Water Under Troubled Bridges

No, not Todd Bridges, though he is mentioned... I was hanging out at Bronx Banter today when I inadvertently began a tangent of puns (as is my habit) which basically exemplifies why I consider the people there part of my extended family. There are few places where you can seriously have this kind of fun, and it happens a lot.

I'm sharing the meat of the tangent with you to give you an idea of how multifaceted the commentors can be when they're in the mood. I'm excerpting directly from the site, so I hope this is not a permissions problem... The boldened lines are commentor names and skipped comments not related to the extended joke to, um, "keep it focus"... (By the way, nice provocative titling, Alex! >;)


2008-01-07 06:49:40
2. Murray
From today's Post, courtesy of Mike from Hoboken:

January 7, 2008 -- BOW, NH - Some Rudy Giuliani volunteers bused here from New York City struck out as they went door to door in advance of Tuesday's Granite State primary while wearing caps or jackets of the hated New York Yankees.

"Some people really don't think," said a person with knowledge of the situation.

"You're in the middle of Red Sox Nation wearing stuff from their enemy. It's absolutely ridiculous.

"Can you image if people were running around The Bronx in Red Sox hats?" he added.

Giuliani reps didn't immediately return calls for comment.

Giuliani, a longtime Yankee fan, raised eyebrows in his home state this fall, after the Bronx Bombers were eliminated from the playoffs, when he said he would root for the hated Red Sox to win the World Series because they are an American League team.


2008-01-07 08:00:10
10. pistolpete
(2) So if GWB campaigned in 2004 wearing a Varitek jersey, that would make it perfectly acceptable to vote for him?

When you're letting your baseball rooting interest affect your political decisions, I can say without hesitation that you truly are a moron.


2008-01-07 10:36:29
14. Chyll Will
(10) I wouldn't vote for the George Washington Bridge even if they draped Mo's jersey on it (though I'm sure it would solve some middle-late inning relief issues).

Brooklyn, on the other hand...


2008-01-07 12:06:11
17. Bama Yankee (14) It's no surprise that you wouldn't vote for the George Washington Bridge. Everyone knows that you are a big Tappan Zee supporter. Rumor is that you have even made a few contributions to the structure's campaign for office... curiously in $4 installments.

Don't get me wrong, I'm with you on voting for Tappan Zee. I always vote for the Cantilever Party candidate. You have to watch out for those Suspension Party candidates, they can be such flip-floppers. Remember Galloping Gertie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Fi1VcbpAI

;-)

(boy, I hope Randym reads this post so at least someone will get my feeble attempt at bridge humor)

2008-01-07 12:28:36
18. wsporter
(17) The Tappan Zee is I think the longest bridge in NY but it is a Moses bridge. There seems to be an undemocratic quality to it's magnificent span. I don't know if I could vote for that bridge. Give me a bridge from good solid immigrant stock like the Brooklyn Bridge and you'll get my vote. If nominated do you think it will run? If elected do you think it will serve? We should consider a draft petition for the BB.

2008-01-07 12:38:11
19. JL25and3
Chyll and I are well acquainted with the old Tappan Zee. The house I grew up in has a fabulous view of it.

There are serious questions about how it's managed to function so well for so long. It doesn't have as sturdy a frame as many of the others, but it still manages to carry a heavy workload year after year. It has remained remarkably durable despite all expectations.

There have been rumors that Zee has been given megadoses of solder and other substances to improve its performance, but those remain just rumors.

2008-01-07 12:42:05
20. williamnyy23
I vote for the Willis Avenue and 3rd Avenue Bridges...anything that helps you avoid the Major Degan gets my vote.

2008-01-07 12:45:02
21. Chyll Will
(17) You don't give yourself enough credit, my friend >;) The problem with suspension bridges is that you never really know what they're up to. Cantilevers on the other hand are very stoic and family-oriented; there's a lot of give-and-take, which the Tappan Zee definitely has. Brooklyn may have the name-recognition, but it can also be bought pretty easily...

