GOING EXTRA INNINGS

Mary Beth and I made it home last night but first we made a stop at Fenway Park in Boston to see the Red Sox play. Childhood friends of MB (she grew up in Cambridge) had tickets and took us to the game. It's a beautiful old ball park and it is virtually impossible to get into a game these days because they are sold out well in advance for every game.

I actually am a Baltimore Orioles fan, they are mired in 4th place with 8 straight years of losing seasons. But a fan is always a fan!

Back at work today I had a ton and a half of things to get caught up with. Among my big jobs on the to do list is getting ready for the Vancouver World Peace Forum at the end of this month. The Global Network is coordinating the track of space issues at the forum. All have been organized for several months but the forum staff keep changing the meeting room venues of our events. Each time I think I can confidently advertise them, another change comes. Very frustrating. So if you are planning to come to Vancouver check with me about the location of the events.

The news brings the sad story about three prisoners at Guantanamo hanging themselves. What is most sickening is the "spin" the U.S. military has put on this story. A Pentagon spokesman had this to say about the suicides: "They are smart, they are creative, they are committed. They have no regard for life, neither ours nor their own. I believe this was not an act of desperation, but an act of asymmetrical warfare waged against us." -- Rear Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., Commander, Joint Task Force, Guantánamo

Can you believe this? Here Bush has been holding these people, without charges or a legal avenue to challenge their incarceration, and the Pentagon says the captives are waging war by killing themselves. Such cynical people. These desperate prisoners clearly see no end in sight and prefer to die rather than live in such inhuman conditions. And they are the ones who don't value life! It makes me furious.

So even after going to a baseball game for one day, escaping a bit, I am now back in the middle of the fight for justice and to end this insane war. I read today that the Bush team wants to keep 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq forever. We are in for a long struggle to try to end this war. This Iraq war is going extra innings I am afraid.