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Topic: Sinking ships (Read 1588 times)

sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
bool eval(bool b){return b ? b==true : b==false;}
April 10, 2012, 03:19:40 PM
#23
Why do governments do X?
... uhm how would we know? Ask them governments!

Don´t know how it is handled at your place, geffaxiv-532. Here you´d just ask a member of parliament.
newbie
Activity: 25
Merit: 0
April 10, 2012, 02:58:51 PM
#22
I saw something on TV about this. It's actually a very thorough process. They strip practically everything except the metal from the ship and tow it out to a place they want a reef. Then they cut giant holes in it and let it sink. It's actually pretty good for ocean life because they use them to start new reefs.
legendary
Activity: 1400
Merit: 1005
April 10, 2012, 02:49:50 PM
#21
I wonder if the EPA made them burn all the fuel and such, as they would the rest of us.
I would imagine any unused fuel has been removed via pump to be used elsewhere.  THAT'S a cheap process, and considering how expensive fuel is, they'd be fools not to.

Also, @OP, because blowing stuff up is fun, and boys never grow up.
donator
Activity: 40
Merit: 0
April 10, 2012, 02:35:24 PM
#20
I wonder if the EPA made them burn all the fuel and such, as they would the rest of us.
newbie
Activity: 25
Merit: 0
April 10, 2012, 09:03:18 AM
#19
Because it's easier to sink a sheep than bring it on-shore, break it down, and melt it down?

Poor sheep   Cry
hero member
Activity: 637
Merit: 502
April 09, 2012, 11:05:39 PM
#18
This is an interesting little article on Shipbreakers in India: http://moneylinked.blogspot.com/2011/01/ship-breakers-in-india.html

The title remembered me of this documentary about indian shipbreakers. www.ipexview.com/solution/videos/National_Film_Board_of_Canada/Shipbreakers/64/
newbie
Activity: 14
Merit: 0
April 09, 2012, 08:34:13 PM
#17
The US government blows things up because blowing things up is a component of GDP.  A rising GDP gives the government an excuse to claim that the economy is doing well, which gives them an excuse to borrow money to spend on blowing more things up, also known as "providing government services."  This borrowed money is provided by the central bank, known as the Federal Reserve, which prints money out of thin air to lend to the US government to blow things up, at interest.  This interest is also known as the national debt, and will never be repaid anyways so it doesn't matter.  Welcome to America.

Lol love this post. Had to read it twice over Smiley
newbie
Activity: 5
Merit: 0
April 09, 2012, 11:54:17 AM
#16
I can't say that I blame the Coast Guard for sinking that ship, it must be tough to sail around the ocean all day every day with a big ol' cannon and not shoot at anything. Finally something to shoot at! Good hits, Coast Guard, good hits!
legendary
Activity: 1330
Merit: 1000
April 07, 2012, 03:32:31 AM
#15
The US government blows things up because blowing things up is a component of GDP.  A rising GDP gives the government an excuse to claim that the economy is doing well, which gives them an excuse to borrow money to spend on blowing more things up, also known as "providing government services."  This borrowed money is provided by the central bank, known as the Federal Reserve, which prints money out of thin air to lend to the US government to blow things up, at interest.  This interest is also known as the national debt, and will never be repaid anyways so it doesn't matter.  Welcome to America.
hero member
Activity: 560
Merit: 501
newbie
Activity: 49
Merit: 0
April 06, 2012, 08:22:11 PM
#13
It's a good thing that we have a Coast Guard to save people from themselves!
Yup, it was so dangerous it took them several attempts and some time to sink it.
vip
Activity: 1386
Merit: 1140
The Casascius 1oz 10BTC Silver Round (w/ Gold B)
April 06, 2012, 08:10:24 PM
#12
It's a good thing that we have a Coast Guard to save people from themselves!
newbie
Activity: 49
Merit: 0
April 06, 2012, 08:06:45 PM
#11
Why do governments sink ships instead of melting it back to base metals?

The Coast Guard said it would be too dangerous to either repair or salvage. There was a party who wanted to go get it but they were refused permission due to the aforementioned reasons.
newbie
Activity: 13
Merit: 0
April 06, 2012, 08:05:51 PM
#10
This is an interesting little article on Shipbreakers in India: http://moneylinked.blogspot.com/2011/01/ship-breakers-in-india.html
legendary
Activity: 4542
Merit: 3393
Vile Vixen and Miss Bitcointalk 2021-2023
April 06, 2012, 08:00:58 PM
#9
Recycling metal is almost as expensive as mining it out of the ground. Add to that the cost of dismantling the ship (which is a huge job, requiring a drydock facility), and it's just not worth it. Metal has to become a lot more valuable in order for recycling a ship to become profitable.
sr. member
Activity: 457
Merit: 291
April 06, 2012, 03:17:48 PM
#8
Moral boost (training lesson) for a bunch of trigger happy guys?
 
donator
Activity: 1218
Merit: 1079
Gerald Davis
April 06, 2012, 02:14:36 PM
#7
This has nothing to do with bureaucracies.  Many private entities sink ships also.

OP it is simply expensive to strip, cut, and melt ships.  Far cheaper to just sink it.  They also becomes artificial reefs so that becomes a plus given the rate we are destroying natural reefs.

Kinda the same question of "why do people throw away metal, paper, glass & plastics only to have to mine new resources out of the earth each year"?
member
Activity: 71
Merit: 10
April 06, 2012, 01:59:46 PM
#6
Why do governments sink ships instead of melting it back to base metals?

LOOSE LIPS

In the US, it's because of an incredible complete bureaucracy.

You wouldn't believe how a seemingly simple action needs to first go through a number of departments to get approval.
These approvals take time, energy, and dedication in their consistency.

It's much easier for the bureaucrats in charge to do what they've already been doing in the past and not deal with the other bureaucrats in this bureaucratic system.

So they instead take the straightforward, but not optimal, way out and do what's best for them (or their dept) rather then what's best for the country and the people. Just my opinion anyways.
newbie
Activity: 40
Merit: 0
April 06, 2012, 04:53:24 AM
#5
Think about the first part of your question a little bit more.

"Why do governments"

Let me ask you:

What incentive do governments have?

MY QUESTION IS NOT METAPHORICAL OR RHETORICAL BY NATURE. DO THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
sr. member
Activity: 412
Merit: 250
April 06, 2012, 01:08:17 AM
#4
You must be talking about that ship near alaska that the US wants to sink. I suppose it would be a lot of work towing it to a place capable of stripping it down.
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