CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Growing up on Cape Cod

While my parents ran a motel/inn, for the first handful of years they ran it together in making ends meet. My mother has since been working in the regional school system ever since.  I was the big brother, and spent a lot of time with my sister.

Speaking of my sister, in reflecting on such nostalgic experiences with my younger sibling, we grew up, for the first five years, in the Inn along with our parents. Every day from something different, and with the good and bad of each, came absolutely hilarious moments. Here's one.

There sits young Brandon, 7, with his sister 4, contently watching a movie while eating lunch. See, while one parent was tending to cleaning/laundry tasks, the other was working the front desk. One this particular day, i clearly remember it so vividly, my sister put down her grilled cheese, looking shocked, amazed and awestruck, all mixed with excitement, she hurried out front. I let her go as she headed for the front office.

In our front office happened to be a very nice couple that were checking-in, so in Lauren comes, after quite some time of this couple being in the office.  This poor gentleman, who had a voice box in his throat, was the unfortunate subject of this humorous memory.

"Mom!!! Mom!!!  WHEEEEEERE is the robot? Is there a robot out here? Mom! I heard a robot!"

End quote. For the record, my heart goes out to that gentleman, who did, by the way, take it like a champ, it is in full empathy as my heart does so.

But seriously, one of many funny things that occurred on a daily basis.

That's funny stuff. and killer memories. childhood is fun, and ours was.

- jumpin jack

Same old, same old at Cape Cod Commission

The usual suspects were rounded up once again on Monday
Commission, Barnstable, Yarmouth and The Alliance stage a re-run

By Walter Brooks

Like a superannuated Tyrannosaurus Rex with arthritis, the Cape Cod Commission speakers for the first hour droned on as they have been doing for over half the decade reiterating the reasons they oppose the renewable energy project in federal waters in Nantucket Sound.

Jim Liedell, Clean Power Now, read from the Commission's own report:

The Cape Cod Commission's January 16, 2009 Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan states:
- on page 38 "Cape Cod has 59 estuary systems that have the potential to be significantly affected by excessive nitrogen loads" - Cape Wind will reduce nitrogen emissions from fossil-fueled power plants.
- on page 44 "The Cape's sandy soils easily absorb storm water runoff which can contain toxic substances such as petroleum products and heavy metals" - Cape Wind will reduce such emissions from fossil-fueled power plants to storm water.
- on page 45 "Expected sea-level rise in our region will increase flooding" - Cape Wind will reduce global-warming-causing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fueled power plants.
- on page 69 " The United States' dependence on fossil fuels has a variety of adverse environmental, economic and social impacts, and contributes to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Continued reliance on this resource leaves the Cape's economy vulnerable to global market forces. Use of the Cape's clean energy resources will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage energy costs, and decrease reliance on fossil fuel imports for homeowners and businesses. Harnessing these resources will create a stable, sustainable energy future for Cape Cod." - Cape Wind, being the first U.S. offshore wind project, directly mitigates these problems.
- on page 70 "Cape Cod's natural conditions and geography offer opportunities for the production of clean renewable energy. Reliance on wind (and others) may reduce emissions from on-Cape energy providers, provide a buffer against the fluctuations in supplies and prices in fossil-fuel energy markets, and keep more money in the local economy. Increased use of renewable energy technologies and renewable energy systems could help establish an emerging clean-energy cluster as an important component of the regional economy." - Cape Wind is powered by the Cape's free offshore strong, steady wind, and will pay federal and state lease charges.
- also on page 70 "Rising energy costs have direct and indirect economic implications, such as increasing the costs of running a business and a household. Beyond price, Cape Cod's economy could also suffer from pollution, sea-level rise and flooding." - Cape Wind will help in preventing increased prices, pollution, sea-level rise and flooding.
- on page 71 "Cape Cod is vulnerable to the effects of global climate change, including sea-level rise and extreme weather events. To avert these growing concerns, the Cape Cod Commission will take a leadership role in advancing a comprehensive regional energy policy for Cape Cod. The Commission will require the provision of renewable energy generation."
See his description of the Town of Barnstable's Comprehensive Plan at the bottom.
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I thus find the Commission's resistance to the Cape Wind project to be troublingly disingenuous.
(See his description of the Town of Barnstable's Comprehensive Plan at the bottom.)

Their reason came down to a single acronym - NIMBY. Among their alarms were these from Barnstable assistant town attorney Charles McLaughlin:

• It will destroy beautiful Downtown Hyannis.
• It will send tourists fleeing back across the bridges (they will perhaps flee to Palm Springs to visit their wind farm, the area's #2 tourist attraction).
  
• It will be a hazard to the fuel barges bringing #6 oil to Nantucket (while reducing their trips through the canal to the power plant).
• The work station's food oil will destroy our beaches (but the same amount of diesel fuel stored at Hyannis Marine is O.K.).
• It is like the hazardous Bio Lab proposed for Boston City Hospital (this one went off the charts and had Cape Wind supporters wishing they had thought to hire this lawyer to speak).
• Cliff Carroll said we couldn't respond to an oil spill in four foot seas.
• Charles Gifford of the SSA said the channel would be interrupted and it would affect ferry service (this despite Coast Guard reports to the contrary).
• Rob Bussiere said European projects kill birds (this despite published reported to the contrary and the endorsement of the Audubon Society.
• Richard Neitz , President of the Cape Cod Chamber said the project was not consistent (whatever that meant).
  
