Every four years Americans get a chance to choose who will control their government for the next four. Individuals join or form interest groups, known as parties, and support them. The names and intentions of the parties vary over time, but under our system there have been basically only two, The contest is between the Ins and the Outs.

Just to clarify Hancock Beach’s history, it was named to honor Priscilla Hancock, chocolatier, who owned the land from the gate to the shore. There had to be a gate because there were sheep behind it.

I find the barrier beach legislation a craven waste of time that hijacks the legislation process for the interests of the one per cent against the one per cent.

I read with interest your article on “super-sized” houses. Notoriously absent was any reference to Edgartown other than the Ernie Boch monstrosity also known as the Christmas tree house, which is old news.

Wow, did I wake up on a different Island? I haven’t hitchhiked much in the last several years but . . . 46 cars before a pick up outside up-Island Cronigs?

Sunsets this week have been especially spectacular, making late in the day a must time to venture outdoors or just stand at the window and gaze deeply to the west, as dark shades of pink, orange, red and gold flood the low edge of the horizon beneath wide blue sky streaked and dabbed with white clouds. And just when you think it has ended, there is an encore, as light and colors grow more intense, illuminating the landscape below like a richly-painted oil on canvas that has sprung to life.