Convention host cities gear up for traffic

(AP) ? During this summer's national political conventions, workers in downtown Tampa and Charlotte will face throngs of pedestrians snaking through intersections, evening commutes snarled by street closures and the threat of unruly protesters.

For waiters who expect big tips from delegates, the transportation headaches should be worth it. Some accountants and bankers, though, are more likely to fire up their laptops and work from home. But the biggest problem for locals as they plan their workday routines is uncertainty, since neither city has hosted an event this big.

"Honestly, I don't know what to expect," shrugged Rosalie Arnone. She works at the Old Tampa Book Company, which is about a mile from the Tampa Bay Times Forum where the convention will be held. "We plan on being open, but if anything gets out of control, we're going to close up."

Sure, the Super Bowl has come to Tampa four times, and Charlotte has hosted an NCAA Final Four and a National Rifle Association annual meeting. But the cities have never accommodated such large numbers of people, combined with heavy security and the threat of protests.

So when residents of both areas talk about how they will handle the traffic, the demonstrations and the potential disruption in daily routines, many express ambivalence, hope or even confusion.

Betty Ryan, a 36-year-old Charlotte attorney, says some of her friends who work downtown are taking the week off.

"We're glad the Democrats are coming here. It's a good thing for Charlotte. We'll be in the national spotlight. But if you work here, good luck. It's going to be very difficult getting around. That's why so many people will be staying home that week."

The Republican National Convention will be held Aug. 27-30, while the Democratic National Convention will be held Sept. 4-6. Officials in both cities say stores, restaurants and bars will be open, but acknowledge that many office workers could decide to telecommute and some businesses may opt to shut down for a few days.

In Tampa, for example, 108 of 130 retail merchants in the city's downtown area plan to stay open, according to an informal survey by The Tampa Downtown Partnership. Many are hoping for an increase in business in late August, a time when it's typically slow.

"Will there be challenges? Sure," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. "We're going to manage the routes and protect the routes and get through it."

Similarly, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx acknowledges it will be harder for people who work downtown to get around, but he promised the city will be open for business. City officials say, for example, that it should be easy for trucks to make deliveries to the restaurants that will mostly be catering to convention-goers.

"Folks that want to stay open will be able to stay open," Foxx said.

Tampa is home to about 350,000 people, although most don't live in the urban core. The few who do are either trying to rent out their condos or just leave town.

The city's downtown is only about 571 acres and is bordered by interstates and rivers, and punctuated with restaurants, cafes and offices; the city normally buzzes during the workday but becomes quiet by evening. The convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, about eight blocks south of the heart of downtown.

In Charlotte, a city of 760,000, the convention is being held in the central business district known as Uptown. The bustling two-mile stretch that cuts through the heart of this central district is filled with restaurants, hotels and high-rise condominiums. Ringed by expressways, it's used to handling crowds of NBA and NFL fans that spill into the streets before and after games.

During the convention, Charlotte is planning to close portions of 29 streets to traffic for security. The city will post signs and use "physical barriers" and uniformed law enforcement officers to enforce security.

In Tampa, more than two dozen roads and streets, including a main expressway, will be closed to traffic. Others will temporarily be one-way lanes. Taxi drop-offs, roads leading to one of the city's main hospitals, public buses ? all will be rerouted. Tampa General Hospital, the city's largest trauma center, is telling patients that driving to the facility could take 30-45 minutes longer than usual because of periodic road closures.

Commuters in both cities are already grumbling.

"It's going to be a zoo," said Bob Daniels, 45, an accountant who works in downtown Charlotte. "The last thing I want to do is have to go through checkpoints, and roadblocks. It's too much of a hassle. Too much stress. I don't want to be around it."

Instead, Daniels said he will work from his home in Rock Hill, S.C., about 20 miles away. His accounting company will be open, but most employees will telecommute.

"It's no big deal. A lot of people work from home. All you need is your laptop. I do it all the time," Daniels said.

Bank of America, which employs about 15,000 people at its headquarters in Charlotte, is encouraging employees to work from a mix of downtown offices, alternative bank facilities and their homes, BofA spokesman Scott Silvestri said.

Wells Fargo, which employs about 20,000 people in the Charlotte area, is also considering letting people work from home and other alternatives.

In Tampa, city and county office buildings will be closed and employees will work remotely or in other locations. Some companies located in Tampa's skyscrapers are allowing people to work from home.

Convention activities generally begin around 4 p.m. each day, so afternoon rush hour is bound to be challenging.

