"What's the point?" young Alvy asks the doctor, after explaining that "the universe is everything and if it's expanding, someday it will break apart and that would be the end of everything!"
That scene came to mind today when I read the story about scientists discovering the biggest black holes in the universe. The New York Times describes them as the "biggest, baddest black holes … abyssal yawns 10 times the size of our solar system into which billions of Suns have vanished like a guilty thought."
Clever writing to be sure. But I just hope my kids don't see this. I mean they'll say, "what's the point, Dad?"
No evidence of course that our Sun will be sucked into this vortex, but I'm no rocket scientist, and if my kids press me (because they certainly know I'm no rocket scientist), I'll just insist that, yes, we can take the what's-the-point approach, or we can push ahead anyway, and hope for the best.
And isn't that what most of us do anyway every day?
So with the new black holes out there ready to suck us up as backdrop, we push ahead to tonight's 11 p.m. newscast.
Some people in Manhattan clearly not part of the "what's the point?" philosophy. They're gathering tonight to complain about idling refrigeration trucks in their neighborhood. Trucks that residents say sit in front of a popular grocery store for hours, waiting to unload. We're at the meeting and we're trying to document the problem, tonight at 11.
And we'll have the latest on the race for President. Newt Gingrich, the latest Republican frontrunner, was in New York City today, courting the endorsement of real estate mogul Donald Trump. Mr. Trump says he'll make a decision later this month on who to endorse, or perhaps on whether to get into the race on his own.
Also at 11, our Lisa Colagrossi takes a much-needed look at the so-called bargain prices that are everywhere these days. Are they really bargains? It's a fascinating report.
We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Meteorologist Lee Goldberg's AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers with the night's sports. I hope you can join Sade Baderinwa and me, tonight at 11.
Subscribe to my page on Facebook at facebook.com/billritter.wabc.
