Yet another person has pulled nomination papers to run for Palo Alto City Council, bringing the total to 12 since mid-July.

Wayne Douglass obtained the forms from City Clerk Donna Grider on Tuesday. He endorsed last year's Measure D, which sought public approval for a 60-unit apartment complex for low-income seniors and 12 single-family homes at Maybell and Clemo avenues. It was ultimately defeated by grassroots citizens group that said the project was too dense.

Five of the nine council seats are up for grabs Nov. 4. Incumbents Karen Holman, Greg Scharff and Nancy Shepherd have all pulled papers, but Gail Price has said she is not interested in running again. Larry Klein, meanwhile, is leaving office after serving the maximum number of terms.

Others who have obtained the forms include former Gunn High School teacher John Karl Fredrich, retired Boeing engineer Seelam Reddy, downtown resident Richard Wendorf and panhandler Victor Frost.

Eric Filseth and Tom DuBois, who have aligned themselves with the residentialist movement that seeks to put the brakes on development, have also pulled papers. They are running as a slate with Holman.

Rounding out the group of would-be council members are real estate agent Lydia Kou and concert promoter Mark Weiss. Kou has ties to Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning, which opposed Measure D, and Weiss has been critical of planned community zoning, which allows developers to build bigger projects as long as they provide certain public benefits.

Meanwhile, a potential 13th candidate, Claude Ezran, announced this week that he will not seek office.

"A simple analysis of the new competitive landscape shows that running against three incumbents, with the abundance of campaign volunteers, funding, endorsements and support that incumbency usually provides, and also three candidates, who are running together as a team and have behind them, even before the start of the race, the formidable campaign organization that, against most odds, defeated Measure D, would have been a close to impossible task for an independent candidate like myself," Ezran, the founder of World Music Day, said in an email.

The period to pull papers opened on July 14 and will close on Aug. 8 if all eligible incumbents opt to run again. Otherwise, the deadline to turn in the forms will be extended to Aug. 13 for non-incumbents.

Nomination papers must be signed by 25 registered voters, according to the city's election guide. The cost to file is $25 but the fee is waived if a person collects 100 valid signatures.

Link:
Palo Alto: Pool of council candidates swells to 12

YUKON, Oklahoma -

This time of year begs for us to do more than just wiggle our toes in the water. We are jumping in pools any chance we get with this heat.

So, we went in search, and found some of the best in the state. Here's what we're calling the high-dollar dives of Oklahoma.

There is a little slice of heaven is in Yukon, where a family of six enjoys a backyard built for kings. The waterfall is the first thing to notice with an island right smack in the middle of one luxurious swimming pool.

They wanted this island in the middle of the pool where they could raft race around it. Its 85 feet long by 45 feet wide. So they wouldn't have to re-plaster the pool, they decided it would be a great upgrade to lay glass tile through the entire pool, Kelly Caviness said.

It's a rare choice to glass-tile an entire pool because of the extreme cost of it. The tiling alone was a two-and-a-half month project. But Kelly Caviness makes his clients dream designs come true, although, patience is key.

Most of our clients are like, 'hey, are we ever gonna get this thing finished?' It just takes forever, Caviness said.

Caviness Landscape Design has caught the attention of many TV networks with their extreme backyard pools and their features. This particular spot in Yukon boasts a deluxe outdoor kitchen and breathtaking scenery throughout.

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High-Dollar Dives Of Oklahoma: Yukon Luxurious Swimming Pool

Editors note:This is the eighthpost in aseriesby students at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. Each piece features an idea for an architectural intervention that wouldto better connect Torontonians with their ravine system. Thedesigns in this series were created as part of Professor Brigitte Shims Thesis Research Option Studio or final Thesis Studio. The work and text in this post is byJessica Ingwersenwhose bio you can find below.

Initial research for this project investigated the interface, the ambiguous line, that exists between Torontoand its ravines. After observing the citys ravinesfrom the outside in,it was clear that they aremainly hidden from view. This has caused them to be underutilized by those not directly inhabiting their borders.

The development of Toronto over the past century has lead to private ownership of parcels of land directly adjacent to the Don Valley Ravine. Landownership is predominantly residential, forming a barrier to the public wilderness below.

There is a disconnect between what the public isable to see and what it is able to access, which influencesour individual perspectives of the ravine. Viewsframed by the built environment present a snip-it of the ravine. Stitched together, these views forma narrative of larger a landscape.

The Site: Riverdale ParkRiverdale Park isan anomaly. A public space at the ravines edge, ithas the potential to better facilitate public access to the ravine floor. It alsoprovides the most spectacular viewof the city skyline. Historically, Riverdale Park used to be a place of gathering for the city. In 1960, the city used the siteas a landfill. Since then, it has beencapped, covered with sod; however this traumatic year drastically altered the citys relationship with thePark.

