Flirtationship, Ford, Finance Committee

1. We have endured the weekend wash-out. Today, expect sun, a high of 67 degrees and a good wind off Buzzards Bay.

2. Word of the day: flirtationship. ‘Nuff said. First spotted in print Aug. 2.

3. This day in 1908, Henry Ford’s company produced the first Model T. The run would continue until 1927. That volume of a single model produced held the record until 1972, surpassed by the Volkswagen bug. Despite what some teachers and text books told us, Ford did not invent the automobile. Gottlieb Daimler did in Germany, his first autos sold in 1892. Ford evolved manufacturing techniques begun by American gun manufacturer Remington to apply the practice of exchangeable parts to an assembly line. Got an iPhone?

4. If you have an objection to local property taxes or the services they support, today is the best day to begin to learn how to apply that objection. By the time an issue gets to Town Council, it has been discussed, argued and reconsidered many times. It begins tonight. The Comprehensive Finance Advisory Committee meets in conference room 3 of Town Hall beginning at 7pm to set the FY14 calendar, the schedule of meetings that will result in the fiscal year (that means the town service and tax year) that begins July 1st, 2013. Sounds dull, huh? I guarantee it will be - on the surface. But, if you want to know how the process works, it begins here. Go there, or, if you can’t, get a neighbor to go, or at least both of you learn what happened. Get involved in your self-government or....

5. End word. As guest editor of Barnstable Patch, I've been with you through the month of September. You’ll welcome a new, full-time editor this week. Thank you for your support.