Bridge falls into Mississippi River

[Macfanforever]

From Yahoo News




By PATRICK CONDON, Associated Press Writer 2 minutes ago

MINNEAPOLIS - At least one person died Wednesday and 28 were injured when an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour, a hospital doctor said.


Dr. Joseph Clinton, emergency medical chief at the Hennepin County Medical Center, said among the injured treated by the hospital, six were in critical condition.

Clinton said it appeared the person who died had drowned in the collapse. Other area hospitals were also seeing victims.

The Interstate 35W bridge, a major link between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was in the midst of being repaired when it broke into several huge sections during rush hour.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The entire span of an interstate bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour Wednesday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.

The Interstate 35W bridge, a major link between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was in the midst of being repaired when it broke into several huge sections.

"There were two lanes of traffic, bumper to bumper, at the point of the collapse. Those cars did go into the river," Minneapolis Police Lt. Amelia Huffman. "At this point there is nothing to suggest that this was anything other than a structural collapse."

The Homeland Security Department had received no indications Wednesday night that the collapse was related to an act of terrorism, department spokesman Russ Knocke said in Washington.

"At this time, there's no indication of a nexus to terrorism," Knocke said.

It was not clear how many people were injured. WCCO-AM reported that one body was seen being pulled from the area, covered with a blue sheet.

An estimated 50 vehicles plunged into the water and onto the land below, the Star-Tribune reported.

A burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab,

The bus had just crossed the bridge before it crumpled into pieces, and broadcast reports indicated the children on the bus exited out the back door.

Ramon Houge told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he was on his way home from work on the bridge when he heard a rumbling noise, saw the ground collapse and cars go down.

Traffic was bumper to bumper and hundreds of people would have been involved, he said. He said cars backed up as best they could and he parked in a construction zone and was finally able to turn around and drive off the bridge. "It didn't seem like it was real," he said.

Dozens of vehicles were scattered and stacked on top of each other amid the rubble. Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that aren't completely in the water.

Local television stations captured video of injured people being carried up the riverbank. There was no official word on injuries, but dozens of rescue vehicles were there. Divers were also in the water.

Gregory Wernick Sr., Rockford, Ill., drove over the bridge shortly before the collapse. He stopped to get a drink nearby and heard commotion so he went back.

"I figure I crossed about 10 minutes before it happened," he said. "That's just too close to call."

He was standing about 200 feet away on top of a parking ramp with large group of people.

"I've never seen anything like this," he said.

The arched bridge, which was built in 1967, rises about 64 feet above the river. Workers have been repairing the 40-year-old bridge's surface as part of improvements along that stretch of the interstate, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported on its Web site.

[gldstwmn]

The photos and video are horrifying. Before I left the house this evening I happened to hear that we have spent 1 trillion dollars in Iraq. The infrasturcture of our cities is crumbling. When is is going to end?
Also I understand that the governor vetoed a bill to raise the gas tax by 5 cents to fund road repairs. There hasn't been an increase in the tax in 20 years.
WTF? :distress:

[mikeschmike]

The photos and video are horrifying. Before I left the house this evening I happened to hear that we have spent 1 trillion dollars in Iraq. The infrasturcture of our cities is crumbling. When is is going to end?
Also I understand that the governor vetoed a bill to raise the gas tax by 5 cents to fund road repairs. There hasn't been an increase in the tax in 20 years.
WTF? :distress:

There had been an extremely large number of construction projects here this summer. I'm not too sure of where the funding came from, but crews were working on just about every major roadway in the metro area. They had been repairing the pavement on 35W since the middle of June, and the bridge was looking pretty hacked the last few days.

The whole thing is just unreal.

