CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Sales tax hike might hurt on Cape Cod

"We live where you vacation… but soon you won’t be vacationing here and won’t even be able to afford McD’s or BK"

By Samantha Pearsall

With Cape unemployment at almost 12%, the highest percentage in the state, now Cape Codders are taking another hit starting Saturday with a statewide sales tax hike from 5% to 6.25%. The Senate estimates this increase will generate $633 million. The tax exemption on alcohol will also be revoked which is expected to raise another $80 million.

Options for the individual towns

In addition, the legislature has also passed a bill giving Cape towns the option of instating an additional meals and room occupancy tax. Such taxation could raise the current meals tax from 5% to 7% and rooms tax up to as much as 11.7%. Although the communities would keep all tax revenues from such local option taxes, it may still be unwelcome by those opening their wallets.

"This has been a disappointing reaction in the face of real crisis." Rep. Jeff Perry on the bill being passed this spring.

Much criticism comes now to those who voted for this bill. Many argue that communities that border neighboring states, particularly tax-free New Hampshire, will opt to cross state lines to forgo the extra 1.25% on purchased items. Others think this tax increase will push Massachusetts’ residents to shop online more, further hurting the local economies.

Raising taxes in a recession?

Rep. Jeffrey Perry (R-Sandwich) did not vote for this bill and said the governor and majority party should not have raised taxes during a recession to offset their budget problem. Instead, he suggested, there should be a reform and reduction in state spending.

"This has been a disappointing reaction in the face of real crisis," Perry said of the bill being passed this spring.

Although Rep. Cleon Turner (D-Dennis) did vote for the bill, he said he is not happy with the room occupancy tax saying it’s going to be "a serious problem." Turner sponsored a bill that would have taxed currently untaxed rooms such as timeshares, rented houses, and cottages. Instead the impending bill will "further burden those who are already burdened with a room tax to make it even more unfair," Turner said. Now those hotels, motels, and Bed & Breakfasts that were already being taxed may be forced to tack on an additional percentage that could total nearly 12%.

Rep. Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown) also voted for this bill but could not be reached for comment.

Will the pennies add up?

Turner does not believe an additional .75% meals tax would really affect the Cape’s tourism industry or deter people from dining out. "It’s just pennies," he said. He said if people want to go out and eat good food in a nice setting, they’re still going to despite the slight tax increase. The room occupancy tax, on the other hand, may negatively impact tourism. Perry agrees, saying "it’s going to have a psychological impact on people of where they’re going to spend their tourism dollars."

"In a down economy, adding on more taxes is not a recipe for success." - Robert DuBois, Executive Director of the Yarmouth Area Chamber of Commerce

Robert DuBois, Executive Director of the Yarmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, thinks what may be "pennies" to Turner might seem like a lot more to others. "The lodging and dining industry have some real concerns about these tax increases." Cape Business estimated there are more than 900 food services and roughly 16,000 hotel rooms along the 65-mile long peninsula.

"In a down economy," DuBois said, "adding on more taxes is not a recipe for success."

New funds in lieu of state aid

Funds generated through both local option taxes, however, will go right back into each respective community—and not into the state’s general fund. This is a plus for Turner who feels the Cape's goal should to become more independent from the state since we always get "short changed" with state aid, or "municipal welfare" as he called it.

A spokeswoman from Turner’s office explained that this bill "gives Cape towns the tools and option of fundraising on their own," which would work to make the Cape less dependent on state funds. According to DuBois, Yarmouth must cut between $600,000 and $900,000 from its budget due to reduced state aid.

Most Cape towns seem to say no

So far, it doesn't look like any of the 15 Cape towns have opted to further tax its residents and visitors. And it just might be a good thing with tourism being the Cape's leading industry and our restaurant density being twice the national average according to Cape Business.

