The Blood Moon Eclipse

Don't know if you were able to see the Blood Moon eclipse in Cape Vincent.  Looks like the weather might have prevented good viewing.

If you didn't see it, here it is from the AZ clear night sky.

         The lunar eclipse in progress with a nearby star and the planet Mars in the upper right.

 

The eclipse nearly complete

 

 

 

 

 

Not All Cape Vincent Beauty Is Along The Lake Or River

                 This is a concept the Cape Vincent zoning law writers failed to grasp by shoving   
                     the allowable zoning area for industrial wind turbines into the CV interior!

      Such a failure to grasp the CV  interior beauty, but instead treat it like wasteland to put industrial
            wind turbines,  leaves me with serious doubts of our town leaders fundamental   
                          understanding needed to truly protect CV's scenic resources.
               

 

 

 

 

 

One of the Icons of Cape Vincent's Beauty and History - A Short Photo Essay

 

 

 

 

Photo By Rollin V. Hanson

 

In my opinion the best photo ever taken of Cape Vincent's Tibbets Pt. Light!

A large version hangs in the offices of the Citizen's Bank of Cape Vincent.

 

This photo is also historic, since it can not be replicated as you see it, due to the Wolfe Island Wind Farm turbines that have spoiled this incredible view!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Birds In The Desert!

 

                           A Scotts Oriole in an Ocotillo and Mojave Yucca cactus in the CA desert.

                        
                                     An Air Force C-130 on low level maneuvers in Nevada.

                          A B-2 Stealth Bomber on maneuvers near the Nevada Test Site.

CONTROL!

How is it that a system of law like Art 10 can remove the rights of citizens to control  the future of their communities, and we object very little, in fact go along thinking it is actually a "fair" process.  A process that is a "welcomed relief according to our CV govt and its supporters!

How do we allow the state to remove our rights, and let them  convinced us that wind energy is such a matter of "critical state concern" that requires the removal of certain essential democratic rights.

Here is how!

Edward Bernays -" Propaganda"

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiKMmrG1ZKU


What happened to ALL of us in Cape Vincent regarding the wind battle insidiously went far far beyond setbacks and zoning and those goofy arguments that successfully distracted some of us from what was really happening.

Some were easily manipulated by various forces  in the process to think that Art 10 that took our rights away was actually a democratic process that would protect us all. 

And isn't it interesting that what many on both sides could usually agree on or were manipulated to agree on, both pro and supposed anti wind, was that  Art 10 was democratic, and was OK for Art 10 remove our rights and make the final wind decision for us as BP manipulated the Art 10 process! In the end both sides saw that as mostly a good thing to give our rights away and let other powers determine our future.

That is pretty damn scary group think manipulation!!!

Now we are again being manipulated to believe that Art 10 was a democratic process that worked and participation in it brought us a huge anti wind victory.

Another piece of gossamer illusion!!!

Don't Worry Mr. Pearson - The Odds Are On Your Side!

Cape Vincent citizen Dennis Pearson wrote an opinion letter to the Watertown Daily Times regarding who should be appointed to the town board seat left empty after the resignation of councilman Clif Schneider.  Mr. Pearson recently ran for office in Cape Vincent but was not elected.

Dennis Pearson shouldn't be too worrying about who is appointed to the Cape Vincent town board seat left empty when CV councilman Clif Schneider resigned.

Once again… before we get into a lot of hoopla over this , it is always instructive to look at the actual history. 

And history is actually on Pearson's side in this matter.  Actually by Pearson’s judgment that the current board should do the “right thing”  they already have numerous times if you look at it from Pearson’s pro wind view!

CV Supervisor Hirschey after his first election voted to reappoint Al Wood as Zoning Enforcement Officer.  That would be even after Wood made a laughing stock out of a very controversial zoning decision to illegally place a private wind turbine.

The Hirschey board recently appointed Dick Macsherry to a top position as CV Deputy Supervisor.  Macsherry campaigned and ran for a town board seat as a Democrat in 2009, right along and all friendly with the pro wind conflicted Rienbeck govt crew.  This would have basically been a run opposed to Hirschey and his candidates.  Yet Hirschey appoints him as Dep. Super.  Go figure on that one!  In addition Macsherry has held several important appointed town positions. 

