CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Outer Cape Health and Urgent Care Services

For those of us that live on the Outer Cape, I'm sure everyone has a story about an injury they sustained and then favored home treatment rather than trekking to Cape Cod Hospital. I have one such story involving an onion, a thumb and a rather sharp knife. You should have seen the blood!

As an officer of OCHS, I am thrilled that after much discussion by the board and our CEO, Roberta Berrian, M.D. we have recently intiated urgent care services at our PTown and Wellfleet facilities. Of course, there are still cases that will have to be sent to CCH. However, for a variety of illnesses and accidents (those requiring suturing, for example), patients will be able to be treated here rather than going to Hyannis.

Our program is run in conjunction with our practice partner, Beth Israel Deaconess and will be staffed this summer by BIDMC trauma doctors that will be housed here throughout the summer. Jayne Sheehan, Senior VP of Emergency Services at BIDMC has been an enormous support to us in getting this project off the ground.

We are grateful that we are able to provide this summer service to our patients and summer visitors.

Bruce Bierhans

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Some Reflections On Patriotism, July 4, 2009

                                                   Some Reflections On Patriotism, July 4, 2009

 "The Senator from Wisconsin cannot frighten me by exclaiming, "My country, right or wrong." In one sense I say so too. My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."

                              Senator CARL SCHURZ, R. Minn., remarks in the Senate, February 29, 1872.

 "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron".

 President DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, R., speech April 16, 1953, Am. Society of Newspaper Editors

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

 President DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, R. farewell address to American People January 17, 1961.

 "And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

 President JOHN F. KENNEDY, D., inaugural address January 20, 1961.

              There really isn't much more to be said about patriotism, the genuine patriotism that demands intelligence, awareness, reason, selflessness and, above all, compassion.  As Eisenhower said every gun, warship or missile produced by the corporate elite in the military-industrial complex, the Halliburtons, the Bechtel Corporations, the KRBs, the Exxon-Mobils the arms manufacturers, enabled by their henchmen in today's Republican Party, takes food, clothing and shelter away from us and our fellow citizens.  

              The reality of Eisenhower's vision has never been in sharper focus than today, with an overseas resource war to benefit the petroleum industry, a war costing a trillion dollars or so going to the corporate elite through no-bid contracts granted by the Bush administration.  Meanwhile, here at home, we ordinary citizens are losing our homes, losing our retirement security, going without adequate health care and falling farther and farther behind in our ability to meet our basic economic needs.

             As Sen. Carl Schurz said, a genuine patriot believes in America right or wrong, when right to be kept right and when wrong to be set right, and the need for setting things right is as urgent today, after eight years of the Bush administration's corruption and bungling, as it has ever been.  The need for us all to ask what we can do for America as JFK urged, instead of just asking what's in it for us, has never been more critical.

             It's all very well  for us all to fly the flag today, and watch the fireworks spectacle tonight, as I am doing.  But that's not really what patriotism is made of.  That's just the easy part, like singing "God Bless America" and feeling so good about ourselves. 

             But let's also try practicing what we preach by doing the more difficult things required of us as patriots, as suggested by the three true American patriots quoted above.  Unlike the GOP political hacks that got us enmired in needless, costly oversees wars and mismanaged us into economic collapse, let's really listen to these three wise men, two Republicans and One Democrat, two former Army generals and one former Navy officer who actually fought in combat, let's really understand what they were telling us, and then let's practice it. 

            A good place for us all to start, on both the left and the right, is first to recognize that America has been led astray over the past eight years by extreme right wing ideology manifested in the Bush/Cheney GOP, and it needs to be set right.  Then, the truest expression of patriotism for Americans today, is to support President Obama's efforts to set America right after inheriting the mess created by eight years of GOP greed, venality and mismanagement in foreign policy, domestic policy and the economy.  

          That will require  that we put our petty ideological concerns aside, including the notion that there is only one valid economic model be it capitalism or socialism, and the notion that supporting overseas war by waving the flag and "supporting the troops " is the only true form of patriotism or the equally pernicious notion that America has  no legitimate interests which require the deployment of our military.  The difficult part is to put such preconcieved notions aside and to  think critically and   evaluate each substantive issue in terms of what will work best in the interest of all Americans, as consistent with our Constitution and our democratic ideals.  Flag decals just don't cut it.

