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Post by Simfarmguru on Apr 15, 2012 14:07:54 GMT -5
Today, April 15, 2012, is the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, a massive tragedy on the same day and month of 1912. This event has always struck a cord in me for some reason. I just wanted to let others know if they don't already.
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Post by Butterscotch on Apr 15, 2012 14:13:32 GMT -5
Yeah, there's been a lot of documentaries airing about it.
I have kind of mixed feelings about it; it seems like they're trying to cash in on a tragedy. But, it is an interesting piece of history.
I was really little when they found the Titanic wreck; I vaugely remember it being on the news, but I thought it was a recent thing and wondered if they'd found survivors.
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Post by Simfarmguru on Apr 15, 2012 18:11:20 GMT -5
I'm also attached as they found it the year I was born. Actually the guy who found it is trying to get a fundraiser going to paint it because the tourists are damaging it so much. He's also trying to get the tourists to be required to "look don't touch", which I fully support.
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Post by Mage the Observer on Apr 15, 2012 18:14:47 GMT -5
The guy who found it will be speaking at my school next week. Should be interesting.
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Post by Butterscotch on Apr 15, 2012 20:40:49 GMT -5
Are you going to go? I would.
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Post by Simfarmguru on Apr 15, 2012 21:52:04 GMT -5
Coolness!
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Post by Mage the Observer on Apr 16, 2012 3:48:18 GMT -5
I'm seriously thinking about going, yes.
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Post by TBustah! on Apr 17, 2012 22:47:39 GMT -5
The guy who found it will be speaking at my school next week. Should be interesting. Robert Ballard is coming to your school? GO!!! He's not just the guy who discovered RMS Titanic. He lead teams that discovered the wrecks SEVERAL famous ships: Bismark, PT 109 (JFK's ship), and the USS Yorktown. He's also worked on Lusitania and explored the Black Sea. He's the Indiana Jones of the deep. I guess it just somehow never came up in conversations here over the years, but I was very much obsessed with Titanic when I was younger. It all started when my class studied it in the third grade. Later that same year, James Cameron's film came out, and although I was obviously too young to see it, the sudden renewed interest in the ship surrounding me only fueled the fire. I bought the Revell model kit (still haven't put it together after all these years, unfortunately ;D), wore a shirt with the ship and Captain Smith on it around, and counted Robert Ballard among my heroes. I was also pretty stoked to see a 1912 Rambler used in the film (no, it wasn't that car!) on display at the Harrah Collection in Reno. It's still there if you're ever in the area. I used to think, "I'm gonna be almost 24 at the 100th anniversary? That's so old!" ;D As far as exploitation or whatever, I think that people have been respectful for the most part, and aren't just trying to make money off of the anniversary. It's a cliche, I know, but we really do have to study history if we don't want to repeat it. Besides all of the lives the tragedy ultimately saved because of the stricter regulations it forced on ocean liners and other ships, Titanic is a reminder that humans are imperfect. By extension, the things that humans make are imperfect, and we can't operate on the assumption that those things can't fail. We need to be prepared for disaster. I also fully agree with Dr. Ballard regarding treating the ship as a grave, and not taking anything more from it. They've already recovered the ship's bell and just about everything else that's important, how many more teacups and shoes do they really need? I do, however, question the feasibility of his plans for the wreck. I'll believe the painting thing when I see it, and his idea to use remote control subs to police the site sounds farfetched, at best. |
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