"Even in these tough financial times for municipalities, adding additional tax burden to citizens in any form is a difficult thing to do." - Thomas Guerino, Bourne Town Administrator

Thomas Guerino, Bourne Town Administrator, said, "Even in these tough financial times for municipalities, adding additional tax burden to citizens in any form is a difficult thing to do." If Bourne chooses to add the new taxes, it could bring in nearly $250,000 in meals tax revenue and about $17,000 in rooms tax revenue. The option was discussed this week at a selectman's meeting on Tuesday and the Board decided to further study the issue and bring it to the next town meeting. The Town of Dennis also plans to look into the taxes at their fall town meeting.

Yarmouth Selectmen also held a meeting Tuesday with local option taxes high on the agenda, however, with an "over-capacity crowd" the selectmen chose not to discuss the specifics of the tax increase. Instead it will be the first nine articles on the warrant at the town meeting on September 29. Another selectmen's meeting will be held prior to the town meeting to discuss pros and cons.

At a town meeting in May, Eastham decided not to raise meals and rooms taxes. Brewster and Sandwich plan to discuss this taxation at public selectmen's meetings on Thursday, August 6 and Monday, August 3 respectively.

Barnstable, Chatham, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Truro, and Wellfleet have not made any changes as of now.

While you were out: Red Sox skid, Dice-K disses, Papi outed

It's been a busy and none-too-happifying couple of weeks here in Red Sox Nation. While your intrepid reported has been immersed in the joy that is the Cape Cod Baseball League, the Boston Red Sox have free-fallen out of first place, their prized Japanese import has blamed the club's throwing program for his utter lack of effectiveness, and their beloved DH has been painted with the brush of performance-enhancing drugs.

I think I'm glad I'm here and not there.

Look Out Below!

The Red Sox have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games and now stand 2.5 games behind their archrival New York Yankees - who went 7-3 during the same span. Conventional wisdom during the pre-season held that a second-place finish in the AL East still likely will spell playoffs for whoever occupied that spot (Sox, Yanks, or defending champion Rays). But in the hard light of the mid-year, it is potentially alarming to note that only 1.5 games now separate the Sox from the Texas Rangers in the Wild Card standings.

History suggests the Rangers will fade in the August Arlington heat. But this year they have enough pitching to potentially play the spoiler, so Sox fans shouldn't be too unworried about their team's current plight.

Smoltz. Halladay? Kotsay. LaRoche. Gonzalez?

Have it Your Way

Meanwhile, Daisuke Matsuzaka has been in the headlines for saying, essentially, that the Red Sox approach to pitcher care and feeding has all but robbed him of his ability. Once one is able to get past the sheer carelessness of the remarks - whether they were made privately or publicly - the underlying debate is interesting, and the outcome has ramifications not only for the Sox, but for any club signing a Japanese hurler.

The fundamental issue comes down to this: should teams let their international acquisitions continue to do what made them successful overseas, or should they insist upon compliance with their supposedly more arm-friendly regimens? In Dice-K's case, about the only thing the Sox can do at this point is say, "OK, wise guy; go and do what you used to do!" and either hope he returns to form and helps the team in the fall, or hope he doesn't and thereby prove them right. Either way, it's an awkward and ugly position that Matsuzaka has put them in.

O Papi, My Papi!

And then there's yesterday's revelation that David Ortiz's name (as well as Manny Ramirez's) may be on the infamous and supposedly anonymous list of players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. Whether he "did" or he "didn't," the fact is that it sure isn't relevant today.

In a weird way, it may not even have been relevant then, either, for even if he "was," plenty of his opponents apparently "were" also, leveling the playing field in a backwards sort of way team-to-team, if not individual-to-individual. For instance, the Sox and Yanks maybe shared the edge during those intense years, but perhaps Papi's Red Sox team record 51 homers in a season should now bear an asterisk ...

I think I'm going back to the beach and bury my head in the sand. Somebody poke me when it's over?

Subscribe to my musings on Examiner.com!

