Scientists Warn that Visitors are Loving Titanic to Death

NYT ^ | August 9, 2003 | William Broad

[lainie]

Perhaps the most surprising theory, advanced by Dr. McLaren, is that the overfishing of the Grand Banks, close to where the Titanic sank, has produced an explosion in tiny marine life that is normally eaten but now falls steadily, like a never-ending snow, speeding up the ship's rusting.

Most surprising because it doesn't blame people, and does not support our editorial theory.

[Rebel_Ace]

You need to read that again, as it most certainly blames people:

"...is that the overfishing of the Grand Banks..."

You see, it is those pesky fishermans' fault.

[Tacis]

Other than the folks who have a clear business interest and those extreme leftists who adore the passengers who died in steerage and hate the passengers who died in the luxury cabins of first class, why does any one care? Why is the federal government spending money for employee boondogles on this? The movie has been made. Class warfare has been encouraged. Why spend a single tax dollar on this?

[Chad Fairbanks]

In 1996 divers found wreckage from a submersible accident scattered on a Titanic deck. They hauled up a half dozen pieces.

Were they pieces of the submersible in question? I don't remember hearing about this... unless someone went down in secret... oops

[Chad Fairbanks]

Found this from an 'anonymous' source, interestingly enough... can't vouch for it's authenticity

The Titanic movie film crew hired a Russian crew to take them to the site to get footage for the movie. Apparently they were trying to get places no one else had ever been, for more dramatic footage, when an accident occurred that damaged both the submarine AND the Titanic. There are a lot of people apparently trying to keep this hush-hush. When the R.M.S. Titanic Salvage crew arrived on scene (this was in 1996 and they had to wait for the film crew to leave even though they own the salvage rights), they found many submarine parts lying on the Titanic and were easily able to put two and two together. There are A LOT of people extrememly upset over this and the carelessness of the movie crew.

[ko_kyi]

Um, its a shipwreck. The only real way to preserve it would have been for the ship to avoid the iceberg in the first place.

Kind of funny that a bad guess by a scientist - i.e. "We expected it to change little in our lifetimes.." turns into a story about how sad it is that the wreck is becoming a ... wreck.

[lainie]

Oh yes. How silly of me!

[ko_kyi]

The only thing that went down in secret in 1996 was the S.S. Lewinski

[camle]

here's the cure: keep everybody away except for the chosen few. nobody else has the right to even look at it. the great unwashed can ogle at a pic.

that's the agenda. the select elite can dine on titanic china whils the rabble who have no clear "need" to see the actual wreck need to be swept clear.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Yes, I recall that Intern-ational incident... she was a big one...

[lainie]

I know, it's funny. "We have to SAVE the ..uh.. SHIPWRECK!"

Somehow it'll be for the children.

[Prof Engineer]

But it has the weakest of legal protections to fend off humans who are loving it to death, and no protections at all against rust, corrosive salts and microbes on the hulk.

Nature is reclaiming her own. Why are these folks crying?

[Drew68]

Um, its a shipwreck. The only real way to preserve it would have been for the ship to avoid the iceberg in the first place.

Sheesh! No kidding! That's what's funny about this whole story.

The Titanic is sitting under two miles of salt water. It will eventually rust itself into dust. It's not Mt. Everest. It ain't gonna be there forever.

These people need to learn to deal with it.

[lainie]

Because they're whining liberal ninnies.

[ko_kyi]

the poop deck where passengers gathered as the liner sank

I realize this was a terrible tragedy, but there is something funny about that sentence.

[lainie]

I'm sure their agenda includes bringing up as much as possible to put into museums, too. That will then be managed and funded by their arts councils and society galas.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I never have understood - and hopefully never will understand - people's fascination with the Titanic.  I've always considered it a 10-minute 'Big Boat Sank: Too Bad' story.  

The "explorers" that virtually worship the wreck - people who read the books, watch the movies and make certain all the pop-corn's popped before drooling over the latest "Titanic Documentary" on the Discovery Channel freak me out:  it's all indicative of some mental problem I don't understand.

The Titanic is no where near as interesting as ships like the Bismarck:  at least there's human drama and strife involved there.  And while the sinking of a ship during war isn't "Romantic" in any sense, it's far more emotionally compelling than "Hey, watch out for the ice be.........."

 

[Guyin4Os]

I don't suppose the fact that it is sitting in SALT WATER, the universal solvent, has anything to do with its deterioration.

[Chad Fairbanks]

It wasn't the Poop Deck until after they hit the iceberg, I'm guessing

[lainie]

poop deck
n.
An exposed partial deck on the stern superstructure of a ship.

I don't even know what that is. I guess modern ships don't have them.