In Tampa, Humana health insurance, the city of Tampa and RNC officials decided to provide 20 pedal-buses ? they look like pedal driven, canopied golf carts on steroids ? to help conventioneers get around the city to visit restaurants and stores. Each pedal bus can accommodate eight riders plus one "driver" that steers the rig.

Despite all the predictions of gridlock, Tampa's downtown merchants are still hoping to have some semblance of a normal work week. Ed Arias, the owners of Reina Shoe Repair in downtown Tampa, said he's received scant information from the city on what to expect. He expects to come to work as usual on the first day of the convention and hope for the best, adding that most of his regular customers will likely be out of town.

"But if it's too crazy, too risky, I'll shut the doors."

___

Mitch Weiss reported from Charlotte, N.C.

Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-08-18-Conventions-Transportation%20Challenges/id-2a2842ee294143c9812ca501b36a0189

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Rift In Deep Red Idaho Reveals Dueling Factions In GOP

Support KUOW The Coeur d'Alene Fourth of July parade featured the main Kootenai County Republican Party float, followed at a distance by other factions of the party. (Photo: Duane Rasmussen)

The Coeur d'Alene Fourth of July parade featured the main Kootenai County Republican Party float, followed at a distance by other factions of the party. (Photo: Duane Rasmussen)

Jessica Robinson
08/17/2012

Republicans meet later this month in Tampa, Florida, to officially nominate Mitt Romney as the party's 2012 presidential candidate. But in one of the reddest counties in the Northwest, a public rift is pulling apart the GOP, exposing factions Republicans are struggling to unite across the nation.

Read the full transcript ?

? Copyright 2012, Northwest News Network

KUOW does not endorse or control the content viewed on these links as they appear now or in the future.

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The Significance of Fast Treatment for Bulimia ? Articles. All day ...

Bulimia is a debilitating and often dangerous eating disorder that occurs about 90% of the time in women of all ages. Bulimia is well known, and it is characterized by over eating binges and inflicting oneself to purge. Many bulimics will get rid of what they?ve eaten by using laxatives. Many bulimics have basically normal weight profiles at the beginning, yet they still think of themselves as obese. There are extraordinarily distorted ideas relating to food and being overweight. What is normally seen is around two years after puberty occurs, then bulimia can happen. You?ll find other issues related and possibly contributing to this condition for instance pressures, depression, low self esteem plus others.

The primary dangers related to bulimia include extreme dehydration plus malnourishment. There happen to be several high profile deaths due to the consequences of bulimia. For instance, the highly successful singer from the 70s, Karen Carpenter, battled bulimia for a long time. Then she lost her fight and succumbed to it for causes related to heart damage from bulimia. What is of primary concern is to do something about this right away because it is possible to successfully treat it and overcome it.

If this dysfunction is left to go on, then that could produce serious insufficiencies of many critical minerals and other biochemical substances. Also, significant constipation can be a consequence of excessive use of laxatives. If there?s heavy and continuous vomiting, then too much contact with stomach acid can cause difficulties in the throat and mouth areas. In addition, that acid causes rapid tooth decay as well as serious problems involving the gums. Subsequently, there are quite possibly fatal damage to the kidneys and heart capabilities. The issues associated with chronic and severe dehydration are a dangerous decrease in healthy levels of electrolytes. When that develops, then that is the time period when the heart can fail and lead to fatality. The rough fatality rate due to bulimia is normally ten percent.

Successful treatment methods of this disorder consists of the patient and relatives, family doctors, and professional psychiatric or psychological therapies and treatment. Medical doctors may even enlist the assistance of a professional dietician to design an unique diet to deal with critical loss of nutrients. The issues involving food are especially addressed with proper psychological assistance. Also, the patient will purposely be made aware of the potential risks to life and health. Possibly all patients possess their own personal problems that have contributed, and medical professionals will seek to help them deal with or handle those problems. Understanding how to successfully talk about thoughts are amid the points given in this treatment.

One of the secrets to beating bulimia is taking action on it as soon as practical. The patient will gain a lot if the parents and siblings are there to offer supporting assistance in whatever fashion is necessary. It may be helpful to take part in group therapy as a different form of social plus personal support. Even so, the critical first step is for the bulimic person to admit to the situation. The realization must exist that one?s outlook and view about eating is distorted and causing this problem.

