress!…and put some people to work while you’re at it.

Think of it more like a game of reverse Frogger. You drive across a bridge that has fresh paint on it over and over, and hope that it doesn’t collapse from metal fatigue while you’re over the danger zone.

48 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:57:15pm

re: #44 aagcobb

Also

states that spend money like California are going bankrupt and will collapse into Mad Max like anarchy and race riots, then you’ll all see!!!

Seriously I ran into that sort of argument on PJ Media all the time (er before they deleted all their comments and instituted registration).

I would say “but California isn’t going broke” and they’d laugh at me. Apparently reality just doesn’t count. They have their own figures.

49 Amory Blaine  Thu, May 23, 2013 8:58:01pm

re: #11 Gus

Looks like it buckled under in the first north section between the expansion joints.

Shear failure?

50 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:02:25pm

I do need to note that I found this earlier:

FDA approves first study on ecstasy-assisted therapy for social anxiety in autistic adults

Which raises the question: How the hell did anyone think of this?

51 brennant  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:02:56pm

King five news talking about an oversize load hitting the bridge before the collapse

52 Amory Blaine  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:03:47pm

Possible a gusset plate failed. Strained beamchord (edit) passed modulus of elasticity and deformed to the point of bridge collapse. Pure speculation on my part.

53 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:04:40pm

re: #50 ProTARDISLiberal

I think I read that ecstasy therapy is currently the most effective treatment for PTSD. So there’s got to be a lot more interest in ecstasy now

54 darthstar  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:05:03pm

5.7 temblor near Lake Almanor in Northern California…god hates teabaggers.

55 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:05:35pm

re: #45 darthstar

That’s a pretty rural part of Washington, but it is the main artery from Seattle to Vancouver…a shitload of cars go through there. This is big. It’s going to fuck shit up for a lot of people. There is another bridge about a half-mile upstream, but it’s not meant to carry the volume of traffic that I-5 does.

How many trains go back and forth? I see all the trains filling up starting tomorrow.

56 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:06:16pm

re: #53 stabby

That still seems completely bizarre.

57 HappyWarrior  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:06:33pm

re: #50 ProTARDISLiberal

I do need to note that I found this earlier:

FDA approves first study on ecstasy-assisted therapy for social anxiety in autistic adults

Which raises the question: How the hell did anyone think of this?

Thought provoking says the adult autistic with social anxiety.

58 gwangung  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:06:37pm

re: #55 NJDhockeyfan

How many trains go back and forth? I see all the trains filling up starting tomorrow.

Not so much people traffic I think, but freight….

59 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:06:37pm

re: #49 Amory Blaine

Shear failure?

Maybe. Although I’m sure the whole section is constructed with both shear and bearing loads.

60 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:07:29pm

“The bridge was built in 1955 and has a sufficiency rating of 57.4 out of 100, according to federal records. That is well below the statewide average rating of 80, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data, but 759 bridges in the state have a lower sufficiency score.”
news.yahoo.com

61 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:07:31pm

re: #56 ProTARDISLiberal

Using a drug that creates feelings of trust and empathy to treat social anxiety among people who seem to lack empathy?

Uhm sounds like a sensible thing to try. You know, logically.

62 HappyWarrior  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:08:44pm

re: #42 gwangung

And this isn’t just hippie dippie environmentalism. It’s basic, nuts and bolts spending that we’re not willing to do to support what we want to do.

Yeah this is basic infrastructure. Seriously, this is what’s wrong with the Class of 2010 that we got in Congress. They seem to think any type of government involvement is bad, bad, bad. In the past, it seemed like this would be something that could easily be worked out but now it’s a battle. We wonder why Congress is inefficient. Well when we can’t get bills passed on stuff like this, this is a problem. Boehner needs to call out the lunatics in his own party. He won’t but he should.

63 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:10:34pm
64 HappyWarrior  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:11:33pm

re: #60 jaunte

“The bridge was built in 1955 and has a sufficiency rating of 57.4 out of 100, according to federal records. That is well below the statewide average rating of 80, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data, but 759 bridges in the state have a lower sufficiency score.”
news.yahoo.com

Yeah but we can’t maintain those bridges because you know the contributors to political campaigns need tax cuts and you know what’s more important than bridges that people travel on daily, tax cuts! //

65 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:12:01pm

What seems bizarre to me is that we use democracy to impose the basic rule that any drug that people enjoy using is outlawed and its use is treated as a serious crime.

What’s the reasoning? Life is too long, too enjoyable, and too painless?

66 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:12:04pm

Granted I should note my first hearing about ecstasy was when I was really young, hearing about deaths on the local News from it. WFTV Channel 9.

I must have been 5-7 years old then. That is my biggest strength. A very, very keen memory.

67 darthstar  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:12:19pm

re: #55 NJDhockeyfan

How many trains go back and forth? I see all the trains filling up starting tomorrow.

This is the west coast. Commuter trains are almost non-existent.

68 darthstar  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:12:41pm

Here’s some TOTAL FUCKING CUTENESS to get your mind off all the shit in the world

69 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:13:43pm

re: #67 darthstar

For a number of reasons, we must become more train friendly.

70 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:13:51pm

aww

71 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:14:13pm
72 HappyWarrior  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:14:38pm

re: #65 stabby

What seems bizarre to me is that we use democracy to impose the basic rule that any drug that people enjoy using is outlawed and its use is treated as a serious crime.

What’s the reasoning? Life is too long, too enjoyable, and too painless?

Shrug, if it were up to me, I’d legalize all drugs. It’s an honestly radical position but I have for a long time been bewildered by a standard that allows not merely for the legalization of alcohol and tobacco but also their mass commercialization while at the same time makes users of things such as marijuana illegal. If heroin were to be legalized tomorrow, I wouldn’t use it. Probably wouldn’t rush to use ecstasy either but I do believe in that freedom of choice.

73 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:18:21pm

re: #67 darthstar

This is the west coast. Commuter trains are almost non-existent.

The NY/NJ/CT area depend on commuter trains. It’s works great and keeps lots of cars off the roads. Too bad the West never took advantage of what trains can do for commuting.

74 HappyWarrior  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:22:57pm

More mass transit would be great. Of course, there’s always some damn politicians who bitch about it. And then you finally get them to agree to it and then they get their shit steaming because a unionized firm is doing the work. Swallow your frigging pride. Yeah venting a little aloud about the Silver Line that’s been in the making for years here in the DC Metro area that will make my travels that much easier.

75 dragonath  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:25:05pm

re: #71 NJDhockeyfan

That’s going to be one hell of a bill.

76 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:25:51pm

re: #71 NJDhockeyfan

Uh oh.

77 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:26:26pm

re: #75 dragonath

Well, definitely not the bridges fault then.

Though the Bridge does now need to be replaced.

78 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:27:54pm

re: #77 ProTARDISLiberal

Well, definitely not the bridges fault then.

Though the Bridge does now need to be replaced.

Looks like it.

79 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:28:09pm

re: #75 dragonath

That’s going to be one hell of a bill.

That truck seems to be the cause of the bridge collapse, not structure failure from age.

80 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:28:53pm

re: #79 NJDhockeyfan

That truck seems to be the cause of the bridge collapse, not structure failure from age.

If that’s the case, then someone’s ass is about to spend a whole lot of time in a courtroom.

81 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:29:56pm

re: #75 dragonath

That’s going to be one hell of a bill.

And the lawyers are lining up for major lawsuits.

82 dragonath  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:30:12pm

re: #74 HappyWarrior

Lots of NIMBYISM. In my area, a lot of people complain that people from New York City might invade the area or something- as if they can’t already drive in anonymously.

There’s a real effort to restore the old Lackawanna Cut-Off, which is a incredible engineering feat even today.

83 goddamnedfrank  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:30:57pm

re: #45 darthstar

That’s a pretty rural part of Washington, but it is the main artery from Seattle to Vancouver…a shitload of cars go through there. This is big. It’s going to fuck shit up for a lot of people. There is another bridge about a half-mile upstream, but it’s not meant to carry the volume of traffic that I-5 does.

It’s actually a newer bridge with a higher operating rating. But you’re right, it currently sees half the number of vehicles and far fewer trucks. On the upside, since all that traffic is going to be rerouted through town all the trafic will be going over that bridge at a glacial pace, which will mean miles of backups in both directions for weeks at least.

The span might be short enough for the Army to bring in a portable bridge as a temporary fix, but they’ll have to remove that for any permanent replacement to be constructed. Wondering if that kind of truss can be prefabbed and craned into position? Either way the other existing trusses are surely just as fucked up so it’s likely the entire bridge superstructure will need replacing.

84 Interesting Times  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:31:27pm

re: #78 Gus

Looks like it.

Could it be one of those “straw that broke the camel’s back” type of things, i.e. combo of the bridge’s condition plus the oversized truck?

85 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:33:12pm

Would a bridge be designed so that a truck hitting a beam would cause its collapse?

86 dragonath  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:33:18pm

I’m surprised someone has a picture of this truck, actually.

87 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:33:20pm

re: #84 Interesting Times

Could it be one of those “straw that broke the camel’s back” type of things, i.e. combo of the bridge’s condition plus the oversized truck?

Oh yeah. More than likely. I’ve seen structures being slammed on Liveleak many times but they don’t go down.

88 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:33:58pm

re: #83 goddamnedfrank

It’s actually a newer bridge with a higher operating rating. But you’re right, it currently sees half the number of vehicles and far fewer trucks. On the upside, since all that traffic is going to be rerouted through town all the trafic will be going over that bridge at a glacial pace, which will mean miles of backups in both directions for weeks at least.

The span might be short enough for the Army to bring in a portable bridge as a temporary fix, but they’ll have to remove that for any permanent replacement to be constructed. Wondering if that kind of truss can be prefabbed and craned into position? Either way the other existing trusses are surely just as fucked up so it’s likely the entire bridge superstructure will need replacing.

If they do put portable bridge up a new one can be built right beside it without disturbing the other bridge.

89 austin_blue  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:35:23pm

re: #84 Interesting Times

Could it be one of those “straw that broke the camel’s back” type of things, i.e. combo of the bridge’s condition plus the oversized truck?

Sure. It also may have been caused by the phase of the moon. I like to wait until the engineers look at the facts before I make conjectures.

Just sayin’…

90 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:36:32pm

re: #85 jaunte

Would a bridge be designed so that a truck hitting a beam would cause its collapse?

If its old enough they didn’t foresee these big trucks of today driving over or crashing into it so it wasn’t designed for it. Especially oversized trucks like that one.

91 dragonath  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:38:29pm

Since everybody seems safe and sound, it’s probably safe to link this video…

92 erik_t  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:38:35pm

Re: last thread: gee. I wonder why a “shovel-ready project” wasn’t able to fix a bridge that was hit by a fucking semi.

93 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:40:05pm
94 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:40:50pm

re: #92 erik_t

Gee. I wonder why a “shovel-ready project” wasn’t able to fix a bridge that was hit by a fucking semi.

95 danhenry1  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:41:19pm

Hope everyone is OK.
Sounds like this is going to be a tough nut on the economy up there. Hope they get fast approvals on the rebuild.
Now for the count-down on when Fox blames the Obama administration. 1000 AM DST. 5/24

96 austin_blue  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:42:25pm

re: #92 erik_t

Gee. I wonder why a “shovel-ready project” wasn’t able to fix a bridge that was hit by a fucking semi.

