Charlotte Off Topic

[Dilworthy]

My friend and I were discussing Elizabeth Edwards sad passing today and who did we see just then in the Park Rd Shopping Center? Rielle Hunter with her child by John.

It's public knowledge that she lives near Freedom Park, regardless of one's personal opinion the public scrutiny has got to be tough and their baby is certainly blameless.

We certainly have a diverse set of celebs in town these days: Rielle, Fantasia, Michael Jordan part time, Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn and family(per today's O) and Ric Flair etc,

Talk about RANDOM!

[tozmervo]

Has anyone tried Clear WiMax service? I'm considering making the switch - it's a significant speed boost for a relatively modest price increase over what I pay now. I also like that there's a no-contract plan option. Any experience here?

[Dilworthy]

I am on Clear for my home computer and highly reccomend their services. Had issues with RR and DSL and none with Clear, just as fast and never have interruptions. I was leery at first, not being a name brand ISP but quite satisfied here.

[49er]

It's not Clear, but just switched to Earthlink which is actually a cloaked TWC. $41 month with no contract vs. $58 month for standard 7mbps service. It's ridiculous, I kept the same modem and get a TWC bill on behalf of "Earthlink" yet save $17/month.

[go_vertical]

Speaking of internet, does anyone have AT&T U-verse? I know it's only in very limited areas within the Charlotte region right now but I was curious if anyone on here has had any experience with it.

[Urbanity]

OK, need some suggestions.

My family from NY is thinking of visiting this winter and want to be able to ski (really tubing for the kids). I was thinking Blowing Rock, Sugar Mountain as ideas. Any suggestions for nearby places that make an easy and affordable day trip?

[nonillogical]

OK, need some suggestions.

My family from NY is thinking of visiting this winter and want to be able to ski (really tubing for the kids). I was thinking Blowing Rock, Sugar Mountain as ideas. Any suggestions for nearby places that make an easy and affordable day trip?

I prefer Beech to Sugar, and my skiing friends from upstate NY agreed. It just seems more relaxed, faster lifts with shorter lines and fewer choke points with lots of novices just sitting on the slope. The ski village is quite a bit cooler than the single lodge at Sugar too. One is the highest elevation slope in NC and one is the longest run, but I forget which is which.

Those are both in Banner Elk, slightly farther drive from CLT but still only about 2 hours 20 min. The only skiing in Blowing Rock is App Ski Mtn, which I don't like very much. Extremely short and crowded. Their claim to fame is that they have the best terrain park and snow making abilities though.

Also, if you're renting equipment get it here in CLT before you go. It'll be the same price for the whole weekend as 1 session at the slope.

[C_C_Planner]

I prefer Beech to Sugar, and my skiing friends from upstate NY agreed. It just seems more relaxed, faster lifts with shorter lines and fewer choke points with lots of novices just sitting on the slope. The ski village is quite a bit cooler than the single lodge at Sugar too. One is the highest elevation slope in NC and one is the longest run, but I forget which is which.

Those are both in Banner Elk, slightly farther drive from CLT but still only about 2 hours 20 min. The only skiing in Blowing Rock is App Ski Mtn, which I don't like very much. Extremely short and crowded. Their claim to fame is that they have the best terrain park and snow making abilities though.

Also, if you're renting equipment get it here in CLT before you go. It'll be the same price for the whole weekend as 1 session at the slope.

Agree on Beech Mountain, plus there is ice skating in the village. A few really good restaurants in BM and Banner Elk too.

[Urbanity]

Thanks, guys! Good suggestions

Edited December 24, 2010 by Urbanity

[Sabaidee]

Has anyone tried Clear WiMax service? I'm considering making the switch - it's a significant speed boost for a relatively modest price increase over what I pay now. I also like that there's a no-contract plan option. Any experience here?

Clear is iffy, I haven't paid for its service personally, but Sprint is majority owner, but it's not a Sprint subsidiary. WiMax is a wireless technology, speed is very dependent on the amount of users connecting to the towers. I've heard of Clear throttling speed to encourage ideal bandwidth usage. However Sprint customers using Sprint branded WiMax never had any issues. Sprint and Clear both own the spectrum and towers used to deploy WiMax, and the frequency they use may have trouble penetrating through some walls.

