A Ship Hitting an Iceberg in 2007

Strange news today, bringing back thoughts of the ill-fated Titanic. The M/S Explorer hit an iceberg earlier today in the Antarctic Ocean and started sinking.

They were taking in water from a hole the size of a fist. About 150 passengers and crew boarded lifeboats and were picked up with no loss of life, fortunately.

Let's file this under things you wouldn't expect to hear in 2007.

I unsuccessfully tried to look up a list of ships sunk by icebergs. I did find out that in 1875, the schooner Caledonia hit one and sank off Newfoundland. All of the crew survived by climbing onto the iceberg and waiting to be rescued.

When Will They Make a Movie of It? --RoadDog

The Votes Are In

The voting for the 25 Chicagoland preservation sites is over, having ended October 10th. I know I voted early and often in true Chicago style, even if many of my first ones went for the Viking Ship and GAR Hall. That was before I knew you could only vote once a day and just for one place. After that, all my votes went to our local Spring Grove Fish Hatchery.

It ended up in 10th place with 4 % of the vote, after a climb from #19 and 2%. That was not bad for a small community of about 4,000 considered all the people living in Chicago. The winner was the On Leong Merchant Association/ Pui Tak Center in Chicago's China Town.

Of the sites I supported: #3 was the Viking ship in Geneva with 11%, #9 the GAR Hall in Aurora, and #22 the Petersen Historic Farmstead in McHenry.

The On Leong Building will get the full amount of their request. The rest of the $1 million will be awarded on November 13th. So here's hoping for the Viking Ship and fish hatchery.

A big thanks to American Express for putting up the money. It is definitely important to save as much of our heritage as possible and whenever possible.

Save Those Old Places!! --RoadDog

Here's a Senior Idea: A Cruise Instead of A Living Facility

As I fast approach the days of being classified as a senior citizen, I occasionally will pick up a publication for that group of people. I like to look at bus trips and vacation offerings.

I picked up the June Chicagoland's Senior News a while back and just got around to reading it. I found an interesting article about a woman who has come up with a novel and interesting way to provide herself with assisted living.

Columnist Tait Trussell was on a Princess Cruise Line boat, and saw an elderly lady whom the staff all seemed to know very well. He asked the waiter about her and found that she had been on the last four cruises back-to-back.

He had a chance to meet her and asked why she spent so much time on the boat. She replied right away saying this was far cheaper than a nursing home or assisted living.

She continued: As long as I'm not too old and feeble, I'm going to be riding cruise ships. The annual cost of the living facility I checked out would have cost me $73,000 a year. I have checked the long-term cruise reservations and senior discount, and can pay only $135 a day for an inside cabin. That's a little over $49,000 for a year of cruises."

Sounds like she's on to a great idea and I will definitely keep this under consideration.

Last summer, my mom was nice enough to treat the family to a trip on board a Princess ship. This was my first time on a cruise and I have never been treated so well and had so much great food. Plus, there is all the great entertainment, activities, and shore excusions.

Let's See, cruising on a boat, or stuck in a nursing home. HHhhhhmmmmnnn.

Having a Senior Moment. --RoadDog