This morning I received a dual message at my front door. Here it is.

The message was, “not only is your summer vacation over, but the damn summer is over too, pal!” A heating oil delivery is a good segue to some impressions of “The End of Oil” by Paul Roberts. I’m not quite finished, but the book is a well researched and thorough look at not only the story of oil, but at energy in general, and the um, power associated with having access to it and control of it.

As the price of this critical commodity continues to rise due to growing demand and increasingly uncertain supply, alternatives are becoming more economically feasible. This weekend there was a story about people modifying the gas/electric hybrid Toyota Prius to increase its mileage from 45mpg to 250! The “end of oil” theme seems to be nearing the tipping point when a real trend toward a post-oil future begins to pick up… steam. If you’re so inclined, pick up a copy of the Aug-05 National Geographic. Or read “After Oil. Powering the Future” online.

I also came home to an email invitation to see the Rolling Stones in the insurance capital of… well, of Hartford, CT. I’m not sure yet whether I can attend, and I did rant a bit on Sir Mick and the boys in this space, but it is the Stones afterall, and this may be “the last time.”* I don’t know. I really don’t know… I mean Mick at 62 is the same age as my buddy Norm, and I couldn’t imagine… I mean I NEVER want to see Norm gyrating. EVER.

Anyway, it got me thinking about “the last time” in terms of that saying about living each day as if it were your last. I saw my friends Ron and Francine in Falmouth. It was the highlight of my vacation. Will I get to see them again? I hope so. I didn’t say “I love you” today when I should have. What if I don’t get that chance again? I love you, Megan. You just never know when this time is “the last time,” so please don’t hesitate to say “I love you.” Oh, one more thing so we don’t get too romantic or sentimental. I’m pretty sure today won’t be “the last time” I get an oil delivery this heating season…

* Released on Out Of Our Heads in 1965…

It’s no wonder alcoholics and drug addicts have such difficulty achieving sobriety, given how damn hard it is to alter our basic life routines. I’m sitting here in Falmouth, MA at 8:33 am on Sunday, August 7, 2005 and I’m offline. What’s new in the world? This time of the morning, I’ve usually scanned “MyYahoo,” “MyMSN,” “The Wall Street Journal,” “The Boston Globe” and the NY tabloids if I know the Yankees had a bad loss. This morning I have none of that. I do have yesterdays “Falmouth Enterprise,” dutifully published on Tuesdays and Fridays since 1895. Did I mention it is Friday’s paper?

We also have no TV, AC or fans. My bedroom window lacks a screen, so it’s either shut it or risk a visit from a local bat or coyote. So, we’re lacking some of the things that make us so soft and spoiled. In situations like these, you just make the best of it. You live in the moment… “Be the humidity.” It’s very peaceful here. We’re less than a mile from historic Woods Hole, and about a mile from Falmouth Center. Beaches are close. The coffee is good. It’s different. Yesterday we had a lobster dinner and ice creams.

We caught a couple innings of the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Based on the teams we saw, pitching dominates the league. Falmouth and Bourne have team batting averages and team ERA’s of .226/.221 and 3.71/2.28 respectively. Not surprisingly, Bourne is 24-17 while Falmouth floats at .500. We left the hot, sun-drenched field after 2, with Bourne up 4-0 on a walk, an E-5 and back to back homers in the first. Frankly I was surprised at the sloppiness of play. The pitchers throw hard, but their control is spotty. Many of these kids have more style than substance, and the play was lacidasical. One standout was Falmouth’s 20 year old catcher, Jon Still, who was impressive defensively and with the stick. He’s the only player on either team hitting over .300 (.316). He plays for NC State.

The girls have been laughing a lot. Kyle cried for his mom last night. He said, “I just can’t be away from her this long.” It was a cleansing cry to overcome a long day of the non-routine. I could tell late in the day he was becoming overwhelmed with over-activity. Before bed we read some more in “Harry Potter – The Goblet of Fire.” He fell off to sleep a happy boy. So did I. Now it’s time for some reading of my own.

PS – Wednesday 10:10 am… It’s my first venture online here at the Coffee Obsession in Falmouth. Sox on the radio has been great and they’re 4 1/2 up on the EE. “The DaVinci Code” was good, but “Angels and Demons” was better. Still, I look forward to seeing how the movie is. Now, on to “The End of Oil.”

