Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/203877
4A Daily News – Friday, November 1, 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. Obamacare bad Editor: On June 2, the New York Times published an enlightening piece entitled, "Colonoscopies Explain Why U.S. Leads the World in Health Expenditures." In it, the Times illustrated the corruption and waste of America's healthcare system and why Obamacare's forcing all Americans to feed it is tyranny. Most enlightening was its demonstration that in the U.S., medical costs are typically five times higher than in other industrialized countries. As with other government spending and insurance, the underlying idea of Obamacare is reasonable. However, in the hands of greedy profiteers, it's a smokescreen for concealing embezzlement. This built-in corruption and profiteering is only one element of Obamacare's harmful effects. It also reinforces America's perspective that health problems are normal. As such, people are precluded from recognizing (and defeating) the epidemic of injury resulting from cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, overeating and overpopulation. The U.S. government must reform itself before it can expect Americans to trust it to reform healthcare. When it demonstrates it can responsibly manage its own spending and policymaking, then it might reasonably expect Americans to trust it to man- age theirs. Until then, the etc. You may say "so what government needs to keep its they are destroying the dirty hands out of the people's Republican party." pockets. There in lies the Nathan Esplanade, problem. Corning The Republican Your party may be in shambles, but the tea party is not, and is more than ready to fill in the void. Editor: Believe me when I say this The Tea Party is not just a is dangerous for they are bunch of right wing nuts. ready, willing and able or not They are a well organized to pick up the mantle and business backed by powerful drive our experiment in money interests. democracy into a self made They will succeed in the dictatorship. same way the Nazi party did If you pay even the smallin Germany if America does est bit of attention to the not wake up, they are already news, their numbers are not succeeding in their divisive shrinking they are growing. policy of dividing us by sepa- And the right knows this. rating blacks, latina, women Bob Hogan, Red Bluff Turn The Tea Party Your officials 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 STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 150 Amber Grove Drive, Ste. 154, 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 Elementary my dear Watson Arthur Conan Doyle lives! Article in the S.F. Chron: "British police were called after a string of assaults on red haired students in Northern England." Isn't there a Sherlock Holmes story titled "The Adventure of the Red Headed League?" A synopsis reads, "What seems at first to be a harmless prank played upon a red-headed man is soon revealed to be much more." The plot thickens!" *** Five years after the banks' financial crisis, few principals, if any, have been found guilty of misconduct. Columbia professor Noble Laureate Joseph Stiglitz believes that CEOs of major banks should be legally culpable for bad deals. It's a sad fact that some of the most cynical things that went on in the lead up to the crisis, like banks making derivative bets against their own clients, were in fact, perfectly legal. However, we need laws that hold financial executives personally responsible for actions that society deems harmful *** I consider myself a poet. Of course anyone who can put together a string of words to make a rhyme may lay claim to such a title. To be a published poet, is another thing entirely. Not via Vanity Press but by a recognized poetry vehicle...perhaps by a literary digest...or maybe by the New Yorker magazine, then one may consider they have arrived. A Chico publication recently ran a contest for the best poetry submitted by local poets. I entered, but I lost. I submitted, "I think that I shall never see, a doggy lovely as a tree, But one thing they have in common, hark, hark, Is their all essential and defining bark." The paper's jury obviously did not recognize quality work when they saw it. I should have signed it Ogden Nash and they would have sat up and taken notice. However, a recent obituary contained the following moving verse, and I think we might appropriate it someday: "Do not stand at my grave and weep for I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the ten number that does not contain the letter soft stars that shine at night. that is sounded when spoken? Do not stand at my grave and Example: eight. How cry; I did not die." about a word for ocean, for Now that is a quality one who is elated, the effort. organ involved in things *** optic, a pool table necessiA recent Gallop Poll ty a sheep and a drink? finds that today 58% of *** Americans approve of Although advised to homosexuality. This is a leave it alone, I feel I must marked increase from 12% reply to a Letter to The in 1969. It is an example of Editor in which I was tolerance of one's fellow admonished. It read, "It man...and fellow woman, Robert says in the Bible 'judge not for that matter. To paralest ye be judged.' Your phrase the old hymn, "All and my day is coming. I God's Chillen Got Wings," will pray for you and also they've also got variations for our youth." I appreciate of sexual orientation. The the writer's concern but new Pope has said as cannot recall with which of my observamuch. Who would have thought? tions she has taken umbrage. Perhaps she *** By the way, there will be no more puns can elaborate via email. However, if she is such as a comedy series featuring a family a creationist follower, she may not recogof hungry rodents to be called "Father nize modern day contrivances. *** Gnaws Best"...unless I get desperate for L. Urseny writes in a column titled "Biz jokes. Bits" in the Enterprise Record, "Today's *** Jon Carroll in the SF Chronicle, regard- Task: Write your own obituary." She says ing the current low approval ratings of she had written a column urging this two Congress, writes, "Would you let your years ago, so I guess hers superseded my child be a politician? Of course you would. own more recent urgings on the subject, It's public service. Your child no doubt has so...never mind. *** many fabulous ideas for improving the A woman comes into a butcher shop and public good. Your child naturally would swear off dodgy campaign contributions. asks for a Long Island Duckling. The And yet these players (Congress) today are butcher offers her one. She inspects it by holding it up to the light and looks at its all somebody's children." rear end. She says, "This is not a Long *** The new AutoZone store on South Main Island Duckling...show me others." The is certainly good looking, a welcome addi- butcher dutifully complies, but when he tion to the area and right next to Big 5 does so, the woman rejects one after the Sporting Goods. An agent had been look- other while looking at the duck's rear end. ing to locate them in Red Bluff for years, Exasperated in her failed search, she blares and specified they should be close to Kra- out, "You've shown me all these allegedly gen — now O'Reilly — Auto Parts). They Long Island Ducks, and yet none are from have certainly got their wish. They appar- Long Island. Are you some kind of a ently subscribe to the Burger King and clown? Where are you from, mister?" The butcher replied, "If I were to turn McDonald's concept of feeding (sorry) off around and drop my trousers, you could one another. probably tell if I'm from Long Island." *** Last week's quiz was first answered corRobert Minch is a lifelong resident of rectly by L. Lazar followed closely by L. Brown who offered the following words as Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning examples of the use of "ough" but pro- Daily Observer and Meat Industry nounced differently: lough, bought, dough, magazine and author of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at bough, cough, rough and through. This week's quiz: Can you name a writ- rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. Minch I Say