Rand Paul Tweets About Federal Hollow Point Bullet Purchases

A hollow point bullet is an expanding bullet that has a pit or hollowed out shape in its tip, often intended to cause the bullet to expand upon entering a target in order to decrease penetration, causing the target to absorb more of the impact and disrupting more tissue as it travels through a body. Hollow point bullets are designed to inflict maximum damage to their targets. They're not practice rounds. The purpose of hollow points is to kill and maim.

Mitt Romney Budget would "Have to Raise Burdens on Middle Class"

 of the Mitt Romney budget plan. The analysis is part hypothetical because Romney has not specified any specific loopholes that he would close to make up for the lost revenue from cutting the marginal tax rate. However, the report finds that if Mitt Romney does makes good on the promises he has proposed, the middle-class will necessarily bear the burden of higher taxes.

Mitt Romney Budget would \Have to Raise Burdens on Middle Class\

 of the Mitt Romney budget plan. The analysis is part hypothetical because Romney has not specified any specific loopholes that he would close to make up for the lost revenue from cutting the marginal tax rate. However, the report finds that if Mitt Romney does makes good on the promises he has proposed, the middle-class will necessarily bear the burden of higher taxes.

Disturbing Trend: "Green on Blue" Attacks in Afghanistan

(Department of Defense/PBS)

July was a bleak month for the U.S. military. In Afghanistan, July set a grim record as the most deadly month of 2012 for U.S. soldier casualties. Military higher ups are scrambling to make sense of this spike in violence.

Disturbing Trend: \Green on Blue\ Attacks in Afghanistan

(Department of Defense/PBS)

July was a bleak month for the U.S. military. In Afghanistan, July set a grim record as the most deadly month of 2012 for U.S. soldier casualties. Military higher ups are scrambling to make sense of this spike in violence.

The Week in Syria

(Photo: Reuters)

Fighting between the army of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Free Syrian Army raged in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, the largest in the country, with rebels taking land near the airport.

Update: "Media Scrutiny Theater" Latest Video

As a follow-up to my previous post which profiled NPR's broadcast "On the Media" and its feature "Media Scrutiny Theater", I'm updating with their latest video posted yesterday. The video comments on an ad which was funded by President Obama's super PAC attacking Mitt Romney and his healthcare policy record. It exemplifies the media tactics used to manipulate public opinion.

Welcome to "Reporting Live" on IVN

Welcome to the blog "Reporting Live" on IVN. Here, we will host live blogs, videos, Google Hangouts, Tweet Chats, interviews, and other live reporting. Coming up soon we will be coming to you live from the Republican National Convention.  You can also look forward to live social media workshops, writing tutorials, and behind the scenes coverage from the office.

See you here soon!