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Urban Aperture: Public Space

Late yesterday afternoon, Wanaka went from a town without a swimming pool to a town with two swimming pools in prospect.

The existing Wanaka pool closed on Friday after an engineering assessment confirmed the building was a ''very low level'' earthquake risk.

That caused upset among swimmers who flooded the Queenstown Lakes District Council with comments.

Then yesterday at 5.15pm, council general manager operations Ruth Stokes sent an email to media saying the council was ''moving quickly'' to consider all options including the ''extent and cost of remedial strengthening work that would be required to reopen in the short term''.

But she also revived an idea for a new pool in Wanaka's Three Parks subdivision.

That idea was rejected by the council in March in favour of a $2.1 million upgrade and expansion of the existing pool, now closed.

Staff were ''already assessing options for upgrading the pool and adding a learners' pool, before Friday's closure,'' she said.

''Another possibility under consideration is to build a completely new facility at the Three Parks site along with the new Wanaka Sports Facility.

''We are continuing to evaluate the viability of those options,'' Mrs Stokes said.

Her email pipped by just one minute an email from the developers planning the huge Northlake residential development on the outskirts of the town.

Read more here:
Council 'moving quickly' over pool options

A 25m indoor public swimming pool, land allocated for affordable housing, a childcare centre, convenience retail stores and sports facilities will be key features of a new housing development in Wanaka - dependent on Queenstown Lakes District Council approving a plan change later this week.

Hearing Commissioners for Northlake Plan Change 45 have recommended the re-zoning of 219 hectares of land in Wanaka to the north of Aubrey Road and in the vicinity of Outlet Road.

This proposed zoning will enable a range of residential and essential community facilities and the commissioners recommendation will be considered by the QLDC at its full council meeting this Thursday 24 July.

The plan change to re-zone the land from Rural General to a new Northlake Special Zone was prepared by John Edmonds & Associates Ltd, on behalf of three adjoining landowners.

Mr Edmonds said plans for the zone included a new indoor 25m pool to be built, operated and maintained by the developers.

"The new pool building, which will also include a gym, has been designed to fit with the Wanaka landscape, in the classic style of a high country station shearing shed. The pool will be permanently available for public use," he said.

When asked about the recent announcement of closure of the existing Wanaka public swimming pool, Mr Edmonds said the developers will approach the QLDC to discuss options to fast track the new swimming pool in Stage 1 of the Northlake development.

He said this could result in the new swimming pool being available for the public by 2015, and stated that options to be discussed could include changes to the current pool design to address Wanaka community requirements.

An important aspect of Northlake Plan Change 45 is the provision of land for affordable housing. Twenty serviced residential sections will be available to the public to buy at no more than $160,000, subject to an option in favour of the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust so they can be offered to suitably qualified families through the Trust's equity share or other community housing retention method.

In addition the Northlake zone will provide for potentially another 235 medium density housing lots targeted at the affordable end of the market range.

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QLDC to consider plan change to allow development

Less is more has reigned at the beach and the neighborhood pool when it comes to swimwear ever since the popularization of the bikini in the 20th century.

Two-piece bathing suits might dominate the landscape, but style editors and trend forecasters say the one-piece is the fashion-forward choice this season.

Most people are going to be in two-pieces. If you show up in a one-piece its definitely a statement, and its one of the most comfortable statements you could possibly make at the beach, said Connie Wang, style director of lifestyle website Refinery29.

Its a good thing for women that there are so many more options now that fulfill different desires of what you want to achieve at the beach.

Variations on the one-piece and other swimwear trends will be on display at Miami Swim Week, where designers and buyers will gather this weekend for two major industry events: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim and SwimShow.

Surf-inspired looks, such as rash vests and long-sleeved onesies for women, are expected to make strong showings, said Jane Boddy, head of womenswear at trend forecaster WGSN. On the flip side, ultra-feminine styles flaunting details rooted in the world of intimates ruffles, straps and peek-a-boo cutouts are also key and on the cusp of big success, she said.

The one-piece is the perfect canvas for showcasing both styles, whether you prefer ruffles and lace or animal prints.

The one-piece has become popular again because it reflects the best of both worlds. It looks back to the past with a retro slant, while also retaining a fresh, forward-looking style, Boddy said.

The development in cutting-edge design is the driving force behind the one-piece movement, as is the emergence of active sports in the apparel market, Boddy said. Were beginning to see these looks filtering into swim, too, and thats exciting.