  

E. Suzanne McAuliffe, Chairman of the Yarmouth selectmen, even managed to suggest the project's plan should be redrawn now that our local newspaper has revealed that the transmission cable was 8-feet high (she apparently doesn't read the newspapers regularly).

State Senator Rob O'Leary said there needs to be planning (after seven years and two comprehensive federal studies)

Tom Bernardo (for Rep. Demetrius Atsalis) said that the Commission should protect us from inappropriate development such as Cape Wind.

Dean Melanson, deputy chief of the Hyannis Fire Department, said that he "Learned more today more then I have ever learned about the project", adding the department doesn't  have the resources to handle problems that will happen at the the wind farm (in federal, not town, county or state waters), and that they still have not been communicated with. (This despite the existence of two enormous federal reports on the project and over 5,000 news stories over the past seven years.)

Unreconstructed mugwumps

Sitting in the Assembly of Delegates room, and listening to these angry people as the economy of America crumbled around their unseeing eyes, and listening to their pre-9/11 rhetoric about the pristine waters awash with the effulgence and nitrogen from Cape Cod's pleasure craft, ferries and waterfront homes, was a disheartening experience for the supporters in the audience.

"If the Town of Barnstable hadn't already hired attorney Charles McLaughlin, the supporters should have - he was so ludicrous he literally made the case for them."

One local chamber head who supports the project said, "If the Town of Barnstable hadn't already hired attorney Charles McLaughlin, the supporters should have - he was so ludicrous he literally made the case for them."

This reporter could not stop thinking about how disconnected these bureaucrats were from the reality of 2009 on Cape Cod, until finally two voices of reason and enlightenment arose in the persons of Representative Matt Patrick and Jim Liedell of Clean Power Now.

Mr. Patrick described the Commission's conduct this way, "One needs only to look at the Cape Cod Times editorial today to be reminded of their constant drum beat of opposition for seven years.

"Early on the Cape Cod Times framed the issue for most Cape Codders in terms of "Industrial Wind Farm" in "pristine" water, "land grab" etc. They and other anti-wind farm groups appealed to base emotions with fictional information and grossly distorted depictions of the prospective wind farm to arouse opposition."

The anti-wind farm groups appealed to base emotions with fictional information and grossly distorted depictions of the prospective wind farm to arouse opposition.

Clean Power Now's representative, Jim Liedell, simply quoted directly from the Commission's own reports, words which ran in total contradiction to their present costly efforts to delay and stop this renewable energy project. His complete remarks are in the sidebar above and below Mr. Patrick's text at the bottom.
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Representative Matt Patrick's remarks

Regardless of all the planning, regulations and laws, a good deal of any project's potential approval is left up to the judgment and subject to the prejudices of you, the people on the Commission. In the end, most of our elected and appointed boards' decisions are subject to the perspectives of the people on them and the frame of mind they have been given by local media and adopted as their own before really hearing the other side fully with an open mind.

Framing the issue in a negative light is exactly what the right wing does on talk radio. They made us believe that "liberal" is a bad word and that all Democrats are all "tax and spend" Democrats. That's framing an issue and if you read, "Don't Think of an Elephant" you will get a better picture of it. Nothing has received more negative framing than Cape Wind.

One needs only to look at the Cape Cod Times editorial today to be reminded of their constant drum beat of opposition for seven years. Early on the Cape Cod Times framed the issue for most Cape Codders in terms of "Industrial Wind Farm" in "pristine" water, "land grab" etc. They and other anti-wind farm groups appealed to base emotions with fictional information and grossly distorted depictions of the prospective wind farm to arouse opposition.

The wind farm has gone through the CCC's EIR right along with the State's and the Fed's EIRs and 13 other entities. They have found nothing damaging to the environment or the economy that cannot be mitigated. The review has lasted seven years and taken longer to approve than most nuclear power plants. This current issue is over the cables and the irony is the CCC just approved putting down more cables to Nantucket.

The County is now trying to get money from the state through the Green Communities Act for the dubious possibility of installing renewable energy on behalf of the towns. Wind turbines are the only renewable technology that can compete economically against fossil fuels. Yet, another arm of County Government, the Cape Cod Commission, was still trying to further delay the most viable off shore wind project in the Nation on the very eve of its final approval by the Federal Government.

The Energy Element of the Cape Cod Commission's Regional Policy Plan states quite clearly.

Cape Cod's natural conditions and geography offer real opportunities for the production of clean renewable energy. Reliance on local solar, wind, wave, tidal, geothermal, and bio-energy resources may reduce emissions from on-Cape energy providers, provide a buffer against the fluctuations in supplies and prices in fossil-fuel energy markets, and keep more money in the local economy. Increased use of renewable energy technologies along with a well-trained workforce of local installers and service contractors for conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy systems could help establish an emerging clean-energy cluster as an important component of the regional economy.

