TITANIC AND DONALD TRUMP

 Before I continue with our Queen Mary 2 cruise, a few things about Donald Trump:

• Want to track his trials?  Click here.

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  The Supreme Court took three hours of oral arguments a week ago, and there seemed to be a vague sense that they might be open to some limited protection for former presidents from criminal liability.  Some associate justice attitudes bordered on the unbelievable.  What will now happen?  Who knows for sure.  Here is a range of what experts thought.  I remain convinced that the Supreme Court will say that Trump is not immune from criminal prosecution, and that this monumental decision will come early this summer, leaving some room for the DC coup attempt or Georgia election interference trial, if not both.  Plus, the Supreme Court will ask Congress to re-examine this matter.
• 
  Time magazine, not a fan of Trump, actually interviewed him twice in Mar-a-Lago, and titled their article, How Far Trump Would Go.  Thus the title is, If He Wins.
• Said he made a crucial mistake during his first term:  he was too nice.  This will not happen again.
• He will work closely with world dictators.
• He will deport more than 11 million.

• 
  He will have a U.S, Attorney that will prosecute who he (Trump) selects.
• He will pardon every one (800+) of his supporters accused of attacking the U.S. Capitol on 6January2021.
• He will not honor past agreements with allies to come to their assistance if attacked.
• Will close the White House pandemic-preparedness office.

• 
  Will staff his administration only with those who back his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen.
• You can read the whole article here.
• Video of Trump Trials and Tribulations.

Continuing my series of how these cruise ships compare, RMS Queen Mary 2 vs RMS Queen Mary:

• RMS means Royal Motor Ship, while MS stands for Motor Ship.  Royal because these two ships served as the flagship.  
• Incidentally, the RMS Queen Mary 2 is today the only ocean liner in service.  
• All the other large passenger ships today are cruise ships. 
• An ocean liner.
•  Costs more to build because it is more rigid (strength) and goes faster.  Faster than 30 MPH vs 25 MPH for cruise ships.
• However, as jet air travel arrived, speed was not so important, plus economics doomed the future of ocean liners.
• The new Cunard Queen Anne is a cruise liner.
• Has a longer bow with aerodynamic design and thicker hull to withstand adverse sea conditioners.
• Rests lower in the water.
• A cruise liner is usually massive and luxurious floating hotels.
• These RMS were ocean liners:
• RMS Elizabeth 2 served for nearly 40 years and is now a floating hotel in Dubai.
• RMS Queen Mary sailed for 33 years and is now a floating hotel and entertainment cent in Long Beach.
• Queen Mary was launched in 1936, while the Queen Mary 2 in 2004.
• The Queen Mary 2 is 15% longer and 14% wider than the Queen Mary.
• They have the same horsepower with maximum speed of 30 knots.
• Mary 2 has one more deck, is 30% taller, and has a gross tonnage of 149,000, compared to 80,000 for the Mary.
• Watch a video of the Queen Mary 2.

Queen Mary vs Titanic.

• Titanic was launched and sunk in 1912,  Queen Mary came 24 years later and had 1001 trans-Atlantic crossings.
• QM is nearly double the weight of Titanic.
• QM passenger capacity of 2695.  Titanic 2435, but held 2240 when it left Southampton.
• Regarding the Titanic.
• Titanic left Southampton on 10April1912 and arrived in Cherbourg eight hours later.
• Arrived Queenstown, Ireland on April 11.
• Struck iceberge at 11:40 PM on April 14.
• There were still over 1500 aboard when the last lifeboat left at 2:05AM on April 15.
• Sank at 2:20AM.
• The Carpathia picks up first lifeboat survivors at 4:10AM, and leaves the area at 8:50AM.
• Carpathia arrives in New York three days later on April 18 at 9AM.
• 97% of first class female and 100% of children passengers survived.  There was a women and children first policy.  33% of first class male and 8% of male second class passengers a lived.  24% of the crew made it.
• Most significant survivor.  Millvina Dean was just two-months old, and passed away in 2009 at 97.  She was in third-class.
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown also survived.  Watch the trailer with Debbie Reynolds.
• There was, of course, the 1997 movie directed by James Cameron, the most expensive film ever made at the time with a production budget of $200 million, but the first to reach the billion-dollar mark.  Now up to $2.3 billion.  Nominated for 14 Academy awards and won 11, tying Ben-Hur.
• There are 19 Titanic films, three released in 1912.

Okay, now on to life on the RMS Queen Mary 2 , beginning with lunch on day 2.

Went to English Tea, and had a flight of port wines.

Entertained by two from Scotland.

Before dinner, went to watch ballroom dancing.

Dinner at Bamboo of oriental fare, beginning with an assortment.  Unfortunately, the temperature was cool, so the tray was just not so good.

The cod was excellent.

Four desserts.  But should have passed.

This was dress-up night, so I'm in my black ascot attire.

Not the lengthy hallway.

Then lunch yesterday.

Note that the lunch buffet has a daily tuna/salmon sashimi and sushi section.

Dinner at Britannia, starting with salad and duck consommé, with Black Shiraz fro Australia and a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Salmon for dinner,  Okay.

Ended with a cheese plate.

Went to see Shellyann for the evening show.  Average.

Then went on to see Death on the Nile, a 2022 film.  Confusing.  But the theater is fabulous, with a great sound system.

Ended the long evening with Dalmore whisky and piano music in the Commodore Room.

Only walked 2190 steps.

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