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Australian Billionaire Plans To Build Titanic II

Posted by Soulskill on from the of-course-he-does dept.

SchrodingerZ writes "Just in time to miss the 100-year anniversary of the fatal voyage of the Titanic, Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer announced he has plans to recreate the Titanic, calling it Titanic II. 'It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st Century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems,' says Palmer. He stated it was to be as close to the original as possible, with some modern adjustments. Its maiden voyage is set for 2016."

11 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. Go Ballmer! by TechCar · · Score: 5, Funny

    It would be nice to take a sail on such stylish, vintage ship. I hope they also have dress codes for women so they will wear vintage dresses. After having a nice dinner I will take some nice lady to her room and draw her naked. Then have sex with her in a vintage car. And die after we crash into New Zealand.

    1. Re:Go Ballmer! by sentientbeing · · Score: 5, Funny

      'Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it,' Mr Palmer said in response to questions from reporters on whether the Titanic replica would sink.

      Lowering the bar a bit this time, then.

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      beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his mind he dreams himself your master
  2. Well, that sounds unsinkable by crazyjj · · Score: 5, Funny

    but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st Century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems

    No way to sink that, then.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
    1. Re:Well, that sounds unsinkable by Teancum · · Score: 5, Informative

      In fairness to the engineers of the original Titanic (and her sister ships), the "unsinkable" nature of the ship was mainly in regards to ordinary leaks and minor structural failures that may happen from time to time. A lousy pilot might damage a part of the hull, but the ship was designed to withstand that kind of general damage. There were very efficient bilge pumps and the various sections of the ship were designed to keep water out.... something that did allow the ship to stay afloat for nearly an hour after it hit the iceberg.

      That there were shortcomings in the design is true as well, and something that came from the accident investigation review board that was convened after the original RMS Titanic sank. Still, it was a generally sound design that was used for the original Titanic and as noted the general design did prove to be rather successful as long as general precautions were taken. The Titanic investigation review board also set the pattern for subsequent engineering failures in the future, including the loss of both American Space Shuttles (Columbia and Challenger) as well as the failure of the Tacoma Narrows "Galloping Gertie" Bridge, and for that matter almost every major airline crash investigation. These engineering/transportation investigations usually lead to new regulations, but they also help advance the state of technology in terms of knowing what not to do... something that is sadly learned from experience more often that common sense would make you hope.

  3. Probably strike a coral reef and sink by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, that would be hilarious. Oh, wait, the Italians beat him to it.

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    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  4. I plan to build Iceberg II by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It'll be pretty much like the original, but with state-of-the-art 21st Century technology like pykrete to survive in more temperate waters, and the latest targeting and weapons systems.

    AC for obvious reasons, MUAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!

  5. Re:More lifeboats. by daem0n1x · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you suggesting more government regulation is the solution? What about the passengers' inalienable right to die a horrible death in the icy waters without the nanny-state commie lifeboats oppressing them? Why do you hate liberty?

  6. ATTENTION NON-AUSTRALIANS by Dexter+Herbivore · · Score: 5, Informative

    Please understand that this guy has been attempting to manipulate Australian media coverage by trying to make crazy sounding headlines to distract from negative reports about his political allies.

  7. Re:More lifeboats. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I agree. Let the free market decide. If a company builds a ship with only enough life boats for half the people then the half of the people that die won't use that company again thereby correcting the problem.

  8. Re:More lifeboats. by 0123456 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Suppose your liner sank in the middle of the Atlantic in 1880 and everyone got in the life boats.

    Then what?

    You had no radio to contact any other ships, so you're just floating around in the water with very limited supplies and little chance of rescue. Unless you were lucky and some other ship saw you sink or saw any flares you were able to launch, the odds were that you would die a slow death waiting for help.

    The Titanic was probably the first such sinking where there would have been a good chance of everyone surviving if they carried enough life boats. And people learned from that.

  9. Re:I'd rather swim by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Exactly how superstitious are you?

    I would estimate about thirteen times the national average, which is unfortunate.