As the granules of sand in the hourglass trickles away the final hours, minutes and seconds of 2008, the white robe worn by Father Time is soiled and tattered from one of the most tested years in history. ...more

December 31, 2008

Maybe the solar-powered golf carts and tennis court groomers will catch on at local country clubs. Or business owners will think about seeding their roofs with plants that trap cool air. ...more

December 22, 2008

For those of us who didn't live through The Great Depression, these days are as scary as they come when it comes to our country's economic situation. It seems as if every day there's a new angle to our woes, and most folks feel helpless to do anything about it. ...more

November 21, 2008

Almost 70 years ago, as Germany invaded France, President Franklin D. Roosevelt received an urgent visit from Vannevar Bush, then chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics and formerly vice president and dean of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ...more

September 21, 2008

Shades Of H.G. Wells Methinks Patrick Miketinac has to set the dial in his time machine to 2008 and come to visit us here in the real world. No matter how much you wring your hands or pull at your silver locks, we aren't anytime soon going back on the gold standard. Let's be realistic. I never said we could drill our way out of this, though I'm pretty sure we "not-drilled" our way into it. What would the Middle East look like today had we not been pouring our national wealth in their pockets for more than 30 years? Did you ever see "Lawrence of Arabia?" Now that's nostalgia! ...more

July 25, 2008

Environmental Stewardship, Offshore Drilling Can Coexist In "Oiling The Opposition Machine," Hernando Today reporter Tony Marrero questioned the environmental impact of resource exploration near the Florida coast. However, thanks to improved technologies and updated safety exercises, environmental stewardship and offshore energy development can co-exist. ...more

July 3, 2008

Facing strong U.S. pressure and global dismay over oil prices, Saudi Arabia said Sunday it will produce more crude this year if the market needs it. But the vague pledge fell far short of U.S. hopes for a specific increase and may do little to lower prices immediately. ...more

June 23, 2008

SEBRING — Bill Nelson lives in Tallahassee, but he started Friday morning in Fort Myers. A northeasterly drive in his dark gray Nissan Pathfinder took him to town hall meetings in LaBelle, Moore Haven, then Sebring. He had to be back in Washington at 9 a.m. Saturday to argue the case for seating the Florida delegation at the Democratic National Convention, so Florida's U.S. senator had to arrive at the Orlando airport by 8 p.m. Friday to catch a flight to Washington. But U.S. Airways canceled the red-eye, so his aides made hasty phone calls to people he expected to meet at 3:30 p.m. in Sebring City Hall. Could they be there 30 minutes early? Nelson needed to fly from Sebring in a private plane so he could make the 6:15 flight in Orlando. ...more

May 31, 2008

Anyone filling up the tank of their car right now will be cursing oil speculators. Likewise, anyone loading up a shopping cart with food for a family may feel angry with hedge-fund managers pushing the cost of wheat, rice and other basics through the roof. ...more

May 30, 2008

Although cities are hot spots for global warming, people living in them turn out to be greener than their country cousins. ...more

May 29, 2008