Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/114956
6A Daily News ��� Wednesday, March 13, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY 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 letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer���s home street address and home phone number. 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 submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community 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 vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents 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 Memorial footbridge Editor: It was great to see the outpouring of support for the family of Marysa Nichols at the fundraiser March 11 at Knick���s Family Fun Center. Many volunteers served food and Tehama County Young Marines bused tables. I believe the time has come for the city and school districts to consider thinning trees and brush along the creek between the high school and Bidwell elementary. A footbridge should be constructed to span the creek, serving as a memorial to the life and friendship of Marysa Nichols, as well as a constant reminder for each student to take proactive steps to ensure their own safety. The bridge should be highly visible from both campuses. Perhaps this is project a local civic group would be interested in completing. Students cross the creek daily to reach homes along west Walnut and neighborhoods to the south. No student crossing the creek, should need to do so out of sight. James Nelson, Red Bluff Let the cuts begin, finally Editor: Sequestration. Is it a government-created mess, as some suggest, or just what the doctor ordered? Over the past few months, Washington politicians at all levels have scrambled to disavow responsibility for the mandatory $1.2 trillion in cuts to defense and domestic budgets over the next decade. Perhaps, albeit quite unintentionally, they���ve actually stumbled upon the kind of strong medicine needed to save the patient. With both republicans and democrats at the helm, the size of our federal bureaucracy has grown substantially and America continues her death spiral towards financial insolvency. Years of partisan squabbling, political grandstanding, and empty promises have accomplished nothing. Remember the Gang of 6? The trillion dollar coin? A plethora of committees, commissions and studies? The Simpson-Bowles Deficit Reduction Plan? Pay as you go? Spending caps? Balanced budget amendment? All talk and no action. Although sequestration probably isn���t the smartest way to run a government, it certainly is a first step in the right direction towards gaining control of the nation���s finances. A step that might not otherwise have been taken by our esteemed politicians. Clearly, sequestration won���t be pretty and it won���t be easy. But that���s what you get when you���re over $16 trillion in debt. Heck, if I had my way, we���d be upsetting all the apple carts with 15% across the board cuts. Pete Stiglich, Cottonwood of the land. This is when riots develop, when revolutions are forged and when invasion by other nations are planned. Editor: Neighbors watch and wait as a Nations rise and fall and histo- nation decays with apathy and ry shows humans remain unable ignorance. to build lasting government. Why Yes the fifth horseman of the have so many nations fallen? apocalypse is government. More The pattern has people and lives have repeated again and been destroyed by Your again since Babylon. It government than by all is quite simple. People the other destroyers form a union to survive combined. Governagainst nature and their ment destroys through enemies. By cooperasuppression, control of tion, courage and by determina- media, taxation, abuse in the justion they overcome and prosper. tice system, lies in the financial Their population grows. Their system, secret police, public serculture takes form and their vants ignoring their oath, and a nation expands. They create pros- hundred other ways. perity and peace with their land. The sad aspect of this pattern But, the harsh realities of the past is that government usually are withheld from their children. destroys the noble, the honest, the Deprived of the challenge, the bright, the strong and the innosense of duty and the sacrifice cent first. It destroys the honorwhich made their forefathers able, good and strong in silence great, each generation weakens in secrecy before moving against character. Each are inherited the masses of people. rights--without duty, or sacrifice. True, the other causes of mass They forget the past. They delight destruction exist: war, fire, in sex and pageantry. Immorality famine and plague. But nations grows. Sensuality as a positive rise and fall because of abuses by value replaces commitment to government. The greatest number duty honor and discipline. of deaths comes from the fifth "Do what you will...," horseman. becomes a motto.. "If it feels America is repeating the patgood, do it..." Hedonism of the tern. Despite the precautions body becomes first priority and taken by our founding fathers, the final days begin. who were determined to assure In the last generation, men and that government would remain a women raised in this decadent servant to the people, we have atmosphere became elected offi- become more and more enslaved, cials and staff the vast, powerful, each day, by our government. We wealthy government. This is the citizens had better get educated situation facing America today. and involved and soon. We still Historians fail to emphasize have time, pilgrims, if we try. that nations fall when the system May God bless our republic. turns against the common people Don Bird, Rancho Tehama The fifth horseman Turn Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN ��� Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR ��� Jim Nielsen, 280 Hemsted Dr., Ste. 110, Redding, CA 96002, 530223-6300, Fax: 530-223-6737, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR ��� Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ��� Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS ��� Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary The many woes of telecommuting Last week, Best Buy joined Yahoo to ban employees from telecommuting ��� a subject on which I am becoming an expert. As a self-employed writer, I telecommute every day. Thanks to the Internet and my cell phone, I can work for clients from anywhere ��� my home office, a coffee shop, a campsite in the woods. And it's starting to get to me. Initially, I thought I'd achieved a dream. I wear blue jeans every day. I set my own schedule. No longer do I waste time in rush-hour traffic or sit in office meetings as colleagues lick the boss's boots. But it can sure be isolating at times. A year ago, I moved back to a house I own in the country. Sometimes, I spend long mornings and afternoons alone there ��� just me and my computer. I find myself craving basic human interaction. Last week, for instance, a telemarketer called. In the past, I rushed such people off the phone, but no longer. Telemarketer: "Would you like to buy the Acme security service?" Me: "No, but how's the weather where you are? I hear spring is coming late this year." Working from home has also caused me grief from my neighbors. I overheard them talking about me one day. Neighbor 1: "Do you think he's in the witness protection program?" Neighbor 2: "I don't know, but he should get a pet." They think a dog would give me needed company during the day, but I don't want the responsibility, as I am often not home. I did try to hire a 24-year-old Swedish nanny, but, regrettably, the nanny agency assured me I had to have a family to hire one. A month ago, some religious fanatics knocked on my door to give me pamphlets and magazines. Religious fanatic: "You are doomed to hell if you do not read our pamphlets. Will you support us with a donation?" Me: "No, but I hear it's going to rain tomorrow. Would you like some coffee? Do you think I should put rose bushes in the planter?" There are other problems caused by working alone out of one's home. On the rare occasions when local clients visit my home office, I'm embarrassed to they don't want to give up such gains. give them directions. And like every Me: "Make a sharp issue these days, left at Homer's bug telecommuting has zapper." become a political Client: "OK?" issue. The less you Me: "Then turn right drive your car to the at Orville's compost office, the fewer carpile." bon emissions you put So, I'm not so enaminto the air. ored with the homeThus, the telecomoffice concept anymuting trend will more. likely continue. Humans don't like to So, if you still be alone. We are social Tom dream about working animals ��� so social, in from home, be careful fact, that I'm beginning what you wish for. to think Best Buy and Yahoo are onto something: that Before long, you'll be craving it is better to spend long days conversations with telemarconfined to corporate cubicles keters, religious fanatics and than it is to work in total free- anyone else who will listen. Which reminds me: The dom, isolated at home. But both companies are postal carrier will be at my bucking a trend that is surely house soon. I need to get the coffee started. here to stay. According to a recent Census Tom Purcell, a humor Bureau report, more workers are telecommuting than ever columnist for the Pittsburgh before ��� some 13.4 million in Tribune-Review, is nationally 2010, compared to 9.2 million syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper in 1997. With fewer employees taking syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web up costly office space, more at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at companies are boosting produc- mail tivity and reducing costs ��� and Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell