CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Following the Money

Who is Osterville's Bill Koch's guy in Congress 

A thought crossed my mind the other day.  Who's Bill Koch's guy in the Congress? His business is so vast that he needs to be a player in Washington. 

Large corporations these days have dispensed with individual contributions for political candidates.  The federal limits are too low. For the most part, they hide behind PACs or they hire lobbyists to influence legislation regardless of who gets elected.  (On right; Koch and his Modigliani in his Osterville living room)

The only way to tell who's buying influence now is to wait for the reports that the lobbyists and the PACs have to file disclosing their patronage. You really need Common Cause to sift through the names to figure out who's buying whom. But here's a peak at how Bill Koch does it with Oxbow, his energy conglomerate. 

KOCHPAC  is the Politcal Action Committee he formed to protect his interests in Washington, business and otherwise.  And surprise surprise, one of its beneficiaries happens to be Congressman Don Young of the infamous Young Amendment that almost killed Cape Wind last year.

Koch Industries Inc. Political Action Committee (KOCHPAC) paid Alaskans for Don Young, (US CONGRESSMAN / ALASKA) 

• $1000 on 6/11/2001,
  
• $1000 on 3/12/2002 ,
• $1000 on 3/12/2002,
  
• $1000 on 5/8/2002,
  
• $2000 on 9/19/2002,
  
• $2000 on 1/21/2003,
  
• $2000 on 9/25/2003,
  
• $3000 on 9/25/2003,
  
• $1000 on 1/8/2004,
  
• $2000 on 9/16/2004,
  
• $1000 on 3/7/2004,
  
• $1000 on 5/11/2005,
  
• $2500 on 6/2/2005,
  
• $500 on 12/14/2005,
  
• $5000 on 12/14/2005,
  
• $1000 on 3/7/2007,
  
• for a TOTAL  of $27,000 so far.

You can almost see how the payments correlate with Cape Wind's political fortunes in Washington.

Bill Koch rarely contributes to his own PAC,  but he gets his business managers and asssociates to donate to KOCHPAC, and in return it contributes to various and strategic Congressional Election Committees. The limits are much higher, and they can spread their largess around, almost $5 million since 2001.  This is not illegal and is a common practice with Congressmen who accept PAC money.

However, the big boys still can't resist hosting a party or attending a fundraiser for a Congressional candidate every once in a while. But when an individual contributor makes an investment in a candidate, it's pretty easy to track, so they don't do that often. Figuring out if they're hunting in packs is more fun.  With a few clicks, you can then see who the other executives at Oxbow have contributed to recently. And wouldn't you know,  almost always, it's the same few Congressmen.

Wonder who else these guys are buying these days, check it out at the Federal Election Commission site here.

More about Bill Koch, 

• Osterville billionaire oil man behind stealth move to stop the wind farm
• The language gets more specific - it's all about oil
• Oily bedfellows
• Oil and the waters
• Blanchard on Koch
• Oil man, one of America's 400 richest , stopping renewable energy for his view
• 501(c)3
• The monumentally egomaniacal collection from William Koch's closet

Sixty-five reasons to love Cape Cod

 

By Rita Richardson, West Harwich

1.Watching pastel-clad grandchildren pop up on lawns like tulips over April vacation

2.Sunset at Harding's Beach Chatham-- it faces west (above)