Rising energy costs have direct and indirect economic implications, such as increasing the costs of running a business and a household. The large number of older homes in the Cape's housing stock, many of which do not meet current state and national energy code standards, incur even greater energy costs. Beyond price, however, Cape Cod's economy could also suffer if pollution, sea-level rise, storm damage, erosion, and flooding reduce the region's attractiveness as a second home and tourist destination. As an example, the near-complete withdrawal of private homeowner insurance companies from the Cape market has already increased the cost and risk of holding property here...

Finally, Cape Cod is vulnerable to the effects of global climate change, including relative sea-level rise and extreme weather events. To avert these growing concerns, the Cape Cod Commission will take a leadership role in advancing a comprehensive regional energy policy for Cape Cod...

Could anything be more clear? A plentiful supply of electricity at reasonable prices is essential to our current way of living. It is your duty to advance renewable energy projects when they do no harm to the environment or our local economy.

Further questions about the economic viability of the proposed project are not within the EIS purview. The proponent of Cape Wind has invested considerable money in the permitting process so one must reason that he believes he can build the project. If he cannot make a viable proposal to investors, then it will not be built.

I believe that official and formal opposition to Cape Wind should cease because the positive aspects have been proven and pursuing legal action against the project is a waste of taxpayer money. The Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board has always been able to override local boards...always. Thank you for considering my comments.

Sincerely,
Representative Matthew C. Patrick
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The current Town of Barnstable Comprehensive Plan states:

- Regarding Coastal Resources, on pages 2-46, "Due to global warming, sea level rise of 1.8 to 11.3 feet is projected by the year 2100. Flooding of low-lying areas can be expected as a result." - Cape Wind will reduce global-warming-causing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fueled power plants.

- Regarding Economic Development, in Section 3, on page 1, "The Town needs to encourage innovative and diverse industries" - Cape Wind meets this objective.
- also on page 1 "Annual unemployment percentages are higher in the town than in the county or state." - Cape Wind will provide important jobs.
- on page 2, "The town must encourage development of emerging industries. The town must create an environment more ‘user-friendly' to existing and potential business owners. The town must streamline permitting processes or create incentives to encourage appropriate economic development." - Cape Wind is a means of responding to these planned initiatives.
- on page 5, "the many Barnstable residents consulted during the 2-year planning process asked for continued development of an expanded economic base, and the encouragement of ‘clean, light industry'" Later on page 5, "Goal 3.1 is to provide for the expansion of existing industries and the development of new enterprises that create year round jobs, and new economic opportunities for residents." - Cape Wind meets these objectives.
- on page 9, "ISSUES - Need for a diversified year round economy - The economic development strategy needs to focus on the creation of more job opportunities through both new industries and expanding existing businesses." and on page 11, "Strategy 3.2.2.4 is to identify sources of funding to assist with new business ventures that employ people who are unemployed or minorities" - Cape Wind will create many good-paying jobs requiring a variety of skills.

- Regarding Energy, on page 4-44 "ISSUE - High energy costs - Electricity costs to residential consumers are among the highest in the country. The Cape has averaged the highest fuel oil and gasoline costs in Massachusetts since the Mass. Division of Energy Resources started keeping records in 1980, and natural gas prices per therm are second highest in the country. Goal 4.8.1 includes encouraging and stimulating investment in renewable energy resources" - Cape Wind is very response to these problems and needs.
- on page 4-45, Policy 4.8.1.4 states "Alternate fuels shall be studied for feasibility of use by Barnstable's municipal vehicle fleets. Vehicles could be operated by electricity" - Cape Wind will provide that clean electricity.

The Town of Barnstable will receive $62,000 annually in property tax payments from Cape Wind related to Cape Wind's electrical cables west from Willow Street to NStar's electrical grid connection station between the Hyannis airport and Route 6.

Third, the Town of Yarmouth's rising school and other costs recently forced the elimination of many municipal jobs, including firemen, police and others. Other cost-saving measures included closing one of Yarmouth's three fire stations; one of Yarmouth's three Libraries is changing from municipal to private funding; and reducing many other municipal services. The Dennis-Yarmouth School District plans to eliminate 41 more jobs (mostly teachers) in the 2009-2010 fiscal year beginning soon.

If Cape Wind is built, the company will make payments to the Town of Yarmouth totaling almost $10 million over a 20-year period; the construction of Cape Wind will increase Yarmouth's revenue due to the Town's "Host Community Agreement" with Cape Wind. This agreement requires payments by Cape Wind to Yarmouth of $250,000 annual Tax Payments relative to installation of Cape Wind's electrical cable, $100,000 annual Charitable Gift Payments, and one-time payments of $125,000 to improve Englewood Beach and $25,000 to assure safety during installation of the electrical cables. The annual payments totaling $350,000 will be increased based on the actual inflation rates during each of the 20 years - assuming 3 percent inflation, Cape Wind's payments will total $9,554,631 over 20 years. Ironically, the Yarmouth Board of Selectmen is on record as having voted to oppose Cape Wind. This $9.5 million will significantly improve Yarmouth's economic situation.

