Re: A Swimming Post

1

Cool.


Posted by: teofilo | Link to this comment | 06-15-11 10:03 PM
horizontal rule
2

I'd give them some money if I had any.


Posted by: teofilo | Link to this comment | 06-15-11 10:03 PM
horizontal rule
3

How would the pool overwinter? Can it be left in place? Can the membranes freeze and thaw while keeping filtration standards? If it isn't left in place, how is the pool retrieved from the river and stored? I don't understand.

Besides that, it looks awesome.

Also, can the filtration go both ways? Like, I get how it might clean river water. But what would keep the interior water clean from people? How is the water changed out? Still confused.


Posted by: Megan | Link to this comment | 06-15-11 11:40 PM
horizontal rule
4

This reminds me: I once woke up from a dream with something very important to my then-girlfriend.

"Death! Death! Death be wet!" Then I went back to sleep, conked right back out.

She was already awake, my snoring did that, so she wrote it down. "That's the most serious thing you've said in days," she said, "just the way you sad it. It was vital to tell me. I was almost flattered."

Chromium piccolinate and valerian root can be wonderful sometimes.

As for the swimming pool: what a stupid idea. Really. How would you get there? On a pontoon bridge? Heaven forbid you should touch the river, you might die of sepsis.

Some New Yorkers need to sleep more.



Posted by: Defunkt | Link to this comment | 06-15-11 11:43 PM
horizontal rule
5

"During that summer we designed + Pool and launched it into the world with the main intention of building a team that could help us realize the project. We figured it might attract attention from some engineers and experts that could help us out."

I guess by "designed" they mean "thought up in barest outline".


Posted by: nosflow | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 12:02 AM
horizontal rule
6

Seems like they spent a good amount of time on the fun stuff, like a plus shape with the potential for long lanes and what the four arms could be used for.


Posted by: Megan | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 12:13 AM
horizontal rule
7

||
WOOOO! FIRST KISS! [Btock fist pump]
|>


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 3:52 AM
horizontal rule
8

One thing I don't love about Kickstarter is how blithely it violates your privacy. I am pretty cautious, generally, but I didn't immediately grasp that if I donated to two projects, people would be able to see both.

Bah. I like supporting stuff like this, but I don't like any random person being able to make (likely inaccurate) guesses about my social circle or political affiliations based on whose Kickstarter project I want to fund.


Posted by: Witt | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 7:42 AM
horizontal rule
9

8: I hadn't realized that. I was going to suggest donating anonymously, but that wouldn't work for some things. For instance, I helped kickstart a band's demo recording, with the promise of getting a copy of said record once it's pressed. Maybe the donors could elect to be known only to the members of the project?


Posted by: Stanley | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 8:24 AM
horizontal rule
10

How would the pool overwinter? Can it be left in place? Can the membranes freeze and thaw while keeping filtration standards? If it isn't left in place, how is the pool retrieved from the river and stored? I don't understand.

See, they need your money to figure that stuff out.


Posted by: teofilo | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 8:45 AM
horizontal rule
11

I like the basic concept, but they need to work on some elements - for one thing the filters will work both ways: keeping stuff out means keeping stuff in. They'll need to actively pump clean water out of the pool in order to avoid making it concentrated piss and grime from the unwashed. Not an insurmountable problem, but still.

Also 8 is an insurmountable obstacle to my making a donation.


Posted by: togolosh | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 8:45 AM
horizontal rule
12

The membrane is one thing, but I think I regular floating pool* would still be pretty neat.

* That is filled from the tap or the river using standard pool filtering technology.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:04 AM
horizontal rule
13

Kickstarter should become a Super PAC.


Posted by: fake accent | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:06 AM
horizontal rule
14

They'll need to actively pump clean water out of the pool in order to avoid making it concentrated piss and grime from the unwashed.

Ooh, you could make it a pretty fountain -- jets of water going out from the pool. (I wonder if you'd need to filter it, or if the Hudson is dirty enough that just releasing swimming-pool water would be cool.


Posted by: LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:23 AM
horizontal rule
15

14: The chlorine is the problem not the kid piss.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:25 AM
horizontal rule
16

We had a swim class with the kids which was cancelled on Monday due to an accident. On Tuesday we found out that "accident" meant someone took a dump, as opposed to a medical accident. But the pool was full of kids age 6 months to 7 years or so, so I imagine in any given 30 minute window, someone is taking a dump in the pool.

It's kind of amusing to me that they basically have a don't-ask-don't-tell policy about poop in the pool. "If we know, it's a giant pain, so please please just don't let us know."


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:28 AM
horizontal rule
17

Does the Hudson get tides? Is there any head in the system, for forcing water through membranes?


Posted by: Megan | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:30 AM
horizontal rule
18

Yeah, it's tidal a ways up past the city. I don't know how much force you'd need, but there's noticeable current both ways.


Posted by: LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:31 AM
horizontal rule
19

On Tuesday we found out that "accident" meant someone took a dump, as opposed to a medical accident.

