Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/135398
4A Daily News – Friday, June 7, 2013 Opinion Hear people chanting, feeling hot hot hot 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 Did you hear? It's supposed to be hot this weekend. That's about all I've been hearing this week and I'm getting a little tired of it. Not the heat, just the talk. It's natural to talk about the weather — something we all share and about which we all have a valid opinion. Talk politics and you run the risk of somebody who's memorized a handful of talking points and anecdotes jumping down your throat. No such danger with weather. Hard to argue with "I don't much care for this heat" or "I'm enjoying warm evenings on the patio." At the same time, I'm not sure what good it does to complain. The global warming debate aside, there's not much hope that you and I are going to change Saturday's temperature. Speaking of which, the mercury is expected to top out above 110 Saturday — record-breaking for this time of year, though not worth raising an eyebrow during the heart of summer. Too bad, as I fear it might keep the faint of heart from enjoying the annual Crawdad Festival at the Tehama District Fairground. But think about it. It will be 110 wherever you are in Red Bluff, so why not be someplace with cool drinks, great music and food, plenty for the kids to do and even misters spraying your cares away? *** Heat's relative. We often hear our friends and neighbors qualify our hot summers by claiming it's a dry heat. It's a cliche, to be sure, but there's much to be said for it. Don't believe me? Spend a summer in St. Louis and we'll talk. Sticking with the crawdad theme, you'll be cooler in the shade at the fairgrounds than anyone wandering the streets of The run inside — even for Big Easy this weekend. just a minute. Take the Even in my former kids inside with you or stomping grounds of make arrangements to Saipan, listed in the leave them at home Guinness Book of with someone while World Records as havyou run out. ing the world's most Leave Fido at home equable climate, the where he's comforthumidity made it too able. He may be sad hot to do much besides when you leave, but I sit on the beach sipping promise he prefers it a drink from a coconut. to roasting in a park*** Chip ing lot. I don't mean to If your livelihood downplay the heat and Thompson requires you to be out the very real dangers 545 Diamond in the heat, drink plenassociated with it. ty of water, protect If you're elderly, stay Ave. yourself from the sun in and stay cool — and take regular make a trip to the grocery store or friend's home when breaks before you think you need it gets too hot at home and you them. need to cool off. Chip Thompson can be If you exercise or need to work in the yard, do it early in the reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by email at morning before things heat up. If you have children, never redbluffdailynews.com. Follow leave them in the car while you 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) 879-7424, 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 Gone with the wind The results of tornados in Oklahoma were horrifying to watch on the telly, and the interviews of survivors difficult to bear. But throughout the extensive coverage, we were wondering "What happened to the animals?" Then finally came the photo of a number of horses piled up like cord wood alongside their totally demolished stables…and the indiscriminate havoc as a result of the storm really hit home. To imagine the terror they suffered…is almost too much to contemplate. Therefore we found it ironic that a decision recently handed down by the Texas Supreme Court that pet owners could not sue for emotional loss. I take it the judges on that high court did not own pets. Tsk, tsk. *** A perennial word critic takes me to task for not differentiating between the words "copremesis" and "coprolites." The word "coprolites" refers to the science of examining fossil excreta. The field is of course quite broad, but one might just put on his or her resume that they have spent considerable time poking through ancient animal dung dropped over the past 50 million years. The other word is one that you really don't want to use…nor experience. Enough said. *** Witnessing the S.F. Giants getting beat like a gong by teams they previously easily handled, and their starting pitchers giving up runs like a cheap pair of nylons, it is enough to ruin an otherwise perfect day in this (to paraphrase H Caen) City by The Sand Bar. However, the missus and I took stock and recounted our good fortune not to live in a Tornado Alley. Our granddaughter, Abigail, is employed by Oklahoma State in a position of worth and authority and says that although the storms have been disruptive and a pain in the mascot, the campus has intersecting tunnels here and there to ensure her safety, so we worry little when we hear the latest news of death and destruction in that southwestern state. Speaking of baseball, the narrators of Sunday's game mentioned that management was studying films of Matt Cain's latest outings where, on several occasions, he gave up a plethora of runs in one inning. This was an effort to determine if he was, via body language, indicating what his next pitch was going to be. If that were true, then the oppo- change...several light changes in fact, at our sition would alert their next batters to look intersection. Tsk, tsk. *** for a slider, curve ball or what have you. But If you wanted to describe someone you the missus has another theory: Benjie Molidid not favor, you might na is on the coaching staff say: of the St. Louis Cardi"He was born at home. nals...and was formerly a When his mother took one catcher for the Giants. As look at him, she went to he often caught for Cain, he the hospital." Or, "When he probably could tell his prewas born, the doctor sent a sent club as to what Cain bill and a condolence card." was apt to throw in certain But the best one is, "When situations. But she says not he was born, two nurses to call and bother Giants' jumped on chairs." manager Bruce Bochy. He *** has enough on his mind Robert Last week's quiz was with two of his best hitters once again answered by currently sitting out many...the first being one injuries. L. Lazar who knew that the *** letter U is the only major Received an urgent vowel in the alphabet when request from a tennis doubles partner via e mail. Seems like the poor sounded begins with a consonant...and W is chap has found himself in the Philippines, only the letter in the alphabet that is soundwallet and passport stolen and unable to pay ed with more than one syllable. This week's quiz: If you are familiar with his hotel bill and fly back to the states...and was wondering if I could loan him $2,350 in Cryptograms, you will know the most comU.S. currency. My heart went out to him in mon letter in the English language. And you his hour of need, of course, and so I sent should be familiar with the word "embedback an e mail asking the score of our last ded" as used to describe a journalist, for match for verification...but he has not example, traveling with a unit in a war zone. responded so I guess he found someone else O.K. With that preamble, the sound of the most common letter is embedded in the proto get him home. I notified the police of the scam, but they nunciations of 8 other letters in the alphabet. said unless someone falls victim and sends What are they? And, you know there are 52 money, they generally don't get involved cards in a deck, right? But what do the names of each card add up to? and just advise people to not be gullible. *** So advised. A young man, new in town, walked into a *** Great grandson Jacob Duckham, age 4, barber shop and asked for the works. As he was being shaved he tried to make time with asked his father, "What is a teenager?" the manicurist. He suggested dinner and His father replied, "Someone 13 to 19. Jacob replied, "Well, my birthday is on dancing. The manicurist said, "I don't think I should. I'm married." the 19th, so I'm a teenager!" The young man laughed, "Ask your husWe see a future for the lad in law, band. He wouldn't mind." accounting or politics. "Ask him yourself. He's shaving you." *** That itinerant street musician, mentioned Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of sometime back, usually found singing and strumming his heart out on the Cone & Kim- Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning ball Plaza corner, appears to have broken a Daily Observer and Meat Industry string, so to speak. He was observed shout- magazine and author of the "The Knocking ing and calling out his displeasures at no one Pen." He can be reached at in particular, all the while awaiting a light rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. Minch I Say