Titanic Centennial

[dhermann1]

As I'm sure every Lounger knows, April 10th is the hundredth anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
I imagine many things will be happening that day in observation, but it occurs to me that April 10th should be Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day. Any thoughts?

 

[DocMustang]

I think a simple black armband might suffice. Or perhaps something more subtle say a white star line lapel pin?

Also check out my write up of the Titanic Centenial exhibit

 

[Bruce Wayne]

April 15th is the date.

 

[Nick D]

April 14-15. April 10th she departed Southampton.

Today, April 3, she arrived in Southampton. Yesterday she did her sea trials and departed Belfast.

 

[Shangas]

Titanic departed Southampton April 10th, 1:00pm. (Supposed to be 12:00noon, but a holdup involving another ship caused a one-hour delay).

It sails south across the Channel to Cherbourg in France, docking off the French coast that evening, where passengers are ferried to the ship by tender-vessels.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown boards the ship at this point.

I'm not sure what I'd do on the 14-15...because that's the weekend... But I might do somethig special on the 10th.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

The artifacts from the Titanic can be yours for $189,000,000+

[video=youtube;PSKfXLiXF2o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSKfXLiXF2o[/video]

 

[Shangas]

*counts pennies...*

One...two...three...four...five...

 

[olive bleu]

Lots of stuff going on in Halifax...

http://www.novascotia.com/en/home/discovernovascotia/history/titanic/default.aspx

I am thinking i should probably pop over to the "Titanic Spiritual Ceremony" since my apartment building actually overlooks the cemetery where it is being held( and apparently where 121 victims are buried)..or I might take in the special commemorative meal being offered at the Five Fisherman restaurant, which was actually a funeral home in 1912 ..
http://www.fivefishermen.ca/prixfixe.htm

 

[silverladybug]

*counts pennies...*

One...two...three...four...five...

Oh good grief. I think I've got a few nickles somewhere... wait, that might be lint.

A brilliant collection at an extraordinary price. Whoever can afford and insure that would have a great piece.

 

[sheeplady]

The artifacts from the Titanic can be yours for $189,000,000+

That stuff is just beautifully haunting. Even if I had 189 million, I'd be afraid those artifacts are haunted. Deeply and disturbingly haunted, like the kind that follows you even after you sell the objects. That collection belongs in a museum somewhere.

 

[Nick D]

That stuff is just beautifully haunting. Even if I had 189 million, I'd be afraid those artifacts are haunted. Deeply and disturbingly haunted, like the kind that follows you even after you sell the objects. That collection belongs in a museum somewhere.

Although I don't personally believe in objects being haunted (I mean, I wear dead mens' clothes), I strongly side with Dr Ballard on the matter of 'salvaging' the Titanic. It's desecrating a mass grave. And look at all the wanton destruction that's been inflicted on the ship by tourists and treasure hunters and film makers.

But you're right, if it's going anywhere it should be a museum. Let's hope the ship becomes a UNESCO heritage site after the 15th.

 

[W-D Forties]

I will be popping over to Liverpool nearer to the date as there are some centenery celebrations going on, including the huge mechanical girl from La Machine. That's the same people that did La Princesse the huuuge steampunk mechanical spider that spun it's magic across the city for the Capital Of Culture year in 2008 - the highlight of that year for me.

 

[Nick D]

Titanic is to receive UNESCO protection:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17629389

 

[Chaps]

A few years ago my family and I went to the Titanic exhibition when it was here in Memphis. It was an incredible experience.

 

[sheeplady]

Although I don't personally believe in objects being haunted (I mean, I wear dead mens' clothes), I strongly side with Dr Ballard on the matter of 'salvaging' the Titanic. It's desecrating a mass grave. And look at all the wanton destruction that's been inflicted on the ship by tourists and treasure hunters and film makers.

But you're right, if it's going anywhere it should be a museum. Let's hope the ship becomes a UNESCO heritage site after the 15th.

I wear dead people's clothes and jewelry too. My engagement ring is from a woman named SLS who was given it on 2/1/1928; she is undoubtedly dead and the ring was pawned. She was probably wearing it when she died. But I don't (specifically) wear things that I know were possessions/worn when over a thousand people died a horrific senseless death (and might have actually been worn when they themselves died tragically). I'm pretty convinced that if there is haunting of objects, it would be attached to objects surrounding a tragedy. I know, kind of stupid, but it's similar to slavery objects for me. Should they be kept for historical purposes? Absolutely. Would I ever own or wear something to do with slavery? Not purposefully. Either category would just bother me too much. I care less about the actual haunting of the objects and more about how owning such an object would bother and remind me of what happened (thereby haunting me, even with no ghosts involved).

I agree on the heritage site. We aren't allowed to go and pick around grave sites for good reason. It should be documented thoroughly, but no pickers.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I wear dead people's clothes and jewelry too. My engagement ring is from a woman named SLS who was given it on 2/1/1928; she is undoubtedly dead and the ring was pawned. She was probably wearing it when she died. But I don't (specifically) wear things that I know were possessions/worn when over a thousand people died a horrific senseless death (and might have actually been worn when they themselves died tragically). I'm pretty convinced that if there is haunting of objects, it would be attached to objects surrounding a tragedy. I know, kind of stupid, but it's similar to slavery objects for me. Should they be kept for historical purposes? Absolutely. Would I ever own or wear something to do with slavery? Not purposefully. Either category would just bother me too much. I care less about the actual haunting of the objects and more about how owning such an object would bother and remind me of what happened (thereby haunting me, even with no ghosts involved).

I agree on the heritage site. We aren't allowed to go and pick around grave sites for good reason. It should be documented thoroughly, but no pickers.

I know the feeling. I had a Nazi death's head tie pin. It was certainly worn by a member of the ss. It might have been a fairly rare item but rather than keep it, or sell it on ebay, I felt compelled to destroy it one day, and I have no regrets having done so.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Here's a link to some cool Titanic stuff. Most notably an unused ticket to the launch. http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/05/11042439-unused-titanic-ticket-on-sale

 

[Shangas]

Personally, I'm of the "Salvage and Save" camp.

Provided that the ship and its artefacts are not damaged in the process, I would fully support efforts to salvage every last scrap of that ship worth keeping for the sake of posterity.

The Titanic IS the most famous ship in the world. And it would be a shame to see all those artefacts destroyed beyond recovery when the ship finally caves in.

It's all good and well now, to say: "We shouldn't touch it! It's a gravesite!" etc.

But if you're rabid on that point, I believe it gives you no right to then go and say:

"We should've saved it when we had the chance..."

You had your chance and you passed it up. No good whining.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The question isn't should we or shouldn't we excavate gravesites, the question is at what point does a gravesite become an archaeological site. You can go to a museum and gaze into the face of an Egyptian who's been dead for 4000 years and be amazed at all the artifacts he was buried with -- but that's just as much a rifled gravesite as the Titanic is. The only difference is how far removed from us in time it is.

 

[Nick D]

Provided that the ship and its artefacts are not damaged in the process, I would fully support efforts to salvage every last scrap of that ship worth keeping for the sake of posterity.

Those two things are mutually exclusive. They brought up the bell and light from the mast, and in the process destroyed the crows nest which is the spot where the iceberg was sighted. Every time they land a sub on the thing they damage it. The debris field is a potential site to find artefacts without damaging the hull.

Scientific and historical research is one thing and should be undertaken. Grave-robbing for profit is a whole 'nother thing entirely. The question is how hands-on should the study be, which is something that will be decided by Unesco.