The two are often related.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:33 AM
horizontal rule
20

17: Who needs Hudson tides? In the morning, the pool will fill up with people, pumping water out, and in the evening it will empty, pumping it back in.


Posted by: Eggplant | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:36 AM
horizontal rule
21

"accident" meant someone took a dump

NO, I DID IT ON PURPOSE.


Posted by: Anonymous Disgruntled Swimmer | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 9:41 AM
horizontal rule
22

I did it on porpoise.


Posted by: Ocean Swimmer | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:00 AM
horizontal rule
23

Somewhat related, a friend is swimming the 28.5 miles Manhatten Island Marathon Swim this weekend.

Water temp should be about 65 degrees. No wetsuits.


Posted by: will | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:11 AM
horizontal rule
24

It's kind of amusing to me that they basically have a don't-ask-don't-tell policy about poop in the pool. "If we know, it's a giant pain, so please please just don't let us know."

Poop is a perception problem, not a real problem for a pool. Same goes for urine.



Posted by: will | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:12 AM
horizontal rule
25

Can the membranes freeze and thaw while keeping filtration standards?

Would they need to? Do rivers in New York freeze regularly? (Honest question: I actually don't know).


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:15 AM
horizontal rule
26

If the pool is properly maintained and there isn't that much poop. People can and have gotten E. coli and other things from pools.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:17 AM
horizontal rule
27

What I am thinking is that you could get one of these babies, solar-power it (does it even need an electricity source?), drop it in a river anywhere in the world, and get a pool of free instant unlimited drinking water for everyone.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:17 AM
horizontal rule
28

The chlorine is the problem not the kid piss.

The river water is salty, especially in the East River. Salt water pools don't need chlorine, do they?


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:19 AM
horizontal rule
29

27: Babies do not need electricity sources.


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:19 AM
horizontal rule
30

27: There's ice floating in them sometimes, but they don't freeze more than a couple of feet out from the shore. They're brackish and pretty fast-flowing.


Posted by: LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:21 AM
horizontal rule
31

The water inside one of these, though, would not be flowing at all... so it might freeze a bit more readily.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:33 AM
horizontal rule
32

31: Circulate it with pumps?


Posted by: LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:34 AM
horizontal rule
33

31: Mandatory urination?


Posted by: foolishmortal | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:43 AM
horizontal rule
34

Presumably you would need to take it out from time to time to scrape the crustaceans off the bottom. Those filters aren't going to work very well if they are covered in barnacles.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:43 AM
horizontal rule
35

34: you just need a non-toxic antifouling paint. They make it out of chilli peppers - apparently capsiacins discourage barnacles just as effectively as humans.

32: yes. Or, better still, just open gates at either end and let the water flow through. No one's going to be swimming in it anyway if the water's near freezing.


Posted by: ajay | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:45 AM
horizontal rule
36

you would need to take it out from time to time to scrape the crustaceans off the bottom.

Are we talking about babies here? or Anthony Wiener?


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:48 AM
horizontal rule
37

...apparently capsiacins discourage barnacles just as effectively as humans.

I keep hearing about how the kids today have so many new skills I'll never have, but I make myself care that I can't discourage a barnacle the way the Gen Y kids can.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:52 AM
horizontal rule
38

s/b "but I can't make myself"


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:52 AM
horizontal rule
39

the kids today have so many new skills I'll never have


Posted by: nosflow | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:53 AM
horizontal rule
40

Hey, you know who they should get to promise money for this project only to have said contributor renege? New Jersey!


Posted by: Stanley | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 10:57 AM
horizontal rule
41

Maybe they could raise funds for this by eliminating various minor websites registered to the Department of the Interior.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:09 AM
horizontal rule
42

In other peeing-in-water news, my fair city is dumping 7.8 million gallons of drinking water because some asshole pissed in the reservoir.


Posted by: Jesus McQueen | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:37 AM
horizontal rule
43

The residents of your fair city are fearful twits.


Posted by: nosflow | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:41 AM
horizontal rule
44

Some are fearful twits; others are obsessed with purity.


Posted by: Jesus McQueen | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:44 AM
horizontal rule
45

Maybe they could use the water for the garden.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:44 AM
horizontal rule
46

Does Oregon have a garden?


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:48 AM
horizontal rule
47

Does Oregon have a garden?

I understand they grow a lot of the weed.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:50 AM
horizontal rule
48

I used to encourage people to urinate around my garden when we had a problem with critters. Worked like a charm, plus people really got into it if you gave them a couple of beers first.


Posted by: Stanley | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 11:58 AM
horizontal rule
49

I've done my part over the years to help keep critters out of public swimming pools.


Posted by: M/tch M/lls | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 1:07 PM
horizontal rule
50

By killing them first? Oops, M/tch, not Moby.


Posted by: JP Stormcrow | Link to this comment | 06-16-11 1:10 PM
horizontal rule