CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Leap Year and other Cape Cycles & Viennese Torte [Rock Hopper]

 So it's leap year, the once in 4 years that we get a February 29th. More spectacular than a blue moon which happens once every 2 to 3 years and even more spectacular then the runs of Stripped Bass or BlueFish which happen every year. Hum, now this is got me thing about what things have very notable cycles on the Cape. For instants, what about the Herring, they run in the spring around April and May. Places to see the Herring run on the Cape are BourneDale Herring Run, Bell's Neck Conservation Area, Mashpee River Herring Run, and one of my favorite spots on the Cape Stoney Brook Herring Run. Some would say the most spectacular runs are that of the Whales that gather and return regularly to the waters off Provincetown and Race Point. There are  North Atlantic Right Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales not to mention the White Sided Dolphins. There are Whale Watching tour boats that go out of Barnstable Harbor, Plymouth, and my favorite Provicetown, where it seems to be the shortest distance to any Whale pods and I have never been disappointed with how many we see going our of Provicetown. 

Yoga Everywhere - 365 days of yoga Warrior [Kind Yoga Cape Cod]

Link: http://youtu.be/6wZLuITyrE8

Strong people do yoga 

Here is Warrior 1 and 2, try this one during your lunch break - strengthens the legs and core - gets you focused 

http://youtu.be/6wZLuITyrE8

One taken to hospital after Wellfleet two-car crash Wednesday

Both cars reportedly totaled in crash

WELLFLEET - One person was transported to Cape Cod Hospital late Wednesday morning after a two-car crash on Route 6. According to a Wellfleet police release, Wellfleet officers and firefighters responded to the crash near Dale Ave. just before 11:30 a.m.

Two vehicles were involved in the crash, a 2007 Toyota Rav 4 and a 1995 Honda.  The driver of the Toyota, Kathie Pavia, 65, of Wellfleet, was transported to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. The driver of the Honda, Constantine Phipps, 47, of Orleans, was examined at the scene by Eastham EMTs, but was not taken to the hospital.

Both cars appeared to be totaled and were towed from the season, according to police.

Police did not indicate if either drivers faces any charges.

Storm Update [Nor'easter Blues]

Snow and Rain

12:30 PM Radar

Precipitation is coming our way, although it will  mostly be that boring rain stuff.

The key is how the rain/snow line sets up. Right now, it's back around the Pike. It may slink down our way for a while at the start of the storm (3-4 PM), but it should turn to all rain about when it gets dark.

Expect rain all night and for part of the day tomorrow. If things break right for Cape Cod, the departing storm will draw in some cold air behind it and give us some snow later Thursday.

Cape Cod is only looking at an inch or so, more likely just a coating. Most of that will fall Thursday. We may get some today, but it will wash away as the rain line pushes north.

If you have to go deal with those mainlanders, it could be really snowy after you cross 495. Northern Massachusetts is looking at 6-10", and South NH may be over a foot in spots.

We also have a storm looming for Saturday, but that looks to be all rain. Highs will be in the 50s for that.

3:30 Update... Snow line around the Canal. 

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History field guide/interpreter training course begins March 20 [Event]

Train for six Tuesdays and three Saturdays

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History has announced the start date of the Field Guide/Interpreter training course.  The popular course begins on March 20 and will run for six Tuesdays and three Saturdays:

• Tuesday, March 20 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 27, April 3, 10, 17 & 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Saturdays, March 31, April 7 & 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Participants will learn about the natural history of Cape Cod and more specifically, the Wing Island area. Field guides will be trained to lead school children onto the Museum's trails in the spring and fall and lead family walks in the summer. Participants will also be trained to serve as Museum interpreters and guides for special programs.

Museum naturalists will teach participants about the geology, biology, ecology and human history of the Wing Island area. Guides will be able to convey this information to audiences of all ages and convey to visitors the rich diversity of life in the areas woodlands, salt marsh and beach ecosystems.

For more information, contact Training Coordinator Bud Ferris or Volunteer Coordinator Barbara Knoss at 508-896-3867. Information is also available on the Museum's website here. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is located at 869 Main Street (Route 6A) in Brewster.

