Ok, I was going to do a Gen X discussion tonight but I’ll have to postpone that for a few days due to the breaking news story. I haven’t been home much tonight but the footage from Minneapolis is just stunning. I really can’t say it any other way. I really can’t believe my eyes that I35 simply collapsed into the Mississippi River at rush hour. Those things just don’t happen.
(To the Twin Cities residents who read this blog (and there are a few) I hope everyone is ok. Send updates when you get the chance. You’re all in my thoughts right now.)
It’s always strange, and maybe a little telling, that when I see images like this my first thought is to try to decipher what happened. I’m not sure if that reflects well on me at all. I know in my heart that the most important thing is the lives lost and the injuries and the human toll that something like this has. And while I truly feel that it is not something I can comprehend. I can’t understand randomness or losing someone in an instant or having your life change while driving home from work or to the ballgame. I just can’t get my head around that. But I understand structural loads and design specifications so that is where my mind immediately goes when I see these pictures. I’m not proud of the fact that I immediately look for causes and solutions. It’s easier but that doesn’t make me feel better.
Right now it just looks like a catastrophic structural failure. It will take time to figure out just what went wrong. It’s not even clear what failed first. That said, that is the least of the concerns right now. There are a lot of people wondering where there friends and family are right now and my heart goes out to them.
I’m going to keep this entry short tonight. I don’t want to try to be funny or flippant in a situation like this. I really hope that everyone is ok up there.
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