This is my 10th political convention…and they seem to get crazier each time.

The odd cheer-leading infomercial that you see on your TV sets at home is even more surreal when you witness it up close and in person.

Behind the images of adoring delegates waving red, white and blue placards, is a peculiar supporting cast.

There are 14,000 journalists chasing the same story being hemmed in by thousands more police and security personnel.

Dissension is drowned out in the name of ceremonial harmony.

The boisterous energy of the partying partisans inside the convention arena is a stark contrast to the vast empty security perimeter that extends for blocks like a DMZ around the event site.

Tuesday was the (hurricane delayed) opening day of the Republican convention and the eager delegates were anxious to get the Mitt Romney show on the road. Unfortunately many of the day’s speakers were uninspired and listless.

Notable exceptions were red meat partisans Ohio Governor John Kasich and the keynote speaker, New Jersey’s oversized Governor Chris Christie. They roused the delegates in the room with their sharp barbed anti-Obama rhetoric. I am less certain their aggressive tone was similarly as effective at winning over the moderate voters watching on TV.

The Republicans also scored a coup by securing former Democratic Representative from Alabama, Artur Davis to speak. The African -American gave a stinging rebuke of Obama’s 2008 campaign of hope to a very receptive crowd.

But the star of the evening was, no doubt Mitt Romney’s wife Ann, who looked every bit of the model Republican. She was striking in her physical appearance,-clear eyed and ready smile- and effective in her message. She gave a friendly, firm endorsement of the man she married. While virtually all of today’s speakers seemed to be reading out of the same partisan playbook, Ann Romney came across as sincere and individual. She no doubt is and will be a political asset to the Romney campaign.

Check back in tomorrow for other news from the craziness in Tampa.

Image from NASA!

What’s on the docket for the RNC today? The WaPo lets you know!

Latest update in our continuing coverage of voter identification laws: South Carolina and student IDs.

Not your grandmother’s Grand Canyon – Curiousity takes a road trip and shows us the pictures!

Tragedy strikes on the first day of school in Maryland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOA_i2qAQq0

This could be the auto mechanics dream… the engineering geniuses at Middle Tennessee State University have developed an invention that allows any one to drive a hybrid car.

It is a pretty nerdy video… but the invention is pretty cool.

The battery powered device can be mounted to the rear rotors of almost any car and, according to the developers, can boost in-town gas mileage 50-100 percent. If put into production, the retrofit could be available for $3000.

Put one of these things on your Hummer for ultimate irony.