3. Relaxing in the sun with beach chair and book at Red River Beach, Harwich

4. Walking or biking the bike path between Harwich and Chatham

5. Thompson's Wildflower Preserve on Rt. 39 in Harwich

6. Fish markets in every direction -- what a selection

7. Clam chowder and lobster rolls

8. Provinceland's vistas

9. An aromatic visit to the Atlantic Spice Company in Truro

10. Shutters in every color from navy blue to park bench green

11. Daffodils along 6A in late spring

12. Cape Cod Lavender Farm in Harwich at harvest (early July)

13. The Ocean House, Dennisport for the view

14. Drinks on the deck of  the Lighthouse Inn , West Dennis (on right)

15. Chillingsworth for bringing at little bit of France to the Cape

16. Brooks, Dennisport and Chase Libraries (Harwich, Dennisport)

17. Movies at the art-deco-inspired Cape Cinema, Dennis-look up at the ceiling

18. The gorgeous expanse of the West Dennis Beach

19. The Cape Cod Guide & the Cape Codder

20. Summer theater

21. Beachcoming at the beach at Harwich Boatworks, Harbor Rd., Harwich

22. Sipping a Cape Codder on my deck at dusk

23. Observing the cranberry bogs turn from garnet, to crimson,  to  chartreuse (that's Linc Thacher's on Great Western Road in West Harwich)

24. Seeing the sun after three days of dreary clouds- ebullient!

25. Homemade ice cream after dinner at 4-Seas, Sunday School, School House,DQ

26. Paine's Creek Inlet, Brewster

27. Treating yourself to fried clams or onion rings at the local " Weatherdeck "

28. Lobster any way, any time

29. Craigville Beach for memories

30. Windmill Festival, Eastham

31. Seaside Festival, Yarmouth (October)

32. Brewster in Bloom (April)

33. Dennis Festival Days (August)

34. Harwich's Cranberry Festival (September)

35. Bourne Scallop Festival (September)

36. Pops by the Sea, Orleans (August)

37. Kelley Chapel, Yarmouthport

38. The high-speed ferry to the Islands

39. Wandering in Wood's Hole

40. Baxter's Boathouse, Hyannis

41. Scrub pine, scotch broom, bayberry bushes along the trails

 42. Shopping in Orleans, Osterville & Chatham

 43. Snow on the beach

 44. Finding your own favorite places; showing them to others

 45. Astronomical high tides (Pleasant Bay on right); Brewster flats at low tide

 46. Spotting sea lavender, pretty but endangered

47. Listening to the phoebe birds "talking"

48. Hearing a distant fog  horn

49. The outer beach at Nauset and the dune shacks

50. Visiting a herring run in spring

51. Strolling historic Sandwich Village

52. Buying a sack of cornmeal from the old gristmill

53. The golf courses that punctuate the Cape--Elysian fields for golfers

54. The fireplace parlor at the Chatham Bars Inn in winter; the porch in summer

55. Salivating at the salt water taffy stand in Yarmouth

56. The Christmas Tree Shops and Ocean State Job Lot for bargains

57.Windmill on the cove by the rotary in Orleans

58. Walking the circuit from Cedar Maple Swamp to Cap'n Penniman House

59. Appreciating the unique architecture of the library in East Dennis—go inside

60. Antiquing along 6A

61. Yard Sale bonanzas Memorial and Labor Day Weekends

62. Enjoying the charm of the Brewster bookstore—perfect spot on a rainy day

63. Supporting the Farmers' Markets- go early- local products sell out

64. Pain d'Avignon on Airport Road in Hyannis-- Cape's own patisserie

65. Arctic snow (below at Eastward Ho in Chatham ON Pleasant Bay)

PLEASE feel free to add YOUR reasons with a comment below. 

Rita Richardson, 47 Harvard St. B-203, Charlestown, MA, also has a home in West Harwich and she loves the cape about as much as is possible.

Mozart I am not

Sunday, April 29, 2007 10:30 pm

The long awaited retreat to contemplate the completion of my 40^th year is not only upon me but is all too quickly coming to a close.  It wasn't long enough.  I have more thoughts to think, beach walks to walk, pictures to take, books to read, music to listen to, pictures to paint, and words to write.  How blissful to not have live by any schedule but my own. To indulge in dark chocolate only minutes after a breakfast of strawberries. The sounds I hear are of my choosing except for the lovely nature talk backdrop of peepers, wind, waves, gulls, and rain.  Maine has been healing, rejuvenating, and addictive.  Life should include more occasions such as this jewel.

