Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/140426
6A Daily News – Thursday, June 27, 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. Thank you Mercy Hospice Editor: Not long ago, I lost my mom. Her passing came just shy of her 93rd birthday. It was the most difficult moment of my life. And, I will miss her greatly. In the final months of her life, mom's needs increased dramatically. There were doctor appointments, visits to the lab, personal hygiene needs, housekeeping chores, meal preparation, and prescription management. As her condition worsened, she was confined to bed and required assistance in meeting even her most basic of needs. As hard as I tried and as much as I cherished caring for mom, I soon realized some manner of outside help was required. And that, my friends, is when Mercy Hospice entered our lives. Mercy Hospice care, according to their resource materials, "focuses on the patient and highlights the quality rather than the length of life." Their nurses "help their patients to continue an alert, painfree life and to manage other symptoms so that their last days may be spent with dignity and quality, surrounded by their loved ones." Truly, it was a blessing when Mercy Hospice assumed a lead role in mom's care. It was like a ton of bricks taken off my shoulders. Knowing a team of professionals was there to rely upon, consisting of a medical director, social worker, registered nurse, home health aide, chaplain, physical therapist and volunteers, ensured mom got the best care possible, with full Medicare cover- 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 War and the land of lemmings Editor: As time and history (if you paid attention) will tell us as the second world war, right or wrong, was the last constitutionally legal war america has indulged in, the following incursions have been bogus land grabs. Starting with Korea. That so called war was started when Korea, which had been a colony of Japan, was divided by the united nations into two countries north and south, in which the oil and mineral rich south went to America. The more barren north went to Russia. A civil war ensued, whereupon President Harry Truman issued the first time in history, the Truman Doctrine. This document produced 30,000 american troops to allegedly stabalize the country. Fifty thousand American troop deaths and an untold number of American wounded and disabled, a peace document was signed, and American corporate interests and military bases were established. South of the 38th parallel on which lie the largest tungsten miine in the world, owned by none other than an American multinational corporation, United States Steel. no say, like it's happening now. I Now we must remember that know how this happened. I, for America still has troops on that example have lived a relatively border plus military bases. simple life, until the last ten years I Ask yourself is this a started listening to the legal war, or is it a means radio and finally woke Your for a land grab? up to the fact what is The model of the Trugoing on. I've listened man Doctrine has been all these years and it's modeled by every invaonly gotten worse. sion America has underDoesn't seem to matter taken in every bogus invasion who we vote in, they're all in it for since Korea, and make no mistake their own reason. Maybe to not be about it, according to history, a minion. Whatever they do, it's MSNBC and other reliable backwards, works against itself sources, Haliburton, a multination- and fails. For instance, secure the al corporation has regained control border before anything else is put of Iraq oil fields, and a security into law. No way. Why don't they company owned by Haliburton is use the stimulus money that's left providing the security, at Ameri- for this purpose and then build on can taxpayers' expense. that? The Gang of Eight are blockRobert Hogan, Red Bluff heads. I was impressed with Rubio but not now. They all have the cart before the horse as usual. All our cities are cutting serEditor: vices that are critical while bonusToday I heard the way Ameri- es are being given, people in can citizens are fined, sent to charge are put on administrative prison,etc., while undocumented leave, with pay, our president is people are given waivers for these spending millions on trips, and same actions. The talk-show host they blame it on the sequestranamed specific crimes of lying, tion the republicans put us in, defrauding, on and on. What are even though it was Obama's they doing? A word recently idea. So many scandals and popped into my head of late, don't nobody gets fired, etc. It's know where it came from, but I impossible to fire anybody and I looked it up. Minion. Somewhere I think they won't do it because must have heard it in some context then that person will come out that I knew what it meant. I think and tell the real truth, name I've figured it out. Why our leaders names. That would never do. are doing what they're doing. My only hope is that those in Those in power believe they'll charge will make a big mistake be in charge so they'll live the life and finally people will come we all want to live, without restric- forward and tell what is really tions. We, the minions, will work going on. Irregardless, we will our behinds off, trying to stay in still have a hopeless mess. This our homes and get by the best way has never been a system without we know how, while supporting flaws but it's probably irrethose in power. That must be it. versible by now. I hope not. They'll be in charge, we will have Bernice Cressy, Cottonwood Turn Does it ever end 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) 558-3160; E m a i l : 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) 2240454. 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 age. If you're in a similar situation with a loved one, I would fervently recommend you consider seeking the aid of hospice services near you. Thank you, Mercy Hospice. Thank you for being there when our family needed you the most. Pete Stiglich, Cottonwood Commentary Trapped in a cell Sometime last winter I had to crawl underneath my wife's vehicle to fix an electrical wire that has a habit of coming undone. It was one of those rainy, wet days and I was dressed the part with a comfortable hooded-sweatshirt on. My wife had called me about the problem as she was getting off work so I pulled up next to her, gave her a smile, and hopped out of my car ready to show off how quickly I could complete this pit stop. As I said, this wire was a habitual nuisance so I knew exactly what I was doing and I slid in and out of the car in no time — albeit a little wet. Or so I thought. That wasn't my only problem as I got back into my car. My wife had texted me a thank you and when my phone beeped from the message I realized it was in the front pocket of my sweatshirt the whole time. I pulled out my cellphone and saw a giant blob that looked like smeared purple grape jelly and black ink blotching about 70 percent of the screen. Doh! Well the phone aspect of my cell phone still turned out to be functional so rather than pony up and buy a new one I attempted to keep going until my contract was up with the prospect of a discounted upgrade. Over the last few months I won quite a few contests of "who has the worst cracked phone" — unfortunately the only reward for winning that game is the acknowledgement you're the bigger klutz. Sometimes I could twist and turn the phone to somewhat make out letters in the usable 30 percent of screen space I had. Eventually I gave up those efforts. Instead of using the camera app, I used a real camera. Instead of using Goggle maps, I used a real map. Instead of responding to emails instantly, I checked my accounts on these stationary objects called computers. I was fortunate enough that I could remember back to the time I had to use inventions other than a phone to complete these tasks — you know, the mid 2000s. About 6 weeks ago the screen on my phone completely gave out — along with the phone itself. Somehow I managed to skate by using land lines and borrowing my wife's phone. Yes, I'm living proof you can live for 6 weeks without a cell phone. switching data around Last weekend I took and being forced to sign to a land line and called up for social networks my cellular provider, neither of us had ever securing new phones for heard of. both the wife and But finally I was myself. complete again — man We drove up to Redand machine. ding to pick them up And what a machine from an electronics it is. store. I spent the night Obviously I didn't downloading every have my maps function application I could think to navigate us, but my of — a grocery list orgawife did this crazy thing Rich nizer, a calorie counter, where she remembered game after game, mp3 the general area where rippers, file organizers, the store was located. battery savers. She then suggested When my cell phone promptthat we should look out the window to find the store's sign, some- ed me to point it towards my thing I don't know whether I could television so it could set itself up have done if I had a cellphone to as a secondary remote control I felt a tear trickle down my keep me eyes distracted. As it turns out this ancient navi- cheek. How did I go 6 weeks without a gation system worked and we made it in decent time — although phone, how did I go months withI had to check the radio clock for out using applications? Everything was going perfect the time since I didn't have a cell until my mom called — and I phone. Despite having already paid for couldn't figure out how to answer the phones it took about an hour the damn thing. before we walked out the door with Rich Greene can be new phones in hand. About 20 minutes was spent reached by land line at 527holding a restaurant-type wait 2151, Ext. 109 or by email at buzzer just to be assisted and rgreene@redbluffdailynews.c another 40 minutes was used for om. Greene