SOUTHPORT PROFILE

Bob Brooks was an "only child," raised in Binghamton, New York. He was one of those guys who knew what he wanted to do as early as high school, where he trained to be an electrician. Following graduation he worked for two years until his boss convinced him he should go to college. He applied to and enrolled in Clarkson College, a small, rigorous, technology-focused college in Potsdam, New York and majored in electrical engineering. 

His academic studies, however, were interrupted by World War ll. He joined the Army, was assigned to the Signal Corps, and wound up in New Guinea and the Philippines installing radio

teletype stations. Bob has a smile that spreads across his face as his sense of humor kicks in. He told me that he remained a "Buck Private" in the Army since "they didn't have a title" for his job. Eventually, he wound up at General MacArthur's headquarters, sending messages back to the U.S.

Bob thanks the GI Bill for the opportunity to return to college. He continued in electrical engineering, this time at Union College, graduating with a BS in 1947. It was at Union that he met Gair. She told me it was a "blind date" that got them together. They were married in 1948, and Gair became the "glue" in their family, which expanded to include two daughters and one son over the years.

Bob continued his education by earning his MS at the University of Pennsylvania where, he said, the first electronic computers were built, and he became "one of the first engineers to major in computer design." Following graduation, his first job was with the Barber Colman Company; he was placed in charge of building a computer in their Rockport, Illinois facility. Later, he joined Raytheon in Waltham, Massachusetts. His job there "was to review all of the interconnections in the RAYDAC computer for accuracy and function."

Four years after completing his college years, Bob helped found the Computer Control Company. The company made special purpose computers and computer building blocks. Given to understatement when talking about himself, one has to fill in the details of Bob's story to realize that he was moving with lightning speed in a rapidly developing industry. In 1953, he became Computer Control's second president. Four years later, having satisfied his need to achieve his technical and financial goals, Bob retired "to be with my family and to do social work" at an age when retirement is a long way off for most of us. 

Bob has been involved in Big Brothers and worked with three "little brothers." He and Gair took in four

Bob's talent as an electrical engineer paved the way for him to become the president of the Computer Control Company in the 1950s.

children whose parents had died. He enrolled in a Boston University Masters program in Social Work but told me with a smile that he was "kicked out in the last term because my views on social work upset them." One example of his views, he said, was "insisting that my clients go to work."

In another change of direction, Bob joined an old friend from Computer Control to launch a real estate venture here on the Cape. They formed Brookwood Real Estate and Woodbrook Construction, "Harwood" being his partner in the enterprise, he explained. Together they developed a sizable subdivision in Pocasset known as Paugasset Pines. Ever ready to add a humorous note, Bob told me that they built one house without an outside door from the basement. The enterprise was a success, building and selling many homes, all of them with a basement door, except one.

He left Brookwood and Woodbrook to join the Johnson Administration's Office of Economic Opportunity, which aimed to help small businesses here on the Cape, and in the process became "an expert on gas stations and restaurants."

Then, owning more real estate that he wanted, Bob sold two homes on the Cape and moved his family back to Sherborn, Massachusetts. There he became involved in town government, serving as the Board of Selectmen's first ever administrative assistant. He told me that he "became disgusted" with some of the government practices he encountered, but rather than backing down and moving on he ran for and was elected to the Board of Selectmen. He told me that he "raised a lot of eyebrows over the practices I revealed to the public." Bruce Simon, our barber at Southport, told me, "People paid attention when Bob spoke, he was a force to be reckoned with." Bob served three terms as selectman, at which point the Brooks family returned to the Cape and bought a home in West Falmouth. 

Bob and grandaughter (name?)

What Bob told me next speaks volumes about the man: "I had done what I wanted to do with my family, being with them while they grew up." He took up the repair and refinishing of player pianos. "There were," he said, "plenty of player pianos on the Cape, especially among the older homes along the water." He was as busy as he wanted to be, doing volunteer work with Meals on Wheels and providing transportation for cancer patients at Hyannis Hospital. He volunteered for work with FEMA, going to the Virgin Islands to help with clean up following a hurricane, and worked for the Red Cross during the Boston floods.

Six years ago he moved to Southport, although he continued to participate in curling in Falmouth until a fall on the ice caused a concussion and vertigo, forcing him to give up the game and to limit his driving as well. He's a regular bocce player and loves the game. He enjoys freshwater fishing with his buddies, he told me, and keeps a small boat on Deep Pond in Falmouth, where he catches sunfish and bass. 