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Falmouth to Brewster-Photo Essay

Wildlife and Scenery from Highfield to Nickerson

Welcome to the latest editon of The Poet's Perspective. I'll be presenting a photo essay consisting of shots from Falmouth all the way to Brewster.

      Summer is definitely in full swing, with seasonal visitors swarming and the end of our Biblical deluge of the past week. Fried seafood and early evening walks bring much-needed rewards to the weary and overworked.

      It's nice to see kids, jubilant from their recent release, basking in the sunshine and frolicking in the freedom that only early summer affords.

     I hope you enjoy the photos! You'll find me well off the beaten path.

   The Shoreline Near Nobska-Woods Hole

The Newly Restored Highfield Hall,

Former Home of The Lilly Family, of Pharmaceutical Fame.

An enormous Weeping Birch towers over The Estate.

Upland from Highfield is Beebe Woods

Form follows function for this ancient tree.

It started as two trees, then joined as one!

A Bamboo Grove nestled in Beebe Woods

The Skyward View, Mimosa Rises above Bamboo

Did the Lillys discard this old hospital gurney?

Highfield's Servant's Quarters

When I was a teen we were able to walk around the inside, as it was wide open

The original architecture is stunning.

                                 Tours of Highfield Hall are available with limited hours.

  56 Highfield Dr
        Falmouth, MA

     (508) 495-1878

The next photo was taken in Mashpee. It shows a view of the Mashpee River, stunning in it's beauty. It's a bit of a hike to reach this vista, but well worth it.

This coyote posed for me in a yard in Centerville, near Bay Lane.

Though  it was unususal to get so close to one in the daytime, its behavior was more curious than aggressive

A Red Tailed Hawk stalks sparrows

in South Yarmouth. The sparrows were launching a counter-attack, screeching and

pecking the hawk in unison.

Photo By Brandon Mayo

Little Cliff Pond In Brewster- Natural Beauty

The twisted roots of Highbush Blueberry

A Bullfrog awaits lunch

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.

May summer be happy and fruitful for all!

 Copyright 2009 Jonathan Mayo

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Obamas to add presidential color to the Inkwell; Meow X 3; Registry to close two Cape offices; Cape on list of ten healthiest beaches

TODAY's quotes: "People are going to lose their minds," said Tonya Lewis Lee, left, wife of the filmmaker Spike Lee, who has a seaside house in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard near the Inkwell beach, so called because its chief patrons are black.
"I saw the black SUV flying in the air..." Maria Francescon, right, of Mansfield describing the view through her windshield on the Sagamore Bridge yesterday afternoon around 2:30.

From CapeCatMan: Left to right - Henry, Nicholas and Alexandra. Henry is only about ten months old. The vet says that Nicholas is a "small to medium sized Maine Coon." This makes their human parent think that Henry will be at least as large as Nicholas, since Maine Coons grow until they are three years old. Nicholas and Alexandra are six years old this month.

 Obamas to add presidential colour to the Inkwell

The Inkwell Beach along Beach Road in Oak Bluffs is at the bottom of Waban Park. A beautiful swimming spot, the Inkwell has traditionally been a meeting place for African American families and visitors. There is a dawn swimming group and activities continue throughout the day.

It is America's classiest summer playground and has been a favourite with Democratic presidents from Kennedy to Clinton.  Now Barack Obama and his family plan to spend some time next month on the glamorous island of Martha's Vineyard.

Just off Cape Cod in New England, it is where the Democratic elite come to let their hair down each summer, enjoying clambakes on the beach, garden parties, sailing and golf. It has long been a favourite haunt of Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, who is now US Secretary of State.

The Secret Service has been looking since the spring for a suitably large, secure compound to accommodate the President and his entourage.

Their destination is also where generations of the Kennedy political clan traditionally went to blow off steam. President John F. Kennedy loved sailing across the bay from the family compound on Cape Cod. His younger brother, Senator Ted Kennedy, saw his presidential ambitions come to grief in Chappaquiddick, part of Martha's Vineyard, when he crashed after leaving a party. Mary Jo Kopechne, a young secretary and campaign worker, was found drowned in his abandoned car... The Age.
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Registry of Motor Vehicles plans to close 11 offices
Falmouth and Eastham among those to close

The branches will close, in the following order, between July and September: Lowell, North Attleborough, Cambridge (Cambridgeside Galleria), New Bedford, Springfield (Eastfield Mall), Southbridge, Framingham, Falmouth, Eastham, and Beverly. The Chinatown branch will close in December. Mitigation branches will open at the Cape Cod Canal Visitors center at the Sagamore Bridge.

