DNC Day 7

Spent most of the day catching up on sleep and touring Boston.

Fun place to sightsee ... particularly with the "T" (train / subway) system. We've gotten pretty good at getting around the place, wish Texas could figure out how to build one (Dallas has a good start, will try to work towards a Houston light rail system that goes somewhere other than hotels & the Super Bowl :-( ).

Had a very sobering experience (with pictures) with / at the "Free Speech Zone". Even the police call it "The Pen".

Two fairly narrow entrances, twelve-foot fence, barbed wire and some sort of netting across the top. I have about 30 pictures, wish I had video.

It has the definite feel of a cage/jail. There's one tiny stage at one end of the area which I estimate *might* hold a few hundred people. At the time that we went there not too many people were around (roughly 4-5PM, well before the convention came in session).

The oppresiveness was palpable.

Apparently by design, one side of the fence faced the buses in which the delegaes arrived. Again, the
fence and the netting on top were to protect the delegates from any hurled material(s); protesters
were within about 20 feet of the bus area.

All I can write for now. I *do* have pix which I'll post after I get back if anyone is interested.