Morning News Update

Ever since I was a young child, I've always marveled at man's ability to build. Boats, planes, bridges and dams, how such massive devices and structures are created and how they function has always been a mystery to me. Driving across a large, water-spanning bridge, be it the Golden Gate or the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, leaves me gazing in amazement. Just how those massive concrete pylons below and the web of steel girders above manage to hold up the weight of all those cars is beyond my comprehension. But in the back of my head, that wonderment has always led to the morbid question, what if the bridge isn't actually able to hold up all that weight? It's just a quick thought, a flit of fear running unconsciously through my head, quite similar to that split-second fear people have when boarding an airplane as to whether they'll be landing safely at their destination. We've learned to dismiss these fears, much like those childhood ones about the bogeyman and the dark, as irrational and most unlikely, and move on with our lives.

Of course, this logic was turned on its head when I saw images of the collapsed Interstate 35W bridge on CNN shortly before dinner last night. It was like something you would see in an action flick, not in real life. Can you even imagine, one minute you're driving down the road, the next minute the road is creaking beneath you and suddenly just drops out into the murky Mississippi River below. It really makes you wonder what's going on when the state department of transportation issues a report stating that a bridge "should not have any problems with fatigue cracking in the forseeable future" and six years later what once was a bridge now resembles a gigantic concrete accordion. But I guess it's best to avoid passing judgement until officials can determine what exactly caused the collapse.

In other news, this time turning to the election trail, last night I found and read, out of pure curiosity, that Vanity Fair piece on Judith Nathan, aka the new Mrs. Giuliani. Now, believe what you want about the woman, I'm here to comment on the writing. As a journalism student, I'm really wondering how you can get away with such snarky writing in a publication not titled The National Enquirer. I mean, the piece was downright Rita Skeeter-esque, and that woman isn't even real. Don't tell me you didn't picture Judy Bachrach sucking on a Quick Quotes Quill when you read the line: "An interesting question. Who does Judith Stish Ross Nathan Giuliani think she is?" I know that public officials are held to a much higher standard when it comes to proving libel, but this almost seems to be toeing the line to me.

But this isn't to say I'm defending Nathan in any way. Trust me, when looking at public officials, marital habits are at the top of my list, and I don't approve of anyone who can't keep them in check, no matter what party you are. (That goes for you too Bill.)

And of course, what would the morning news update be without some juicy celeb gossip. Apparently, Nicole Richie is preggers; 4 months, to be exact. Hmm...now remind me again, how long ago was that DUI incident? Why is it that the relationship between parental capabilities and fertility seems to be an inverse one?

But anyways, that's all the news on my mind this morning. Let's hope that despite the rush hour traffic on that bridge, the body count doesn't increase too much.

(Oh, a quick side note: You'll be happy to hear my tummy finally grumbled with hunger this morning - I'm all back to normal now :)