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Apr 04

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Aboriginals and Environment

Aboriginals and Environment

The environmental concerns have become growing in the modern world of industrial development. In fact, the environmental issue is a very broad one, as it touches not only the health implications of pollution, but the world security as well. The destruction of ecosystem and the extraction of limited resources might lead to the world epidemics and hunger. The majority of natural resources are not reproductive. Thus, people have to be very careful exploiting. Unfortunately, it doesn't always happen. The most part of human-beings are used to neglect environmental issues trying to take advantage to the fullest extent from everything that nature gives.
There exists a common view that aboriginals are the best representatives of the latter group of people, as they tie their whole existence with the nature itself. Thus, aboriginals use natural resources, including fishing, hunting, and harvesting in the biggest extent. In fact, the Canadian society nowadays are faced with the major challenge: whether the aboriginals living in Canada should or should not be allowed to hunt, fish or trap on a self-regulated basis. This topic is very complicated as it includes moral, political and economical issues. However, Canadian society as well as Government has to resolve the problem in order both to prevent tensions and ensure efficient ecological policies.
This article will attempt to argue that Aboriginals of Canada should be allowed to hunt, fish and trap on a self-regulated basis, because Aboriginals feel a spiritual bond with their natural environment, and as a result are morally and socially obliged to extract only what they need from their resource base. There are three main assumption used to prove the hypothesis stated above:
It is the growing economic development and capitalistic system of nature exploitation that lead to substantial environmental concerns.
Natural resources are highly utilized by both Aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities, therefore, it is not only the concern and the guilt of the former.
Self-regulation doesn't merely involve the issue of harvesting resources. The establishment of self-regulated practices should be the ground-base for broader self-government issue.
Those are the major points discussed in the research paper with regard to the major topic. The main goal of the paper is to show that civilized society of either ethnicity should gain more freedom including self-government, as the latter is the best way to enhance full personal responsibility concerning different issues including this of environment.

Capitalistic system and nature exploitation.
Today, virtually everyone agrees that there has been a serious degradation of the natural environment in which we live, by comparison with 30 years ago. I don't take even longer period, because the difference would be amazingly enormous. And this is the case, despite the fact that there have been continuous significant technological inventions and an expansion of scientific knowledge that one might have expected would have led to the opposite consequence. As a result, today, unlike 30 or 100 or 500 years ago, ecology has become a serious political issue in many parts of the world. There are even reasonably significant political movements organized centrally around the theme of defending the environment against further degradation and reversing the situation to the extent possible.
Our life is a constant change. Ancient people were different from those who lived in the Middle Ages. The latter differed much from those of 19th century. Contemporary informational society is surely quite different from the one of the 19th century. All those changes took place to gradual development of civilization economic, political, technological. In fact, all the latter factors are strongly interconnected: even subtle change in one leads to the more substantial change in the other.
The reason I have pointed this out is to understand that changes in the environment we are so much concerned about didn't just happen themselves. There was the chain of events preceding the phenomenon. The most important one is the economic development. Thus, in order to discuss the issue of increased ecological danger, we actually need to identify the most relevant source of this danger.
The story begins with two elementary features of historical capitalism. One is well-known: capitalism is a system that has an imperative need to expand in terms of total production, expand geographically in order to sustain its prime objective, the endless accumulation of capital. The second feature is less often discussed. An essential element in the accumulation of capital is for capitalists, especially large capitalists, not to pay their bills. The expansion of capitalistic system is obvious, especially if we think of the realities of modern time globalization. The main vice of capitalism and the pursue of financial benefits is the ecology neglect. In fact, it is due to the goal of money pursuit that people started to accept the concept of "nature conquer". Now, to be sure, neither expansion nor the conquest of nature was unknown before the onset of the capitalist world-economy in the sixteenth century. What historical capitalism did was to push these two themes the actual expansion and its ideological justification to the forefront, and thus to override social objections to such terrible actions.
All the values of capitalist civilization are millennial, but so are other contradictory values. What we mean by historical capitalism is a system in which the institutions that were constructed made it possible for capitalist values to take priority, such that the world-economy was set upon the path of the commodification of everything in order that there be ceaseless accumulation of capital for its own sake. (Wallerstein, 1997)
Certainly, the effects of capitalism didn't appear suddenly. It takes time to destroy nature, to cut trees and pollute rivers, to exhaust mineral resources. However, these sad effects still take place in the modern society. A lot of people declare they have broad rights. Yet, these rights mean the right to cut and destroy. Interestingly that this does not stop many of these same people from also wanting to slow down the degradation of the world environment. But that simply proves that we are involved in one more contradiction of this historical system. That is, many people want to enjoy both more trees and more material goods for themselves, and a lot of them simply segregate the two demands in their minds.
Moreover, another problem rooted from the capitalistic system is increasing production. From the point of view of capitalists, as we know, the point of increasing production is to make profits. It involves production for exchange and not production for use. Profits on a single operation are the margin between the sales price and the total cost of production, that is, the cost of everything it takes to bring that product to the point of sale. Of course, the actual profits on the totality of a capitalist's operations are calculated by multiplying this margin by the amount of total sales. That is to say, the "market" constrains the sales price. At a certain point, the price becomes so high that the total sales profits are less than if the sales price were lower.
It is interesting to figure out what constrains this costs. The price of labor plays a very large role in this. Under the capitalistic system the labor was exploited as to decrease the overall costs. Such mere neglecting of people's dignity can be vividly seen nowadays as well. Employers pursue cheap labor, thus cheap production. Environmental concerns and care are not included in their plans. Employees, in turn, seeking to survive concern about their children and families in the first place, rather than about nature and environment as a whole.
Besides the issue of increasing production and labor exploitation produced by capitalistic system, there exist some political factors that also contribute to the overall environmental issues how to arrange people and make them pay to restore nature. According to Wallerstein (1997), the arrangement for states to pay costs can be done in one of two ways. The governments can accept the role formally, which means subsidies of some kind. However, subsidies are increasingly visible and increasingly unpopular. They are met with loud protests by competitor enterprises and by similar protests by taxpayers. Subsidies pose political problems. There is another, more important, way, which has been politically less difficult for governments, because all it requires is non-action. Throughout the history of historical capitalism, governments have permitted enterprises not to internalize many of their costs, by failing to require them to do so. They do this in part by underwriting infrastructure and in part by not insisting that a production operation include the cost of restoring the environment in such a way that it is "preserved."
Here again, we've come to the important point connected with economic development the increasing activities of enterprises. The historical capitalism led to the fact that people accumulated money. The latter was needed to be invested in something. Surely, the best investments are factories and plants that produce different products to be sold to gain more profits. It is a well-known fact that production can never be safe enough. Dangerous and pollutive technologies are transferred all over the world. Huge transnational corporations do not care about the environmental effects. Unfortunately, even when they are forced to undertake some serious actions, they do this reluctantly, just to avoid international organizations interference. They sign deals with national governments and pay bribes just to avoid responsibility. Thus, environmental issue became not solely the issues of health and security concern. They are involved in serious political manipulations. Nowadays environment is not merely the problem of survival. It is a problem of profits and wealth. Big capital do not care about nature. Yet, big capital needs to ensure that nature would not prevent it from gaining substantial profits. The best way to ensure this is to make friends with big politics.
Thus, finally, we've come to the important point the issue of people who do not have either political influence, or any interesting in nature's destruction and exploitation for solely enrichment purposes versus the rest of society. The former are the representatives of the group of Native Americans who live in Canadian area. Canadian Aboriginals are not the players of capitalistic system. The laws of capitalism discussed above do not apply to them. Moreover, they are victims of such a system that is trying to damage the only thing that Aboriginals live from nature. Thus, the reasonable question arises why people who do not take part in capitalistic system of destruction and exploitation should suffer to the fullest extent from it? Though Aboriginals of Canada actively uses natural resources their purposes are far more humanistic than the ones of those who are the key players of modern market economy.
In such a way, we can see that environment is not solely the issue of health care. It involves much broader topics such as economics and politics. In fact, it is the latter that gave birth to so-called capitalistic system, which led to severe social and nature's exploitation. It is the capitalistic system that contributed to substantial production increase and put in danger the whole ecosystem. Moreover, it put in danger the survival of those who solely depend on nature aboriginals. Now, the Aboriginals of Canada have to face the problem of limit of resource usage due to possible governmental regulations.