[gldstwmn]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/peekingsleeping/bridgecollapse.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/peekingsleeping/bridecollapse2.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/peekingsleeping/bridgecollpase3.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/peekingsleeping/wbridge102.jpg

[michelle2677]

this is such a horrible thing :(

I hope there are no other deaths, but I'm sure that is pretty unlikely.

mike-so glad you're okay, dumplin' :xoxo:

[Sarah]

so horrifying. :distress:

[mikeschmike]

this is such a horrible thing :(

I hope there are no other deaths, but I'm sure that is pretty unlikely.



the count is up to six now, and they have officially called it a recovery mode at this point. i hope it doesn't get much higher then that. officials are saying that it will take two years to get the bridge back in action.

mike-so glad you're okay, dumplin' :xoxo:

:xoxo: thanks honey. glad you're okay too.

[estranged4life]

This reminds me of the I-40 bridge collapse at Webber's Falls a few years ago when a tugboat collided with the bridge supports and damaged the bridge crossing the Arkansas River.

[JazmenFlowers]

I'm so glad you are ok Mikey. my heart about dropped.

[mikeschmike]

I'm so glad you are ok Mikey. my heart about dropped.

Oh yeah, it'll take a lot more then structual failure to get rid of me! :xoxo:

[Macfanforever]

This brings back nightmares from the 1983, I-95 Mianus River Bridge collapse in Greenwich CT.

This is from the New York Times Archives.

I-95 Bridge Collapse Sends Cars Into River


Published: June 28, 1983

At least two tractor-trailer trucks and two passenger cars went into the Mianus River early this morning when a Connecticut Turnpike bridge over it collapsed, the Connecticut state police said.

It was unclear whether there were any fatalities connected with the collapse of two or three eastbound lanes of I-95 around 1:30 A.M. at the Greenwich crossing.

But there were reports that two people had been picked up alive by boats, according to a state police spokesman.

Early this morning, as divers prepared to enter the river and other workers attempted to shore up the remaining sections of the bridge, Trooper John McLeod, the spokesman, said that all traffic on the bridge had been halted and that repairs would take days or weeks.


There was no immediate explanation as to why the bridge collapsed.


From Wikipedia site The Cause,


The collapse was caused by the failure of two pin-and-hanger assemblies that held the deck in place on the outer side of the bridge. The hanger on the inside part of the expansion joint at the southeast corner was forced from the pin that was holding it, and the load was shifted to the only other pin in the joint. The problem was caused by rust formation within the bearing on the pin, exerting a tremendous force on the hanger. The extra load on the remaining pin started a fatigue crack at a sharp corner on the pin. It failed catastrophically and the deck was then supported at just three corners.

When two heavy trucks and a car entered the section, the remaining expansion joint failed and the deck crashed into the river below. The ensuing investigation cited corrosion from water buildup due to inadequate drainage as a cause. The highway drains had been deliberately blocked during roadmending some 10 years before, and water leaked down through the pin bearings, causing them to rust. The outer bearings were safety-critical and non-redundant, a design flaw of this particular type of structure. The bearings were difficult to inspect close-up, although traces of rust could be seen near the affected bearings.

[gldstwmn]

CNN is reporting 50 cars still in the river.

[GODDESS6]

Oh yeah, it'll take a lot more then structual failure to get rid of me! :xoxo:

glad to know you are safe~ what a tragedy this is~

[DavidMn]

I was coming from Roseville to go to the Twins baseball game last night. I crossed that bridge at 5:57 P.M. It came down at 6:05 P.M. There but for grace of god go I. This is very hard for me right now. I havent slept all night knowing I came less than 10 minutes from being on it when it went down. I cant even begin to explain what I'm feeling right now.

[irishgrl]

I was coming from Roseville to go to the Twins baseball game last night. I crossed that bridge at 5:57 P.M. It came down at 6:05 P.M. There but for grace of god go I. This is very hard for me right now. I havent slept all night knowing I came less than 10 minutes from being on it when it went down. I cant even begin to explain what I'm feeling right now.
{{hugs to you, my friend}}

[DavidMn]

{{hugs to you, my friend}}You know, I've sat here all night thinking what is really important in this life. It jars you. Thats the best way I can explain it.