James E. Liedell, 148 Kate's Path, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675

Yarmouth Police battle 107% increase in residential burglaries in March

Yarmouth Police battle 107% increase in residential burglaries in March

One suspect, arrested, believed to be involved in over 20 daytime break-ins

   David Michael Jenkins is, arrested on March 20, 2009, is suspected of being involved in up to 20 daytime break-ins.

YARMOUTH - The Yarmouth Police Department has investigated 34 burglaries that have occurred in Yarmouth during the month of March.  The areas of concern are varied and primarily involve residential neighborhoods in West and South Yarmouth—south and north of the Route 28 corridor.

The method of entry has been either by entering through unlocked doors or windows or by using a found “hidden” key or forcing entry by breaking a window or door with some type of burglarious tool such as a screwdriver or knife.

The bicycle used to case Yarmouth neighborhoods in search of unoccupied homes.

Yarmouth Police have arrested one suspect, David Michael Jenkins, who is believed to be possibly involved in committing up to 20 daytime breaks.  Evidence indicates that Jenkins would ride through neighborhoods during the daytime on his bicycle.  He would locate unoccupied homes and search for a hidden key which he knew were often hidden in mailboxes, under flower pots, or in outside shower stalls, sheds, and garages.  He would then use the key to enter the home or a screwdriver or knife to pry the lock of a door or window and would commonly steal small items that he could easily carry and sell such as coins, small electronics, jewelry, and credit cards.

Everyone is reminded to help the police in protecting our community by following these crime prevention and suppression tips:

• Immediately call the police by dialing 911 if you notice any suspicious noises, persons, or vehicles
• Make sure every external door is locked and has a solid locking system
• Secure sliding glass doors with commercially available locks or with a broomstick or wooden dowel in the track to jam the door
• Secure double-hung windows by using key locks or by sliding a bolt or nail through a hole drilled at a downward angle in top corners of the inside sash and partway through 
  the outside sash
• Do not hide keys in mailboxes, planters, under doormats, or any other place on the property.  Give an extra key to a neighbor that you trust  
• Trim shrubbery that hides doors or windows
• Turn on outside lights after dark that illuminate porches, entrances, and yards—front and back. Consider timers that turn on outside lights or install motion detectors
• Put lights and a radio on timers to create the illusion that someone is home while you are away.  Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions.  Stop the mail and newspapers, or ask a neighbor to take them in
• Clearly display your house number so police and other emergency personnel can find your home quickly

Release courtesy of the Yarmouth Police Department.

Domestic assaults and warrants top YPD arrests last week; Dennis PD joins the 2009 Road Respect Mobilization; Tsunami Alert Test this Thursday at 9 a.m.

IMPORTANT: Tsunami Alert Test to take place Thursday, April 2 at 9 a.m.

Local Police Departments would like to remind all Cape Cod residents that NOAA will be conducting a test of the TSUNAMI Alert System on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 9 a.m.  A test bulletin, which will clearly be marked "test message" will be issued through tsunami warning communication channels.

Residents should not be alarmed when they hear the tsunami test messages broadcast on television and radio at 9 a.m. 

The exercise is intended to test the region's communication and response plans to help communities prepare for a tsunami.The test is co-sponsored by NOAA and the US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program.

Yarmouth Police Department arrests for week ending 03/30/09

Domestic Assaults and warrants top arrests

YARMOUTH - During the period of March 23 through March 30, the men and women of the Yarmouth Police Department responded to 617 calls of which 31 resulted in arrests.  Among those were the following.

Release and photos courtesy of the Yarmouth Police Department.

Editor's note: The information and images (mugshots) are included in this blog as a matter of public safety.  Inappropriate comments on this blog post will be deleted.

Jonathan R. Hibbs of 28 Circuit Road North in West Yarmouth, arrested on March 26 at 1:39 p.m. at that address for Domestic Assault and Battery.

Brian J. Barnicle of 410 Station Avenue in South Yarmouth arrested on March 26 at 9:23 p.m. during a vehicle stop on Town Brook Road in West Yarmouth on a Multiple Motor Vehicle Offenses Warrant from Barnstable District Court.

Amy a. Steiner of 16B Gardiner Lane in South Yarmouth, arrested on March 26 at 9:06 p.m. at that address for Domestic Assault and Battery.

Robert Dean Foley of 100 Avery Road in Wellfleet, arrested on March 27 at 7:48 a.m. during a vehicle stop on Starbuck Lane in Yarmouth Port on a Multiple Motor Vehicle Offenses Warrant from the Falmouth District Court.

Catherine J. Cassanos of 6 New Hampshire Avenue  in West Yarmouth, arrested on March 28 at 12:36 p.m. at that address during a disturbance call on a Multiple  Motor Vehicle Offenses Warrant  from Barnstable District Court.