Beckoning Beams of Light

High upon its Ocean Perch its Beams of Light reach out to gently guide us home to safe shores. Their history is as old as time and the lives that they saved is unmeasurable. Whether it was a stranded mariner out at sea searching for some glimmer of hope that home, is within reach. Or some lost soul,wondering what choice they needed to make on their journey in this ever changing life. These towers have stood tall against fearce  New England storms and serve as a symbol of hope and inspiration. No visit to Cape Cod would be complete without a visit to a magestic Lighthouse or two. Each has a history and scenery unique to its location. So make it a search trail along your vacation plans and you wouldn't be disappointed.

Chech out Cape Cod Lighthouses map.

Happy Trails and let me know what your favorite spot is.

Crossing That Bridge

For a long time has it been known that you are not offically on Cape Cod till you cross the Cape Cod Canal either by car, boat, or train. The Cape Cod Canal essentially made Cape Cod an island with water on all four sides. The Canal was first explored and considered by Miles Standish of the Plymouth colony in 1623 Standish realized that a waterway connecting Buzzards Bay with Cape Cod Bay would help trade between the Plymouth colony, the Native American Indians and the Dutch from New York.

The Cape Cod Canal today.

Although such a task was beyond the abilities of the colony during the Revolutioninary War George Washngton saw the need for a Canal to give greater security to the American forces. In 1776 Thomas Machin an engineer with the Army  investigated the feasability of a Canal his report recomended that a Canal be built. Over the next Century many surverys and studies where done and some groups even started construction of a Canal but failed. In 1904 August Perry Belmount president of the Boston Cape Cod and New York Canal Company conducted a engineering study and on favorable results started construction on the Cape Cod Canal in May of 1909.

Very little was accomplished during the first year due to winter storm in November causing the company to stop work until Spring of the next year. By 1910 the Canal project was fully underway and in September of 1910 the Buzzards Bay Railroad Bridge was completed consisting of a single span 160 feet long. The weight of the span was balanced with one huge counterweight. In 1911 and 1912 the Bourne and Sagamore bridges where completed each of the highway bridges consisted of 2 spans and functioned like a draw bridge.

By 1914 ony one dam seperated the two waterways of Cape Cod Bay and Buzzards Bay and on July 29, 1914 the Cape Cod Canal opened as a privately operated toll waterway. The Canal was first opened with a depth of 15 feet with it's target depth of 25 feet. Serveral serious accidents occured in Belmonts Canal causing many lengthy Canal closures and losses in revenue. By 1915 Belmont had already tried to sell his Canal failure to the Federal Goverment and in March of 1928 Belmonts Canal was sold to the Federal Goverment for $11,500,000.

On March 13th, 1928 Congress  directed the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to operate and improve the Canal. The Corps of Engineers then learned from users of the Canal how it could improve naigation in the Canal. Then the 2 draw bridges where removed and 2 fixed high level bridges replaced the 2 draw bridges and then on June 21st, 1935 the two highway bridges where opened to traffic. These bridges are the very same bridges that exist today, In December of 1935 the Buzzards Bay Railroad Bridge was completed as it exists today. The Corps then went on to widen and deepen the Canal to be 480 feet wide and 32 feet deep . In 1940 the widening and deeping of the 17.4 mile canal was completed making the Cape Cod Canal the widest sea level Canal in the world.

Shopping for staples in Chatham may soon be no easy task

Chatham citizens to the Board of Selectmen: YES to Village Market, NO to CVS

   The Chatham Village Market as it is now at the corner of Queen Anne Road and Route 28 in Chatham. Photo by Walter Brooks.

By Bethany Gibbons

In a packed special meeting of the Chatham Board of Selectmen on Tuesday afternoon residents joined their voices to utter a "human cry" of opposition to the looming closure of the beloved Chatham Village Market and its replacement with a CVS when the lease runs out in 2011. Selectmen vowed to negotiate on behalf of the citizens in meetings with both CVS and the owners of the property, Bromley Realty Trust, while cautioning both ardent supporters of the market and angry opponents to the encroachment of formulaic business in this quaint, seaside town that the Board has no legal recourse to limit the terms of the commercial lease agreement between the private parties.

A concerned resident speaks against CVS.

