Holding these truths

Here’s a patriotic column for the fourth. In confused and stressful times like these, in which the word “government” has become a curseword, it’s good to go back to the earliest moments of our founding and refresh ourselves with the basic logic of the American enterprise. In fact, our own democratic government is, in theory […]

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July 20, 2017 – 1:54 pm | By Brent | Posted in Columns | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Trump as capitalist-in-chief

Opponents often see what they consider Trump’s ill fit for the presidency in terms of psychological sickness. Some imagine that, suffering from such dire-sounding conditions as “narcissistic personality disorder” or “attention deficit disorder” or maybe a version of Asbergers, (and what about those symptoms of dictator envy), he may not last long in the job. […]

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July 4, 2017 – 3:22 pm | By Brent | Posted in Columns | Tagged , | Comments (0)

The Ptown scene in the time of Trump

Fine late afternoon and evening in Ptown this past Saturday, reminding us that one of the great things about Wellfleet is having Ptown so close. The morning’s rain blown away, it is (at last) glorious summahtime, warm and humid, as we meander west on Commercial, checking out the scene and immersing in it at the […]

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June 27, 2017 – 6:48 pm | By Brent | Posted in Posts | Tagged , | Comments (0)

HOSTILE CORPORATIONS BULLYING SMALL TOWNS: THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

So we’ll see if Ptown makes out any better than Wellfleet in getting respect for its more-or-less identical formula business bylaw (FBB). The town’s zoning board of appeals turned down CVS’s special permit and the company’s lawyer says they will appeal. The lawyer says that the exterior of the new store will be visually unobjectionable, […]

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June 20, 2017 – 1:46 pm | By Brent | Posted in Posts | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The fallacy of “media bias” (Part 2 of 2)

The fallacy of “media bias” is playing a large role in the current national crisis. Newspapers like to claim objectivity (fairness, balance). It serves their interests to be seen as above the fray, the “paper of record.” But clearly, given the wide range of political flavors newspapers and other news sources come in, there are […]

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June 11, 2017 – 3:14 pm | By Brent | Posted in Columns | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The Fallacy of “Media bias” (1 of 2)

Widespread confusion about “media bias” is playing a large role in the current national crisis, serving the interests largely of Trump. House Speaker Ryan, explaining why fellow Republicans shouldn’t get too worked up about all the possibly impeachable offenses: “ It is obvious that there are some people out there who want to harm the […]

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June 5, 2017 – 12:49 pm | By Brent | Posted in Columns | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Voting ourselves a bigger gun

The first night of Wellfleet’s recent Town Meeting, FinCom, trying hard to curb spending, suggested cutting the proposed $101,000 budget for “legal services” in half. In the debate, one selectman pointed out that we spent about that amount just in the lalte 2016 court case trying (unsuccessfully) to prevent Cumberland Farms’ makeover of its existing […]

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May 22, 2017 – 2:02 pm | By Brent | Posted in Columns | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Cliché by the Sea

Has anyone else seen “Year By The Sea”? Just wondering if there are fellow victims out there. This is not a recommendation. Yes, it was filmed mostly in Wellfleet and there is some pretty photography of our harbor, streets and buildings, so it’s understandable that those with a Wellfleet connection will want to satisfy their […]

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May 13, 2017 – 1:09 pm | By Brent | Posted in Posts | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

What was the selectmen’s real vote on the Safe Community Act?

When, on night three of Wellfleet’s Town Meeting, it came to the vote on he Safe Communities Act,the selectmen were listed as having voted 5-0 in favor. It felt uncomfortable, therefore, to have two selectmen trying to sway the vote against the measure. But without really coming out and saying so. If, as it seemed […]

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April 29, 2017 – 1:06 pm | By Brent | Posted in Posts | Tagged | Comments (0)

Testing for effect of Eversource spraying?

Like most of those who have spoken up, including those who represent our town, I’m against Eversource’s ongoing spraying of the powerlines as their ill-chosen method of keeping the plants down. The universal condemnation, especially by those abutting the powerlines, should be enough for the company to go back to mechanical “mowing,” which certainly seemed […]

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April 17, 2017 – 1:18 pm | By Brent | Posted in Posts | Tagged | Comments (1)