Wesley Louis Lamotta of 26 Brookvale Street in Lynn, arrested on March 29 at 1:54 a.m. during a disturbance call on Route 28 in South Yarmouth on a Multiple Motor Vehicle Offenses Warrant  from Lynn District Court.

James P. Rafuse of 9 Fellsway East in Malden, arrested on March 29 at 10:24 a.m. during a domestic violence call on Laurie's Lane in South Yarmouth for Domestic Assault and Battery.

Stephen M. Rafuse of 41 Vacation Lane in West Yarmouth, arrested on March 29 at 10:24 a.m. during a domestic violence call on Laurie's Lane in South Yarmouth for Domestic Assault and Battery.

Dennis Police join statewide crackdown on aggressive driving

DENNIS - To help reduce aggressive driving, the Dennis Police Department will join other police agencies across Massachusetts in the 2009 Road Respect Mobilization.

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety’s Highway Safety Division this Road Respect Mobilization will run from April 3 through April 26. The 2009 Road Respect Mobilization will make a special effort to focus drivers on the need to share the road with bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. In a crash with a car, truck, or bus, these other roadway users are more vulnerable to death or injury.

“Aggressive driving causes senseless injuries and deaths every day on our roadways”, said Chief Michael Whalen of the Dennis Police Department. “We will be focusing our efforts on those who engage in high-risk, low-gain driving behaviors such as speeding, stop sign violations and tailgating.”

The Dennis Police Department recommends the following 10 tips to reduce aggressive driving:

“Aggressive driving causes senseless injuries and deaths every day on our roadways”, said Chief Michael Whalen of the Dennis Police Department. “We will be focusing our efforts on those who engage in high-risk, low-gain driving behaviors such as speeding, stop sign violations and tailgating.”

• Obey posted speed limits.   Allow extra travel time for traffic and bad weather.
• Always signal your intentions when turning or changing lanes.
• Come to a full stop at red lights and stop signs.
• Never run yellow lights.
• Let other drivers pass and merge as necessary.
• On multi-lane highways, use the left lane for passing only. 
• Avoid distracted driving, especially if using a cell phone.
• Refrain from unnecessary use of your horn.
• Pay attention to the special needs of those who drive trucks and buses, ride motorcycles and bicycles, and pedestrians.
• Wear your safety belt. It’s your best defense against an aggressive driver.

If confronted by an aggressive driver:

• Control your anger to avoid escalating the situation.
• Attempt to safely get out of his or her way.
• Avoid eye contact or obscene gestures.
• If a serious incident occurs, contact the nearest police agency. If using a cell phone, pull over at a safe location and dial 911.

During this mobilization, and throughout the year, state and local police want to remind the public that common-place aggressive driving behaviors, such as failing to signal a lane change or tailgating, can trigger a deadly “road rage” incident. Also, serious aggressive driving offenses can result in prison time, while even minor offenses can result in fines and insurance surcharges that cost thousands of dollars.

So make Massachusetts roadways safer and less stressful to travel – let’s show each other some Road Respect.

Release courtesy of the Dennis Police Department.

Cape Cod whales spur radical wind turbine blade design

 Cape Wind poised to provide nearly ALL of Cape Cod's electricity

For those naysayers who doubt that Cape Wind can produce the equivalent of 75 percent of the Cape's electricity, I have to agree that that figure is not exact.  Actually, Cape Wind could provide the equivalent of 93 percent of the Cape's electricity.  That figure is not Jim Gordon's--he is much too modest for that.  It is mine.  The latest research and facts bear that out.

The idea for a different turbine blade took root on Cape Cod years ago.  Dr. Frank Fish, a biology professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, was looking at the bumps on the leading edge of the flippers on a humpback whale sculpture here on the Cape and wondered why they were there.  Recognizing that there was a reason and that nature is rarely wrong, the question simmered for years, and then he decided to run some tests.

The result is a collaboration between Dr. Fish, and Dr. Paul Jacobs and Thomas McDonald, both of Technology Development Associates (TDA) of Rhode Island, to design a radical wind turbine blade that has proven, in actual performance tests, to increase electrical power generation by up to 25 percent over existing blade designs.

Historically, all blade designs have been streamlined, presumably to minimize drag and maximize efficiency.  It was curious, therefore, why nature had endowed humpback whale flippers with leading edge bumps, or tubercles, with which to glide smoothly through the water.  These bumps seemed counter-intuitive.

Preliminary laboratory tests comparing conventional blades with bumpy leading edge, or tubercle technology, blades showed promising results.  The tubercle technology blades demonstrated a reduction in drag, higher efficiency, less noise and less blade vibration.  This design showed the potential to significantly improve both the performance and economic viability, in dollars per kilowatt-hour, of wind-generated electrical power.

The next step was an in situ test, which was conducted by the Wind Energy Institute of Canada on full-size tubercle technology blades fabricated by the aptly named Whalepower Corporation of Toronto.  The tests were conducted on an actual tubercle technology wind turbine, running alongside conventional wind turbines, on a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on Prince Edward Island.

