Topic: Business

Cautionary “Words of warming” as the world heats up

August 14, 2008 |

In her periodic newsletter and update, Goddard College Professor Catherine Lowther circulates these “Words of warming”. With her permission, we pass this item to our readers.

James Hansen, director of Nasa's Goddard Institute

As the world hots up, so does the market for books about climate change. Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers, looks at the latest works on the crisis, and sizes up their solutions, from nuclear energy to genetically engineered trees.

(August 9) — Most of those interested in climate science nowadays access information online, and one of the most significant of such contributions was recently posted by James Hansen, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute, and his colleagues, who have provided a partial explanation for these changes. They revisited a key piece of science underpinning the IPCC’s work - the findings about how much warming a given amount of atmospheric CO2 pollution would produce - and discovered that, when viewed over the longer term, Earth’s climate system is about twice as sensitive to CO2 pollution as is illustrated in the panel’s century-long projections. «Read the rest of this article»

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An anthropological introduction to YouTube

By Bill Larson | August 13, 2008 |

This is a presentation given by Mike Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University, at the Library of Congress on June 23, 2008. He decided to forgo the standard PowerPoint presentation and instead worked with his students to prepare over 40 minutes of video for the 55-minute presentation. This is the result.

It’s interesting and highly entertaining to watch, and might give some people who support draconian copyright regimes reason to rethink their support.

«Read the rest of this article»

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Separation of Church and State applies to the spending of our tax dollars

By Rev. Charles Moreland | August 13, 2008 |

It’s common knowledge that the taxes we pay are necessary to support our military, social services, social security, education, police and fire services, legislative salaries, teacher salaries, and myriad other programs. Our infrastructure, the basic facilities and installations on the continuance and growth of a community depends on and is driven by the taxes we pay. Taxes are essential, and on that, everyone agrees.

Periodically we need to investigate how our taxes are being spent and the organizations that are being supported by our taxes. It is our duty and responsibility to pay our taxes but also our obligation to not just request but demand and expect accountability. It is our duty to demand publication of who receives our taxes, and those religious organizations receiving tax dollars for their ministries must be expected to keep within the laws that guide how tax dollars are expended. «Read the rest of this article»

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CTS hears concerns about proposed route changes, fare hikes

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 12, 2008 |

CTS presents fare structure with reinstated transfer system

When Clarksville Transit System Director Jimmy Smith presented the new route and rate structures to the public Monday evening at the Public Library, there were a few changes from the budget-balancing package approved several weeks ago by the City Council Transportation Committee, not the least of which was a controversial decision to eliminate transfers and replace that option with a second fare for the second length of all cross town trips.

CTS DIrector Jimmie Smith explains route changes that now service the new Gateway Health Center

Responding to public concern, Smith said the phone calls, letters and comments he and his staff have received all put the “transfer” issue at the top of the list, with respondents overwhelmingly calling for retention of the transfer system and voicing support for the system wide fare increase of 25 cents, which would raise the cost of a basic bus trip to $1.25. «Read the rest of this article»

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Elimination of transfers proposed for CTS

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 10, 2008 |

The Clarksville Transit System will hold a public hearing this evening (August 11) at 5:30 p.m. at the Clarksville Public Library to seek public input on proposals that include the elimination of transfers and a requirement to pay a full second fare for trips requiring a change of buses. The city’s Transportation Committee has already unanimously approved the new CTS rate structure. CTS must now explain to the public the planned fare structure and proposed route changes and take public input on those changes.

The elimination of transfers translates to a de facto 75 cent increase in bus fare for riders who need to utilize two buses navigate across town or into adjoining residential neighborhoods. «Read the rest of this article»

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Out again! Eternal flame extinguished on apathetic election day

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 9, 2008 |

The darkened flame mirrors both voter ambivalence and the loss of a sense of honor.

The flame is out -- again!

Light’s out. Again.

Just when we thought the Eternal Flame was finally going to remain lit, its blaze was doused again — on election day.

Apart from being completely irritated and totally digusted with a city that can’t seem to get its collective act together long enough to keep one itty-bitty little thing ablaze (such as a monument that honors all American soldiers), there is another irony, one that I, as an American citizen, find disgusting.

The city seems to have no problem lighting the flame for commercial events. The flame blazed when the new downtown fountain was lit. It blazed during the last three Riverfests and Rivers and Spires festivals. It blazed when nothing was going on downtown but city government as usual. Because we (Clarksville Online) check every single day, we know when the flame is lit. And when it isn’t.

It was off on the fourth of July, even as the Vietnam Vets staged a striking ceremony honoring their fallen. It was re-lit after the 4th of July passed, and blazed right up until the eve of primary election day. It has been lit while the Legion Street-turned-Strawberry Alley construction is underway. Now the city managed to keep the new streetlights ablaze throughout the daytime hours this entire week. Water continues to flow through the lovely new fountain on Public Square. Only the flame, the best and brightest of our symbols, seems eratic. «Read the rest of this article»

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Labor Day reinstated as paid holiday at Tyson’s Shelbyville, TN, plant

August 8, 2008 |

Tyson Foods requested change from Union

Springdale, Arkansas – August 8, 2008 - Tyson Foods, Inc. announced today it has reached a new agreement with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), an American union, reinstating Labor Day as one of the designated paid holidays under the contract for covered employees in the Shelbyville, Tennessee, plant.

Tyson made this request on behalf of its Shelbyville plant employees, some of whom had expressed concern about the new contract provisions relative to paid holidays. In an effort to be responsive, Tyson asked the union to reopen the contract to address the holiday issue, and the union agreed to do so. The union membership voted overwhelmingly Thursday to reinstate Labor Day as one of the plant’s paid holidays, while keeping Eid al-Fitr as an additional paid holiday for this year only. This means that in 2008 only, Shelbyville employees will have nine paid holidays. «Read the rest of this article»

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“ArtWalk and Wine” offers a refreshing break as the summer heat settles in

August 6, 2008 |

First Thursday Art Walk and Wine, hosted by the local businesses in the downtown area,will be held Thursday, August 5 from 5-8 p.m. Businesses stay open late, many host artists and have refreshments.

The Downtown Artists Co-op will host an art talk featuring Betty Liles and Nada Fuqua regarding their Retreat from the Heat show, now hanging at the Downtown Artists Cooperative. They will discuss techniques and inspiration for their paintings and style. Refreshments will be provided. Art talk is from 6 – 8 PM.

Jim Hancock’s photography exhibit is hanging at The Front Page Deli.

Judy Lewis will have her work hanging in Rogate’s Boutique. Judy is an extremely talented artist who recently returned to Clarksville. While she busily restores an older home, she makes time for her commission works of portraits and other studies. «Read the rest of this article»

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