The interest of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in nature's usage.
It has been already told that economic development led to production increase. In order to produce, it is necessary to have raw materials at disposal. Therefore, the issue of natural resources extraction becomes crucial. There exist many people that are highly convinced though that this kind of extraction in its major part belongs to those who live from this nature, i.e. Aboriginals. However, it can be arguable that aboriginals utilize nature thus harming it more seriously rather than modern non-Aboriginal communities.
Aboriginal peoples in Canada are the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. According to the 1996 national census, Canada's Aboriginal population stood at just over 790,000, or about 2.8 percent of the Canadian population of 28.5 million. The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal people: Indians (also sometimes called "First Nations") who comprise 69 percent of all Aboriginal, Métis people (people of both Aboriginal and European ancestry) who represent 26 percent, and Inuit (Arctic people) with 5 percent. These are three separate peoples with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. This very diversified Aboriginal community has given rise to many leaders and groups, which focus on their concerns and represent them in interactions with all levels of government and with non-Aboriginal Canadians. The most vital concerns are, certainly, the ones connected with the possibility of fishing, hunting and trapping on a self-regulated basis.
This issue is so important for them, because the majority of Aboriginals depend on nature. Natural resources are the only possible way for them to survive. In fact, people of the First Nations lived in all areas of Canada. Those who lived on Canada's coasts depended on fishing and hunting while those who lived on the prairies moved with buffalo herds, which they hunted for food, clothing, and tools. First Nations people who lived in central and eastern Canada hunted and grew vegetable crops. Today, more than hald of the First Nations people live on reserves. Others live and work in cities across Canada.
The Inuit lived and settled throughout the northern regions of Canada. They adjusted to the cold northern climate and lived by hunting seals, whales, caribou, and polar bears. The majority of Inuit people live in the new territory called Nunavut and some still hunt for food and clothing.
Many of the early French fur traders and some English traders married First Nations women. Their children and descendants are the Metis people. The Metis were an important part of the fur trade and they developed their own distinct culture on the prairies. When Europeans arrived in what is now Canada, they began to make agreements, or treaties, with Aboriginal peoples. The treaty making process meant that Aboriginal people gave up their title to lands in exchange for certain rights and benefits, including continued rights to fish and harvest. It is worth noting, according to Usher (2003), that the treaty boundaries had little to do with the traditionally occupied territories of the Indian signatories, but a lot to do with the needs of settlement and the emerging spatial configuration of political control. The Indian understandings of treaty were somewhat different. While they had certainly undertaken not to interfere with prospectors and government officials, they also considered that they had secured the necessary guarantees of their traditional livelihood, and to continue to benefit from and manage their own resources and activities. In the territorial North, where well past the middle of the twentieth century no reserves had been selected, many Indians understood the reserve concept to mean areas almost as large as the traditional territories themselves, in which they would have exclusive harvesting rights.
The history of Aboriginals in Canada is the history of survival and close interconnectedness with nature. In fact what happened in the years following the treaties was a process of progressive encroachment and restriction that led to the disruption of livelihood and community. Peter Usher (2003) gives the following example of ollution and contamination of river systems. Perhaps the best-publicized example is the contamination of the English and Winnipeg Rivers by mercury discharged by local pulp and paper mills, and the catastrophic effects on the Grassy Narrows and Whitedog Indian Reserves. The commercial fishery was ordered closed in the spring of 1970, several fishing lodges soon closed due to adverse publicity, and by the mid-1970s, Health Canada was advising residents not to eat fish. The rivers-- the source of food and livelihood for Aboriginals--were declared to be poisoned. Prior to contamination the fishery had accounted for about half of all personal income on the two reserves, and had come to provide the material focus of social and cultural continuity of Aboriginal Population. Adverse effects of the loss were not simply economic, but medical, social and psychological.
This tragical story shows how important it is for Aboriginals to keep up with nature, to live with nature, cause the latter is the only source of survival. Moreover, Aboriginal culture for centuries enhanced closed ties with natural environment. It means that close interconnectedness with all living for Aboriginals is not merely a means of satisfaction of their basic needs. It is a spiritual thing, it is a magic that they've experienced for many years. To deprive Aboriginals of their rights to fish and harvest whenever they want means to deprive them their spiritual roots. The latter, in turn, are the origin, the inspiration of their life.
Yet, there is one more important implication of the example described above. It has to do with the real interest that Aboriginals have in nature's extraction. It was already mentioned that nature feeds Aboriginals. Thus, if something happens, like in the case above, they are left with nothing. The key difference between Aboriginal peoples and most others in these situations, however, is that Aboriginals have no defense against them.
Non-Aboriginal communities use natural resources in much bigger extent and get great profits, while aboriginals simply try to back up their existence. Even if they get profit, it is far less substantial that the one of transnational corporations. Moreover, probably the most influential justification of the Aboriginals' usage of natural resources is the fact that they are trying to preserve their community, their cultural and ethnic communities.
In such a way, it is important to point that Aboriginal population of Canada has the only reason of active usage of nature attempt to survive and preserve ethnic and cultural community. They greatly depend on nature both physically (to satisfy their basic needs) and spiritually. They are closely tied with soil and all living organism. To deprive them of these ties mean to deprive them of their life. Non-Aboriginal communities, in turn, have much more mercantilist purposes in nature exploitation. Very often those purposes might even harm Aboriginal population. Thus, the task of the Government is to protect Aboriginal rights to fish and harvest, but not deprive of them.
The importance of self-regulation with regard to Aboriginal population of Canada.
Self-regulation is more a political issue than any other's, as it gives broader rights on the one hand, and encourages individual responsibility, on the other hand. Self-regulation is probably the most vital and relevant issue if we are to talk about Aboriginals and their right to hunt, fish and trap whenever they want.
It is important to point out that while Canada has moved beyond its colonial relationship with Great Britain, many argue that Aboriginal peoples in Canada continue to be entrenched in colonialism. In recent years, self-government negotiations have been initiated to redress this paradox. Problematic, however, is the fact that these negotiations are taking place in a socioeconomic environment that is being transformed by globalization. In this era of globalization, in which corporations assume a more dominant role in all spheres of life, the Canadian government is involved in a process of significant restructuring driven by a neoliberal agenda. (Slowey, 2001) In accordance with this vision of a minimum intervention of t state, self-government is being promoted as a means for political autonomy as well as for economic development in Aboriginal communities--all considered critical elements of "decolonization."
As Canada's Aboriginal people are already largely dependent on the state, native policy, and more specifically self-government policy, must be viewed within the globalization context. According to Slowey (2001), in Canada, government is trying to get out of the Indian business To this end, current native policy, set out in Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan, focuses on reassigning powers and devolving administrative responsibilities to Aboriginal communities, all under the guise of increased political autonomy or self-government. This plan promotes aboriginal governance, encourages new partnerships, and promotes new fiscal relationships, all in an effort to increase Aboriginal self-sufficiency.
Some people might argue, however, that self-government is a political tool of Canadian authorities designed on purpose to make Aboriginal population cooperate with transnational corporations, which desire to take over the former's land and exploit its natural resources in their own interests. Indeed, they are right to some extent. The problems of Aboriginal communities are so vast and financially consuming that government alone does not have enough money to solve them. More and more often, government turns to corporations to assist in the financing of social services previously delivered by government. In this spirit, government now points to Aboriginals as the "readymade labor force, investment partner and corporate neighbor for the private sector" (Slowey, 2001).
Many Aboriginals, in turn, embrace self-government as a step to political autonomy and embrace corporate development as a step to self-sufficiency. Through the federal strategy, First Nations are awarded degrees of decision making power or land for their economic development. At the same time, MNCs generally approach Aboriginal communities to assist in the development of resources by promising job-training programs, labor contracts, and scholarships, to build congenial relationships with communities that have a voice in the development process.
However, the main issue of self-government with regard to Aboriginals still remains the issue of free fishing, harvesting, and trapping. Though the politicians of Canada had promised vast rights to Aboriginal population, they are still not so much ensured. Despite the number of initiatives the government has launched to try to achieve degrees of self-government and settle claims throughout Canada, most grievances remain unresolved. However, when an agreement is reached, the government is portrayed as generous and the Aboriginal peoples as land and cash rich. But neither is true. Yet, it is critical for First Nation to gain rights to self-govern in fishing and harvesting in order to be able to build sustainable economic development of their small community. And they are trying hard to get that right.
In fact, Aboriginal peoples in Canada are working to keep their unique cultures and languages alive. They are trying to regain control over decisions that affect their lives - in other words, to become self-governed. Aboriginal peoples continue to play an active role in building the future of Canada.
It is fair to mention one more problem that pertains to the issue of Aboriginal self-governance. Though most Aboriginal peoples support self-government, they are often divided on the topic of the resource-driven development of land. Despite the eagerness of some Aboriginals, many others (in particular traditionalists and elders) fear development is simply "taking them for a ride." As Slowey (2001) assures, they recognize that development does not accord with their traditional pursuits and only further entrenches them in an alien, imposed system. This pressure has resulted in the strong division of some communities. Though some promote the land-for-cash option, many remain determined to preserve and further develop and transmit to future generations ancient land and culture. However, globalization works forcefully against the traditionalist element of Aboriginal communities. As the sense of global interconnectedness intensifies, it becomes increasingly difficult to espouse traditionalism, particularly in an era when many Aboriginal peoples are victims of non-Aboriginal assimilation, primarily through the education system and the media. Thus, resource development not only further divides Aboriginal peoples, but it threatens to conquer them.
However, even despite those existing problems, the benefits of self-governance are undoubtful. Aboriginal people live in their tight traditional communities. The interference of government in the form of any kind of regulation can easily undermine this calmness and destroy the community itself. Environmental issues are especially important for Aboriginal population in Canada as they are the matter of survival. Therefore, granting Aboriginals right to fish, hunt and trap on the self-government bsis will become a great contribution to the overall rights of those people and preservation of their unique culture and nation.

Conclusion
The environmental issues gain more serious importance in the modern world of globalization and fast growth. However, the environmental concerns root far deep in the history of different civilizations and systems. The historical capitalism is the main system, which can be blamed for environmental concerns. The former gave birth to rigorous exploitation of social and natural resources. Capitalism by its nature is concerned with maximum profit at any cost, whether that cost is human misery or environmental degradation. It seeks quick returns and is opposed to long-range social planning. People became mere tools for enrichment of others. Being hardly able to survive, they didn't think about nature preservation. Their primary concern was how to survive. Moreover, the capitalistic system also gave impulse to increased production. The latter, in turn, stimulated the rise of huge transnational corporations. Their global business endangered the normal functioning of ecosystems worldwide. In order to escape responsibility TNCs have been always signing deals with influential politicians. Thus we see that environment has always been not so much an issue of healthcare as an issue of wealth and politics. Yet, such flaws could be forgiven if they didn't affect one of the most vulnerable group of people Aboriginals.
In fact, Canadian Aboriginals have been suffered much from TNCs trying to take over their land. But what is even more discouraging for them is the fact that they still do not have absolute rights to take advantage of their natural resources whenever and wherever they want. This situation puts at risk their mere existence, as the dependence of Aboriginals upon nature is obvious. Moreover, ties with the natural environment is somewhat more than simple attempt to satisfy basic needs. It is a spiritual context that deeply roots in Aboriginals ties with nature itself.
Thus, to help Aboriginals to preserve their ethnicity, their culture and traditions, moreover, simply to help them to survive, it is absolutely important to grant this group of people self-governance. The government of Canada has to ensure those rights as quickly as possible. Moreover, it can be an important political tool to keep the country out of ethnical tensions and First Nation's anger. Besides, self-governance is an effective remedy to promote individual responsibility. Because only conscious society can form a firm ground for stable economic development and effective politics.

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A Transatlantic Crossing with the Queen Mary 2

Day One

                Driving up to the Port of Southampton’s Mayflower Terminal and catching first glimpse of the white-and-black hulled Queen Mary 2, the largest, longest, tallest, heaviest, and most expensive ship ever built, evoked considerable excitement and awe.  Docked to port at a 50-degree, 54.25’ north latitude and 001-degree, 25.70’ west longitude and facing a 116.4-degree compass heading, the 17-decked leviathan, with a 1,132-foot length and 148-foot width, featured a gross weight of 151,400 tons and towered above the buildings with its balcony-lined façade, eclipsing it with its 236.2-foot height.  Its draft extended 33.10 feet beneath the water line.  The floating metropolis, complete with its staterooms, restaurants, shopping arcades, libraries, theaters, and planetariums, would bridge, in six days, the European and North American continents, the equivalent in hours to the duration of the aerial crossing by 747-400, itself then the world’s largest commercial airliner.  But the oceanic crossing would yield civility, refinement, rejuvenation, emotional repair, and return to the slower, but more elegant era of steam ship travel—a journey, I would soon find out, would lead to a search for the maritime history of the past which had created the technology of the present.

                Unlike the proliferation of modern cruise ships with their comparatively lower speeds and greater-volume, square-geometry hulls, the Queen Mary 2 had been designed as a next-generation successor to the 35-year-old Queen Elizabeth 2 and, as such, would have to offer the same year-round, passenger-carrying capabilities, predominately in the rough North Atlantic, with a design which sacrificed revenue-producing volume and lower construction costs of the traditional cruise ship for the required safety, speed, and stability of the ocean liner.  Resultantly, it featured the same v-shaped hull configuration characteristic of the long line of its Cunard predecessors, constructed of thicker steel which carried a 40-percent greater cost than those of conventional cruise ships.  Designed by Stephen Payne, whose inspirations for the bow had come from the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the brake wall from the Normandie, it was the first quadruple-screw North Atlantic ocean liner since the France of 1962.  Payne himself, a naval architect born and raised in London, had been involved with the Carnival Holiday, Carnival Fantasy, and Rotterdam VI projects.  The latter, incorporating a modified Statendam hull, had featured a less “boxy” hull shape than the traditional cruise ship, but had still been considerably removed a full liner design.

                Intended for the primary Southampton-New York route, it incorporated dimensional restrictions dictated by the United States port, including a funnel height which cleared the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge by only ten feet and an overall length which exceeded the 1,100-foot pier of the Port of New York by 34 feet.

                Constructed by Alstom Chantiers de l’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, which had also built the Normandie, and designated hull G32 by the shipyard, it had been the first Cunard liner ever constructed outside of the United Kingdom and, like Concorde, the world’s fastest and hitherto only supersonic airliner, became the second British-French collaborative transportation project intended for trans-Atlantic service, although via vastly different, if not opposite, modes.

