AND: In other lake water news: "The lake appeared in the Tunisian desert like a mirage; one minute there was nothing but scorching sand, the next a large expanse of turquoise water."
Hundreds flocked to what quickly became known as the Lac de Gafsa or Gafsa beach to splash, paddle, dive, and fling themselves from rocks into the lake, ignoring warnings that the water could be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, riddled with disease or possibly radioactive. Even after the water turned a murky green, they arrived in droves, undeterred.
"Some say it is a miracle, while others are calling it a curse," Lakhdar Souid, a Tunisian journalist, told France 24 television.
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३८ टिप्पण्या:
I knew how much Detroit would screw up the water for Toledo back in the day...I wonder if they're causing this mess.
"Some say it is a miracle, while others are calling it a curse,"
I'm calling it silliness because the trees growing around it show that it "appeared" quite a while ago.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
Sometimes I just park my van by the lake and watch all the girls go by. When a particularly pretty one walks by I offer her a beer, and she usually says "No'" but that's OK, it's all good in the van.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
When I hang by the lake in my van I just take it mellow and enjoy the sun, man. Eventually an insecure girl will walk by and I will compliment her, no drama, just a guy hangin' out at his van, being friendly. The insecure ones will sometimes say yes to a free beer: now we're getting somewhere.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!
(Some day,…)
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
Usually after a few beers the insecure girls start to let their guard down; that's when I ask if they want to ride with me in the van to the gas station to get some more beer and maybe some Doritos. You like Doritos? What flavor do you like? Nacho Cheese? That's funny, I'm a Nacho Cheese man, myself. Heck, we're kindred. Then sometimes I talk about the ways of the Universe, but I keep it light.
@Ron The problem is algae. I think if you want to blame human beings, you need to look at the farmers.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
When we're back at the lake, we drink a few more beers, just hangin' out, being mellow. Then I'll ask her if she has ever gone skinny-dipping. I already know the answer: all the insecure ones say No.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
When she says she's never gone skinny-dipping I tell her it's no big thing, it's just enjoying the world the way God intended. Hell, we can even practice in the back of the van -- no one else will see. You'll get comfortable in no time, you'll see.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
So there we are: me and the insecure girl, skinny-dipping dry in the back of the van. I got some music playing, really mellow, just some slow grooves, nothing spooky. At first she keeps her bra and panties on, but I tell her that's cheating, you gotta drink all of the milkshake. Usually the bra comes off, then a few minutes later the panties.
@Ann The problem is Detroit has been knocking down too many buildings, allowing farmers to swoop in and finally get their chance to screw up Toledo's water. So Ron had it right, Detroit really is to blame.
(Some facts were harmed in the writing of this post)
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
The insecure girl's body language is all tense, she's trying to cover up parts with her hands; me, I'm just movin' to the groove, lettin' sway what there is to sway. I offer up a joint, just to take the edge off. No worries, it's not the real crazy stuff, it's mellow, you'll be fine, I promise.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
So we're 'skinny-dipping' in the back of the van and my penis 'accidentally' brushes against her ass -- Oops! Sorry! No Big Thing -- and then I pull back a little, dance a bit to the slow grooves: you don't want to follow with immediate secondary penis contact, you gotta take the time.
"Some water departments, including in Toledo and Ottawa County, are drafting new plans they hope to have ready by the typical mid to late July start of algae season, while others suggested that their existing plans are sufficient to address the toxin threat." From the Blade, 30th June. So did the planners' new plan not work?
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
After a few minutes I'll say "You're skin is so soft, you must have a man who really appreciates you": the answer will be "No". With the insecure girls the answer is always "No". So: time for the second accidental penis brush.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
At this pint one of two things happen. The first is that she now hurriedly puts her clothes back on, apologizing profusely, thanking me for the beer and Nacho Cheese Doritos. It's OK, baby, no pressures here, the van is a place to be mellow. I even hand her her blouse, like a gentleman.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
The other thing that can happen: the insecure girl starts dancing a little closer, penis brush three and four.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
After that, a Gentleman of the Van does not tell. Let's just say there's a good reason to keep a twin mattress in the back. And -- this is important -- clean sheets. Always clean sheets: dirty sheets destroy the mellow, and when you are in a van by the lake it is always about the mellow. Keep it real, people.
Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
By the way: people who use Windowless White Vans to kidnap and abuse young women give the Van Community a bad name. Most of us just use duct tape to repair an engine hose. It's only the creeps that are creepy.
"Public officials" in Tunisia doing what public officials do. No lifeguard! No scientific water tests! Your life is in danger! Listen to me! Listen to me! You need me to saaaaave you!!
OK, so boiling the water makes it worse. That implies that the toxin is not live; it's a molecule. Boiling would tend to increase concentration.
Boiling water destroys live bacteria.
