Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/45895
4A Daily News – Friday, October 28, 2011 Opinion D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY After a few days visiting T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 family in St. Louis, I returned to work Thursday to a reminder of something about the job I may have taken for granted. People love rules. Even though many of us protest when we disagree with the rules, we're quick to cite them when we believe they are not being applied properly or fairly in our case. For example, we have certain rules about letters to the editor that we publish every day on the opinion page: "Anonymous let- ters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed." I found myself citing this rule a couple of weeks ago when a reader submitted a letter written to one of our regular columnists. I edited the letter — allowed by another rule — and published it as a letter to the editor com- menting on the columnist's piece. I made a typo in the process and that raised the ire of the reader who submitted it. This is something I seem to do on a reg- ular basis because this reader is convinced that I disagree with her views and therefore apply the rules differently to her let- ters than to those from people with whose views she believes I agree. That's not the case, but she's entitled to make the accusa- tion and may even do so in a subsequent letter, which I will be happy to publish. Another instance came from a columnist who ques- tioned what rules we had for publishing front page stories about the passing of former big wigs in the community. Instead of sending me a note, as he often does, he decided to hold this discussion on the pages of the Daily News. So here goes. There are no rules. Sorry, I'm sure he and you expected something more interesting. Of course, any local paper owes it to readers to publish the news of the passing of a well-known public figure and we attempt to do so when we hear of it. The more well- known and recent the person's promi- nence, the larger the item is apt to be — like news, the more people it impacts, the more play it should get in the paper. It helps when those who were close to the subject come forward and are will- ing to share remem- brances of the per- son's accomplish- ments. But we gener- ally won't hound grieving family ees to tip us off of the passing of somebody of prominence — especially when the person's notable accomplishments were well before our time here in Red Bluff. I hope that answers this columnist's ques- tions — here's a hint, he's the second best looking subject in the photo below. An answer I often Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. members and close friends for interviews. Because those of us in the newsroom are not Tehama County natives, we rely on readers and other DN employ- give to those who claim they are treated unfairly by the paper is that newspapering is an inexact science. There is no rule book for the vast majority of what we do. We make judgment calls, and for that I use the Golden Rule. Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Peaceable placard protesting Commentary It was strange to see people carrying placards on Main Street last week. I spotted them on the Bank of America corner doing their thing...and then later ambling south and stopping at the Cone & Kimball Clock Tower. Little did we, the organizers of the name-a-brick committee to fund the creation of the Plaza anticipate such demonstrations. They were fortunately peaceable and did no harm to animals, but they seem incongruous in our fair city. Yes, we have endured the Saturday Bring the Troops Home squatters on the corner of Main and Oak, and perhaps branded them naïve. And yet the troops are coming home, at least from Iraq, so maybe protests do count in our society. However, the only protest in which I have been engaged, occurred about 65 years ago. Our popular football coach at Red Bluff Union High was being pillared by the school board and this termination was imminent. We students were caught off guard (no pun intended...you know, "guard" as in a football lineup?) by this move and so decided to stage a protest by not re-entering the build- ing after lunch hour one fine day in autumn in 1946. We milled about the south lawn until Vice President Hill came out and ordered us to go back into class. We voiced our complaint loudly and boisterously much to Hill's chagrin. Finally he selected a group to act as a committee to air our grievance but being careful to not include me in the selec- tion process as having viewed my act in the past...that of an agitator and all around jerk. Unfortunately, we were not able to halt the firing of Coach Elmer Martin those many years ago, but he went on to an administra- tive position in Chico to great acclaim and so was vindicated in this regard. But I will admit there was a certain adrenalin flow when we staged our protest long ago. * * * Moment of tribute department: A reminder that if you thought Earl Hedlund was a unique fellow and deserving of remembrance, a bench will be dedicated in his name at the south end of the city park along the river tomorrow, Saturday, at 11 a.m. He would like that. * * * Do you recall the "lack of thank you" issue by one N. Weitzel a few weeks ago? He had found a cell phone, taken it to Radio Shack, excused himself to go to Raley's, and when he returned the owner had retrieved the phone but failed to hang around to thank him? Well, I had picked up on the incident and suggested he get his "thank you" by dropping a coin in the Salvation Army pot during the holidays. I further wrote he was "incensed" over the lack of common courtesy by the cell phone owner. Not leaving well enough alone and licking his wounds in private, he wrote Angelo who knew that IKEA stands for Ing- var, Kamprad, Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, that a famous play by Gold- smith might be "She stoops to conquer" and that an "ell" is a measurement of about 24 inches, the dis- tance of an average man's distance between his shoul- der to his wrist. In old Eng- lish, ell meant the arm, so that "elbow" is the arm bend. Robert Minch I Say a letter to the editor in which he proudly reported that he asked 30 people if they would say thank you for the return of a lost cell phone...and they all said yes. Further- more, he was not "incensed" as I had described him...and he again asked his 30 responders if they thought he was incensed, and they said no. He concluded by giving me this heads up: If on a special occasion, I have an opportunity to say thank you, I should do so. Very well, Mr. Weitzel of Gerber, you have given us all a lot of laughs, and I thank you most profusely for same. And speaking of receiving a heads up, I am in receipt of yet another "Drive By Prayer" courtesy of a local minister and his church. His name is absent as is the name of his church, so responding and giving them a "thank you" can only be done via an enclosed phone number. How- ever, a phone call would be nearly as impersonal as a Drive By Prayer and prob- ably no more effective. And yet there is something to be said for delivering bene- dictions and the like without face to face confrontation. Somewhat like letters to the editor. One can get his agenda out to the public without the discomfort of sidewalk vigil. * * * Last week's quiz was answered first by J. This week's quiz: What was the name of the first U.S jet-propelled airplane back in 1942, the name of Citizen Kane's mansion and Socrates wife? * * * The ever jolly J. Yingling, late of the Chamber of Commerce dropped by to say that he is greatly enjoying his retirement, and that I should print a bit of trivia such as most American car horns beep in the key of F, that donkeys kill more people people annually than plane crashes (to which my burros bray loudly), and then asked if I thought it true that it is possible to lead a cow upstairs, but not downstairs. I replied that modern day double decker cattle hauling trailers have ramps that enable cows to walk up or down...but they are ramps but not steps. * * * A blonde is in a two seater airplane when she sees the pilot have a heart attack and die. She grabs the mike and shouts "Mayday, Mayday!" until the tower responds. "Not to worry, mam, we can talk you through the steps necessary to land the plane. First give me your height and posi- tion." The blonde answers, "I'm 5-foot two and I'm sitting in the passenger seat." "O.K., now, repeat after me, "Our father, who art in heaven...." Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff and former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine. He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. Rules rule