                Its interior offered unparalleled space and comfort.  Of the 17 decks, the first four were for machinery, storage, and the 1,254-strong crew; 13 were for the 2,620 passengers; and eight contained balcony staterooms.  Notable features included a Grand Lobby, the Royal Court Theatre, the Illuminations Theatre and Planetarium, the ConneXions Internet Center, the Queen’s Ballroom, a Winter Garden, nine major restaurants, 11 bars and lounges, an 8,000-volume library and bookstore, an Oxford University lecture program, performances by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, five swimming pools, sports venues, a Canyon Ranch Spa, a pavilion of shops, and a discotheque.  These appointments would constitute my “home” for the next six days.

                Symbolically reflected by its smaller QE2 predecessor berthed a considerable distance from its bow at the Queen Elizabeth 2 Terminal, the Queen Mary 2 represented a two-fold gross weight increase over its earlier-generation counterpart and, indeed, traced its lineage back to a long path of Cunard vessels which had spanned a 165-year period.  I somehow sensed that the imminent crossing would not only be a journey of distance, but a return in time.

                Gently vibrating at its spine, the behemoth laterally separated itself beneath from its berth below the metallic overcast at 1810, local time.

                Unlike the conventional engine-propeller shaft technology of older-generation ships, the Queen Mary 2 was powered instead by four aft, hull underside-mounted Rolls Royce Mermaid electric-motor pods, each weighing 260 tons and containing four fixed-pitch, 9,900-pound, stainless steel blades, and collectively producing 115,328 horsepower.  The forward, outboard pair was fixed and provided forward and astern propulsion, while the aft, inboard pair featured 360-degree azimuth capability and provided both propulsion and steering, obviating the need for the rudder.  The advanced-technology system reduced both complexity and weight and increased internal hull volume by eliminating the traditional engine configuration’s associated equipment.

                Three Rolls Royce variable-pitch, transverse-propeller bow thrusters, collectively producing 15,000 horsepower, provided port and starboard bow maneuvering capability at speeds of up to five knots.  At eight knots, when their effectiveness had been exceeded, they were covered by 90-degree rotating, fluid-dynamic doors.

                Led by dual water-sprout shooting tugboats, the behemoth oceanliner commenced its lumbering movement down the basin.  Maintaining an 11.5-knot forward speed in the Solent, it commenced its starboard turn from 140 degrees at Calshots Reach at 1907, poised for the similar maneuver at Brambles.

                Compressed into dark gray, the sun projected its glowing orange streaks outward through the thin, unobstructed strip on the western horizon.  Assuming a 220-degree heading through the Thorn Channel, the Queen Mary 2 initiated its starboard turn to round the Isle of Wight.

                The first dinner on board the elegant, maritime engineering triumph had been served in the 1,351-seat, three-story-high, dual-level Britannia Restaurant which had featured a grand, sweeping staircase, column supports, and a vaulted, back-lit, stained glass ceiling and was reminiscent of and inspired by the grand dining room salons of the 20th century French liners such as the Ile-de-France, the L’Atlantique, and the Normandie.  The meal itself, served on Wedgwood bone china and in Waterford crystal, had included white zinfandel wine; cream of mixed mushroom soup with parmesan croutons; crusty rolls and butter; oak leaf and Boston salad with shaved carrots and sherry vinaigrette dressing; rack of pork with wild mushroom ragout, truffle mashed potatoes, morel sauce, and sauerkraut; warm apple strudel with brandy sauce; and coffee.

                The thin line of orange lights outlining the coast traced itself behind the stern.  Maintaining a 27-knot speed and a 250-degree heading, the rock-steady, 151,000-ton engineering mass plied the black channel and commenced its great circle course, from Bishop’s Rock in the Scilly Isles.  Ahead lay the infinite Atlantic—and the path forged by every one of Cunard’s previous transatlantic liners.  Tomorrow, I would begin tracing the historical one. 

Day Two

                Dawn greeted the lengthy liner as a tunnel of indistinguishable, moist gray.  Encased between the morose cloud dome above and the navy sea slate below, which spat periodic white caps, the black-and-red funneled vessel penetrated the moisture-saturated morning, the rain-emitting sky and the swirling, eddying sea merging into seamless, wind-blustery, ship-bombarded drench.

                Any undesired movement, however, was quickly, and invisibly, dampened by the two pairs of 15.63-square-meter Brown Bros/Rolls Royce fin stabilizers which were controlled by gyroscopic vertical reference instruments and extended as far as 15 feet from the hull to counteract ship roll.

                Plunging into 348-meter-deep waters 98 nautical miles off of Ireland at noon, the Queen Mary 2 had traversed 418 miles since its departure from Southampton yesterday.

                Current weather entailed intermittent, light rain with a clockwise movement to the west, predicted to drop to force 4.  The present force-5, fresh breeze out of the south, coupled with an 11.2-degree Celsius air temperature, carried a 994-millibar pressure.  The sea, with a moderate 4 state, maintained a 10-degree Celsius temperature.

                Afternoon tea, held in the Queen’s Room, had been a British tradition and a delightful intermittence between lunch and dinner served on every Cunard crossing, the last personal one of which had been the 2002 eastbound journey on the Queen Elizabeth 2.  The Queen’s Room itself, the largest ballroom at sea, featured an arched ceiling, twin crystal chandeliers, a velvet blue and gold curtain over the orchestra stage, a 1,225-square-foot dance floor, a live harpist, and small, round tables seating up to 562.  Today’s presentation included egg, ham and cheese, cucumber, tomato, beef, and seafood finger-sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and strawberry cream tarts.

                Afternoon tea at sea could trace its lineage back some 165 years.  Einstein’s theory of relativity somehow seemed to apply.  Suspended between continent, landmass, and population, the ship seemed caught within a void, an arrested warp in which history seemed captured and in which the vessel reconnected with its past, as it once again replayed it, a separation from the present on land and an approach to its past on the sea.  It was to this suspension of time, distance, and place that the threads of Cunard’s past indeed led.  One man, who had lived some 200 years ago, had made the journey of today possible.

                The name of that man, of course, had been the same as that which had graced a long line of ever-advancing Atlantic ocean liners, Samuel Cunard.  Born on November 21, 1787 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the son of Abraham Cunard, himself a carpenter at Halifax’s Royal Naval Dockyard, he had forged a maritime link upon physical entry into the world.  His initial venture had entailed a Royal Mail contract award to transport mail over the Boston-Halifax-St. John’s route after cessation of the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States, while he later became involved with the first steam-powered vessel project intended for Atlantic crossings.  Named the Royal William, the 160-foot-long, 1,370-ton ship had been inaugurated into service in August of 1931 between Quebec and Halifax, requiring 6.5 days for the journey.

                The venture which had sparked his ultimate fame, however, occurred at the end of the decade when the British government had announced its intention to subsidize steam-powered mail service between England and the United States.  In a formal proposal to fulfill the requirement, submitted on February 11, 1839, Cunard outlined a bimonthly, steam-powered service between England and Halifax operated by 300-hp ships making 48 annual crossings.  Awarded a contract by the Admiralty in June for four 206-foot-long, 400-hp, 1,120-ton vessels ultimately to be designated the Acadia, the Caledonia, the Columbia, and the Britannia, he finalized plans to serve the Liverpool-Halifax-Boston route.

                The latter ship, the Britannia, had actually been the first to be completed.  The 207-foot-long, 34-foot-wide hybrid power ship, constructed of African oak and yellow pine at Robert Duncan’s Shipyard on the River Clyde in Scotland, had featured a clipper bow, three masts with square yards, and two mid-ship-located, black-and-gold paddle boxes which extended almost 12 feet from either side and contained 9-foot-wide, 28-foot-diameter paddles turning at 16 revolutions per minute and operating off of a 403-hp, two-cylinder, side-lever steam engine which burned 40 tons of coal per day exhausted through a single, aft smoke stack.  The engine, requiring 70 feet of hull for installation, drew coal from a 640-ton bunker.

                Of the four decks, the upper, or main deck, featured the captain and chief officer cabins, the pantry, the galley, the officers’ mess, the crew cabins, the raised, exposed bridge, and the dining saloon, which, at 36 feet long and 14 feet wide, had been the largest enclosed room on the ship.  Two aft, circular staircases linked the dining hall with the second deck, which housed the gentlemen's and ladies’ cabins, each with two bunk beds, a wash basin, a mirror, a day sofa, and a port hole or an oil lamp, with shared toilet facilities, equaling a 124-person capacity, of which 24 had been female.  The cargo holds, located on either side of the engine yet another deck lower and capable of accommodating 225 tons, accompanied the sail locker, the mail room, the stores, the steward quarters, and the wine cellar in the stern.  Coal had been stored on the fourth, or lowest, deck.

                The 1,154-ton Britannia, inaugurated into scheduled service on July 4, 1840 from Liverpool to Boston with an intermediate stop in Halifax, operated the world’s first transatlantic steam ship service, carrying 63 passengers and taking 12 days, ten hours for the 2,534-nautical-mile crossing at an 8.5-knot speed, one third of the journey undertaken by pure-sail.  After an eight-hour port suspension in Halifax, it continued to Boston in another 46 hours.

                By January 5, 1841, all four Cunard ships had entered the fleet.

                The Britannia itself made 40 round-trips before being sold to the Prussian Navy, which had converted it to a pure-sailing ship used for target purposes and renamed it Barbarossa.  It was ultimately sunk in 1880.  Nevertheless, it paved the way for a long line of Cunard liners to come.

                Biting into the angry, dark-blue, white cap-spitting North Atlantic on a 272-degree heading at 1545 with its protruding, bulbous bow, the mighty Queen Mary 2 engineering triumph pitched on its axis at a 23.4-knot speed, the sun’s rays having been powerful enough to tear the singular cloud fabric into a puffy, white mosaic of aerial islands.  The ship had reached a 50-degree, 12.036’ north latitude and 14-degree, 26.312’ west longitude coordinate.

                That night’s dinner, served in the Britannia Restaurant, had included Merlot wine; smoked halibut mousse and jumbo shrimp on Russian salad; Lollo Rosso and apple salad with caramelized walnuts and cider vinaigrette; filet mignon and lobster tail with young roasted potatoes, polenta cake, and asparagus in hollandaise sauce; chocolate banana tart with mango sauce; coffee; and petit fours.

                The Britannia, as a ship design, had been only the beginning, and would pale in comparison to the leviathan Cunard vessels produced in the 20th century. 

Day Three

                Continually bowled significant sea swells, the Queen Mary 2 had pitched through the dark blue, star-glittering night at its center of gravity like a seesaw, its bow pounding the mountainous wave troughs and projecting avalanche-white reactions at 45 degrees from its centerline.

                Breakfast, eaten in the King’s Court with its multiple stations, had included a ham and pepper omelet, bacon, hashbrowned potatoes, a grilled tomato, white toast, and cranberry juice.

                Negotiating 25- to 30-foot seas over the mid-Atlantic ridge, which covers the Continental Divide, the ship had sailed 590 nautical miles in the 24-hour period since 1200 noon yesterday, now pursuing a 263-degree heading, with 2,075 miles remaining to the New York Pilot’s Station.

                Light rain showers were forecast to dissipate, with gradual clearing.  The force-5 wind, out of the northwest, had produced 9-degree Celsius temperatures, with a 996.5-millibar pressure.  The sea, whose moderate state had been registered a “4,” maintained a 12-degree temperature.

                Gazing out toward the Atlantic’s infinity, I could not help but think that somewhere out there, if not in physical space, then in historical time, had been the first of the “huge” Cunard Atlantic liners which assuredly had passed this way during the beginning of the 20th century.

