Residents of Leisure Lakes had a frightening reminder this past week of what can happen with a brush fire. Nearly 400 acres of land were burned, homes and other structures were threatened. People had to evacuate and resources were expended by several fire departments. Fortunately nobody was injured. Although it was said to be an accident, the fire really never should have started. Apparently a resident was burning yard trash and red-hot material escaped. ...more

February 17, 2008

The Wikimedia Foundation, which oversees operations of the popular Web encyclopedia Wikipedia.com, said today it has appointed Erik Moeller as deputy director. He will assume the position Jan. 10. ...more

January 9, 2008

When Jimmy Wales co-founded Wikipedia in 2001 and called the site, which carried only a few articles then, a free encyclopedia, not many people took him seriously. ...more

January 7, 2008

READABILITY: The dim, dishwater-gray screen can be difficult to read except in the best light. The screen makes an annoying "flash" when moving from one page to the next. A uniform typeface is used for all text. Slow keyboard display. ...more

December 30, 2007

Don't be embarrassed if you've never heard the word "mechatronics." Believe it or not, it's not another newly minted tech field. ...more

December 23, 2007

Karri Ramo got to bed at a decent hour Thursday night, woke up Friday morning in plenty of time to get a good breakfast and arrive in plenty of time for practice. ...more

December 22, 2007

Executives with the online encyclopedia Wikipedia are trying to solve a mystery within their ranks: How did they promote a person to chief operating officer without knowing she has criminal records in three states, including incidents of theft, drunken driving and a shooting? ...more

December 19, 2007

It's finally happening. In about a month, the Highlands County Recycling Department will begin to accept office paper and junk mail after a hiatus of about four years. The news gets better. No sorting will be required for most paper products. Residents and businesses, of course, will have to drop off the items in the recycling bins around town, but we have no doubt that many won't mind. To those who wonder why the change matters, consider the numbers. ...more

October 31, 2007

How important is eye contact socially and in relationships? What are the truths, the myths, and the cultural differences when it comes to looking people in the eye? A truth according to Wikipedia; eye contact is an event when two people look at each other's eyes at the same time. It's a form of nonverbal communication known as oculesics and has a large influence on social behavior. A myth; you can't trust someone who won't look you in the eye. Or, if someone's eyes dart to many things in the room while you're talking with them they're "shifty-eyed" or shy. In many cultures it's considered disrespectful to look someone in the eye, especially if the person is a superior. In some cultures or religions, looking someone of the opposite sex in the eye is forbidden, unless the person is your mate or a close family member. ...more

October 26, 2007

There is nothing in his past to suggest something like this was on the horizon - nothing. ...more

October 25, 2007