Airborne Combat Engineer

Live cameras show collapsed MN bridge site.

Trafficland has a live cam (updating every 6 seconds) aimed at the collapse site. Not much was going on (on top of bridge) when ACE checked -- just a few people walking around.

UPDATE: Overnight, the cam showed spotlights on the standing bridge and all around as grim recovery operations proceed in murky waters with fast currents. Congress is sending $250K right away to help (and probably a lot more later).

TL must have lots of capacity, given how many people must be looking at this at any given time.

It also has live cams from many US locations.  Atlanta's I-285 and expressways crossing it are well covered. This could prove handy before you head out.

This tragedy deserves the coverage it's getting until all people/bodies are accounted for, but you know the media will play it way past that, unless a hotter story comes along.

The State of Georgia claims to inspect every bridge every year.

Surely everyone reading this has read about the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse in 1940, which some predicted, calling it "Galloping Gertie."

Wikipedia has a list of bridge disasters.

The latest from AP.

optional ACE comments in the continuation

Don't bring a 18-wheeler to a fight with a train

A tractor trailer driver jumped out of his cab before it was struck by a train in downtown Decatur Monday morning.

No one was injured when the train struck the stranded truck about 5:20 a.m. at a crossing on East Trinity Place, said Decatur police Capt. W.S. Richards.

Richards said the truck somehow became stuck on the tracks. The train's engineer spotted the vehicle and braked, but was unable to stop before hitting the 18-wheeler.

[AJC]

Can't find a photo, but the cab was crushed like an aluminum beer can.  (Sorry -- can't find a photo online). The driver only needed a visit to the cleaners after hopping out.

Conjecture on how it got stuck: There's a steep hill on the side of the track from which the truck was approaching, and it was loaded down with counter tops (meaning it shouldn't have been driving through town anyway).

Fortunately, the old train depot was moved away from the tracks a few years ago, or it could have been damaged while being renovated to be a cajun food place called the "Depeaux."

A train hit a MARTA bus a couple of years ago. Nobody was heard in either incident.

random insignificant train ponderings in the continuation

Margaritaville Key island for sale

[LINK] PrivateIslandsOnline

West of Key West sits the crown jewel of the Florida Keys. Margaritaville Key is the most exceptional piece of island real estate available for acquisition in North America.

All one needs is a cool $9.4 Mil, an ongoing source of funds for upkeep and taxes, and a boat. (A seaplane would be even better.)

Sure beats some "mansions" built around Atlanta which go for that much or more, and typically sit on less than 5 acres of land, with no water view.

But, if one wants to pursue international arms sales, one should probably buy an island at least 200 miles offshore.

Mildy interesting time/date numbers

Early tommorrow morning, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 A.M., the time and date will be:

01:02:03 04/05/06

That won't happen again for a hundred years (not a thousand, as the e-mail going around says).

Of course, this only works if you use the short form for the year -- something we were supposed to have learned our lesson about .

Also, look for somebody to point out 01:02:03:04 05/06/07 next year.

If the world doesn't come to an end in a few months on 06:06:06 06/06/06.

Skip Talbot passes

Skip Talbot, a legend among .50 caliber enthusiasts, passed away.

Read about it at the FCSA site (including the linked eulogy).

ACE is intrigued by Skip's .338-50 Talbot wildcat.

18 wheeler vs. car

No contest

Three died in this 7-vehicle pileup on a sunny afternoon just before rush hour on I-285 on the east side of Atlanta. The truck driver has been held on DUI charges.

Katie Couric interviews pitiful runaway bride

Ch. 11 Atlanta reports:

“I was running away,” Wilbanks, 32, told Couric, “Because that’s what I’ve always done.”

The AJC has more.

She deserves this year's Wimpy Award.

In countries where people are worrying about being shot before they starve to death, nobody has time for being "stressed" about a wedding. More important stresses take priority.

She obviously needs help, but should she profit from this?

.50 caliber drink

Try one of these, if you can handle the kick.

2 oz Jack Daniel's® Tennessee whiskey 2 oz Jim Beam® bourbon whiskey 2 oz dry gin 2 oz Absolut® vodka 1 oz Squirt® citrus soda

Serve with ice cubes

35% ABV / 71 Proof

A hopeful promise from Wacko's website

After a flashy victory intro, Michael Jackson's website has a statement from his lawyer, saying he'll not be sleeping with little boys anymore.

We can only hope.

If the site gets too busy, read this USA Today summary.

The LA Times offers some optional paths for his future career plans.

16-yr-olds killed in 5AM Wed wreck

Ch. 11 Atlanta reports:

Forsyth County police say they suspect alcohol played a role in the early Tuesday morning wreck that killed two 16-year-old boys and injured three other teens.

Shortly before 5 a.m., the driver lost control of his Land Rover while traveling southbound on South Peachtree Parkway. The sport-utility vehicle slammed into a utility pole near Bagley Drive.

According to Boortz, the vehicle slide sideways 100 yds and still had enough momentum to hit a pole hard enough to do the damage you can see in the photo. You can guess how fast it was going.

The impact killed the driver, 16-year-old Kasey Flanagan, and a back seat passenger, 16-year-old Zachary Shadrick. Both were from Alpharetta.

All of the SUV's occupants were rising seniors at Northview High School in Fulton County, police said. The last day of school was Friday.

The injured passengers have been identified as: 17-year-old John Weathington of Alpharetta, 17-year-old Zach Markell of Alpharetta, 18-year-old Scott Israel.

Some are speculating the driver (one of the two youngest in the crowd) was the designated driver.

Optional ACE take in the continuation.