The redesign and reconstruction of an Interstate bridge is in no way “shovel ready”.

97 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:42:27pm

I have 5% battery left on my iPad so I will leave you with some good news before I lose power.

98 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:42:58pm

re: #94 Dark_Falcon

[Embedded content]

Bwahahahahaha!

99 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:44:21pm

re: #92 erik_t

Shovel-Ready Projects aren’t retroactive.

Though this one is now.

100 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:46:21pm

We need some more of these long-lasting bridges:

Pont du Gard
Construction end 40-60 AD
Construction cost 30 million sestertius

101 goddamnedfrank  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:46:29pm

re: #88 NJDhockeyfan

If they do put portable bridge up a new one can be built right beside it without disturbing the other bridge.

It won’t work. I looked it up and the M104 Wolverine can span a gap of 85 ft, which is about half the length of the largest span in the failed bridge. I don’t know which span failed in terms of length, but it’s unlikely a temp fix is going to happen. Anyway you’ve got to get any temp roadway out of the way to install a truss and suspend a new roadway from it. Also that section of I-5 is running through a fairly built up town with infrastructure, it isn’t feasible to imminent domain that much valuable property and re-route the interstate over a couple hundred feet laterally for a half mile or so in each direction, which would be necessary to ensure safe travel at freeway speeds.

102 erik_t  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:48:37pm

re: #101 goddamnedfrank

In any case, there’s a city bridge not a hundred yards away. As with Minneapolis, we get off easy. I hope it’s not making us complacent.

103 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:48:47pm

re: #100 jaunte

We need some more of these long-lasting bridges:

Pont du Gard
Construction end 40-60 AD
Construction cost 30 million sestertius

Well, that one was built by slave labor, so I’m sure Robert Stacy McCain would like to replicate its construction using similar labor.

/I wish I was kidding.

104 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:49:10pm

re: #101 goddamnedfrank

It won’t work. I looked it up and the M104 Wolverine can span a gap of 85 ft, which is about half the length of the largest span in the failed bridge. I don’t know which span failed in terms of length, but it’s unlikely a temp fix is going to happen. Anyway you’ve got to get any temp roadway out of the way to install a truss and suspend and new roadway from it. Also that section of I-5 is running through a fairly built up town with infrastructure, it isn’t feasible to imminent domain that much valuable property and re-route the interstate over a couple hundred feet laterally for a half mile or so in each direction, which would be necessary to ensure safe travel at freeway speeds.

If the traffic is going to be as severe are you guys are saying some smart engineers will find a way to make it happen.

105 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:49:54pm

I think this falls under “Whoops.

106 jaunte  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:50:02pm

re: #103 Dark_Falcon

I’m trying to convert sestercii to dollars…

107 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:50:08pm

re: #97 NJDhockeyfan

I have 5% battery left on my iPad so I will leave you with some good news before I lose power.

Which is great, but which means public outrage will be muted and the odds that real money will be spent replacing the span as opposed to just patching it up are not favorable.

108 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:51:23pm

re: #107 Targetpractice

Which is great, but which means public outrage will be muted and the odds that real money will be spent replacing the span as opposed to just patching it up are not favorable.

Still better than reading epitaphs, though.

109 bratwurst  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:51:26pm

Now that we know everyone is safe, let’s REALLY get the wisecracks about “shovel ready jobs” going…as if the entire crumbling infrastructure could be fixed in a couple of years with the most obstructionist Congress in history. Get ready for a LOT more of these situations.

110 Amory Blaine  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:53:06pm

re: #101 goddamnedfrank


If it was a member damaged from a truck, the other sections may be ok as they aren’t all connected. I agree that the whole superstructure is suspect as well. But maybe a roller to roller replacement will do.

111 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:53:28pm
112 erik_t  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:54:28pm

re: #111 NJDhockeyfan

So, NJDhockeyfan. You followed this situation closer than anyone else. Why was a shovel-ready project not in place for this collision between an oversize-load trailer and the bridge?

Downstairs, you were clearly aware of this.

113 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:55:23pm

re: #108 Dark_Falcon

Still better than reading epitaphs, though.

Agreed, but my worry at this point is that politicians will feel they got off light and not feel as pressured to take real action, leading them to take the least expensive route and almost assure that a far worse incident will happen in the future.

114 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:57:12pm

Preventive maintenance.

115 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 9:59:21pm

re: #112 erik_t

So, NJDhockeyfan. You followed this situation closer than anyone else. Why was a shovel-ready project not in place for this collision between an oversize-load trailer and the bridge?

Downstairs, you were clearly aware of thsi.

Not to worry, these guys are already prepared to start the shovel-ready project!

Image: image.jpg

116 goddamnedfrank  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:00:16pm

re: #102 erik_t

In any case, there’s a city bridge not a hundred yards away. As with Minneapolis, we get off easy. I hope it’s not making us complacent.

Yeah, there’s a lot of vulnerable infrastructure in the NW. There are two vital points in Seattle that if ever targeted by terrorists / anarchists could shut down most traffic flow through the city for months.

117 Targetpractice  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:04:46pm

re: #115 NJDhockeyfan

Not to worry, these guys are already prepared to start the shovel-ready project!

Image: image.jpg

Another fine mess you’ve gotten us into!

//

118 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:05:15pm
119 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:07:45pm

Later folks. I am going to bed and gonna count sheep shovel-ready jobs.

Cheers!

120 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:12:43pm

re: #116 goddamnedfrank

Yeah, there’s a lot of vulnerable infrastructure in the NW. There are two vital points in Seattle that if ever targeted by terrorists / anarchists could shut down most traffic flow through the city for months.

And if those same vital points were neglected to the point of ruin by dipshits, rather than being deliberately destroyed by terrorists, it would almost certainly take much more time and effort to get any recovery effort going.

121 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:17:11pm

Corporate cubicle America.

122 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:19:43pm

Watching another robotic Ted Talks.

123 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:22:25pm

re: #122 Gus

Talks at Google —

Daniel Dennett: Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking

124 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:25:35pm

re: #123 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

Talks at Google —

Daniel Dennett: Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking

[Embedded content]

Cool. At least he’s not wearing that headset like that country singer like all the Ted Talks clones do.

125 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:26:33pm

But this book!

126 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:26:43pm

Buy this software!

127 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:32:14pm

So yeah, finally went out and drove to where I needed to go. Noticed that the gasoline prices are all fucked up again. 4 bucks? Seriously? I know. I know. Bet that makes some people happy. The rest of the retards on the road were on their iPhone either babbling about bullshit or texting.

129 freetoken  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:35:59pm

re: #127 Gus

Bet that makes some people happy.

Including the stockholders of XOM, whose stock shares are in many people’s retirement programs.

130 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:37:30pm

re: #129 freetoken

Including the stockholders of XOM, whose stock shares are in many people’s retirement programs.

This come after they reported record low gas prices. Whatever. The landscape sucked as usual. I don’t give a crap really.

131 freetoken  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:37:41pm

America, 2013:

Ohio school board considers creationism curriculum

A civil rights group is asking a southwest Ohio school district to abandon proposed policies that teach creationism in the classroom.

The Springboro School Board is considering whether to include creationism in its curriculum and is slated to discuss the issue at a meeting Thursday night.

The board previously weighed the matter in 2011 but abandoned the idea amid public pressure.


[…]

Year after year, after year, ….

132 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:38:34pm

Shorter version. The Denver Metro area is really ugly. Same as it ever was.

133 freetoken  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:42:35pm

re: #132 Gus

Which is ironic, given that the state as a whole is sort of pretty. Well, the eastern third can be kind of dull. The drive east from Sterling all the way to North Platte is about as boring as any place can be… but I always found the southern, central, and western parts of CO to be rather lovely.

134 ProTARDISLiberal  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:43:03pm

Thinking about gettin’ a Something Awful Account tomorrow.

Also, have to go through Wardrobe, and throw out old and tattered stuff.

135 Amory Blaine  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:47:08pm

IDK those jersey barriers look like weak sauce to stopping an oversized load from hitting important parts of the bridge.

136 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:48:38pm

re: #133 freetoken

Which is ironic, given that the state as a whole is sort of pretty. Well, the eastern third can be kind of dull. The drive east from Sterling all the way to North Platte is about as boring as any place can be… but I always found the southern, central, and western parts of CO to be rather lovely.

The best parts are outside the ski areas.

137 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:53:58pm
138 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:55:16pm
139 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:57:49pm

Generation Y kids are retarded.

140 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 10:59:05pm

Millennial idiots.

141 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:00:39pm

I noticed something. A lot of people that talk about “science” have no clue about science. Science has almost become a meme.

142 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:02:33pm

Yep.

143 Gus  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:02:52pm

Anywho. The answer is to increase taxes.

144 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:06:35pm

re: #141 Gus

I noticed something. A lot of people that talk about “science” have no clue about science. Science has almost become a meme.

just try to get them to explain the difference between a hypothesis and a scientific theory.

I have a personal theory they won’t be able to…

And they will probably think that “peer review” means gossiping about other kids in the school cafeteria.

145 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:19:32pm

re: #137 Gus

No, stupid is:
youtube.com

146 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:27:09pm

re: #138 Gus

I was amused by the guy complaining about how hard it is to watch a baby laughing while trying not to laugh or smile himself… he said “I’m in hell!”

147 freetoken  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:46:13pm

re: #145 stabby

No, stupid is:
youtube.com

And the stupidest of the stupid is that 10 hour “Nyan cat” video has 23,865,985 views.

That’s twenty three million, eight hundred sixty five thousand, nine hundred eighty five views, as of a couple of minutes ago.

Here, let’s add a few more:

Go ahead, watch all 10 hours - I dare you.

148 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:53:08pm

re: #147 freetoken

This was a different nyan originally years BEFORE nyan cat.
10 hours of this one… 1 million views.

149 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:54:59pm

I always assumed that these were put together for enhanced interrogation purposes…

150 stabby  Thu, May 23, 2013 11:58:43pm

re: #149 Sol Berdinowitz

We have vays of making you talk (4 million views)

151 stabby  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:01:35am

^^^ Only 4 minutes by the way and worth it. I just watched the whole thing.

152 stabby  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:02:58am

Ha ha, this was a related video:

“Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ( Full Album Remastered 2009)”
1 million views.

153 stabby  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:12:19am

You’ll never forgive me for this

154 stabby  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:12:49am

1.5 mill views by the way^

155 stabby  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:17:50am

O.o

I can’t stop watching her mouth.

156 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:22:01am

re: #155 stabby

O.o

[Embedded content]

I can’t stop watching her mouth.

That woman can outscream any electric guitar…

157 StephenMeansMe  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:31:24am

Pretty surreal seeing all this coverage about something just down the road from me. Also considering I’ve driven over that bridge many times and it never seemed particularly rickety. I’ll be interested to hear the post mortem.

EDIT: But then again, apparently it’s been considered “functionally obsolete” for over a decade. Which is worse than “rickety.”

