VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS from the Tucson Tea Party. Those — like Andrew Sullivan — who wonder what the Tea Parties are about might profitably watch.

FROM GERARD VAN DER LEUN, a picture from the Seattle Tea Party protest.

Plus, from Jason Whitworth, a picture from the Memphis Tea Party.

And, from Michael Cummins, this picture from Fort Lauderdale.

And reader Teodora Stanev sends this from Dallas.

PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD?

DON’T CRY FOR ME, Venezuela.

SO I COVERED THE KNOXVILLE TEA PARTY LIVE, with an experimental (I kludged it together myself!) wireless broadband camera rig consisting of a JVC pro DV camera firewired into my Macbook Pro, then connecting to PJTV studios over iChat using a Verizon broadband card. It worked pretty well — but, mostly, I was just relieved that it worked. You can see segments here and here. (You’ll have to click the last tab at the bottom on the second one.)

KANSAS CITY STAR: Desperate to Dismiss The Tea Parties. “Democrats and other skeptics are desperate to dismiss the tea parties that popped up across the country today. . . . This eagerness to explain away this movement is telling, suggesting the skeptics see these gatherings as a real threat. Certainly the tea parties have an anti-Obama slant, but what we’re seeing is something outside the normal dynamics of Democrat-Republican tension. . . . It isn’t clear yet what the tea party movement is all about, but it can’t be dismissed as something that simply arose from shadowy GOP organizers.”

A LOT MORE GENEROUS WITH OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY THAN WITH HIS OWN. “Between 1998 and 2006, Joe Biden contributed between $120 and $380 a year to charity, according to his tax returns, on AGIs of $210,000 to $321,100. Imagine if he hadn’t been thinking of running for president.”

A REPORT FROM LANSING: “The grounds of the state Capitol were packed with protesters today, as several thousand Michiganders turned out for one of the national Tea Party demonstrations against excess taxation, government regulation and assorted other maladies. An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people showed up for the midday event, one of dozens across the state and hundreds nationally.”

Plus, a report from Columbia, S.C. Also, this: “Thousands of people gathered in front of the Statehouse and around the state today to boo big government, socialism and taxes while enthusiastically cheering Gov. Mark Sanford and his stance on not accepting federal stimulus money.”

Plus, unhappiness with the establishment: California Tea Party to California GOP: Smackdown. “Will this make the MSM coverage? It doesn’t fit the narrative. But it’s yet another demonstration that this movement is not partisan and equal opportunity when it comes to holding politicians’ feet to the fire for fiscal irresponsibility and fecklessness.”

And Protest Babes! And a photo gallery from CNET News.

UPDATE: Hartford Courant: Hartford Tea Party Draws Thousands. That can’t make Chris Dodd feel any better.

Plus, Charlottesville pics. And lots more from Chicago.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Columbus, Ohio: Thousands Converge On Statehouse To Protest Gov’t Spending, Bailouts.

“WHY I TOOK MY FAMILY TO A TEA PARTY.”

TITANIC CUISINE.

THE ERA OF HOPE AND CHANGE: Economic Survivalists Take Root.

POLITICO: Video from the DC Tea Party.

A NASHVILLE TEA PARTY PICTURE from InstaPundit reader Kathie Fuston who writes: “Hey Glenn, The Nashville Tea Party was a success! PS – I ended the day by stopping by the gun range with my son and friend. Heh.” Indeed.

UPDATE: A picture from Madison, by Ed Picchi, via Troglopundit.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Here’s a big photo and video roundup from across the country.

And, a gallery of photos from Knoxville.

Plus, Bill Quick covers S.F.

And a report on 4-5,000 people tea partying in Tampa.

And Tea Party video from Rome, Georgia. Reader Gerald Hogan writes: “All the tea parties are not in urban areas.” Indeed.

Reader Steve Barnett sends this picture from Indianapolis.

More: Thousands gather for tea parties across East Tennessee.

Plus, Knoxville Tea Party video from Lauren Spuhler of Knoxnews.com.

IS THAT WHAT’S GOING ON? Tax Receipts Plummet as Americans ‘Go Galt’.

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE a Sniper School instructor.

ARNOLD KLING: Why Health-Care Reform Is Hard.

BRINGING KIDS UP RIGHT with the PlayMobil Wine Bar.

