100 years ago tonight, the Titanic Sank

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/eur ... story.html

I don't know about anyone else, but I was always intrigued by the story of Titanic, especially when I was young. I even saved the article from 1985 when the wreckage was found and here it is.

The hubris of the period called it unsinkable just as in our present day hubris in regard to the economy.

Now there's a real cheery thought. BUT--I don't wanna sink!

Yes, I guess that "unsinkable" and "too big to fail" sort of do have something in common.

You all must have heard that many experts suggest that the coal dust was the finishing touch when the ship hit the iceberg. Who will ever be able to determine the real cause......................
Still it happens even today EVEN when equipped with all the latest and greatest navigational equipment. Captain of a half billion dollar cruise ship to a common murderer in one dark night.......and still claim no responsibility.......WTF!

Still a very sad day for thousands en-route to beginning a new life in America, or those just out for a cruise on the latest, largest most elegant ship in the world............................100 years ago.

whistlenut wrote:Still a very sad day for thousands en-route to beginning a new life in America

That's the part that always gets me...by far the greatest percentage of people losing their lives that night were 3rd class passengers and ships crew...about 1200 souls.

they went with the # "3" grade instead of 4.....the iron rivits popped like dollar store pop corn...

they hand hammered the curved sections of the plates....in a rush to finish....

the crows nest crew didnt have big eyes......thats what could have avoided the crash but when would have the rivits poped?


it was doomed before it sailed..... such a sad loss of lives. dammed Ismay and his reduction of life boats ...

designed with 48 boats.....set off with 16.......... stupid human tricks

Poconoeagle wrote:but when would have the rivits poped?

The sister ship "Olympic" was in service for 20 years..."Britannic" sunk in the Aegean Sea in 1916.

This BBC website article details 5 myths about the Titanic that have been perpetrated (or at least perpetuated) by the movie industry.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17515305

Olympic had just returned to port for emergency repairs......in fact crew was changed on titanic maiden voyage to allow olympic's top brass on the voyage....thus the officer who got booted left the vessel in such a hurry he took the key to the the locker that housed the binoculars..... that why they didnt see the berg till they were within 500 yards of it....

at the time they didnt know the long term fate of the rivits but they did know the spec called for #4 and the went for #3 instead.......typical kickback greed based error...