Pretend you are aboard the Titanic, and 6 hours before the imminent collision, you have a premonition of impending disaster. How do you convince the crew to alter their course by only one degree portside?

You are a stranger to them, of course, but you have never had a feeling this strong in your entire life, and you know that if Captain Edward J. Smith doesn’t alter the ship’s course as soon as possible, a catastrophe of the highest magnitude will surely happen.

So what magic words do you utter to them, to get them to believe you and not toss you into some large storage locker? Choose your words carefully, because you may only have one opportunity to utter them.

August 22, 2008, 11:24 AM EDT