[irishgrl]

Something similar happened in MY neck of the woods (which also made national news...)

oroville highway collapses (http://www.cbs2.com/video/[email protected])

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say two people were injured after a bridge under construction near Oroville collapsed this morning.

The California Highway Patrol says one of the injured was a FedEx driver who was trapped in his vehicle after the collapse about 7:30 this morning at the intersection of State Route 149 and State Route 70 in Butte County.

The location is about an hour north of Sacramento.

A spokesman for the C-H-P says a big beam went across part of the truck, but missed the cab. The driver was flown by a medical helicopter to a hospital in Chico with what was described as major injuries.

A construction worker was also injured. The C-H-P didn't have details on the second person injured, but said the worker suffered moderate injuries.

The highway patrol isn't sure when the highway will reopen.

Construction crews are trying to remove and stabilize the collapsed beams and other steelwork that collapsed.

Motorists are being told to take detours using State Route 162.



©2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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[kathy1]

it is sad i was watching the news most of the night.

[mikeschmike]

http://www.danwhittaker.com/35w/collapse.htm

Here are a few pictures, showing before and after pictures of the area. They say that the bottom of the bridge was 65 feet from the water, but it is obviously much higher from the actual roadway. Some good news is that the officials have lowered the number of deaths to four. They had originally said that seven had been killed from the collapse.

[skcin]

Glad you're OK, Mike! :xoxo:

Like David said, it really makes you think.

[kathy1]

i am glad you are ok.

[strandinthewind]

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[Sarah]

that **** is crazy, strand. holy cow. i hadn't seen footage of the actual collapse yet.

as a side note, one of my story assignments today was to gather information about bridge inspections locally. interestingly enough, the state department of transportation has been instructed not to give out any of that information. shady much? i'm still investigating, and exhausting my contacts in the state capitol. i bet the results won't be pretty, because TN has a history of misusing its money.

[DrummerDeanna]

that **** is crazy, strand. holy cow. i hadn't seen footage of the actual collapse yet.

as a side note, one of my story assignments today was to gather information about bridge inspections locally. interestingly enough, the state department of transportation has been instructed not to give out any of that information. shady much? i'm still investigating, and exhausting my contacts in the state capitol. i bet the results won't be pretty, because TN has a history of misusing its money.

We already have a plethora of those stories here - I was wondering how they'd milk this for a local angle - so one of my top stories today is how bridges in Colorado are in need of repair - but there's not enough money for the repairs. oy.

[madformac]

Just seen some dude and his adopted daughters talking about his missing wife. Its really heart wrenching to watch this. I'm amazed there are any survivors after seeing that bridge come down.

[Sarah]

We already have a plethora of those stories here - I was wondering how they'd milk this for a local angle - so one of my top stories today is how bridges in Colorado are in need of repair - but there's not enough money for the repairs. oy.

In a way, I'm glad I haven't been able to get the necessary info. It's not a story I want to do anyway, to be honest... it'll just stir people up and get them talking about stuff they have no idea about anyway. Know what I mean?

My morning writer may have some attitude about not having a story to use on it at 6 AM, but his newscast is not my responsibility, so he can sit on it and spin. (Besides, I've got plenty of other stories for local use today... we've just had one army national guardsman killed by enemy fire in Iraq.. a desperate, emergency need for blood donations for all the local hospitals, and finally some drought aid. Some farmers here have lost 70 percent or more of their crops because we have a severe drought... almost 12 inches below our yearly rain totals. ) Sorry for the OT.

[princessblair]

My husband's co-worker's husband was one of those on the bridge when it collapsed. My husband said that the man was able to get out of his truck to safety.

I have driven over that bridge many times...the seriousness of the accident didn't really hit me until I got to work today and saw photos and video of the bridge collapsing. I think I'm still in a bit of shock. I can't stop thinking about all of the cars and victims trapped underneath the concrete...I live and work right on the Mississippi River and cross bridges in my area on a daily basis. I don't think I'll ever have the same trust driving over one again. My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.

