Paul Allen Stops By For A Cayman Visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_(yacht)
Floating/Anchored 5-700 feet offshore.. right in front of the Ritz Carlton here in Cayman.. I can see it right out my office window.. This is a seriously impressive ship. Second biggest yacht in the world (2nd biggest privately owned yacht, 6th overall if you count ‘royal’ yachts) Cost a rumored $200mm (back when the dollar was worth something.. figure 500mm today). Hard to believe a boat like this is worth more than a good domain portfolio.. There’s domain upside for you folks. Although, domain portfolios don’t come with regulation basketball courts or helicopters onboard.. Looks like he could land 2 choppers on that back pad alone if he wanted.
Russ Horowitz of Marchex mentioned flying aboard Paul’s 767, watching sportcenter on plasmas back in the late 90’s, before plasmas were available in every Walmart. You gotta know Paul has hot and cold running good stuff on board that boat. ;)
Pop over for a drink Paul, or send the tender and I’ll pop over there. 
Andy sends Powepoint link… copy and paste this into your browser address bar … bring a change of underwear .. it’s good to be Paul Allen:
Frank:
Good to see her back in harbour. Looks impressive size-wise - even up against the Carnival boat loads of newly-weds, over-feds and nearly-deads…
Last time she was here I took a closer look from my boat - she really is amazing. Even tried angling for an invite aboard, but no such luck - LOL. Guess my boat was too small to even be their tender!!! Maybe you will have better luck
Take pics!!
Tim.
Just - wow!
- “Office Window”?
I thought you worked out of your basement in your underwear
http://frankschilling.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/03/evocative_qa_wi.html
nice to see Mr. Allen is conscious of the climate and our environment. why would anyone need a boat (penis extension) this size?
POSTED BY DAVE:
nice to see Mr. Allen is conscious of the climate and our environment. why would anyone need a boat (penis extension) this size?
******
I’m sure if Mr Allen needed one of those, he would get one!
No one needs a boat like that - you actually need 3 - life’s for livin’, not worrying!
who’s Paul Allen…
One fun fact - Back in the 70’s, one of the occasional visiting cruise ships was M/V Sunward (from Norwegian Caribbean Lines - NCL). At 139m she was a scant 13m longer than Octopus - and built for a lot morepassengers!!!
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Sunward.html
After many name changes, and reincarnations, sadly she was scrapped in 2004.
http://www.cruiseshipodyssey.com/empress.htm
Looking out over GT Harbour this morning, with the behemoths Norwegian Majesty, Carnival Legend, Carnival Valor, Navigator of the Seas and Grand Princess in port, it is hard to imagine something the size of Octopus being the only visitor.
Oh, and in those days, welcome mats were thrown out to all visitors - afterall, we were but a glimmer in the eye of the cruise carriers back then, frequently overlooked in favor of Bahamas and Bermuda.
My how times change!!!
Frank, a “seriously impressive ship”?
How about a disgusting example of wretched excess and a fantastic contributor to global warming and polar ice cap destruction.
Imagine how many lives could be saved in Africa if that $200M was given to Doctors Without Borders? Sorry to be a killjoy, but that monstrosity is some costly ego right there.
Frank, is it true you fly around in a private jet? Any carbon offsetting?
***FS*** Impressive like an aircraft carrier would be.. I can’t stop Paul from buying one, but I probably wouldn’t do it if I had the extra dough kicking around.. Wealth and spending is part of a much bigger discussion.. Say all Paul ever wanted was a yacht it was his dream to have one just the way he got it. So ‘you’ come along and say “Paul you can’t have it, it’s not good for the rest of us” So Paul says screw-you, doesn’t innovate, doesn’t create a company or wealth, doesn’t employ people, who don’t give to charity and more people far away starve.. There was a great deal more misery on this planet before capitalism.. I’m a capitalist.. and a bit of a libertarian, .. I make no secret about the way I fly, and don’t do any carbon offsetting.. But I fly commercial for 90% of my business trips, and I recycle
Wow, Frank, hit the nail on the head, but could have sugar coated it a little for Cameron.
The reality is, sometimes you focus on a personal or life goal (a boat - however large) and do a lot of good on the side.
Or you recognize that sometimes “ya juss gotta go private” (let’s face it, 5% of your private time is probably fleeing from the hurricanes - and after 13 hours in the commercial lounge last time, I will do the same).
Reality is, from each perspective, to focus on the “benefits” of wealth, it can look like one is just reaping rewards. But, dig a little, and you will find that most of those who can, will, and do, give - often to extremes. Not only for tax benefits, but for personal self satisfaction.
I think there are very few rich or ultra rich, or (whatever the next level is), who do not stop and think of giving back. Funny thing is, when they do, they throw big bucks (from where I am) at a cause, without even blinking.
Look at the Gates’ recent $100m (yes, ‘m’ for MILLION) donation to Rotary’s continuing efforts to free the world of polio. A small(ish) sum for them - a huge boost for a project where that buys hundreds of millions in vaccines. Even a $10 gift makes a diffence in a cause like this.
Bottom line, your view on lifestyles, and giving back, differ from those around you, depending on their (and your) financial status. Where one might throw $10 in the plate and drive home in a a Camry, another throws $100 and leaves in a Jag. Each should go home knowing they gave in relevant perspective to their position. And those outside should aspire to do the same - even if they are throwing in a dollar and leaving on a bike.
Jealousy furthers noone.
***FS*** Well put sir.
PS - on a personal(-ish) note - I notice he moved south and anchored off my house tonight. Still no invite or tender to pick me up, but…
***FS*** Ha ha.. so I’m not alone.
I used to recycle a little until the news broke that 90% of the stuff people put in the recycle bins gets put in with the regular trash once the trucks get back to the depot. At least here in New York that’s the case.
Global warming is a total joke. It just ain’t happening. It is mass hysteria which will be used to set up some type of world government. Fly your Gulfstream all you want. If I can’t look forward to buzzing you in my own Gulfstream someday, why am I in the domain biz anyway. Without toys we might as all be communists.
Besides You can sign all the pollution agreements you want and China will still be sending millions of tons of pollution over the pacific to California every day. If the environmentalists really want to tackle a problem they should do something about the continent size (bigger than Australia) pile of garage floating in the middle of the pacific. Below is a link to an article about it. Apparently it consists of trillions of tons of plastic.
Hey Frank I hope the caymans aren’t swallowed whole by this thing. As it turns out there is one just like it in the Atlantic. Watch out. I am amazed nobody is talking about this thing.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/10/19/SS6JS8RH0.DTL&type=politics
***FS*** That is amazing.. I had no idea.. Wow.
That’s one beauty of a Yacht !
Forbes.com (and some others) have a new term for yachts of that size - GigaYachts !
or “mine is the big one in the harbor with the helicopters,”
http://www.forbes.com/2005/04/27/cx_ns_0427feat.html
I don’t have a Yacht but I did get the domain LOL
Living on such a beautiful island what kind of Boat/Yacht do you have Frank ?