Free Republic

After years of claiming to be an excellent swimmer and stories of swimming at his house on Lake Winnipesaukee, a stunning new photo, sent anonymously to FreeRepublic, clearly indicates that this is yet another lie from the Romney machine! Photo: ROMNEY CAN'T SWIM!!!

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2006 – This July, two military men plan to become the 16th and 17th Americans to swim the Strait of Gibraltar, raising funds in the process for troops disabled in recent action overseas. David Broyles and Rush Vann of Austin, Texas, expect to swim the 12.5 miles of Mediterranean waters from the southern coast of Spain to Morocco to help draw public support for America's wounded heroes, according to a press release. "As a pararescueman in Iraq, my job was to save lives," Broyles said in an open letter. "I'm no longer in Iraq and I'm no...

On a recent Friday morning, a line of bathing-suit clad students stood beside a campus swimming pool, waiting to jump in. They had come to persuade the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill they were worthy of a college degree — which they were not, in UNC's eyes, until they could swim 50 yards and tread water for five minutes.For many, it was an annoying inconvenience, for others a moment of pride in conquering their fear of water. But the scene also was a small slice of collegiate history. This was the last swim test day at one of...

Tuna's 25,000-mile swim down marine highway By Roger Highfield, Science Editor (Filed: 15/12/2005) The epic voyage of Terry the bluefin tuna - the equivalent to circumnavigating the Earth - has been witnessed by scientists using electronic tags to track fish. A few months ago a great white shark named Nicole completed the first known ocean crossing by a lone shark over a distance of more than 12,500 miles from South Africa to Australia and back in nine months, the fastest known return journey. Now another epic migration, this time of a 200lb bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) nicknamed Terry, has been...

IT'S A GUY THING: "Do you have five minutes?" the Santa Clara Aquamaids coach asked Kenyon Smith. "No," the 15-year-old kidded. He wanted to be with his teammates. Only when ordered to talk to a reporter did the 5-foot-3 kid stop his race to warmups. He knew what the questions would be. As the only male competitor at the national championship, he's heard them before. He's also heard the teasing. People tell him synchronized swimming is just for girls, and because he competes with girls, he's not a strong athlete. "I tell them all to try it, then they stop...

ohn S. von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera Software is putting his money were his mouth is. Today Opera announced that 1 million copies of Opera 8 have been downloaded in the first four days. Von Tetzchner is in the water and beginning his long trans-atlantic swim. "I will swim from Norway to the USA if download numbers of Opera 8 reach 1 million in four days."- Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. In a press release, Opera PR stated that the CEO "spent a good half hour submerged in the bathtub at home in relatively cool temperatures to reduce...

Pols swim against tide of DNC `overkill' By Dave Wedge Saturday, July 17, 2004 While angry parents fumed over the shutdown of some public pools during the Democratic National Convention, U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano blasted the state agency in charge, calling the decision ``overkill.'' ``To close down a pool on what is on average the hottest week of the year is nuts,'' Capuano said. ``These kids have no other place to go. It's unnecessary.'' The Department of Conservation and Recreation - the agency formerly known as the oft-criticized Metropolitan District Commission - decided to close pools in Somerville and Cambridge...

CHICAGO RIDGE, Ill. -- Six-year-old Donnie Hauser-Richerme knew he couldn't swim, but he also knew the little girl in the murky, debris-filled swimming pool was in trouble. Donnie jumped in and helped save 5-year-old Karah Moran's life before becoming stuck in five feet of blackened rain water and muck at the bottom of the deep end. Paramedics eventually rescued him, but he was in critical condition and on life support Thursday. Karah called Donnie "my hero." "I can't say enough about this little guy," said Chicago Ridge Police Chief Tim Baldermann. "It's amazing that this little kid, old enough to...

Further to the FReepmail that went out last week announcing this, all FReepers and lurkers in good standing, and authorized guests, spouses, significant others, and their children are invited to beat the dog days of summer by coming to BillF's backyard (aka "The Hidden Pond", see photo to right) this Saturday, July 19 for a DC Chapter meeting/pool party.RSVP PER BELOW WITH NUMBER ATTENDING ASAP AND BY JULY 16 IF POSSIBLE AND AT LEAST BY NOON ON JULY 18 WHEN: Saturday, July 19 at 1 PM 'til ? (those going to Orioles game should probably leave by 5 PM)...

Dad, Child Survive Boat Wreck, Swim 5 Hours To Shore POSTED: 10:58 a.m. EDT June 24, 2003 MELBOURNE, Fla. -- A 42-year-old man and his 11-year-old daughter are recovering -- after swimming for five hours in order to survive a boat wreck. Florida authorities say Benjamin Dilalla and his daughter Celeste were found last night lying on a beach. Both were suffering from hypothermia. The dad wasn't in any shape to talk to police last night. The pair reportedly sailed into the Atlantic late Sunday, but sometime overnight their eight-foot boat capsized. The young girl says they clung to the...

KEY LARGO -- Three Cubans reached land in Key Largo today after jumping off their small wooden boat and swimming for more than three hours while Coast Guard boats stayed close by. Coast Guardsmen tossed the Cubans life vests, which were initially thrown back, but which were eventually accepted. A fourth Cuban gave up and was pulled from the water. Reaching shore was important, because U-S policy is that Cubans who reach shore can be allowed to stay. Those intercepted at sea are usually returned to Cuba. The three who made it tread water most of the time, but ended...

Baghdad - President Saddam Hussein has ordered Iraqi troops to go swimming as they wait for the long-threatened US attack, Iraqi newspapers said on Thursday. Regular swimming would improve their physical condition ready for the fight ahead, said Saddam, who is noted as a keen amateur swimmer himself. "Don't forget swimming," the president told a meeting of army officers and lower ranks, according to the reports. "When we were like you, we did not limit our time swimming to one, two or three hours, but we swam as often as we could," he added. Saddam said that the soldiers "should...

IT'S almost unheard of at the Jersey Shore: a beach with free parking and no beach tags. But now, thanks to a decision by state officials, this summer's visitors to Cape May Point State Park will find those perks come with a major catch - no swimming. The ban was already being flouted this week by swimmers who promised that, like the early heat wave, their defiance was just a preview of things to come. "It's unfair," said a disgusted Joanie Kane of Lower Township, Cape May County, as she headed for the surf to keep an eye on her...

Wanted: madmen to swim the Zambezi Once described as a "brave madman", an adventurer is looking for six "mentally deranged" fellow South Africans to follow him down 3 000km of churning Zambezi river water, dodging sharks, hippos and snapping crocodiles. Louie Greeff, 50, of Johannesburg, attracted international media attention last year when he paddled the mighty Zambezi from its source in Zambia to the ocean on the Mozambican coast. Now Greeff wants to introduce the challenge to six willing South Africans and a six-member British team - an ambitious project he hopes to sell to television stations. 'Preferably insane' "I'd...