Trucks Trucks Trucks . .. . or my neck is finally red

[Barnabas]

Swimming anf riding bikes is something most people learn by age 7-8

Albie, if you go to the beach, you don't get into the water?

[Al B. Sure!]

Swimming anf riding bikes is something most people learn by age 7-8

Albie, if you go to the beach, you don't get into the water?

Most people?

Explain this one then:

They surveyed 1,772 children aged 6 to 16 in six cities — two-thirds of them black or Hispanic — to gauge what factors contributed most to the minority swimming gap.

The study found that 31 percent of the white respondents could not swim safely, compared to 58 percent of the blacks.

The non-swimming rate for Hispanic children was almost as high — 56 percent

[Asher]

Less ambitious.

[Al B. Sure!]

That racial gap has actually grown. A newer survey, as reported in the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704717004575268912714114950.html

...report showing that 70% of African-American children and 58% of Hispanic children have little or no swimming ability, compared with 40% of Caucasian children.

The report, including interviews with children and parents in several cities, revealed that the biggest barrier to inner-city swimming proficiency isn't a lack of pools and instructors, but parents' fear of water.

Among low-income families, "many parents wouldn't let kids swim even if lessons were free, a theme that was tested four times in different focus groups," according to a summary of the study, conducted by Richard Irwin, professor of health and sports sciences at the University of Memphis. "Overall, fear trumped financial concerns across all respondent race groups in low-income families."

[Barnabas]

Don't you have places like this in Philly for people with no pools to send their kids?

[Asher]

I would doubt it.

I was on a conference call today with a bunch of bigwigs at the School District of Philadelphia. They're trying to buy some of our products (1000 $5000-$7000 boards), but they don't have enough money. They're basically begging for steep discounts on account that they were very poor and it would be good PR.

Aside from the pathetic budget, they're mismanaged to all hell. I've never seen such a decentralized school district. It's a complete mess.

[Flubber]

Most people?

Explain this one then:

The survey was taken in cities. I bet if they took a similar survey in rural areas the swimming numbers increase.

I grew up in a small town and the swimming pool, ice rink, soccer and softball fields were pretty much it for recreation. Most people did learn as children and by the time you were 14-15, going up to the "swimming hole" was a regular occurance. Apart from the lake (which was a couple of miles to walk and had a lot of parents around) we had a couple of larger streams that has wonderful secluded spots for the people that wanted to smoke, drink etc etc. Cops never bothered us ( every town had such places and if a cop came and we all swam to the other side-- what was he going to do???)


The best spots were places where it widened out to 30-50 feet wide and was 15-20 feet deep with some rocks for jumping in. A couple of guys even had pup tents to bring their girlfriends in for a "nap" and it was never a problem keeping a beverage cool

[Al B. Sure!]

So it's agreed that there is nothing at all strange about my inability to swim, as I grew up in the city where half to most people don't know how to swim, correct? So leave me alone about it.

[The Mad Monk]

You expect me to swim in the Delaware River?!

you never watched Fat Albert? that was set in Philly, you know.

[The Mad Monk]

By the way, your tap water comes from the Delaware.

[Al B. Sure!]

you never watched Fat Albert? that was set in Philly, you know.

You go swim in the Delaware River. Holy ****. Do you have any conception how polluted that river is?

Top 10 Waterways for Total Toxic Discharges
With states affected and toxic discharges in pounds:

1. Ohio River (IL, IN, KY, OH, PA, WV) - 31,064,643
2. New River (NC, VA, WV) - 14,090,633
3. Mississippi River (AR, IA, IL, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, TN, WI) - 12,717,205
4. Savannah River (GA, SC) - 7,683,500
5. Delaware River (DE, NJ, PA) - 7,449,555
6. Cape Fear River (NC) - 5,380,054
7. Tricounty Canal (NE) - 5,256,876
8. Missouri River (IA, KS, MO, ND, NE) - 5,049,336
9. Muskingum River (OH) - 4,994,243
10. Shonka Ditch (NE) - 4,375,761
Source: Environment Georgia

The 5th dirtiest river in the United States and you think I should swim in it?

Fish can't even survive in the Delaware in the Philadelphia area:

By World War II, pollution in the river was so severe, the waters were anoxic, devoid of any dissolved oxygen, from bank to bank, surface to bottom, for a 20 mile stretch in the Philadelphia-Camden area. When the shad migrating upstream swam into this barrier they either suffocated or turned back unable to reach their spawning grounds.

And there's been oil spills:

A number of oil spills have taken place in the Delaware over the years.[6][7][8]
01-31-1975 — 11,000,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from the Corinthos tanker[dubious – discuss]
09-28-1985 — 435,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from the Grand Eagle tanker after running aground on Marcus Hook Bar
06-24-1989 — 306,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from the Presidente Rivera tanker after running aground on Claymont Shoal
11-26-2004 — 265,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from the Athos 1 tanker; the tanker's hull had been punctured by a submerged, discarded anchor

And you think I can swim in there?

[Al B. Sure!]

By the way, your tap water comes from the Delaware.

See this thread:
http://apolyton.net/showthread.php/195092-America-s-Most-Toxic-City-Is...

quotes from an article in Forbes:

These days, however, Philadelphia could be considered the capital of toxicity, since the city and its environs ranked No. 1 on our 2011 Most Toxic Cities list.

As for water quality, the greater Philadelphia area got hit with Sperling’s worst rating

[Asher]

Pretty sure Calgary ranks at the top in water and air cleanliness.

Perhaps you should not live in a ****hole.

[Flubber]

So it's agreed that there is nothing at all strange about my inability to swim, as I grew up in the city where half to most people don't know how to swim, correct? So leave me alone about it.

still kind of strange that

1. a fitness buff would not have tried it-- its an amazing workout and
2. a potential marine would not have tried it


Sure 50% of people may not swim but hell you could probably find 25% of people that have never run for exercise-- there are a lot of lazy obese people out there.

[Asher]

Shouldn't a Marine be required to be a STRONG swimmer?

It's one thing to be "taught" how to swim for a few days in boot camp...it's another to be good.

I swim 3 times a week. I'm a ****ing badass Marine. You are a rock, Alby.