158 Amory Blaine  Fri, May 24, 2013 12:38:56am

Loss Of Timber Payments Cuts Deep In Oregon

Today in Oregon, voters are deciding whether to raise their own taxes to make up for lost timber payments from the federal government. Hundreds of counties in Western states are facing a financial crisis due to the loss of timber payments. Property taxes usually pay for county services such as law enforcement. But counties in states from Colorado to California have vast national forests and can’t collect taxes on that land. So Congress created timber payments to compensate them. Now the bill authorizing those payments has expired. Oregon received the largest payments, and more than half its counties face a budget and safety crisis now. Amelia Templeton of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that in Josephine County, the sheriff has laid of 80 percent of his deputies and no longer arrests people.

159 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 1:08:02am

re: #158 Amory Blaine

Loss Of Timber Payments Cuts Deep In Oregon

Amelia Templeton of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that in Josephine County, the sheriff has laid of 80 percent of his deputies and no longer arrests people.

Good Guys with Guns will maintain Law & Order…

160 freetoken  Fri, May 24, 2013 1:43:37am

Some Sibelius:

161 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 1:56:32am

Thanks. Will be flying back to Finland next month to play a gig in Tampere…

162 Spocomptonite  Fri, May 24, 2013 2:06:43am

re: #16 Gus

That’s not corrosion, that’s primer. We use that same color of paint/primer on our welded steel for irrigation applications. Where you see the primer, is where the beam underwent deforming stress and flaked all the paint off. It’s going to make it very easy for investigators.

Also, my state continues to amaze me in its ability to dodge casualties in times of disaster. This bridge collapse had the same number of fatalities as the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake did.

163 freetoken  Fri, May 24, 2013 2:35:05am

Saint-Saens wrote several pieces for voice, many of which are not heard often, at least in this country.

Here is the opening of his “Psalm 118”:

164 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 3:21:54am

re: #162 Spocomptonite

The Sherman Minton (I-64) bridge in Louisville was also worrisome, but it at least had repairs done to it. It’s a bit newer than the one in Washington, dating from 1962.

165 Romantic Heretic  Fri, May 24, 2013 3:36:31am

re: #72 HappyWarrior

Shrug, if it were up to me, I’d legalize all drugs. It’s an honestly radical position but I have for a long time been bewildered by a standard that allows not merely for the legalization of alcohol and tobacco but also their mass commercialization while at the same time makes users of things such as marijuana illegal. If heroin were to be legalized tomorrow, I wouldn’t use it. Probably wouldn’t rush to use ecstasy either but I do believe in that freedom of choice.

Plus, horrors, those drugs could be regulated for purity, toxins, labelling etc.

No fucking way! Gubmint ain’t good fer nuthin’

166 Flounder  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:27:20am

Re#16

That is not corrosion, that is either “red lead”
or primer color.

167 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:37:17am

We’re driving to Toronto today, taking the Port Huron/Sarnia border crossing because fuck Matty Moroun.

168 Flounder  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:47:30am

Grass growing on the pier cap is definately a sign of no maintenance.
timesunion.com

169 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:50:55am

Mothman Prophecies.

170 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:50:58am

We cannot escape this simplistic argument that the government is a “taker” because it takes money away from “job creators”, and that people who work for the government are “takers” because they are not working and generating a net profit for someone.

171 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:52:35am

re: #170 Sol Berdinowitz

We cannot escape this simplistic argument that the government is a “taker” because it takes money away from “job creators”, and that people who work for the government are “takers” because they are not working and generating a net profit for someone.

A wingnut who Tweeted this retarded talking point had a total meltdown after I pointed out that the “takers” included the military, police, firefighters and paramedic responders. YOUR A LIBRUL!!! U R SO BLOCKED!!!1!!

172 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 4:58:00am

re: #171 Vicious Babushka

A wingnut who Tweeted this retarded talking point had a total meltdown after I pointed out that the “takers” included the military, police, firefighters and paramedic responders. YOUR A LIBRUL!!! U R SO BLOCKED!!!1!!

It shows how much Any Rand and Grover Norquist have eaten away at our view of the relationship between government and society.

173 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:06:38am

Tacome Narrows Bridge oscillates itself to death (I remember watching this years ago in a Physics class)

174 Stephen T.  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:08:00am

re: #171 Vicious Babushka

The Objectivists I know agree with the idea that the military, police, etc. are “takers”, they seriously believe that it should be up to themselves, alone, to protect their own homes from criminals, fire and foreign invasion. I’ve heard them refer to those in the military as “welfare recipients.”

No, I don’t talk to them anymore.

(edit for spelling error)

175 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:10:51am

re: #174 Stephen T.

The Objectivists I know agree with the idea that the military, police, etc. are “takers”, the seriously believe that it should be up to themselves, alone, to protect their own homes from criminals, fire and foreign invasion. I’ve heard them refer to those in the military as “welfare recipients.”

No, I don’t talk to them anymore.

That is so retarded. These people are sick fucks.

176 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:12:37am

If we hatched out of pods as fully-formed adults, ready to be implanted with a basic education (and spelling) chip and sent out into the world to realize our potential on the competitive marketplace, I could accept a lot of Objectivist ideas.

But we are dependent on each other, we spend the first (and most of us the last) years of our life totally dependent on others. I want a society that reflects that interdependence.

177 Targetpractice  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:12:41am

re: #173 Vicious Babushka

Tacome Narrows Bridge oscillates itself to death (I remember watching this years ago in a Physics class)

[Embedded content]

Ah yes, “Galloping Girdy,” the example to this day of how not to design a suspension bridge.

178 Eventual Carrion  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:13:27am

re: #4 Targetpractice

Where was private industry to repair and strengthen this bridge?

They make money using it to transport their goods. They shouldn’t be expected to pay taxes to upkeep the damn thing. “Taxes are for little people!”

179 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:14:07am

re: #177 Targetpractice

Ah yes, “Galloping Girdy,” the example to this day of how not to design a suspension bridge.

It was not limited to suspension bridges, during the Civil War, soldiers were ordered not to march in step across pontoon bridges to keep them from oscillating and collapsing.

180 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:20:11am

re: #179 Sol Berdinowitz

It was not limited to suspension bridges, during the Civil War, soldiers were ordered not to march in step across pontoon bridges to keep them from oscillating and collapsing.

I think this was a result of a bridge collapsing during the Napoleonic wars.

181 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:38:37am

Morning Lizardim from the wild north country. I am relieved to see that, at least at this time, no serious injury or loss of life occurred from this bridge collapse. It appears that, from reading the articles, the bridge actually could’ve been struck by an oversize load attempting to cross the bridge, which may have led to the failure. At any rate, you can be sure that as the sun dawns on this beautiful but cold late spring day, the politicians will be politicking about this whole hullaballoo. Sigh. How go things out there in lizard land?

182 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 5:52:24am

re: #177 Targetpractice

Actually, several bridges built in the same time period were designed in the same way - very light and narrow. They include the Bronx Whitestone Bridge in NYC. After the Tacoma Narrows ripped itself apart in a mild sustained wind, the TBTA (aka Robert Moses fiefdom) ordered strenthening of the span and added steel trusses to make the spans resist the torsion.

In recent years, the TBTA has gone back and removed those trusses and strengthened the spans in less obvious manner while reducing weight to the structure as part of overhauls.

183 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:00:14am

The Ambassador Bridge urgently needs maintenance but the Bridge Troll doesn’t want to spend the money on repairs and upgrades, he just wants to collect the tolls and pocket the profit from jacked-up prices at his Duty Free store.

184 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:10:13am

Mornin’ everyone. Sucks about the bridge in WA, but the good news is that most of that bridge is still perfectly good…though that last section is kind of important.

185 abolitionist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:13:14am

re: #179 Sol Berdinowitz

It was not limited to suspension bridges, during the Civil War, soldiers were ordered not to march in step across pontoon bridges to keep them from oscillating and collapsing.

re: #180 Vicious Babushka

I think this was a result of a bridge collapsing during the Napoleonic wars.

Some people get renaissance confused with resonance. Some people who should know better get acts of terrorism confused with curiosity.

No Charges for Teen After Explosion at Fla. School

New details about the “school explosion”—

The teen was arrested April 22 and faced possible felony charges after school administrators reported she combined toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil in a bottle, and the resulting gas blew the cap off the plastic bottle, according to the police report. The explosion happened outside, before school started, and no one was injured.

Gas blew the cap off the plastic bottle. That happens. I did the same experiment decades ago, in a open area, altho not on school property. One quickly learns to leave the cap off. Learning how to deal with institutionalized zero-tolerance idiocy is much harder, but there are some signs of sanity on that front.

Cleared of Charges of Setting Off a School Explosion, Florida Honor Student Heads to Space Camp

Regrettably, this same headline perpetuates the utterly assinine “School Explosion” bullshit.

186 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:14:11am

re: #185 abolitionist

I did the same thing in order to clean my sink once. Not explosively, just combining them together. It was really stupid, but damn did it get that sink clean.

187 abolitionist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:16:09am

re: #186 Bert’s House of Beef and Obdicuts

You really need to follow up with plenty of water.

188 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:17:47am

re: #185 abolitionist

Gas blew the cap off the plastic bottle. That happens. I did the same experiment decades ago, in a open area, altho not on school property. One quickly learns to leave the cap off. Learning how to deal with institutionalized zero-tolerance idiocy is much harder, but there are some signs of sanity on that front.

Cleared of Charges of Setting Off a School Explosion, Florida Honor Student Heads to Space Camp

Regrettably, this same headline perpetuates the utterly assinine “School Explosion” bullshit.

This is known as a “Drano bomb” and is a popular amateur explosive device for pyromaniacs. Without more detailed knowledge, it’s a perfectly reasonable working hypothesis that this is what was intended. However, we have more detailed knowledge now, and it’s stupid to keep propagating the myth.

189 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:18:26am

Infrastructure and public safety once again come to the forefront with the collapse of the I5 Bridge in WA. It’s looking like investigators are focusing on a truck that passed through the area shortly before the accident and whether it struck the overhead supports, knocking the span out of alignment. That would take quite a bit of force, unless other issues were at play (including corrosion and a lack of redundancy in structural support).

Time will tell what happened, but thankfully no one was killed in this collapse.

It’s a reminder that we are spending far too little on maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure.

And it’s not just public use structures - it’s states that refuse to mandate building storm shelters that can and do save lives.

Much more here.

190 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:21:06am

re: #180 Vicious Babushka

Mythbusters took on the soldiers crossing bridge causing collapse myth.

191 abolitionist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:22:14am
192 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:22:44am

re: #189 lawhawk

Whether or not this bridge collapse was caused by infrastructure neglect, we have a lot of old and busted infrastructure, and a lot more rapidly deteriorating.

193 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:23:11am

re: #192 Bert’s House of Beef and Obdicuts

Whether or not this bridge collapse was caused by infrastructure neglect, we have a lot of old and busted infrastructure, and a lot more rapidly deteriorating.

That is not in dispute. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

194 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:24:28am

That bridge is the same age as my dad…

195 Political Atheist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:24:54am

re: #192 Bert’s House of Beef and Obdicuts

The old bridges will be far more vulnerable to accidents like the truck that took out a support just before the bridge crashed down.

I-5 bridge collapsed after oversize truck hit span

196 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:26:21am

re: #190 lawhawk

Mythbusters took on the soldiers crossing bridge causing collapse myth.

Some other incidents of bridge collapse.

197 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:30:14am

Another underwear bomber?