This seeker has sought and will not return to her life without some answers.  Since the beginning of humanity, existence has been questioned.  Regular Joes and great philosophers alike have had their profound moments, some recorded will remain eternally it seems.  Others are fleeting, anecdotal and often a reflection of the times.  Where do my thoughts fit into this scheme?  It is not my nature to be boastful.  I'll be happy with some proximity to regular Joe or I guess that would be regular Josephine or Joanne.

Collision of current events and a distant memory can be blamed, I mean credited with the insight I am to impart.  Friday night as I drove home from rehearsal for Amadeus at 11pm, slightly perturbed I wasn't instead already in Maine, for whatever reason I began to sing the song James by Billy Joel.  I haven't thought of that song in years.  In fact, when I was in my Billy Joel stage of life back in middle & high school, it was a barely noticed song compared to I've Loved These Days also on the Turnstiles record.  It was my very good friend who not only brought that song to my attention but also told me that it described me well.  After reading along on the back of the album cover while re-listening to the song over and over I ran the gamut of emotion from hurt, anger to resolve.  Here are a few of the offending lyrics to my then young ears:   (note: lyrics are out of sequence, but it is how they impacted me)

You've been well behaved, you've been working hard
But will you always stay
Someone else's dream of who you are?
Do what's good for you
Or you're not good for anybody.

Do you like your life?
Can you find release?
And will you ever change?
Will you ever write your masterpiece?

Truth can be hurtful, but time, experience and reflection bring alternate perspective.  I have not written the great American novel, or discovered a cure for Alzheimer's or even seen positive numbers in my checkbook for more than two consecutive days in my life.  Loftiness of ambition eludes me.  In the next few weeks as I perform in a theatrical depiction of Mozart, whose masterpieces were many, I realize my life - the people I love and love me in return - is my masterpiece in progress.

Rise & Shine....It's Time for Breakfast!

Guest Review II: Aiding Billy Bacchus in his continued  search for "cheap eats" 

I like going out to eat as much as the next person.  But I especially like going out for breakfast.  Not only is breakfast the most inexpensive meal of the day, it also gets your motor running--especially if you aren't exactly a morning person, as I definitely am not.  Nothing sets the tone for the day better than a piping hot cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast. 

Oh, and it doesn't hurt that someone else has to do the dishes!

There are some great breakfast places here on the Cape Cod--especially the Mid-Cape.  I've got my favorites, one in particular, but I'm not ready to share that one with you just yet.  But I am, however, willing to share my latest breakfast find.

We stumbled upon the Rise & Shine Cafe on Route 28 in Dennisport right next to Benny's the weekend before last and returned just this past weekend.  The Rise & Shine is bright, casual and unassuming.  Upon entering we were seated immediately by a friendly member of the staff. 

Once our coffee was poured, we got to the business of choosing what to have.  There is plenty to choose from on the menu from eggs any style to omelets, pancakes, waffles, French toast and breakfast sandwiches.  There were also several specials from which to choose. 

As I am on a low carb diet, it was eggs over easy and sausage for me.  The eggs were perfect--not a broken yolk in sight.  When I turned down toast (carbs!), the server asked if I wanted home fries.  Of course I wanted home fries, but they too are a no-no.  Since you only live once, I asked for a few and resigned myself to eating only one or two. 

Personally, I judge breakfast places by their home fries.  And the home fries at the Rise and Shine are pretty good--flavorful and not at all mushy.  My dining companion raved about the French toast she ordered--thick slices of sweet bread expertly drenched in coating and cooked to perfection.

Next time you have to go to Benny's for Rust-Oleum or grill parts, leave the house a little earlier and give the Rise and Shine Cafe a go.  The prices are reasonable, the servers are very friendly and the home fries can just about make you go off your no carb diet.

The Rise & Shine Cafe is located in the Benny's Plaza at Route 28 in Dennisport. 508-394-1114. They serve breakfast and lunch daily.    