[gldstwmn]

We already have a plethora of those stories here - I was wondering how they'd milk this for a local angle - so one of my top stories today is how bridges in Colorado are in need of repair - but there's not enough money for the repairs. oy.

That's what six years under Bill Owens did for us.

[gldstwmn]

Just seen some dude and his adopted daughters talking about his missing wife. Its really heart wrenching to watch this. I'm amazed there are any survivors after seeing that bridge come down.

Their mother was pronounced dead late this afternoon.

[irishgrl]

Glad you're OK, Mike! :xoxo:

Like David said, it really makes you think.
what about David Paula??? arent you glad he's ok too???

[DavidMn]

what about David Paula??? arent you glad he's ok too???Of course she is. She was just referring to the fact that I mentioned that it really makes you think when u come that close to something like that.

[michelle2677]

Their mother was pronounced dead late this afternoon.
:distress: :distress: :distress: I saw that interview over and over today and stopped in the middle if cleaning a room, and just teared up. it was so emotional and I wondered what was going to happen. that is so sad :(


what about David Paula??? arent you glad he's ok too???

you have GOT to be kidding me.

could you just please...have a little respect and just in ONE thread...just ONE...refrain from starting ****?? do you think you can pull that off?

it amazes me, in the middle of this horrible tragedy, people can't put their personal vendettas aside.

[irishgrl]

you have GOT to be kidding me.

could you just please...have a little respect and just in ONE thread...just ONE...refrain from starting ****?? do you think you can pull that off?

it amazes me, in the middle of this horrible tragedy, people can't put their personal vendettas aside.
I dont have a personal vendetta....I was merely noticing that she made a point of saying she was glad Mikey was ok but in neither thread did she say that for David. Maybe it went without saying, in which case that explains why she didnt say it.

and btw, I DONT start **** in every thread. I didnt start **** in YOURS now did I?

also, for the record, I didnt know Mikey lived in that part of the country, but I am glad he is ok too. This IS a horrible tragedy and my heart goes out to ALL the victims and ALL the survivors.

[skcin]

what about David Paula??? arent you glad he's ok too???

Nope. I'm not. Is that what you want to hear? :rolleyes: Guess it would have been better to post something about past similar experiences in my area, because that really shows that you're concerned about the people it's happening to right now, right?.

Of course she is. She was just referring to the fact that I mentioned that it really makes you think when u come that close to something like that.

It does make you think.



you have GOT to be kidding me.

could you just please...have a little respect and just in ONE thread...just ONE...refrain from starting ****?? do you think you can pull that off?

it amazes me, in the middle of this horrible tragedy, people can't put their personal vendettas aside.

I'd thank you, but you'd be a crony if I did.

I dont have a personal vendetta....I was merely noticing that she made a point of saying she was glad Mikey was ok but in neither thread did she say that for David. Maybe it went without saying, in which case that explains why she didnt say it.

and btw, I DONT start **** in every thread. I didnt start **** in YOURS now did I?

also, for the record, I didnt know Mikey lived in that part of the country, but I am glad he is ok too. This IS a horrible tragedy and my heart goes out to ALL the victims and ALL the survivors.


Of course it went without saying. Why would you think it wouldn't? Well, to make you feel better, here you go:

I'm glad no Ledgies were killed or injured in this horrible event!

If you'd like, I'll go through the members list & see if anyone else is from that area, and contact them to make sure they're OK, and then post a comment about each & every one of them personally that I'm glad about it.

[Rickypt]

I was merely noticing that she made a point of saying she was glad Mikey was ok but in neither thread did she say that for David. Maybe it went without saying, in which case that explains why she didnt say it.


Why does she have to explain anything and why is it any of your business?

[skcin]

Why does she have to explain anything and why is it any of your business?