Good thing, some of Clear's plans are no-contract options, because Sprint still doesn't know what to do with Clear. Clear isn't performing as well Sprint had hoped and Sprint may ditch the WiMax technology and go to LTE like Verizon thus making all WiMax modems useless and users may experience forced upgrades or such. Also Sprint already has 2 WiMax phones and more are coming out and that will cause some network issues like performance and speed.

[tozmervo]

^ Internet followup, I just copped out and stepped my earthlink "lite" package up to the next service level. Netflix and Amazon streaming quality is excellent now.

Anyway, another O/T question - how does Charlotte not have a National Cemetery?

[InitialD]

^^ As far as Clear is concerned, I haven't had any problems connecting anywhere in the city so far. I like it.

[caterpillar2]

^ Internet followup, I just copped out and stepped my earthlink "lite" package up to the next service level. Netflix and Amazon streaming quality is excellent now.

Anyway, another O/T question - how does Charlotte not have a National Cemetery?

I believe the nearest one is in Salisbury where the huge veterans clinic is located. Not sure if there are any milage restrictions between National Cemeteries or not. There probably is since they are maintained by the Feds.

[Dilworthy]

Lebanon Road in Mint Hill past Pine Lake Country Club is a nice scenic stretch. The one lane bridge is quaint. Can't be many left in the area.

There has been a lot of construction around it? Anyone know if they are widening the bridge?

[go_vertical]

My apologies for the slightly ignorant question here, but what are the bands of material wrapped around many trees in the city? Some are black and others look like a natural canvas color and they are roughly four to five feet from the ground. Never saw anything like it when I was in Orlando.

[nashbill]

These are wrapped around the large Oak Trees to capture a type of moth that lays the eggs up in the tree and eats the leaves that can kill the tree. There is usually a layer of goo on the outside of the felt that the moths stick to. Charlotte has been infested with these for years. These are attempts to bring them under control without spraying chemicals all over the place.

Edit for clarirty.

Edited January 28, 2011 by nashbill

[nashbill]

These moths as I understand are flightless. So, that is why they crawl. It's been suggested before, that this problem is occuring because of all the same type tree has been planted. I love Charlotte's canopy and would not like to see the Oaks gone. But, maybe when replacing them a mixture of different trees could be planted. When I lived in Elizabeth there were 3 large Pin Oaks that were probably planted at the time the houses were built. I'm guessing 70 or more years old. One died and had to be taken down. Very expensive to remove.

[tozmervo]

From what I understand, Charlotte's official policy/landscape code requires a mix of trees now. IE, they no longer allow "streets lined" with a single species. The willow oak/canker worm problem supposedly is the reason that code change was made.

[nashbill]

Ahh, I was trying to remember what they were called. And it was willow oaks on my property, not pin oaks.

[go_vertical]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[tozmervo]

The Onion, News in Photos: Variety Of Unsustainable Business Models Make Up Extremely Hip Neighborhood

[WesleyHeightsWay]

Ideas on the best place to find a short-term (4 to 6 weeks) furnished rental? Preferably Uptown or nearby.

Looking for a place for my in-laws to stay, but most of what I have seen online either requires a 3 month contract, or is excessively expensive (> $2k / month).

Wonder if they could just squat in The Vue?

[tozmervo]

I think this has been asked before, but is there any decent used book store in the greater Charlotte area? Any other city and I would know where to haul a box of used books for resale, but going on four years it still alludes me here.

[tozmervo]

I think this has been asked before, but is there any decent used book store in the greater Charlotte area? Any other city and I would know where to haul a box of used books for resale, but going on four years it still alludes me here.

[caterpillar2]

I think this has been asked before, but is there any decent used book store in the greater Charlotte area? Any other city and I would know where to haul a box of used books for resale, but going on four years it still alludes me here.

There is a used book store on Main Street, Davidson and near Burkdale on #73 close to Dairy Queen and Bi Lo grocery store. I don't know how big they are but might be worth checking out.