This may be my last post for a week. I managed to score a nice little bungalow down in Falmouth on Cape Cod, and I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have a TV or any way to “connect.” That means the beach, lots of reading and the Red Sox on the radio. The place is about a half-mile to a couple beaches and the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. My reading list includes “The DaVinci Code,” “The End of Oil,” and “Harry Potter – The Goblet of Fire” with Kyle. We’re on Chapter 7… Joining us will be Ms. Megan Daley and Ms. Mallory Rousseau. Any takers on an “over/under” for “Dad, I’m bored?”

In the “see the beauty of everyday life” department, I spied this yesterday while mowing the lawn. My camera really does capture in clarity. Here’s a larger version.

Recently my Canon A70 digital camera was taking pictures that look like this, and no, I was not snapping shots of the Aurora Borealis. A little web-sleuthing hinted I wasn’t the only one experiencing the problem, so I Googled for a solution. On one site, some guy told of Canon’s response and the options:
1. Send in the camera for repair – $100 to $200 plus up to six weeks 2. “Upgrade” to factory-refurbished A75 For $109 including 2-day shipping.

That was unacceptable, so I dug deeper. Another techie type speculated it could be a connector problem and that “re-seating” internal connectors might work, but that disassembly was “not for the faint-hearted.” There was a link to a website with pictures and step by step disassembly instructions, but “Mälukaardi pilus on peidus üks kolmest kruvist, mis hoiab päästikunupu tükki kinni” wasn’t real clear to me. Hey, I asked for directions! Oh, what the hell, it wasn’t working anyway, so I’m going in! I bought an eyeglass screwdriver and had at it.

One thing I did notice was the area where the button to take a picture resides wasn’t seated flush. I started unscrewing. After the removal of 6 teeny-tiny screws, I decided I’d get no further into the unit, but I might be able to fix the seating problem. After several attempts to snap it flush, I determined a little plastic lip (red circle) was preventing the achievement of full flushness. One second with an Exacto knife and that problem was um, gone. I re-assembled the unit with all 6 screws. Well, 5… I broke the plastic where one was to go, but it still works with 5! Canon, imagine the cost savings! I tossed in batteries and turned it on…

Voila! It works! I have no idea why, but hey… hopefully, it will stay that way for some vacation shots next week.

This morning I wanted to write about President Bush essentially saying, “I don’t need Senate approval,” by installing controversial nominee John Bolton as US ambassador to the UN. Mr. Bush shuffled his nominee through the back door using a “recess appointment,” a little-used option available when Congress is not in session. Mr. Bolton’s fitness for the job has been questioned by both Rebublicans and Democrats for his bullying of staff who differed with his conservative views, and for suggesting several floors of the UN headquarters could be severed without being missed.

I shelved the plan to instead write about a nice day yesterday. Later I was doing some research when I read this: “It is a curiosity of human nature that lack of self-assurance seems to breed an exaggerated sense of power and mission.” It made me think of “Dubya” and I was back on the sneaky Bolton move. The quote, by former Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright is from his 1966 book, “The Arrogance Of Power,” a criticism of our involvement in Vietnam.

In 1966, Mr. Fullbright’s words chillingly describes the Iraq mess and the self-righteous attitude of the administration and its right-wing Christian base. He wrote, “Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is particularly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God’s favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations — to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image. Power confuses itself with virtue and tends also to take itself for omnipotence. Once imbued with the idea of a mission, a great nation easily assumes that it has the means as well as the duty to do God’s work.”

I fail to see how any God could favor lies, death and destruction.

In addition to being a fine Whiskeytown song from their great 1997 record, “Stranger’s Almanac,” 16 Days is the vacation I’m enjoying through August 14th. It got off to a really nice start yesterday at a department outing. The get-together was held at Dave and Terry’s. I’ve known Dave since he worked with me at NEC developing an IT system to run our service business in 1994, but yesterday was the first time meeting his wonderful family. To me, their family dynamic is full of love, laughter and great communication between all the members. It was a delight to observe.