That's probably what I should have said. But I can't help but be offended when someone implies I'm not glad a person is alive just because I didn't write what they thought I should have.

[mikeschmike]

Guess it would have been better to post something about past similar experiences in my area, because that really shows that you're concerned about the people it's happening to right now, right?.


THANK YOU!

[madformac]

Their mother was pronounced dead late this afternoon.

Yeah thats hard to see. My heart sank when I saw her name on the list.. My thoughts go out to them.

[JazmenFlowers]

THANK YOU!
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6213/eddiepe5.jpg

are you serious Clark?

[mikeschmike]

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6213/eddiepe5.jpg

are you serious Clark?

Am I that transparent? :laugh:

ETA: I think this thread is just another example of how many conflicting personalities exist on the ledge. It's nice that people were going out of their way to check on any MN Ledgies. I know I didn't require it, and wouldn't get snippy at anyone for not doing so. I was trying to make light of the little situation involving Mary, but I keep forgetting that since sarcasm and tone can't be expressed through typed words...and most likely it was misunderstood.

[GODDESS6]

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6213/eddiepe5.jpg

are you serious Clark?

****ter's full~

sorry i just had to add that:laugh: ~

[SteveMacD]

You know, this has only increased my ever growing disdain for Wolf Blitzer. He acted like some Congressman had said something profound when said Congressman said "a bridge shouldn't...just collapse in America." NO...Really? Gee, I could've gone to that school where the short bus goes and heard the same thing. Journalism in America. Pathetic.

You know, I half expected Wolf Blitzer to interview Anthony Kiedis.

[skcin]

^That's what gets me. They keep telling us all these bridges are in need of repair, but then they decide it's too expensive, so they just patch them up a bit & hope they last. I mean, really, is this something we should be stingy about? :( They're perfectly happy to spend all kinds of money elsewhere. It's like if I needed a new roof on my house & decided it was too costly, but renovated my kitchen. It makes no sense to me.

[irishgrl]

Nope. I'm not. Is that what you want to hear? :rolleyes: Guess it would have been better to post something about past similar experiences in my area, because that really shows that you're concerned about the people it's happening to right now, right?.



It does make you think.



I'd thank you, but you'd be a crony if I did.




Of course it went without saying. Why would you think it wouldn't? Well, to make you feel better, here you go:

I'm glad no Ledgies were killed or injured in this horrible event!

If you'd like, I'll go through the members list & see if anyone else is from that area, and contact them to make sure they're OK, and then post a comment about each & every one of them personally that I'm glad about it.
fyi:
what I posted about what happened in my area was only the Day Before. Hardly in the realm of "past experience" but you can color it any way you want. If your conscience compels you to sift thru the various profiles here to extend your oh so sincere best wishes, be my guest. I forgot just how full of virtue you are.

Why does she have to explain anything and why is it any of your business?

Ryan, I'd answer your question but only in a PM.

That's probably what I should have said. But I can't help but be offended when someone implies I'm not glad a person is alive just because I didn't write what they thought I should have.

have you ever heard of "sins of omission?" case in point.

And Mikey, even tho you cant stand me, I didnt wish you dead. However, in the interests of sarcasm, the voodoo doll is almost finished.

[skcin]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/skcin/paula/100_3843.jpg

[realcowgirl]

^That's what gets me. They keep telling us all these bridges are in need of repair, but then they decide it's too expensive, so they just patch them up a bit & hope they last. I mean, really, is this something we should be stingy about? :( They're perfectly happy to spend all kinds of money elsewhere. It's like if I needed a new roof on my house & decided it was too costly, but renovated my kitchen. It makes no sense to me.


I was watching news about this on tv last night, and they said something about needed 9/5 millions dollars per year for hte next 20 years to get all of the bridges 'back into shape', but they only have 2 million budgeted for it.

