Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/127357
6A Daily News – Friday, May 3, 2013 Opinion Some good lessons this week 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 Respect the fact others are waiting for a call back — This is one that is overdue for me. I receive a good number of phone calls at my desk, but I'm not always there to take them. It's far too easy to take a note and, within a few minutes, it's buried under the mountain of paper that winds up in front of me. Tuesday I had a call from a gentleman in Sacramento who had a 1995 edition of the Daily News with an article and photo in which he had been featured. He asked for permission for his wife to copy the photo for some sort of display. Simple enough, but it got buried. The same day I received a great story from a local Elks Lodge member about a Red Bluff child who was featured on the cover of the California-Hawaii Elks magazine.He didn't have a photo of the boy to run with the story but did drop off a copy of the magazine. I wrote to the editor of the magazine requesting a high resolution copy of the photo and permission to use it, with full credit to the magazine. I received an automated reply thanking me for my message but nothing else over the next 24 hours. I understand, we all get busy. In the end, because I didn't want to hold the story another day, we shot a photograph of the magazine to run with the story. But it made me realize that my caller from Sacramento had been waiting about the same amount of time for a call back from me. Right away I made the call and gave permission for his wife to reprint the photo. *** I'm getting older — I've been riding my bicycle several mornings each week lately in an effort to get into better shape. Wednesday I rode out to the parking lot at Perry Riffle in the Bend Area. Maybe due to fatigue, or the slope down to the parking lot, I started to turn around for the welcome downwind ride home and my front wheel slid and lost contact with the ground, sending my bulk slamming to the pavement. Thankfully there was no one around to witness this embarrassing maneuver, so I got up, checked for blood and climbed back in the and I'm surprised organizers can't find a way to keep it. saddle without a second *** thought. I had skinned When a restaumy elbow and hip, but rant's name contains a otherwise felt pretty breakfast food, order good. breakfast — This is one Thursday morning I I should have learned could barely move. years ago after ordering Guess this formerly the fish and chips at the flexible frame can't International House of take a blow like it used Pancakes in Twin Falls, to. I'd been warned where I met my mother about this throughout for lunch. my younger days, but it I attended a meeting hit home yesterday. Chip this week at a restaurant *** the It's better to burn Thompson in Redding that fits For above description. out than to fade away — Saturday will mark 545 Diamond some reason I opted for the California Bird the last burnout compeAve. sandwich, which was a tition at the annual May grave insult to each of Madness Car Show in Corning. A crowd favorite, the its components. A table mate contest will fade away after this ordered a couple of eggs and hash browns that looked pretty tasty, year due to safety concerns. Corning's weekend celebration though. Lesson learned. of the internal combustion engine and sheet metal has plenty of Chip Thompson can be reached activities to recommend it, but let's face it, there's no shortage of car at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by email shows in the North State. The at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. burnout contest was a real draw Follow him on Twitter @editorchip Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 8797 4 2 4 , senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; 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) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Duking it out with the Dodgers Hats off to Joe Konte of the Marin Independent Journal who, so Amazon tells us, has a book coming out Sept. 3 titled "The Rivalry Heard 'Round the World: The Dodgers-Giants Feud from Coast to Coast." Joe is our son-in-law. He is married to our eldest daughter Melody and is the News Editor of the prestigious Marin newspaper. He has been telling us that his book was in the planning stage for several years, and suddenly it has come to fruition. This is no minor event. Those of us who have self-published have long envied those whose work is deemed worthy of attention by major league publishers...and now Joe has pulled it off. Promotion of is book may include interviews on television. Good show, Joe! *** Speaking of the nation's pastime, I just realized I am a fair weather fan. Though long held in thrall by the Giants' two World Series titles, after their recent slide being swept by the lowly Padres, and riding a 5-game losing streak, I fled from the telly in search of a big dog to pet. The missus, being more loyal, stayed with the games in hopes of late inning rallies...but she agrees that the Giants' pitching rotation is not up to expectations. However, our boys have come back to life. They completed a 3-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks despite the fact that ace pitcher Matt Cain allowed 3 back-to-back home runs in his last outing. But now restored, I have returned to the couch with expectation of continued success on the diamond by the Giants. As our play-by-play broadcaster Duane Kuiper put it, after the sweep, "Unbelievable!" *** I am not a student of the Bible, but sources say there is no mention in the holy book of purgatory, nuns, monks nor the Pope. One thinks of the Catholic Church as long established...and yet it is of recent vintage when it comes to the Bible. Of course the Good Book does not mention Buddha, Mohamed, the Mormons or Mary Baker Eddy, so... never mind. *** In the book on the late Walt Cronkite...sorry, Walter Cronkite...a little humor there, is the statement that "There is an unwritten law in America that anyone over the age of 80 can pontificate without penalty." Aha! No more aspersions directed this way, if you please. *** *** Last week's quiz asked what cities in the Does working from home sound appealing? This is called telecommuting. The number of U.S. were first to have, 1) a traffic light, 2) a baseball stadium, 3) a skypeople doing so has risen scraper? First in was L Brown 60% between 2005 and who reported that the cities in 2009...and in some big order were Cleveland, Pittscompanies such as Aetna, burgh and Chicago. In the almost half of its staff process he also took me to task telecommutes. The Daily for excessive use of the royal News unwittingly profits "we" in my article about being by this method. By having excluded from TIME's list of columnists writing at home the 100 most influential people and e-mailing their efforts, in the world. I had meant to floor space is saved by not include the missus in said artifurnishing us a desk as Robert cle but omitted her mention as befits our status. Herb Caen I was exceeding my allotted had his own office, you 1,000 words. However, I know. thought her inclusion by most *** readers would be a given. An incomplete Police This week's quiz may not Report reads, "2 men, be easily Googled. Devon and Brandon, "A word there is of plural number, foe to entered a party on the 1600 block of Hillcrest Drive and started a fight in which a 45 year old ease and tranquil slumber. Any other word you take and add an s will woman fell and received lacerations to the top of her head." I have investigated this incident plural make; But if you add an s to this so strange the and am pleased to report that neither Devon Owens, Brandon Minch, Brandon Lengtat, metamorphis: Plural is plural now no more and sweet Brandon Crawford nor Brandon Belt were what bitter was before. involved in any manner in this fracas. George Canning. (Hint: the word begins *** In a recent column, C. Barber wrote, "There with a C) *** is no doubt that people of all faiths will take An accountant tells his client, "We can get part in the National Day of Prayer." Oh, I think there is some doubt, Carolyn, of this being a your books to balance if you'll strike oil on the unanimous and spontaneous undertaking. way home tonight." The company accountant is shy and retirThere are members of my own family who exhibit a smattering of faith from time to time, ing. He's shy a quarter of a million dollars. and I suspect they did not give the National That's why he's retiring. "My company is looking for a new accounDay of Prayer a second thought. When you come right down to it, the government really tant." "Didn't you just hire one last week?" should not legislate these matters. See separa"We did. He's the one we're looking for." tion of church and state. A private attorney is hired to find the com*** Warren Buffett is an astute investor, but he pany accountant, and asks, "Is he tall or uttered a misleading statement. He allegedly short?" "The boss answers, 'Both.'" wrote, "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red ago." I suggest there are many more trees in Bluff, former columnist for the Corning Daily this world than those planted by man. Viewing the big picture, we argue in favor of seedling Observer and Meat Industry magazine and work by man or woman being of little conse- author of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. quence. Minch I Say