Customers should expect longer wait times as the state Registry of Motor Vehicles closes 11 branch offices to cope with a $13 million hit in this year's state budget, Registry officials said today... Kaprielian acknowledged that "things are going to get a little crunched" but said that customer service remains the agency's "North Star." The Registry's busiest branch, in Chinatown, which draws 289,000 customers a year, will close... Globe.
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Ptown makes America's healthiest beach and lake getaways list of Top Ten

We know your summer vacation time is precious: You want to land where you can truly relax, breathe fresh air, get in some exercise and eat well -- without breaking the bank. That's why we teamed up with a panel of travel and health experts to help us find the healthiest of the nation's most popular beach and lake towns.

...and worth every one of those (s)miles.

They evaluated air and water quality, the abundance of parks, the cost of a hotel room and more to zero in on the top 10 healthiest getaways. When you're ready for that much-deserved vacay, you won't go wrong with one of these 10 shore bets.

1. Tybee Island, Georgia
A barrier island about 18 miles east of Savannah, low-key Tybee boasts a 3-mile stretch of beach that our judges labeled "magnificent," complete with gorgeous water. "The beaches here rarely have water-quality problems," says panelist and water-quality expert Nancy Stoner, who is very picky about where she dips a toe in...

10. Provincetown, Massachusetts
This outermost tip of Cape Cod had the highest score in water quality of all our towns. "Both beaches, Herring Cove and Race Point, passed every water-quality test with flying colors," judge Stoner says. Both offer kayaking, sailing and even sand-dune hiking.

The town is bike-friendly, too. So why did it come in at number 10? The hotels are on the expensive side, and there weren't as many healthy-food options.

Stay here: At the Land's End Inn (starting at $305 per night), you can have breakfast overlooking the water. The Anchor Inn Beach House (starting at $195 per night) will set up gear rentals and water excursions... CNN.

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1967: Cape Cod is blacked out for the Fourth

Big jump in births nine months later at area hospitals

 On this day in 1967 Cape Cod was blacked out and a baby boom followed nine months later. Because this occurred on the biggest holiday week of the year, the confusion was extensive, and many visitors tried to leave the Cape to escape the darkness but their progress was hampered by the absence of working traffic lights.

This reporter had recently started working at The Cape Codder weekly in Orleans, and I got on the phone to a NYC radio station to report what was going on here. One GOOD NEWS news  was that relatives whom I hadn't heard from in years contacted me after the lights went on. The BAD NEWS was that relatives whom I hadn't heard from in years contacted me after the lights went on.

Another result was that resourceful Cape Codders, denied their televisions and movies for a night, did "what comes naturally", and area hospitals here showed a significant increase in new births starting nine months later. A newspaper report is below, but come back tomorrow and see "the rest of the story."

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Rhode Island Challenges Federal Ban By Authorizing Cultivation And Sale Of Marijuana

Originally published, July 1, 2009, by University of Pittsburgh Law School publication, The Jurist.

Despite the glamorization on the hit Showtime series ‘Weeds’, flashy documentaries on CNBC delving into the business side of California’s multi-billion dollar annual cannabis industry derived from Californian’s unprecedented 13-year old legal access to medical cannabis products—qualifying patients in the state (and there are hundreds of thousands of them currently) can access high-quality medical cannabis via 24/7 vending machines in cities like Los Angeles—is Rhode Island the little state that is saying ‘yes we cannabis’ the loudest via their legislature?

‘Californication’ Of Cannabis
While California is clearly at the vanguard of implementing major legal and policy changes in seeming conflict with the federal government’s 72-year old cannabis prohibition laws, in fact little ol’ Rhode Island is on the precipice of effectively breaking the federal government’s ban on the cultivation and sale of cannabis by joining New Mexico as the only states favoring medical cannabis laws to have state-sanctioned medical cannabis cultivators and retail outlets for qualifying medical patients.

While there are an estimated 1,800-2,000 medical cannabis dispensaries (or in the new post Mentch parlance, cannabis wellness centers) in California alone, few of them are genuinely, legally sanctioned under state laws to sell cannabis in a retail environment. However, this blooming of cannabis wellness centers in California has happened under the full view of law enforcement, state policy makers and the public health community. Californians have ‘Main Street’ access to cannabis in many parts of the Golden State, which has evolved entirely organically—in other words, the mores and values of most Californians largely accept cannabis use, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes.