198 Political Atheist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:30:21am

Back to the speech yesterday, Sen Feinstein and now Adam Schiff are working legislation to revoke the AUMF. Page Poll-Is it time?

199 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:33:03am

re: #197 Vicious Babushka

UK fighters were scrambled when a jet from Pakistan initiated a distress call.

A passenger jet from Pakistan bound for Manchester, England has been intercepted by two Typhoon fighter jets from Britain’s Royal Air Force after it sent an emergency radar signal to air traffic controllers, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said.

Defence officials said fighter jets had been scrambled but the reason for the emergency signal was not immediately known.

The U.K.’s Sky News reported that Pakistan International Airlines jet was being escorted because of a security concern, but the nature or severity of the incident was not clear.

200 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:33:04am

re: #198 Political Atheist

Back to the speech yesterday, Sen Feinstein and now Adama Schiff are working legislation to revoke the AUMF. Page Poll-Is it time?

Yes.

201 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:34:28am
202 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:36:10am

re: #199 lawhawk

and

news.sky.com

Sky correspondent Alastair Bunkall said: “It is potentially precautionary, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is a direct or real treat. Sometimes this might happen simply because of an incident on board involving a single passenger.

“It would be wrong at the moment to draw any conclusions but an incident nonetheless that the military feel is necessary to carry out this operation to make sure that plane lands safely at Stansted Airport.”

203 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:37:10am
204 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:38:06am

re: #193 thedopefishlives

That is not in dispute. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

Spending money on infrastructure creates jobs…good jobs…not minimum wage jobs. And good jobs tend to have a positive impact on the economy rather quickly, as people with good jobs actually have the money to buy durable goods (refrigerators, washing machines) as well as cars. This, in turn, causes the private industries that make said products hire more people to increase production in order to meet higher demand…hence more good jobs…and more people buying decent shit…you can already see the problem, right? But wait, it is even worse than that. It’s not just that fast food joints will have to go back to hiring teens because all their 28-40 year old employees have found jobs that actually support their families, when all these people start living their lives and not just struggling paycheck to paycheck, they start to like the way things are…and that includes the President. And Congress will not allow people to like the president.

205 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:39:25am

re: #203 Varek Raith

This dinosaur ate like a falcon, study says

I ate, like, a falcon once…or was it a Bald Eagle? It all tastes like Whooping Crane to me.

206 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:40:30am

re: #205 darthstar

I ate, like, a falcon once…or was it a Bald Eagle? It all tastes like Whooping Crane to me.

I have heard Spotted Owl has a strong gamy taste, is that true?

207 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:42:24am

re: #206 Vicious Babushka

I have heard Spotted Owl has a strong gamy taste, is that true?

Only if you eat the spot

208 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:44:13am

re: #194 Varek Raith

That bridge is the same age as my dad…

You kids get off mah lawn!

209 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:44:21am

Gohmert…you fucking retard.

thinkprogress.org

210 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:45:01am

Need. Car. Battery. I iz qoin’ tah Walmart to get mine. :D

211 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:45:45am

re: #210 Gus

Need. Car. Battery. I iz qoin’ tah Walmart to get mine. :D

Isn’t there a Kragan or Napa auto parts store you can go to? Fuck WalMart.

212 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:46:37am

re: #211 darthstar

Isn’t there a Kragan or Napa auto parts store you can go to? Fuck WalMart.

Or Costco…they sell batteries and they don’t treat their employees like shit.

213 Lidane  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:47:21am

In your Friday morning ZOMG BENGHAZI fail, one of my high school friends on FB is derping today:

Why was Chris Stevens in Benghazi in the first place? To buy back Stinger missiles sold to AL QAEDA by HILLARY CLINTON. No shit.

*sigh*

214 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:47:50am

re: #211 darthstar

Isn’t there a Kragan or Napa auto parts store you can go to? Fuck WalMart.

Pep Boys is the next best price. Walmart wins in the price department. I iz goin’ to Walmart. Unless of course you want to buy it for me. I can give you my shipping info. ;)

215 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:48:02am

re: #210 Gus

Need. Car. Battery. I iz qoin’ tah Walmart to get mine. :D

Take your ‘old” one to an Auto Zone (or similar) auto parts store. They’ll test it for free AND if still good they’ll charge it for free

They also tend to have better batteries for about the same price as Wal Mart AND they’ll install it for free

216 Political Atheist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:49:33am

Walmart? Just yesterday the wife called in response to an ad. Celebrex discounted. $3.00 a pill. She calls it in, Goes to pick up-Instant sticker shock. $6 bucks each no better than anywhere else. Bait and switch.

217 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:50:47am

re: #210 Gus

Need. Car. Battery. I iz qoin’ tah Walmart to get mine. :D

Can’t you just wind up your car???

218 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:52:22am

re: #217 Varek Raith

Can’t you just wind up your car???

:P

219 abolitionist  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:52:43am

re: #217 Varek Raith

Can’t you just wind up your car???

Wind energy is green, I hear. Like money.

220 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:54:46am

re: #215 sattv4u2

Take your ‘old” one to an Auto Zone (or similar) auto parts store. They’ll test it for free AND if still good they’ll charge it for free

They also tend to have better batteries for about the same price as Wal Mart AND they’ll install it for free

Autozone wants 150. Walmart wants 109. I’m going to Walmart and I know what I’m doing.

221 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:58:48am

re: #220 Gus

Autozone wants 150. Walmart wants 109. I’m going to Walmart and I know what I’m doing.

222 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 6:59:30am

re: #214 Gus

Pep Boys is the next best price. Walmart wins in the price department. I iz goin’ to Walmart. Unless of course you want to buy it for me. I can give you my shipping info. ;)

Zedushka worked at Pep Boys back in the last century. He recalled a customer who came in to buy a battery and asked him to install it in her car. When he brought out the battery she said “I want a blue one!” He said “lady they don’t come in different colors!” She said “But the battery I’m replacing is a blue one.” He said “I’ll spray paint it blue if that’s what you want.” She said “No! I want a blue one to match my car just like the original!”

Face-Palm.

223 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:05:16am

re: #222 Vicious Babushka

Zedushka worked at Pep Boys back in the last century. He recalled a customer who came in to buy a battery and asked him to install it in her car. When he brought out the battery she said “I want a blue one!” He said “lady they don’t come in different colors!” She said “But the battery I’m replacing is a blue one.” He said “I’ll spray paint it blue if that’s what you want.” She said “No! I want a blue one to match my car just like the original!”

Face-Palm.

I got a Pep Boys card the last time I went there for a, battery. I think this might be my fifth battery. I had to get a jump start from the dealer, John Elway Ford, the 1st week I owned the damn thing. I had to yell at them on the phone to get someone out here (or there as it were). This car eats batteries when it sits around. Can’t complain since that’s about the worst of it and never had any major mechanical breakdowns. Well, other than popping out of 2nd gear which is my fault for driving it like a race car when I first owned it.

224 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:06:51am

re: #223 Gus

What’s the model of car?

225 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:07:33am

re: #224 Varek Raith

What’s the model of car?

Gran Tourismo Ignatz

226 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:16:21am

re: #225 Gus

Gran Tourismo Ignatz

:D

227 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:16:22am

re: #223 Gus

I think this might be my fifth battery. I had to get a jump start from the dealer, John Elway Ford, the 1st week I owned the damn thing
.
This car eats batteries when it sits around.

Have you ever had the electrical system checked out? Something is draining the battery, something that shouldn’t. One of our cars sits around for months at a time. Starts right up no matter how long

228 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:17:23am

re: #223 Gus

I got a Pep Boys card the last time I went there for a, battery. I think this might be my fifth battery. I had to get a jump start from the dealer, John Elway Ford, the 1st week I owned the damn thing. I had to yell at them on the phone to get someone out here (or there as it were). This car eats batteries when it sits around. Can’t complain since that’s about the worst of it and never had any major mechanical breakdowns. Well, other than popping out of 2nd gear which is my fault for driving it like a race car when I first owned it.

You need to get that thing checked for a parasitic drain. A normal car should be able to sit for months on end (provided it’s not bitter cold winter months) without needing jumped or charged.

229 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:18:11am

UPDATE ON THE PLANE FROM PAKISTAN TO LONDON

news.yahoo.com

British police arrested two men on a Pakistan International Airlines flight on Friday on suspicion of “endangerment of an aircraft” after it was escorted to a different airport by fighter jets.

230 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:18:13am

Hmm. Maybe I’ll go to Pep Boys. Might be able to get a free battery.

Image: BOSCH-BATTERY-47-600B.jpg

If that’s the last one I bought. But mah receipt is dated 4/13/2010 which means I might have missed it by a month. Gal-darn-it.

231 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:18:57am

re: #227 sattv4u2


I think this might be my fifth battery. I had to get a jump start from the dealer, John Elway Ford, the 1st week I owned the damn thing
.
This car eats batteries when it sits around.

Have you ever had the electrical system checked out? Something is draining the battery, something that shouldn’t. One of our cars sits around for months at a time. Starts right up no matter how long

re: #228 thedopefishlives

You need to get that thing checked for a parasitic drain. A normal car should be able to sit for months on end (provided it’s not bitter cold winter months) without needing jumped or charged.

It’s a known problem with GTIs. I could get it checked but I’m a hobo.

232 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:19:52am

re: #231 Gus

It’s a known problem with GTIs. I could get it checked but I’m a hobo.

That’s what you get for buying one of them danged furriner cars.

233 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:20:27am

re: #222 Vicious Babushka

Zedushka worked at Pep Boys back in the last century. He recalled a customer who came in to buy a battery and asked him to install it in her car. When he brought out the battery she said “I want a blue one!” He said “lady they don’t come in different colors!” She said “But the battery I’m replacing is a blue one.” He said “I’ll spray paint it blue if that’s what you want.” She said “No! I want a blue one to match my car just like the original!”

Face-Palm.

#Winning

234 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:20:32am

re: #232 thedopefishlives

Kickass! furriner cars to be precise. ;)

235 iossarian  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:20:52am

re: #216 Political Atheist

Walmart? Just yesterday the wife called in response to an ad. Celebrex discounted. $3.00 a pill. She calls it in, Goes to pick up-Instant sticker shock. $6 bucks each no better than anywhere else. Bait and switch.

I am shocked, shocked etc.

236 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:21:08am

re: #228 thedopefishlives

I wish I had said something similar to that!!

///

237 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:22:49am

re: #234 Varek Raith

Kickass! furriner cars to be precise. ;)

I won’t disagree. Foreign cars are big up here in the wild north country - lotta rich people, lotta German people, means a lot of BMW/Mercedes/Audi. I would’ve gone with a VW, but my first car-buying experience was with a rather less than professional saleswoman who apparently got annoyed with me when I decided not to buy the TDI I had originally had my eyes on.

238 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:24:00am

re: #213 Lidane

In your Friday morning ZOMG BENGHAZI fail, one of my high school friends on FB is derping today:

*sigh*

Man, that’s awesomesauce.

I couldn’t bare some of the Derp on my old HS friends’ feeds. had to cut some of em loose.

239 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:25:18am

re: #225 Gus

Gran Tourismo Ignatz

My very first car, or tank as it were, was a white Gran Tourino. Got about 8 gallons of gas per mile. Sure was fun to drive though

240 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:25:27am

This is funny. Funny in that it was made because people are disconnecting their batteries because of the same problems I experience from time to time.

