| Biking becoming big in Blacksburg
It's OK to use this as an excuse to snuggle up to strangers on the Blacksburg Transit and blast the car heat on the commute to campus and around town. However, with spring in the near future, some are embracing the thriving biking scene in Blacksburg. "People don't realize how easy it is to get on a bike," said Yusef Messallam, senior electrical engineering major and founder of the Blacksburg Bicycle Cooperative. "You can do your grocery shopping, commute to work or to school, anything really." A recent push for Americans to reduce their ecological footprint has led many to pull out their bikes and commute. According to the Energy Information Administration, about 28 percent of energy Americans use goes into transportation, and biking instead of commuting is a step toward going green.
Very risky to fiddle with the squiggle
Oh dear. The marketing boffins at the ABC have got their hands on the squiggle because they believe it doesn't communicate effectively in the 21st century. The iconic brand identity with its superb design represents an organisation with a reputation for excellence and leading-edge intelligence. By all means play with the brand identity as it is expressed in different media and enjoy the flexibility that the mark allows, but please don't go back to the drawing board to create other designs that will only undermine the squiggle. That would be an act of corporate suicide, as it will only create confusion among those of us who instantly recognise and respond to the brand mark. BMW makes engines, cars, racing cars, bicycles and motorcycles, and you only ever see the one BMW badge.
Public needs a voice, not a county manager
Imagine that a city department head (Police Chief, Public Works Director, etc.) consistently flouts the will of the people. Unless the manager agrees, in the current environment you need to identify and elect four councilors (which takes three years at a minimum), who will then fire the manager, and hire a new manager who will tell the department head what to do. Whew! That is an exhaustive process, which is unlikely to ever occur. Appointed managers create an obstacle that prevents the public from getting action. More importantly, information equals power. Managers control the majority of the information; therefore they hold the power. Part-time councilors are not compensated well enough to spend the time required to do public business; they need to work other jobs. So part-time councilors come to meetings and place their trust in the non-elected manager.
Saline nasal wash helps kids battle cold
BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet)-- A saline nasal wash solution made from processed seawater may help children with a common cold, according to a new report in Monday's Archives of Otolaryngology. The solution can help by reducing symptoms associated with the common cold, as well as reducing the risk of recurrent respiratory infections, the study said. It may be that the salt water has a simple mechanical effect of clearing mucus, or it could be that trace elements in the water play some more significant role, though the exact reason why such a solution works is not known, said Dr. Ivo Slapak and colleagues at the Teaching Hospital of Brno in the Czech Republic. The researchers studied 390 children between 6 and 10 who had uncomplicated cold or flu symptoms for 12 weeks in the winter of 2006.
Israel looks to cut Gaza links
Such an arrangement would in effect end the international sanctions against the Islamic militants.Taher Nunu, a Hamas government spokesman, suggested yesterday that Hamas would seek a future role on the Gaza-Egypt border. "An open border like this has no logic," he said. "We are studying the mechanism of having an official crossing point."However, it's not clear whether Egypt will acquiesce. The Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, has been under intense public pressure at home to alleviate the suffering of Gazans under blockade. However, Egypt would likely be reluctant to have an open border with a territory ruled by Islamic militants.Mr Vilnai's proposal goes against a cardinal principle that has underpinned past Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, namely that the West Bank and Gaza be treated as one territorial unit.
Still 'Free To Be ...'
The only girly-girl on the whole album, a squeaky-voiced creature known as Tender Sweet Young Thing meets a grisly end as she is torn limb from limb by a pack of hungry tigers. These were big ideas back in 1974, heady stuff for a girl of a certain bent — a quick, athletic "tomboy" with a yen for bucking the system. My parents, by no means liberal, supported this ideology. Parenting daughters made an unlikely feminist of my father, while my mother in many ways was already there. "Keep your options open," they always told me. "You can have it all." I glance into the back seat of the car at my own kids, transfixed as I once was by the songs and stories on the album. Odd that all these years later its message still feels innovative. Nell, raised to the best of my ability without gender stereotypes, still finds it silly that William wants a doll.
Bellview Grange, school at odds over easement
The Ashland Planning Commission was blindsided at its Tuesday meeting when it learned the Bellview Grange would not agree to a "perpetual easement" the Bellview Elementary School needs for parking and access through its property. Howard Barash, president of the Bellview Grange Board, told commissioners that he wants to work with the Ashland School Board to find an amicable solution to the problem and that the two boards currently are in negotiations with each other. He said he presented the school board with four alternative options, one being that the school district purchase all or part of the Grange's property. Commissioners John Fields and Michael Dawkins looked shocked when they heard the news. Commissioner Melanie Mindlin said, "I feel like this is coming out of left field." Tom Dimitre said he felt it was kind of late in the game to learn that there are property problems.
Davidson Calendar: Feb. 15-24, 2008
Davidson County residents can have their holiday trees recycled into mulch. All trees must be free of lights, ornaments, icicles, tinsel and garland. No flocked trees will be accepted. Trees will be accepted through Feb. 16. Feb. 15 - 16, Madison Park, 510 N. DuPont Ave.; Madison, Salvation Army After School Program: For boys and girls, ages 6 to 12. Program activities include spiritual and character development, tutoring, fitness, sports education, games and arts and crafts. Applications can be picked up at the front desk. Feb. 15, 18 - 22, Magness-Potter Community Center, 611 Stockell St.; Tennessee Viticulture Advisory Board Meeting: The agenda includes a review and discussion of the state's biennial viticulture plan for developing the wine and grape industries, a presentation by the West Tennessee Wine Association, a review of legislative issues and other business as presented.
US prospects good for 2010 Games
FIGURE SKATING (2/2): Even though the Russians are a shadow of what they were two years ago and the Canadians have disappeared, getting back on the gold standard will be tough for the Americans, who didn't hear their anthem last time. If the Hello Kitty Generation (Mirai Nagasu, Caroline Zhang, Rachael Flatt) matures or former world champ Kimmie Meissner rights herself, the women at least should get a silver. So should dancers Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who did it in 2006. That could be all, though. Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir will be on the downside of their careers in 2010, when Wakefield's Stephen Carriere could be the man. And the pairs won't break the Chinese hammerlock. As the sport has become more aerial, the Asians are on the rise. ICE HOCKEY (1/1): It could be a Canadian sweep, especially given home ice.
|
