Ripples #65

Compiled and Written by Lenny Giteck

Penn. High Schools Schedule
Swim Meet in Fracking Liquid

According to a shocking report published on April 1 by the Web site ohio.com, two Pennsylvania high schools have scheduled a swim meet in a pool filled with fluid that was used in fracking. The story originated on the “Equation” blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Short for “hydraulic fracturing,” fracking is a controversial process in which fluid is injected into the ground at high pressure in order to release oil and natural gas from shale.

The planned swimming competition, which reportedly has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environment, is designed to show that fracking isn’t dangerous. Not everyone is convinced of the wisdom of such an event, however. From ohio.com:

“The fluids might be completely safe,” said Sharon Petaluma, a mother of one of the swimmers. “But I feel that we as a community have the right and responsibility to know more about what exactly is in them before we allow our children to swim around in it.”

Further details in the article are likely to exacerbate the brouhaha:

Boys on the team were encouraged not to shower before entering the water, as researchers from Bausch & Lomb wanted to study the effects of the fluid on adolescent skin. “Initial tests have shown that some oil byproducts condition the hair and remove unwelcome odors,” said company spokesperson Christopher Stinton. “Who knows, we may discover the next Axe Body Spray — which will create jobs right here in Pennsylvania and help put our economy back on track.”

Interestingly, the report regarding the fracking swim meet brings to mind another eye-opening April 1 report — which Ripples covered back in 2010 — that claimed the Caesars Palace megaresort in Las Vegas had opened a large swimming pool filled with liquid chocolate.

Is the fact that both bizarre stories were datelined April 1 just a strange coincidence? Ripples will spare no investigative effort to get to the bottom of this. As the old saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!”

To learn more about the unusual swim meet, click here.

Ripples Classic: September 14, 2011

Partying Prince Harry Falls (or Jumps)
Fully Clothed into Nightclub Pool

You remember Prince Harry — the other one, the younger brother who developed quite a reputation as a wild party animal whose judgment was not always up to British royal snuff. One episode that comes to mind: the time he dressed as a Nazi for a costume party — apparently never having been told about the devastating impact of the Blitz on Britain during World War II.

Then there were the photos that went viral on the Internet not long ago: They showed Harry cracking up uncontrollably behind his 90-year-old grandfather Prince Philip, who appears to have passed royal gas at an inopportune moment. Other members of the family — all of them lined up on a balcony — managed to keep relatively stiff upper lips despite the noxious attack.

In any event, Harry recently was partying at Veneranda, an open-air nightclub in Croatia, when he either fell or jumped into the establishment’s swimming pool. According to the Web site news.ninemsn.com.au, following his fully clothed entrance into the water “a bare-footed and soaking-wet Harry then hauled himself out of the pool and carried on dancing with fellow clubbers.”

The report continued, “An onlooker told the newspaper [that] Harry ‘seemed really tipsy’ and was untroubled at being the center of attention. ‘Everyone thought it was really funny and Harry was laughing his head off.’”

The 26-year-old prince continued dancing right on the edge of the pool, allegedly lost his balance and went into the water for an encore performance.

Photos: To see photographic evidence that British royals ain’t what they used to be, click here and scroll down.

And with that, Ripples once again says…
Until next time, happy watershaping to you!