241 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:27:08am

re: #239 Bulworth

My very first car, or tank as it were, was a white Gran Tourino. Got about 8 gallons of gas per mile. Sure was fun to drive though

My first car was a ‘91 Chevy truck. I thought that 350 V8 was the hot stuff. Didn’t have a darn clue about racing engines or transmission gear ratios.

242 sattv4u2  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:27:14am

And on that note, the long quiet drive to work beckons

(sure hope my car starts!!)

243 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:27:21am

re: #239 Bulworth

My very first car, or tank as it were, was a white Gran Tourino. Got about 8 gallons of gas per mile. Sure was fun to drive though

My mom had one of those. 351 engine. Think we used it for trailer camping one summer.

244 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:28:41am

Please somebody start a “Gay Bryan Fischer” parody account. I would so totally follow that. It would be fabulous!

245 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:29:13am

re: #244 Vicious Babushka

Please somebody start a “Gay Bryan Fischer” parody account. I would so totally follow that. It would be fabulous!

Jesus to Bryan Fischer: Love your neighbor as yourself.

246 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:29:33am
247 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:30:35am

re: #244 Vicious Babushka

Please somebody start a “Gay Bryan Fischer” parody account. I would so totally follow that. It would be fabulous!

Oh, I see. Now these idiots are speaking for Jesus?

248 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:31:10am

re: #247 Gus

Oh, I see. Now these idiots are speaking for Jesus?

See downstairs thread.

249 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:31:25am
250 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:31:42am

re: #247 Gus

Oh, I see. Now these idiots are speaking for Jesus?

They may claim to speak for Jesus, but they sure don’t speak for me.

251 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:32:15am

By the way, Alouette, perhaps tweet this picture at him: Ironic.

252 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:32:24am

re: #248 Vicious Babushka

How far downstairs?

(it’s a long way down to Hell)


…if there is a Hell, I’ll see you there /Trent Reznor

253 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:33:49am

re: #249 Varek Raith

Sexy.

My mom’s Parkway rocket. Get out of here way or she’ll flip you the bird at 90 MPH going to work. :D Those were the days.

254 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:34:07am

Washington State Police have confirmed that the span collapsed as a result of an oversized truck hitting the span.

A truck hauling a too-tall load hit an overhead girder of a bridge on the major thoroughfare between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below, though all three occupants suffered only minor injuries.

It happened about 7 p.m. Thursday on the north part of the four-lane Interstate 5 bridge near Mount Vernon, about 60 miles north of Seattle, and disrupted travel in both directions.

Initially, it wasn’t clear if the bridge just gave way on its own. But at an overnight news conference, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste blamed it on a tractor-trailer carrying an oversize load that hit an upper part of the span. The vertical clearance from the roadway to the beam is 14.6 feet.

“For reasons unknown at this point in time, the semi struck the overhead of the bridge causing the collapse,” Batiste said.

The truck made it off the bridge and the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Authorities have not yet said what the truck was carrying.

255 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:35:14am

My favoritist car.
en.wikipedia.org

256 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:36:16am

re: #254 lawhawk

Washington State Police have confirmed that the span collapsed as a result of an oversized truck hitting the span.

257 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:37:51am

re: #256 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

I couldn’t resist.

“For reasons unknown at this point in time, the semi struck the overhead of the bridge causing the collapse,” Batiste said.

It was too tall!
;)

258 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:37:57am

re: #244 Vicious Babushka

Verse doesn’t say anything about gays or boy scouts. But other than that….

259 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:37:58am

re: #255 Varek Raith

I hear ya. I test drove one once and fell in love with it, but it wasn’t very practical for a family guy with three kids. {Sob}

260 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:38:16am

re: #255 Varek Raith

My favoritist car.
en.wikipedia.org

I had one of those, an ‘87. It belonged to a friend of my mom’s who got Alzheimer’s and his wife didn’t want him to drive any more. So they signed it over to me.

I hated it. I spun out and crashed in a snowstorm.

261 Stanghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:38:38am

re: #255 Varek Raith

My favoritist car.
en.wikipedia.org

My mom bought my brother that car. I was pissed cause all I got was a Corolla with payments.

My brother was spoiled.

262 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:39:22am

And a Mazda goes hummmmmmmmmmmm.

263 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:39:30am

re: #260 Vicious Babushka

I had one of those, an ‘87. It belonged to a friend of my mom’s who got Alzheimer’s and his wife didn’t want him to drive any more. So they signed it over to me.

I hated it. I spun out and crashed in a snowstorm.

Yeah, not a practical car for practical driving.

264 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:39:36am

I did not spin out and crash on purpose just because I hated that car. I mean who would do something like that. But the traction just sucked.

265 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:40:12am

The Spirit of ‘76!

266 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:40:56am

Convoy!

267 iossarian  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:41:00am

re: #255 Varek Raith

My favoritist car.
en.wikipedia.org

Wankel Rotary Engine

268 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:41:08am

re: #261 Stanghazi

My mom bought my brother that car. I was pissed cause all I got was a Corolla with payments.

My brother was spoiled.

At my high school, kids were divided into two camps: The ones who got brand new Mustangs for their 16th birthdays, and the kids who got their dad’s hand-me-down farm truck on their 16th birthdays. On the whole, I counted myself lucky - our truck was awesome, and I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Ford.

269 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:41:31am

re: #255 Varek Raith

My favoritist car.
en.wikipedia.org

With a CB radio in it?

270 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:41:40am

re: #268 thedopefishlives

I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Ford.

You suck.

271 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:43:04am

re: #270 Vicious Babushka

You suck.

Sorry, General Motors runs in the family. Which brings us into interesting friction with another side of the family who work at Chrysler.

272 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:43:06am
273 abolitionist  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:43:29am

re: #256 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

There’s a damn speed bump just about 8 feet before the overpass. What were they thinking?

274 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:44:15am

re: #271 thedopefishlives

Sorry, General Motors runs in the family. Which brings us into interesting friction with another side of the family who work at Chrysler.

I worked at GM for a while. Bought only GM products from 1990-2011.

275 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:44:37am

re: #254 lawhawk

Washington State Police have confirmed that the span collapsed as a result of an oversized truck hitting the span.

So no deaths?

276 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:45:04am

I got one like this for cheap because it needed a lot of work.
Died 9 years ago. Had it for 2. Fun car though.
Image: MAZDA.RX7.BLUE.jpg

277 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:45:28am

re: #274 Vicious Babushka

I worked at GM for a while. Bought only GM products from 1990-2011.

My mom and dad have been die-hard devotees of Chevrolet since my dad’s dad got his ‘72 Chevy (which is now sitting in Dad’s pole barn). They now own 3 Chevys of their own, and my newest acquisition is a ‘10 Malibu.

278 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:45:57am

re: #271 thedopefishlives

Same here. Current vehicle is Saturn Aura, which of course they don’t make any more. Have had two Camaros. Probably going Buick next time just because.

279 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:46:32am

And now I don’t drive anymore.
Odd times, no?
:)

280 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:47:24am

Took today off. Nice four day weekend. Home with the kitties.

281 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:48:46am

re: #278 Bulworth

Same here. Current vehicle is Saturn Aura, which of course they don’t make any more. Have had two Camaros. Probably going Buick next time just because.

Buick!? Time to join AARP. :D

282 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:49:31am

re: #281 Gus

I’m only a few years away from automatic, mandatory AARP membership

283 iossarian  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:50:16am

Rollin in mah buick wit’ da top down

Ladies wit’ da blue rinses dey so fine

etc.

284 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:50:20am

re: #282 Bulworth

I’m only a few years away from automatic, mandatory AARP membership

Make sure you drive slow in the fast lane.
/

286 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:51:20am

re: #281 Gus

Buick!? Time to join AARP. :D

My parents-in-law drive only Cadillacs and Lincolns. They actually sold us their last Town Car to be our second vehicle after we sold the Mrs. Fish’s sport truck. It’s going to be hard to switch away after a luxury ride like that.

287 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:51:38am

re: #284 Varek Raith

Make sure you drive slow in the fast lane.
/

We’re getting close to Colorado Springs now! //

288 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:51:41am
289 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:52:51am

re: #286 thedopefishlives

My parents-in-law drive only Cadillacs and Lincolns. They actually sold us their last Town Car to be our second vehicle after we sold the Mrs. Fish’s sport truck. It’s going to be hard to switch away after a luxury ride like that.

There’s this new Cadillac that’s pretty handsome. I forgot the model. Kind of like a large midsize.

290 Bulworth  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:53:15am

re: #284 Varek Raith

For many years I’ve been that guy tailgating everybody in the fast lane, not understanding why everyone isn’t driving 85.

Have started using the other lanes now, a little slower, keep getting those tickets in the mail from the speeding cameras.

291 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:54:17am

Damn light-activate Greyhound, spoiling my beauty sleep. What’d I miss?

292 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:54:51am

re: #289 Gus

There’s this new Cadillac that’s pretty handsome. I forgot the model. Kind of like a large midsize.

My wife is sweet on her dad’s ‘79 Lincoln Continental that’s sitting in his fence row. In good shape, just needs tires and a bit of interior work (and probably clean out the fuel system). It is a tremendous beast of a car, though.

293 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:58:00am

re: #268 thedopefishlives

At my high school, kids were divided into two camps: The ones who got brand new Mustangs for their 16th birthdays, and the kids who got their dad’s hand-me-down farm truck on their 16th birthdays. On the whole, I counted myself lucky - our truck was awesome, and I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Ford.

My grandfather was a mechanic and all he bought were Fords.

I built 3 street/strip vehicles and they were all Chevys.

294 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 7:59:18am

re: #291 GeneJockey

Damn light-activate Greyhound, spoiling my beauty sleep. What’d I miss?

Cars. It started with a battery. //

295 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:01:40am

re: #256 Vicious Babushka

[Embedded content]

We have that happening under one of our underpasses that has enough height for most trucks but the approaches on both sides are so steep that long, tall trucks get stuck.

296 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:02:09am

My dad went through a phase of getting a Ford station wagon every two years, back in the 1960s. Then he got a promotion and felt th need for a more prestigious car. He had a choice between a ‘68 Oldsmobile 98, and a ‘66 Lincoln. The Lincoln was light metallic blue, with light blue leather interior, and of course, suicide doors. I WANTED that Lincoln!!

Dad bought the Olds. He kept it for two years - two years of going over every bump twice because it was so long; two years of the interior getting hot as an oven from the black vinyl top whenever it sat in the sun; two years of having the skin on the back of my thighs vulcanize to the vinyl upholstery any hot summer day.

Then he went in a completely different direction, and traded the Olds for a Citroen DS21.

In Rural Pennsylvania.

297 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:07:12am

If I went through the list of cars I’ve owned, it would take up an entire thread.

298 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:07:13am

Joe Francis apologizes for ‘retarded’ jury remarks, plans appeal

“Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis has apologized for calling the jury that found him guilty “retarded.”

Francis, who was recently found guilty of imprisoning three women in his home, issued an apology on the heels of an interview published by The Hollywood Reporter that quoted him as saying his jurors were “mentally … retarded” and “should be euthanized.”

“Only the stupidest of the stupidest people end up on juries, you know? I’ve never met a smart person who’s done jury duty,” he said in the article.