Then they were asking , if this MN bridge has been inspected and was deemed structurally deficient, why was it still in use? The response was something about 'it needed some work, but was sound enough to work for the remaining life of the bridge'. WTF? 'the remaining life of the bridge'? Guess what they meant was 'we'll just take our chances until it doesn't work anymore.'

[skcin]

^ Exactly. Like "oh, it'll go down, but not in the near future, so we can let it go for a while longer." :(

[Macfanforever]

From Yahoo News


Blaming begins in Minneapolis bridge collapse


By Todd Melby Fri Aug 3, 3:33 PM ET

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Politicians trying to account for one of the worst bridge collapses in U.S. history cast blame ranging from engineering faults to the Iraq war on Friday, while divers tried to reach the bodies of more victims in the Mississippi River's treacherous waters.

As investigators probed Wednesday's collapse that killed at least five people, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said outside experts would review the decisions of state engineers to shore up problems with the heavily-traveled 40-year-old bridge in central Minneapolis.

Engineers had decided to periodically inspect the steel superstructure beneath the Interstate 35W bridge and bolt on reinforcing plates where any aws were found. But that work, which Pawlenty said fit in the state's budget, was postponed by resurfacing and repair work that was going on when the bridge buckled and fell.

"Experts that we rely on, technical experts and engineers, made some decisions about what needed to be done. They thought they were making an appropriate decision for their reasons, and now those decisions will have to be reviewed," Pawlenty said. A private engineering firm had been hired for the review.

"The bridge was declared fit for service," he said. "There will be tough questions asked, including by me, and we will get to the bottom of this."

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, suggested Bush administration spending on the Iraq war may have crimped funding for domestic projects such as road and bridge construction, and for such infrastructure projects as new levees for New Orleans.

"We've spent $500 billion in Iraq and we have bridges falling down in this country," Klobuchar told MSNBC. "I see a connection between messed-up priorities."

Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said billions of dollars were available for road and bridge repairs.

The bridge was a vital link over the Mississippi River and the most heavily used bridge in Minnesota with roughly 140,000 vehicles passing over each day.

"It is striking the bridge was carrying a load of traffic it was not designed for," said the Democratic Speaker of Minnesota's House, State Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

Estimates ranged as high as $500 million to rebuild it.

Visiting first lady Laura Bush praised the city's response: "We've seen the strength of your community, and because of that we're confident the bridge will be rebuilt and your city will heal."

President George W. Bush is scheduled to tour the scene on Saturday.

Pawlenty said a special legislative session may be in the offing to address funding to rebuild the bridge. Pawlenty's critics blamed him for vetoing a state gas-tax increase that would have boosted funding for construction projects.

Meanwhile, rescuers spent an entire day extracting the fifth fatality from under mounds of debris, Minneapolis Fire Chief Jim Clack said. He said more victims were certain to be found.

Divers searched submerged cars that tumbled 65 feet (20 meters) into the Mississippi River when the bridge collapsed with a roar.

"This is very dangerous work because the divers can get caught in the debris, some of which is razor-sharp," Clack said.

Divers battled swift currents, and had to feel their way in the muddy waters around twisted steel and chunks of concrete.

"You got gas in there, oil. Besides, the Mississippi River is not the cleanest place. You didn't have any visibility, you just felt," Minneapolis Fire Department diver Raoul Raymose said on CBS' "Early Show."

Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek cautioned that his estimate of eight people still missing was "fluid" and subject to change.

Twenty-four of the nearly 100 people injured in the disaster remained in hospitals, including five who were in critical condition, a hospital spokesman said.

(Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington)

[mikeschmike]

Wow guys, it turns out that the bridge collapse is MY fault. :distress: :distress: :distress:

http://minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2184

Fred Phelps Is Coming
by: Eric Black
Tue Aug 07, 2007 at 10:27:54 AM

The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., plans to stage protests at funerals of victims of the 35W bridge collapse to state that God made the bridge fall because he hates America, and especially Minnesota, because of its tolerance of homosexuality.
The church and its pastor, the Rev. Fred Phelps, have become notorious over recent years for their claim that the attack of 9/11 was an act of God's vengeance and their determination to make that case at the funerals of U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq.