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Source: http://www.twenty4seven365.com/2012/08/17/the-significance-of-fast-treatment-for-bulimia/

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Saturday Personal Finance GIFs | Money After Graduation

August 18, 2012 ? Laugh ?

Saturday Personal Finance GIFs is a regular weekly feature on Money After Graduation ? to see more,?click here! If you would like to submit a GIF with a caption, please email bridget @ moneyaftergraduation.com!

When someone uses my Orange Key to open an account with ING:

When I make a budget I don?t stick to:

Holding onto my stocks even though the market is falling:

When I find a blogger stealing someone else?s content:

When I paid $1,100 towards my student loans in one month by accident:

Enjoy your weekend!

?

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Source: http://www.moneyaftergraduation.com/2012/08/18/saturday-personal-finance-gifs-12/

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National Sports Club Redevelopment ? Concept Masterplan ? News ...

19 hours ago | Kelly Smith

Please click here to view the Concept Site Masterplan

The National Sports Club at Southwell Park was officially opened on September 12, 1970 by Sir John Overall.

The $200,000 National Tennis and Squash Centre, the current headquarters of Tennis ACT (TACT), was a joint project between the tennis and squash associations, originally boasting 12 granite tennis courts, six grass courts, six squash courts, a licensed bar, change rooms and administration offices.

The club has a rich history; playing host to squash legend Heather McKay, and tennis greats such as Roy Emerson, Neale Fraser, Adrian Quist, John Newcombe, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl. More recently, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic and Mary Pierce have competed at the venue.

Over the years the club has expanded to meet the needs of the enthusiastic tennis-playing community. It currently has 25 tennis courts, eight squash courts, three indoor cricket courts and a licensed clubhouse with 18 poker machines.

The local tennis programs delivered from the facility have also produced players who have gone on to international success, including Wally Masur and Alun Jones.

The National Sports Club, through tennis, has been providing many benefits to the local community and economy over the past 40 years, these have included:

??Active recreation and unstructured play ? public access casual hire
??Grassroots community based participation programs ? Tennis in Schools and MLC Tennis Hot??? Shots
??Club competitions ? social tennis, club championships, etc.
??Domestic competitions ? pennant and Turbo Tennis finals
??Domestic tournaments ? Junior Development Series and Resident Championships
??Interstate tournaments ? AMT, OJT and Tennis NSW Junior Development Series
??Tennis Seniors events and competitions
??International tournaments ? Pro Tour, ITF Junior and Senior events
??Athlete development ? ACT National Academy, Tennis NSW South Eastern Regional Academy? and TACT Talent

Development programs
??Inclusion programs for the indigenous and disabled
Currently, TACT has players and coaches from the surrounding region participating or coaching at the centre and it will continue to provide an important development pathway for community programs, athlete development and coaching for the surrounding region.

These regional and national programs will have the capacity to further expand with the proposed new infrastructure.

While TACT continues to offer such programs, its facilities are in a state of disrepair. The centre?s poor state played a part in the centre losing the right to host the Canberra Women?s Classic, an international tennis tournament in January, and is hampering efforts to offer world-class practice facilities for the whole community.

The facilities are in such a state of disrepair that the building will soon be unsafe. The major issues include:
??Multiple roof leaks
??Rotting floor boards and ceiling panels
??Structural integrity of the indoor cricket viewing mezzanine and first floors
??Ongoing plumbing and electrical faults ? constant power outages due to circuit overloads
??Inadequate heating and cooling ? Boiler can no longer be serviced
??Ongoing challenges in keeping the fire and safety equipment in compliance
??Squash courts leak through the vandalised exhaust fans

The $20 million redevelopment, a joint project by Tennis ACT, Tennis Australia, Next Generation Clubs of Australia and the ACT Government, will build a high quality modern leisure facility to benefit the whole community.

The facilities are proposed to include:
??12 hard court tennis courts (8 outdoor, 4 indoor)
??8 sand-filled artificial grass tennis courts
??12 clay tennis courts
??Tennis amenities, including:
??????? ? Clubroom
??????? ? Change rooms
??????? ? Coach offices
??????? ? Tournament office
??Outdoor pool and garden/barbecue area
??Modern gymnasium
??25m indoor pool and children?s pool
??Spa, steam rooms and sauna
??6 squash courts
??Licensed bar and cafe/restaurant and ancillary lounge areas
??Children?s games area and soft play area
??Cr?che
??Premium members wet area
??Small meeting room
??High quality change rooms
??Specialty ancillary retail goods and services
??General administration offices, storeroom and circulation space, including office space for TACT

The redevelopment will also facilitate a change in business model, which will remove TACT?s reliance on a licensed club to remain sustainable. The model would also remove poker machines from the facility, helping to alleviate problem gambling issues in the local community.