Raise those hotel and meals taxes for the local governments

Yeah, that's right, I said it- raise taxes. It's clear that Cape will never get it's fair share from state revenues. Look at this map-  and see how up and down the Cape, our towns are on the low end of amount received from the state, per capita. Then see the following map which shows how again, up and down the Cape, our towns rely heavily on property taxes, a regressive form of taxation, to pay the bills.

An additional 1% on the hotel tax will not impact the level of tourism here. I've lived a lot of years and I can't say I've ever heard someone say that when deciding on a vacation, they looked at the local tax rates. Same thing when going out for dinner. If you are dropping $100 on dinner, I think it's reasonable that whether the tax is 5 or 6 bucks, does not come into play. Our Cape towns need revenue. Talk to town managers and they will tell you how tight every dollar is now. The pressure on the property tax on the Cape is enormous. It's time to allow each town to determine if they feel the need to add one or both of these taxes, what the positive and negative impacts will be, and ask for approval by the citizens.

How to be a Biker Chick

The gold standard

A phone message from a few years ago, saved for posterity:

"Jack, it's David Halberstam calling to thank you from New York. You've made me a prophet with honor in my own family because I had taken your card, told Jean Halberstam (his wife), the victim of killer plumbers on Nantucket, and we called your brother, who came within 12 hours, an historic first, intercollegiate record. I now look like I'm a serious reporter who's respected throughout the nation. Bless you and bless your brother, thank you very much, it is a really nice, nice moment." 

A month earlier, I'd met Halberstam at a journalism conference in Cambridge where he and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns led a panel discussion on narrative approaches to baseball. Afterwards, as Halberstam signed books for me, he looked up and saw "Cape Cod Times" on my nametag.
I have a summer place over on Nantucket, he told me. 
I've got a brother who lives there, I said. 
Really, what does he do?
He's a plumber.
A plumber!? Do you think he'd work for me?
I'm going by memory, but I'm pretty sure I responded -- Mr. Halberstam, I can virtually guarantee he'll work for you.

Speaking shortly thereafter with Dan Coleman, proprieter of Dan Coleman Plumbing and Heating, I asked if he knew who Halberstam was. Yes, Dan answered, vaguely annoyed, as if I assumed a plumber wouldn't recognize the name. Halberstam wants you to add him to your list of customers -- would you be able to do that? Sure, Dan said, but do me a favor and hold off on pushing work my way, I'm busy enough as it is ...

Only a month later, during one of the worst cold snaps in years, the pipes burst in the Halberstam house outside downtown Nantucket. And brother Dan, God love 'im, and as indicated in a message left for me by one of the most scrupulous reporters of the last century, responded in less than 12 hours -- an "intercollegiate record."

It was with terrible sadness that I learned last week of Halberstam's death in a car accident. He was one of those people I thought would outlive just about everyone, because his boundless curiosity somehow mandated longevity, just to give the man plenty of time to explore all that held his interest.

Halberstam was legendary for his generosity to younger reporters and his readers.  Seeing me standing apart at the conference with a pair of his books, Halberstam gracefully motioned me over, and just as characteristically, struck up a conversation. After my brother's timely intervention, Dan received signed copies of Halberstam's next two books as Christmas presents. Dan told me of Halberstam attending a World Series game between the Red Sox and Cardinals in 2004, sitting right up front at Fenway with a young writer from Nantucket. Halberstam's cell phone rang; a reporter from the New York Times was looking for a quote. You should talk to the fan next to me, he suggested.

Reading stories about Halberstam in the last few days, I was reminded of something else I'd always admired about him, and always disliked about John F. Kennedy. JFK, angered by Halberstam's reporting on a burgeoning conflict later known as the Vietnam War, complained to Halberstam's bosses at the New York Times and tried to get him reassigned. Kennedy had also tried a few years earlier to get future novelist Tom Wolfe fired from a newspaper in Springfield. Fortunately for all of us, Kennedy failed on both counts.

Halberstam was assigned to South Vietnam in 1962 and "soon saw that the American-backed government in Saigon was corrupt and failing -- and he said so," wrote New York Times reporter Clyde Haberman last Tuesday.

