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« Judge: Fire survivors' lawyers can question Biechele | Today | Bolivian independence fest in Providence tomorrow » August 3, 2007A sub, security scare, and 2 Rhode Islanders / Photo
NEW YORK -- A Brooklyn artist manning a replica Revolutionary War submarine -- along with two Rhode Islanders -- caused a scare this morning after police found the strange-looking vessel foundering in a security zone near the docked Queen Mary 2, authorities said. The handmade wood and fiberglass vessel, at the end of a tow rope tied to an inflatable boat, was spotted by police near the luxury ocean liner docked at the cruise ship terminal in the Buttermilk Channel off Red Hook in Brooklyn. "It was a strange sight," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Angelia Rorison. Police held the artist, Philip "Duke" Riley, and Jesse Bushnell of Providence and Michael Cushing of Newport for questioning. But there was no indication the trio meant any harm with the replica of the 1776 "Turtle submarine." One of the Rhode Islanders claimed he was descendant of David Bushnell, the inventor of the original one-man vessel that inspired the replica, police said. Riley, according to his Web site, is a 1995 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. The makeshift sub "is the creative craft of three adventuresome individuals," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said in a statement. "It does not pose any terrorist threat. ... We can best summarize today's incident as marine mischief." -- The Associated Press The brown, egg-shaped wooden vessel was a replica of a submarine used during the American Revolution, Rorison said. The inflatable boat was towing the submarine, authorities said. Rorison said the vessel resembled a diving bell, with a hatch on top, and was about 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. It was propelled by a pedal-operated paddle. The Coast Guard issued two citations to Riley, 35, of Brooklyn - one for having an unsafe vessel, the other for violating a security zone. The sub came within 200 feet of the bow of the Queen Mary 2, Rorison said. "Basically, the vessel was not safe to sail. It had no lights, no flares. It was not registered," she said. "Instead of safety violations, this could have turned into a search and rescue." Riley is a sculptor and performance artist whose work "addresses the prospect of residual but forgotten unclaimed frontiers on the edge and inside overdeveloped urban areas, and their unsuspected autonomy," according to his Web site. "All three males are expected to be charged with a number of violations and both vessels will be secured by the Harbor Unit," the NYPD said. Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsGail | August 4, 2007 8:06 AM link Oh, those pesky RISD students. In another era, anyone would have been amused. From the get go, it was obvious this was a Revolutionary War replica. But you never know, maybe Salami O'Lardbin bought one surplus and rigged it for nefarious porpoises. Yikes! Not to worry. The Deer Island swells will now cluck their tongues and lecture us about how such dangerous behavior could have caused wrack and ruin to QMII passenger, New York State, and the entire planet. File this with stories about drugging six year olds who glance out classroom windows. Protectors drug them because they realize kids react normally to dull circumstances. Worse, research states this behavior indicates leadership traits. Can't have that. Why is it, we don't discover much anymore, beyond what BigKorpseorate controllers wish for us to see? And the very idea of a Revolutionary replica operating sans running lights and 'personal flotation devices' for 'the personal safety' of all aboard? Horrors. Slowly, efficiently, they are erasing spontaneous pleasure to create their managed world society. Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino | August 4, 2007 9:00 AM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
how stupid - why not just notify the harbor officials in advance of plans to sail in the area - this kind of stunt puts everyone at risk - use your common sense