The proposed new centre will remain within the Lyneham Sports Precinct, and thus complements the ACT Government?s vision for the delivery of sports facilities in the Territory.

While there are two distinct aspects to the development, the tennis facilities (Block 12) and the leisure centre (Block 10), a holistic approach will be taken to the project to create economies wherever possible.

This course will see a coordinated development application for deconcessionalisation of Block 10 and 12, with two additional development applications for lease variations and construction on both blocks. The required lease variation on Block 10 is an estimated 10 per cent increase in the allowed gross floor area to accommodate the squash courts and

TACT administration offices.
Block 12 requires a number of variations: an adjustment to the maximum number of courts permitted, that parking will be serviced by Block 10 and the surrounding common parking provided by the Lyneham infrastructure project and deconcessionalisation to allow security over access rights for NGCA.

TACT, Tennis Australia and NGCA will form the lead for the project through a Project Control Group. TACT will appoint a project manager to consult with specialist architects in the design and construction of the tennis facilities. NGCA will appoint a project manager to coordinate a team of architects and builders for the design and construction of the leisure facility. Both project managers will consult on the interaction between the facilities and coordinate their design teams to ensure cohesive and effective design. Preliminary work has been undertaken on a master plan to ensure this approach is coordinated and as effective as possible.

Competitive construction tendering will be undertaken, again exploring economies through consolidation of the capital works program. The potential redevelopment of the AIS tennis facilities will also be a key consideration as it also presents an opportunity for economies of scale.

Construction is likely to be advanced on the tennis facilities as tennis courts are in high demand and these facilities will be able to function independently for a short time.

The construction and operating costs of the leisure facility will be NGCA?s responsibility and TACT will be accountable for the construction and operating costs of the tennis facility. The leisure facility will provide the necessary infrastructure to support the hosting of major tennis events, while the commercial arrangement for the sublease will ensure TACT and the community tennis facilities are sustainable in the long term.

The sublease arrangements with NGCA will require the deconcessionalisation of Block 10 and 12. It is hoped that the community will recognise the benefits of this deconcessionalisation in what Tennis ACT hope will be a relatively uncomplicated process given that there is no change of use, no modifications to the Territory Plan or any inconsistencies with the originally intended use of the concessional leases.

Sport is an essential part of the social fabric of local communities. Recent studies have shown that the social interaction provided by structured and unstructured community-based sport has a positive impact on social cohesion and mental wellbeing. Providing multi-sport opportunities at community venues also increases job creation and job pathways.

Tennis is a sport for life, with participants ranging in age from three to 93 years old. It has gender equity, as it is played equally by men and women and it provides many health benefits, including improving cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.

Tennis is also a key economic driver in the community with the estimated economic benefit from events delivered through the redeveloped facility valued at a minimum of $2.3 million annually.

The significant capital works program will provide an estimated $20 million injection into the local building industry and create the equivalent of 100 full-time jobs ? at a time when the industry is slowing down.

The new business model will create an additional 60 FTE jobs at the centre, as the expanded operations will require an increase in local staffing.

It will also be an economic driver for the region, unrivalled, as the quality of the venue will surpass anything in the area. It will also be utilised as a training and competition venue for the NSW South Eastern region, as well as complimenting the facilities at the AIS to service national elite athlete programs.

The redevelopment has been aligned to the specifications recommended in the ?Tennis 2020, facility development and management framework for Australian tennis? and is part of Tennis Australia?s Regional Tennis Centre program.

Improvements to the infrastructure will allow for these services to expand beyond the region and there will be a focus on establishing international training camps to service Asia.

This international expansion will foster greater athlete development through foreign competition, while also providing a greater economic benefit to the region. The high-quality facilities and services provided by the NGCA leisure facility will complement this approach and provide for complete athlete development services. These packaged services will also be promoted to recreational players, expanding the market for these types of programs.

The NGCA facilities will provide a significant upgrade of the leisure facilities currently offered and provide for a more family friendly environment. The family oriented club will offer unrivalled facilities and services in the region, and will promote healthy leisure activities for the entire family. This high quality service business model will also attract additional economic benefit through the creation of additional jobs and attract interstate and international visitor spend.