As we dodged the raindrops and looked at the pool on an unseasonably cool day, everyone seemed content to focus on the emotional Red Sox win and all the great food. Well, everyone except Kyle. In spite of the two dozen lobsters, steak, burgers, dogs, salads, Norm’s chili with “Da Bomb” sauce, Alan’s Key Lime Pie and Shira’s outstanding strawberry shortcake, Kyle didn’t eat a thing. It would be later in the day that I discoverd why Kyle had no appetite…

As I entered the old, historic home, a familiar sound put a smile on my face. Kyle was sitting on the couch, belting out the words to “Maria” with Dave and Terry’s 12 year old daughter, Brett. Brett had put on “The Sound of Music,” made them popcorn and grabbed cans of Coke. It really warmed my heart to see my boy so happy. He talked about Brett and Terry the whole ride home. He also seemed a little sad. I’m not sure why. Maybe he thought he’d never see them again. Maybe it was something more. Nothing breaks my heart more than when Kyle seems aware of his limitations. Hey dude, we all have them. We’ll spend some of the next 14 days overcoming them.

• OJ is in the news again. No, he didn’t find the real killers, but allegedly he’s been pirating satellite TV. A federal judge ordered “the Juice” to squeeze out $25,000 in damages to DirecTV. Interestingly, gloves were not mentioned, Mark Furman doesn’t work for DirecTV, and Johnny Cochran was unavailable for comment, as he is dead.

• “NASA Says Discovery Looks OK to Fly Home” – OK, but is there vacancy on the International Space Station? I’ll catch the next one… Jeez, NASA also said they had the falling debris thing fixed, right?

• It looks like we will have an energy bill passed this year. The House/Senate compromise version provides $14.5B in tax breaks including $1.3B in tax breaks for conservation and efficiency programs like credits for buying hybrid gas-electric cars and home efficiency improvements for stuff like solar. However, solar heated pools are excluded, so shrinkage will remain a serious threat. The bill doubled down ($2.6B) for the oil and gas industries. In related news, today Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell reported quarterly profits of more than $7B and $5B, respectively. Yeah, that “profits” and “billions.” Finally, it aims to double the use of ethanol (made from corn) in gasoline to 7.5B gallons a year by 2012. Hmmm… Ethanol… Corn… Hey, isn’t that-there corn grown in the red states?

  Of course Republicans and Democrats lined up to praise and pummel. Rep. John Dingell of Michigan pontificated, “It is not a perfect bill, but it is a solid beginning to developing an energy strategy for the 21st century.” Homeboy Ed Markey, senator from Massachusetts somewhat disagreed, “This bill is packed with royalty relief, tax breaks, loan guarantees for the wealthiest energy companies in America even as they are reporting the largest quarterly profits of any corporation in the history of the United States.”

  If we could just find a way to harness the wind produced in the US Congress…

• Is there any way for Teddy Kennedy to come around on Supreme Court nominee, John Roberts? I doubt it, but if Mr. Roberts ever bumps into ol’ Ted at some DC party, two words might help: “Teddy! Shots!”

Do you ever wonder why you like the music you, uh, like? When it comes to Jay Farrar and Son Volt, I think the roots of my musical taste buds go back to the early 70’s when I caught Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at the late, great Boston Garden… It was one of my first concerts and it was during the time of CSNY’s live “Four Way Street.” The record and the show were filled with social commentary in the music and the banter. Songs like “Chicago/We Can Change the World,” “Southern Man,” “Ohio,” and “Find the Cost of Freedom” were written because the authors believed they could change the world for the better, or maybe they were just pissed off. After all, Richard Nixon lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. “Four Way Street” has gorgeous harmonies, thoughtful song craft and blazing guitar work by Stephen Stills and Neil Young. I also longed to find a “Cowgirl in the Sand.”

Jump ahead about 20 years and Son Volt released “Trace” in 1995. It was his first record since the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, and it floored me. Recently pal Jeff said he was “in a different place” back then, and that Son Volt’s new record wasn’t hitting him the same way “Trace” or the Tupelo stuff did. Today I wrote him a one line email: “Keep listening. It’s getting great.”

I do understand what Jeff means when he speaks of being in “a different place.” At this time ten years ago I was hurtling through the cold emptiness of space, hoping it would miraculously become warm and support life. I was tethered only by the life in the fingertips of my children and a soundtrack of new music including Son Volt.