Larger than expected turn out

So many concerned residents gathered on this sultry afternoon that the overflow had to be contained in the Chatham Community Center, where they watched the proceedings from a big screen television and called in their comments on the phone. Summer resident Jennifer Buck more fully illuminated the number of residents dissatisfied with the potential changes by presenting the selectmen with a petition of 10,469 signatures collected in less than three weeks.

The "life-blood of our town"

"We are as much a part of your families as you are of ours." - Scott MacDonald, co-owner of Chatham Village Market

Calling the market "the life-blood of our town," Buck related a heart-rending story of hardship she learned while collecting signatures at the market. "A mother with three young children spoke to me and she began to cry as she told her story. She lives in affordable housing close to the market and with no car she has no idea how she will get food for her family." Buck explained that for the woman to wait for a bus to take her to Orleans to shop, do the shopping and get a bus back to Chatham would take her all day. Buck expressed frustration with the idea that less fortunate residents might have to rely on food items available from convenience stores.

Phyllis Tileston, a local since 1948, reiterated Buck's concern, "When the Chatham Housing Authority was started, the affordable housing complex had to be located a certain distance from a market," she said, pausing as she choked up with tears. "I’m so glad Jennifer Buck mentioned the people of Lake Street – these people need this market desperately." Selectmen did not elaborate on what happens when a development intended to be located near a food market loses the market.

Does the Board of Selectman have any pull?

Board of Selectman Chairman Ron Bergstrom listens to comments.

A number of commentators from the crowd came looking for answers – what's going on with the deal, what happens next, who is negotiating with whom and what kind of conversations are happening behind closed doors? Chatham local Toddy Everett asked for information about a meeting of selectmen and CVS representatives, and it was revealed that two members of the Board met with CVS reps just hours before the hearing. Those selectmen were not willing to divulge what was discussed, but they did offer the assurance that "CVS is listening." They explained the next step is a meeting between CVS and the Bromley trustees, but were not certain the town would have a seat at that meeting. They repeated their vow to act as a facilitator in the negotiation, wherever possible.

Residents and their elected representatives were concerned about more than the potential loss of the town's only grocery store. Although selectmen voted against including a bylaw against chain stores on the May town meeting warrant, they spoke at length about preserving the town's character and urged the numerous attendees to stay involved in future zoning changes that could prevent this kind of issue from cropping up in the future. Board member Len Sussman applauded the grassroots effort, saying, "This is democracy… you're voting with your feet… moments like this are why I stay in local politics." He suggested future zoning efforts. Ron Bergstrom, Board chairman said, "We have something special here, we need to do what we can to make sure the character of the town is protected."

A compromise for Chatham?

The current location of CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Chatham. Photo by Walter Brooks.

While many residents spoke fervently of their opposition to CVS, the Board seemed to favor a compromise that would make everyone happy, but it was apparent that compromise was not what some attendees wanted.  Sitting in on the hearing, Chamber of Commerce member Scott Hamilton suggested a plan that would allow CVS and the Village Market to co-exist on the property, creating a "Chatham-sized" shopping center. "Don’t rule out an avenue that may work for everyone involved," he said to a chorus of "boos" and hollered "NOs!" Selectmen repeatedly returned to the idea of a shared shopping area.

David Oppenheim, who owns the Chatham Wayside Inn, told the audience the lot is larger than it looks, with "a ½-acre lot behind there," and the selectmen could encourage a build-out of the land with tax breaks or zoning relief, allowing for the market, laundromat and CVS to share the location.

Gloria Freeman, who spearheaded the petition drive, reminded the audience and selectmen that the realty trust was rumored to have a non-compete clause in their lease with CVS, which would prevent an adjacent business from selling any of the items offered at CVS. Summer resident Cynthia Munchow spoke about her experience with non-compete clauses in commercial leases, saying, "If they have one, it is a powerful document." Chamber representative Hamilton responded, "Not everything that was offered at one time is the same now."