While the bikini holds the undisputed title for the sexiest swimsuit option, lets not forget iconic moments for the one-piece such as Farrah Fawcetts ubiquitous red bathing suit poster and Bo Dereks emergence from the ocean in 10. More recently, when Kim Kardashian decided to show off her post-baby body on Instagram, she did it in a one-piece, proving that it is possible to flaunt a great body and get (slightly) more coverage at the same time.

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Fashion Experts: More is More at the Beach

Participating in summer's classic outdoor pastimesfrom tennis to golfis as much a rite of the season as cookouts, fireworks, and sleepaway camp. A portfolio of aerial photographs offers an arresting perspective on our nation's sporting life as it's played out across the landscape.

Manchester, New Hampshire

The fuzzy yellow blur of the ball, the guitar-like chord it makes as it thwacks against the racket, the whirl of slices, serves, and volleysthere are few more exhilarating ways to while away a summer afternoon than on the tennis court. Though its origins as a jeu de paume hark back to the Middle Ages, tennis arrived in America in 1874, springing up on the manicured lawns of the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club. Today there are almost 300,000 courts in the country, and the most famous of them all is at New York Citys Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the worlds top tennis seeds descend every August to spar over sets at the U.S. Open, a 15-day affair that marks the end of summerand, in many years, the birth of a new star.

Chicago

Riding on the rollicking swells of the tide is quite the rush: You hear the luff of the sails, feel the whip of the wind, taste the salty bite of the spray. From San Francisco Bay to the Great Lakes, more than 16 million recreational boats line the docks of our nations harbors and coastal marinas, and no wonder: Americans have always loved taking to the sea. Indeed, competitive sailing in this country can be traced back to 1851, when eight yachtsmen representing the New York Yacht Club first raced in a regatta that would become known as the Americas Cup (and whose trophy is the oldest in international sports). A fleet of wing-sail catamarans manned by the worlds best crews still compete every three to five years in the 15-day race, making for what is doubtless the most magnificent yachting spectacle.

Orlando

Splashes of bright turquoise (imagine Hockneys aquamarine acrylics), the reverb of the diving board, the smell of melting Coppertone: When the mercury rises, the swimming pool is an elixir for summers sweltering heat. Americas first municipal pool, the Cabot Street Bath, opened its doors in Boston in 1868and soon the natatorium evolved into ever-splashier structures, with artificial beaches of hauled-in sand surrounding one and majestic bathing pavilions another. After World War II, these grand arenas gave way to the backyard swimming poolwhich became a symbol of status in suburban Arcadia, thanks to MGMs 1952 aqua-musical Million Dollar Mermaid. How much do we love our pools? A great deal, it turns out: There are 10.4 million private plungesand 309,000 public poolsto cool off in across the country.

Chicago

From the rolling fairway to the putting green, the golf course is a maze of sloping hills, grassy roughs, sand traps, and loblolly pines. Though 96 golf clubs and 432 balls arrived in South Carolina from Scotland in 1743, it wasnt until 1888 that the sport really took off stateside with the establishment of the countrys oldest continuously operating club: the St. Andrews Golf Club, in Greenburgh, New York. From Pinehurst to Pebble Beach, America is home to 14,564 courseseach with its own unique mix of 18 holes, from the tropical (like the Prince Course at the Princeville Resort in Kauai, where the seventh hole affords views of the deep-blue surf breaking off Anini Beach and the heady scent of plumeria) to the impossible (like the legendary island green on the seventeenth at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida).

More from Cond Nast Traveler

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Great summer sports pics

The tech industry in Canada has undergone radical changes in the last decade. As a founder of a seven-year-old startup, Ive been witness to the evolution of the landscape from a primordial soup of funding, leadership and opportunity to a thriving ecosystem making a major impact on the global stage.

With an improved funding environment, a tipping point in cloud technology adoption, and a rich pool of talent to choose from, our tech scene is growing at an unprecedented rate. Canadian companies are quickly gaining a reputation around the world, and startups grown at home now have access to many of the same resources as their Silicon Valley peers.

FUNDING LANDSCAPE

I had the unfortunate timing of starting a new business in 2007. If I had any idea of what the fundraising climate was going to be like in those early days, Im not sure if I would have embarked on the journey. But as they say, ignorance is bliss.

In the winter of 2008, the tech industry was hit hard in the economic meltdown. Many in the industry referred to that period of time as a nuclear winter for funding. It was a tough time for startups around the world trying to gain traction.

Renowned angel investor Ron Conway famously sent bleak instruction to the CEOs of his portfolio companies detailing how to survive the downturn, and leading Silicon Valley-based VC firm Sequoia Capital held an emergency meeting to deliver similar advice to its startups.

We took much of this advice and battened our hatches. We managed to make it through that period with a few battle scars, but overall stronger because we had to learn to do a lot with very little.