                The design, the Lusitania, had had its origins as early as 1902 when J.P. Morgan had attempted to create a steamship conglomerate called the International Mercantile Marine by buying several existing companies, including the White Star Line.  In order to ensure Cunard’s continued autonomy and dissuade its absorption into the ever-expanding corporation, the British Parliament had granted it a 20-year contract and subsidy to build two of the world’s then largest and fastest liners and, in the process, regain the speed record the Germans had captured with three of their twin-screw vessels.

                Cunard, seeking tenders for the two ships from four shipyards, specified a 750-foot length, a 76-foot width, and a 59,000-hp capability attained by reciprocating engines driving triple screws.  The contract, awarded to John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland, resulted in a 790-foott length and an 88-foot width, eclipsing the 30,000-ton gross weight by 2,500 tons for the first time, and employing turbine engine technology, also for the first time, with a 68,000-hp combined capability, exhausted, in an effort to emulate the Germans, through four funnels.

                Construction, commencing in the fall of 1904, produced two of the largest, fastest, and most powerful Atlantic liners ever built with long, sleek designs; straight sterns; rounded bridges; and four raked funnels sporting 787-foot lengths, 87-foot widths, and 31,550-ton gross weights propelled by steam turbines geared to quadruple screws.

                Accommodating 563 first class passengers amidships, 464 aft second class passengers, and 1,138 third, or steerage, class passengers in the forward portion of the hull, the first of the two new liners featured opulent appointments.  A Georgian-style lounge sported light green colors, a marble fireplace, stained glass panes, and a 20-foot-high dome.  The Veranda Café had latticed wall patterns and rattan furniture.  The dining room, of dual-deck configuration, had been the first of its kind on a Cunard ship.  The main lounge had been decorated with mahogany paneling, while the smoking room featured dark Italian walnut.  The second class dining saloon also sported Georgian appointments and the drawing room had been decorated in the Louis XVI style.  Featuring electricity for the first time, the Lusitania provided modern conveniences to its passengers, including two elevators.

                On its second westbound crossing, the liner beat all speed records, averaging 23.993 knots and covering a 617-mile, single-day distance, although it ultimately broke the 26-knot mark, reaching New York in four days, 20 hours.

                Its fate, however, was not to remain so successful.  Departing England on its 202nd voyage on May 1, 1915 with 1,257 passengers, 702 crew members, and three stowaways, the ship had approached Great Britain, sailing ten miles off of Old Head of Kinsale when it had been broadsided by a German torpedo, listing forward and to starboard.  Slipping oceanward at a 45-degree, bow-first angle, it hit bottom 18 minutes later, exploding and killing 1,201 on board, the result of a deliberate act of war.               

                Because not an outcrop of land is sighted during the six-day Atlantic crossing, the Queen Mary 2 seemed suspended in a void between two continents, the journey about course, speed, weather, sea state, distance, and interior life, the temporary, although ever-moving civilization atop the sea.

                Soldiering on, the ship burned 3.1 tons of heavy fuel oil per hour at a 100-percent load to operate its diesel engines, or 261 tons per day at a 29-knot steam speed, while it used 6 tons of marine gas oil per hour to run its gas turbines, or 237 tons per day, drawing off of a 1,412,977-US gallon tank for the former and a 966,553-gallon tank for the latter.

                Its fresh water supply, produced from seawater by 3 Alfa Laval Multi Effect Plate Evaporators, replenished itself at the rate of 630 tons per day, satisfying its 1,100-ton daily consumption.  The potable water tank capacity equaled 1,011,779 US gallons.

                A German-themed lunch, served in the King’s Court, had included bratwurst, bacon sauerkraut, cheese spaetzel, roasted potatoes, schnitzel, and black forest cake.

                Maintaining a 261-degree heading and a 23.1-knot steam speed, the city at sea had reached a 49-degree, 43.705’ north latitude and 28-degree, 25.458’ west longitude position by 1500.

                The Queen Mary 2’s Winter Garden, designed after the skylighted verandah cafes of the Mauretania, had featured a 60-by-25-foot trompe l’oeil ceiling depicting a lush, verdant gardens, paneled walls which looked through cast iron gates to rolling hills, and wicker furniture, and had been created to counteract the cold, gray, turbulent winter of the North Atlantic. 

                The Mauretania itself, the ship which had provided the Winter Garden’s inspiration,  had been the second of the two early-20th century Cunard designs after the Lusitania.  The nine-decked liner, accommodating 563 first class passengers in 253 cabins, 464 second class passengers in 133 cabins, and 1,138 third class passengers in 278 cabins, had featured its own opulent appointments.  The first class smoking room, for example, located in the stern, had featured polished wood wall panels and plaster friezes.  The lounge, located on the Boat Deck and measuring 80 by 53 feet, had been adorned with mahogany wall panels, gold moldings, long ceiling beams, gilt bronze, and crystal chandeliers.  The library, featuring bay windows, had been decorated with sycamore paneling.  The first class dining room, seating 330, had been configured with long, white clothed tables and revolving chairs, and was decorated with polished ash, teak-molded paneling, and arched windows, while the second class dining room, with parquet floors, featured Georgian oak paneling and carved cornices.  A grand staircase, installed between the second and third funnels, connected five decks with the public rooms.

                Entering service on November 16, 1907 between Liverpool and New York, the Mauretania had been retrofitted with four-bladed propellers two years later, in 1909, at which time it could attain maximum speeds of 26.6 knots.  It had been only the first of several modifications.  With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, for instance, it had been repainted gray and briefly served as a troop ship, reliveried and returned to commercial service five years later in 1919, at which time it operated in company with the Aquitania and Berengaria, offering weekly east- and westbound service on the Southampton-New York route.  It remained the fastest of the three.

                Yet another modification, necessitated by fire, resulted in conversion to oil-burning engine technology and cabin reconfiguration, reducing both the second and third class passenger capacities.

                In its 27 years of operation, during 22 of which it had held the North Atlantic speed record until it had been recaptured by the Bremen in 1929, the Mauretania had sailed some 2.1 million miles in transatlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean service before being usurped by two larger, more advanced Cunard liners.  Making its last crossing on September 26, 1934, it was scraped the following year in Scotland.

That evening’s dinner, served in the Queen Mary 2’s Britannia Restaurant, had featured white zinfandel wine; baby shrimp thermidor on walnut brioche; cob salad with smoked chicken and bleu cheese dressing; roasted seabass with Mediterranean vegetables and olive tapenade; banana foster flambee with rum raisin ice cream and whipped cream; and coffee.

                The Lusitania and Mauretania replacements, although larger, would prove a motley pair: although one had been the third in the series, it had been slower, while the other had been transferred from the fleet of the enemy, the Germans. 

Day Four

                Suspended in the middle of the Atlantic, the black-hulled leviathan pursed its Great Circle course on a 249-degree heading, eating the gray and foamy-white ocean with its bow with a 21.7-knot appetite.  Four hundred seventy miles off the coast of Newfoundland, the ship negotiated 3,549-meter-deep waters, having covered 607 nautical miles in the 24-hour period since yesterday, now 1,615 miles from Southampton.  At a current 47-degree, 34.066’ north latitude and 042-degree, 00.754’ west longitude position, it was 1,468 miles from its destination.

External conditions were mild: the air temperature, at 14 degrees Celsius, had been coupled with a force-4 moderate breeze out of the southwest and low level cloud, with a 989-millibar air pressure.  The sea, whose state had been slight, had a 12.7-degree Celsius temperature.

If the triplet of early 20th-century Cunard liners could have sailed past the Queen Mary 2 in chronological order, the Aquitania would have trailed both the Lusitania and the Mauretania, the third of the long, sleek, quad-funneled vessels constructed by John, Brown and Company of Clydebank.

The 45,647-ton ship, with a 901-foot length and a 97-foot width, had been both larger and heavier than its two predecessors, resulting in a 3,200-passenger capacity.  Launched on April 21, 1913, it had commenced trial runs 13 months later, achieving a 24-knot maximum speed, and entered commercial service on May 30, 1914 on the Liverpool-New York route.

Opulently appointed, it featured a long gallery which connected the main lounge with the smoking room decorated with a series of garden lounges; a carpeted, Louis XVI-style first class restaurant; a columned Palladian lounge, which spanned two decks; and the first pool ever installed on a Cunard ship.

Late to the North Atlantic, the Aquitania had sailed on the fringes of World War I and had been requisitioned by the government for military service as an armed merchant cruiser in August of 1914; but, because of its excessive size, had been recommissioned as a troop ship the following year.  Reconfigured for ocean liner service after the war, the ship resumed its civil role in August of 1920, amending its capacity six years later, in 1916, when a major reconfiguration decreased the first class passenger complement from 618 to 610, increased the second class capacity from 614 to 950, and dramatically decreased the third class complement by some three-forths, from 1,998 to 640, in order to more accurately match passenger class demand.

Once again reconfigured to a 7,724-person troop ship during World War II, the Aquitania provided eight years of military service during which it had sailed 500,000 miles and carried more than 300,000 troops.

Arriving in Southampton on December 1, 1949, the multiple-role vessel ended 35 years of service, having sailed some 3 million miles on 443 voyages.  It had been Cunard’s last quad-funneled design.

Lunch, back in the present on the Queen Mary 2, had been served in The Carvery, itself one of the King’s Court stations, and had included beef tikka masala, white rice, cauliflower in cheese sauce, and double chocolate fudge cake.

Although the Aquitania’s very long, mulitple-role, and fruitful career had ended in 1949, it had, for the most part, continued to operate in tandem, as originally conceived, with two other Cunard transatlantic liners, despite the fact that the Lusitania had been destroyed almost immediately after entering service.  The third ship, however, emanated not from a Cunard blueprint given life by a ship builder on the Clyde, but instead by the very enemy which had necessitated its replacement.

Endeavoring to compete with the Cunard and White Star Line designs which now regularly plied the Atlantic, the Hamburg-America Line had laid the keel of a new breed of transatlantic liners on June 18, 1910, intended to be the largest-capacity, highest gross weight passenger ship ever built. The specifications were, for the time, staggering: measuring 919 feet long and 98 feet wide, the elongated, tri-funneled, 52,117-ton ship, designated the Imperator, had been powered by steam engines geared to four-bladed propellers feeding off of 8,500-tons of coal nourishing two 69- and 95-foot-long engine rooms, respectively.  Accommodating 908 first class, 972 second class, 942 third class, and 1,772 steerage class passengers, the behemoth, steered by a 90-ton rudder, was christened on May 23, 1912 and entered commercial service 13 months later, on June 10, from Cuxhaven to New York with an intermediate stop in Southampton.

The Imperator featured a First Class winter garden with potted palm trees and a dual-deck indoor swimming pool.

Because initial service had demonstrated top-heavy conditions, its three funnels were shortened by nine feet during an autumn retrofit.

Ultimately banned from sailing because of World War I German atrocities, the ship had been moored in Hamburg for four years until a war reparation agreement resulted in its transfer to Cunard in 1919 as compensation for the German-sunk Lusitania.  Rebased in Southampton two years later, in April of 1921, it had been subjected to an initial retrofit during which its coal-burning engine technology had been replaced with oil and it had been reconfigured with 972, 630, 606, and 515 first, second, third, and tourist passengers, respectively.  Redesignated Berengaria, the ship joined the Mauretania and Aquitania, operating Cunard’s weekly transatlantic service.  Although it had been originally planned to continue operating it until 1940, its antiquated wiring system, which resulted in persistent on-board fires, had precluded its anticipated service longevity, temporarily leaving only the Mauretania and Aquitania until a new breed of Cunard liners, to offer double the tonnage of the existing designs, could enter service.  That ship, of course, bore the name of the current one: Queen Mary.