Village Market owner Robert White and co-owner Scott MacDonald turned away from the podium and the Board to thank attendees for their ongoing outpouring of support. "We are as much a part of your families as you are of ours," said MacDonald to cheers, applause and a few tears.

Coast Guard recommends for LNG facility in New Bedford

Coast Guard signs letter of recommendation for LNG facility

The Coast Guard signed a letter of recommendation Thursday regarding the Weaver's Cove Energy, LLC proposal to construct an offshore LNG berth in Mt. Hope Bay, Mass.

As part of the Coast Guard's contribution to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) review process, the Captain of the Port, Southeastern New England, along with key stakeholders exhaustively reviewed and validated the navigation safety and maritime security aspects of the Weaver's Cove Energy, LLC LNG proposal.

The letter of recommendation provides the Coast Guard Captain of the Port's assessment of the suitability of the waterway for the LNG marine traffic associated with the proposal to FERC to consider when it makes its permitting decision. Weaver's Cove Energy, LLC intends to make up to 70 LNG tanker deliveries each year to the offshore berth, if FERC approves the project. FERC has final approval authority on site placement and authorization to construct the berth.

In the letter, the Captain of the Port recommends that the waterway be found suitable, provided that risk mitigation measures specified in the letter of recommendation are fully incorporated by FERC in its authorization order. The Coast Guard letter of recommendation does not give final approval for the project.

The Captain of the Port, Southeastern New England routinely briefed the project's status at Port Safety and Security forums in both Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Additionally the Captain of the Port met individually with various federal, state and local officials to ensure their views and input were fully considered.

The letter of recommendation is included on the FERC docket and can be found at http://www.ferc.gov/industries/lng/indus-act/terminals/exist-prop-lng.asp.

For more information about FERC's permitting process, contact FERC or visit FERC's website.

7 steps to headache cure with yoga

Link: http://www.kindyoga.com

This weather is a bit muggy, maybe the heat is getting to me today, the head slowly aches and the eyes are tired.....and I am grumpy too 

Here's the yoga cure, it just worked on me!  (seated)

1. Take about 7 long slow deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth, gets the oxygen into the bloodstream

2. Gentle to moderate pressure on the back of the scalp -  right into the occipital ridge at the base of the skull

3. Let the head slowly roll forward, from shoulder to shoulder (not roll back, that's not always good for everyone)

4. Press firmly on the point between the thumb and forefinger (in the v between the fingers) both hands

5. Stretch arms up overhead and inhale as you arch back, exhale release arms down 3X come back to center

6. Press on  both brows with your palms - hold and press for about 3 slow breaths

7. Stretch right arm up overhead, bend elbow and hold opposite ear, stretch neck slowly toward right, using the weight of your arm (no wrenching, even though the headache may be wrenching), deep breath, then do opposite arm to ear

total this should all take approx. 6-10 minutes

helps the headache, but still grumpy. diane

Remembering the Real Walter Cronkite

Link: http://www.MooncusserFilms.com

Before I did photography.... and audio... and author marketing.... and multimedia in general, my company was just a video production company, with half of my projects coming from here on the Cape and the others over the bridge.

Now that I'm married and here full time I don't do as much film as before due to the travel requirements.  So, I had a great time this week remembering one of them however, a documentary narrated by veteran journalist Walter Cronkite.  I directed the film for the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center about Guglielmo Marconi's wireless station here in Chatham.  I was in 6th grade when he retired so I never considered it a possibility that I'd one day get to work with him, let alone direct his narration one on one over headphones. 

When he died last weekend I received an interview request late at night from CNN and early the next morning found myself in the telephone calling in a live interview to their anchors all over the world.  It was horrifying but I was honored to be able to talk about my experience over the winter of 2004 working with him and finding out that he was just as sincere and down to earth as his reputation. Here's a clip from it.

Though I was sad to hear about Mr. Cronkite, who led an amazing life,  I remembered how much attention he and his staff gave our script that winter, his generosity in donating his time (and that of his staff), and also how he hung around and talked to us for 20 minutes after the narration was cut.  

