Free Republic

When U.S. Rep. Allen West visited GelTech Solutions in Jupiter last week, he expressed both enthusiasm for its “next-generation” products and frustration with the government’s tendency to hinder small businesses’ growth. In an exclusive interview, West said so many government agencies are “stuck on stupid,” continuing their old ways instead of embracing new, less expensive technology. Such archaic thinking, he said, ends up costing the American taxpayer more money. GelTech Solutions, a small, publicly traded company based in Jupiter, is growing at a time when many other businesses are struggling in a crippling economic downturn. Though it is just one...

The fire retardant dropped from air tankers to prevent wildfires from spreading may no longer be an option after 2011. As many as nine air tankers have dropped retardant -- a mixture of water, fertilizer and red dye -- on both the Fourmile Canyon Fire in Boulder County and the Reservoir Road Fire in Larimer County. The retardant is used to build a perimeter around a fire and is not dropped directly on the flames to put out the fire. "It's not an extinguishment, it's a retardant. It's basically there to slow down and help the ground crews 100 percent,"...