"William Prochnau, who wrote a book on the reporting of that period, 'Once Upon a Distant War,' said last night that Mr. Halberstam and other American journalists then in Vietnam were incorrectly regarded by many as anti-war."

" 'He was not anti-war,'  Mr. Prochnau said. 'They were cold war children, just like me, brought up on hiding under the desk.' It was simply a case, he said, of American commanders lying to the press about what was happening in Vietnam. 'They were shut out and they were lied to,' Mr. Prochnau said. And Mr. Halberstam didn't say, 'You're not telling me the truth.' He said, 'You're lying.' He didn't mince words."

At the end of a cruel April, many flags remain at half-staff in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre. Halberstam was the only journalist in America for whom they should have been lowered as well.

(photo credit, Jack Coleman)

Windmills: Texas 1, Massachusetts 0

How the backward, slow, redneck state of Texas beat the progressive, creative, energy-conserving state of the Boston Brahmins

The National's largest offshore wind farm will soon be built 10 miles off Padre Island, Texas. It will have 500 turbines over a 40,000-acre area and will generate enough energy to power 125,000 homes.

As a nation, we lag shamefully behind Europe in producing energy from wind. In Massachusetts, development of Cape Wind’s proposed 130-turbine Nantucket Sound wind farm has been stalled for about five years by special-interest opposition, led by the likes of zillionaire Bill Koch and aided and abetted by the likes of Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Not surprisingly, the main false objections to the Padre Island wind farm are old hat on Cape Cod: bird kill and view.

In 2005 I traveled to Denmark to inspect two offshore wind farms, one at Nysted, on the Baltic, the other at Horns Rev, on the North Sea. When I was there, the Danes produced 20 percent of their electricity from wind. Now, it’s 40 percent and increasing. Their goal is 100 percent. The United States? An unbelievable 1 to 2 percent.

In fact, the central peninsula in Denmark, where the Nysted wind farm is situated, produces 200 percent of the energy it needs from wind. The Danes there use 100 percent and sell the other 100 percent.

The Danes were shocked when we told them we had come to inspect their wind farms. “You mean you don’t have them in the United States?” they incredulously asked.

Part of the opposition to wind farms stems from the tirelessly echoed false assertion that migratory birds will be killed in the turning blades. This was true 20 years ago in California’s Altamont Pass, where old, obsolete lattice-work wind towers attracted nesting birds whose fledglings flew unknowingly into the turbine blades.

In contrast, the bird kill from modern offshore wind farms is virtually zero. Modern wind turbines are mounted on sleek, fiberglass-encased towers where birds cannot land, much less build nests. The Nysted wind farm had only two bird kills in two years. The numbers were similar at Horns Rev. Both offshore wind farms are directly in migratory bird paths.

I observed radar and infrared tracks of migratory birds approaching the wind farms. The birds just adjusted course and flew around them. The birds clearly have higher IQ’s than those misguided environmentalists who so zealously claim to speak for them.

And the blades don’t swirl like airplane propellers, as imagined by uninformed alarmists. They rotate slowly, silently and gracefully in the wind. A bird would have to be suicidal to hit one.

As for the view, opponents falsely and shamelessly portray alarming specters of monstrous towers blocking out the universe. The Nysted wind towers, at 6½ miles out, appear only three-eighths of an inch high at arm’s length. This is the same distance from the proposed Cape Wind farm to the Kennedy compound in Hyannis. On those few days of the year when the towers can be seen at all, they will appear about as large as the good senator’s thumbnail.

The Texans have not let themselves be hoodwinked by this nonsense. The 500-tower Padre Island wind farm will be up and running within five years.

Cape Wind’s proposed 130-tower Nantucket Sound wind farm could have been up and running three years ago and supplying 75 percent of Cape Cod’s electric power were it not for the endless stonewalling of the special-interest opposition.

In North America, offshore wind farms are also being planned or contemplated for Buzzards Bay, in Massachusetts, Narragansett Bay, in Rhode Island, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario.