Here's the CNN transcript...

---------

WHITFIELD: Walter Cronkite's voice gave credence and authority to more than just news. He also used his famous pipes in a documentary about Italian inventory Guglielmo Marconi. 

Chris Seufert, producer and founder of Mooncusser Films, worked with Cronkite on the project. He joins us now by phone from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. So glad you could be with us, sorry under such circumstances. Tell me about your memories of Walter Cronkite.

CHRIS SEUFERT (via telephone), PRODUCER, FOUNDER, MOONCUSSER FILMS: Hi, how are you? 

Actually, I am not as old as some of the people who have much more direct experience with the reality and the myth of Walter Cronkite. But, you know, I was in sixth grade when he retired. 

But I am old enough to remember being in -- in my pajamas in the early 70s playing with trucks on the floor and seeing those helicopters swirling over the jungle canopy and hearing that voice, you know, that was sort of the nightly narration. 

So, yes, when I began this project with Walter and worked on the script over many months, and then we finally walked into his office, it was certainly with some nervousness as I walked down the hallway toward that --

WHITFIELD: Give me an idea of what was the first encounter was like. Yes, you knew him as the myth, this bigger than life man. But then when you saw him and you are now face to face, were your knees knocking? Give me an idea what kind of butterflies you had in you.

SEUFERT: I was certainly shaking in my boots. 

We had had some contact with him over the months before that I started to feel pretty comfortable with who he was. He was really behind the script and worked with us in a very detailed way to shape it into something he'd be proud of. 

So I really admired that, because a lot of people that would -- you know, a lot of people as famous as he who donate their narration to a project like this is --

WHITFIELD: Do you know how it even came about, by the way, how you were able to convince him to depart from news and be the voice in this documentary?

SEUFERT: Well, there was a producer on staff who had friend of a friend who knew that Walter was crazy about wireless radio. And so we knew someone that knew him, and basically got the word out to him that we were doing a documentary about wireless radio, and it sort of -- this untold story. 

And he accepted right away, to my complete and utter shock. But we, I went into New York with several of the crew members, and we were ushered up to his floor at CBS. And it hardly look like the office of a retired man, I must say. It was just like any working professional.

WHITFIELD: Really, meaning it just seemed very down to earth, very ordinary even?

SEUFERT: No. It was pretty intimidating. And, uou know, it's right in the center of Manhattan. And he has the whole floor. 

And his staff was extraordinarily professional and dedicated to him. And, you know, they worked round-the-clock. This was not a man that was -- you know, moth-balled yet. 

So when we walked down the hallway and you hear that voice, your first reaction is someone left the TV on.

WHITFIELD: That booming voice.

SEUFERT: And then we walked in, it was quite the opposite. He was not intimidating at all.

WHITFIELD: That's lovely. 

Well, thanks so much for sharing your experiences and having this brush with greatness, the greatness of Walter Cronkite. Thanks so much. 

And, of course, we have been hearing from you as well. So many people have been sharing their memories of Walter Cronkite.

----------

The photos we took of Walter that day were syndicated to a network of 120 tv stations across the country from Hawaii to Maine so our little Chatham project has gotten quite a boost from Walter's project.  Thanks to him this short documentary is now on the map for much more than just Guglielmo Marconi, but for being one of the last professional projects completed by this veteran journalist, who may have been a part of more historical moments in the 20th century than any other single person. And we had a blast with him too.

Here's an article that Tim Wood wrote at the Cape Cod Chronicle wrote highlighting the more local component of the Mr. Cronkite's involvement.

Need a film or video shot?  Come by my studio here at 2469 Main Street in Chatham or contact me here

Christopher Seufert

Cape Cod Video Production

Dirty Deeds

Link: http://gourl.org/dsfaq

Done Dirt Cheap

Went to see AC/DC last night at Gillette Stadium not only were the seats right up front on the field of the stadium but the best part of the evening was on the trip driving up. The opportunity to twelve step someone cropped up.

Took him through Step One right in the car.