In this particular case Pearson and crew are really missing the boat if they want wind development.  They should be sitting down in discussions with Macsherry, who was once a Democrat and apparently was not opposed to wind development in the past.  He is also considered to be a big negotiator…I’m sure they could work with  him for at least a compromise.

The Hischey board appointed  Karen Bourcy from the former Edsall planning board to the current CV planning board as an alternate.  Even though Mrs. Bourcy’s conflicted votes  did considerable damage when she was on the old planning board which advanced the wind developers agenda at crucial points in the wind battle.

The Hirschey board appointed Rochne Burns to the planning board who was a wind lease holder.  Burns was also appointed to the committee that revised the CV Comp Plan.

The Hirschey board appointed Bob Cardarelli, although he recently stepped down,  as an alternate to the planning board.  He is known to be pro wind.

Hirschey was apparently willing to appoint pro wind Paul Aubertine despite his family wind conflicts to the seat left empty by former councilman Mickey Orvis.  That would be at the same time Michelle Oswald was available who had no conflicts.

Mr. Hirschey as supervisor did not object when two previous wind conflicted councilmen participated in the 2010 wind law effort.  Said he had no problem with it.

So calm down Mr. Pearson…more than likely based on history you will get someone favorable to your agenda, or at least…. “fair”. 

Of course when readers judge the word “fair” they should also realize that the Hirschey board feels the Art 10 process which removed the home rule rights of communities to determine their land use futures…is also “fair” and a “welcomed relief!” (their words)

Predictable As The Sunrise! - Sticking With The Script!

It is completely predictable after  BP has left  Cape Vincent, that the Hirschey supporters are out in force to give Hirschey and the town board all the credit for BP leaving.  These folks don’t leave much to the imagination!

But once again does that add up to the facts?  I not saying the Hirschey group or anyone else who considers themselves in the wind opposition had no impact, but it is highly debatable that is why BP actually left CV.

The former Cape Vincent wind developer Acciona stuck it out in CV for a long time.  And just about the time everyone was convinced the Production Tax Credit was not going to be renewed, and that wind was dead, especially in CV, just about then BP steps up and buys out Acciona’s CV project.  Odd move for a company that many claim had stiff opposition in CV and wind was dead, and our govt was holding them at bay!

Then BP continued down the CV development road, and even opened the application process for their CV wind farm through Art 10.

BP was also here a long long time buying out Greenlight Energy leases that put met towers in 2002.  That quickly became the BP project.

Since 2006 there has been very stiff and persistent opposition to the CV wind projects, but BP didn’t budge. 

The wind conflicted town govt. that supported BP and wind development was almost completely  removed and replaced with a “supposed anti wind “ govt.  But BP didn’t budge…and in fact bought out the Acciona St. Lawrence Wind Farm leases and upped the ante.

Through several election cycles pro wind in CV loses control…but BP doesn’t budge.

In 2010 BP causes the Gulf oil spill disaster…but they don’t budge on their CV wind farm.

Art. 10 passes and this is supposedly good and “fair” for local communities trying to battle industrial wind, but BP doesn’t budge.

The current CV govt writes a comp plan and a zoning law that is supposedly very restrictive to wind development, and the Hirschey govt and supporters are circulating the mantra that Art 10 will definitely uphold our zoning on wind, but BP doesn’t budge.

Then BP opens the Art 10 application process for their CV wind farm, yet despite the numerous letters of opposition to the BP project received by the NYPSC from citizens and groups and agencies…BP doesn’t budge.

Then finally…not long after the PTC is not renewed by Congress, and with BP facing serious financial issues regarding their Gulf oil spill, they finally announce they are trying to sell their CV project, and with no sale they then abandon it.

Despite all these things, BP stuck it out in CV for about eight or nine years. Now during all this time their project was very controversial, and there was region and even state wide opposition to it.  And that opposition was heated from very early on, way back to 2006.  The Hirschey govt began to establish their govt and supposed opposition to BP as far back as 2009, then gained a super majority in 2011.  But BP doesn’t budge.