It’s early yet, but I think “Okemah And The Melody Of Riot” might be the best Son Volt record to date. I love the rocking guitars of “Jet Pilot” and “6 String Belief ,” but whether he’s singing a ballad like “World Waits for You” or experimenting with a psychedelic folk on “Medication,” Jay Farrar delivers.

As the record cover illustrates, Jay’s a little pissed off. The art resembles the grenade gripping hand on Green Day’s “American Idiot.” Current events are covered on “Bandages & Scars,” “Endless War,” oh, and “Jet Pilot” is all about “Dubya.”

Finally, there are the words. As a songwriter, Jay Farrar never lets me down:

Don’t even get me started on the live shows.

Last week General Motors reported its core North American auto operations had a loss of $1.2B in the second-quarter. This was in spite of their “Employee Discounts for Everyone” promotion that generated strong sales.

Ford also reported a loss of $907M in its North American auto operations. The Wall Street Journal reported, “GM and Ford are suffering in part because demand for sport-utility vehicles, some of their highest-margin vehicles, has slumped in recent months as gasoline prices have risen…”

What I ponder in this is why a 2005 Ford Expedition gets a measly 12 miles a gallon when Ford’s Model T got 24 MPG in 1908! Why hasn’t the automobile industry made advances in fuel economy similar to advances made in computer processing power? The PC’s most of us use today have far greater processing power and cost a fraction of the old room sized computers of the 1950’s and 60’s.

It seems GM’s only strategy to reverse their slide is to extract concessions from the United Auto Workers. Good luck with that.

In contrast to the plight of the Detroit Dinosaurs is Toyota. On July 1st, they reported their best first-half of sales ever in 48 years in the US. They are succeeding with fuel-efficiency and good value in their products. Toyota is pushing the efficiency boundaries further with their electric-hybrid engine technology. They started with a smallish Prius, but now offers hybrid versions of the Toyoya Highlander SUV and the 2006 Lexus RX 400h.

So what’s the answer? I’d like to see more tax incentives for individuals and businesses who want to invest in green energy sources, including hybrid vehicles. By some counts, we’ve spent over $182B on the war in Iraq. How much progress could have been made weaning ourselves off of oil if that money was invested in alternative energy like hybrids, hydrogen and solar? There once was a saying, “as General Motors goes, so goes the nation.” I’m not liking the direction of either.

I keep a Word file creatively named “Blog Ideas.doc” where I keep interesting (to me) items for touting, flogging or just rambling. It’s now up to 15 pages, and like a garden in the heat of summer, it’s badly in need of weeding. So while I search for a last-minute vacation house on Martha’s Vineyard, here they are… the weeds of my mind.

• I know that upon their election, President Bush and Vice President Cheney had to place all of their investments into a “blind trust” in order to avoid any conflict of interest. I’m guessing their oil saturated holdings are doing pretty well under their watch.

• The music industry has been whining for some time about “illegal” downloading being the primary cause of their declining sales. The Economist has a different take: “Perhaps the decline in global sales is indicative of a far greater problem for the music industry— consumers simply think that many of its products are just not worth paying for.”

• The Sound of Music at recently turned 40 and remains timeless.

• Ever since that fake commencement speech attributed to Kurt Vonnegut a couple years ago, I’m wary of them, but this year, the speeches by Steve Jobs and Senator Barack Obama (IL) are worth a read.

• I lust for an HDTV, but maybe I should wait for HD3d. Companies working on the technology include Deep Light, Dynamic Digital Depth and Real D. Until then, I like the flat-panel LCD’s by and LG, but I’m leaning toward the Dell 42” Plasma. At this point plasma delivers more value in the flat-panel category.

• A friend recently touched my heart with this: “A young woman seeks acceptance more than anything; the person she is turning from is the open heart she seeks.”

• This is true: “All you need to write a book these days is a computer and an enormous ego. The ego is the key, as it must be able to withstand the punishment of hundreds of hours spent alone working on something that no one in the world cares about except the person who is taking the time to make it exist.” – LEAH McLaren, writing in Toronto’s Globe and Mail…

• Vacation rentals on the Vineyard are expensive…