Well Thanksgiving is nearly here for those of us in USA. Before I take time away to eat some turkey, watch some games, and catch a few movies, here are some Titanic odds and ends for the week.

1. The Sun-Sentinel (Florida) reminds readers that while Titanic may be at the South Florida Science Museum there are many other undersea treasures off Florida. Treasure hunter Terry Armstrong tells the Sentinel “There are probably 30 to 40 old Spanish ships, from the 1500s up to the late 1600s, that are sunk around Florida.” And many of them likely have lots of money to be found (gold, silver, and other precious cargo). Some ships are likely just historic rather than a treasure find though. Alas the days of finding and keeping such treasure thanks to federal and state regulations. And even if you find the treasure, it would belong to the state (although you might get compensation for it). Provided of course you had a permit to do the recovery.
Source: Titanic Amount Of Treasure Still Undiscovered Off South Florida (24 Nov 2013,Sun-Sentinel)

2. The movie Raise The Titanic(1980) is scheduled to come out on Blu-Ray in January 2014. The movie was adapted from the Clive Cussler best seller of the same name. Sadly it was a terrible adaptation changing key aspects of the story from the novel. Perhaps the best part is seeing Titanic raised from the ocean floor (when the book and movie were made the wreck had not been discovered yet). Aside from that, it is mostly a dud. If you want to see it, check your local library to see if it is available. It also might be available from an online streaming movie site (not Netflix, last I checked). I encourage you to read the book as it is quite exciting.
Source: Raise The Titanic’ To Surface On Blu-Ray(26 Nov 2013, High-Def Digest)

3. Iraq has suffered floods of late that have made it difficult for its citizens to get about. Due to the lack of rapid government assistance, many were forced into using makeshift rafts to get about on city streets. This caused many to post humorous pictures on social media sites that had, for instance, Jack and Rose from Titanic superimposed on top of a city bus trying the make its way through a flooded street. As one commentator noted, they know how the people of Venice get about.
Source: Fighting Floods, Iraqis Go Online To Bemoan Poor Public Services(24 Nov 2013,Oman Tribune)

4. Karl Samuda recently spoke in opposition to various tax measures being debated in Jamaica’s House of Representatives. Some of the benefits being debated include a reduction in corporate taxes. Samuda, noting the bills being passed said “Let us hold hands and sing and go down with the Titanic.” Yet another example of a politician using Titanic for political reasons.
Source: Sinking like the Titanic!(24 Nov 2013,The Gleaner)

A few tips on Thanksgiving (for turkey fryers)

*Do not even think about deep frying your turkey in your home or apartment balcony.
*Set up fryer outdoors and not close to any building. Make sure it is on a level surface.
*Oil is hot! Never forget that when cooking. Wear suitable clothing to protect when cooking in a deep fryer. Use safety gloves and avoid flip flops or shorts in case the oil splatters.
*Never let kids play around the turkey fryer. Attend at all times.
*Remember the expansion rule: do not overfill with oil. Allow for 6 inches of expansion when you add the turkey.
*Remember to pat dry the bird. Oil and water do not mix.
*And never, ever think about putting a frozen turkey into hot oil. Ever. See what happens here and view a State Farm video on turkey fryer danger.
*Safety experts recommend you turn off the burner when you put the turkey in and then turn it back on to cook.
*Hot oil will stay hot for several hours. Make sure it is in safe place and the burner is off when done. Safely discard the oil later after it has cooled but do not pour it down the drain. Check about where to properly dispose large amounts of cooking oil (some places will buy it and covert it to fuel).
*And watch that oil temperature. Do not let it go above 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If a fire should occur in the pot, turn off cooker and cover the pot. Many grease fires can be put out this way. Always have a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires handy.

Shop Amazon – Black Friday Deals Week – Big Savings, No Waiting