h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

True - but not at the levels public swimming pool, where the levels are tested daily. They are actually done at my pool as well. I see them doing it when I swim early in the morning. Having just done quick search of PubMed all the reported cases of Cloride irriation in the lungs are related to exposure in a commerical enviroment.

I could only find one study on lung function after immerision in a public swimming pool which was on a ten healthy volenteers - but that reported no change. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed

*rushes back and adds an 'in'*

Are they actually testing the chlorine in the air, or the chlorine in the water?

I haven't paid much attention to be honest I'm getting on with swimming, I've also left my glasses in the changing rooms so can't see much anyway.

If the water in a public pool wasn't disinfected there'd be a greater risk of infection which I'm fairly sure is going to outweight the theoretical risk of lung irration from cloride. With things like this you've got to compare it to the risk of lung irritation you'd get from walking down the street or other everyday exposures. It's a tiny tiny risk.

Look at the dangers related to swimming in other places. The sea - people die every year from drowing there not to mention hypothermia. A river - a risk of Weil's disease from Rat urine.

I don't think I'll be going swimming any time soon now Put me right off, that has

* vibes through the ether for GDZ*

Congratulations for the very excellent news, Mr D (hope we're next ) If you are lacking anything, by the way, post a message on your local FreeCycle board ( http:/www.freecycle.org if I am not mistaken) We use them a lot - to get rid of stuff out of huses we clear and when we need things as well. It is astounding what people will give away.

W

Try again

http://www.freecycle.org

I've had an offer on my property! And there are two other interested parties, so we might be able to get a little auction going. The first offer is pretty good, though. $9K less than I'm asking, but it would be a cash payment.

Woo hoo! Lil snoopy dance! Hope it goes through. Seems like 'tis the season to buy and sell.

The Havens is now officially DEBT FREE. No mortgage, no credit card balance. Money invested. And money left over.

I have shed tears of joy today.

Must Client wants me to do my job for some reason or other.

Obviously this is a good time for salonistas buying and selling property - fabulous news Lil and how wonderful hmh Must be wonderful to shed that mortgage millstone

My parents did this a few months ago and are still smiling about it

I, on the other hand, am having housey woes. We've had the second lot of stuff from the stuctural engineer and it is *still* wrong This is the bloke our local council uses for checking compliance with building regs Although before getting too cross with him, I ought to check that J correctly communicated the changes he needed to make. I have my doubts...

I love to swim. I'm by no means *good* at it, but whenever I'm in a body of water it's only a matter of time before I'm in it. That said, I don't like to think about what else is in there--pee, poo, dead animals, chlorine, general ickiness. Why ruin a good time?

If this sale goes through, I too will become debt-free, and there will be tears of joy in this house also! At the moment, closing is scheduled for 31 October , but the contract will allow me to accept a higher offer so long as this first buyer gets 48 hours to go higher. The other party I know of who has an interest has very deep pockets.

Lil and hmh

This year's Booker shortlist has been announced. I'm going to buy two of these to read on holiday - anyone read any of them and have any recommendations?

Kiran Desai for The Inheritance of Loss, Kate Grenville for The Secret River, MJ Hyland for Carry Me Down, Hisham Matar for In the Country of Men, Edward St Aubyn for Mother’s Milk and Sarah Waters for The Night Watch.

The Times said this: "Mother’s Milk by Edward St Aubyn depicts a tale of debauchery among the privileged classes" which sounds like an ideal poolside read for a hormonal pregnant lady

Last time I went swimming it was in Lake Erie and there was a health warning about there being lots of bacteria.

I'm sure Z's right about testing public swimming baths, but there's one poky little leisure centre near where I used to live that had a 25m square pool in a stffy little room that fair stank of chlorine.

Oh, it's Booker time, is it? I've never read any of the books on the list. Is that bad? I'm currently a year or so behind, I suppose, as I'm reading 'A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian'.

I am a bitch.

Ok, y'all know that, but I thought I'd remind you.

In other news tonight, I quite fancied "The Night Watch" when it was reveiwed on Front Row umpteen months ago, but then I always feel I ought to read queer fiction. The De St Aubyn sounded fun, though if he's any relation to the mad St Aubyn wench who lived in Tuscany he'll be so far up his own backside he won't need a periscope to look out of his own eyes.

I told you I was feeling vituperitive.

Sincere vicarious joy, though, for Lil and for hmh.

B

You are meant to swim in the ocean, not the local swimming pool Too many nasty bugs in public pools.

I love swimming in the ocean. Too bad it is such a long drive from Missouri. I am one of those people who is in the body of water pdq -- Mamma used to call me the water baby. I swim in our local river all the time and try not to think about the cows that use it also. I have learned not to put my face in the water though, it gives me an almost instant sinus infection to do so, while I suffer no other ill effects. Must have a real good immune system.

I go to the beach a few times a year. Usually I am too busy to drive the 120 miles to go to Wrightsville Beach.

(Ying)

[wilmaaaaaa]