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From the Editor

Friday, 27 May 2011 07:35 Greg Archer Columns - Editors Note
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Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and there’s fun to be had. At the top of the list: The Blues Festival.  We spotlighted the big bold fest in last week’s issue, but take note of more fodder.

Beyond that, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer season, or, at least, an appetizer for it, so with that in mind, we roll out our annual Green Issue. You’ll find a bundle of tips and tidbits and other features to inspire you to be a better eco patriot. Interesting to note is the UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund, a unique organization on campus whose work deserves mention.

Also, in News this week, we take a look at the county as a whole, as it relates to better environmental stewardship. There’s a new environmental plan rolling out but how will that affect locals, overall? Send us your green tips to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The best tip of the week will be published in future issues. Carry on ...

With so much music unfolding this weekend at the Blues Fest, it inspired us to take another look at a local venue that has surprised many by its inventiveness and the type of music acts it draws in. It’s The Crepe Place. Once a place to just indulge in great food, it has blossomed into a real performing arts haven. Our GT writer goes behind the scenes to talk to The Crepe’s owners and learn more about this interesting musical evolution.

With Gay Pride right around the corner and the Diversity Center working hard to make it even more memorable than last year’s event, we begin a two-week series of articles on LGBT topics. This week, former assemblyman John Laird takes a look at the past, the present and the future, too, as he ponders the local LGBT scene and gay pride, and more. Discover something new.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the issue ...

 

Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief

Letters to the Editor

Lisa Goes Too Far?

Regarding Lisa Jensen’s column on James Durbin (GT 5/19), I enjoy reading all your news about James. I was a great fan and voted for him every week. I was so mad when they ousted him. I think he was the most talented of the last four, he was certainly the most entertaining. If we look back we can see the voters always vote for a "certain" style. I don't want to say ''safe" because these kids are definitely talented but you know what I mean.

But James was different. This is the first time it really bothered me, but life goes on, right? I believe things happen for a reason, no need to try and blame some other faction. This is where Lisa Jensen comes in. I have lived in Santa Cruz since 1974 and have read a lot of her movie reviews. Generally I agree with her about movies, but Lisa goes too far when you give her a whole page. She is an atheist and America is not. Simple truth. When she wrote about the "God card" in her James Durbin article ... well that just riles me up. She acted like the whole South had run to their phones, including toddlers, babies, old people, and all those who don't give a you know what about American Idol, which is many people in every state! She always makes stupid statements like this about God-loving people. Why? Who knows? Maybe she's jealous. You can always read anger in her articles, she definitely has a few chips on her shoulders! But she should keep God out of why James was voted off. God has other plans for James.

Andrea Todd

Santa Cruz


Best Online Comments

On Downtown business:

I say it's time for columnist Tom Honig (GT 4/28) to get over his bourgeois capitalist vision of Downtown Santa Cruz. Tourists and chain stores are not what keeps a town alive and thriving. Santa Cruz would do best to encourage a more self sufficient economy than to aspire to be the shopping capital of the coast.

Perhaps if we were not inundated with cheap goods made overseas and sold at big box retailers there would be more jobs producing essential goods within Santa Cruz. Picture buying shoes from the person who made them in Santa Cruz. Sounds better than a box store selling Chinese factory goods. What about growing our own food in Santa Cruz county? I mean more than just strawberries and artichokes. The average diet is based on grains and legumes, of which we grow essentially none in Santa Cruz.

In short, what if Santa Cruz relied less on imports rather than trying to become a really good place to buy imports. There is a way to do this and it is to keep cheap imports out of the county and support local farmers and craftspeople. Perhaps we could even tax imported goods and use the money to subsidize local production.

The bad news is that iPods, Bourgie clothes sold at Anthropology, and unnecessary "outdoor" toys would cost more. The good news is that the fossil fuel economy will collapse and the era of cheap imports that rely on exploiting laborers, farmers, and the planet will end.

Good riddance. Now let's go about building a sustainable thriving Santa Cruz.

John W.


Memorial Day Deadlines

Good Times offices will be closed Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day.   Offices will reopen 9 a.m. Tuesday. The

following holiday deadlines will be in effect for the June 2 issue:

Display and Class Display advertising deadlines will be 4 p.m., Thursday, May 26.

Classified advertising deadline will be 11 a.m., Friday, May 27.

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CYNDI

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Community Studies 2.0

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North Pacific String Band

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Muscle-Bound

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The Plug Bug & Corbin Dunn

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Making the Grade

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Flag Day, Father’s Day and Chiron

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Good Morning Maui

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