TECHNOLOGY

They Are a'Changin'

 by Jonathan Leavitt 

Google "the times" and in a few seconds you will be offered a list of sites headed by www.thetimes.co.uk, the website of what we in the States call The London Times. The title on the site is just The Times, no other qualifying information required. Just as Great Britain produced the first postage stamp in 1840 and ever since has printed its stamps without including the country of origin, The Times created the 'times' concept and maintains their distinction by seeing no need to include a geographic location in its title. 

I mention this to illustrate that while some things have changed in the age of the Internet, others have not. Today we roam the globe virtually, and in seconds, with radio, television, the Internet and the myriad ways we have to access these sources of information. This requires more personal responsibility to filter the information when the world depended on a relatively few printed sources for news. Perhaps the best way to look at this change is to investigate how the printed word, the oldest form of mass communication, utilizes the Internet, the newest. 

World News The Times is a major source of world news, but in the United States we tend to look to The New York Times for definitive news reporting. While not as old as The Times, which has been published in the United Kingdom as a daily national newspaper since 1785, when it was known as The Daily Universal Register, The New York Times is old enough, having been continuously published (except for short interruptions) since 1851. Both are considered the "newspaper of record" in their respective countries. In the 21st century, The New York Times maintains the most popular American online newspaper website, www.nytimes.com, with over 30 million unique visitors per month, according to Wikipedia. 

National News The New York Times website has a link that allows you to switch between their US and Global editions with a single click.

Regional News I have maintained www.boston.com, the website of The Boston Globe, as my computer homepage since 2001 when I purchased my first personal computer. An alternative is www.bostonherald.com from The Boston Herald. These sources provide national and world news as well. As its name indicates, The Cape Cod Times website, www.capecodonline.com, is focused on our specific geographic location.

Local News The Mashpee Enterprise, published by Enterprise Newspapers, is the only paper that focuses its coverage on the Town of Mashpee. The Enterprise website, www.capenews.net, offers selected stories from Enterprise editions covering not only Mashpee, but also the towns of Falmouth, Sandwich, Bourne and Barnstable. 

Southport Southport's official news is communicated in two publications: the monthly Southport Village Center Happenings and the bi-monthly Southport News. Both are available in print and online. You are reading this article in Southport Village Voices, a magazine rather than a source of official news, distributed only online for economic reasons.

What Is Free? What Is Not? The communications industry is evolving, and financial models for newspapers are in a state of flux. Most of the newspapers mentioned above place limits on the use of their websites, with the intention of encouraging you to subscribe to the printed version in order to attain complete online access. 

I receive daily emails of headlines from The Boston Globe (Boston.com Newsletter) and The New York Times (NYTimes.com); these provide links to selected stories in each paper. Recently, Enterprise Newspapers also began this service on a weekly basis. In almost every case you can receive partial access to a news website paid for by advertisers. Full access usually requires some form of payment. 

For example, access to The New York Times archive from 1851 to 1922 is in the public domain and therefore free; access to the archives from 1987 to the present is also available at no charge. Non-subscribers may view 20 articles per month at no charge, but to gain full accress to the NYT, one must now become a subscriber.

The Cape Cod Times offers free access to a limited number of stories and beyond that a variety of paid subscription options for both the print and online versions. With a discounted paid subscription to The Mashpee Enterprise you receive full online access to all of their local newspapers in a PDF format (a replica of the printed version). However, postings are for one week only; you must maintain your own archive for information beyond that archived on the Enterprise website. 

There is more information available daily on the Internet then you could absorb in a lifetime. The newspaper-to-Internet expansion is just one of many options now available. With 21st century technology, "All the News That's Fit to Print" is just a very small fraction of "All the News That's Available." 

Here's a thought to ponder, and I should make it clear right now; I have found the perfect person! That person has never made a mistake. They thought that they did; sadly, they were mistaken.

That person reads at least six newspapers a day, believes every one of them, and of course he/she listens to all the media screamers that take up air time with their shock and despair shows. They have their own take on politics and politicians. They vote for their candidates and then castigate them for their every move.

This person is quite into the creation of a better world, but they hesitate to join volunteer programs that aid in helping those in their community that suffer from need. The worst of it is that some of those in need have the potential to add to their community, with a little boost from the rest of us.

This same citizen complains about everything from litter to the even more important issue of global weather. And whatever you do, do not get this person going on the subject of medicine or the insurance that the medical profession must endure to keep us healthy.