But now he’s singing a different tune, apologizing to the jury, court, city attorney and his attorneys for the harsh comments and still maintaining his innocence. He instead blames reporter Stephen Galloway for selecting only his “intemperate remarks” and the media for “manipulating” his comments.

“I deeply regret the remarks attributed to me in the interview with the Hollywood Reporter,” Francis said in a statement Wednesday. “They were hurtful and do not reflect my true feelings.

299 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:08:16am

re: #298 NJDhockeyfan

Joe Francis apologizes for ‘retarded’ jury remarks, plans appeal

what a complete passive-aggressive dickwad - and now he wants an appeal?

300 Stanghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:09:01am

re: #294 Gus

Cars. It started with a battery. //

It started with a non-starting battery actually.

301 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:09:59am

re: #300 Stanghazi

It started with a non-starting battery actually.

And Walmart. //

302 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:11:57am

re: #296 GeneJockey

I always wanted a DS21, because I thought they looked so cool. Maintenance, I learned later, was a different story. Good thing I was too young (12) and too poor to fulfill that particular dream.

303 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:13:34am

This is the Cadi I was thinking of.

Image: 2013-cadillac-xts_100391411_m.jpg

304 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:13:54am

re: #303 Gus

This is the Cadi I was thinking of.

Image: 2013-cadillac-xts_100391411_m.jpg

It is a sexy beast.

305 iossarian  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:14:45am

re: #303 Gus

This is the Cadi I was thinking of.

Image: 2013-cadillac-xts_100391411_m.jpg

Don’t want to meet your daddy
Just want you in my cadi
I’m just being honest

306 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:15:17am

More info on that diverted plane…

Threats made aboard diverted Pakistan plane - passenger

May 24 (Reuters) - A passenger aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane flying from Lahore to Manchester that was diverted under military jet escort to Stansted, northeast of London on Friday said someone had made threats against its crew.

“We landed safely and then he (the pilot) announced that they had had some kind of threat from someone and that’s why he landed the plane,” the passenger, identified only as Munsif, told BBC television.

He said he was sitting in the front of the plane but that the incident had happened at the back.

307 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:23:39am

It was more than just making ‘threats’…

Fighter Jets Scrambled To Passenger Plane

…A witness speaking in Urdu to Pakistani station Geo TV, said that two men over 6 feet tall tried to enter the pilot’s cabin.

Other witnesses say the pair made a number of threats.

Essex Police have confirmed that two men aged 30 and 41 have been arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft after the plane landed safely at Stansted.

308 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:25:29am

re: #302 wheat-dogghazi

I always wanted a DS21, because I thought they looked so cool. Maintenance, I learned later, was a different story. Good thing I was too young (12) and too poor to fulfill that particular dream.

Yeah, no kidding! The hydraulic system runs everything - suspension, brakes, and with the Citromatic transmission, the clutch and shifting. The fluid is expensive, and being a high pressure system, when it leaks it sprays out the whole system full of fluid (5L, IIRC).

And rust. Platform frame construction in mild steel. Did not take well to even the mild winters of southern PA.

My dad loved that car, though. He loved it so much when it rusted out he bought another one, only a year newer but from a warmer climate. That one sits moldering in the garage, covered in dust and barnswallow crap.

309 Slap  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:26:11am

re: #303 Gus

Nice — but howzabout a 560hp station wagon?

cadillac.com

Sexy, POWERFUL beast!

310 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:28:34am

re: #309 Slap

Nice — but howzabout a 560hp station wagon?

You know, having come of age when cars had 7L engines that produced maybe 200 hp, and got 8-10 mpg, and still were sluggish and unresponsive, I’m amazed at how far we’ve come.

311 Ian G.  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:30:51am

re: #182 lawhawk

Leon Moisseiff was responsible for a lot of the narrow, slender bridges of the 1st half of the 20th century, including the Tacoma Narrows.

He first designed the Manhattan Bridge, which is also very narrow and slender, AND it carries 4 subway lines between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Needless to say, the 112-year-old span has had many, many retrofits over the years to fix problems caused by too much oscillation. To this day, walking across that bridge scares the bejeezus out of me, especially when two trains are coming onto the span in opposite directions. It’s not very much oscillation, but it’s enough to make you feel like you’re about to fall into the East River. You never feel any oscillation whatsoever when walking across the Brooklyn Bridge or Williamsburg Bridge (and the Willy-B carries subway lines too).

312 thedopefishlives  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:33:32am

re: #310 GeneJockey

You know, having come of age when cars had 7L engines that produced maybe 200 hp, and got 8-10 mpg, and still were sluggish and unresponsive, I’m amazed at how far we’ve come.

The power ratings coming out of some of the modern engines are simply staggering. A turbocharged 2.0L inline-4 that cranks out 259 hp. (2013 Malibu) I am gobsmacked.

313 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:37:31am

re: #309 Slap

Nice — but howzabout a 560hp station wagon?

cadillac.com

Sexy, POWERFUL beast!

What’s the MPG on that?

314 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:37:50am

re: #309 Slap

My kind of car:

Insight

Volt

Fiesta

315 Dr Lizardo  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:44:07am

re: #302 wheat-dogghazi

I always wanted a DS21, because I thought they looked so cool. Maintenance, I learned later, was a different story. Good thing I was too young (12) and too poor to fulfill that particular dream.

This is my dream car: netcarshow.com

A few years ago there was rally in Prague; 2CV’s as far as the eye could see. The woman I was dating at the time loved them, too.

316 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:45:35am

re: #308 GeneJockey

I see them every once in a while in movies, sometimes for period authenticity (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) and other times for a “futuristic look” (maybe Caprica? I can’t remember now.). So somebody must be able to keep them running.

Modern Citroëns don’t use the hydro suspension system anymore. I see a lot of Citroëns here in China as taxicabs and everyday family cars, and they are pretty conventional.

317 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:47:02am

re: #312 thedopefishlives

The power ratings coming out of some of the modern engines are simply staggering. A turbocharged 2.0L inline-4 that cranks out 259 hp. (2013 Malibu) I am gobsmacked.

2013 Impreza STI 2.5L 305 hp.

318 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:47:26am

re: #313 Gus

What’s the MPG on that?

Just over 0

319 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:48:21am

re: #315 Dr Lizardo

Ah, the 2CV! I rode in one when I was a high school student visiting France. They nearly lost me going around a corner because I didn’t latch the door correctly.

Has anyone tried driving the Fiat 500? I saw a few of them on my last trip to the States.

320 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:50:00am

re: #315 Dr Lizardo

This is my dream car: netcarshow.com

A few years ago there was rally in Prague; 2CV’s as far as the eye could see. The woman I was dating at the time loved them, too.

I had a Renault R4, which I mostly bought for the cool pistol-grip shift stick. First car I had with a manual choke. Very roomy in the back, I was able to transport really bulky stuff in it.

But it was a crappy car for the winter, always had trouble starting.

321 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:51:33am

re: #318 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Just over 0

Some the new cars, larger and more powerful, get better mileage than mine. Saw the gas prices yesterday. Back in 4 dollar country. Whatev’s I suppose.

322 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:52:12am

PSA: AT&T still sucks.

323 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:53:12am

My first car.

Austin of England

324 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:53:24am

re: #322 Gus

Yep.
Any alternatives in you area?

325 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:53:37am

re: #320 Sol Berdinowitz

I had a Renault R4, which I mostly bought for the cool pistol-grip shift stick. First car I had with a manual choke. Very roomy in the back, I was able to transport really bulky stuff in it.

But it was a crappy car for the winter, always had trouble starting.

Too small. This was my first car, a 72 Buick Riviera.

Image: 1972%20Buick%20Riviera.jpg

It sucked gas but was a smooth ride, everything inside was automatic (lots of electronics for a car back then), and the back window was awesome.

326 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:53:46am

re: #323 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

My first car.

Austin of England

How old are you again???
/

327 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:53:59am

re: #323 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

My first car.

Austin of England

Love it!

328 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:54:21am

OK, we’re off to Canada! I’m taking my laptop just in case we find some stray Internets.

Have a super weekend! (And don’t forget to think of our honored military)

329 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:54:42am

re: #321 Gus

Some the new cars, larger and more powerful, get better mileage than mine. Saw the gas prices yesterday. Back in 4 dollar country. Whatev’s I suppose.

Gas price where I live $5.14/US Gal.

330 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:55:28am

re: #326 Varek Raith

How old are you again???
/

Really, really old.

331 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:55:37am

re: #324 Varek Raith

Yep.
Any alternatives in you area?

I imagine Verizon. But this 4G card blows. AT&T. Even my GoPhone blows. Cuts off. 2 bars now on the 4G. And I’m in the middle of Denver. Was at 5 bars in Denver General or whatever it’s called nowadays. Grrr. Sometimes they both just die. Zero bars. No connection.

332 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:56:04am

re: #329 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Gas price where I live $5.14/US Gal.

That’s pretty good for Canada.

333 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:56:10am

re: #327 NJDhockeyfan

Love it!

Pile 10 or 11 teenagers in there and take corners on two wheels.

334 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:56:43am

re: #328 Vicious Babushka

OK, we’re off to Canada! I’m taking my laptop just in case we find some stray Internets.

Have a super weekend! (And don’t forget to think of our honored military)

Stop by and I’ll treat you to poutine.

335 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:56:49am

AT&T: Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now?

336 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:57:35am

Taliban launch attack on UN compounds in Afghanistan. Multiple bombings, including suicide bombings and vehicle bombs. No word on casualties though.

337 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:57:41am

re: #332 Gus

That’s pretty good for Canada.

Price for a Canuck gallon = $6.18

338 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:58:02am

re: #335 Gus

AT&T: Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now?

Nope.

339 wheat-dogghazi  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:58:15am

My first ride was the car my dad bought my grandma to drive in 1951. She hated it, because she was short and it was ginormous. Dad kept the beast and drove out on weekends. When I got old enough to drive (1972), I got to use it.
t3.gstatic.com

Mine was not quite this shiny, but the color was about the same.

340 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:58:34am

Image: yell2.jpg
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, MOTHERFUCKER?!?!

341 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:59:00am

re: #336 lawhawk

Taliban launch attack on UN compounds in Afghanistan. Multiple bombings, including suicide bombings and vehicle bombs. No word on casualties though.

The Taliban is going to take that country back.
What a shame.

342 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 8:59:03am

re: #337 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Price for a Canuck gallon = $6.18

This is why we have to build the Keystone pipeline! Otherwise we will wind up paying that much in the USA!

343 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:00:40am

re: #342 Sol Berdinowitz

This is why we have to build the Keystone pipeline! Otherwise we will wind up paying that much in the USA!

That’s fine with me.

344 Mattand  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:02:02am

OT computer PSA:

Our iTunes/iPhoto HD died the other day. Went Dead Parrot on me.

But I’m not screaming and wailing. Why? Well, the lobotomy helps.

Also, I had a complete up-to-date backup. Got a new drive and was up and running in 3 hours. Thanks, Time Machine!

Anyways, if you’re not already doing it, back yo shit up! It’s not “if” you have a hard drive take a dirt nap, it’s “when”.

345 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:03:54am

re: #329 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Gas price where I live $5.14/US Gal.

Yikes!

I filled up at $3.02 yesterday.

