Topic: Business

Fighting back: Institute for Justice joins CPRC to challenge defamation suit

By Christine Anne Piesyk | June 27, 2008 |

Clarksville activists sued for protesting eminent domain abuse join with national law firm to fight back.

The Institute for Justice will stand with the Clarksville Property Rights Coalition on Monday, June 30, at 11 a.m. on the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse at Millenium Plaza [corner of 2nd and Commerce Streets], to announce their legal plan to fight back against what they see as a “frivolous” defamation lawsuit filed by Clarksville City Councilmember Richard Swift and Wayne Wilkinson, a member of Clarksville’s Downtown Development Partnership. ”

Making the announcement will be Bert Gall, Senior Attorney for the Institute for Justice, and CPRC members Debbie Hunt, a homeowner, Joyce Vanderbilt, owner of Kelly’s Big Burger, and Dr. Rebecca Slayden-McMahan.

IJ is a non-profit, public interest law firm that has a long and successful history of defending property rights and First Amendment freedoms nationwide.

The CPRC, a grassroots group, was formed in November, 2007, to fight the abuse of eminent domain after a controversial redevelopment and urban renewal plan was passed by the Clarksville City Council. The plan designated two square miles of downtown property as “blighted.” «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Business, Issues, News, Politics | 1 Comment »

James Hansen on climate: What’s at stake?

June 27, 2008 |

What is at stake?

Warming so far, about two degrees Fahrenheit over land areas, seems almost innocuous, being less than day-to-day weather fluctuations. But more warming is already “in- the-pipeline”, delayed only by the great inertia of the world ocean. And climate is nearing dangerous tipping points. Elements of a “perfect storm”, a global cataclysm, are assembled.

Climate can reach points such that amplifying feedbacks spur large rapid changes. Arctic sea ice is a current example. Global warming initiated sea ice melt, exposing darker ocean that absorbs more sunlight, melting more ice. As a result, without any additional greenhouse gases, the Arctic soon will be ice-free in the summer. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Business, Issues, Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment »

Tandoor to re-open, bringing back the taste of India’s cuisine

By Christine Anne Piesyk | June 26, 2008 |

Cumin. Coriander. Tumeric. Cardamon. Red fennel. Red chilies. Clove. Tamarind. The essential spices of Indian Cuisine. Tandoor, the essence of cuisine from India, is returning to Clarksville with a grand opening slated for July 1 at a new location in Hampton Plaza at 2868 Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. Tandoor was considered to be one of the most romantic dining spots in the city, and owner Nasir Hakeem plans to keep the romance in the new location.

The original Tandoor was destroyed by fire In November, 2008, but Nasir stated then that he intended to rebuild. That’s happening, but at a new location. Some items for the original location were saved: the ornate hand-carved screen from India you see as you enter the restaurant is just one example.

The new Tandoor is very similar to the former dining spot. Sweep aside a soft straw curtain and customers can tuck themselves into six booths with traditional floor seating, accented by colorfully embroidered pillows in satins, silks and cotton. Another four booths offer conventional seating, and center tables accommodate still more diners. The walls are colored a gentle peach, warm and inviting. Cut clay lamps diffuse the lighting for a soft but exotic effect. Wall hangings include small mirrored tiles, hand-carved wall pieces, and paintings. The restaurant can seat up to 80 people. «Read the rest of this article»

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Rubber-stamped travel: Corporate cloning of America’s landscape

By Christine Anne Piesyk | June 26, 2008 |

On the Road in America is an occasional and serendipitous column about people, places and observations, with publishing predicated on the random availability of internet access or lack thereof.

Being On the Road in America can sometimes be a bore.

Oh, there’s a great deal of beauty to be seen, from the Green Mountains of Vermont to the rolling farmlands across Ohio, from the rugged Rockies and the dramatic coastline of California’s 17-mile drive. That’s not the issue.

As implied in Josh Neuman’s Lemmings (right) ,what is troubling is the growing lack of identity, of uniqueness, of individuality, as one moves from state to state. North, south, east or west makes not a whit of difference. Commerce in America is cloning itself at breakneck pace, mass-producing blueprints for hotels, motels, box stores, shopping malls and restaurants that increasingly lack a sense of their own identity and certainly have no ties to community heritage or culture.