Attorney General Martha Coakley negotiates merger deal with NSTAR

Agreement includes rate freeze

Immediate savings of $217,000,000 for ratepayers

By Matt Nadler, Editor, Plymouth Daily News.

NSTAR customers will receive approximately $217 million in savings through a settlement agreement negotiated by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office with NSTAR and Northeast Utilities.

The word on the street is that Martha Coakley is preparing to run for governor when Deval Patrick's term ends in 2014.The company serves Carver, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Plympton and Wareham. On Cape Cod the company serves Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis. Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet and Yarmouth.

The agreement was reached as a condition for approval of a merger between the two companies.

The agreement includes a four-year distribution rate freeze, an immediate $21 million merger savings credit to customers and protection for customers from inappropriate merger costs such as “golden parachutes” and executive retention payments

The Department of Energy Resources also signed on to the agreement. The has an agreement requiring NSTAR to execute a 15-year power contract with the Cape Wind Project as a condition of the merger.

The proposed agreement now goes before the Department of Public Utilities.

The Grand Canyon [Green with Betsy]

Link: http://www.greenwithbetsy.com

My husband and I recently visited the Grand Canyon! No doubt you have seen countless pictures in books and periodicals, and perhaps you have seen Ken Burn's fascinating documentary on the national parks, but when you first glimpse the Grand Canyon in person, it steals your breath.  It is so vast, so complex, so majestic, so geologic (if that 's a word), and well, so grand in the true sense of the word.  It doesn't even look real.  Viewing 2 billion year old plus geologic layers of rock is a sight to behold.

Expecting the Grand Canyon park to be completely touristy,  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it really wasn't.  The park places a lot of emphasis on environmental sustainability and controlling the crowds.  Recycling bins are everywhere.  They encourage reusable water bottles and offer water bottle filling stations with fresh canyon spring water.  The shuttle buses run on clean compressed natural gas.  Scenic roads are actually closed most of the year to individual cars to limit pollution that could affect the views.  They have installed solar and wind energy sources. The restaurants and lodges use biocompostable beverage containers among many other green practices.  The National Park Service is clearly trying to preserve the Grand Canyon for future generations to enjoy.

Make it a point to visit here at some point in your lifetime!  It never hurts to be reminded why we need to take care of our incredible world!

For more green tips, visit greenwithbetsy.com.

Mr. President, you owe me and millions of American Catholics an apology. [Bismore Park]

 A letter from Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

You apologized to Islamic extremists and other Muslims abroad and in the United States for something done against the Islamic faith by mistake.

What you are doing to the consciences of Catholics and indeed all American, contrary to the 1st Amendment, you persist in doing on purpose.

As President you have offended me.  You have offended millions of Catholic and all American citizens who enjoy religious liberty under the 1st Amendment and who, as human beings, do not deserve to be so demeaned.

You think American military personal should be held accountable for their mistake.  Why should you, Mr. President, not now be accountable for what you are doing deliberately?

You owe us an apology for demeaning our Catholic Faith.

You apologized to foreign extremists, including terrorists who want to kill us.  Apologize now to mainstream fellow Americans.

American soldiers burned copies of the Koran, which contains instruction and guidance for their faith, by accident.  You then went out of your way to beg forgiveness.

I am not asking you to grovel.  I would be satisfied – on this point – if you simply stopped attacking me and others who hold our rights and human dignity to be granted us, not by your Administration, but by God.

Pressing forward your anti-Catholic HHS mandate is tantamount to a purposeful public burning not only of the 1st Amendment, but also Catechism of the Catholic Church, which reaffirms that Catholics cannot, in good conscience, bend to your unconstitutional and irreligious impositions on our faith and freedom.

For a change, apologize to us.

Politics full of misfits [Alms Matter]

Last election cycle Rush Limbaugh was encouraging his listeners to vote for Hillary Clinton to prolong the Democratic primary and to embarrass candidate Obama. He actually called it operation chaos. Yesterday, I was reading a story about how Democrats in Michigan were actively voting for Rick Santorum  for the same reasons.

I cannot imagine being so obsessed and juvenile that I would use my right to vote in such cavalier manner.

It's no wonder why the regular everyday person doesn't want to be involved with politics. They only need to observe the actions of the few people whom are, and conclude neither  group of misfits represents the people.