346 Dr Lizardo  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:06:37am

re: #320 Sol Berdinowitz

My favorite car was a 1959 Volvo PV544 that I bought in excellent condition from a 17-year old who’d just inherited it from her deceased grandmother. It had 47,200 original miles on it, and had been garaged - even had the service records.

I was at a U-Pull-It junkyard with my dad (he was getting parts for his car) when said 17-year old drove it in. She was going to sell it for scrap. I promptly offered her $500 for it, then and there.

Heh - the look on my dad’s face when he saw that car was priceless. In terms of work, all it needed were new U-joints and a tune up.

Image: 1959_Volvo_PV544_resize.jpg

Not mine, but so all the Lizards know what it looks like. I bought it in 1988, and kept it until 1998. Fun car.

347 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:06:58am

Thoughts on this article?

People Getting Dumber? Human Intelligence Has Declined Since Victorian Era, Research Suggests

I’m inclined to throw it in the piffle pile.

348 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:07:08am

re: #345 NJDhockeyfan

Yikes!

I filled up at $3.02 yesterday.

I bought my Grand Cherokee when premium fuel was $2.54/US Gal. Now premium is $5.67/US Gal

It’s cheaper to hire a group of teenagers to push me around in a shopping cart.

349 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:08:16am

re: #347 ProTARDISLiberal

Thoughts on this article?

People Getting Dumber? Human Intelligence Has Declined Since Victorian Era, Research Suggests

I’m inclined to throw it in the piffle pile.

Good place for it.

350 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:10:47am

My idea of a dream car would be to start with a Triumph Spitfire MKIV, put the flat 6 from the GT6/Stag in it. Add a supercharger and the Ford transmission and differential modification as that engine combo would shred the stock Triumph parts. But that would be a combo that would, to my eyes, look good, like this…

Image: Triumph_Spitfire_MkIV_in_Morges_2012_-_3.jpg

But have much better than stock “putt-putt” performance.

351 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:12:28am

re: #347 ProTARDISLiberal

Thoughts on this article?

People Getting Dumber? Human Intelligence Has Declined Since Victorian Era, Research Suggests

I’m inclined to throw it in the piffle pile.

Evolution doesn’t work that fast in humans, our generation time is ~20 years and we have huge populations. Look for differences in the tests themselves, including in the timepieces used.

352 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:12:43am

re: #347 ProTARDISLiberal

Thoughts on this article?

People Getting Dumber? Human Intelligence Has Declined Since Victorian Era, Research Suggests

I’m inclined to throw it in the piffle pile.

I call BS.
;)

353 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:13:23am

re: #349 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

And my reasoning for it is that the Victorian era flat out wasn’t as educated, and measuring intelligence by IQ is a flawed premise.

Anything else you can add.

354 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:14:27am

re: #347 ProTARDISLiberal

Thoughts on this article?

People Getting Dumber? Human Intelligence Has Declined Since Victorian Era, Research Suggests

I’m inclined to throw it in the piffle pile.

Hard to say, but the demands placed on “educated” persons have declined: back then, you were expected to know a classical language (Latin or Greek), a modern foreign language (usually French or German), to be able to recite poems and Bible verses from memory, produce three-dimensional sketches and drawings, read music, and understand rhetoric and symbolic logic.

Nowadays you get by with two years of Spanish, ten-finger typing skills and an art appreciation class.

355 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:14:42am

re: #350 William Barnett-Lewis

My idea of a dream car would be to start with a Triumph Spitfire MKIV, put the flat 6 from the GT6/Stag in it. Add a supercharger and the Ford transmission and differential modification as that engine combo would shred the stock Triumph parts. But that would be a combo that would, to my eyes, look good, like this…

Image: Triumph_Spitfire_MkIV_in_Morges_2012_-_3.jpg

But have much better than stock “putt-putt” performance.

I’m putting an Eaton M62 on my lawnmower.

356 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:15:11am

Speaking of dream cars…
astonmartin.com

357 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:16:02am

Good to see NYC politicians spending time going after the most important issues plaguing the city.
///

Bowling shoe law would warn bowlers to stay inside

ALBANY, N.Y. - With all the corruption in Albany, one of your representatives is instead focusing efforts on something many of you like to do, bowl.

New York State Senator Patrick Gallivan (R-59th District) New York State Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D-140th District) are sponsoring a bill that would cover bowling shoes. The bill in the assembly is co-sponsored by Assembly members Brian Kolb, Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Jane Corwin.

It would require alley owners to post signs, warning keglers not to wear bowling shoes outside, lest they become wet and increase the likelihood that a bowler could slip and fall when they come inside

Bowling shoes, designed to slip on the lanes, can become extremely slippery when wet.

With all the reports of people slipping on the streets wearing bowling shoes I’m glad they got right on this. I will remember it next time I visit the city.

358 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:17:17am

Also, I am relatively certain that IQ tests didn’t exist in the Victorian Era.

If I am not mistaken, doesn’t IQ take into account reaction time? Because that would heavily effect me in a negative manner, as I have some hangers-on with my Autism. (Dysgraphia)

359 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:18:20am

Damn Victorian era Tokamak reactors!
Wait…

360 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:18:24am

re: #353 ProTARDISLiberal

And my reasoning for it is that the Victorian era flat out wasn’t as educated, and measuring intelligence by IQ is a flawed premise.

Anything else you can add.

Victorian Era had a few very highly educated people, and a lot of poorly educated people. Only the rich could afford college level, and the poorest of the poor had to work, not go to school.

IQ tests have changed since then which is why they used reaction tests instead of IQ tests in the study.

It looks to me they had a preconception they wanted to validate.

361 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:22:31am

re: #354 Sol Berdinowitz

On the other hand, Math and Science were nowhere near as important, and religion rote has been dropped altogether.

362 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:23:01am

re: #358 ProTARDISLiberal

Also, I am relatively certain that IQ tests didn’t exist in the Victorian Era.

If I am not mistaken, doesn’t IQ take into account reaction time? Because that would heavily effect me in a negative manner, as I have some hangers-on with my Autism. (Dysgraphia)

I forgot to add that they missed checking the reaction time of gamers.

363 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:23:09am

re: #357 NJDhockeyfan

Good to see NYC politicians spending time going after the most important issues plaguing the city.
///

Bowling shoe law would warn bowlers to stay inside

With all the reports of people slipping on the streets wearing bowling shoes I’m glad they got right on this. I will remember it next time I visit the city.

While we’re at it we should write up a bicycling shoe law and a ballet pointe shoes law. Require a big label on the shoes with a warning “do not remove under penalty of law.”

364 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:23:32am

Judging intelligence by reaction times is dumb.
;)

365 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:23:57am

I remember falling on my ass wearing bike shoes. Fell right on mah tail bone. Hurt like an SOB. Luckily nothing broke. Ah to be young again. I miss those days.

366 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:24:00am

re: #364 Varek Raith

Judging intelligence by reaction times is dumb.
;)

What do you mean?

367 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:24:48am

re: #366 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

What do you mean?

As for Dr. te Nijenhuis and colleagues, they analyzed the results of 14 intelligence studies conducted between 1884 to 2004, including one by Sir Francis Galton, an English anthropologist and a cousin of Charles Darwin. Each study gauged participants’ so-called visual reaction times — how long it took them to press a button in response to seeing a stimulus. Reaction time reflects a person’s mental processing speed, and so is considered an indication of general intelligence.

368 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:24:57am

re: #364 Varek Raith

Judging intelligence by reaction times is dumb.
;)

I hear ya. It’s not a matter of how fast you can solve a problem but IF you can solve the problem. This is an outgrowth of sports mentality. He who runs the fastest. Jock intelligence. Competition, etc.

369 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:25:48am

re: #365 Gus

I remember falling on my ass wearing bike shoes. Fell right on mah tail bone. Hurt like an SOB. Luckily nothing broke. Ah to be young again. I miss those days.

I once wore new rubber boots while bicycling. I spent so much time admiring my new boots I didn’t see the parked car a ran into.

Time to ban new shoes of any kind for bicyclists.

370 Varek Raith  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:25:57am

Stephen Hawking would be considered ‘dumb’ by that standard.
Silliness.

371 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:26:01am

I smell neuroscience…

372 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:26:07am

re: #363 Gus

While we’re at it we should write up a bicycling shoe law and a ballet pointe shoes law. Require a big label on the shoes with a warning “do not remove under penalty of law.”

Next, flip flops to be banned in the city. News at 11:00.

373 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:26:25am

re: #362 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

That’s why I don’t play games on Hard or higher.

At a certain point, I simply cannot get the fingers to move fast enough.

374 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:26:31am

re: #367 Varek Raith

I’m having trouble seeing what you are talking about.

375 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:26:58am

re: #368 Gus

I hear ya. It’s not a matter of how fast you can solve a problem but IF you can solve the problem. This is an outgrowth of sports mentality. He who runs the fastest. Jock intelligence. Competition, etc.

Or if you choose not to solve the problem because the purpose of the test hasn’t been made clear to you, and you’re not going to just do what people tell you to.

376 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:27:53am

re: #371 Gus

I smell neuroscience…

Nope. You smell evolutionary psychologists. Cognitive science actually tests the brain, and how it functions.

377 Lidane  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:28:19am

Needz moar Benghazi:

378 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:29:02am

re: #373 ProTARDISLiberal

That’s why I don’t play games on Hard or higher.

At a certain point, I simply cannot get the fingers to move fast enough.

My autistic grandkid is so fast it scares me. I, on the other hand, stick with static brain teaser games.

379 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:29:54am

re: #375 Bert’s House of Beef and Obdicuts

Or if you choose not to solve the problem because the purpose of the test hasn’t been made clear to you, and you’re not going to just do what people tell you to.

That’s the big problem with giving IQ tests aimed at our culture to others outside of our culture.

380 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:31:22am

re: #357 NJDhockeyfan

I spent three months in Albany…those fuckers do like to bowl.

382 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:33:09am

re: #336 lawhawk

Taliban launch attack on UN compounds in Afghanistan. Multiple bombings, including suicide bombings and vehicle bombs. No word on casualties though.

383 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:33:15am

Aw crap…. Tim Curry, 67, is currently recovering from a major stroke he suffered Thursday night.

384 dragonath  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:34:23am

Speaking of intelligence, here’s what stupid looks like:

Image: o-EMMA-WAY-570.jpg

385 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:34:47am

re: #383 lawhawk

Aw crap…. Tim Curry, 67, is currently recovering from a major stroke he suffered Thursday night.

And in just seven days, I can make you…a MAA-AAAAN!

386 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:35:01am
387 lawhawk  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:37:02am

re: #385 darthstar

Just as long as you can settle down with a Transylvanian transsexual…

388 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:37:18am

re: #384 dragonath

People should be referring that to the local constabulary.

389 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:39:29am
390 Gus  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:40:47am

Person A answers all 100 questions within 30 minutes. Of those 100 questions he gets 50 questions correct.

Person B only answers 50 of the 100 questions within 30 minutes. Of those 50 she gets all 50 answers correct but fails to answer the remaining 50.

Person A is smarter?

I’m still working on this.