I’m on the road again, as Willie Nelson would sing, and I am heading for one of the few bastions of non-traditional development — via the central midwest to the rural northeast, home of green mountains, clothing optional backwoods beaches, interstate bike paths, and those perpetual golden arches relegated to the outermost borders of some cities. «Read the rest of this article»

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Travel: Was the full moon making mischief?

By Christine Anne Piesyk | June 24, 2008 |

On the Road in America is an occasional and serendipitous column about people, places and observations, with publishing predicated on the random availability of internet access or lack thereof.

As I prepare to board the bus for my semi-annual sojourn north, ready to be “On the Road in America,” I am thinking of all the roadblocks thrust before me as I was pulling the jigsaw pieces of my itinerary puzzle together. Starting with the travel plans…

To begin with, there is no easy way to get where I am going from Tennessee. Take Amtrak and you have to navigate to Indianapolis first. Flying means not only getting to Nashville but landing in Hartford, navigating to a bus terminal and — taking the bus for hours and hours more. Or tripling the airfare to land in Burlington and — get to the bus station or train station and take a train. I’ve since resolved to take the scenic routes by Greyhound, which has, until this trip, been both flawless and economical. And scenic.

To begin with, I’ve been enjoying the 14-day advance purchase for my tickets for years. Apparently that particular and very appealing price option was discontinued on June 3. Okay. I was not happy about that, since I subscribe to Greyhound Rewards and never got a notice about this change. Neither did it show up on June 17 when I cruised their website double-checking prices and schedules. So I opted to buy a discounted 7-day advance purchase ticket. Yeah, right. Since buying online tickets involves surcharges that add up, I went to the Clarksville Greyhound Terminal, as I always do, to buy my ticket. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Business, Opinion | No Comments

‘Promote Green’ offers eco-friendly marketing merchandise

June 23, 2008 |

Amanda Davis Weiss, owner and promotional marketing consultant, launched Promote Green this month in the Clarksville and the Fort Campbell/Hopkinsville, Kentucky areas.

Promote Green, a promotional marketing and logo merchandising firm, launches this month offering a full line of eco-friendly custom imprinted advertising specialties. Promote Green aims to give businesses an environmentally responsible alternative to the traditional promotional product.

While attending a local Earth Day celebration this April, Weiss remembers, “I heard the conservation message many times but saw little evidence of the message in the promotional products and giveaways handed out.” According to Weiss, reflection on the issue led to her realizing the need of a local entity enabling all businesses to easily purchase environmentally sound marketing products for everyday use. «Read the rest of this article»

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Finding an honest, skilled contractor …

By Rev. Charles Moreland | June 18, 2008 |

As a homeowner, one of my stresses is just when a repair is needed and who to call to make that repair. The tornado-like winds we have here regularly remove shingles from roofs, or a wire is damaged. Electrician? Carpenter? Both? Over the last five years I have developed a list of contractors whom I think are honest and skilled. There are companies and individuals who have dome work for me in the past and in whom I have confidence.

Last year I got “burned” by a person who professed to be a capable contractor. He adroitly gained my confidence on a small job before cheating me out of a significant amount of money. To prevent such a pique for Clarksville Online readers, I’ll offer some guidelines for hiring a contractor. Money Advisor [Apr '08, p3] covers the subject comprehensively in a half page. Household repairs are stressful and costly, more so is the contractor is incompetent or unscrupulous. There are guideline to reduce the tension. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Spirituality | No Comments

Biofuel research by APSU biology prof could help lessen fuel crisis

June 15, 2008 |

Research by an Austin Peay State University biology professor could help to manufacture hydrogen more efficiently for use as a biofuel in vehicles – and become part of a solution to the current fuel crisis.

Dr. Sergei Markov, assistant professor of biology, has developed a prototype bioreactor that uses the purple bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus to produce enough hydrogen to power a small motor. He recently presented a paper, titled “Hydrogen production by purple nonsulfur bacterium in a bioreactor,” at the 108th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Boston.

As a result, his work, initially supported by grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, has appeared in a dozen of publications on the Internet, including Science Daily, and on several foreign news Web sites. «Read the rest of this article»

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