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Dear Editor,
I am one of the people who never stopped buying vinyl [“
The Price You Pay,” Music, Jan. 10]. Some people do deluxe editions, but this must be put in context. New CDs are still $15 or more and though prices of CDs are coming down, this is the context for record prices. If one is looking for an older album, they can find an unused copy at one of our finer record stores (I like Breakaway Records for 33 rpm) and find the album for what they would have paid 35 years ago ($5-7). Lightly used copies are also cheap. It is also true that if you know your music, you can find classics in the 99-cent bin. I find bands are also selling basic versions of an LP along with a deluxe version or tons of online extras to go with the LP. Now what I'm into are 78s. There are a bunch of classic songs that never got transferred to 33 rpm, never mind digital anything.
Dear Editor,
As a former vinyl collector (I have hundreds of out-of-print and rare CDs, including promos and bootlegs), I can't help but scoff at some of the reissue prices, and those who will pay them [“
The Price You Pay,” Music, Jan. 10]. What happened to the art of scoring rare wax by scouring the used bins, and finding that clean copy you have only dreamed about for a great price? Does it make the experience better because you paid more for it, and it was a "limited edition," so therefore even more awesome, and it justifies the $40 price tag? We used to pay that for a rare record, not something that just hit the floor at Waterloo Records. I am starting to get the feeling that the same newbie "record collectors" are the same people who pay $20 for a four-pack of craft beer, or who stand in line for hours just to pay too much for barbecue. Record collectors are pretentious assholes; music enthusiasts that won't be suckered by a yuppie marketing scam are golden.
Dear Editor,
Regarding "
Then There's This: Clouds Over Solar," [News, Jan. 10]: Debbie Kimberly's letter to solar customers said that the value of solar was being lowered due to reduced value of energy factors like lower natural gas prices. I don't remember any notice from AE or news stories, but in October of 2013, Austin Energy increased the power supply adjustment from $0.03372 to $0.03709 per kilowatt-hour. This doesn't seem like much, but for someone averaging 1000 kwh per month it amounts to an increase of $3.37, or $40.44 per year. The power supply adjustment affects all customers, not just solar customers. So AE is saying to everyone that the cost of energy is increasing, but for solar customers it is decreasing. Which is it?
As far as zeroing solar customers' accounts if a credit exists: Why is that necessary anyway, as AE will never send a check? Zeroing it in January will almost certainly mean paying something in February, as January is a poor month for solar production. Just another way to squeeze the customer.