2019-09-12 E-Edition

Tropical Depression

Climate change, the hottest July in the history of the planet, the Amazon burning with thousands of fires, heavy summer rains and Hurricane Dorian. Some Floridians are suffering from weather fatigue.


Weather has finally made the “A” list: Climbed out of the pages of the Farmers’ Almanac, forced its way from the rear to the front of local and national television newscasts, demanded front-page billing above the fold in the nation’s most respectable online and print media, and turned a formerly tentative citizenry into a near cavalcade of Chicken Littles. They […]

Costs of Florida assault weapons ban considered



If Floridians approve a constitutional amendment next year to block possession of assault weapons, a panel of economists estimated the state budget could take a $26.9 million hit in lost revenue. But the head of the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research said the amount would likely be smaller because revenue lost in taxes from gun sales would be […]

Sunt prope boni multos populos



A Roman poet and philosopher, Lucretius, once wrote a book called “De Rerum Natura” — “On the Nature of Things.” Lucretius is famous for introducing the notion of atoms, the fundaments of every material thing in creation. He also concluded the Gods didn’t have much to do with either our creation or our fortunes, good or bad. One of his […]

Androids rule



I have gotten to the point that, every time my cellphone blasts its generic ringtone, I assume it’s a robocall. My algorithm favorites are the recorded voices that start out saying, “Can you hear me?” and then pause a few seconds before continuing. I’ve taken to filling that brief void with a Bronx cheer or some other obnoxious sound. Then […]

The threat of Red Britain



Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson has, to his credit, seized the initiative in the battle over whether Britain will truly exit the EU, and on what terms. But no one can know how this high-stakes gamble will turn out. Johnson just lost his slender parliamentary majority, and the prospect of a new election looms. If things break the wrong way, […]

So you want to ‘ride out’ that hurricane on your boat …



We have a saying here in the Sunshine State: “There are two kinds of people: those who will consider “riding out” a hurricane — and those who already have.” The implication is that once you’ve experienced the fury of being in the middle of a major storm, you’re a lot less likely to consider that as an option in the […]

Working dog blues

Is it time for your dog to retire from a sport or job? The answer is intensely personal and depends on the dog’s attitude and physical ability


My dog Harper and I recently flew to Oregon to compete in a nose work trial. I worried a little bit before we left that traipsing through three different airports, taking two flights and participating in a high-level competition on a hot day might be too much for an 11 ½-year-old dog, but she breezed through all of it with […]

Pets of the WEEK

These animals are available for adoption at the Animal Welfare League, 3519 Drance St., Port Charlotte. All animals are microchipped, neutered and current with their shots. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. To view adoptable pets, visit www.awlshelter.org. To learn more, visit EARS at 145 W. Dearborn St., Englewood, visit www.earsanimalrescue.com or call 941-681-3877. […]

Short takes – three vehicles that have something extra



We are going to explore a few vehicles that have extra options for space, performance and convenience. Ford F150 Raptor SuperCrew Of the two configurations of the Ford Raptor, the SuperCrew is the larger one with full-size rear doors and a longer wheelbase. It starts at $57,435 (about $3K more than the shorter SuperCab version.) This completes the Raptor’s transformation […]