Not much in the convention proper, but a hot time in the old town yesterday afternoon.  I did a quick little ride on my scooter down to The Perimeter, but could go on my many of the streets I was on yesterday:  Riots.  Riding back home I saw mini-vans loaded up with turtle-suit clad policemen.  When I see guys like that, I usually head in the other direction.

There was a peaceful anti-war anti-GOP march, but of course that didn't get as much press as the nut cases.  And nut cases they were.

Black outfits (why is it the "I'm against the group" people always seem to dress the same?  Is there an Anarchist's Dress Code book out there somewhere??), bandannas hiding their identities ("Hi Mom!  I'm in Saint Paul busing windows!"), and Really Bad Hair on everyone.  Except, of course, the fierce bald guys.  Well... and the fierce bald chicks, too.

I think the cops were pretty restrained, all things considered.  I'm sure there was occasional overreacting, but I saw more than one picture of a policeman surrounded by anarchists.  The cop is down on the ground and he's shooting his pepper spray into the crowd surrounding him.  What do expect the guy to do?  He's reacting the way he's trained...not taking out his gun...he's doing the right thing.

At the end of the day, I imagine we'll find that the vast majority of those anarchist idiots are from out of town.  Lock 'em up for a goodly time, let 'em out and make them clean the streets up, fine the hell out of them for the damage.

We are a good state for protest.  But we know how to do it.  And we don't do it by throwing bricks through big plate glass windows.