9/3/2003: Indian bridge collapse

It's not all that spectacular, when it comes to bridge collapses - but it's a tough thing to have happen to your infrastructure. In this collapse which happened last week, a lot of children died because a school bus was crossing at the time. According to the BBC, locals said the bridge was one-way only and in a "state of disrepair for some years". Yah, I think so.

That's a disgrace. India should be taking care of their infrastructure. Instead of spending a fortune on increasing military strength and nuclear weapons, they should be taking care of bridges, healthcare and the poor. Like we do.

That's sad those poor kids had to die from authorities mistakes by not repairing the bridge or doing something about it earlier. Why don't sad and horrible things ever happen to people who F*#k up these things in the first place.
i.e. Why does nothing bad ever happen to Judges who let rapists and other bad people off early from their jail terms????

     Well Leah, to answer your questions in order: Because the people that should do something know how bad the whatever, in this case a bridge, is and stay away from it. The Judges live in well patrolled neighborhoods with big locks and expensive security systems. In essense, the answer to both questions is that these people know the risks to the general public they cause and protect themselves from it. Maybe I'm just a cynic, but that's my take on it.
     By the by, if the people that didn't do anything about the bridge would have been the only ones on it, would it have been sad and horrible?

So true Whit, so true.
If the people who ignored the bridge were the only ones injured or killed then they would have got their "just deserts".

Oops, a slip of my S's

     Nah, that's would still be a tragedy, plain and simple Quzah. No kid deserves to die 'cause his or her parent is an asshole, it's just not their fault.

Quote:

Originally posted by Leah Oops, a slip of my S's

      Let me clarify. The reason I said that is that in this example the kid's death is more or less punishment for the parents actions. The kid did nothing to warrant it his/her self and thus the death is tragic. What's more, if it's a young kid and the kid did do something wrong it probably lacked the facilities to fully understand the ramifications of it's actions, and thus is still a tragic death.
      As to the question, I differ from Novice a bit. I don't try to "rekindle my innocence." Instead I value the potential for it's own sake. Kids, any kid, has a much greater potential of experiences than an adult. We've already experienced so much of life, and if we choose to think it through, even understand a great deal of it. Kids haven't and at young ages, can't. But they will. I feel awe when considering this. What's more, I like kids because of it. I don't much care about adults, save for the ones my life has brought me into contact with, and I have chosen to like.
      Also, I have strong parental instincts, if that is because of the reason above or vice versa I'm not sure. Put simply, I care more about kids at an instinctive level. That's a good enough reason to me.

      Okay, Bugz. Now that we've established that you were going to ask the same thing as Quzah perhaps you'd like to take part in this discussion and respond to something that was said since then. There are, in fact, three posts to choose from.
      What's that? No, you'd much rather just attack Quzah, who was having a reasonable conversation with the rest of us? Well gee, thanks for taking the time to add something worthwhile to the thread.
      Now that I'm done with the sarcasm, would you please try again without the attack?

So, you're saying that 50% of all people are so bad that they'll never do anything worth living for?

Ehh, I don't know. You make a good point, but I don't really agree that people have an equal potential to be good or bad. That's just in how you look at things, but I think most people are pretty good. I mean, what percentage of the population are murderers, rapists, and child molesters?

I think chances are, any given child will grow up and contribute many good things to many people's lives.

No.. I don't really see your point. Are you disagreeing with the premise that children have more potential than adults?

What's of more value to the organization;
1- A fully trained, up to speed veteran.
2- A raw recruit.

     As I said earlier and parental instinct is at work with me. I hear 500 adults die in a major accident, I'm curious how it happened. I hear two kids die from parental stupidity, I would be willing to kill the negligent parent myself. It's like Warch said,

      Ever known anyone that's lost a kid? I saw a man, a strong man that didn't cry at his own fathers funeral drop to his knees and bawl at his sons funeral. What's more the entire family was confused and in truly immense pain. This didn't happen when the adult died. Also, everyone that knew the family was affected, this also was not the case when the adult died. Why? The depth of the effect. We are prepared for an adults death, most of us just aren't ready when a kid dies. The loss of an adult you are close to is truly sad, the loss of a child is often devastating.

      Oh yeah, and if you notice, I've never once mentioned good, evil or service to society. Since it's all guess-work I've got no idea why that would have any bearing on how tragic a kids death is.

      I didn't say "new car" I said "car" for the specific reason that many of us never buy one new. Also, I used the example of "hated his/her job" for the sole purpose of giving an example of an unpleasant thing. That's the life of an adult, I think everyone should get a shot at it.