A recent Field poll of California voters affirms this with 56% support for outright legalization.

In Rhode Island, there is no highly refined ‘cannabis culture’, or longstanding public cannabis law reform efforts to speak of—unlike Californians that have publicly debated ‘legalizing’ cannabis on numerous statewide ballot initiatives and legislative proposals going back to the early 1970s—yet, Rhode Island’s legislators, from both parties and chambers, in opposition to the Governor and numerous federal government’s anti-drug bureaucracies (i.e., DEA, ONDCP, NIDA, DOJ, FBI, etc…) first passed a ‘self-preservation’ medical cannabis law two years ago [a ‘self-preservation’ medical cannabis model is defined as a qualified patient, for which a severely limited number of medical ailments qualify for cannabis use (i.e., Cancer, AIDS, Glaucoma, Epilepsy and MS), can legally possess or grow a small amount of cannabis; there is no legal retail access to cannabis, seeds or plant cuttings (clones)].

The Little State That Says To Washington: ‘Yes We Cannabis!’
However, Rhode Island legislators, only two years after passage of the original medical cannabis laws, recognized that a self-preservation model is inadequate to serve the needs of sick, dying or sense-threatened patients who need whole-smoked cannabis and edibles. Again, in full opposition to the Governor and federal agencies, overrode their second veto to establish Rhode Island as the first bona fide state to legally sanction and license third parties to cultivate and sell cannabis (in the case of Rhode Island, the recent medical cannabis legislation has provided initial approval to three medical cannabis wellness centers for the entire state).

While New Mexico may have officially been the first state to pass legislation in 2007 that allows for the state-sanctioned distribution of medical cannabis to qualified patients, the medical cannabis program has been very slow to get-off-the-ground, and to date has issued a single permit, and no medical cannabis is expected to be lawfully sold in New Mexico for at least another 6 months to a year. Rhode Island, at its current breakneck speed of passing pro-medical cannabis law reforms, will very likely be the first state out of the gate to effectively end the federal government’s complete prohibition against cannabis distribution by cultivating and harvesting a crop of medical cannabis by early fall.

The Major Legal and Policy Implications Sparked By Rhode Island
If past serves as prologue, under the prior four presidential administrations (Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush), their Departments of Justice most certainly would have raced to federal court and sought to have any state law that allowed medical cannabis to be cultivated and distributed found to be in clear violation of the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, The Single Convention Treaty of 1961 (the international treaty that effectively made cannabis illegal throughout the world) and stare decisis.

Even numerous full-throated law reformers would concede the strong position the federal government had attained after eight decades of zealous enforcement of anti-cannabis laws.

However, Rhode Island’s challenge to the federal government’s cannabis prohibition becomes increasingly interesting to political observers and policy wonks in light of President Obama’s decidedly different take on the latitude he is comfortable providing states to craft their own medical cannabis laws.

To wit, 1) Attorney General Holder indicated in February that the DEA is no longer going to target and harass state compliant medical cannabis providers in states that adopt medical cannabis laws, and 2) In May, the executive branch issued a memorandum, interestingly entitled, ‘Preemption’ to all federal agency heads, in effect instructing them to no longer oppose states (or their voters) seeking greater autonomy to pass laws that may possibly be in conflict with federal laws (i.e., medical cannabis laws, etc…), and to only oppose them if there is a positive conflict with federal laws resulting in genuine risks to national security.

While it is hard to swing a dead cat in the Los Angeles-area these days without hitting the cued up patrons of medical cannabis wellness centers, Rhode Island looks to be the very first state to officially end cannabis prohibition, and the feds appear ready to stand down.

Now, if you’re a cannabis consumer or lover of liberty, this is ‘change’ one can believe in!

Allen St. Pierre is a native of Chatham and the executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in Washington, D.C.

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Imagine that on the 4th in Falmouth

 Falmouth is almost a century older than the U.S.A.

It is interesting that 233 years ago tomorrow, as the ink was drying on the Declaration of Independence and a fledgling nation was emerging in Philadelphia, Falmouth was already 90 years old, ready to celebrate a century of local democracy. 

So, on this anniversary of our nation, as Falmouthites and visitors alike, we should reflect not only on what it means to be an American, but what it means - why we are grateful - to have the privilege to live in our slice of Americana known as Falmouth.