2008-01-07 12:49:14
22. Chyll Will
(20) I don't know if you can truss them. They do have "short attention" spans...

2008-01-07 12:52:35
23. OldYanksFan
(17) I'm sorry... but you can't trust a bridge that runs on a platform of stability, and then acts like that.

I have that URL bookmarked as it's one of the great examples of how bizarre natural law can be.

2008-01-07 12:56:07
24. AbbyNormal821
(17) et al...

where are all the Verrazano Voters???

;-P

2008-01-07 13:08:45
25. Chyll Will (24) They've all been suspended... in fact, they're serving the longest suspension in US history...

2008-01-07 13:09:57
26. rbj
Hmm, I'm not sure I like all this City centric bridge support. Given all the time I spent upstate, I'm throwing my support to the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge:
http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/kingston-rhinecliff/

Besides, how can you not support a bridge named after the godfather of funk, George Clinton?

2008-01-07 13:12:49
27. Chyll Will (26) Good thinking... that bridge is always pretty high...

2008-01-07 13:33:35
28. Bama Yankee
(18) Good call on the Brooklyn Bridge, although as Chyll points out in 21 the lobbyists would have a field day...

(19) Performance enhancers for ol' Tappan Zee... there goes that Bridge HOF induction.
(25) & (27) Nice.

2008-01-07 13:36:36
29. Shaun P
(26) The upstate underdog bridge would have to be the Green Island bridge:

http://tinyurl.com/2u2q43

Its a drawbridge, which has retro appeal, but man is that thing ugly.

2008-01-07 13:38:27
30. Chyll Will
(26) As a side note, my favorite memory concerning bridge crossings was crossing that bridge the first time... my family was on another excursion when we happened upon the bridge the for the first time. My sister Terry, who was afraid of heights, started screaming and hollering, which set off Mom on a hilarious fit of shadenfraude; I was kinda queasy myself when I observed that not only was the bridge very high (you couldn't see the other side considering the high arch), but it has absolutely no sides whatsoever... (well, low guardrails, which don't count)... the return trip in total darkness was fairly interesting as well, and didn't curb the screaming either >;)

2008-01-07 13:41:09
31. williamnyy23
What about Todd Bridges? Or Tito Puente?

2008-01-07 13:43:39
32. Chyll Will
(31) Too street for main stream...

2008-01-07 13:46:15
33. williamnyy23
(32) What you talkin about chyll Willis.

2008-01-07 13:48:18
34. Bama Yankee
Actually, I think I'll vote for this bridge:
http://i13.tinypic.com/86e2szt.jpg

Not only does it give fans safe access to Spring Training Yankee games, it was fabricated here in Alabama and I had a little something to do with it. So, even though I'm biased, I am throwing my support behind this bridge (notice I said behind and not under... we stand behind our bridges, just not under them ;-)

2008-01-07 13:48:45
35. Chyll Will (32) ...http://tinyurl.com/2f5szv

2008-01-07 13:50:41
36. Bama Yankee
(29) You ain't kiddin'. That's one ugly bridge.

(33) LOL. Good one.

2008-01-07 13:52:57
37. Chyll Will
(33) ugh... I walked into that one (scraping shoe on edge of curb, located conveniently on 35 ) >;)

2008-01-07 13:56:41
38. Chyll Will
(29) Wowzers... seems like Wiki got that wrong, it's probably maintained by the Department of Corrections (my eyes!!!)

2008-01-07 14:01:51
39. dianagramr
OK .... I think we've taken a bridge conversation too far ...


2008-01-07 14:05:50
41. ny2ca2dc
(39) Nonsense! Here's a vote for a foreigner, the good old Golden Gate.

I'd love to see the reaction to a vote for the Triborough.


2008-01-07 14:38:18
45. El Lay Dave
I hear the 59th St. Bridge is feeling groovy. (cont')...

This might go on for a while, but you could always go there yourself and see >;)