Renewable Energy Revolution

Charles Vinick, gone with the wind

Hearing of Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound head honcho Charles Vinick's consulting work for a wind energy developer in California, and Vinick's presumably related departure from the Alliance, reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of "Seinfeld."

It's the one where George Costanza is in a video store and sees two women holding hands, one of whom turns out to be his former girlfriend, Susan.

I found a copy of the script online and made a few changes. In the parody to follow, "Georgina" is a generic representative of the Alliance while "Charles" is working the booth at a wind energy conference, being held in a convention center on the same day as a conference of wind farm opponents.

Georgina and Charles used to be colleagues in the anti-wind farm Alliance until Charles left the organization. The two have not seen each other since Charles began working as a wind energy consultant - and Georgina is unaware of Charles' conversion to wind advocacy.

(Georgina is walking past booths at the wind energy conference when she suddenly sees Charles)

Georgina: (to herself) Oh, my God! It's Charles! What do I do? (turns away so as not to be recognized)

Charles: Georgina?

Georgina: Charles! Hi! Oh, boy! What are you doing here?!

Charles: Attending a pro-wind conference! What are you doing here?

Georgina: Oh, attending an anti-wind conference. You know, same old, same old (laughs nervously)

Charles (introducing his colleague in the booth): Georgina, this is Fern.

Georgina (methodically extends his hand, bit by bit): Oh, hi...

Fern: Pleasure to meet you.

Georgina: Yes. Well ...

Fern: Well, I'll let you two, uh... catch up (walks away)

Charles: You okay?

Georgina: Yeah. Yes! I just haven't seen you in a long time.

Charles: And you didn't expect to see me advocating for wind power.

Georgina: Oh, please! Me? C'mon! That's great! Are you kidding? I think that's fan-tast-ic! I've always encouraged experimentation! I'm the first guy in the pool! Who do you think you're talking to?

Charles: I know who I'm talking to.

Georgina: Of course you do ... It's just, uh, y'know, I- I never knew, uh, that, uh ...

Charles: I liked wind power?

Georgina: There you go. So, uh, how long has this been going on?

Charles: Since I was working at the Alliance.

Georgina: Ssssso, while you were at the Alliance, you ... went that way?

Charles: Yeah.

Georgina: Oh, I think that's fantastic. Good for you. Nice. That's very nice.

Charles: Alright, well ... Good seeing you, Georgina.

Georgina: Yes, good to see you, too. And good luck with, uh ... with the whole thing, there.

(photo credit, http://content.answers.com)