Catch That Zeppelin
Anyone who knows Nemo knows all about his weird enthusiasm for reviving the dormant zeppelin industry. Zeppelins have had a dodgy reputation since a particularly nasty incident in Lakehurst, New Jersey some 70 years ago. But for Nemo, this is hardly a reason to give up a good thing.
Pay no attention to the fact, zeppelin enthusiasts insist, that even the largest zeppelins ever built could carry only 30 to 50 passengers; forget that they're filled with volatile, explosive gases; never mind that they're difficult to control and are allergic to bad weather and have a top speed of about 100 mph.
Nope, for zeppelin nuts, it's always the dawn of a new day, as this NY Times article reveals:
As the cost of fuel soars and the pressure mounts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, several schemes for a new generation of airship are being considered by governments and private companies. “It’s a romantic project,” said Mr. Massaud, 45, sitting amid furniture designs in his Paris studio, “but then look at Jules Verne.”It has been more than 70 years since the giant Hindenburg zeppelin exploded in a spectacular fireball over Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 crew members and passengers, abruptly ending an earlier age of airships. But because of new materials and sophisticated means of propulsion, a diverse cast of entrepreneurs is taking another look at the behemoths of the air.
The cost of fuel would have to be pretty high indeed to make zeppelins an attractive economic proposition in today's world. And I'd have to be pretty drunk to be convinced that a zeppelin is a safe vehicle to travel in. Maybe Nemo will get his wish of a transatlantic voyage on the Hindenberg II. But for me, thanks but no thanks.
