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From the Editor

Wednesday, 07 July 2010 12:30 Greg Archer Columns - Editors Note
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greg_archerS2sPlus Letters to Good Times...
Beyond 2012
Embracing ‘2012’
Wet Spots
You probably saw this coming: virtual music venues—it is the 21st century, after all—but what you may not have factored into the mix was how enterprising such a beast could be, especially when Santa Cruzans are behind the scenes creatively. That’s where Virtual Venues Network (VVN) comes in. Spearheaded by several locals, this concert-screenings business caters to a “closed-circuit network of clubs and college campuses” that participate in exclusive concert events. Think of it like Pay-Per-View with a twist. Now booming, VVN offers nightclubs, sports bars, colleges and theaters across the nation plenty of opportunities to unveil one-time virtual concerts from many prominent bands. Writer Damon Orion uncovers the unique journey the founders of VVN have taken, and what the future holds for the business model.

Elsewhere, ponder News this week, where our intrepid reporter reports on PG&E’s request for a $4.2 billion in increased revenues over the next three years. (That stings.) Learn more.

In the meantime, take note of our Community Assessment Project survey online. The information you provide will be vital in determining what needs can be met in the county in the next five years. Have at it.

Thanks for reading this week. More soon ...
Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief

Letters to Good Times Editor
Wet Spots
I've been thinking about the desalination article GT recently published, and energy use in general, and I'm wondering why the county doesn't use its good credit to save water and make money.
If rainwater collection and greywater systems will save money, even a small amount each month, why not guarantee loans for homeowners to install them? And why not collect payments via water bills? The loan payments could be made equal to the amount the homeowner saves. And, if this will truly save money in the long run, the water charges could even be adjusted to make this work.
Such a program could be set up to make money for the county. And, with the ability to get a lien on the house, there is no risk. Everybody wins.
This same argument could be made for solar energy installations, geothermal heating and cooling, energy conservation upgrades, and real community-run cable TV (another potentially money-making public service -- where the county actually provides all the channels and broadband.)
Save money, save the planet, make money for the county, provide free broadband to everyone, get a warmer house, and get cable TV for cheap. We can do this.
—Tony Duarte, Santa Cruz

Embracing ‘2012’
Thank you for the well written and researched article on 2012 by Damon Orion. It is nice to see that there are still a few investigative journalists around who can not only check their spelling and exhibit good grammar but write an excellent story as well.
—Drew Lewis, Santa Cruz

Beyond 2012
I’m amused by all the fuss about the year 2012 and the GT article that discussed varying viewpoints. We seem super interested in the destruction of the world. Hello—there’s more important things to be thinking about. Besides, I’m all about “what you think, you create.” Are we really that soul-less that we’d actually want to create our own demise? Forget about it. Think about something really good today.
—Jessica Reynolds, Capitola
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