Now, there is a bright side to this person. What is it, you ask? Well, this person, believe it or not, is the 'nay-nay-nay' of all that is placed before him or her, thus causing those that are involved to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their product or solution is totally viable. This is a good thing, considering that by proving a concept, it does in fact make us a little less concerned with the side effects of that concept.

That brings us to the heart of where this perfect person espouses all their cures for the ills of the world. You see, this perfect person has to have an audience, or peer group, to weave a tangled ideology about all events--past, present, and those that may or will take place in the not too distant future. I call it the "Corner Office." You know, that all important room where great minds meet to discuss current events, past events, and also to map out a guess as to how the future will affect the rest of us.

Documents are passed back and forth; some are even read aloud. There are some that are set aside for future reading when they become more important and depressing. The Corner Office contains an air of seriousness, joviality, adversarial opinions that always conclude with a hand shake, and foremost, not to be forgotten in the mix, an air of relaxation that prompts one to join in. No one ever shies away from the "Corner Office." Quite the contrary!

A ten-minute stop can change pessimism to optimism, and the overseer of this domain has never had a half-empty day. That person is quick of wit, scholarly, sympathetic, energetic, and above all silent with all his or her opinions. Who is he or she? Why it is your friendly barber or stylist. That's right! They never choose sides in the debate of the day, and when one leaves their shop, well, one is left with the feeling of success at convincing the person with the scissors that they were right about everything and anything.

I dedicate this thought to all the visitors of the "Corner Office," and a special Thank-You for the two masters of this domain--Art and Bruce.  

         For now, be well, and may your God bless you...Joe 

 

April Brown Bag Lunch

A Nation of Immigrants

presented by Joseph Didato  

Dodging the Bullet in Hawaii

Hawaii--think relaxing tropical paradise, lush natural beauty and miles of sandy beaches bordered by sparkling water and waves--a perfect place to vacation! But Hawaii isn't always just a peaceful island get-a-way. Every once in awhile, nature offers up surprises to its residents and unsuspecting guests. The mega-earthquake of March 11 in Japan was an unprecedented natural disaster. And the resulting tsunami was unimaginably destructive there-with implications for more destruction around the Pacific Rim, including Hawaii, where two Southport couples were vacationing: Sheila and Dom Romano in Waikiki on the island of Oahu, and David and Billie Kapp in Hilo, on the island of Hawaii, know locally as the "Big Island." These are their stories.
 

Tsunami on Waikiki Beach

as told to Karlyn Curran by Sheila & Dom Romano

What tsunami? The March 11 tsunami left Waikiki Beach virtually untouched.

The after-effects of the tsunami were minimal in Waikiki. When Sheila and Dom emerged from the hotel the next morning they saw that the wave had reached the street but not crossed it. The grassy area between the beach and the street was sprinkled with washed-up sand. Waikiki Beach was closed until afternoon as a precaution in case another wave came in, and Sheila and Dom's snorkeling trip for the following day was cancelled. For the next two days, the waves were bigger than normal, which Sheila and Dom actually enjoyed. The most amazing thing was that by 10:00 a.m. Friday morning, less than seven hours after the tsunami had arrived, souvenir shops along the street were already selling T-shirts that read, "I Survived Tsunami 2011"! American capitalism. Isn't it wonderful?

Although Sheila had already called her children to tell them that she and Dom were safe, she decided to use a hotel computer to send them a follow-up e-mail that afternoon. She found the computer area swamped with Japanese tourists desperately trying to reach family members back in Japan. She left, knowing that they needed to use the computers much more than she did. Waikiki had dodged a huge bullet. Sheila and Dom felt that Hawaiian officials had dealt with the tsunami threat extremely well and that even If the situation had been much worse, emergency personnel would have been prepared to deal with it capably. 

Mother Nature Acting Up

by David Kapp 

Billie and I were visiting our family on the Big Island of Hawaii, staying with our daughter Elizabeth in Hilo when the March 11 earthquake in Japan triggered a tsunami that threatened areas all around the Pacific Rim. The State of Hawaii has an excellent tsunami warning system, and Hilo, having suffered extensive destruction from four major tsunamis in the last 75 years (one with waves as high as 28'), is especially alert to the danger.

Tsunami warning sirens sounded every hour on the hour beginning with the first news of the 8.9 seismic event in Japan. With five or six hours to prepare, residents and guests were able to leave the evacuation zone without panic. Elizabeth's house is high up on the slopes of Mauna Loa, so we were not in any danger. The tsunami was projected to arrive in Hawaii shortly after 3:00 a.m. on Friday morning; we got up to watch the news, but by 3:45 a.m. no major event had been reported. We went back to bed.