Now that Rhode Island may be entering the fray in a big way, perhaps America’s tarnished international reputation can still be salvaged.

It is ironic that the state that boasts Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Worcester Polytechnic Institute is looked upon as a backwater by the rest of the world when it comes to wind power.

My Texas compadre, writer Frank Stevenson, chided, “How can the backward, slow, redneck state of Texas beat the progressive, creative, energy-conserving state of the Bawstun Brahmins?” Senator Ted Kennedy and Bill Koch and his coterie can answer that better than I.

The Padre Island offshore wind farm can be a model for the rest of the nation. Massachusetts and Rhode Island would do well to follow suit promptly. After all, we have plenty of shallow water, plenty of wind, and plenty of know-how. What we need is a little common sense.

 

This originally appeared today in the Providence Journal 

 

ATV crash; Man airlifted after fall downstairs; school vandalism; Yarmouth restaurant closed after small fire

Smoke scare at Falmouth hotel
FALMOUTH - An electrical malfunction was apparently to blame for causing a smoke condition in the kitchen area of a Falmouth Hotel. Firefighters responded to the Holiday Inn on Jones just after 6 AM Tuesday. No injuries or significant damage was reported. 

ATV crash in Yarmouth
YARMOUTH -  Yarmouth Police are investigating a collision between a car and an all terrain vehicle (ATV). The crash happened about 8:15 PM at Oxford Road and Stratford Lane. One person was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with unknown injuries. Yarmouth Police tell CWN 19-year old Christine Phanchansiri was cited for operating an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and failing to use care.

One injured in Hyannis head-on

     ^{A BPD officer interviews a driver while another directs traffic at a head-on crash                        TC}
HYANNIS - One person was treated by Hyannis Rescue after a head-on crash in Hyannis. The crash happened about 8:30 PM on West Main Street in front of New England House of Pizza No. 1. Fortunately it appears from the damage neither vehicle was going very fast and the injury does not appear serious. Barnstable Police are investigating the crash. No word if any citations will be issued. 

Man airlifted after falling downstairs
COTUIT - An elderly man was seriously injured in a household accident Monday afternoon.

Reports say the man fell down a flight of stairs in his home on Waterford Drive about 3:30 PM and suffered serious head injuries. 

He was rushed to Lowell Park and flown to a Boston Hospital. 

Photo courtesy of Frank Paparo.

Driver escapes injury in rollover crash

   ^{A firefighter checks out a rolled over vehicle at the YMCA entrance in West Barnstable   Frank Paparo}
WEST BARNSTABLE - Fire officials say this a man was very lucky to walk away from his vehicle after it rolled over into a ditch.

The crash happened around noon off Route 132 by the YMCA/Cape Cod Conservatory.

Traffic was slowed for a time until the wreckage was cleared. Barnstable Police are investigating the crash.

Photos courtesy of Frank Paparo.

Vandalism discovered at Horace Mann School

     ^{Spray paint covers up graffiti discovered at the Horace Mann School                    Frank Paparo}
MARSTONS MILLS - P0lice are investigating vandalism found this morning at the Horace Mann School on Osterville/West Barnstable Road in Marstons Mills.

Graffiti had been painted on an exterior wall and power cords to some air conditioners were cut.

Damage is estimated at $20,000. Anyone with information is urged to contact Barnstable Police. 
Photos courtesy of Frank Paparo.

Finger amputation reported in Chatham
CHATHAM - One person was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital in serious condition after accidentally sawing off two fingers in Chatham. Rescuers were called to a Vineyard Avenue residence shortly after noon. The victim was transferred to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for surgery. 

Yarmouth restaurant closed after small fire
YARMOUTH - A fire in a friolator at a local restaurant has shut down the restaurant temporarily. The fire at Acapulco's on Route 28 in West Yarmouth about 7:45 AM activated the restaurants Ansul chemical suppression system which doused the flames before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported. The restaurant will be closed until the mess is cleaned up and the safety system is recharged.

Photo courtesy of R. Copley. 

