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Americans Weigh Down Cruise Ship
The Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) ^ | 7 December 2004 | Unknown

Posted on 12/06/2004 5:26:27 PM PST by buccaneer81

Americans weigh down cruise ship

07dec04

DOZENS of seats on the world's most luxurious cruise liner have collapsed under the weight of obese American passengers.

The chairs -- on the Queen Mary 2 -- are being replaced or repaired.

The seating is mainly in the bar and restaurant areas.

Alstom Chantiers, the French company that provided the liner with all its fixtures and fittings, claimed many of the chairs had buckled under the weight of larger passengers.

"There are some things that need to be changed or replaced," said a spokesman. "For instance, there are some problems with the chairs because some of our passengers are heavier than we imagined.

"It's not an English problem, it's probably more American."

An unnamed former member of the ship's crew said: "We do have many large passengers on the QM2. Most of the passengers are American.

"And we do have 10 restaurants on the ship, so if they are big when they get on, they tend to be bigger when they get off."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: blameamerica; flimsy; french; frogs; furniture; lightweights
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1 posted on 12/06/2004 5:26:28 PM PST by buccaneer81
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To: buccaneer81

Of course it's an American problem, there's no such thing as a fat Englishman.


2 posted on 12/06/2004 5:28:38 PM PST by Brett66 (W1 W1 W1 W1 W1 W1 W1 W1)
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To: Brett66

And after visiting the UK my husband knows why. Ewwwwww on the food.


3 posted on 12/06/2004 5:29:38 PM PST by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: buccaneer81
Would you buy a chair from this guy?


4 posted on 12/06/2004 5:33:36 PM PST by Shortwave (Supporting Bush was a duty one owed to the fallen. Now, it is an honor.)
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To: Brett66
Of course it's an American problem, there's no such thing as a fat Englishman.

If you don't have teeth you can't eat.

5 posted on 12/06/2004 5:36:09 PM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: buccaneer81

How much could an early medieval chair support? The chair itself was made from something like 2" thick oak planks, and weighed maybe 150 lbs. I bet that it could easily hold 400 pounds or more. The craftsmanship has gone to seeds.


6 posted on 12/06/2004 5:39:31 PM PST by GSlob
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To: buccaneer81

Sounds like a poor labor, cheap materials, bad manufacturing French problem.


7 posted on 12/06/2004 5:41:02 PM PST by mabelkitty (Blackwell for Governor in 2006!!!)
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To: buccaneer81

good thing fat people live only in America


8 posted on 12/06/2004 5:41:27 PM PST by Texas_Jarhead
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To: Brett66

Actually, we are an embarrassment, which I why I don't go on tours that have lots of Americans, if I can help it. Of course, I jogged miles in downpours in Ireland, England and Denmark, so I have no sympathy for the, shall we say, chronically lazy chompers.


9 posted on 12/06/2004 5:44:35 PM PST by jjmucr
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To: buccaneer81

Yet another story about pudgely Americans...


10 posted on 12/06/2004 5:44:41 PM PST by Jagman (Fat man in the bathtub)
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To: Jagman
Yet another story about pudgely Americans...

Pudgely?

Is your beeber stuned?

11 posted on 12/06/2004 5:45:25 PM PST by RosieCotton (He is a very shallow critic who cannot see an eternal rebel in the heart of a conservative. - GKC)
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To: buccaneer81
An unnamed former member of the ship's crew

That was a quick exit. This tub's only been sailing for three months.

12 posted on 12/06/2004 5:48:47 PM PST by buccaneer81 (Rick Nash will score 50 goals this season ( if there is a season)
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To: buccaneer81
Alstom Chantiers, the French company that provided the liner with all its fixtures and fittings

The French probably don't do chairs well, since their soldiers, running to the rear in panic, don't have many opportunities to sit.

13 posted on 12/06/2004 5:49:54 PM PST by SnuffaBolshevik
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To: buccaneer81

The cruise line needs to market more cruises to Somalians and Ethiopians. They could sell more tickets since they take up less space!


14 posted on 12/06/2004 5:58:30 PM PST by o_zarkman44
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To: buccaneer81
Michael Moore should be barred from the bar and the buffet.

I once agreed with a French acquaintance that a lot of Americans are fat but suggested that he take a look at our military - lean, mean, and they don't surrender.

15 posted on 12/06/2004 5:59:09 PM PST by Malesherbes
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To: o_zarkman44

But can they pay the fares like us fat americans ????? They better watch the hand that feeds them, if they tick off enough of us we will take our money somewhere else.


16 posted on 12/06/2004 6:06:39 PM PST by CajunConservative
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To: buccaneer81
This is absolute Bildgewater!!!!!!

I am 6'6" and weigh about 385...and am 57 years old. I've weighed a lot more than now, but never less since I stopped growing. I have also traveled all over the world, including through out the UK.

I have NEVER...EVER, broken a chair anywhere...including cheap KMART folding chairs.

They probably just bought the cheapest product they could -- through a competitive bid -- for the 1000s of chairs they use and got what they paid for.
17 posted on 12/06/2004 6:11:41 PM PST by Jackson Brown
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To: Jackson Brown

If they don't buy quality furniture what else have they skimped on? They going to claim a weight problem if people have to evacuate and the life boats fall apart?


18 posted on 12/06/2004 6:20:43 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: buccaneer81

Many cruise ship employees are seasonal, oftentimes hired for a specified number of outings.


19 posted on 12/06/2004 6:20:58 PM PST by AntiGuv (™)
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To: Brett66

You'll have to sail without me.


20 posted on 12/06/2004 6:37:11 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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