The "Dumbing Down" of Bridge Inspections....Something to Ponder

Like everyone else I was horrified by the collapse of the bridge in Minnesota. My thoughts and Prayers are with the families of all those missing, injured or deceased.


Did any of you see the video of the collapse that was taken either by a cell phone camera, or a digital camera with video capabilities? Pretty amazing technologies we've invented during the last dozen years or so. As much as I think iPods, digital camera's and cell phone videos are pretty amazing ..... I'd much prefer that the estimated 73,000 U.S. bridges deemed "structurally deficient" would be fixed - like today!! Yeah, I think it's pretty safe to say that all of us could've done without that new bluetooth gizmo "with enhanced scratch-my-butt technology!" For sure I'd forego that new 100,000 song iPod in flaming pink, if I could be sure the bridges me and my fellow citizens are traveling over, WON'T FALL DOWN!


"A bridge in America just shouldn't fall down," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat at a news conference in Minneapolis.


Well NO SHIT Senator! (Was that a "brain fart" you just had?) And you're shocked about this why? Geez woman, your State DOT has known about this bridges structural problems since 1990! And only after some of your constituents die you have the gall to say a bridge shouldn't fall down? Where the hell have you been for the last 17 years? You certainly weren't fighting to get those bridge inspectors out & about now were ya?

[Ya ever wonder where all the money associated with highway & bridge tolls, and State lotteries has gone since the 1960's??]

Interesting question isn't it? There's a "poser" for all of you ......why can't we use state lottery funds or bridge and toll dollars to ensure bridges are safe? There are now over 42 States (and the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands), that have State Lotteries. I'm not sure how much every State takes in every year - and I don't know how much gets paid out in winnings or in salaries to the State Lottery Commission members - but I'm willing to bet (technical term follows) there's a "shit-load" of money left over at the end of a lottery year. (Remember, the way State lotteries are set up, they don't pay out near as much as they take in! It ain't a "zero sum" game!) And since the first modern state lottery was established in little old New Hampshire way back in 1964, I'll bet you that in those 42 States with lotteries, there's more money sloshing around & collecting interest than you can shake a hefty stick at!


(And if there isn't - well, then someone in each State should hang! Pure and simple.)


In any event, you can sweep aside the "old saw" you'll hear from lottery commissioners, that a great percentage of lottery proceeds are donated to "public education systems," because if you use New Jersey as an indicator, the public education systems (elementary-secondary-and collegiate) are so piss poor, it's impossible that ANYTHING could have been donated in the last 20 years! That's all pure bunk, all NJ educator's turn out is an unbroken line of social liberals waiting for their next handout.

(And before I read it in the press or hear it on the news, for once, let's leave the Feds out of this one! I know, I know ... some screaming butt-wipe from MoveOn.org is going to say George Bush is responsible for the bridge falling down because Bush used all the bridge money to fight the war in Iraq in order to make sure Halliburton got all the oil! Or, Carl Rove and Scooter Libby arranged for the disaster as a cover-up to deflect criticism! Please - I just can't stand it anymore! Shutup!)

Anyway, instead of jumping on the Federal Government to pay for the upgrades and repairs to these 73,000 "London Bridges" (all fall down, get it?), or instead of raising our taxes AGAIN, why doesn't each State just use their State Lottery Proceeds for the last 5 years? I'm sure there's more than enough BILLIONS to pay for any repairs or upgrades.


Some of you might say, Well, wait a minute Ken! All these States have their own Departments of Transportation (DOT's) or State Highway Departments! Why not make them pay via their annual budgetary allotments?


Those are very good questions Grasshopper! But aside from the fact that most State DOT's and Highway Department's couldn't find their collective asses with both hands - remember, in Minnesota the DOT had known since 1990 that the bridge had been "structurally deficient" & even knowing that, the bridge that collapsed was only scheduled for repair or replacement - in 2020!! Hmm, 30 years after being graded "structurally deficient" - so, let me ask you, do you want the DOT in YOUR State or the County Highway Department to determine the safety of the bridges you're driving on? Remember the crew you drove by recently - picking their noses and scratching - well, you get it!


Didn't think so! So, even though it's a nice platitude to say you're using Lottery bucks to help support public education - both you, me, and the man-in-the-moon know it just ain't happinin'! It's a lie, a prevarication, a falsehood! So let's stop lying about it, and use the money for something real, something that might save a life or two in our home State's. Let's use it for something positive before the Lottery Commissions and the State politicians get their dirty grubby little fingers on it! And before my Aunt Sadie get's so old her walker rusts - let's get those bridge inspection engineers crawling around on, in, under, and on top of every freakin' one of the 600,000 bridges we have in the country! And PS, I'm not proud, you can start with the one down the street from my home!


Ab asino lanam!
(Wool from an ass, blood from a stone - impossible!)