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The
New Millennium As the old saying goes, a new millennium doesn’t come along every day. So when a columnist for The Union gets a chance to talk about a new year, decade, century and millenium, he or she had better not pass it up. Where is the world going, you might ask? And, more importantly, where is Nevada County going? Older folks say it’s going to Hell in a handbasket, while the middle-aged figure it’s going to Hell in an SUV. Teenagers might say either, "this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory," or "you want fries with that?" Well, I disagree. The world’s going into the future, a place with fabulous promise, where things will be better than they have ever been before. Sure, a few of our institutions will be worse, but that’s temporary, because they are corrupt and about to die. Here are my predictions for the new year, decade, century, and millennium: The Union. This newspaper was established in 1864. It will live until 2064 and maybe beyond. Even as we get information from the internet and even as big-city daily papers fold (just an accidental pun, folks), The Union will continue. Why? Because we are a community and a community must have a local, daily paper. The form may change, but the publication’s existence is assured. It’s sobering to imagine John Seelmeyer editing this paper at the age of 100+, so I predict his retirement in 2025. County Politics. Although District 1 is by no means "safe," Peter Van Zant will be returned to office. He has made a good showing as Supervisor and is a good campaigner, too. In District 5, Sam Darick’s protegee will lose to a candidate from Truckee. The Elderly. Nevada County will attract more older people, and therefore there will be more residential and care facilities for seniors. Our seniors often are well off, they’re good for the economy, and as they get used to using the internet and exercising their political power, they will be a real terror. Watch out for the Silver-haired Liberation Army! The Internet. That little box and wire in your home will change this county profoundly. It will radically alter how we work, where we work, how we learn, how we buy and how we organize to help each other. Paradoxically, these changes will do more to preserve the quality of life in the county than any number of coalitions. County Government. A building staffed by wooly mammoths, dinosaurs, and great auks. County government will move into the new century with no meaningful improvement in automation. Without automation we’ll continue to pay charges of $75.00/hour for inspections and $3.00 for photocopies. Why? We don’t give the county enough money to do its job in a modern way. Quality of Life/Land Use. In the next two years, builders, employers, and groups concerned about the quality of life will find a common vision -- and a good one. Why? Former supporters of all parties are now consummately tired of their bickering. Grocery Store Clubs. The other stores will learn what SPD and Albertson’s have already figured out. It’s not worth a dime off a can of beans to have your every purchase recorded by Big Brother. Banks. Banks will figure out that a supermarket isn’t a fun place to apply for a $300,000 loan. Medicare Payments for Drug Costs. Dream on, and spend on. The Elderly Vote. This will be the critical swing vote of the 2000 election. Gun Laws. Sacramento will pass them. The politicians will posture. And the laws won’t change a thing. HMOs. The Republicans will grudgingly support your suing your HMO, but in everyday life, you still won’t get decent service from your HMO. It will take 5-10 years, but eventually the corrupt concept of the HMO will die. At that point, we’ll begin valuing ourselves and providing health care for every person in this nation. Y2K. The planes will not fall out of the sky; however, the trains and several mountain bikes will. Future columns: I predict with absolute certainty that many of the subjects above will find their way into future columns. Have a Merry Christmas, Channukah, and Kwaansa! And may you have a truly fascinating time in the new year! Barry Schoenborn is a technical writer, and an 11-year resident of Nevada County. His column appears the second Saturday of the month. You can write to him at barry@wvswrite.com. The opinions of columnists are not necessarily those of The Union.
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