In a press release issued the day after the bridge collapse, the church called for protests at the funerals and outlined its feelings about the relationship between God's plan and the sins of Minneapolis and Minnesota, which it calls the "land of the Sodomite damned."

Reached at the church, Shirley Phelps Roper, who is both the daughter of the pastor and one of the attorneys for the church, said that America, and Minnesota especially, have alienated God by its tolerance for homosexuality, and that the bridge collapse was an act of God's vengeance. She said:

"The bridge stood in place by the word of God and it fell by the word of God...Each of these little events is just a harbinger of the coming destruction of this American experiment. We are delivering the final call of the doomed nation."
She said, as they have done for years, members of the church would stand "lawfully and peacefully on the public right of way" near the funerals and "put in the air words of praying and instruction and warning."
The signs that the protesters will wave will read:


"God cast down the bridge... Thank God for 9/11... America is doomed... God hates fags... God hates fag enablers... God hates Minnesota."

[ryan8472]

Why do these people live in America if it's doomed? :shrug:

[Sarah]

Why do these people live in America if it's doomed? :shrug:

"Because they're pathetically sheltered and couldn't survive anywhere else" is my guess.

[JazmenFlowers]

gays.ruin.everything.

[DeadliestPoison]

gays.ruin.everything.
******crickets******

[Sarah]

gays.ruin.everything.

yeah, you guys need to quit getting together and having all those gay babies.

[JazmenFlowers]

yeah, you guys need to quit getting together and having all those gay babies.
for serious. cause we all know this is better.

http://jeffersonian.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/redneck-wedding.jpg

[Sarah]

for serious. cause we all know this is better.

http://jeffersonian.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/redneck-wedding.jpg

those are god's children you're disrespecting!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: i'm sorry, i can't keep a straight face anymore.

[DavidMn]

Something to Ponder:


There is another bridge here in the twin cities called the Lafayette bridge which is highway 52 that spans approximately 2/3 of a mile over the Mississippi river leading into downtown St Paul that is slated for replacement in 2011. Problem is the 35W bridge that collapsed recieved a safety rating of 50 out of a 100. This one got a 49 OUT OF A 100 last year. I think maybe they might wanna speed that timetable up a bit!:mad:

[skcin]

Wow guys, it turns out that the bridge collapse is MY fault. :distress: :distress: :distress:

I knew you had something to do with it. I can't believe I posted that I was glad you were OK. :(

[mikeschmike]

I knew you had something to do with it. I can't believe I posted that I was glad you were OK. :(

I can't believe I was flattered from getting well wishes from ball faced liars like you!

ETA: :mad:

[carrie721]

I can't believe I was flattered from getting well wishes from ball faced liars like you!

ETA: :mad:

you go F**K yourself!

[danax6]

you go F**K yourself!Your response is breathtaking in its unoriginality. http://www.lehtone.net/kuvat/smiley_applause.gif

[carrie721]

Your response is breathtaking in its unoriginality. http://www.lehtone.net/kuvat/smiley_applause.gif

i searched the depths of my soul to come up with that. how dare you sir. :mad:

[danax6]

i searched the depths of my soul to come up with that. how dare you sir. :mad:That's Ms. Sir to you. :mad:

[mikeschmike]

you go F**K yourself!

whatever b*tch :mad:

That's Ms. Sir to you.

knock it OFF pepeol!

[carrie721]

whatever b*tch :mad:

.

knock it OFF pepeol!

seirously pepeol. i'm pepeoling my pants.

[JazmenFlowers]

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w211/chiffonhead/threadhijacked.jpg

:lol:

[carrie721]

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w211/chiffonhead/threadhijacked.jpg

:lol:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: