Plus Letters to the Editor
Do you know a Good Giver having a good time? Lately, I have come across many of them. So, if you find yourself swimming in a mindset of “lack,” take note of how much abundance there actually is around out there. You may have heard this local story: Not that long ago, Pastor Rene Schlaepfer of Twin Lakes Church in Aptos asked his congregation to donate one million pounds of food to the Second Harvest Holiday Food Drive by Thanksgiving.
He asked each person in the church to set aside $1.40 a day for 10 weeks. The reason? Second Harvest notes that one buck is the equivalent to three pounds of food per dollar during the holiday food drive. The $1.40-a-day marker would eventually equate to a million pounds’ worth of food. (Second Harvest’s main goal is 2.5 million pounds during the season.) So, what happened? Well, what followed smacked of It’s A Wonderful Life. The congregation raised more than 1.2 million pounds of food and cash equivalent. (Local businesses got involved, neighbors sold old furniture, and apparently two young brothers even sold toys they made themselves and garnered $300. And that’s just a glimpse of the scope of the endeavor.) Overall, it became the largest single-handed contribution that Second Harvest has ever received.
The lesson in all this? I’ll leave that up to you to decide, but kudos to Twin Lakes for the inspiring idea, as well as to Second Harvest titans Willie Elliott- McCrea and Danny Keith for their ongoing, tireless efforts to raise the level of awareness of hunger issues locally. (FYI: Second Harvest provides food for more than 55,000 people in the County every month—over half of those are children.) Email
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for more information, or visit thefoodbank.org. In the meantime, keep me apprised of Good Givers Having A Good Time via email to
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.
Enjoy the issue ...
Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief
Letters to the EDITOR
Mayor’s Words Upsetting
In regards to the “Meet The Mayors” article, if you're not an "expert," shut up, says the mayor. (GT 12/8). Ryan Coonerty says: “The first challenge is that there tends to be skepticism of experts in this community. For example, we will have water engineers present actual figures for our annual demand and supply of water. Then people with no background in the subject will ignore or reject those findings when they wouldn't do the same thing in other parts of their life—with mechanics, doctors or other professionals. We can agree to look at facts and come to different conclusions, but we have to agree on the facts or we will just talk right past each other."
This is so absurd that it shames the very concept of representative government to know this guy holds public office. Any office.
The fact is no facts have been presented by Mr. Coonerty's so-called "experts." No numbers on desalination costs at all to this day, just believe them because they are "experts." They have the credibility, you are nobody. The Soviet Union couldn't have devised it better.
Bob Lamonica
Santa Cruz
SmartMeters
In the Nov. 30 Letter to the Editor submitted by Techy in the Woods, Techy claims that SmartMeter health complaints are "a bunch of b.s. hysteria" because "these meters emit just as much RF radiation or less than cell phones, wireless phones, WiFi hotspots and microwave ovens."
First point: Daniel Hirsch, UCSC lecturer and expert in nuclear policy who has been widely quoted in the media, offers a study indicating that a SmartMeter emits 100-150 times more cumulative (whole body) radiation than does a cell phone. See Hirsch's chart comparing microwave radiation from SmartMeters to cell phones, microwave appliances and other devices: stopsmartmeters.org/2011/04/20/daniel-hirsch-on-ccsts-fuzzy-math.
Second point: No one in my household owns or uses a wireless phone, WiFi, or microwave (nor do we eat microwaved food). I use my cell phone for emergencies only, totalling one to two hours per year (nor do I carry it in my pocket, which poses a health risk). Many other individuals, for varying reasons, purposely limit their exposure to electrical fields. Techy's argument is irrelevant for those who live a low-tech lifestyle.
Thus—since the long-term effects of SmartMeters are unknown, and, in the short-term, they may already be associated with serious health hazards and pain—I do not want an outside source mandating that such a meter be installed at my residence. If I permanently decline a SmartMeter, it will not affect anyone's safety but my own. Similarly, if I decline periodic visits to a dentist or M.D., that is my individual choice, as is dealing with the consequences. SmartMeters should also be the consumer's choice—or choice to forever reject.
Teacher in Aptos
Best Online Comments
On ‘Meet the Mayors’ ..
I find this article rather amusing. Don Lane still is the Old Guard Progressive and his Ideals and Opinions have not changed much: Misusing City funds for his pet projects, Idealistic Cycling infrastructure, anti-business agenda, anti-growth agenda, Increasing fees and taxes to add to the General Fund—again, to fund his agenda, and a lack of regard for the destruction of private property by the more radical elements of our town, and a lack of regard for the safety and welfare of our legal residents while misappropriating funds, again, for his pet projects.
This along with his backing by UC Snata Cruz sheeple students, it's going to be more of the same-o, same-o and maybe even worse.
—Anonymous
Holiday Deadlines
GT offices will be closed Thursday, Dec. 22 through Friday, Dec. 30 in observance of Christmas and New Year’s.
Deadlines for Dec 29 issue are: Display, Class Display and Classified ads: 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16. Deadlines for Jan. 5 issue are: Display, Class Display and Classified ads: 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 20. Calendar: noon, Thursday, Dec 15.
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