Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/15310
6A – Daily News – Wednesday, August 25, 2010 Opinion Water turn off 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 Editor: I live on Cowles Avenue. The water department is going to turn off water from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to put in a fire hydrant. Now, I'm all for a fire hydrants, but we are going to have a heat wave. Where is the wisdom in that? Most homes on our block use 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 I hope they know what they're getting themselves into. I speak of same-sex couples who are hoping to marry. Long- time conservative litigator Ted Olson says it is just a matter of time before they'll be free to do so. Olson argued successfully against California's Proposition 8 -- a ballot measure passed overwhelmingly by voters -- which banned same-sex mar- riage. He argued that the measure violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause in the 14th Amendment -- that, essen- tially, if a state sanctions a mar- riage contract between two human beings, a man and a woman, it cannot forbid two other human beings, a woman and a woman, from entering the same contract. Once you take all the emotion out of it -- once you follow Olson's argument, based upon several legal precedents -- it's hard not to arrive at the same position. The concept may conflict with your traditions and reli- gious values -- you may find it odd for a judge to say, "I now declare you wife and wife" -- but if you follow Olson's argument, it becomes clear that a state has swamp coolers. These need water to keep cool Robert Baker, Red Bluff The egg recall Editor: You truly reap what you sow. Salmonella is absolutely every- where in minute traces —on let- tuce, cabbage, tomatoes and, yes, even on eggs. Ordinarily it is fine and should never bother you — I get scratched and pecked by roosters and have bloody arms every day. I wash thousands of eggs and, to date, no problem. When you compound that minute trace of salmonella by cramming thousands upon thou- sands of chickens into the factory farm buildings, you thus increase the disease by that same number. Duh. Guess who is at fault? It is you the consumer. You demand eggs but you just don't want to pay a few pennies more for the real thing, opting, instead to support animal cruelty by purchasing fac- tory farm nonsense. What to do immediately — if you have any white eggs in your fridge that were purchased during August, simply toss them out — quit worrying about pennies, this is your health we are talking about here. Next, patronize your local Farmers Market and purchase healthy, same day, free-range eggs or find a neighbor who has chickens in their back yard. Cook your eggs, as with any food, prop- erly. Once again, stop supporting the mega-corporate factory farms. You truly do get what you pay for Chris Copley, Corning Editor’s note: Chris Copley owns and operates Chris' Egg Farm, Inc., and can be reached at 824-2430. There for the children Editor: As a youth advocate/volunteer in the community for about 13 years, and about eight years prior to settling here, it is very reward- ing to be there for these kids. I had someone there for me once, too. Even though we advocates/volunteers find the work rewarding, trying to throw as many starfish back into the sea as possible, those that are left behind will always weigh heavily - at least on my mind. The two organizations I am associated with involve "claiming victory over drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gangs and violence." A few of "my" kids have fallen to those temptations which has lead to several downfalls in each of their lives. A couple of those downfalls, fatally. Many of us try our best to do what we can to keep these num- bers low but often we feel that more support can be given from the community. We always need more funds to do the job of being there for them. It's more than just money, though. I've heard it said that "every child needs at least one more healthy adult in their life." For the few that I teens and other youngsters. Those other messages are learning to understand that the best way out of these negative roles is to make the right choice early if possible and given the opportunity. Your Turn haven't been able to throw back into the sea because the waves are just to fast for them to catch it's been very difficult to see them throw their lives away. No one is to blame. But there comes a time in each young per- son's life where a decision or choice needs to be made on which way to go, which wave to catch. Mentoring helps these kids to be patient with life's process. When the parent either has done their frustrated best or hasn't done a lot at all, the child/teenager will either see their future in being patient and working for it or set- tling down to what's immediately in front of and available to them. These days it's tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and more destructive drugs, gangs with drama and vio- lence as the wave to catch. These things are just out there. Why? Even before tobacco is intro- duced those power drinks have a way of getting these pre-teens and teens to believe there is some- thing out there that will promise to ease the pain they've learned to believe they are in. A youth advocate/volunteer tries very hard to keep those pos- itive messages flowing to the The community can also play a huge role in making certain that the correct message is being displayed. From where I'm walking I hope the Red Bluff City Council and the Tehama County Board of Supervisors understand that by allowing par- ties that advocate the use of any gateway, mind-altering sub- stances ranging from tobacco through hard core drugs, for any purpose, is going to send the mes- sage that those of us who are walking along on the beach trying to save these lives is a waste of time because it's too hard for them to be on the beach in the first place. The beach just isn't a popular place any longer or so they may think. Losing just one starfish is painful enough. Or think of the starfish as being an acorn. Will it be allowed to grow strong and healthy or just be tossed aside to be crushed? Hopefully the nut will be allowed to stand its ground. Give it the opportunity to produce. Marijuana and drugs, alcohol and tobacco are just legal ways to kill it. Don't take away any more money from public safety agen- cies. Let's all sit down and arrive at some solutions instead of creat- ing more or ignoring the prob- lems. John Minton, 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. Same-sex marriage Commentary no legal basis for banning same- sex marriage. At least that is the conclusion I eventually came to. Still, I hope same-sex couples know what they're getting them- selves into. Sure, I know they want their relationships to be recognized and validated equally by soci- ety, just as heterosexual people are able to do through mar- riage. I know there are lots of finan- cial benefits that go along with marriage -- pension, health insurance and Social Security benefits -- but various forms of domestic partnerships and civil unions already cover that in many states. I know that married people live longer than single people. There's something to be said for having a lifelong companion to support you during rough patch- es. Still, are same-sex couples aware of what is to come? While they've been eager to embrace the concept of mar- riage, heterosexuals have been flocking away from it in droves. Fewer of us marry anymore, and many of those who do divorce anyway. It would appear that those who remain married are resent- ful. Why else do they spend every waking moment trying to pair up single people? They target heterosexual fel- lows such as me and push single women at us -- often- times not very attractive single women -- with hopes that something will catch fire, a mar- riage will ensue and we will join them in their state of marital aggrava- tion and misery. Every six months, my own dear sweet mother gives me six months to marry or else. She calls me and says, "You have four months, six days, 12 hours and 32 minutes to get married." burdensome institutions mankind has ever created. You better be careful what you wish for. The way things are going, the day may very well come when most of you are married and raising children. You'll tool around in minivans, coughing from the cold your kids gave you, while you squabble with your spouse over the most insignificant of things. Tom Purcell I understand it's worse for single women. Their mothers, aunts and married sisters tell them their biological clocks are ticking, that they're going to turn into spinsters and end up old and lonely and die of a bro- ken heart. Married people can be heart- less. I just want to warn same-sex couples: You're playing with fire on this one. Throughout human history, you have enjoyed a reprieve from one of the most While you're doing society's heavy lifting, we single het- erosexuals will be at the beach -- laugh- ing, relaxing and drinking adult beverages from glasses with little umbrellas in them. Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or e-mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com. And dodging phone calls from married people. ———