391 Lidane  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:40:58am

Making you feel older, one tweet at a time:

392 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:42:37am

re: #389 darthstar

Fox News Claims That US Government Rigged The 2012 Election For Obama

These people take it as an article of faith that Obama is a not their democratically elected President, and I am starting to fear that this could snowball into some sort of armed provocation that will prompt the government to crack down, which will lead to massive wailing and assploding of heads all over the nation…

393 dragonath  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:43:35am

re: #388 ProTARDISLiberal

People should be referring that to the local constabulary.

lol

394 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:44:34am

re: #390 Gus

Person A answers all 100 questions within 30 minutes. Of those 100 questions he gets 50 questions correct.

Person B only answers 50 of the 100 questions within 30 minutes. Of those 50 she gets all 50 answers correct but fails to answer the remaining 50.

Person A is smarter?

I’m still working on this.

My second to last IQ test was broken into 4 sections, each one timed. I finished the entire test within the first period, walked up to the teacher, handed her my test and walked out.

I never heard a thing about it after.

BTW, I think slow.

395 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:45:12am

Wonderful pictures of Arlington tombstones by photographer Luke Sharrett…

Sacrifices Set in Adorned Stone

396 Eventual Carrion  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:45:18am

re: #342 Sol Berdinowitz

This is why we have to build the Keystone pipeline! Otherwise we will wind up paying that much in the USA!

Yeah, that is the argument they like to give. Funny thing is, the only reason it is profitable to do the sand tar oil is because the price of oil makes it profitable (which it hasn’t up until recently). If oil prices go down, it becomes not profitable again. So the oil companies are going to do this Keystone thing to get prices down to make their investment unprofitable? Or will they strive with every molecule in their collective bodies to insure the price stays high and their investment stays profitable? I would bet on molecular striving.

397 stabby  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:45:47am

Roger L Simon, yes the creep from PJ Media apparently managed to worm his way into inventing the next Benghazi talking point:

littlegreenfootballs.com

slate.com

“The dispute, and the theory, is that the weapons used to kill Americans in Benghazi were made available by bungling American gun-runners.”

398 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:46:16am

re: #394 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

My second to last IQ test was broken into 4 sections, each one timed. I finished the entire test within the first period, walked up to the teacher, handed her my test and walked out.

I never heard a thing about it after.

BTW, I think slow.

All relative. One can measure relative aspects of certain types of intelligence within small, culturally homogenous groups using identical tests.Anything beyond that is extrapolsation.

399 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:46:28am

re: #393 dragonath

Found that after I hit the post button.

Twitter. Making catching criminals easier since 2006.

400 makeitstop  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:48:20am

re: #397 stabby

Roger L Simon, yes the creep from PJ Media apparently managed to worm his way into inventing the next Benghazi talking point:

littlegreenfootballs.com

slate.com

“The dispute, and the theory, is that the weapons used to kill Americans in Benghazi were made available by bungling American gun-runners.”

Ah, the Grand Unifying Theory of Obama Scandals…

‘And the guns were kept in a warehouse with solar power from Solyndra!!1ty!

Oy.

401 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:48:20am

re: #399 ProTARDISLiberal

Found that after I hit the post button.

Twitter. Making catching criminals easier since 2006.

‘Hit and run’ driver suspended from job after mocking tweet

A worker who tweeted that she had hit a cyclist with her car including the hashtag ‘bloody cyclist’ has been suspended from her job.

Emma Way, a trainee accountant at Larking Gowen, was suspended after she announced on Twitter that she had knocked a cyclist off his bike and driven away, as well as suggesting she had done nothing wrong.

“Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn’t even pay road tax! #bloodycyclist,” she tweeted.

However, neither her employer nor the police were impressed by her attitude.

Norwich Police contacted her on Twitter telling her to hand herself in. And since the incident Way has attended a disciplinary hearing at work to decide whether she has brought her company into disrepute, the outcome is pending.

Her employers have also released a statement distancing themselves from her actions. “Please be assured that this is not a view held by the firm and we most certainly do not condone this behaviour,” it said.

“We are taking the incidents very seriously, and a full and detailed investigation will be carried out and appropriate action taken. We have already spoken to Norfolk Police.”

402 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:51:36am

Meet Emma Way

403 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:55:09am

Attacks are still going on in Kabul.

404 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:56:57am

Now what?

405 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:57:14am

Fuck Emma Way. She’s an idiot who is learning a hard lesson in how to be a better human being. Congratulations, girl…now everyone on the planet knows you’re an asshole. Some guys dig that, I think.

Fuck Jodie Arias. Don’t give her another trial, just lock her up with possibility of parole in 25 years…yeah, she hacked up her boyfriend. Now she wants to be a celebrity. Just put her in with the general population and see how long her sense of entitlement lasts…and don’t bother updating the planet with her status, unless you intend to do it for every other murderer.

Those are two of your daily fucks for this Friday.

406 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:58:55am
407 Mattand  Fri, May 24, 2013 9:59:31am

re: #404 NJDhockeyfan

Now what?

You know, maybe you should step away from Twitter for few minutes.

408 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:00:14am

re: #407 Mattand

You know, maybe you should step away from Twitter for few minutes.

But there could be some terror-porn he’s missing.

409 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:00:26am
410 dragonath  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:00:39am

re: #404 NJDhockeyfan

I saw this link on that page…

Sir Christopher Lee records heavy metal album

The Omens of Death, it is 100% heavy metal. I’ve done my bits and pieces, and they are heavy metal. I’m not screaming or anything like that, but it is definitely heavy metal.

SARUMAN

411 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:00:55am

re: #407 Mattand

You know, maybe you should step away from Twitter for few minutes.

Why?

412 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:01:26am

re: #410 dragonath

I saw this link on that page…

Sir Christopher Lee records heavy metal album

SARUMAN

Very nice!

413 darthstar  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:01:39am
414 Mattand  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:02:51am

re: #411 NJDhockeyfan

Why?

See #408

415 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:03:51am

re: #413 darthstar

Everytime I see the word Benghazi my mind tells me it says Bonzi.

416 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:05:27am

re: #414 Mattand

See #408

Well that would be wrong. There is a major attack happening in Kabul as we speak where we have lots of Americans. Do you not see this as an important news story?

417 Kragar  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:06:11am

Gohmert: Force women to give birth to fetuses with ‘no brain activity’

Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R) on Thursday told a woman that she wrong to have an abortion after it was discovered late during her pregnancy that her fetus had no brain function.

“Being there in a neonatal ICU, I did see that there was one child there that was missing parts including a spine,” Gohmert said, recalling the birth of his daughter. “And the parents ended up, when it was clear that there was no brain activity whatsoever, there was decisions that they had to make at that point.”

“Ms. Zink, having my great sympathy and empathy both, I still come back wondering, shouldn’t we wait, like that couple did, and see if the child can survive before we decide to rip him apart?” he asked. “So, these are ethical issues, they’re moral issues, they’re difficult issues, and the parents should certainly be consulted.”

“But it just seems like, it’s a more educated decision if the child is in front of you to make those decisions.”

418 ProTARDISLiberal  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:08:20am

Hey Pakistan, guess who the main suspect is?

419 Lidane  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:08:28am

re: #417 Kragar

Gohmert: Force women to give birth to fetuses with ‘no brain activity’

Oh look. Another Republican idiot trying to mansplain childbirth.

420 Mattand  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:10:04am

re: #416 NJDhockeyfan

Well that would be wrong. There is a major attack happening in Kabul as we speak where we have lots of Americans. Do you not see this as an important news story?

I was referring to you clutching your pearls over the London thing. Like I referenced in my original post.

421 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:14:47am

re: #420 Mattand

I was referring to you clutching your pearls over the London thing. Like I referenced in my original post.

Clutching pearls? WTF does that mean? You are a strange person.

BTW this is what that it all about.

London Bridge: ‘Man With Axe’ Hunted by Armed Police

A “major incident” is currently taking place at London Bridge, with reports suggesting a man wielding an axe in the train station.

IBTimes UK reporter Ewan Palmer said armed police and ambulance teams were at the scene, and that no one was being let in or out of the station.

He said an officer described it as a “major incident” but could not specify what had happened.

Many Twitter users are reporting that a man with an axe are is in the station, but this has not been confirmed, but British Transport Police have confirmed an “ongoing incident”.

The station has now reopened following the police evacuation.

422 Eventual Carrion  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:16:33am

re: #364 Varek Raith

Judging intelligence by reaction times is dumb.
;)

I just had an instant negative reaction to the statement.

423 Mattand  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:18:03am

re: #421 NJDhockeyfan

Clutching pearls? WTF does that mean? You are a strange person.

BTW this is what that it all about.

London Bridge: ‘Man With Axe’ Hunted by Armed Police

It’s an old cliche about people freaking out at the slightest hint of distress.

As in the report says that Axe Man is unconfirmed.

424 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:20:56am

re: #423 Mattand

It’s an old cliche about people freaking out at the slightest hint of distress.

As in the report says that Axe Man is unconfirmed.

Right, unconfirmed. The police there are taking it seriously. Armed cops are all over the place and they blocked part of the station. If this really bothers you why don’t you go upstairs and make fun of Sarah Palin.

425 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:28:20am

re: #417 Kragar

Gohmert: Force women to give birth to fetuses with ‘no brain activity’

He doesn’t want babies like himself discriminated against, I suppose.

426 Mattand  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:28:22am

re: #424 NJDhockeyfan

Right, unconfirmed. The police there are taking it seriously. Armed cops are all over the place and they blocked part of the station. If this really bothers you why don’t you go upstairs and make fun of Sarah Palin.

LOL, already did. Twice.

427 Jolo5309  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:29:06am

re: #246 Gus

Image: 76-Gran-Torino.jpg

So you aren’t Paul Michael Glaser then?

428 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:29:46am

re: #426 Mattand

LOL, already did. Twice.

It’s not like they’re mutually exclusive activities.

429 Jolo5309  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:32:37am

re: #278 Bulworth

Same here. Current vehicle is Saturn Aura, which of course they don’t make any more. Have had two Camaros. Probably going Buick next time just because.

I loved my Saturns, after they disappeared I bought a Kia Forte’. It is an ok car but the Ions were better.

430 Eventual Carrion  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:33:26am

re: #392 Sol Berdinowitz

These people take it as an article of faith that Obama is a not their democratically elected President, and I am starting to fear that this could snowball into some sort of armed provocation that will prompt the government to crack down, which will lead to massive wailing and assploding of heads all over the nation…

I know, you would think he was appointed by the Supreme Court rather than a fair election or something.

431 GeneJockey  Fri, May 24, 2013 10:38:10am

re: #430 Eventual Carrion

I know, you would think he was appointed by the Supreme Court rather than a fair election or something.

YOU CALL THAT A FAIR ELECTION?!?! WHAT ABOUT ACORN AND CHICAGO AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS VOTING?!?!? MY SISTER’S HUSBAND’S COWORKER’S EX-GYM TEACHER SAW A BUS FULL OF SWARTHY FOREIGNERS ON ELECTION DAY!!!11!!!

432 palomino  Fri, May 24, 2013 2:01:53pm

re: #424 NJDhockeyfan

Right, unconfirmed. The police there are taking it seriously. Armed cops are all over the place and they blocked part of the station. If this really bothers you why don’t you go upstairs and make fun of Sarah Palin.

Please try to defend Sarah Palin. You haven’t got the intellect (neither does she) to do so, but it would be fun to watch.


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