Dinner, served in La Piazza Restaurant on board the (present-day) Queen Mary 2, had included a mixed green salad with ranch dressing; artichoke hearts; vegetable moussaka; pasta with onions, mushrooms, black olives, garlic, and red tomato sauce; tiramisu; and coffee.

Dusk could be more accurately gauged by looking beyond the wooden deck with its Queen Mary I-reminiscent line of deck chairs and down toward the sea, rather than up toward the sky.  The former, a reflection of the latter, had appeared a deep blue, mirroring the temporary brightness of the sky during the early-evening when the mountainous white cumulous formations had parted, creating a blue rift.  It then rapidly metamorphosed into a dark blue and, momentarily, a cold, morose, winter gray, the prevalent environmental conditions of so many earlier transatlantic crossings, as the dark, billowing clouds reassembled into a tight, cohesive quilt, hindering even a momentary glimpse of the sun.  Merging dimensionally with the ocean, the amorphous, referenceless void cacooned the floating city until visibility extended no further than ten feet from either of its sides.  Two souls, well dressed, braved the fierce, blustering wind as they attempted, buttressed by the force, to circle the deck.  Thus was life on a transatlantic crossing.

As the day bordered the midnight demarcation line, the ship crossed from the Newfoundland Basin to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and, effectively, reached the North American continent.  Two days of steaming remained before it arrived at its terminus, the Port of New York. 

Day Five

                Wrestling the fierce currents of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland at 0800, the elongated titan thundered over the barreling gray surface, its peaks so high and frequent that they appeared white, snow-covered mountain crests.  The pitch was tumultuous and unrelenting.  Propelled at 24 knots, the vessel moved between troughs, pivoting on its center of gravity and pinnacling each crest with surmounting triumph, before exploding into its next valley with gravity-induced momentum, its axis of rotation sliding down the mountain of sea in partial aerial suspension at which time even the stabilizers failed to dampen its descending, momentarily sea-detached profile.

                Speed perception was a function of distance: the lower one descended in the ship relative to the water line, the more rapidly did the gray surface seem to move by outside, its cascades of white froth and mist exploding directly on to the windows and portholes.

                Death on the high seas, although at this writing still beyond conception, had briefly reduced my crossing to an Agatha Christie murder mystery.  Before having retired to my cabin the previous evening, a passenger, whose name I have momentarily forgotten, had been continually paged, both in the theater and throughout the ship, with an increasing degree of urgency.  During the early-morning hours, the liner, for a then unexplainable reason, had turned round, pursuing a heading which would have taken it back to the United Kingdom.  It was later revealed that a man from Germany, who had been traveling with a group, had for some time been unlocatable, and his wife, who had not undertaken the journey with him, had been contacted in Germany where she ultimately discovered a suicide note.  The man, who had been elderly and very ill, had apparently make the crossing for the purpose of taking his own life, and the ship had circled the area of suicide until a time beyond which he would have succumbed to hypothermia, even if he had survived the ocean plunge.

                The incident, immediately transcending that initial hesitation between two strangers, had been the talk of the formal breakfast served in the Britannia Restaurant that morning.

                The chosen area, along the Great Circle route in the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, could not have been more hazardous and every predecessor Cunard liner had traced its path through it.

                Glaciers descending the mountains on Greenland’s west coast calved with thunderous roars in to the Davis Strait, forming icebergs which are carried southward by the Labrador current, some 400 of which, rising 150 feet above the water line and weighing in excess of 100,000 tons, move as far south as the shipping lanes off of Newfoundland.  During the April-to-July period, the area off of St. John’s is known as “iceberg alley.”  Because of the size of the smaller bergs and their associated field ice, they are particularly difficult to spot, posing a significant hazard to any ship undertaking a transatlantic crossing during this time and justly earning the area the title of “North Atlantic graveyard.”

                Further exacerbating the conditions had been substreams of differential-temperature waters which originate along the continental edge of South America, near the equator, where tradewinds propel them toward the channel between Cuba and the Florida Keys.  Accelerating, they follow the 30- to 50-mile-wide eastern seaboard at 2- to 6-mph speeds toward the North Carolina coast where the actual substreams form, flowing toward Nova Scotia at a 150-million-cubic-meter-per-second rate.

                It is on the Great Circle route, east of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, that the collision between the warm Gulf Stream and the cold Labrador current takes place, producing divergent temperatures which themselves create rain, gales, squalls, mist, tumultuous waves, winter hurricanes, and cyclones.  Off of the southeastern tip of Newfoundland, at Cape Race, summer sea fog, sometimes lasting weeks, shrouds icebergs from visual perception.

                Oblivious to these conditions, the 151,400-ton Queen Mary 2 negotiated its course by means of its pods and bow thrusters, whose electricity had been supplied by a common, high voltage main switchboard, which produced an 11,000-volt, 60-hertz, 3-phase current.  The current itself had been supplied by four Wartsila W46 V1646C, 16.8-Mw diesel generators and two 25.0-Mw General Electric LM2500+ gas turbines.

                The morning’s intrigue, once digested and discussed, enabled greater focus on the abundant breakfast served in the Britannia Restaurant, which had included grapefruit juice, poached eggs, crisp bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, sautéed potatoes, white toast, croissants, French bread, butter, coffee, and peach pastries.

                 By late-morning, the long, majestic, red-and-black-funneled liner, of 165-year lineage to the vessel which had lent its name to the massive restaurant, carved its trench beneath bright, blue skies in the equally-reflected deep blue sea, leaving a snow-white wake behind its stern, which itself stretched back to the countless crossings of all the Cunard liners which had preceded it.

                If the Berengaria had been “huge,” no adjective could describe the size of its replacement, which emanated from an original blueprint and not from an existing hull.  The ship, which had been a pure and original Cunard design, had not only launched a new breed of liners, but an altogether new period known as the “era of the four queens.”  The design, of course, had been the first to bear the name of the current ship, the Queen Mary.

Incorporating the technological advancements of 86 years of Cunard maritime design, the new flagship, whose origins can be traced to 1926 when a replacement for the Mauretania had first been envisaged, had been intended as the first of two 1,000-foot-long liners which would be fast enough to permit five-day crossing schedules and hence obviate the need for the Lusitania/Berengaria-Mauretania-Aquitania trio.  Although the keel had first been laid on January 31, 1931 for a ship then designated hull 534 in the John Brown and Company Shipyard on the Clyde, the depression halted its construction a year later, on April 3, 1934, intermittently permitting the Normandie to take the title as both the first 1,000-footer and the first 60,000-ton+ liner which, as the current fastest to cross the Atlantic, earned it the Blue Ribband.  During December of the previous year, it had been announced that Cunard would merge with the White Star Line, forming Cunard White Star Limited, the former having designated all of its ships with the “ia” ending and the latter having used the “ic” ending, such as in “Titanic.”  The name “Queen Mary” would be the first to eliminate both.

Launched on September 26, 1934, the sleek, elongated, three-funneled ocean liner, with a 1,018-foot length and 118-foot width, had featured an 80,774-ton gross weight and had been powered by four quadruple-expansion steam turbines connected, via propeller shafts, to four external, 35-ton, manganese bronze, four-bladed propellers grouped in pairs.

The elegant interior appointments featured more than 50 varieties of wood, such as English yew, bird’s eye maple, ivory white sycamore, Pacific myrtle, African cherry, and pearwood.  The ship’s Sun Deck, sporting an open promenade with access to all 24 lifeboats, ended at the small, intimate Verandah Grill, which offered an alternative, a-la-carte menu dining experience with views overlooking the stern.  The enclosed Promenade Deck, located immediately below, featured the main public rooms, including a forward, 21 window paned Observation Lounge and Cocktail Bar directly under the bridge; a studio, lecture room, writing room, and library on the port side; and a drawing room, a second writing room, and the children’s playroom on the starboard side.  The main entrance hall, located behind, spanned the width of the ship and was accessed by glass doors on either side from the promenade and configured with a shopping arcade.

The travel bureau and the suites were located one deck below, on Main Deck, while A through H Decks were set even lower in the hull, and accessed by Empire wood-paneled corridors.

The dining salon, measuring 160-feet-long and 118-feet-wide and seating 800, was located on C Deck and featured a high ceiling, colonnades, and a 24-by-13-foot mural of the Atlantic Ocean with a crystal glass, electronically-operated model of the Queen Mary to indicate its position during transatlantic crossings.  The cabin class swimming pool, located on D Deck, had featured golden quartzite, and a walking alleyway led to the crew accommodations, workshops, and storerooms.

Inaugurated into service on May 27, 1936 on the Southampton-Cherbourg-New York route, the Queen Mary recaptured the Blue Ribband from the Normandie three months later on a westerly crossing, attaining a 30.63-knot speed between Bishop’s Rock and Ambrose Light, becoming the fastest, largest, and heaviest superclass liner until the title had been overtaken by its transatlantic counterpart, the Queen Elizabeth.  Although it had carried 56,895 passengers during its first year of service, the storm clouds of World War II thwarted its continued civil operation, the last of which, from Southampton, had occurred on August 30, 1939.

Repainted, the now drab, military version, unofficially dubbed the “Gray Ghost,” sailed from New York to Australia in order to assume its role as a troop ship, maintaining transatlantic ferry service by 1943, in July of which it carried a record 16,683 troops on a single crossing.

Decommissioned from military service on September 27, 1946 and returned to Cunard, the ship had been reconfigured as a passenger liner with accommodation for 711 first, 707 cabin, and 577 tourist class guests, resuming weekly scheduled transatlantic service on July 31, 1947 between Southampton and New York, with the Queen Elizabeth.

Usurped not by a newer or more advanced nautical design, but by an aeronautical one instead, the Queen Mary, recording ever-decreasing passenger loads and plummeting revenues, operated its last scheduled service from New York on September 22, 1967, having made 1,001 crossings, during which time it had sailed 3.7 million miles, had carried 2.1 million passengers, and had earned $600 million in revenues.

Its last-ever operation occurred later that year, on October 31, when it embarked on a 39-day repositioning journey from Southampton with 1,040 passengers round the southern tip of South America to its new, permanent Long Beach, California, mooring where it assumed its role as a hotel and tourist attraction.

Sailing 140 nautical miles into the Grand Banks of Newfoundland by 1200 noon, the present Queen Mary 2, pursuing a 250-degree heading and a 24-knot steam speed, had been positioned 115 miles south/southeast of Cape Race, having covered a paltry 431 miles since yesterday’s position report because of the morning’s attempted rescue.  Negotiating rough seas with moderate swells amid cold, 3-degree Celsius temperatures, the ship had traversed 2,046 miles since its departure, with 1,040 remaining to the New York Pilot’s Station.

The Queen Elizabeth, the second of the two designs intended for Cunard’s weekly, bi-directional transatlantic service, completed the world’s most famous pair of ocean liners, but, contrary to initial belief, had not been an identical sister to the Queen Mary, but an entirely separate design, sporting, for example, only two versus four funnels and 12 as opposed to 24 boilers.  Its keel, first laid on December 4, 1936 in Clydebank, resulted in an almost two-year construction period, leading to initial launch and naming on September 27, 1938.  Weighing only 40,000 tons at the time, the 1,031-foot-long, 118-foot-wide ship, with a 38-foot draft, had been moved to its fitting out pier.  However, the Queen Elizabeth, like her sister, immediately fell victim to the war and, upon order by Winston Churchill, had been dispatched to New York, departing on February 6, 1940 and berthing, still unfitted and with only essential plumbing, next to the Queen Mary one month later.