We have a small oceanfront condo in Hilo and our grandson's school in nearby, both in the evacuation zone. In the morning we drove down to the water to see if anything had happened to them, but there was no evidence of any damage. The condo building is made of concrete and is at least 50' above sea level, so it probably would survive most tsunamis, but the school buildings are at ground level and would certainly be washed away by a major wave.

Friday, March 12, was a school vacation day so schools were already scheduled to be closed, but state offices and large parts of the Hilo business areas were also closed that day, as were the beaches. We drove to Liliuokalani Park on Hilo Bay (a park created after earlier tsunamis had destroyed former residential and business areas by the bay) and walked across a pedestrian bridge to Coconut Island. There, we observed unusual patterns in the movement of the water; tides flowed in and out every ten minutes or so, like water sloshing around in a giant bathtub. There was some evidence of flooding, but by and large Hilo was unscathed by the tsunami.

Tsunami damage on the west side of the Big Island.  Photo: Drew Kapp

This was not the case on the heavily developed area of Kailua Kona on the west side of the island. We went there on Sunday to celebrate our grandson's birthday and observed significant damage along the main street of town: the town pier had been damaged and was off limits, the main street had been flooded and partially torn up, a number of restaurants and shops had also been flooded and were temporarily out of business. Two National Parks were damaged and closed, and in some areas private homes were lifted off their foundations. North of Kailua Kona, where very exclusive resorts line the Kohala coast, damage was quoted as being in the "tens of millions," and one major resort was put out of business permanently.

My son Drew also lives on the Big Island, in the village of Volcano, just a few miles from Volcanoes National Park. At an elevation of 4,000', he was in no danger from the tsunami. But he was keeping his eye on the newly explosive activity of the Kilauea Volcano. In Hawaii, there is never any doubt that Mother Nature is in charge. It's best to stay out of her way.

Kathy Borsari welcomed us to the Borsari Gallery & Village Tea Room.

Spring is finally arriving after a cold, snowy winter. (It seems as though it has snowed twice a week since December). The warm sunshine feels great. It's not dark at 3:30 p.m. anymore. You should take this opportunity to visit some of those popular places that will be crowded when visitors start showing up during the spring and summer months. Shops, restaurants and galleries have no lines at their doors just now; it's a relaxed time here on the Cape.

I recommend a visit to the Village Tea Room at the Borsari Gallery at 524 Main Street, on Route 6A in Dennis Village. The Tea Room combines both art and tea in a setting that offers both a culinary and a visual experience. A beautiful barn dating to the 1800s has been lovingly restored and provides a warm and unique setting for afternoon tea.

The Phantom usually enjoys a Canadian Molsen on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, but when I heard that there was more than tea to be had at the Tea Room, I agreed to visit and report on my experience. I'm glad I did.

We were greeted at the door with a smile and a warm welcome from one of the owners, Kathy Borsari, who offered to seat us immediately or after a leisurely stroll through the gallery. There are hundreds of pieces of art--some paintings and many photographs taken by Andrew Borsari, a native New Englander who has been involved with photography for over 50 years. 

Andrew's images are produced and framed in his Ipswich studio. They are reproduced using the latest Giclee technology and printed on the finest quality canvas and acid-free, heavyweight, 100% cotton rag paper from Europe. You won't believe that they are not original oil paintings.

Borsari Afternoon Tea for Two: $17.95

We were seated after an enjoyable review of the gallery and offered a menu with a few new items added for the upcoming season; e.g., village shepherd's pie, shrimp Ferdenzi, and barn ploughman's lunch.

The Phantom and his guest ordered the Borsari Afternoon Tea, $17.95 for two, which includes a scone with Devon clotted cream and preserves, eight finger sandwiches, four desserts and a pot of your choice of tea. Enough for both of us. In fact we had a "doggie bag" of desserts to take home. By the way, the tea was so good we would have ordered another pot if we had not been on our way to our daughter's house for corned beef and cabbage that night.

 
The food, the terrific gallery, the relaxing music and the warm welcome made this a very enjoyable visit. The Phantom plans a return visit. It's a must see. 

Southport (Canine) Profile: Clancy Kayes

by Betty Kayes

For over a year, I had frequently taken care of a Cockapoo belonging to some friends. I missed him when they moved out West, so I decided to get my own Cockapoo-a Poodle and Cocker Spaniel mix. Clancy is a small dog, weighing just 22 pounds. He was born on May 10, 2010, one of several dogs that had been placed in foster care due to the owner/breeder's severe illness. I adopted him through Petfinders.com when he was only 10 weeks old and, despite all the work involved, I'm so happy I did!

