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unhappycamper

(60,364 posts)
Sat Nov 30, 2013, 11:25 AM Nov 2013

Howse This For A Jobs Program?

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/11/if-ss-united-states-fails-get-job-it-may-be-sunk



If SS United States fails to get job, it may be sunk
By Geoff Mulvihill
The Associated Press
© November 28, 2013

PHILADELPHIA

Its future is still uncertain, but the SS United States is getting a below-the-deck makeover to make it more appealing for developers interested in turning what was once the world's fastest ocean liner into a massive dockside attraction.

Workers began a project in October to remove tanks and other materials from the belly of the ship to make way for modern utilities systems that would need to go in to transform it. There's a second objective to the project, which is expected to last well into 2014: selling the materials to raise the $50,000 to $60,000 it takes each month to maintain and insure the vessel.

The SS United States Conservancy, the nonprofit group that owns the ship, warns that if its grand plans do not come together quickly, there might be no choice but to sell the historic liner as scrap.

"It's a great fixer-upper," said Susan Gibbs, executive director of the SS United States Conservancy and the granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, the ship's Philadelphia-born designer, on a tour of the ship.



unhappycamper comment: A few weeks ago, Uncle sold the USS Constellation for one penny --> http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/Old-Aircraft-Carrier-Sold-For-A-Penny-11-7-2013.asp

America's infrastructure is not well.

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/homehttp://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/bridges/overview

Let's talk bridges. Ours are mostly decrepit. Why not melt these old ships down and use the steel to rebuild our bridges? We could:

* finally put all that good old American steel into American bridges
* smelting is not required as this is good quality steel
* bridge parts are made out of steel
* more workers would be required to dismantle the ships
* more workers would be required to make bridge parts
* more workers would be required to repair our bridges
* more businesses would be invigorated by more people having more money

Just saying.



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