Here we stand at the beginning of August, the maw of summer where the maelstrom of Vineyard life swallows us whole each year. Instead of the mythical long lazy days of summer we all secretly hunger for, we are faced with the prospect of plunging into the morass of fund-raisers, silent auctions, galas and champagne receptions. It is August, the season of flaring tempers, traffic jams and major event overload. August, the month that requires a wall-mounted dry erase board, a date planner, a Blackberry and at least one personal assistant to keep it all straight.

Recently I attended the Minerals Management Service public hearing held on Martha’s Vineyard where I reiterated some of the reasons why I continue to give my full-fledged support to Cape Wind’s plan to build a wind farm in Nantucket Sound. During the nearly five-hour hearing I listened to what other people had to say; one of them was Dean Bragonier, a Vineyard resident who works for the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. Dean expressed his take on the hearing we both attended and I thought I would present mine since they differ by such a wide margin.