If the opposition and the Hirschey govt was the key factor in BP leaving…then by that logic  BP should have left a long long time ago.

So why didn’t they????  That is a good question that Hirschey supporters don’t want to… or can’t address. 

Fact is it probably just wasn’t that important to BP, and they knew how to handle and get around these opposition issues…especially with the State removing the rights of the community to determine how BP’s project would be sited.  It doesn’t get much better than when the state marches in and outright removes a community’s ability to stop a wind project.  Of course Hirschey and crew think this is “fair’ and a “welcomed relief”

 They saw the new govt and the opposition in CV…they aren’t stupid as developers…they do this type of thing all the time around the world. They stuck it out till financial considerations were the prime reason to move on.

They finally left when the PTC was no longer in place and their financial situation changed due to other factors like their oil spill, and the dwindling interest and financial factors around wind world wide.

In fact, BP moved out of solar on their own as a financial decision several years before wind, and they began to move out of wind before they left CV  for the same reasons…oil was simply much more profitable.

Hirschey supporters will predictably continue to harp that the Hirschey govt forced BP to move on due to their wind law, and their involvement in Art 10. But that is the type of overly simplistic thinking they require to remain tightly within the script. They can’t function if they see it any other way.  Just like they had the inability to function with any input that might suggest prohibiting wind development in CV.

The evidence when you step back and look at the reality  says something completely different than the script that BP left due to this govt, and the opposition.

There is one commenter floating around the blogs who loves to say Hirschey and his crew and opposition kept the enemy at the gates.  Fact is they actually wrote a wind law that allows the enemy inside the gates.  There wind law allows some wind development

In addition they gave the responsibility to guard the gates completely over to a process (Art 10) designed specifically to remove the rights of communities to actually keep the enemy outside the gates.  Our wind zoning was nothing more than an opinion that the State with significant input from BP would make the final decision on.

Of course the idea will be perpetuated that the town’s participation in Art 10 was the key factor to BP abandoning their project.  There is no evidence whatsoever to support that claim.  Art 10 made no final decision at all in CV, and in fact extended our pain by allowing BP more time to try to sell their project.  If the govt and local opposition and letters to the NYPSC was such a key factor in Art 10, then why didn’t BP leave earlier? 

BP massacred the Art 10 application process and the town govt repeatedly bitched about it.  And the NYPSC and Art 10 didn’t do shit to stop any of it!

And one very critical question is…if all the letters, and all the supposed CV govt opposition were so successful, and the Art 10 process was so responsible to be engaged in…then why the hell when BP made it very  clear to the NYPSC they were done in CV…why didn’t the PSC and the Art 10 process immediately shut down BP’s  application?  I mean if the opposition and govt has made it so obvious BP is not wanted in CV and they were so successful...then why extend the process even AFTER BP said it was finished? 

Instead the Art 10 process extended BP more time…and even indicates that if a new buyer surfaces for the BP project…it may not even have to start over!

To me that says it all about the Art 10 process and how it is severely stacked for the developer.  It also gives evidence how little actual impact the opposition or govt had in the Art 10 system, and that BP simply walked away when they were damn good and ready to walk away.

And at the end the Art 10 process gave evidence it was working to give every possibility for some type of wind development to occur in CV, despite all those letters or opposition!

Well don’t fret…you Hirschey people just hang in there…you may yet get a chance to see how the Art 10 system works if another wind developer decides our community looks attractive.  The developer will have the opportunity to see how the NYPSC let BP make a laughing stock of Art 10 and the town and ignored the opposition begging letters to save CV and the 1000 Islands, and will even be encourage that the town wrote a zoning law accommodating wind development.

I’m sure they will also be encouraged that our current dep. town supervisor was once all cozy with the pro wind faction in town and ran for office with them as a Democrat!  Or that one of our councilmen (Byrne) has recently public declared he is not opposed to wind development. He will be a good friend in Albany.   Or that our current supervisor has publicly said he is not against wind development either.

And of course I’m sure any new developer would be encouraged by the fact that most of our govt zoning geniuses can’t even read the law they wrote, and Macsherry has said we should not take our zoning law so literally!!!  Come on folks…those turbine setbacks aren’t literal…lighten up!!!