The trial and sentencing of Osama bin Laden's driver by a military commission at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, will never be considered a great moment in the history of American justice.
Most Broward voters need few reminders of the problems in their election system, from the ''hanging chads'' caused by ancient voting equipment that marred the 2000 presidential elections to the chaotic tenure of former Supervisor of Elections Miriam Oliphant to the dispute about a paper trail for electronic-voting machines.
The Miami Herald recommends
Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein breezed into office unopposed in 2004, when he took over the post long held by Alan Schreiber. Mr. Schreiber was an effective but controversial public defender who spent thousands of dollars on consultants, nutrition seminars, fancy furniture and happy-hour daiquiris in his office. After taking over, Mr. Finkelstein tossed the daiquiri machine and made equal legal representation for all indigent defendants his mantra.
For decades, Brazil has jealously safeguarded the right to decide the future of its national patrimony, the Amazon rain forest. It has responded to the plea of developing countries to stop the destruction of the rain forest with a defiant cry: ''Hands off our Amazon!'' Now, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has come up with a more practical response to those who want to save one of the most precious environmental resources on the planet: ``Put your money where your mouth is!''
The Miami Herald recommends
Democrats in the east-central Broward County Commission District 7 have a choice from among three office holders and a repeat challenger on the Aug. 26 primary ballot. If write-in candidates had not qualified, Republicans could vote in this election that likely will be determinative.
The Miami Herald recommends
In one of the livelier races on the Aug. 26 ballot in Broward, County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion Jr. faces commissioners from two cities, and a repeat challenger. Because a write-in candidate filed, only Democrats will decide this race in the primary. The challengers are John Billingsley, 57, a Lauderdale Lakes commissioner and professor at a business college; Dale Holness, 51, a Lauderhill commissioner and real-estate broker; and the Rev. Allen B. Jackson, 41, who ran in 2004.
Webster defines fraud as ''deceit, trickery, cheating.'' By that standard, the latest proposal to open the waters off Florida's Gulf coast to oil drilling certainly qualifies for that label. It is more than a little disheartening to see both presidential candidates buy into a harmful, discredited idea that smacks of pure politics and will produce no relief from the pain at the pump.
The Miami Herald recommends
Voters in southwestern Broward have a good choice in the Aug. 26 nonpartisan race between incumbent Beverly A. Gallagher and civic activist Henry A. Rose.
The Miami Herald recommends
Robin Bartleman says with a bit of wonder that her career goal was to be a superintendent of a school system's exceptional education department. Now, as chair of the Broward School Board, she is a boss of the system's superintendent.
All of the stars seem to be aligning at just the right moment for downtown Miami's Freedom Tower to finally get the designation it deserves as a National Historic Landmark. Now is the time for the tower's many supporters, especially those in Congress, to urge Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to approve the designation quickly.
The Miami Herald recommends
Five Democrats are competing in the Aug. 26 primary for the right to confront Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti in November. Of the five, three have strong backgrounds in management and law enforcement. This makes the choice difficult but rewarding.
The Miami Herald recommends
All voters in Southeast Broward may cast ballots in the Aug. 26 primary for the nonpartisan District 1 School Board seat. Three candidates are running; any runoff would be on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Until Friday, it seemed safe to say that China had stiffed the International Olympics Committee on the expectation that it would relax its authoritarian grip on the country out of respect for the Olympic spirit as the opening ceremony neared. In 2001, when China won the right to host the Games, the hope was that the leadership would liberalize the Chinese regime in return for a chance to showcase the modernization of the world's most populous country.
The Miami Herald recommends
Voters will be hard pressed to remember the last time they voted for this position. The year was 1992. That's when former county commissioner Harvey Ruvin was first elected to the position. He has been reelected without opposition ever since.
The Miami Herald recommends
The job of appraising property for tax purposes hardly seems like one to be tackled with gusto verging on joy. Yet this is how incumbent Broward Property Appraiser Lori Parrish treats it after one term. Broward Democrats should give her another term for her determined, effusive efforts to modernize a little-known but key office.
