Here is another example of a Titanic themed t-shirt out there sold by a variety of stores. Is this funny or tacky? You decide.
Titanic Exhibition Coming To South Florida Science Center In November
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is coming the South Florida Science Center in November. The exhibit runs from 16 Nov 2013 to 20 April 2014. For information on hours, ticket prices and other information, go to sfsciencecenter.org/titanic.
Sunday Titanic News
1. Another amazing story of Titanic artifacts ending up someplace unusual. According to Daily Mail, Mark Manning–who owns Regal Pawnbrokers–purchased Titanic artifacts for £15,000 ($23,445) that are worth £1.2 million. A man came to him with a very interesting story, letters and other supporting documents, and a plastic bag. Manning told the Daily Mail:
The collector was paying insurance on the relics, he was worried he could be burgled and wanted to get rid of that burden, as well as getting some money for it. ‘He also wanted other people to see it, so I’ve been taking it around schools – kids think it is great to be able to touch a genuine piece of the Titanic. ‘I’m also going to look into loaning it to a museum for a few months. ‘We’ve already had an offer of £1.2million for the piece of hull, but when I sell it the collector will get a fair share. We have a gentleman’s agreement because I had no idea it was worth that much when he walked through the door.
Good thing the guy did not go to that well known pawn store in Detroit (the one on that TruTV “reality” show). I could just see them rolling their eyes and showing him the door.
Source: Pawnbroker Pays £15,000 For Bunch Of Titanic ‘Relics’ Handed Over In An Old Carrier Bag… And Finds They’re Worth £1.2Million(7 Sep 2013, Daily Mail)
2. You knew this story was coming. With all the praises for Belfast Titanic, sometimes the other less developed areas are forgotten. So writes Shane Hegarty of Irish Times.
Leaving the Titanic Belfast exhibition and heading along the dockfront of the Titanic Quarter, the path brings you along a stretch of empty retail units, plastered with that familiar innovation of this recession: the false shopfront. These are the look-what-could-be-heres that only ever tell you look-what’s-not. These are the glossy printed scars of an economic graph that dropped sharply. There are some occupied units, one housing a chain convenience store, another a coffee shop that, refreshingly, asks customers to pay what they want for the coffee and buns. A quirky and comfortable spot, it is operating rent free and staffed by volunteers. Talk to the staff and they’ll tell you, without any pushiness, that it’s backed by Christian groups – which, come to think of it, explains the prayer garden in the corner, complete with artificial grass and a tree.
Source: Put Your Titanic Pants On, And Take A Trip Through Downturn Land (7 Sep 2013, Irish Times)*
*Links to Republic of Ireland newspapers are not provided due to policy of charging for links.
And finally, for those who have not seen it, here is the official music video for My Heart Will Go On for your Sunday enjoyment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbYMfoPT7c4
MasterChef(4Sep2013)-Top Four Becomes Top Three, and then Top Two
*Walmart Mentions: 0
*Another two-parter!
*And now we are down to just four: Jessie, Krissi, Luca and Natasha. Quite remarkable when you consider the opponents they faced during the competition: Lynn, Jordan, James to name a few.
*Another team challenge opens this two parter and ends with the final three going head to head.
*Nerves were a problem in the first challenge. Blue Team (Luca/Natasha) and Red Team (Jessie/Krissi) were feeling the pressure. While Blue Team did work together, Red was a disaster since neither like the other. Worse Krissi had a temper tantrum and walked off leaving Jessie to do all the work. And that spelled doom for her team which ended up in the pressure test. Personally the minute she gave up and walked away her apron should have been forfeit right there. Gordon noted that Krissi often allows people to tell her what to do and then when things go wrong, throw them under the bus.
*Last year the three souffle challenge was perhaps one of the toughest. This year one upped it. Krissi and Jessie had to make one stunning chocolate mousse for Graham, one stunning lava cake for Joe, and one stunning chocolate souffle for Gordon. Krissi’s mousse is excellent while Jessie’s souffle is better. That leaves it up to Joe and the not-so-stunning lava cakes.
*And so finally, at long last, Krissi leaves the competition. As a consolation, she gets invited to dinner (with her son)at his upscale Del Posto in New York. She is a talented cook and baker but has many issues that frankly ought to have sent her home long before this. Her bullying and constant bad manners are not welcome in most places. MasterChef has seen its share of villains over the years, but Krissi truly is number one in that category. To make it worse, it seems they wanted to keep her around long enough for the drama and possibly to shake up the other cheftestants. So long Krissi. I will not say the words but if you have seen the Wizard of Oz, you know what song to sing here.
*Top three-Jessie, Luca, and Natasha-entry dishes are back but they now have to show how far they have come since those early days. All three put forth good dishes but Luca, once again, plays wrong with a cheese sauce. Jessie wins and is ranked number 1 allowing to select one of the three foods presented by the judges. Mario Batalli likes to say parmigiano reggiano is the undisputed king of all cheeses but it turns out it is really a high nobleman in the court of great Italian cheeses. Grana Padano, says Joe, is the king. Graham unveils Kobe beef, the best beef in the world. And finally Gordon has an Alaskan king crab. Jessie gets first pick and chooses Kobe beef even though she has never worked with it before. Natasha gets second pick and chooses the crab for herself leaving Luca with the Grana Padana. And off they go to cook their dishes.
