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Post by Scott on Apr 28, 2006 21:42:05 GMT -8
Apparently BC Ferries has claimed the Queen of the North sinking as an "Act of God." The Commision has agreed with them, so BC Ferries can keep collecting money from the government even though they can't keep the minimum number of sailings that they're suppost to.
I'm not all that opposed to them getting the funding still, but to claim it as an act of God is pretty pre-mature and very, very unlikely. Most people I've heard think it's pretty funny that they call it an act of God.
I'm sure some people wish their insurance companies were so compliant as the BC Ferry Commission!!
I guess the media forgot to mention that little typhoon that came along off the Pacific and pushed the ferry into the island then dissipated over Wright Sound.
I can't find a link to this story anywhere on the net yet. It'll probably be in the news tonight and in the newspapers tomorrow.
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Neil
Voyager 
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Apr 28, 2006 21:49:13 GMT -8
Again, it just highlights the farce and artificiality of this whole 'private' company thing, and the 'governing body' set up. Oh well. If football players can thank God for their touchdowns, I suppose BC Ferries can blame Him for their being six miles off course.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 28, 2006 21:51:09 GMT -8
I guess the media forgot to mention that little typhoon that came along off the Pacific and pushed the ferry into the island then dissipated over Wright Sound. Friday, April 28, 2006: John H. uses sarcasm in a post. Yet another "Act of God"...... |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 28, 2006 21:52:19 GMT -8
another thought:
Was it "Act of God", or "Act of Gord"....?
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Post by Scott on Apr 28, 2006 22:16:36 GMT -8
I see Cascade already started a thread on this topic... I think. Sorry for the duplication.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Apr 28, 2006 22:19:16 GMT -8
That's okay. This one has a holier feel to it.
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Post by Retrovision on Apr 28, 2006 23:07:40 GMT -8
All that I can really say is Thank Goodness the Sir Wilfrid Laurier was only a half hour away
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Post by jjr on Apr 29, 2006 6:58:57 GMT -8
But isn't it also an act of God that the Wilfred Laurier was "only" half an hour away?? And what if you don't believe in God? How do you then explain the sinking? A black hole perhaps?
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Post by Mike C on Apr 29, 2006 8:23:19 GMT -8
yeah, "Act of God" lol.
"The reason for the Queen of Oak Bay to crush a dozen boats when attempted docking at Horseshoe Bay, was because God cut the power."
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Post by Low Light Mike on Apr 29, 2006 9:38:02 GMT -8
Here's another theory, consider these facts: March 22nd was the accident date. On March 22nd, the NCAA basketball tournament was underway, with the regional-semifinals. God would have been extrememly-busy that day, dealing with all the american college basketball teams who needed His help to win the game. God was also likely busy helping various people succeed during filmings of reality-TV shows. God was also pretty busy at the World Baseball Classic: both in trying to keep the USA team winning, and in trying to get the Cuban team to lose. All this being said, it's therefore highly unlikely that God would have had the spare time to move the ship off-course. But what do I know about this?, because I'm not God...... As far as " Acts of God" go re Shipwrecks, I enjoy this story: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=27&version=31---------------------- |
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Neil
Voyager
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Post by Neil on Apr 29, 2006 9:58:31 GMT -8
Okay 'Nanaimo. I'll buy that. A Deity can only have so much on his plate, after all.
I wonder if people always had these wierd ideas about God being involved in the most trivial personal acts, or if it's the modern, evangelical notion of a 'personal relationship' with divinity that's brought this about. If you have a 'personal relationship' with God, chances are you start looking for Him to help you out with everything, including having a good hair day.
....No, I'm not religious, just interested, and after all, it was the head honcho of this whole thing (John Hammersmark, not God) who opened up this whole can of worms.
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Post by Curtis on Apr 29, 2006 10:30:36 GMT -8
Here's another theory, consider these facts: March 22nd was the accident date. On March 22nd, the NCAA basketball tournament was underway, with the regional-semifinals. God would have been extrememly-busy that day, dealing with all the american college basketball teams who needed His help to win the game. God was also likely busy helping various people succeed during filmings of reality-TV shows. God was also pretty busy at the World Baseball Classic: both in trying to keep the USA team winning, and in trying to get the Cuban team to lose. All this being said, it's therefore highly unlikely that God would have had the spare time to move the ship off-course. But what do I know about this?, because I'm not God...... As far as " Acts of God" go re Shipwrecks, I enjoy this story: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=27&version=31---------------------- It was at the beginning of the day don't forget |
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Apr 29, 2006 10:48:55 GMT -8
This incident IMHO was not an "Act of God" it was meant to be what was meant to be.
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Post by QSaanich on Apr 29, 2006 10:52:36 GMT -8
What the heck are they talking about an "act of god" are you kidding me it was a "act of human error" or a "act of whatever caused the north to go down an "act of god" is pretty funny joke i call it act of pre-maturity an "act of god' is BS if you ask me.