I wonder if our founders, as brilliant and visionary as they were, could have begun to comprehend the meaning that this observance would come to have.

Yes, for many, tomorrow will be filled with an overabundance of food, spirits, and celebrations.  Those commercialized interpretations of the 4^th of July, although important in many of our lives, really miss the point. Here are some thoughts, from a local and national perspective, on what this day of independence mean to me:

Our celebration of America's birthday, as nations in and out of this hemisphere resort to violence as a way to change leaders and have the voices of the people heard, means that we still have the privilege of casting our votes in peace, with no fear of violence, to shout out our democratic voice, recognizing, as did the founders on the first fourth, that power is derived from the "consent of the governed."  Imagine that. It means that we can honor those who fought, thought, wrote, and died to make that peaceful vote possible, this day and every other. Here in Falmouth, it means that opinionated gents like me get to share thoughts on our local democratic experiment - agreeing and disagreeing, praising and criticizing - with the full confidence that those thoughts and opinions are a vital part of the process.  Imagine that.

How about nearly 200 elected Town Meeting Members taking the time this week on a rare sunny June evening to pile into the Lawrence Memorial Auditorium for a Town Meeting - with nothing said from Gadflies Rich Latimer and Dan Shearer? Imagine that!

Having this Special Town Meeting near the eve of our nation's birthday was a fitting tribute to the importance and endurance of our uniquely American form of local government and the citizen-public servants that make it work.  This concept of locals taking time to assist in the workings of local government is a direct result of the citizen-soldiers who took up arms in that conflict so many years ago.  Imagine that.

As 25,000 people pile onto the beaches of Falmouth Heights tomorrow night, most of them will marvel in the fireworks display thanks to the Falmouth Fireworks Committee and over100 of our men and women from the Falmouth Police and Fire Departments will keep everything safe and orderly.  Among those 25,000 will be Falmouth native Ron DeSouza, who knows what it means to serve this great nation as a 20 year veteran of the U.S. Army and has traveled all the way from Oklahoma to catch a glimpse of a hometown 4^th.  Imagine that.

As we enjoy a hot dog or two with family and friends, we can pause to reflect on the current sacrifice of men and women who proudly wear the stars and stripes on their shoulders as they munch on their MREs across the globe.  Today, more than three million men and women serve the United States as active and reserve members of the military.  Imagine that.

Here in Falmouth, our celebration will include village celebrations in Woods Hole, North Falmouth, Teaticket, and East Falmouth, as well as the annual bike parade down Main Street, where the village lines, if only for a day, vanish in favor of a unified Falmouth.  Imagine that.

So here in Falmouth, 233 years after a group of 56 men, ages 26 to 70, gathered to declare our rights to live freely, we continue to do so.  How beautifully simple but incredibly powerful.  Imagine that.

This  column is reprinted from the Falmouth Enterprise. Photo courtesy of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce.

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BREAKING NEWS - Multi-Vehicle Accident on Sagamore Bridge during holiday rush

Sagamore Bridge closed for an hour, traffic basked up 15 miles on Route 3

Firefighters treat one of several victims at an accident scene on the Sagamore Bridge Friday afternoon.

"I saw the black SUV flying in the air..." Maria Francescon of Mansfield descibing the view through her windshield.

BOURNE - 63-year-old Stephen Woodman of Brookline drove up the on ramp at the eastbound lane of Roure 6 near the Christmas Tree Shop around 2:30 Friday afternoon, crossed the two lanes of traffic heading off-Cape over the bridge, and continued head-on into cars coming onto Cape Cod.

In hitting one car head-on, Woodman's SUV flew into the air, turning over in flight, and landed on the front of a car driven by Lily Ng of Brighton.

The ensuing pile-up claimed four vehicles and closed the bridge for an hour during the annual Fourth of July traffic jam leaving  Woodman's SUV three feet above the pavement with the back end of his vehicle hanging over the edge of the bridge,

There were several reported injuries. The accident happened around 2:30 PM Friday (07-03-09).

Woodman was taken to Jordon Hospital in Plymouth and both Ngs to Cape Cod Hospital.

The Sagamore Bridge was closed down for over an hour as rescue crews and police cleared the scene and traffic was backed up for 15 miles on Route 3 southbound coming towards Cape.