      LOL, I ask for clarification because I don't understand something and now I'm hounding you to change your opinion?
      I appreciate the examples you've given, and I've responded to them by addressing them, without changing words or meanings as you so often do me. I really don't care if your opinion changes, that's not what I'm here for. What I was trying to do is better understand what your opinion is. At least understand the logic backing it, and give that logic the chance to change my opinion. In this way I may grow as a human being.
      If you only wish to state your opinion with no reply of needing clarification or alternate viewpoint being expressed in return why is it that you bother to post where we can all read it? Hmm, given your past... emotional responses... I want to go on record right now as saying this is not an attack. I really would like to know, simply because I don't understand.

     Oh yeah, and I do want your opinion. Heh, and no, neither kids that may or may not grow up with your beliefs nor you, yourself deserve to die. Kind of a big jump, to assume I'd want that. I'm actually a pretty nice guy, just curious. I'm sorry if I've offended you by questioning your opinion. When you gave it I thought it was up for discussion. Mine are.

Basically, Whit, I've just spent the past few hours reading, quoting, replying, justifing myself, yadda, yadda, yadda in the Big Pig Thread so I currently don't have the energy to do so here. I do not believe that a kids death is more tragic than an adults, period. In fact, I find an animals death much more tragic than a kids or an adults, but that is a topic for another thread. In this discussion I got the feeling that you were taking punches at me just because I feel differently than you do (ex. condesending tone of this remark "For that reason you have my deepest sympathies. Though it does explain to me why your view of life seems so dismal.") So naturally, I felt the need to defend my views. If you can find it in yourself to forgive the assumptions, generalizations, and whatever else you think I've done inappropriately in this discussion, I would appreciate it.

for the record: I have instinctive compasion and care for children even though I have personally chosen not to reproduce and be a parent. I dont think I am that unusual.

I love children, but I don't think I could eat a whole one.

Yeah. I have trouble with veal.

Fuck that...veal is delicious. MORE SUFFERING OF CALVES!!!

      Heh, you know what Bugz? We just can't seem to synch up here. I concede that line came across as pretty condesending. I really didn't mean it that way but after a 14 hour shift on three hours of sleep it came out gruffer than I meant it to. I could explain what I meant, but I don't think you are interested.
      For the record, I didn't mind a lot of the things you apologized for. I do think you are going to have trouble in Cellar discussions if you continue to misread what people write. For instance the new car example, or when I said, "Most likely" and you replied with "not all". I already conceded that. I really don't think you are reading what I say. Just treating it as an attack. This saddens me, it's not what I'm about.
      I am curious as to why you see animal deaths as more tragic than human of any sort though. Please explain.

Quote:

Originally posted by xoxoxoBruce You must have a very limited diet. Grains and vegetables are almost impossible to harvest without killing the plant. Of course even if you do manage to pick things like beans and corn, the plant dies soon after producing the food anyway. The food was its attempt to reproduce before it dies

If I'm missing the point, it's not intentional.
I read your post and understood what you were saying but when you made that remark it struck me as odd because I know something about how food is produced and harvested.
I avoided mentioning fruit because it does not kill the plant, although it may be traumatized by having it's babies stolen.
I did mention annuals, beans and corn, remember.
I didn't get into legumes or tubers because I didn't want to belabor the point.
I also did not criticize or ridicule your choice of diet or lifesyle or philosophy. Whether I agree with it is irrelevant to my question or to you.
Have a nice day
Oh..BTW...those amber waves of grain, are not dead.

Aw that was all Eve's fault, the bitch.
When wheat and such is harvested the bottom of the stalks are still green. If you wait till the plant is completely dry the grain falls off to easily as in on the ground instead of in the hopper. Also there is too much chance of a good (bad) wind or storm knocking the stuff over before the reaper can get to it. Then you play hell trying to get it into the machine.

      Instead of blaming Eve why don't we blame the one that put the snake in the garden in the first place. Who was that again?

Could it be (drumroll) SATAN (rimshot).

      Satan? How the did he get involved? I read the beginning of Genesis just last night. Satan's not mentioned...

If you go by a strict reading, it was the big G himself who put the serpent in the garden.

The problem with being the ultimate cause is you also get the ultimate blame.

Don't tell the Church Lady.

Griff! What? Kashi backlash? Ack!

I sit corrected. After the whole thing came to a head, My Mom mentioned, oh yah we had to take you off wheat when you were little.... thanks for the info! grumble grumble

But you were supposed to outgrow that. Telling you might have worried you needlessly or even triggered an alergic reaction by suggestion. Love Mom.

Okay, so don't hate me here, Griffo. Rho bought a box of Kashi this past week, and I decided to have a bowl for shits and grins last night. It didn't taste bad, but it's incredibly chewy--I got a headache from eating it.

Eh...best to leave that one alone.

Griff

RE: new tag line
FYI, correct spelling for.......diarrhea:p

Re: Griff

Round here, I'm known as Big G. I've been known to put snakes, toads, and even the occasional chicken in the garden for the purpose of insect control. Whats the big deal?