"And, as the sun sets slowly on western civilization...."

I just felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if somebody told a million souls that Kevin Costner was set to direct a reboot of "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome", and set it in his "Waterworld" er, world, as a buddy comedy with him and Mel Gibson, and those same million souls cried out in terror, and then stopped and got in their cars to come looking for me to kick my ass, because they all think it was my idea and won't listen when I try telling them no, it's Vanderleun's idea, really, it's not fair, look at this caption on his post, dammit...

FWIW:

It's pronounced "Skeh-teeno," although I understand the urge to make a pun. The proper term for Capt. Schettino is "un schiffoso" (Skee-fozo: "a disgusting one" is the literal translation. "Scumbag" is an acceptable translation).

Well,

His resume is poisoned. I wonder if MacDonalds will have him?

OMG. I thought this was a parody of some kind after reading Mike James' comment.

I just saw it on the BBC website as well.

Sporco figlio di puta.

I should have been more serious rickl, because of the still growing death toll, but this tragedy has what feels like a thick overlay of farce. Gerard's caption put me immediately in mind of the Captain Walker scene from "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" crossed with "Waterworld".

And you just know that right now, someone is beavering away on the first draft of a film script about the wreck of the Costa Concordia. It'll have dancing girls rescuing passengers, with absolute verity, for God's sake.

Just one word need be said - Coward!

It'll have dancing girls rescuing passengers, with absolute verity, for God's sake.

That's actually not so far-fetched.

All men are cowards...are scared of the night. The difference between most men and this sub-human named Schettino is, we know we are scared, we know we are cowards, but when push comes to shove, we do what needs to be done anyway.

Ask any service member who found themselves in a firefight. Or any one who met their or their loved ones attackers head on. We did what we had to do, and would do it again, because to do anything less is to be less of a man.

I predict this individual (A Captain he is no more, and his stature as a man, is questionable,) will be found to have taken his own life. Either quickly...or over time via drink, drugs, or other agents.

That party boat looks as seaworthy as a rubber ducky. If it had gone down in deeper water, with this crew....

One cannot ordinarily run a ship onto the rocks in deeper water.

But yes, I've often wondered how seaworthy those cruise ships are, that look like high-rise buildings tipped on their sides.

Shades of Lord Jim, but only shades. Unlike "Jim," Capt. Schettino is actually guilty, and will not be able to redeem himself.

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/01/capitano-lord-jim-francesco-schettino.html

He claims he fell into the life boat by accident. Sort of like Lord Jim.

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.

J.C. by W.S.