The drive from The Peninsula of Doom to Foxboro, Massachusetts - one and a half hours. Perfect - maybe even a little roomy, time-wise, for a Step One event.

Here is how it went:

Talk about being in good physical shape . At age fifty four Angus  Young has got more energy  than many twenty five year olds I see working at the Cape Cod Mall whose bellies cast ecliptic shadows over their size fourteen Nikes. Why are there so many fat,  I mean seriously  OBESE by a hundred pounds or more -  not merely overweight,  people on Cape Cod anyway? I mean really .  I have never seen anything like it.  (More on that after I lose twenty myself.) The Scottish born guitar icon  took his Black lacquered SG to .  .  .  . oh wait- this is about  alcoholism, not a rock show review.  Sorry.

I had to explain to Charlie what I know about alcoholism – what it’s ‘symptoms’ are and how they manifest. We know from experience that the best way to do that is conversationally – the one-drunk-talking-to another method. One drunk talking to a roomful of drunks is not how it is done. – one drunk writing to a blog readership is not either.

It has been and is always illustrated in the Big Book that one-on-one is the only way and I have found it to be so too. Everyone I know who i in this deal tells me it is their experience too. 'Mass' sponsoring like at some Holy Roller healing bazaar, but from a podium, bullshitting ones self that this is the way to "carry the message" is not how the co-founder describe “Working With Others" in their book.

Lecturing to him about allergy and obsession alone cannot do it either – and that isn’t very conversational. He’ll feel preached to. I have found that taking a tutorial position is OK in most instances as long as the reception room door has been unlocked first – and it is just done for the technical explanations of the experiences described before it. So I start giving examples in my own life where I could not stop once I started and couldn't “not start” even though I needed to “not start”.

Guess what happened? He couldn’t match my experiences. Not in the slightest. Charlie drank for the liquid courage to smoke crack. He never continued drinking when he got the crack. The prognosis? Charlie is not an alcoholic.

Now if I was charging him money for this I wouldn’t want to let him go at this point – not before I got to swipe his credit card anyway or clean out his checking account – or maybe even get his timid, not so swift but loving grandma to take out a loan on her house to pay me ten or twenty of forty grand for a month. If you have ever witnessed a sales close during the admittance process of a treatment center you would instantly recognize and be able to make the comparison with it and the manager’s office at the local car dealer. No difference.

I can tell you of instances where folks - one woman in particular comes to mind - who was run through the local facility, Gosnold,  here on Cape Cod not once or twice but three times that I know of and possibly even more after relapsing immediately upon release and exiting Gosnold's treatment facility. Unconscionable! The greed and arrogance of the people running that facility is astounding. It ought to be investigated by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office. Why was she rerun through time after time after time - probably even against the facilities own written and apparnetly scoffed policies?

The answer i s simple: Uh, she was not out of money yet! And she was desperate enough to be willing to pay  it. Desperate people do desperate things and too often there is someone standing there waiting to exploit that simple human fact. ANYONE can  become a certified alcoholic  or drug addict if  they just show up and write a check to charlatans like these -whether they  are one or not. It is not limited to The Peninsula of Doom either.  It is all over over the country. If the check does not bounce no one is going to tell them any different.  I have NEVER heard of anyone getting a refund from ANY treatment center because the administrators and counselor discovered that they were not real alcoholics and therefor could not help them. And I am quite certain I never will.

If I were a money  charging "addictions counselor" what I would do now is tell Charlie,

"Charlie I can still help - and you can still pay- because even though I only have the solution for and the experience with alcoholism and you are not an alcoholic but you are a drug addict . . . . guess what? ALCOHOL IS NOW A DRUG. We can still do business! Yippee Ai Oh Ty Ay!

Now lets start running that stack of credit cards you have there. . . K?"

Well there is some difference. If you relapse after the treatment people deliver their goods to you the treatment center will not give you a refund and will incredibly tell you it’s YOUR fault -- whereas the car dealer will be forced by their own good business practices, not to mention the Attorney General's office, to make good on the product sold. Treatment Centers will even exploit your desperate state by informing you of this beforehand.

