Congratulations to last week's winners: Kathleen Flint, Maria Guarino, Lorraine Meusel, Patsy Sanders, and Jim Schoonover. Please note: Even if you've won a mug, we welcome your votes and comments.

Responses to last week's question: In response to the question would you be willing to live with rolling blackouts if that kept the utility rates from increasing so much, a majority of Currents Online readers said they were willing to live with rolling blackouts if they received sufficient advance notice. A sampling of readers' views follows.

On the yes side:

"I would be willing to live with rolling blackouts as long as we're notified of the day they're supposed to occur. If they force our electronically dependent society to slow down or to come up with new ways of going about our hectic workdays, then I think that's fine."

"I would say yes; but only if there could be more advance notice, the Clean Air Act standards would be reinstated, and they were part of an overall program that addressed the underlying issues of corporate irresponsibility and artificial price gouging. Preferably, the State would take over the generation and distribution system through eminent domain in exchange for bailing out PG&E with taxpayer dollars. The current dis-incentives for diffuse, micro generation by individuals and small businesses should also be repealed and tax credits issued for alternative energy projects and conservation measures."

On the no side:

"California is being ridiculed around the world for having gotten itself into this mess. Governor Davis should use the power of eminent domain to immediately seize the assets of energy producers and transmitters. Rolling blackouts will cause industries to leave California, because they rely on a stable power supply."

"Rolling blackouts are not a solution. I'm more than willing to save energy in general, to change my lifestyle and decrease the use of energy. Everybody should do the same. Having rolling blackouts is treating the symptom instead of doing something about the real problem which is that we use too much energy."

Tell us what you think: Each week, we post a question about a topic that's been in the news, is of general interest, or has been suggested by our readers. You have a chance to "weigh in" with a simple "yes," "no," or "unsure," or you may elaborate if you like. Responses are due by Friday at 8 a.m.

Win a nifty Currents Online coffee mug: Each week, the names of five respondents are drawn at random to win a mug. Participants must be UCSC staff, faculty, or students. Please submit your name and campus e-mail address on the response form. One mug per person.

This week's question: When Barry Bonds hit the 500th homerun of his career into the San Francisco Bay this past week, the fan who fished the ball out of the water opted to keep the $500,000 artifact rather than return it to Bonds. Would you give back a homerun ball you caught to a history-making hitter?

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