The recovery from the crash was not the only hurdle to overcome. Canada had a regulatory environment, namely Section 116 of our tax code, that made it cost-prohibitive for international venture capital firms to invest in Canadian companies. Even if investors had funds to give, we werent getting access because of these restrictions. However, this all changed in 2009, when Section 116 was removed in a bid to get Canadian companies the resources they need to stay competitive in global markets.

Since then, U.S. venture capitalists have already invested over $700 million in over 30 technology companies associated with the C100, a non-profit that connects Canadian entrepreneurs with Silicon Valley. At Clio, weve seen the impact of both the improved tax code and the thriving technology environment first-hand: over the last three years weve raised over $27-million, with Bessemer Venture Partners, a $1.6-billion Silicon Valley fund thats taken more than 100 companies to IPO, leading our latest round.

TIPPING POINT OF CLOUD ADOPTION

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The Canadian tech evolution: what Ive witnessed as a founder

WATERLOO | A city board has endorsed an ambitious overhaul of upper Gates Park that includes replacing the swimming pool with a large splash pad.

Members of the Waterloo Leisure Services Commission voted 6-0 Tuesday to support a master plan developed by city staff and Ritland+Kuiper Landscape Architects which projects more than $3.7 million in improvements to the park along East Donald Street.

"Byrnes and Gates are our traditional big parks in Waterloo," said Leisure Services Director Paul Huting. "Gates seemed to need some attention.

"We really don't know where we're going to find all that funding," Huting added. "The big-ticket item is to remove the pool and convert that to a major splash pad."

Ward 4 City Councilman Quentin Hart, who was heavily involved in the plan development, acknowledged some residents might be troubled by losing the pool.

"There may be a little backlash, but when someone takes a look at the entire concept that's being proposed, it's a no-brainer to me," Hart said. "This kind of provides a great opportunity for us to have some connectivity throughout this entire park."

Other elements of the plan include a trail, improved sports courts, play equipment, soccer field enhancements, parking, toilets and an addition to the Gates golf course clubhouse.

The proposed splash pad would be similar to the popular Mark's Park "sprayground" at the downtown RiverLoop Amphitheatre, but would be at least four times larger and include shelters for visitors.

The swimming pools at Byrnes and Gates parks are approaching the end of their useful lives, and replacing them would cost $5 million to $7 million each. The Gates splash pad development would cost an estimated $1.9 million.

Recreation Services Manager Mark Gallagher said attendance at the Gates Pool has waned, getting only a third of the Byrnes pool patrons. Meanwhile, the new indoor pool at the Cedar Valley SportsPlex opened this year to add another venue for recreation, pool parties and swimming lessons.

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Waterloo plans major improvements to upper Gates Park

If America wants to become a true soccer superpower, its sports landscape will have to change. One place to start: college.

Only a country that puts soccer first is likely to produce a player like Argentina's Lionel Messi. (Reuters)

No one could be too surprised that the 2014 World Cup comes down to Germany and Argentina. Germany was ranked No. 2 by the FIFA pre-tournament, and Argentina No. 5. These two nations have won five of the last 14 titles, and four of the last nine. Maybe you picked the Brazilians to win it all; not a bad choice, since theyve won five cups, more than any other country.

In any case, the composition of the final match perfectly illustrates an oft-forgotten fact about the World Cup: Its not really the worlds cup. A better title would be The West European/South American Cup, since the eight countries who have won the World Cup have been from those two continents.

And soccer, really, is not the worlds game. Though it has the highest global participation rate of any sport, there are quite a few countries where it is not the most popular game. Those include eight of the worlds 10 most populous countries. On the whole, people in China, India, the U.S., and Indonesiathe top four in populationplay soccer but have other sports they prefer. Only in No. 5 Brazil and No. 7 Nigeria does soccer have a clear edge.

Americans who hope to see the U.S. compete one day at soccers highest level would do well to keep all of this in mind. Our talent pool is immense, but to change soccers status here would mean changing the entire sports landscape. All the countries who have ever won a World Cup have at least one thing in common: Soccer has no real competitor for athletic talent.

* * *

Is the U.S. ever going to win the World Cup? Is soccer ever going to become one of the most popular sports in the U.S.?

Are those two different questions, or are they the same question looked at from different perspectives?

For years, soccer enthusiasts have said that if the U.S. were to finally win the Big One, it might vault the game into the league ofor perhaps even ahead ofpro football, baseball, and basketball. But thats not how soccer became supreme in any other country. There were years of painstaking building of teams and leagues before a national squad could be assembled that was good enough to challenge at World Cup level. (For a brief history, I recommend National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Soccer by Stefan Szymanski and Andrew Zimbalist.)

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Germany, Argentina, and What Really Makes a World Cup Team