The results were obtained from a year of testing, with winds ranging from dead calm to gale warning.  The mean wind speeds of 5 to 7 meters/second pretty much span the mean wind speeds for Cape Wind's Nantucket Sound wind farm.

Newly released results show that the radical leading edge turbine blade alone increases electrical energy output by a staggering amount of 22 to 24 percent.  Those naysayers of Cape Wind's claim of generating 75 percent of the electricity for Cape Cod were right.  Using tubercle technology blades, it could now be closer to 93 percent.

This increase comes without taller towers, without bigger turbines, in fact without any change whatsoever in existing moving parts.  It can be achieved merely by using the radical new blades or retrofitting existing blades with a tubercle leading edge.

With the Cape Wind farm permitting process now in the final stages, it is possible that we will have the pleasure of being among the first to see these radical tubercle blade designs running right off our shores.

And as unconventional as they may seem, they will effectively serve to remind us what we all learned in kindergarten: that nature is seldom wrong.

Cape Car Accidents and the Opposing Insurance Adjuster

Don't Talk to the Opposing Insurance Adjuster

We read daily about car accidents on the Cape. All of these accidents, those that are serious with serious injuries, as well as those that are not so serious, have one thing in common. The minute an adjuster for the at fault driver is assigned to the accident, they are working to reduce the value of the no fault bodily injury claim  of the injured party.

Often, people come into the office that had accidents weeks or months in the past. They relate their conversations with the adjuster for the at fault driver and tell me, "I spoke to the adjuster, but didn't say anything to hurt my case." WRONG. What they don't understand is that from the moment you first talk to the adjuster, they are asking you carefully crafted questions intended to elicit answers that can be used to make you look like a "malingerer" later on. That is, of course, only after thay have lulled you into a false sense of security. "Don't worry, we'll pay your medical bills; can we help you with your rental car?; can I get your wage loss information so that we can reimburse you?" Then, one year later when you are trying to negotiate your claim, you're likely to hear a comment like, "remember a year ago when you told me you felt you were getting better? You didn't really need that physical therapy, did you?"

Understand one truism. Insurance companies make money by raking in premiums and not paying on claims. When they do pay on claims, they will do anything to pay as little as possible, regardless of the actual value of the claim.

When you represent yourself, the insurance company knows you will not file suit if the case is not settled. They know that you don't know the value of your claim. They know that you are in an inferior negotiating position. Many people think that by representing themselves and eliminating the attorneys' standard 1/3 contingency fee, that they will end up better off. In any case involving anything other than a very minor injury, this will never be the case.

The insurance companies have done a masterful PR job convincing the general public that every plaintiffs' attorney spends their days chasing ambulances and that every injured plaintiff is a malingerer. Every case involves fraud and the world will come to a quick end if a jury awards fair compensation after an accident trial. Clearly, every profession has their bad apples and there is always someone trying to scam the system. However, in my experience, most plaintiffs attorneys do their best to zealously advocate for their clients and can spot the system scammer in a heartbeat.

If you are injured in an accident caused by another, don't try to go it alone. People love to hate trial lawyers...until they need one.

Bruce A. Bierhans

Coast Guard launches Operation Paddle Smart 2009

USCG generates greater safety awareness among paddlers and small boaters

   Taking a break from kayaking off Sandy Neck in Barnstable Harbor. Photo by John Fitts.

BOSTON – The United States Coast Guard, for the second year in a row, is launching Operation Paddle Smart to bring greater awareness to paddlesport safety in the Northeast First Coast Guard District. 

The district suffered the loss of 58 recreational boaters and paddlers in 2007, of which 15 canoe and eight kayak fatalities accounted for 40 percent of the total. 

Historically, with the area’s long-standing interest in canoeing and the continuing growth in both inland and coastal kayaking, Northeast paddlesport fatalities are more than double the national average.

As a result, last year the Coast Guard partnered with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons to generate greater safety awareness among paddlers and small boaters and launched Operation Paddle Smart.  While the operation officially ran from May 1 to June 30, safety material, information, and advice were dispensed throughout the year.

“Our goals are two-fold,” said Bob Sweet of the Buzzards Bay Sail and Power Squadron and USPS National Education Officer. “First, we want boaters and paddlers to be aware and prepared for what can go wrong on the water. Second, we want to promote the life-saving benefit of wearing a life jacket, to highlight the immediate danger of sudden cold water immersion, to encourage boater and paddler education, and to stress the importance of being a responsible and prudent mariner. The important thing is that working together we’ve made a difference that has ultimately resulted in saving lives.”

Notably, while overall recreational boating and paddling fatalities declined from 58 in 2007 to 55 in 2008, paddlesport fatalities declined from 23 to 14 – a 39 percent reduction.

“Multiple factors affect boating statistics from year to year,”  said Cmdr. Peter Nourse, director of the First Coast Guard District’s Northern Region Auxiliary.  “Though we are unable to conclude quantitatively the full impact of Operation Paddle Smart last year, we do know that it had a very positive, direct affect toward the decrease in paddle craft fatalities.  As a result, given this significant improvement, we are institutionalizing this yearly operation to see if we can continue to reduce the total number of paddlesport fatalities.”   

