8 years later, Athens Olympic venues in decay

There's still one group that loves the training pool for athletes at the former Olympic village in Athens' northern fringe.

Frogs.

They appear to delight in sitting on debris that floats on the half-filled pool's murky waters.

The athletes village itself has fared somewhat better, turned into housing for workers.

Eight years after the 2004 Athens Games, many of the Olympic venues Greece built at great expense remain abandoned or rarely used. They are the focus of great public anger as the country struggles through a fifth year of recession and nearly three years of a debt crisis that has seen a surge in poverty and unemployment.

At the southern Athens venue for softball ? a sport unknown in Greece and already out of the Summer Olympics ? the occasional weed is all that remains on the dried-out field.

With no shortage of real beaches in Greece, the purpose-built beach volleyball stadium has seen minimal use in the past eight years, mostly just concerts.

Other Athens venues have fared better. The badminton hall has been converted into a popular theater venue, the former international Olympic broadcast center is a shopping mall and what was the main press center now houses ministry offices.

The old baseball venue has been used for the past two years by a fourth-division local soccer club ? although some of the stands could do with a lick of paint.

The hockey venue hosted the Special Olympics last year, but material used in that event still lies abandoned around the rim.

The taekwondo and handball arena is occasionally used for non-sports events.

The main Athens Olympics complex is now mostly open to the public and its sporting venues are used by local teams or to host national championships.

Greek politicians, meanwhile, are still struggling to deal with those years of excess spending, and many economists still question the country's future in the 17-nation common euro currency.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/8-years-later-athens-olympic-venues-decay-195607369--oly.html

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Make The Most Out Of Your Dwelling With These Home - Arty Apt

Begin your home improvement projects in the kitchen, where owners can see up to a 500% return on their investment. To give the room a fresh, clean look, paint the cabinets white and replace the hardware. Also focus on the counters; stay away from tile and purchase granite or imitation stone.

If you are working with materials that make a lot of dust, wear the proper protection to ensure this material does not wind up in your lungs. The fine dust from cutting drywall or tile can be dangerous if inhaled. Also, the fumes from many materials are toxic, so protect your lungs.

Building a swing set can be a great home improvement project that will provide one?s kids with entertainment. It can also be a bonding experience if one chooses to build it with their children so they can watch it take shape before they get to play on it and enjoy it that much more.

You should do a simple internet search if you are looking for general contractors in your area. Many contractors are now posting ads online to help boost their business. You can find a contractor that fits your needs and even reads reviews from their previous clients. This is a quick and easy way to find a contractor to do your home improvement job.

If you?re looking to add variety to your rooms with paint you can do it very quickly and cost effectively. Paint one wall a different striking color in your room that doesn?t match the other wall colors. This will create a new focal point in your room and make your space feel like it just had a real update.

Once you?ve checked the flapper valve, if the toilet is still running, check the chain. If the length of the chain linking the arm lever to the flapper valve is too short, water will keep running from the tank, as there would be no seal. To remedy this, simply remove the old chain and attach a longer one from a hardware store.

Windows and doors make a perfect home improvement project. You can add an indoor window box or change out your old patio doors for French doors. It is often possible to find good deals on these types of materials at the home improvement store. You won?t have to spend a lot of money to make a dramatic change.

Clean out your home every few months by taking a look around and collecting items that you no longer need. It is a great feeling to update your home decor as well as giving unwanted items to charity. Take those things you no longer need and donate them to a local charity or orphanage. This will de- clutter your home and give you space for new items.

For a professional finish when painting furniture or other items, consider using spray paint instead of painting with a brush. You can better control the application of the paint, and when the furniture dries, it will not have any brush marks. Modern spray paint comes in a huge range of finishing textures and colors, so you can find paint to complete almost any project.

Consult a professional for larger jobs. Even if you think you know what you are doing, you can benefit from a professional?s experience in the field. A professional has done the job more often than you have and can help you find supplies, get the job done quicker and troubleshoot any problems.

To create a built-in display case for your favorite china, glassware, or decorative touches, consider removing one or more cabinet doors from your kitchen cabinetry, or replace a few solid cupboard doors with glass doors. The inside of the cabinet can be painted, and you can easily add accent lighting to make the area a key focal area.

This article was written with the hopes of providing homeowners the information to help them realize that they can start the home improvement projects that they are considering. Hopefully you have found the information that you need to get going on that project that you have been considering for some time.

Perry Cardine is known as a scholar concerning reverse osmosis water filtration

Source: http://artyapt.com/blog/make-the-most-out-of-your-dwelling-with-these-home-improvement-ideas/

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Jobs report has something for Obama and Romney

With higher-than-expected job creation in July, President Obama avoided a major blow in Friday?s unemployment report. But the rise in the jobless rate to 8.3 percent, up from 8.2 percent, mitigated the positive news ? and handed campaign fodder to Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

Voters focus on the unemployment rate more than any other economic indicator, and the slight uptick feeds the narrative that the tepid economic recovery is losing altitude ? a drag on Mr. Obama?s reelection prospects three months before Election Day.

Polls show the public still assigns much of the blame for the nation?s economic woes to former President George W. Bush, who left office in January 2009 amid an economic crisis. But with each passing month, Obama owns the economy, and he could pay the price for that in November. No president has been reelected with unemployment over 7.4 percent since the Great Depression.