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Post by Scott on Apr 29, 2006 11:21:50 GMT -8
Even if it wasn't crew error... there had to be some form of human error involved. Something in the engine room not done properly (maybe even during refit), a problem in the software of the navigation system... you could go on and on. But to blame it on the weather or environment.. well, that's almost 100% out of the question as far as we know.
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Post by Ferryman on Apr 29, 2006 11:40:58 GMT -8
I don't get it. Wasn't it just a week or two ago that they said they were sending another probe down there to retrieve some hard drives? But now they've just simply jumped to the conclusion that it was "An Act of God". Seems quite irrevelant to me, and it almost sounds like they're lazy to go to and figure out what happened. Has TC even finnished their investigation? Who said it was an act of god? There was no record of thunder and lightning, hurricanes, volcano eruptions, earthquakes, or Tsunamis.....
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Post by Mike C on Apr 29, 2006 15:30:44 GMT -8
an "act of god" is pretty funny joke i call it act of pre-maturity an "act of god' is BS if you ask me. I have to agree with you on this one... This sounds like a bad George Bush joke... "An Act of Idiocy" |
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Post by Balfour on Apr 29, 2006 20:14:08 GMT -8
Claiming that the incident was and "Act of God" is un-professional if you ask me. There has to be a more reasonable explanation as to why the Queen of the North Sank. In order to find the right reason for the incident, the best way is to go down there and retrieve the computer hard drive records and analyze the data from that. Jumping to conclusions like that is something that most businesses avoid, as should BCF, and the Ferry Commission.
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Post by Dane on Apr 29, 2006 22:00:57 GMT -8
By Act of God I believe they mean to say it wasn't (obvious) negligence on the part of BCFS, so they had no control over what happened. It's pretty common practise really, the media just decided to jump on BCFS. What would you expect BCFS do before taking actions, wait for the investigations to wrap up. That's not realistically feasible for them.
The media are talking about this like it's a 2.5 Mill winfall, but between the costs of the Nimpkish, barge service, and charter flights I'm sure they'll loose it all plus some.
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Post by Engineer on Apr 30, 2006 2:32:12 GMT -8
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2006
Ferries, like government, quick to avoid responsibility: Gary Coons
VICTORIA – B.C. Ferries’ quick decision to declare the sinking of the Queen of the North an event of ‘Force Majeure’ is just another example of the failure of privatizing the province’s marine highway system, Gary Coons said today.
Coons, the New Democrat MLA for North Coast and the Opposition Critic for Ferries and Ports, says it’s one more reason the Coastal Ferries Act should be reopened so that accountability can be restored in the system.
Force Majeure is a common contractual clause which essentially clears a contractor from liability when an extraordinary event takes place. It usually refers to acts of war or a natural disaster.
“We can’t say what the true cause of the sinking was, because we just don’t know,” said Coons. “For Ferries to quickly invoke the Force Majeure clause – even before the National Transportation Safety Board had begun work on its investigation – strikes me as premature.”
Ferries invoked the Force Majeure clause to avoid liability for not living up to the service provisions of their contract with the provincial government.
“It seems as though BC Ferries has learned well from this government: when anything goes wrong, say it was out of their control,” Coons said.
Coons says the minister’s acceptance of Ferries declaration could backfire in the long run. He says if the NTSB does find fault in 18 months, Ferries could easily argue that the government has absolved the corporation of its responsibility.
“That this happened so quickly, and that the Minister of Transportation didn’t inform the Legislature of this, is a clear sign that the Coastal Ferries Act needs to be reopened.
“British Columbians want to know that someone is accountable for the marine highway system,” Coons added. “But both the Minister and the corporation doing everything they can to get out of the way of accountability.”
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Post by Retrovision on Apr 30, 2006 4:09:35 GMT -8
hear, hear
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Post by deasislander101 on May 3, 2006 7:30:33 GMT -8
"an act of God"? Are you kidding me? Why would God go out of his way to knock a ferry of course? I mean hes got better things to do! He has to shape the destines of thousands of people and he has to make their wings! How can B.C. Ferries belive that the sinking of the Queen of the North was done by God! I mean Why would he do that!
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Post by Fenklebaum on May 3, 2006 8:12:17 GMT -8
No, not Yahweh... Cthulhu.
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Post by Starbucks Queen on May 3, 2006 9:18:09 GMT -8
What the heck are they talking about an "act of god" are you kidding me it was a "act of human error" or a "act of whatever caused the north to go down an "act of god" is pretty funny joke i call it act of pre-maturity an "act of god' is BS if you ask me. I agree fully with you, it´s pure nonsense. It seems if in your county, there needs someone to be blame it´s pretty easy to sneak out and call it an "act of god". A ship off the route and involved in an accident is usually a victim of human error, bad weather conditions in combination of human error and/or technical errors. In which world do they live ? Anyone who isn´t too keen in the "god"-nonsense might though blame it on one or more of the above mentioned things   - That´s what I´ll do. |
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Post by NMcKay on May 3, 2006 9:33:46 GMT -8
what if you dont beleve in a higher power?
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- That´s what I´ll do. 