After an eight-month mooring, during which time it had been converted into a military ship, the Queen Elizabeth had sailed to Singapore and ultimately operated weekly transatlantic troop transfers between New York and Gourack, Scotland, carrying as many as 15,000 servicemen who slept in tiered, canvas bunks during two daily shifts.

Returning to Southampton on June 16, 1946, the 83,673-ton troop ship had been reconverted into a luxury liner, accommodating 823 first, 662 cabin, and 798 tourist class passengers, and operated its first civilian scheduled service four months later, on October 16.  Although the Queen Elizabeth had been almost as popular as its Queen Mary counterpart, with most passengers crossing on one in one direction and on the other in the other direction, the traffic pendulum had begun to swing toward the British and the US transatlantic jetliners, with the first monetary losses being recorded in the early-1960s until economic reality could no longer support their continued service.  Operating its last crossing in October of 1968, the Queen Elizabeth had briefly served as a hotel and a museum in Port Everglades, Florida, but neglect and financial burden quickly terminated the venture, leading to its sale to C Y Tung, a Taiwanese shipping tycoon, who invested $6 million in its conversion into a floating university.  Fires, whose origins could not be pinpointed, erupted on January 9 and 10, 1972, while the ship had been in Hong Kong Harbor and excessive water applications only resulted in its capsize and ultimate demise.

Nevertheless, the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth would remain the most famous Cunard liners to have ever sailed.

Dinner had been served in the Queen Mary 2’s Todd English Restaurant, a small, 156-seat, reservations-only venue located in the stern which harked back to the days of the original Queen Mary’s Verandah Grill.  The Mediterranean-inspired cuisine had included Riesling white wine; lobster and baby corn chowder with whipped parsnip, black truffles, and potatoes; asparagus tart with caramelized onions, Fontana cheese, brown butter, and morel vinaigrette; rack of lamb with confit of shank crepenette, assorted salads of roasted red pepper, chickpea, cucumber and yogurt, and rouille with black olive sauce; hot, molten chocolate cake surrounded by raspberry sauce and cold vanilla ice cream; and coffee.

Night ordinarily draped its veil over day, diminishing and ultimately eradicating all light.  With the persistent, unrelenting cloud deck of the North Atlantic winter, however, no light or color marked the daily transition.  Instead, like a flipped light switch, the transformation was little more than a protracted denouement from gray to black, the external horizontal environment providing no reference for hue change.  Like a falling curtain, the day seemed symbolic of the curtain which had definitively fallen on the Golden Era of transatlantic liners…

As the calendar day eclipsed another, the Queen Mary 2 assumed a 249-degree heating and a 25.6-knot steam speed, now southeast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. 

Day Six

                Shrouded in fog throughout the night and continually piercing the engulfing darkness with its forlorn horn, the mighty liner, internally configured as a city at sea with its almost 4,000 inhabitants, penetrated the void of mist in which neither light nor external reference could be glimpsed.  The 150,000-ton behemoth, swallowed by the elements, had paradoxically been reduced to but an infinitesimal speck as it inched closer to the North American continent.

Maintaining a 250-degree heading in a slight sea 210 nautical miles east of Cape Cod and a 26-knot steam speed at 1200 noon, the Queen Mary 2 had sailed 648 miles since its position report 24 hours ago, now 2,694 miles from Southampton with a 388-mile gap remaining to the New York Pilot’s Station.

Lunch, served in the Lotus Restaurant station of the King’s Court, had included chicken, scallion, and vegetables; basmati rice; soba noodles with scallions and light peanut satay; egg fried rice; and chocolate, graham cracker crust squares.

By 1500, the cold front had, in ernest, passed.  The skies, unraveling into remarkably bright blue ones, left not a cloud vapor and 11-degree temperatures.  The sea, a brilliant, deep blue, barreled at the apartment-lined ship from the starboard side, inducing a rhythmic roll which even the extended stabilizers could not fully dampen.  Pursuing a 253-degree course and a 24-knot speed, the ship, now in the outer perimeter of the Gulf of Maine, had reached a 40-degree, 44.853’ north latitude and 068-degree, 11.27’ west longitude position, the latter having unwound, like a clock, from its 001-degree Southampton coordinate.  Only a few degrees of longitude remained before the ship reached Ambrose Light.

With the vessel now due east of Connecticut, the transatlantic crossing, the suspension between continents, and the return to the opulent and elegant Golden Age of transatlantic liner lifestyle, was rapidly ending.

The speed and technological advancement of more modern ocean liners, such as the France, the United States, and the Rotterdam, coupled with changing travel patterns, ultimately usurped the most famous pair of Queens ever to ply the seas, prompting both a Cunard replacement and serious consideration over whether a replacement should be designed at all.

Their successor, a modernized version of the Queen Elizabeth designated the Q3, featured a 990-foot length, able to accommodate 2,270 passengers, and a 75,000-ton gross weight, as detailed by June 1, 1960 design plans.  Its engines, largely based upon those of the original Queen Elizabeth and generating between 85,000 and 95,000 shaft horsepower to permit 28.5-knot speeds, had been configured with two six-bladed, 31.75-ton, 19-foot-diameter propellers, each driven by an independent set of turbines, while two sets of double reduction geared turbines were supplied with steam from three 278-ton high-pressure water tube boilers producing 850 pounds-per-square-inch of pressure with 1,000-degree Fahrenheit temperatures.

An examination of trans Atlantic passenger load factors, however, seriously questioned the economic viability of such a design.  During 1957, for instance, the ratio of set-to-air traffic had been 50:50, while eight years later, in 1965, only 14 out of every 100 passengers actually crossed by sea.  Unable, therefore, to justify the size and expense of the original version, a scaled-down design, designated the Q4, had been announced on October 19, 1961.  Featuring a reduced, 55,000-ton gross weight, the ship, small enough to negotiate all existing waterways, inclusive of the Panama and Suez Canals, and versatile enough to assume the dual role of Atlantic liner and cruise ship, had been intended as a floating resort, a destination in and of itself, thus introducing a new concept of sea travel.  The contract, awarded to John Brown and Company of Clydebank because of low construction cost and early delivery date, had been signed on December 30, 1964.

Its keel had first been laid the following year, on July 2, in the same berth which had incubated the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth and the ship, named the Queen Elizabeth 2, or QE2, had been launched on September 20, 1967.  Because of the fate which had befallen its predecessors—namely, the sublimation of the Queen Mary into a hotel and a museum and the purchase of the France and the United States by Norwegian Cruise Line for operation as cruise ships—it had been then considered the last great transatlantic ocean liner to have been built.

Producing 50,000 hp less than the Queen Elizabeth it replaced and operating off of two versus four propellers, the QE2 nevertheless reached 29.5-knot speeds on its initial trails off the Scottish coast.

The 12-decked, 70,327-ton ship, constructed of 1 1/8-inch-thick steel and sporting a single funnel, stretched 963 feet in length and had been delivered to Cunard on April 20, 1969 at a 29 million pound cost.  Inaugurated into scheduled, passenger-carrying service the following month, on May 2, between Southampton and New York with an intermediate port-of-call in Le Havre, the third of the eventual quartet of Queens completed its crossing in four days, 16 hours, 35 minutes at a 28.02-knot average speed, carrying 1,400 passengers.

Although the type enjoyed 17 years of successful service, its steam turbine engines, which had essentially been the same type to have powered the original Britannia of 1840, had burned some 200 tons of fuel per day and had become increasingly cost- and maintenance-intensive.  Operating its last transatlantic crossing from New York on October 20, 1986, it was withdrawn from service for conversion to diesel engine technology.

A 180 million pound contract, signed with Lloyd Werft of Bremerhaven, Germany, entailed conversion of all public rooms, passenger cabins, and crew accommodations, and installation of nine 9-cylinder, MAN-B&W medium-speed, 220-ton diesel engines producing 10,625 kW or 14,242 hp of power at 400 revolutions per minute, four of which were installed in the forward engine room and five of which were installed in the aft engine room on anti-vibration mountings.  Propulsion motors, each weighing 295 tons and producing 44 mw of power at 144 rpms, were connected, by 250-foot-long shafts, to two 22-foot, variable-pitch, five-bladed, outward-turning, 19-foot-diameter, 42-ton propellers which were controllable either from the bridge or from the engine room.  Two four-bladed, variable-pitch, 6.55-foot-diameter bow thrusters, installed 18 feet apart in self-contained tunnels which passed laterally through the hull 18 feet below the water line, were driven by a 1,000-hp electric motor and recessed behind hydraulically-operated, hydrodynamic doors at idle power.  Four 12-foot-long, 70-square-foot in area, aft-extending, hydraulically-operated stabilizers were stored behind dual-side hull recesses, while steering was accomplished with a single, 75-ton, semi-balanced rudder.

The Queen Elizabeth 2, requiring 179 days for the conversion, had been re-delivered to Cunard on April 25, 1987 and continues to ply the world’s oceans 36 years after it had first entered service, replaced on the transatlantic route only by the ship in which I presently sailed.

Indeed, the present Queen Mary 2 had been the culmination of maritime technical development which had commenced with the wooden-hulled sailing packets of the 19th century.  These had later incorporated wooden paddle-wheeled, reciprocating steam engines.  Iron, replacing wood as the primary hull construction material, had permitted increased strengths of considerable proportions, thereby paving the way to larger designs with higher gross weights and an increasing number of decks.  Higher length-to-width ratios, coupled with propeller propulsion, reduced water resistance and enhanced steam speeds, while compound steam engines, dual screws, and steel construction material pinnacled ocean steamship technology in 1895.  Turbine engines, computer-aided design, global positioning systems, azipods, and gas turbines all combined into a single design which could be collectively classified ship, transportation means, machine, edifice, and floating metropolis with interior appointments so opulent and facility offerings so extensive that any connection with the sea had been completely severed in a pleasant disorientation the moment one boarded the vessel.

Technological advancement, however, had not been arrested with maritime design, but had perpetuated throughout all other transportation forms: the transatlantic crossing, for instance, had required six days by sea, but only six hours by subsonic air and three by supersonic air.  Speed had been proportionally increased, time had been reduced, and the earth had, in the process, been artificially shrunk.  But civility had also been lost…

Only hours remained in which to enjoy it before the Port of New York loomed ahead.

The last dinner at sea, served in the Britannia Restaurant, had included Pinot Grigio white wine; smoked trout mousse, waldorff salad, and chive crème fraiche; roasted tomato soup with basil cream; roasted Vermont turkey, whipped root vegetables, and Madeira cranberry reduction; hazelnut amaretto pudding with sauce anglaise; and coffee.

Angled toward the ship from the forward, starboard side lay the lighted path, like a cracked glass threshold, across the ocean surface from the unobstructed, cylindrical sun, which had commenced its dusk-preemptive descent toward the western horizon, a path, perhaps, to night, the Port of New York, and the crossing’s termination—a sunset symbolic to the end of transatlantic liner passage which could now only be singularly relived aboard the Queen Mary 2.  Settling toward the horizon, it emitted a pronounced orange glow and rendered the sea a reflective, icy-blue mirror.  A slowly lumbering cargo ship, aged with rust, lurked off the right side, its speed an appalling attempt at dominance over that of the balcony-lined leviathan.  The sun itself, a burning orange ball, dripped behind the Atlantic’s perimeter, leaving only an orange and chartreuse aftermath of energy.