IN PICTURES: On the campaign trail with President Barack Obama

?The job creation number is a little positive news that President Obama can maybe boast about,? says Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University in New Jersey. ?But when the unemployment rate goes up, that?s the headline.?

Even with unemployment at or above 8 percent for 42 consecutive months, Obama has held onto a slight advantage against Mr. Romney. The Real Clear Politics average of major polls show Obama leading by 2.7 percent points nationally and ahead by a higher margin in key swing states.

The Department of Labor?s employment report for July showed overall growth of 163,000 jobs in the nonfarm private-sector. Analysts had predicted growth of fewer than 100,000 jobs.

?That keeps the president in the ballgame? for reelection, says Dante Scala, a political scientist at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. ?If the jobs numbers had come in below 100,000, I think voters ? who are already in a bad mood ? would have fairly quickly thrown in the towel on the president.?

Both Obama and Romney addressed the employment report Friday. In remarks aimed at pressuring Congress to extend tax cuts for the middle class, the president touted the job-creation number.

?We've now created 4.5 million new jobs over the last 29 months and 1.1 million new jobs so far this year,? Obama said. ?Those are our neighbors and family members finding work and the security that comes with work. But let's acknowledge, we've still got too many folks out there who are looking for work.?

Mr. Romney called the rise in unemployment a blow to the middle class, and touted a five-point plan he released Thursday that he says will help the middle class.

The jobs report is ?another hammer blow to the struggling middle-class families of America because the president has not had policies that put American families back to work,? Romney said at an event in North Las Vegas. ?I do. I'll put them in place and get America working again.?

Romney promised to create 12 million new jobs in his first term. His plan aims to make the nation energy independent, improve schools, increase trade, help small businesses through lower taxes and regulation, and address the federal budget deficit.

The Obama campaign says the Romney plan cuts taxes for the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.

Romney advisers say that as voters get to know the former Massachusetts governor better, their comfort level with him will grow. Voters will start paying closer attention to the race with the conventions in late August and early September, then the debates in October.

Analysts expect the race to remain tight all the way to the end, barring some major unforeseen event.

?We?re in a gray zone, where the election could be decided on the margin,? says Mr. Scala. ?It could come down to who has the better campaign.?

IN PICTURES: On the campaign trail with Mitt Romney

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jobs-report-something-both-obama-romney-182053423.html

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What Angelo Dundee Could Have Told Mitt Romney and Harry Reid (Atlantic Politics Channel)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/238782125?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Perfectly Clear for Android: Instant Edits to Your Smartphone Snaps [App Of The Day]

Smartphone cameras have gotten so good that many people are ditching their point-and-shoots. Because of that, you can share your shots instantly, and if they're not to your liking you can make them even better right on your device with Perfectly Clear for Android More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/cdfryx-p8Os/perfectly-clear-for-android-instant-edits-to-your-smartphone-snaps

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Maximize Your Probable Using These Self Improvement Tips!

Self improvement is around learning what you are about and adding the genuine you in control of your daily life. Choice yourself arrives first. If you are using the subsequent assistance to better yourself, then all of your daily life can get better as well.

Acquiring and keeping wholesome is probably the most significant elements of self improvement. Including usually eating healthy food products and on a regular basis doing exercises which means that your mind and body work properly. When you set your wellbeing the main thing on your main concerns, you may sense and look far better, capitalizing on your frame of mind.

Organization is crucial when you anticipate to keep track of your improvement. Split your entire targets into tiny parts, and you will have an easier time accomplishing these modest tasks quickly. It is possible to monitor your improvement via an everyday manager, or commit an entire diary especially in your self improvement desired goals.

Eliminate all needless sources of tension in your life. When some thing happens try not to go overboard as well as over-respond. Focus on keeping in mind that at times, stuff just go incorrect regardless how nicely you intend. You need to put your give attention to eliminating these hurdles, instead of being disappointed or quitting.

To produce being a people, you should know what your desires and targets are. Using a long term program offers you one thing to get results for and offers that means and path to your existence.

Learn to look after other individuals for any change in your own individual expansion. Being aware of what it indicates to look after and aid other folks, by making the sacrifices inside of yourself, can greatly benefit your internal personality. Having the capacity to sacrifice for others and being able to get achievement, can help you develop into a far more nicely-rounded individual.

Control is essential inside your personal development. When thinking of control, consider it in terms of your amount of influence on the globe around you. Examine the events in your own life linked to control. Have certain people and events created a lot more considerable impacts on your daily life? What alterations have happened because of these occasions? Exactly what is your greatest feature which enables that you simply crew gamer? Contemplating deeply about these complaints will bring knowledge of the quantity of your control and crew member expertise.

Don?t be a shopaholic like those individuals on Hoarders. If you discover oneself purchasing out from practice, take up a hobby to change some time put in purchasing. You can reduce tension, lessen unpaid bills and appreciate your time and efforts a lot more.

After reading these pointers, you should know how you can reach your very own growth goals. Seek out prospects in your life that offer you the chance to additional your personal improvement.

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Supermarket giant Tesco clinches Japan exit deal

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