The toxin is apparently Microcystin. It would be nice if journalists attempted to report what's going on, and how not to confuse one problem (like a live bacterium) with another (like a chemical created by a virus that can kill).
Girl who was with the Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
He was nice enough, and I have to admit it was kinda funny to 'skinny-dip' in the back of the van. Still, the brushes of the penis weren't exactly subtle: sometimes a girl just wants to get laid, you know? And he wasn't that bad, except he kept trying to put it in my butt. Ain't gonna happen in the back of a van, no thank you.
Girl who was with the Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
The clean sheets, they were a nice touch. Do men think women really want to put their naked bodies on some bare mattress stained over and over with who-knows-what? It makes my skin crawl, just thinking about it.
I once went into the bedroom of a guy to find out he had plastic under the sheets because he still wet the bed. One of the reasons I always make sure I have cab fare: Dude, I'm not Mommy.
Girl who was with the Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
One guy I went out with had a real nice Mercedes, very elegant. Of course, he wanted to put it up my ass, too. I asked him would I get to keep the Mercedes? Sometimes I think of this and wonder what I would've done if he said 'yes'. I drive a 1992 Ford.
"Possibly related"? Maybe we need to re-pollute Lake Erie to destroy the algae? There's such a thing as too clean, people.
Girl who was with the Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
I once went out with one of my college professors -- English Literature. He would expound on "The Miller's Tale" and what it meant to the world of literature, and then he would want to put it in my ass. His penis, not the book itself. I wonder if it is the same with Math Professors.
Girl who was with the Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
I was at the gas station by the lake and saw the Guy with the Van filling up. In the front seat was a girl eating Nacho Cheese Doritos. The Guy with the Van didn't recognize me: I wasn't sure whether to feel anger or relief. The Van must have a big gas tank, but he only put two dollars in. Somehow this made me feel a bit sad. I wonder if the girl in the front seat is going to give up the butt.
Girl who was with the Guy in a Windowless White Van says:
I couldn't help myself: I followed the van back to the lake. I parked and waited, not sure why. Eventually the girl climbed out of the back of the van, clothes somewhat askew. He got it up her butt: I could tell just by looking at her. It was getting dark so I turned on my headlights and headed home. I know scented candles are a girly cliche but I was so looking forward to Pale Lavender.
"Ann Althouse said...
@Ron The problem is algae. I think if you want to blame human beings, you need to look at the farmers."
That's not entirely fair. If you look for nutrient budgets for Lake Erie, you find something like 20% of P coming from "point sources," mostly sewage treatment plants, and the most of the remainder "non-point" which people tend to write off as all ag run off, but in fact, a fair amount of that is septic tanks and smaller sewage systems.
Unless, of course, you're saying that it's all the farmers fault there are so many people that they need the fertilizer to grow enough food to feed them all.
"Bob Ellison said...
OK, so boiling the water makes it worse. That implies that the toxin is not live; it's a molecule. Boiling would tend to increase concentration.
Boiling water destroys live bacteria.
The toxin is apparently Microcystin. It would be nice if journalists attempted to report what's going on, and how not to confuse one problem (like a live bacterium) with another (like a chemical created by a virus that can kill)."
That would presume that reporters understood the difference, which is unlikely.
“… ignoring warnings that the water could be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, riddled with disease or possibly radioactive.” In the middle of an African desert? Is this an Al Gore joke?
"The problem is Detroit has been knocking down too many buildings, allowing farmers to swoop in and finally get their chance to screw up Toledo's water. So Ron had it right, Detroit really is to blame."
Wait. Are you saying that rural reclamation of formerly urban land has messed up the neighboring urban drinking water?
I'd recommend drinking water bottled from the Cincinnati municipal system.
Kroger house brand.
"In the middle of an African desert?"
Not just any desert, but one that is heavily laden with phosphate mines and very little regulation.
Back in the day we had a bucket truck at the corner of X and Y Street in a densely populated area of the city spring a leak of hydraulic fluid. Being good corporate citizens (and tightly regulated,) we called it in to TPTB. Got a competent bureaucratic who pulled maps of the stormwater system and announced that the, say, 60 gallons would be dumping out into the harbor at point A in so many minutes. We rushed down with a big boom to capture as much oil as we could before it got out into the bay. In a short time we captured many many times as much oil as the reservoir tank on that truck held.
My point is that non-point sources can sometimes overwhelm know sources of pollution. Without study you can't blame anyone yet.
One must candidly confess surprise that that doesn't happen in certain areas of New Jersey on a fairly regular basis, thanks to the activities of various gentlemen with last names that end in vowels who have a penchant for Cadillacs and pinkie rings...
And also, with algae, you really do want to look at who exactly has been discharging ballast water recently ...
Pfff... to Toledoans, as long as the waterway's not catching fire, all is good.
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