This year Operation Paddle Smart will run from April 1 to November 1, and will once again be a focal point for boating and paddling organizations, retailers, and others to work together to promote paddlesport safety, as well as being an information source for all paddlers and small boaters.

“Our goals are two-fold,” said Bob Sweet of the Buzzards Bay Sail and Power Squadron and USPS National Education Officer. “First, we want boaters and paddlers to be aware and prepared for what can go wrong on the water. Second, we want to promote the life-saving benefit of wearing a life jacket, to highlight the immediate danger of sudden cold water immersion, to encourage boater and paddler education, and to stress the importance of being a responsible and prudent mariner. The important thing is that working together we’ve made a difference that has ultimately resulted in saving lives.”

Auxiliary and Power Squadron members, over the next few months, will distribute paddlesport safety packets throughout the Northeast.  Data will also be collected to determine what efforts worked best and to solicit response, questions and information from paddlers on how the operation can be improved or how it has benefited them.

“Operation Paddle Smart is a multi-partnered effort to educate and remind new, casual, and experienced paddlers to assess the risks, envision the consequences and be properly prepared for what can and sometimes does go wrong,” said Commodore Renelle LeBlanc of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Northern Region.  “We want all boaters and paddlers to enjoy their time on the water and, most importantly, return home safely.”

Commodore LeBlanc also noted that Paddle Smart information is included in all Auxiliary public education courses and numerous events have been held to demonstrate the proper handling of canoes and kayaks.

Additionally, paddlers on the waters of Massachusetts are required to wear a life jacket while underway through May 15; in Connecticut through May 30 and in Maine on the Saco River below the Hiram Dam through June. 

Release courtesy of the USCG.

South Dennis Sex-Ring bust; Osterville's Andy Hallett dead at 33; Tinman feeds the needy; Layoffs at The Globe

TODAY's quote: "I wasn't given a chance to show what I really do." - Georgianna Bloom, alleged madam.

Angel Star Andy Hallett Dies of Heart Failure at 33
Osterville actor in 70 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff, Angel

Andy Hallett, who starred as Lorne ("the Host") on the TV series Angel

Andy Hallett, who starred as Lorne ("the Host") on the TV series Angel, died of heart failure last night at age 33, according to his longtime agent and friend Pat Brady. The actor passed away at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after a five-year battle with heart disease, with his father Dave Hallett by his side.

Hallett, from the Cape Cod village of Osterville, Mass., appeared on more than 70 episodes of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff, Angel, between 2000 and 2004. The accomplished actor was also a musician and sang two songs ("Lady Marmalade" and "It's Not Easy Being Green") on the Angel: Live Fast, Die Never soundtrack, released in 2005.

The actor's character on Angel was Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan, or Lorne for short. Hallett's Lorne was a friendly demon, who, when not assisting Angel and his team in the investigation of various and sundry underworld mysteries, served as the host and headliner at a demon bar.

Back in 2001, Hallett told our own Jen Godwin that despite constant flirtation with David Boreanaz' character Angel, and the occasional sly Elton John reference, "We don't really know if he's gay. I don't really know. It's funny, because sometimes he's right in Angel's face, and that's when I feel it the most. And viewers would probably think, hmm, what's going on here? This guy's pretty curvy."

Hallett has spent his post-Angel years working on his music career, playing shows around the country. He had been admitted to the hospital three or four times in the past few years for his heart condition, according to Pat.

Another Angel castmember, Glenn Quinn, who played Doyle in season one, passed away in 2002.

A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod, most likely over this weekend... E Online.

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Layoffs at The Globe

Thanks to a reasonably successful buyout program and last week's layoffs of 20 editorial part-timers--including five part-time photographers--today's layoffs hit the Globe newsroom with less force than they might have otherwise.. Phoenix.

Detroit newspaper pick worse day possible to stop home delivery

News day's like yesterday come once a year, but Monday was the day the two daily newspapers here stopped home delivery... NY Times.

Ten nabbed in Barnstable sex-for-sale case

Barnstable police arrested 10 people last week in an undercover sex sting organized over the Internet. The arrests included three women and a level 3 sex offender, who were arraigned in court on Monday on prostitution charges.

Undercover officers arranged for women to perform sexual acts on them at a local motel room using the Web site Craigslist, police said. Georgianna Bloom, 59, of South Dennis, was arrested on Wednesday after officers responded to her advertisement on the site, the paper reports.

Bloom said that she was not planning to really have sex with the undercover officer. She said she intended to "simulate and to tease" during the encounter. "What I was planning to do is not illegal. I wasn't given a chance to show what I really do."... WCVB-TV.
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Cape Cod diner offers free meals to those suffering from mental and social illnesses

"They are the forgotten people," - Barbara Lind

FALMOUTH - Closing hour came and went, but Barbara Lind had no thoughts of shutting down shop Sunday afternoon. She was too busy fulfilling a promise.  Last summer, she reopened her cherished My Tinman Diner in a new spot, eight years after an arsonist destroyed the original Pocasset restaurant.