Links: CapeCodFD     Cape Cod FD's Live Scanner    Cape Cod Live WEBCAMS   
Archive service         Scan Cape Cod Live Scanner   Cape court reports (CCT)
Cape Cod Today forecast                             Tide Info                                  Live radar

The Ghost is in the Chimney!

The first thing that happens after the initial call comes into the Massachusetts Paranormal Institute is an interview takes place between the client and a MPI Case Manager. One of the most common occurrences reported as part of a paranormal disturbance to our Case Managers is the "closing or slamming door."  It doesn't seem to matter whether the structure is old or new. 

In the newer structure, and by newer I mean post 1970, there has been a overwhelming trend, fueled by high energy costs, to "seal up" houses making them as tight as possible to prevent heat and/or air conditioning from escaping and maximizing the energy dollar.  The flip side of this is the creation of Negative Air Pressure.  When you consider all the appliances in the home that vent air and oxygen to the outside; gas water heater, furnace, stoves (wood, gas & coal) vented range hoods, chimneys, etc... you get the idea, the realization comes that there are far more avenues for air and oxygen to exit the interior of the structure than to enter it. This causes negative air pressure. When the house has expended more air than has entered, it needs to "take a breath". Where and how does this happen? As a down draught in the chimney or puff back.  Negative Air Pressure has been the cause of many a slammed door and the origin of many a roving cold spot, but not all!
 
This phenomenon applies to investigations in older homes as well. Here on the Cape we have no shortage of vintage homes dating well back into the 1700's. The New England Society of Paranormal Investigators has investigated quite a few and most are not as "air tight" as the more modern homes. In fact, some are down right draughty.  Now, when the wind blows outside it can actually suck the air out of a draughty house causing doors to open or close and cold spots to fly through a room or up the stairs. Many of these older homes have original doors which tend to sit loosely in the door frame. These can rattle in the frame, if latched, causing the appearance of someone or something attempting to open the door. At night this can be very unnerving to the occupant especially if they are in bed! These kinds of draughts can help explain other symptoms of a haunted house as well.

A year ago we did an investigation in a small cottage which was a furnished winter rental in Centerville. The tenants, who we'll call Jim and Susan, reported the bedroom door rattling and a loud party could be heard just outside but upon investigation no one was there. What really bothered them, though, was that their 4 year old son, Steve, was continuously complaining that someone was waking him up during the night. He was not afraid and didn't see anything, but stated that someone was gently shaking him until he awoke. Whenever a child is involved the Massachusetts Paranormal Institute  responds immediately and we were in the house and set up that night. This building proved to be quite draughty and we were able to recreate the door rattling. However, we were not able to capture any sounds of a party that particular night. On a subsequent visit we, again, failed to capture the "party". But there was no doubt in my mind it was residual energy. We'll talk about residual energy in an upcoming blog. However, I was doing the EVP / Electronic Voice Phenomena work on the first night, and caught what sounded to me like a faint, almost imperceptible, older male voice slowly repeating the word "Bed...Bed... Bed."  I had a set of headphones on and looked over at Susan and asked if the word "bed" meant anything. I could tell by the look she immediately gave her husband that it meant something.

Apparently, when they had moved into the house they felt that Stevie's bed was too high up and he could fall onto the hardwood floor injuring himself so they purchased a small, lower, racing car style bed for him. This replaced the original bed which was dismantled and put in the storage shed. It didn't take Jim twenty minutes to move the race car bed into their room, put Stevie in it, and replace the original bed back in Stevie's room.  We stayed in touch with Jim and Susan throughout their remaining lease and they reported that Stevie slept just fine but the door still rattled and party continued!

This also points out the importance of documenting the weather conditions prior to any interior or exterior investigation.

 

Please remember, if you or someone you know, has a Cape Cod ghost story or is suffering as a result of a paranormal disturbance,  please contact me directly and discreetly at Dave@massachusettsparanormalinstitute.com or visit the website at http://www.massachusettsparanormalinstitute.com/