Kevin’s asked me to stop over from myFDL to create a liveblog of direct action and protest at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida today. Despite the weather & heavy police presence, actions have already begun there with banner drops, marches, and a late night dance party for freedom in the streets in the first days of protest. Two Occupy-style encampments are in place on private land to support occupiers and other activists, including the original unevicted Occupy Tampa camp and a new one called Camp Romneyville.

According to Think Progress, in a draft of its platform, the Republican party is taking a stand on the point of the persecution of gays on the African continent. But it’s for the countries persecuting gays

When devising a drinking game, especially one encompassing multiple days and multiple speakers on the television machine, it’s important to know your goals.

First of all, podium only. If you’re gonna drink based on Rachel Maddow pronouncements, I can’t help you: the woman is a Rhodes Scholar and a bartender. Getting you drunk is her job.

I’ve established “drink” trigger words within various levels. One must know one’s limits, one’s goals, and one’s drink of choice for the event.

A security bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security and FBI garnered wide media attention over the past twenty-four to forty-eight hours, raising the specter of possible “anarchist” violence or “terrorism.” The bulletin was largely state propaganda designed to whip up fear ahead of the convention. Given that there has been no preemptive raid against activists there to protest, the publicizing of this bulletin could be aimed at giving agencies cover if something happens.

I appeared on RT America on Friday night to discuss the bulletin, the possibility that drones will be used to police the RNC and what I predict could happen with protesters and security forces during the convention.

State-sponsored propaganda fills corporate and establishment news reports ahead of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Tampa, Florida. The word is that “improvised explosive devices” (IEDs) could be used by “domestic terrorists” at the RNC. There also will likely be individuals who engage in “black bloc” tactics, cover their face with a mask or bandanna to “conceal their identity” and throw “Molotov cocktails, flaming torches or acid-filled eggs at law enforcement,” according to a joint bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation. And the “anarchists” could come by sea, the Coast Guard reports.

A variety of links to articles/interviews/speeches on current issues that may be of interest.

Once again Mitt Romney’s team has managed to raise significantly more in donations than did President Obama’s campaign during the last month. According to the two campaigns, Romney’s side brought in roughly $25 million more in July than Obama did for his election effort.

Gods Bless America! If this wasn’t the GOP, I’d swear these folks are high. The website RNCLatino.com, designed as outreach to Hispanic voters, used a photo of children found on Shutterstock.com with the following tags: “activity, asia, asian, cheeks, children, cool, cute, enjoy, expression, friend, friendship, funny, future, gang, grass, group, happy, humor, interracial, japanese, joy, jump, kid, link, love, park, people, person, play, poor, relax, sleep, small, smile, social, spring, student, study, summer, sweet, thailand, together, trendy, union, united, young, youth.”

A variety of links to articles/interviews/speeches on current issues that may be of interest.

I expect that the professional anti-LGBTs will not like what head of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, had to say about employment nondiscrimination and the LGBT community Sunday on Meet the Press.