$5.2 Billion being spent on the Titanic II

[Justice wanted]

http://news.yahoo.com/australian-billionaire-build-titanic-ii-012105815--finance.html


One of Australia's richest men, Clive Palmer, on Monday unveiled plans to build a 21st century version of the doomed Titanic in China, with its first voyage from England to New York set for 2016.

Palmer, a self-made mining billionaire, said he had commissioned state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard to construct Titanic II with the same dimensions as its predecessor.

"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," Palmer said in a statement.

"Titanic II will sail in the northern hemisphere and her maiden voyage from England to North America is scheduled for late 2016."
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REALLY you need to spend 5.2 Billion on a boat. You couldn't use that 5.2 Billion to let's say build better schools. Feed hungry people. Build better roads in Africa. Adopt an orphanage or two and give kids a better life.

[longship]

1. Do you think they will promote it as being unsinkable?

Northern Atlantic, eh? One hopes they don't feel obligated to try and beat the USS United States' record on their maiden voyage.

Bon voyagè!

[Justice wanted]

2. hopefully they have enought lifeboats on this thing.

[kenny blankenship]

4. By 2016 they won't have to worry about hitting any icebergs

In fact, I hear the N. Atlantic leg of the journey may be "clothing optional".

[Tanelorn]

3. Clive is also seeking Liberal preselection for the next election.

He wants to challenge the federal treasurer in his seat of Lilley.

The wealthy in this country are so out of touch with real problems.

[Raine]

5. WOW, I would love to get a look at that ship! nt

[dballance]

6. Damn shame they chose China to build it in instead of Aus or UK

The number of direct and indirect jobs will be huge.

[MrSlayer]

7. I just read up on this guy.

According to his wiki page he's worth 3 to 6 billion, is a proclaimed National Living Treasure of Australia and has been a life long member of the center-right Liberal National Party of Queensland.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Palmer_(businessman)#section_2

He seems like a dick from this limited description. Building in China does not improve my opinion.

As far as launching the second Titanic goes, we can only hope the maiden voyage is as successful as the original.

Well, perhaps that's a bit harsh. There is likely to be a sizable amount of working class people on board, working.

On the other hand, it will probably be really cool. Too bad most of us will never see it.

Ultimately, I find myself indifferent.

[liberal N proud]

8. By todays standards, Titanic would not be an extremely large ship.

http://www.titanic-titanic.com/compare_modern_ships_to_titanic.shtml

[Kolesar]

9. Allure of the Seas rather looks like a Soviet apartment building

I would rather go camping.

[GeorgeGist]

10. You know what they say about those who don't understand ...

history. But $5.2 G will feed a lot of Chinese slaves.

[tammywammy]

11. The article doesn't say the ship would cost $5.2B, it says the guy building it is worth $5.2B.

Palmer said he has established his own shipping company, Blue Star Line, with the new vessel having the same specifications as its predecessor -- 270 metres long (885 feet), 53 metres high and weighing some 40,000 tonnes.

It will have 840 rooms and nine decks with design work in conjunction with an historical research team underway. No figure was given on how much it would cost.

[Codeine]

12. True. The Allure of the Seas (the god-awful cruise ship in an above post)

cost a nudge over a billion, and it looks significantly larger than this new Titanic would be.

[Justice wanted]

13. Sorry Haven't slept well in 4 nights so sometimes I have to read thing 6 times before it make sense

I still pose the question. He can't find better things to do with that money than build another Titanic?

[Cleita]

14. Especially a ship that was supposed to be unsinkable and that sank.

Frankly, I think the name alone has bad karma. You couldn't pay me to take a trip in it.

[just1voice]

15. The U.S. imports $365 billion a year from China

What the hell is wrong with the U.S.? I'll answer: we're mostly made up of war-mongering and greedy self-serving consumerbots who could care less if slave labor is used to serve our every whim. Not that any other country is any better but it does address the financial priorities of the typical human.

http://www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/china