REASON TV: Tax Facts to make your head explode: “Is it patriotic to pay taxes? And if so, who the most patriotest Americans? Who are the least?”

Yeah, I had it before, but it’s worth repeating today.

ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: Is Yale prepared for a zombie attack?

I dunno, but they could start here.

TUCSON TEA PARTY VIDEO will be live-streamed by the Arizona Star.

DANGEROUS diet supplements.

TAXPROF: Hidden taxes.

FRONT PAGE! The New York Times covers a protest.

LAW PROFESSOR blog rankings.

CHECK OUT PJTV for lots of Tea Party coverage today. Current live stream is here.

Also, lots of stuff via Twitter.

UPDATE: Reader Jay Brinker sends this cellphone pic from Cincinnati:

And here’s another pic from reader J. Binik-Thomas who writes: “Vine street closed. Fountain square full. Estimate 4000-4500.” People are still arriving.

Reader Steven Pelton writes from Rochester:

This morning at 11:00, I took my toddler daughter to our local tea party behind the federal building in downtown Rochester. There had to have been at least 500 people at 11, but I had to leave early (lunch time for the toddler, you know). Maybe 500-700, but people were still coming when we were leaving.

A few Paulicans (“America is a surveillance state”, etc.), a few evangelists, but everyone was very nice, helpful (especially to a guy with a bulky stroller), and upbeat. Sorry I’m not sending any pictures. The one thing I forgot was the camera. Hopefully someone will send them on soon. It’s still going on, so hopefully any later reports have the numbers at much bigger than 500-700.

Stay tuned. And reader James Woolery writes from Napa:

I took the first two hours of my work day off as vacation so I could go to the Tea Party in downtown Napa before heading into the hospital in Vallejo to do consultations.

There were about 200 protesters at the gathering, which was quiet and good-natured. People assembled on Main Street downtown in front of the office of Mike Thompson, our local US Congressman, a Democrat. (He did not seem to be in at the time!) There were people of all ages, but the majority appeared to be boomers. Being a veteran of anti-Vietnam War protests in my youth, it was striking to witness the tone of this gathering, which was peaceful in the extreme, entirely moderate (the most raucous expression of protest was a guy beating on a drum in a sort of Revolutionary War tattoo!)…

There were no counter-protesters or agents provocateurs.

I was suprised and encouraged that there were as many as 200 people in the Napa Valley who would attend a gathering like this.

Many who drove down Main Street past the protesters honked in support!

I asked a woman who took a photo of the whole group to forward it to you; I’m not certain that will happen, but I hope so.

Word will get out. Plus, pics from Harrisburg, PA via Roger Baumgartner.

And a reader who prefers anonymity writes from Louisville:

I just got back from the Louisville Tea Party – what a great time. Approximately 1,000 – 1,500 participants, tons of signs, kids, veterans, moms, etc. who braved cold temperatures to express their 1st Amendment rights in downtown Louisville. The speakers were impassioned, educated on the issues, and explicitly non-partisan (“This is NOT a Democrat or Republican thing! This is an American thing!”). Three local news vans on site, and a visit from Newsweek’s Howard Fineman – who came away impressed, I think, by some of the speakers. Our local organizer and her husband are political newbies and did a fantastic job planning the rally – music, speakers, logistics, etc. went off without a hitch. No violence, no political confrontations, just fed-up Kentuckians and Hoosiers venting a little bit.

Yeah, it’s freezing here, too. Where’s my #@#$ global warming when I need it?

Reader Thomas Kubilius reports from Pittsburgh:

I just got back from the Pittsburgh Tea Party Protest in Market Square in Pittsburgh.

I saw 2,000-3,000 of the most well behaved protestors you could imagine. Except for the signs, you’d think it was a charity event. I saw one police officer, and he was just making sure that traffic moved through the square in an orderly fashion. They had Tea Party staff walking the crowd to keep things orderly, but all I saw was a polite, attentive crowd.

A couple of young girls from a hair dresser’s school nearby stopped to heckle for all of 2 minutes. After some shouting back and forth, they moved on. Money says that’s the part that makes the news, as that was the only time I saw anything that looked like a TV camera.

More when I have time. But here’s a pic from Austin, TX courtesy of reader Chris Stacy, who reports: “This is the earlier of two tea parties scheduled in Austin today. I’d put the crowd in excess of 1000.”