Can you imagine a car dealer telling you, "Now listen Mr. Jones after you pay for this vehicle we will do all we can but frankly you may never actually take delivery - and even if you do it the car might just disappear one day. If it does,there are no refunds."

You would have to be puh. . . ritty desperate to engage in the transaction, after that disclaimer, wouldn't you? a I believe that is call adding insult to injury or maybe in this case the reverse: Injury THEN insult.

Hey, you know . . . there is nothing like desperation – the flames of raw and terrorized emotions tearing through a life and family as hot and deadly as flames and smoke through a South Bronx tenement.

But I am not twelve stepping Charlie to fuck him out of his money - to get approval from others because I have "a another guy" or even approval from my own ego for the same reason. It is because it has become an avocation.

Charlie figures then that he is not a real alcoholic - not the kind described in the Big Book. "Alcoholics Anonymous" and for whom the Twelve Step Program was designed and painstakingly delineated in that book --- but he also recons he cannot stop going to AA meetings because it has become a social thing for him. He has no other friends who aren’t taking substances like EtOH or drugs and Charlie feels that he needs to secure himself among people who even though some of them they relapse once in a while, at least they are living inside periods of being clean and sober.

He just rotates them in and out of his social circle as they use - cleanup - use - cleanup and he says that he is able to remain clean and sober himself - by association.

Maybe he does.  Now I guess we'll have to get together  again to make sure Charlie know the difference between an "Opened" and "Closed" meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hey! Twelve Stepping at a fraekin' AC/DC concert  -  I should remember everything?

Peace,

Danny S - RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

Follow the EPA's Ocean Research Vessel at it Tweets its way up the New England Coast

Life aboard a research vessel--fun for kids of all ages

Are you getting bored with the dreary weather New England is experiencing this summer? Are the kids suffering from cabin fever? Maybe you’re looking for a cool activity to keep youngsters interested in learning during the summer break?

EPA is launching several great ways kids can learn about life aboard an ocean research ship, its scientific capabilities and the work being done by scientists to protect New England’s coastal waters.

The Bold, above docked in Seattle Washington, was once a Naval ship. Image courtesy of the EPA.

Beginning today and continuing for a week, you can follow scientists from EPA’s New England office onboard EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel, the Bold. From July 30 to August 6, EPA staff will post information onto a daily web-based logbook for kids of all ages. We also will provide frequent updates via Twitter. Logging in to our new web site, you can follow all of this and more. Plus, kids (anyone, really) will have the chance to participate in a live, real-time conversation with EPA scientists on the Bold.

As the Bold works in New England waters, special focus will be on Massachusetts Bay, southern Maine and Penobscot Bay, and will including areas where rivers discharge into bays and the ocean, and major sewer outfalls.

EPA’s New England office is working to collect over 200 water samples from Boston Harbor to Penobscot Bay in midcoast Maine to monitor the presence and trends of coastal nutrients. This survey is the beginning of a multiyear trend monitoring program that will provide the data vital to understanding the health of northern New England's coastline. The presence of nutrients in the ocean is both natural and man made, but in either case, an overburden can have serious implications for the health of the marine environment.

By sampling approximately 50 stations along the coast, EPA can provide the data necessary to develop coastal nutrient criteria, and determine if a nutrient gradient can be established from the observed trends in the presence of nutrients from land sources such as sewerage outfalls. The nutrients we will track include total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a. Part of this survey will also be assisting in the development of estuarine nutrient criteria for the state of Maine.

Daily blogging and "live tweeting" will take place as long as internet signals off the coast will allow. So join us online and learn first-hand if any surprises surface!

Follow EPA:

• Main web page to follow the Bold (www.epa.gov/ne/boldkids)
• Follow the Captain’s scientific log (www.epa.gov/ne/boldkids/captainslog.html)
• Follow our tweets from the Bold (http://twitter.com/epalive)

Release courtesy of the EPA.