Clancy Kayes

His name was Ashmont when I brought him home, but he is definitely a Clancy to me. On second thought, maybe I should have named him Glue or Velcro since he follows me everywhere. Clancy is a very friendly wee dog. He loves people and other dogs and is not the least bit put off when older, more mature dogs try to put him in his place! He was very easily housebroken, only two accidents since I got him--and that was because I wasn't fast enough.

Clancy loves to play ball, go for walks, chase the Canada Geese off the sixth golf hole and sit at my feet chewing his bone or "Bully-stick." (Finally, no more chewing my furniture and rugs!) He is not a barker, although he lets me know when anyone is coming or when the workmen are working on the landscape. He also lets me know if he thinks I'm working in my quilt room too long. Riding in the car is not his thing, but he stays close and strapped in and is quiet; maybe someday he'll enjoy it.

Not everyone wants a dog greeting them or jumping up, so Clancy and I are working on his manners at Joseph's dog training school. He is one smart puppy: he now sits, gets down and comes when called, all on command. We continue to work on the heeling and no chasing cars lessons. I had no idea that I needed so much training! 

Walking Clancy is so enjoyable, even in the cold, snowy weather; he loves to bury his face in the snow and to chase leaves. The walks are wonderful, hearing the beautiful bird songs early in the morning and meeting so many of my neighbors day by day. Clancy says "Thank You" for the welcome, attention and petting you give him--much appreciated. At 22 pounds, Clancy is now pretty much fully grown. I am enjoying him soooo much and am so glad I adopted him. I think he could be a great caddy when I play golf, but I guess that would mean more special training-for me!! 

Pastabilities Coming on April 30

Annual Gala Raises Money for Scholarships

Pastabilities, the Southport Residents Scholarship Committee's annual fundraiser is coming up on Saturday night, April 30, featuring a delicious Italian dinner prepared by Chef Roland and entertainment by the Blue Falcon Theatre Company, the Mashpee High School Concert Choir, and the Mashpee High School Jazz Band.

Each year, the SRSC strives to raise enough money to provide four or five $1,000 scholarships to students the committee chooses from among candidates provided by the Mashpee High School guidance department. Since the program's inception in 2003, Southport residents have provided scholarships for 43 MHS seniors, with a total value of $41,000. Through the high school, we follow up on our scholarship recipients and are pleased to report that every one of them has either graduated or is continuing his or her education. Here, for example, is brief information on what three of our former scholarship winners are doing.

Anthony Bingham  graduated from the University of Massachusetts where he majored in theater and minored in education. Recently, he accompanied a UMASS group that traveled to Cape Verde, bringing needed supplies and books to a school there. Anthony has applied to the Master's program at both Wheelock and Leslie University and hopes to begin his graduate program in September.

Jacqueline Reed will graduate from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth in May 2011. She is majoring in vocal performance with an emphasis in classical music. As part of her graduation requirement, she is singing several selections of opera music at her senior recital. Jacqueline is taking a year off from school after graduation to give vocal lessons and study with a vocal teacher. She plans to attend graduate school to study opera, and her dream is to perform opera professionally.

Ben Healy graduated from Salve Regina with a major in music performance and a minor in philosophy. He is pursuing his initial teaching license in the Accelerated Baccalaureate Program at Bridgewater State College and is currently working part-time as a substitute teacher for the Mashpee Public Schools. Ben has also been the choral director at the Salve Regina chapel for the past six years. He plans to be a high school or junior high school choral teacher.

The Pastabilities Raffle

Another great feature of the Pastabilities gala is the annual raffle of donated artworks and services from talented neighbors. Some of the items to be raffled off are:

• Beautiful paintings by Norine Piscatelli and Steve Memishian
• An exquisite punch needle Oriental rug by Mardell McDonald
• A spectacular quilt made by the Southport Quilters
• Five hours of private computer instruction from Dan Riley
• A unique chair created by Joe Tinlin
• An intricate Nantucket basket made by Judy Tinlin
• A very special garden sculpture by Sheila Cote

Tickets for the Pastabilities gala are currently on sale in the Village Center. Donations to the SRSC Scholarship Fund are gratefully accepted and will be acknowledged in writing. Please send donations to the SRSC c/o Julie McDevitt, Treasurer, 9 Pacific Ave. or drop them in the Social Committee box in the Village Center Information Room.