(Video and photos by David G. Curran)

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In depth Jim Gordon interview;

TODAY's quote: "I have a lot of respect for Senator Kennedy—I did have a meeting with him. It was a very amicable meeting. …I'm just hoping he will look at the record and recognize that Massachusetts wants a renewable-energy future and that our citizens want a better future for their children. Certainly, I'm hoping he will at some point embrace this project." - Jim Gordon.

Cape Wind president, Cape Cod vacationer, clean-energy pioneer, provocateur

"The oil embargo occurred in 1973 and 1974. I was sitting in a two-block-long gas line waiting to fill up my gas tank. I saw the dislocation that the embargo caused in terms of social disruptions, economic disruptions, and I felt that energy was going to be a very important issue."
                    - Jim Gordon

If you're looking to put up an offshore wind farm in Massachusetts, there are more politically expedient places than smack between the beloved beaches of the Cape and Islands. But there are not, Jim Gordon insists, any superior spots from an engineering standpoint. And so, for going on eight years, the Cape Wind founder has pressed on with his fight to construct 130 turbines there. In May, the project secured its final state permit; now all that's left is a "record of decision" from an enthusiastic-sounding Obama Interior Department. Could that come this month (to maximize the public relations tie-in to America's new push for energy independence)? Maybe. But if not, Gordon is prepared to wait as long as it takes.

JIM GORDON: You can't just say, "I want renewable energy, but I want it in someone else's backyard." It's an interesting thing: With oil, coal, and natural gas, you can truck, pipe, or barge it. With wind, you can't do that. You have to locate the facility where the wind is.
...
When the British embargoed salt during the Revolutionary War, the Cape and Islands responded-they had the salty sea and wind, and soon windmills dotted the landscape. In the 1800s, folks from New Bedford, Nantucket, and Cape Cod lit the lamps of industrial machinery by creating energy from whales. In World War II, our ports made ships to fight fascism. We have the marine and cultural heritage; we've responded to urgent challenges all throughout our history. Where better to do this?
...
Whether it's a football stadium or an art museum on Memorial Drive, if you look at any major infrastructure project in Massachusetts, it's not uncommon to have opposition. We have an active democracy... Read the rest of this Boston Magazine interview here and here.

EDITOR's NOTE: This Boston Magazine interview of 2009 reads very much like the opprobrious Cape Cod Times interview of Gordon by then reporter John Leaning written about 2003 which was spiked by then editor Schectman because it was so favorable. The Times had assigned veteran journalist Leaning, the lead reporter on the Cape Wind story, to spend a few days with both Cape Wind's president and Doug Yearley the founder of the Assiance to Protect Nantucket Sound. 
     The two interviews reportedly were like "The Beauty and the Beast", and Schectman refused to let his readers decide bet ween the two men themselves. 
     Read another former Times reporter's pliant here. wb

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The tall ship “Kruzenshtern” arrives at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Free public boarding will be today though Sunday, July 3-5 from 12-5

The tall ship "Kruzenshtern" arrives at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Friday morning (07-03-09). The Kruzenshtern is a 376-foot in length, four-masted barque rig, and the second largest traditional sail training vessel in the world still in operation.

The Academy will host the Class A vessel from July 3-6th. The public is invited to tour the ship during her visit to the Buzzards Bay campus.

Hours for free public boarding will be on July 3-5 from 12:00-5:00. (Video and photo on right by David G. Curran)

The 376-foot long, four-masted barque is the world's second largest

Dusty Rhodes, organizer of Sail Boston stated that the visit would be part of their Sail Massachusetts initiative to invite tall ships to the Commonwealth coastal communities before their arrival in Boston.

Barque Kruzenshtern (shown here in an earlier photo at sea) is part of the Sail Boston event starting on July 8.

KRUZENSHTERN is 376-foot in length, four-masted barque rig, and the second largest traditional sail training vessel in the world still in operation.

The ship was built in 1927 as PADUA in Bremerhave, Germany, and was given to the USSR in 1946 as war reparation after World War II.

She was renamed KRUZENSHTERN after the early 19th century Baltic German explorer in Russian service, Adam Johann Krusenstern (1770-1846).

Since 1990 the vessel has been used as a sail training vessel by the Baltic Academy in Kalingrad, Russia and is supported by Tall Ship Friends, a non-profit organization in Hamburg, Germany.

Sail Boston

There are three dozen tall ships coming to Boston next week, see the list with photos here.

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