*Natasha’s dish gets rave reviews and complements on the risk taken. Luca gets praise as well. Jessie’s Kobe beef also gets praised but not her noodles. Gordon asks to taste the papaya salad she had also done. After tasting, Gordon raves at how good it is. The others taste it and also think it is good. Gordon points out it is a better than the noodles and would have made a big difference. And probably it would have as both Luca and Natasha are the final two. Sadly Jessie, one of my personal favorites, ends up leaving. Joe though offers her to come work for him. She has style and finesse and will make a terrific chef one day running her own restaurant. And Joe will give her the experience she needs to become one.
Tune in next week for what will be a great match: Luca vs. Natasha. If Luca wins, all of Italy will cheer (but cry if he loses). Who do you think should win and was Krissi exit right or wrong?
Titanic Newswrap For 3 Sep 2013
1. Hartley Violin Update: The Hartley Violin will be going on display next in Belfast in the replica second class accommodation suite from 18 Sept – 13 Oct 2013. It is scheduled to be auctioned by Henry Aldridge & Son later in October.
Source: Violin From Titanic To Be Exhibited(2 Sep 2013,Belfast Telegraph)
2. Titanic Exhibition Extended:The Grand Rapids Public Museum has extended again Titanic:The Artifact Exhibition one more week until Saturday, 14 Sep 2013.
Source:Titanic Exhibition At Grand Rapids Public Museum Extended A Second Time(3 Sep 2013,mlive.com)
3. You cannot make this up. According to This is Lincolnshire, RNLI lifeboat volunteers responded to a report three inflatable tender boats were in trouble. The found one of the boats was named Titanic and its occupants were trying to start the engine. After that failed, the group then attempted to tow the boat back to the beach as RNLI volunteers watched.
Source:Skegness RNLI Lifeboat Volunteers Involved In ‘Titanic’ Rescue(3 Sep 2013,This Is Lincolnshire.co.uk)
Announcement:Moving Transit Info To San Bruno Streets Blog
I am starting a new blog that will report on mass transit for San Bruno, CA. It is called San Bruno Streets. All the postings concerning SamTrans and Caltrain have been imported there. While the original postings will still be here, all new postings on those topics (and others of concern to San Bruno, CA). Simply put, I realized it was time to move that topic to another blog.
Today is Labor Day
Labor Day is a national holiday in the United States and became a federal holiday in 1894. The holiday was created to celebrate the “the strength and spirit de corps of the trade and labor organizations.” Usually a parade occurs followed by a get together where people celebrate workers and their families. Aside from that, it is also marks the end of summer with schools now open and summer vacations at an end. Of course retail businesses like to use the day as an important sale day. For many though it is a nice long weekend.
Sunday Titanic Newswrap
1. Titanic II Update: Clive Palmer says he is considering a Tasmanian company, Liferaft Systems Australia, to construct Titanic II’s lifeboats. Clive Palmer said “The exciting thing about his liferaft system is you don’t sell any in Australia, which means it must be good if people overseas are buying it Australians never buy things that are good they only buy things that are bad.”
Source: Tasmania Considered For Titanic II Liferafts(30 Aug 2013,ABC-Australia)
2. Mystery Of Edith Russell’s Musical Pig Solved-After asking the public to identify the unknown tune, it has finally been identified as “La Sorella” by Charles Borel-Clerk and Louis Gallini. However there was some confusion over a South American dance song called “Maxixe,” which some thought was the tune. The song La Sorella is also known as La Matchiche which is pronounced the same as Maxixe.
Source: Titanic Mystery Solved: Song Toy Played As Ship Sank Is Identified(29 Aug 2013,Newsmax)
Wikipedia
3. Captain John Lowe, grandson of Titanic third officer Harold Lowe, recently attended a special dedication service for the Barmouth Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Lowe brought his grandfather’s photograph album containing pictures from the 1914 Barmouth Regatta.
Source: Grandson Of Titanic Survivor Attends Service(29 Aug 2013,Cambrian News)$
$Fee required to view full article
Welcome To September
A flower associated with September.
Photo: Wikipedia
Former White Star Building To Become Titanic-Themed Hotel
Albion House in Liverpool, once the headquarters of White Star Line, is now going to become a Titanic themed hotel. According to the Liverpool Echo: “They hope to turn 350,000 sq ft of floorspace, which has been largely unused for three decades, into a 350- bedroom aparthotel with a gym, bar and restaurant named Signature Living Hotel – The Home of the Titanic, in honour of its history.”
Albion House–constructed between 1896 and 1898 and known for its distinctive appearance due to Portland stone and red brick– is a Grade II historical building (which means it is a more than just a building of special interest). Hotel developers Now Signature Living recently acquired the building and have put the paperwork in. They hope to have part of the hotel open by next April.
Sources:
1. White Star Building To Become Titanic-Themed Hotel(26 Aug 2013,Liverpool Echo)
2. Albion House, Liverpool (Wikipedia)