Except for the arcing white smoke plume emanating rrom the charcoal and red funnel, no cloud condensation marred the night sky, its intense, velvet black pierced by periodic star glitter.

At midnight, the Queen Mary 2 passed south of Montauk Point, Long Island. 

Day Seven 

Entering New York Harbor off of Ambrose Light at 0330, the still-slumbering giant sailed under the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge one hour, 15 minutes later, pursuing a 006-degree heading at a lumbering, 9.3-knot cruise speed.  First light, tinged with orange, appeared behind the jewel-glittering superstructures of Manhattan off the starboard side.  At 0540, now maintaining a 33-degree heading, the ship skated over the blue sheet of reflective Hudson River glass at 3.6 knots, passing the needle-thin point of the Empire State Building.

Commencing its laborious starboard turn by means of its rotating azipods, the behemoth moved into its Pier 88 berth facing a 118-degree heading, casting its post-dawn mooring lines at a 40-degree, 45.982’ north latitude and 073-degree, 59.917’ west longitude coordinate parallel to the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum and its satellite barge paradoxically sporting the Concorde, registered G-BOAD, in British Airways livery, which, as the ultimate transatlantic crossing means, had represented the pinnacle of commercial aeronautical development begun with the subsonic, pure-jet airliners which had preceded it.  They had been the singular reason for transoceanic sea travel’s demise.  The cost-to-speed ratio had proven too high for Concorde and it, like the original Queen Mary, had been withdrawn from service and reduced to a museum exhibit.  But the Queen Mary’s next-generation successor, the Queen Mary 2, had been alive, in active transatlantic service, and in high demand, leaving one to wonder if the ship had somehow not replaced the aircraft in an ultimate historical cycle.  The Queen Mary 2 would depart in the evening on its eastbound crossing with fare-paying passengers.  The Concorde would remain stationary, as an exhibit.

My journey had been both a physical and historical one, encompassing distance and time, forward motion and backward values, a time warp entry in to the Golden Age of transatlantic ocean liner travel replete with opulence, sophistication, elegance, and civility, an historical recapture, and hence re-experience, of early-era values and an examination, perhaps in vain, of the reason for their demise.

Although speed had reduced crossing times, facilitating increased activity and accomplishment, its perceived value increase could only be equated with monetary value, resulting in gains of earthly possessions, but compromises of the soul, the intrinsic, unearthly entity behind every body.  This compromise had been the pivot point between a human being and a human doing.  Seemingly ratios of the two, the soul and the body have wrestled with each other since the first human walked on the planet, forgoing spiritual fulfillments for bodily pleasures, in an inherent conflict between the worlds to which they belong—Heaven and earth.  The more one immersed himself in the latter, the more he lost the former.  So completely had entire societies attempted to do so, such as the Holy Roman Empire, that they had completely fallen, losing the very source which had created them.

Walking down the gangplank, I turned and looked at the giant ocean liner which had carried me 3,082 nautical miles across the Atlantic.  Perhaps I will cross again someday, I thought...

About the Author

A graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus with a summa-cum-laude BA Degree in Comparative Languages and Journalism, I have subsequently earned the Continuing Community Education Teaching Certificate from the Nassau Association for Continuing Community Education (NACCE) at Molloy College, the Travel Career Development Certificate from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) at LIU, and the AAS Degree in Aerospace Technology at the State University of New York – College of Technology at Farmingdale. Having amassed almost three decades in the airline industry, I managed the New York-JFK and Washington-Dulles stations at Austrian Airlines, created the North American Station Training Program, served as an Aviation Advisor to Farmingdale State University of New York, and devised and taught the Airline Management Certificate Program at the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center. A freelance author, I have written some 70 books of the short story, novel, nonfiction, essay, poetry, article, log, curriculum, training manual, and textbook genre in English, German, and Spanish, having principally focused on aviation and travel, and I have been published in book, magazine, newsletter, and electronic Web site form. I am a writer for Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. I have made some 350 lifetime trips by air, sea, rail, and road.

The Word According to Tom Wolfe

writing inkscape extensions

Mar 20

adminWriting art, graphics, images, javascript, photography 1 Comment

writing pictures software

Mar 18

adminWriting blog, photography, photos, tools, web2.0 No Comments

Fix Your English Writing - Enjoy This Tip !

It has been shown that an English writing fixing software can dramatically improve your writing competence immediately and permanently. We all know one thing: putting thoughts into words is easily one of our most significant forms of communication. If you want to improve the way you write, the information below will end up helping you to write better.

Click here for an English writing fixing software!

Nowadays, with keyboards at our fingertips, it's almost a given that we utilize one of the popular word processors to do our everyday writing. Even though a computer doesn't have the ability to replicate all the nuances of a language system like english, there is important news that you should be aware of. Some of you may at first be skeptical, but i had the good fortune to hear about an amazingly helpful system that is capable of automatically repairing your english errors. Just picture a digital helper which clearly points out and can correct trouble spots in grammar, spelling, and more, while you write. Imagine the possibility of creating documents that are sophisticated, correct, and interesting in no more than a few mouse clicks.

These days, it's become so popular that anyone looking on the web for help with english grammar questions would quickly run into this useful tool. It seems to be quite useful for all those with important written projects such as published articles, business correspondence, etc. Just who was this helpful solution created for? Business people, artists, contractors - all professions can benefit. In order to write at an impressive level you need to memorize many rules and guidelines, luckily with this helpful tool your writing assignments become much easier.

Once you use an English writing fixing software you'll surely agree as to the wonderful assistance it can give you. One of the 'side effects' of this personal "english tutor" is its ability to enhance both your ease and quality of writing. During these times of constant technological change, We can only speculate on developments in man-made intelligence in the next decade or so. Fortunately, this technology is available on the web for download, in just a moment or two you'll be able to start enjoying the benefits that it provides. Don't hesitate to pass along this material to your colleagues and family; I'm sure they will think of you whenever they need to write correctly.

About the Author

Want to write English like a professional in just a few minutes?

Visit: EnglishSoftwareGuide.com

Fred is Sick

wedding writing contest

Mar 15

adminWriting design, photo, photography, photos, shopping No Comments

How to Write a Good Bridal Speech? – WeddingSpeeches4U Review

Bridal speeches are highly important and one of the chief highlights of the wedding. Normally, Good Bridal Speeches should be funny to make people laugh and at the same time include stories and anecdotes that entertain the audience, while also containing thought provoking items. This is not easy to achieve.

You should also know how many more persons are going to speak at the wedding party, so that you would know how long your bridal speech should last. Depending on the circumstances, you could prepare the bridal speech for a period of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes. Normally, bridal speeches between 5 and 10 minutes are considered ideal. One online site that I used to develop a great speech is the weddingspeeches4u site.

The most important factor in presenting Great Bridal Speeches is to speak straight from the heart. When the guests realize that you are speaking with full sincerity and brimming love, then they would naturally be highly impressed, even emotionally moved. The bridal speeches should to witty but it should not hurt the sentiments of even a single person among the guests. You should remember that bridal speeches are not debates or speaking contests and hence they should be short but impressive.

During the wedding day, the bride and the bridegroom would have to make speeches and talk about the circumstances that led to their union. The other persons who might be requested to deliver bridal speeches would be the best man, the maid of honor, one of the parents of the bride, and one of the parents of the bridegroom. If you happen to be among this selected list of people making bridal speeches, you should prepare the bridal speech accordingly well in advance. Include appropriate words of admiration and tribute to the bride, the groom, their parents, and other guests attending the wedding. This would make everyone happy and convert the event into a memorable one.

To download your Wedding Speech Guide, visit the website link below for more information.

About the Author

Are you looking for good bridal speeches? Don’t do it yet, because the author has found many useless wedding speech guides on the Internet. Visit his website at http://www.weddingspeechguides.com where he tells you about the best websites for finding top quality and professional speeches.

For a limited time, you can also get a FREE Speech E-course where you can learn tips for crafting your own unique and touching wedding speech!

Writing Lessons : How to Write a Native American Wedding Prayer

portfolio writing prompts

Mar 11

adminWriting art, design, illustration, inspiration, photography No Comments

Hollywood Producers & Hollywood Directors Discover New Film Scripts For Sale

As the US declares it is officially out of the current recession, some European state leaders jump on the bandwagon declaring the end of their countries economic downturn.

However business owners in the UK are labelling Government organisation as the latest oxymoron as Britain languishes in its longest ever recession on record. Despite the current credit crunch in the UK the film industry remains quite buoyant.

It seems that mass unemployment, job closures and increased crime rates are forgotten as British citizen's escape to their local multiplex cinemas watching the latest offerings from Hollywood.

Hollywood and Bollywood remain the epicentre of feature film production, however Hollywood producers and Bollywood directors are scouring recession hit Britain in an attempt to purchase film scripts for sale.

Script agents have all but shut their doors to new upcoming script writers who are eager to get their foot on the first rung of the Hollywood producers and Hollywood directors.

Historically a Hollywood producer would be contacted by script agents representing established script writers. If the producer was interested then a deal would be negotiated and the successful script writers would step up from novice status to previously produced status.

However it has always been difficult, and often impossible for many new script writers to gain professional representation. Given that for every successful Hollywood blockbuster success there are thousands of failures and possibly tens of thousands of undiscovered script writers it should come as no surprise that script agents are overly cautious.

Although most script writers view Hollywood as the Holy Grail, they might be mindful that Walter Wincell an American newspaper columnist once wrote that, 'Hollywood is a place where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors or screenplay writers.'

The success of recent British movies have piqued the interest of several Hollywood producers and Hollywood directors enough for them to consider a different out of the box approach to identifying new film scripts for sale.

Some movie producers are now collaborating with script agents in a proactive approach to identify new screenplay writers who have their own film slate or film portfolio of 3 to 5 movies which are ready for post production.

In the UK many script writers who have graduated from a film course university collaborate in writers groups. Frequently these groups sit on valuable undiscovered film scripts which never get to see the light of day because the script writers fall into the dreaded catch 22 syndrome. i.e. A hollywood producer or hollywood director will not commit to reading their script because the script writers have no representation from professional script agents.

Script agents will not consider representing most new writers because they are new writers with no prior track record.

The only real difference to this pattern is when independent film producers and directors producers collaborate on a low budget feature film. Everyone involved in the international film industry recognises that gaining financial investment is always the toughest hurdle in an prospective feature film project.

Another startling revelation to anyone on the peripheral of the film industry is that every successful Hollywood movie lives or dies on the professional quality of the script.

Universities, colleges, schools and private training institutions are churning script writers out at an unbelievable rate of knots.

However Hollywood producers and Hollywood directors should know most of these institutions are pre-programming their writing students for failure rather than success. They achieve this failure pre-programming by virtue of not training the writers in how to be sales people.

After all undiscovered new script writers have to first sell themselves to potential script agents and then to movie producers.

I graduated several years ago from John Moores University in Liverpool England with a Master of Arts degree in screenplay writing. Out of the 25 aspiring script writers I know of only 2 of my course associates besides myself who have ever been commissioned to write a film or theatre script which was successfully produced for a fee paying audience.

