Louisiana Team Finds Arc Royal

index72 writes "The aircraft carrier responsible for sinking the infamous German Battleship Bismark was found in the Mediterranean by a Lafayette, Louisiana team working with the BBC. The article includes a picture of the really cool looking AUV."

Comments

Re:One last bit

[DarkKnightRadick]

Puerto Rico is a territory. All the benefits (e.g. ruled by a territorial governor under US law, welfare, etc.), none of the drawbacks (taxes, etc).

I think the possesions only benefit from having military protection (even if no actual military base exists).

My opinion on the matter:

Next time Puerto Rico votes to become a state (they have to do so every so often to remain a territory I believe), if they vote to not become a state, we need to drop them as a territory. They are nothing but a tax drain. As for the possesions, they should be returned to the original government or become a state.

Re:One last bit

[MacAndrew]

Since 1950 Puerto Rico is a commonwealth -- not a territory, although it is a territory for certain purposes and a state for others. I can't find a definitive reference fast enough. CIA Factbook

More:

Interesting Facts:
The term "United States" when used in a geographical sense on official documents, acts and/or laws; includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

The U.S. has twelve unincorporated territories, also known as possessions, and two commonwealths. The major possessions are American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All of these have a non-voting representative in the U.S. Congress. The major commonwealths are Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas. Commonwealths have their own constitutions and greater autonomy than possessions, and Guam is currently in the process of moving from the status of unincorporated territory to commonwealth. The residents of all of these places are full U.S. citizens, with the exception of those on American Samoa who are U.S. nationals, but not citizens. (U.S. Commonwealths/Territories: American Samao, Baker Island, Howland Island, Guam, Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas), and Wake Island).

Puerto Rico has its own Olympic team and competes in the Miss Universe pageant as an independent nation.

I think Virginia and Massachusetts also refer to themselves as commonwealth. I don't know the significance if any.

As for statehood, PR should be accorded self-determination, as was every present state in the union. I assume our territories would have remained territories had they so chosen. Personally I would make statehood or somethinghood for DC a greater priority. DC residents do pay fed taxes, yet are like PR disenfranchised (remember the old "not taxation without representation" jingle? :). I live across the river from DC and am more aware of their plight.

I don't think we should dump PR merely on revenue grounds. Think of the precedent. We'd have to dump Iowa, too! (Farm subsidies) (Just kidding -- some of the poorest states must be a net drain, though)