July 2008

Passenger Rail Service Doesn’t Add Up

Posted by Chris Berry on July 31, 2008 in Roanoke Valley

The Roanoke Times and the local blogs have been abuzz lately with the idea of passenger rail service returning to Roanoke. Most of the arguments in favor of passenger rail are based on the notion that as a former railroad town, Roanoke is somehow deserving of this service. Unfortunately, businesses decisions aren’t based on who [...]

Becoming Obsessed With WordPress

Posted by Chris Berry on July 28, 2008 in Writing and Blogging

I originally started blogging a few months back because it seemed like a great way to vent, and a great opportunity to fully develop a number of ideas that had been bouncing around in my head keeping me awake at night. I do enjoy the writing aspect of it, but lately I’ve become obsessed with [...]

Should Introverts Consider A Career In Sales?

Posted by Chris Berry on July 24, 2008 in Introversion, Jobs and Careers

Most people would consider a career in sales to be the exclusive domain of type A extroverts, but under the right circumstances, introverts can be quite successful. I actually spent 10 years as a top 1% sales performer in the commercial printing industry before veering off on a completely different path. The key to success [...]

Blogger’s Guilt

Posted by Chris Berry on July 24, 2008 in Purely Personal, Writing and Blogging

Even though I started this blog purely as a means of self-expression, I’ve begun to feel guilty whenever I go for more than a couple of days without posting. It’s not as if I’m getting paid for doing this, or anyone out there is just dying to know what I’ll have to say next. I [...]

A Study Of Letters To The Roanoke Times

Posted by Chris Berry on July 16, 2008 in Roanoke Valley, Writing and Blogging

Before moving back to Roanoke in late 2002, I had spent the previous 20 years living in a number of major metropolitan areas, including Richmond, Charlotte, Washington, DC and even Buffalo, NY. I lived for 10 years in the DC area, and while I enjoyed the time I spent there, there are only a few [...]

Alternative Energy and Climate Change

Posted by Chris Berry on July 10, 2008 in Energy and Environmental Issues

I’m not a scientist by any stretch of the imagination, but with all of the concerns about fossil fuels and climate change, I’ve been wondering about the possible unintended consequences of different forms of alternative energy. Is it not possible that by substituting wind or hydrogen for fossil fuels, we might create an entirely new [...]

Intermodal Facility More Important Than Ever

Posted by Chris Berry on July 7, 2008 in Economic Development, Energy and Environmental Issues

The July 14th issue of Time magazine contains an article titled “10 Things You Can Like About $4.00 Gas”. The author touches on a variety of beneficial side effects, ranging from reduced obesity to lower insurance rates, but the most interesting idea put forth is that high oil prices will bring manufacturing jobs back to [...]