For the two years before reopening, she worked at Plymouth Bay House, helping people with mental and social problems restore their lives.

"They are the forgotten people," Lind said from her diner Sunday. She never forgot her vow to help people with mental illnesses or other challenges... Standard-Times.

Crash in Sandwich Monday kills Marstons Mills man

Fatal car crash in Sandwich Monday night

Corey Dooling, 20, of Marstons Mills pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital

SANDWICH - A fatal car crash occurred around 8:30 p.m. Monday evening on Old County Road.  A Sandwich Fire official at the scene confirmed that one person was killed in the head-on crash and another, Matthew T. Fogg of Sandwich, was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with minor injuries. 

According to Sandwich Police, Corey Dooling, 20, of Marstons Mills was pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital.

The roadway was closed for over an hour while authories reconstructed the scene. Sandwich Police believe speed was a factor in the fatal crash. 

Video and photo by David G. Curran.

Cinderella gets her dress in Mashpee

Preparing for the ball on a budget

   On the left Brooke Silvia stands while her mother and the seamstress talk shop in the mirror.  On the right, Sara Buscemi may have found the one...maybe.

By Bethany Gibbons

Fairy godmother Dorothy Schrumf.

High school girls brought their passion for fashion to Mashpee Commons Sunday, but they skirted the Gap and Banana Republic and headed instead to Cinderella’s Night at the Prom Dress Swap. While the fairy tale lass relied on enchanted creatures to whip together a gown, these girls traded in their old gowns for new, but there was still plenty of magic afoot.

The fairy godmother

Dorothy Schrumf was the fairy godmother of this benefit for the Mashpee After-Prom party. Girls in half-closed, too-long dresses kept the seamstress hopping as she pinned garments to be altered free-of-charge at her shop, Common Threads, and talked shop about foundation garments, paneled dress-backs, loops, lacing, straps and fit. Mothers, volunteers and friends threw in their advice and everyone eyed fresh dresses coming through the door.

Gorgeous gowns for a steal

Girls with dresses to barter were charged $1 admission and walked away with a free dress if they found one that made the grade. Those arriving without something to swap were charged $10 a dress.

Sturgis senior Nicole Fishkind poses with the perfect date.

Donations came in before the swap, mostly from parents whose children grew up, moved out and left their dresses behind. Schrumf stressed the spirit of giving that infused the event, the first of its kind for Mashpee.

The community comes together

“The community has to stick together and everyone has to help each other out. It’s hard times for everyone, but it’s one of the good things about the bad economy - people have to be more supportive and more helpful. It’s going back to old values.” To complete the circle of generosity, Schrumf will donate all leftover dresses to Sandwich’s Before the Stroke of Midnight, a program that connects gowns and accessories with students in need.

Though the seamstresses Schrumf’s business employs would not work for free performing alterations, former After-Prom honcho Vicki Kelly stepped in to volunteer her services. Having worked for Schrumf in the past, she will assist in getting the dresses ready for their big day. Kelly recognized the need for the event. “With all the expenses, who has the money for a dress like that?” she asked. “There’s college coming up, and all the other costs… who wants to spend hundreds on a dress?”

Recycling, a perfect fit for this economy

A dress awaits a swapper at Cinderella's Night at the Ball.

If the idea of spending that kind of money on a prom dress seems incredible, a recent visit to promgirl.net, which lists nationally advertised gowns, revealed dresses in the $300 range. Common sense might make that kind of purchase out-of-the-question, but tight budgets can make any dress purchase impossible. Still, Kelly says, “Some kids are more comfortable with buying a used gown than others.” The hope is that by continuing to offer this ‘recycling’ of seldom worn garments in the coming years, more families will catch on to its genius.

The young women on the hunt at the former Sorbus store, donated by Commons management, seemed unfazed by second-hand shopping. They brought mothers, grandmothers, fathers and friends, who held potential buys while they tried on others. Demonstrating their fashion savvy, the girls were quick to voice alteration ideas to seamstress Schrumf. One wanted lacing across the back while another vied for rhinestone straps and someone suggested a severe hemming. Accessory ideas were tossed around and shoes were brought in to finish the look.

Girls gather from near and far

Lee Ann Earls makes manicure appointments - for moms.

The event was open to any high-school student in need of a dress, not only those attending Mashpee High School. Nicole Fishkind of Sandwich is a senior at Sturgis Charter School, looking to jet off to college next year and study writing. She rocked a floor-length blue strapless gown and her mother approved. Sara Buscemi and her mother made the drive from Arlington to take advantage of the deals, and her grandmother Priscilla from Cotuit waited and watched as she modeled one gorgeous dress after another.

Vendors were invited to rent table space to advertise their services and wares. The money collected also went to After-Prom. The Nail Diva manicurist Lee Ann Earls took advantage of the chance to get the word out about her new location at USA Fitness Centers, 502 Main Street in Mashpee. As the event kicked off she was busy making appointments for all the volunteers at the store.

   Cinderella's Slipper" - "Let's hope there aren't any of these left behind at this year's ball.