Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/13092
6A – Daily News – Thursday, July 8, 2010 Opinion Thanks for D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY 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 chickie skins Editor I didn’t attend the grand patriotic event at the fairground. I sat in Sunshine’s parking lot with a few other not so energetic sorts. 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 There, we were entertained by Ben, his wife and his friend- ly ol’ lab before the first blaze of fire lit the sky. Now I have to say, Sunday’s Fourth of July event was by far the best we’ve had in recent years. When the first rousing bursts flew into the sky, I thought it might be disappointing — another product of our failing economy and the simple reces- sion our small county has been enduring. But as the display continued I saw that not even a tremendously bad budget year was going to keep Tehama County’s celebration down. Twice, I thought it was the grand finale only for it to explode again. The final finale was tremendous. I’m proud to say I actually got chickie skins — for those that don’t know that’s goose bumps with a girlie twist. Thank you to all who are responsible for making this cel- ebration of our country’s free- dom possible. Thank you for fir- ing the rockets high enough in the sky that you really didn’t have to partake in the sea of cit- izens at the fairgrounds to enjoy it. And most of all — thanks for the chickie skins on such a warm night. Rhonda Meadows, Red Bluff Mystery speed limit sign Editor: Caltrans had a meeting in Los Molinos June 16 at the Vet- erans Hall to discuss the work they will be doing on 99E from Umpqua Bank to where the road to Tehama comes in. This project will really be an asset to the community, adding a traffic light, sidewalks and really improving the visual and safety of the community. When you drive south on 99E there is a 40 mph speed control sign followed by a 40 mph sign then a solar sign that you see and a 35 mph sign before you go through the busi- ness area. From the south you come to signage for Sherwood Boule- vard and then another solar sign to show your speed and a 35 mph sign for the business dis- trict. The Problem I have is the 40 mph sign going north on 99E almost across the southern exit from the Grocery store. The town is 35 miles from solar sign to sign but Caltrans has a 40 mph sign in the middle. Duh. At the meeting at the Veter- ans Hall with Caltrans I brought up this 40 mph sign to their attention and I wrote on their sheet that they requested com- ments on. No one was aware of this sign — only the people who live here. No removal has been done by June 30. On June 28 I called Caltrans and left a message. A nice young man called back — I presume he was younger than 74 — me. He was aware of the sign. I told him I talked to men working in the area on the roads — Tehama County has no juris- diction OK — Caltrans workers were there but that was not what he was working on. No one has done anything — do you have Arnold Schwarzenegger’s number? No. Well what can you do before I cut it down. The pleasant young man said he would personally come down tomorrow and see to its removal — well it is still there June 30. So I guess July 1 maybe I will take matters into my own hands. Jo Ann Landingham, Los Molinos Medicare Editor: Recent adventures of a local physician — patient presented and was treated, failed to follow up as instructed, several weeks later ended up in the emergency room with an infection, wound was debrided and antibiotics prescribed with the diagnosis of infection/cellulitis. Bill around $1,100. Your Turn Alternative scenario is the common sense route — patient keeps his appointment with me and receives immediate and ongo- ing care for his health issue and avoids the emergency room, saves Medicare $1,000 and saves himself and his caregiver more than 2 hours wait. Scenario C is the middle ground with some common sense route — patient seeks care from another physician when his problem develops, primary care or another specialist in the local medical community, office call is $75, Medicare saves $1,025. Emergency room visits in 2008 totaled around 120 mil- lion. If only 1 percent of these ER visits occurred due to the aforementioned lack of com- mon sense and failure of the patient to return to clinic for scheduled follow up, this amounts to $1.2 billion wasted every year. The tough part is I suspect the 1 percent figure is probably low. So in the future, when your Medicare tax goes up, doesn't it feel good to now know the answer to your question, why? John Swaim, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), 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; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Extreme weather deaths outnumber war casualties Commentary Safe to say, nothing is so bad that a hurricane can’t make worse. Take an existing prob- lem, toss it around in the wind and smack it with flying debris - it’s certainly not going to improve. Shoddy construction is made worse, communication concerns - made worse, a strug- gling economy - made worse, disastrous Bush presidency - made worse. And now the won- ders of deregulation - the BP Oil Spill - the worst environmental disaster in the history of the U.S. – has already found itself in the pathway of early riser Alex, the first official hurricane of this season. Alex shut down drilling and clean-up efforts for a few days until it made landfall in Monter- rey, Mexico, missing the marsh- es of Louisiana. Rain instead has plagued the region. The BP Oil Spill is already a current- carried glob of doom. It’s a mass of toxic sludge submerged in the Northern Hemisphere’s hotbed of hurricanes. As usual, we are at the mercy of the winds. We are the subjects of the impending season of storms that rip through our Gulf Coast every year. In 2007 during a cable inter- view, Senator Barbara Boxer said, "One of the very important national security threats we face is climate change." Warmer waters in the Gulf will promise more hurricanes. Oceans will rise from the melting of glaci- ers. Heat waves will kill crops and damage industries. Famine, floods, tornadoes, drought, vio- lent storms, fires, tsunamis, dis- ease and unrest? Sure, this could be a concern to the securi- ty of the nation. Now, Packard CEO turned California Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina used the Boxer clip for an attack ad. Carly, in her curious Jodie Foster accent, said in the spot, "Terrorism kills and Barbara Boxer is worried about the weather." Then the self-proclaimed fringe to the "lamestream media" and fraction-of-a-term governor Sarah Palin chimed in on Twitter, "BarbBoxer sez ’greatest security threat’ is WEATHER. Not nukes, or unsustainable debt leading 2 insolvency? Silly Senator, glad theres competition." [Spaces added.] Palin is like a militant reformed smoker – she quit her job as governor and now has contempt for all who continue the habit of public service. Silly Senator, keeping oaths are for chumps. Okay, first off: the "weather" is not the "climate." The differ- ence between weather and cli- mate is length of time. Weather is the immediate information - sacked Hewlett- climate is the big picture. So it’s like trying to discuss a concern about a decade and Carly Fiori- na says you’re worry- ing about an hour. This is why climate change deniers disagree with scientists – they’re not using the same mea- surements. If you believed miles were inches, you’d think eggheads were lying to you to all the time, too. Our climate is changing. And yes, weather is also some- thing which warrants worry: In the last ten years, there have been more Americans who died from extreme weather than U.S. sol- diers who died in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars com- bined. According to the Nation- al Weather Service, during the last decade 5,754 people have died due to weather events such as extreme temperatures, flood- ing and hurricanes. Compare that death toll with the 5,521 soldiers killed in the two wars we’ve waged since 2001. Truth be told, to date there have been more U.S. lives lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina (estimated 1,800) than there have been U.S. soldiers killed in the war in Afghanistan (1,125). And as far as Fiorina’s focus on terrorism killing – well, an average of 42 Americans die from being struck by lightning every year. As opposed to - well, almost none from terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11. Tina Dupuy Here’s the problem with the politics of fear and confusion: it confuses what to fear. Is terrorism still a threat? Sure. Should we pursue the elimina- tion of terrorism while ignoring all other con- cerns because it makes politicians seem tough? No – at least not anymore. This week the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat advisory for the Northeast. Forecasters predict prolonged temperatures exceed- ing 102 degrees could wreak havoc in cities like New York, D.C. and Philadelphia. Several have already died from the heat. In 1980, a similar heat wave was responsible for 1,250 deaths. Why? Because weather kills. How’s that "worried about the weather-y" thing workin’ for ya? Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tina@cagle.com.