Here are some tips for your trip to Vegas, because well, we live here and have this blog.

1.) Your fine hotel, the Rio, is part of the Harrah's empire. Harrah's is extremely friendly to lefties so feel free to gamble right there.

2.) If you do decide to venture outside, it's hotter than Rand Paul's re-upping of the 1964 Civil Rights debate. Drink water.

3.) If you'd like a BPA-free Nevada Netroots water bottle, e-mail erin@progressnownevada.org -- subject Hydrate.

4.) If you want to go Michelle Bachmann hunting, she'll be hanging with the loons Friday at AFP's Right Online confab at Dr. Doofenschmirtz Evil Adelson's Palazzo.

5.) Of course, by hunting, we mean sight-seeing, of course. DO NOT MAKE A FURTIVE MOVEMENT in this town. Our Police like to shoot first. It matters not if you have an MBA, if you're an unarmed recreational drug dealer or if you are simply trying out a new grip on your iPhone -- they will kill you.

6.) If you encounter one of our cops -- on the Strip the bike patrol has the Officer Dangle look -- immediately put your hands on your head. If you're black or brown just immediately hit the ground.

7.) If you want to feel like you've died, you can bungee jump off of the Stratosphere. Seriously. We recommend this as an alternative to a police encounter, which will leave you really, really dead.

8.) Remember that this is Harry Reid Country. You might have heard, he's from Searchlight. We tend to like Harry here in Nevada. And considering the alternative, you should, too.

9.) Speaking of the alternative. If you need video of any of Sharron Angle's more notable statements (not her job to create jobs, spoiled unemployed, abortion causes cancer, God told her to run, women shouldn't work, or get rid of any of the following: Social Security, Medicare, Departments of Education and Energy, the EPA, the VA, the IRS) -- if you'd like video of these notable claims please visit our little project -- http://www.thewrongangle.com

10.) While we don't think Mike Tyson's tiger will be in your bathroom after your first night here, we do encourage you to find your inner Vegas. We'll help you kick things off Wednesday with Happy Hour at McFadden's in the Rio. Get there 5:30 -- DRINKS ARE ON US for an hour anyway -- and we know where the other free parties are.

Have a great convention.

The ProgressNow Nevada team -- progneff; bfades and mflores. (Erin Neff, Brian Fadie and Michael Flores)

We're thrilled the House passed this sensible response to the Citizens United case, and even happier Dina Titus was on board. http://thehill.com/homenews/house/105403-house-approves-campaign-finance-bill-in-219-206-vote

Now we hope they turn to Fair Elections!

http://www.fairelectionsnow.org/

The stakes are high -- and I'm not talking about the Senate or Governor primaries. Voters need to be focused and engaged all the way down the ballot to sheriff and judge and county commissioner.That's why we produced a voter guide to help you. http://www.nevadavoterguide.org

John Ensign signaled the beginning of the end of his political career Friday by establishing a legal defense fund. http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/45114

So, what would you donate to the cause?

You may have seen press accounts (Fox5, Ch. 13, Ch. 8, RJ, Sun, AP) about our little chicken protest Wednesday outside an early voting site in Clark County.

We are pleased Secretary of State Ross Miller has joined in our feathery fun, saying our protest "laid an egg."

So, we hatched this video to show you exactly why we did it. Oh yeah, and you can watch the chicken vote, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjiVk2zItGc

Secretary of State Ross Miller has determined a political action committee can't run an ad supporting Brian Sandoval's bid for governor because the PAC didn't register in Nevada first. http://www.rgj.com/article/20100525/NEWS/100525005/1321/news

So typical of the right-wing cabal not to cross its Ts and dot its Is. Now, we're hoping maybe we can find out who the PAC's donors are. Karl Rove? Are there any real journos left in Nevada to ask?

For those of you who have enjoyed our chicken videos, please take a few minutes to watch our latest installment.

This video was done with collaboration from our members Derek Washington, the chairman of Stonewall Democrats of Southern Nevada, and Jessica Morgan, a fine jazz singer whose stylings made this parody song a smashing success.

And, as in all of our videos, it was brilliantly edited by our own Brian Fadie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLT9izKrpyc

Lyrics were written, with due respect to David Byrne, by our friend in this fight, Craig Varoga.

Of course, we couldn't have brought you any of this fun without a special thanks to Sue Lowden, whose bartering comments continue to drag on and on and on. Better run, run, run, run, run, run, run away.

It's finally here. Our long-awaited Progressive Voter Guide has launched.

Please visit the site and let us know what you think. http://www.nevadavoterguide.org

Some candidates blew us off. So, if you're associated with one of them, you should make sure they contact us to update their info.

erin@progressnownevada.org

After a month of largely ignoring the chicken bartering story, the Review-Journal has a poll of Republican voters out today that shows Sue Lowden's lead has evaporated. http://www.lvrj.com/hottopics/politics/polls/may_2010_1_polls.html

Mind you we consistently find trouble with the RJ's polls. And this one is no exception. The bartering question is clearly written wrong, but even at that, it shows Chicken Sue has impacted 15 percent of GOP primary voters.

In a race where Sharron Angle is now just about within the margin of error, those 15 points really matter.

This has been a good week for the local environment. First, the Clark County Commission (with the exception of Steve Sisolak) approved a resolution naming Gold Butte a National Conservation Area. Then Sen. Harry Reid introduced a bill to block the highly-controversial Sloan Hills gravel pit. http://www.lvrj.com/news/reid-bill-would-block-sloan-hills-gravel-pit-plan-92876374.html

After Red Rock Canyon took a beating at the hands of Sisolak, Susan Brager, Tom Collins and Larry Brown on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day -- it's nice to see some progress can still be made in Clark County.

Bravo to Reid for his leadership. 

Sue Lowden's chickens for check-ups has circulated far and wide. On Friday, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson penned another look at the controvery. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/29/AR2010042903667.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

On the same day, Lowden's campaign boss, Robert Uithoven, said the health care reform law was unneeded because all Americans currently have access to health care.

I kid you not. Uithoven told Jeff Gillan (subbing for Jon Ralston) on Face to Face with Jon Ralston that if "I had a bullet hole in my chest, I can go down to UMC and I can get health care."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO-0UFMgmhw

Maybe you thought Lowden's chicken comments were taken out of context. Or maybe you've bought the argument that she doesn't really literally mean you should bring a chicken to the doctor.

We consider it out-of-touch. And when Uithoven defends chickens by suggesting we should all flood our public hospital with chest wounds (and presumably every last sniffle), you once again can see how out of touch the Lowden campaign is.