When one considers that hundreds and hundreds of script writing programmes are run every year in the UK alone. Tens of thousands of aspiring script writers graduate after writing 1 to 5 feature length film scripts. On the law of averages, there has to be hundreds of unpolished gems or scripts waiting for movie producers at any given time.

Historically script agents and movie producers are bombarded with an avalanche of unsolicited film scripts every time an academic training course for script writers finishes. I blame most of these academic institutions for not really teaching script writers the art of business war in relation to offering their film scripts for sale.

Basic business common sense should dictate that there is no point sending out your unsolicited film script to every one of the directors producers and script agents listed in the writers and artists year book. Because all that happens is your script will be designated to a low level company subordinate who is frequently a failed or aspiring writer them self and is paid a paltry sum to identify the next Hollywood blockbuster.

In reality your unsolicited film script will be designated to the 'File 13' and be promptly dropped in the garbage can. Although this might seem like a cynical and unfair description of how many script agents and directors producers operate, you only have to walk in their shoes to identify why this happens.

Imagine for a moment that you run your own independent film producers company in London England. Imagine that every week you receive 50 unsolicited film scripts per week. Your business would financially collapse in no time at all if you had to pay professional script writers to carefully read every one of these scripts.

This is one of the main reasons a Hollywood producer and hollywood director collaborates with professional script agents. Hopefully things will change for new British script writers as our recession brings a fresh approach from Hollywood producers and Hollywood directors who are trawling for new film scripts for sale.

I have been the lead writer and lecturer on various film writing projects in the UK and i have read many great scripts from several yet undiscovered script writers. As part of my duties leading these groups I am aware of a number of film portfolio slates which are pre-production ready.

One such film portfolio offers a very attractive slate of 5 feature films from different genres which would prove an excellent investment. This slate would be of special interest to independent film producers and or any directors producers seeking a ready to go film script portfolio for investor interest.

Although these script writers do not have professional representation from recognised script agents these films have been critically evaluated and edited for screen by professional script editors and movie producers. As a final point I offer all UK script writers an insight into the mind-set of a Hollywood Producer.

Samuel Goldwyn the famous American Film Producer once wrote, 'I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everyone to tell me the truth even if it costs them their jobs.'

About the Author

Dr. Mark D. Yates The International Business Guru & Growth Consultant grows businesses fast delivering exponential growth, increased turnover & profit margins. He delivers business support to small, medium & large businesses in 42 countries. To claim his FREE business case files e-mail him at drmarkdyates@aol.com

Too Good to be True- The Rise and Fall of Bernie Madoff Part 1

copy write drawings

Oct 09

adminWriting humor, photography, photos, tools, web2.0 No Comments

Boosting Your Search Engine Rankings Using Seo Copy-Writing Ideas

If you are serious about your Internet marketing endeavors, then it is essential that you learn effective SEO-ready copywriting. It is essential to have attractive content that draws people in to first establish interest, then have people buying your product. Copyrighting is a crucial step regarding search engine optimization, or SEO. By exercising SEO techniques when you write your sales copy, you'll be able to ensure that your business website will rank higher on search engines. Many beginners are overwhelmed by the notion of optimizing all of their content with the right keywords; it can be difficult to focus both on keyword density and making the content sound natural. Here, I'll show you some SEO copyrighting strategies that will assist you in designing the very best site with new and exciting content that will help to bring particularly interested visitors to your site. In addition, now there is a revolutionary new way to bring rapid mass traffic review.

SEO copywriting is a relatively simple process, although there are several crucial aspects you should bear in mind. Initially, as you are writing up a copy, you must include keywords that are connected to your niche and be able to initiate a certain reaction from search engines. What kinds of keywords are we talking about? The following are common keywords that should be selected for your copy: the name of the website for which you are writing copy, main buzz words that relate to your website's topic and products sold on the website. When you include more keywords in the appropriate spots, your web site will acquire a better ranking through all the big search engine names (Google, Yahoo!, etc.). On the other hand, there is a test in linking these keywords so much that they give your content a strong sense of appeal. Simply keeping a basic sheet of keywords will not get the job done. Instead, you will need to guarantee that your copy has strong appeal, interesting content and in no way denotes that it is spam. In other words, it will not be as simple to identify quality SEO copywriting since it will show up like any other web content - only this time, it will have greater power. Also, there is an innovative new way to get rapid mass traffic review.

If you want to guarantee the unique quality of your SEO copy amongst others and receive a high amount of response, you must make your article precise and illuminating. In order to make this happen, you could include additional people in this ordeal, such as those who are very familiar with the product or service you are offering. They don't have to write the content but they can work together with you or your copywriter to bring in more depth to the content and make it more informative. By doing this, you'll be providing your website or blog with interesting and informative content that will set you above the rest.

Search Engine Optimization is a not that old and is a growing industry, which goes through constant change and frequent updates, which is why it's important to keep up with it. Creating influential copy that turns visitors into customers, SEO copy writers must be flexible enough to shift with these evolutions.

Good content is all about writing for the people and making it interesting to read. Larger revenue from a higher volume of qualified visitors is the benefit to your website when you utilize quality SEO copywriting because you will rank in top search engine positions. No matter how amazing your blog or website is if it doesn't focus on having a good copy, then you won't be able to see great results.

About the Author

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rapid mass traffic

My anime drawings

yeah write magazine

Sep 23

adminWriting photography, photos, reference, self-publishing, technology No Comments

The mood of the child

Buy ' Gifts for Him 'Even have the best of us perplexed. Sometimes it is the lack of inspiration, but sometimes it is men who buy everything they 'want' for throughout the year and leave nothing left for the rest of us to buy them.

If you're looking for gifts for him, father, brother, uncle, or even the wonderfully fun and romantic lover, you may be struggling and worrying. Not however! There are many great gifts out there, regardless of the kind of man you are buying.

Like many women can be satisfied with chocolates, Many men are happy with the computer or something about Footy, but if you really want to impress the man in your life, why not think outside the box a little?

Toy Cars
It is hard to find a guy that grew up playing with plastic toy wooden car or truck dumper and Top Gear is actually one of the programs of the United Kingdom's most popular television. Therefore, if your man is a "machine head" or "corridor boy, why not treat a driving adventure? There are lots of driving experiences out there, but how many of them you can have driving a Ferrari at Silverstone? That sounds unlikely, eh?

A good friend who loves sports cars almost cried with joy when I recently opened birthday card to see that there was a driving day at Silverstone. Better yet, many of our friends went to see it zoom along the track and encourage in the authentic style, before enjoying a drink in the pub afterwards. It was really a dream come true for him. Drive a Ferrari at Silverstone is not cheap, but is an incredible experience.

Hot Dates
It's outrageous. Anniversary rolls round and asks if you know what day is today but should not because you know you do not know. "He has forgotten again, it always does. What happens to men and to plan future? Then there is the birthday weddings, interviews mortgage, name men are bad at remembering. So, why not seek gifts for him to solve the problem? I know what you're thinking ... indelible ink, right? Enter the date on the forehead?

Or, alternatively, you buy a beautiful customized calendar. Costume gifts for you, as href = "http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk/gifts-for-men/gifts-for-him.htm"> gifts for him. There are tons of items to choose from such as football, movies, food and chocolate. There are even tennis, sexy ladies, and romance issues. So whatever your man is interested, you can get a calendar they say your name on each month and also reflects your personality.

Not to mention helping to remember dry cleaning!

The Way to a man's heart
There are other ways to benefit from what you choose as a gift for him. Take an older child to leave her man to get creative. Probably has some good memories of home economics in school, such as fish cakes and crumbly soft burned. Help him relive his kitchen dramas. You could buy a cookbook or two in the street, or even better than the box "World Cooking Learn It." It has everything in it that he will to teach cooking and if you complete the exam, you are qualified to nationally recognized NVQ 2 standard! Bring back fond memories of his home economics class, Give a lovely gift and will also have to cook delicious meals you will too. Perfect!

Gifts for Men
Men can be much less demanding than women can, when it comes to getting gifts. Although often has a pair of ideal gifts for ourselves in mind, men tend not care less. This means that the choice of 'gifts for him "is relatively simple, because men will probably have an idea of what I imagined take them. It gives you plenty of opportunity to be creative and surprise them.

For parents and siblings think about their likes and dislikes and go for something thoughtful and sentimental. You could get your brother of his favorite childhood candy or father of something you know who is wanted for years, but never buy. Other gifts for him could include traditional elements such as slippers, baskets of your favorite cheese and jams, or even a subscription to your favorite magazine.

For a romantic gift for a boyfriend, you can imagine something that you enjoy doing and do it for him instead. Maybe he'd like him to turn to your door dressed in chocolates and champagne? Get on your Sunday clothes and run around some! He will really appreciate the romantic gesture and you never know what the surprise was able to return later.

About the Author

Written by John Smith co-founder of GettingPersonal.co.uk

GettingPersonal.co.uk are one of the UK's leading on-line retailers of Gifts, Personalised gifts, Birthday Gifts, Unusual Gifts, Gifts for Him and her, Mother's Day Gifts, Father's Day Gifts and Gifts for all other occasions. Their website is packed with over 1,500 gifts for any special occasion.

For more go to www.gettingpersonal.co.uk

Jemi and Nelena Does True Love Last? Ep.1

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Aug 19

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In Travel Magazines the Writing Often Inspires People to Travel

In Travel Magazines, the Writing Often Inspires Readers to Travel

With travel magazines, writing a superior article makes reader dream of traveling to different places domestically as well as across the globe. In travel magazines, the writing often motivates people to start packing for a new travel adventure and prompts them to invest the money and time to travel to destinations writers have described. You often find suggestions on the best tourist attractions, outdoor activities, sightseeing tours, cultural events, delicious foods and other places of interest. If you are ready for a vacation but undecided on where to go, good travel writers can motivate you with their articles in travel magazines by writing about places you may never have considered on your own. There are general travel magazines that cover vacation spots from one end of the globe to the other while other travel magazines target a specific area, age group, gender and more. The objective of a good travel writer is to create a wonderful picture of the travel destination in order to entice, enlighten or educate readers of travel magazines. Writing successfully means identifying their audiences such as student travelers or extreme sports vacations.

Many journalists want to write travel articles on destinations around the globe at no cost by getting jobs with travel magazines. Writing about travel is a very competitive market because almost every vacation destination has had travel articles written about them repeatedly. This means a new travel writer must come up with an angle or ideal that makes their article stand out. Most successful travel magazine writers tend to be sociable, often restless but curious people that enjoy meeting new people, traveling, exploring new places, learning about unfamiliar lifestyles and cultures and love sharing their travel adventures and experiences.

For people that enjoy traveling, there is an almost endless amount of travel magazines with writing on different types of travel adventures including:

• Geared toward men and women that love the outdoors and lead active lifestyles, adventure and extreme sports travel magazines have articles on sports such as mountaineering, rock climbing, skydiving and white water rafting. The colorful, glossy photography and exciting articles often inspire travelers to try something new.

• For travelers that love to follow the road, there are travel magazines with writing on campsites, national parks, outdoor cooking and more. Aimed at people with motorhomes, campers and RVs that love spending their vacation or even life on the road, these magazines bring out a travelers spirit of adventure.

Travel magazines are a wonderful way to learn about places, travel tips, special deals and tourist attractions.
About the Author

More information available for your pleasure at http://bestmagazinepublications.com

Tell your own travel stories on our blog at http://bestmagazinepublications.com/magazineblog

MASHED POETICS #3 - RUSH's Witch Hunt - Tristan DePlume (January 28thth, 2010) Vancouver