Freedom Cage

You can't get there from here...

Denver - My first task today was to locate the DNC approved "free speech" zone, a 47,000-square foot zone of parking lot A, enclosed with a double row of 10 foot metal barricades some 300 yards from the Democratic convention, out of site and definitely not on the minds of the Democratic delegates.
I set out from the Civic Center bus station and took the free and usually frequent shuttles up the 16th Street mall to Market Street. It's one thing to encounter the ubiquitous Starbucks or McDonald's. But I didn't expect to run into Wackenhut, the same private security firm that patrols PDX and even provided security at Obama's huge Waterfront rally.

For the credentialed, it was just a few block's walk to the gates separating the insiders from the outcasts. I made it only so far until I was directed to the freedom cage. How to get there? A long... walk.

The security zone walling in the DNC encompassed several blocks to the south of the Pepsi Center. I tried to continue my quest with public transportation (rumor had it that the cage was best accessible from the the commuter train stop at Invesco field. But as it turned out, only Convention goers were allowed so far. All others were kicked off stops farther away.

In the end I didn't make it. Today, the Democratic establishment won out. Free speech was essentially thwarted.

As convention begins, no protesters in 'Freedom Cage'
Nick Juliano
Published: Monday August 25, 2008

DENVER -- Fears of confrontation between police and protesters outside the Democratic National Convention seem to have been overblown. As Democrats gathered for their convention's first night at the Pepsi Center, there were no protesters to be seen in the fenced in free speech zone a few hundred yards away. [More...]

Denver or Bus'sed!

A Roadtrip

the beginning

It was a picture perfect morning in Portland. Although I didn't know exactly where to get on the Bus, I knew the vicinity and had an hour to find it before our 11am planned departure.

The new bus was easy to spot a couple blocks away with its oversized button logo exhorting all to "Get on the Bus!" which was the cheer delivered by we Denver bound twenty at 11:30 before boarding. It was a cheer which seemed to command the arrival of Bus Project founder, Jefferson Smith who then boarded a few minutes later. As "Ben from Aloha" took to the driver's seat, Ian Greenfield shouted from the back that we were good to go, and at a quarter of noon, we were off.

I credit karma for this over the top of the Rockies road trip. It was a couple months ago when Jefferson suckered me into supporting a piece of the new bus in what turned out to be a double bait and switch (and he doesn't even know me!). When the Bus Project announced a fundraiser featuring Jim Hightower and it turned out to be just around the corner from home, I knew I had to go. But then as bad luck would have it, Jim's flight was canceled (as if the airline would just cancel a flight!). The show went on without him nevertheless and later, when Jeff was offering bits of bus parts to sponsor, I was eager to put my money down on the speedometer; except I thought the devise in question was a Speedo-meter, something a kin to what a pantie inspector might use. Regardless, it's getting us to Denver at just over 60 mph (unless hill are involved).

The Project bus 2.0 is a sweet ride. It's got working A/C and a nice sound system that was playing KBOO as I took my seat, which surprised me given the gospel music format. (Jesus Loves Me had just been requested by a Monty Green.) Before long the station was switched to OPB and we enjoyed a few mintues of NPR's "Wait, wait, Don't tell me" (which I'd likely be listening to at home after watching the Sunday morning talking heads). We're just 20 people right now in this 40 plus seater, so at some point over the mountains, I expect people to be sacked out, emergency shelter style. Although the bathroom policy of the last bus was "Don't use the bathroom," there is serious discussion about having a second christening before we get to Denver. (Although he or she who deals it, cleans it... all up afterwards. If the bus had wi-fi, it would be perfect.

We filled up in Troutdale... $330.22.

Denver Convention

Our team left a soggy PDX and arrived yesterday in Denver and were greeted with 74° and sunny skies. We woke up to this.