The facility has significant community support for its redevelopment and over the past 12 years has had various proposals for its development, all of which have received strong community support. There is an increased focus on the delivery of community tennis services and programs with the redeveloped facility and it is expected that this approach will strengthen the existing community support.

The ACT Government announced significant funding towards the redevelopment of the facility in 2008, highlighting the need for the facility to be upgraded to a more modern standard and the Tennis ACT business model to be strengthened through such a redevelopment. As conceptual planning and business modelling has progressed, the ACT Government has supported TACT?s partnership with NGCA and has targeted funds towards the tennis-focused redevelopment of Block 12.

All major stakeholders have been consulted and have confirmed their support. These include: ACT Government, Sport and Recreation Services, Squash ACT, Tennis Australia, Tennis ACT and all of its affiliates, including community tennis clubs. Support has also been received from neighbouring businesses and residents, including Hockey ACT, residents of the neighbouring Sanctuary residential development, Yowani Golf Course and the ACT Netball Centre.

Broader public consultation will begin shortly as part of the established lease variation and development application process.

Source: http://www.tennis.com.au/act/news/2012/08/17/national-sports-club-redevelopment-concept-masterplan

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Steve Jobs' stolen iPad unwittingly used by local clown after burglary

What would you do if you had Steve Jobs' iPad? Kenny the Clown, who had the late Apple (AAPL) co-founder's tablet all to himself for a few days this month, didn't play any games, surf the net or check for any top-secret corporate documents.

Instead, he loaded iTunes to play the "Pink Panther" theme song and Michael Jackson, using the magical device to entertain Bay Area kids and tourists during his clown routine.

He had no idea the device came from the fabled Jobs residence until after the friend who gave him the gadget was charged with breaking into the CEO's Palo Alto home. By then, the cops had already shown up at his door and taken it away.

"It would be like getting a football from Joe Montana that was stolen out of his house," said the 47-year-old professional clown, whose real name is Kenneth Kahn. "It's bizarre; it's really bizarre."

Police said Kariem McFarlin, a 35-year-old Alameda resident, gave Kahn a silver 64GB iPad that was stolen out of the Waverley Street home on July 17. McFarlin also allegedly gave another iPad to his daughter, and both devices were returned to the Jobs family after McFarlin was arrested on Aug. 2, police said.

McFarlin is accused of stealing iPods, Macs, Tiffany & Co. Jewelry,

and even Jobs' wallet and driver's license by using a spare key he found on the property to break into the home, which was under construction. The heist has sparked international media attention since being revealed by this newspaper late Monday.

Kahn had played around with plenty of iPads at Apple stores and thought he had just gotten an old device McFarlin wanted to get rid of, assuming his friend had purchased a newer-version iPad.

"I didn't notice anything special or anything like that," said Kahn, adding he had the iPad for three or four days before police asked for it back. "It was silver; it looked normal. I was basically using it like an iPod."

Kahn -- who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of his hometown Alameda in 2006 and 2010 and for San Francisco mayor in 2007 -- met McFarlin when he coached him on the Encinal High School basketball team in Alameda more than 10 years ago, and they remained close.

He said McFarlin is not "any type of menace" and before the story hit the news, his friends figured it was a case of mistaken identity.

"He's a nice guy who made a horrible, horrible decision," Kahn said. "I wish I could ask him: 'What were you thinking?'"

McFarlin is due in court Monday where he will be represented by a recently hired private attorney. The public defender's office, which is still officially representing McFarlin, declined to comment and said McFarlin's new attorney wants to remain anonymous until Monday's hearing.

Court records show McFarlin pleaded guilty in Santa Clara County Superior Court in 1999 to driving without a license, a misdemeanor that netted him fines and a year of probation. The former San Jose State football player was also arrested by Pleasant Hill police last year on suspicion of stealing but prosecutors never filed charges.

"Before the public sees him as this horrible monster, I'd like to hopefully think we can somehow get across that he just made the worst mistake of his life," Kahn said.

McFarlin, who police say confessed to the crime, remained in jail Thursday in lieu of $500,000 bail. Apple and the Jobs family have declined to comment.

"It still hasn't really 100 percent set in for me. It was Steve Jobs' iPad -- literally," Kahn said. "If this thing weren't so tragic, it would be comical."

Contact Mike Rosenberg at 408-920-5705. Follow him at twitter.com/rosenberg17.

Source: http://www.siliconvalley.com/ci_21331943/steve-jobs-stolen-ipad-unwittingly-used-by-local?source=rss_viewed

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