Update: Crist makes pre-taped address at the GOP Convention

Gov. Charlie Crist just made an appearance at the Republican National Convention, if only remotely through a pre-taped address.

Crist was third in a lineup of four Republican governors from Gulf States who bowed out of the convention as Hurricane Gustav stormed across the Gulf of Mexico.
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Let’s Stop Making Disasters More Disastrous

Three years after Hurricane Katrina, it’s time to rethink government programs that lure people into harm’s way.

By Thomas A. Bowden

It’s the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the savage storm that inundated the Mississippi Delta in late August 2005, leaving more than 1,800 people dead and causing widespread property damage.

Disasters can sometimes shock a nation into questioning entrenched practices. But Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst natural disasters ever to befall America, has failed to spark serious challenge to long-standing government policies that actively promote building and living in disaster-prone areas.

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Greens Against Renewable Energy

Washington, DC – Green activists have been pushing for “renewable energy” for decades, even though it shows little promise–after billions of dollars in government subsidies–of ever being practical and inexpensive. Nevertheless, plans are springing up all over the country for large-scale solar, wind, and geothermal projects.

But now, in addition to their enormous technical obstacles, these green power projects are facing fierce opposition . . . from environmentalists.

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Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights to Open in Washington, D.C.

Irvine, CA – The Ayn Rand Institute is preparing to launch its new public policy and media center, the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, which will open later this year in Washington, D.C. The Center’s Web site has already been launched, and can be visited at http://www.aynrandcenter.org/.

The Ayn Rand Center is named after author and philosopher Ayn Rand (1905-1982), who is best known for her novels “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged,” and for her original philosophy Objectivism.
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Huge protests expected at political conventions

Reuters – Thousands of protesters are expected to jam the streets of Denver and St. Paul at the Republican and Democratic conventions in a noisy counterpoint to the parties’ carefully scripted speeches.

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County may provide funds for Titusville pond project

Florida Today
TITUSVILLE — The county could provide some of the money to pay for a $1.3 million stormwater retention pond project in the central part of Titusville, as part of a proposed agreement to be discussed tonight.
[Read more at Florida Today...]

Early primary voting fires up

Early voting got off to a smooth start today, with thousands of Floridians casting ballots for Florida’s primaries.

“This really takes the pressure off for Election Day,” said Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson. “Early voting is so new, the archival information is just not large enough to make an extrapolation about what it means for voter turnout, but it’s extremely popular.”

Johnson said the process was moving smoothly at 13 early voting locations across Hillsborough.   

In Brevard County, assistant Elections Supervisor Duwayne Lundgren said there was one minor problem when a key to a ballot-scanning machine was missing, but the delay was only about three minutes. He said things were running smoothly at five locations in the county.

A spot-check of elections offices across the state also showed heavy demand for mailed ballots this year. Voter interest is usually higher in presidential years, and voter registration figures released Sunday night showed a gain of 415,000 voters statewide over the past seven months.   

Some candidates used the occasion to grab a little free publicity, by showing up with their families and crowds of supporters to vote on the first day of pre-primary balloting. Campaign strategists also like the method because it allows party volunteers to vote early and be free on Election Day to work for their candidates.

Operating hours and days vary from county to county, but early voting is generally available at county courthouses and satellite locations during normal business hours and for eight hours next weekend. Leon County Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho said weekend operations can be either Saturday or Sunday, or four hours on each day, depending on a county’s staffing demands.   

Early voting ends on Sunday, Aug. 24, so elections offices can use the Monday before the primary date to distribute machinery and get ready for the big day.

Palm Bay reworks adult club ordinance

The city council decided Thursday to reconfigure its adult entertainment ordinance, after a lengthy debate about protecting private schools, as well as protecting the sites of parks currently on the drawing board.

“You’re looking for certainty in an ordinance,” said special counsel Michael Kahn. He further explained that any vagaries “will not pass constitutional muster.”

The city council is trying to create an ordinance restricting the locations of adult entertainment businesses throughout the city. The measure, however, also would allow at least 16 additional adult businesses into the city.
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McCain touts energy plan at nuclear plant

Reuters – Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited a nuclear power plant on Tuesday to tout his plan to battle rising energy costs by expanding exploration of traditional sources like nuclear power and offshore oil drilling.
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McCain ad pushes independence, distance from Bush

AP – John McCain emphasized his independent streak and reformer credentials in a new TV commercial Tuesday as he sought to counter Democratic charges that he’s the same as President Bush.
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