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4A – Daily News – Friday, December 17, 2010 Opinion A Lesson from Aluminum 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 As a child being raised by a single mother, I didn’t mind the occasional TV dinner – in fact, I sort of looked forward to it. You see, I had a particular affection for Swanson’s Salisbury steak TV dinner, back in the day when it came in a foil tray that had to spend 40 minutes in a conventional oven before being palatable. It had everything – The meat patties in 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 “Looks like business is back to normal at City hall,” said Murray Clyde as he pawed awkwardly through the Daily News. He had the paper spread out before him on his ottoman by the fire. “Yes, I guess the voters didn’t want to alter the status quo,” I replied, “but they did vote in two new members.” “However,” he said sagely, “the voting bloc remains 3 to 2.” “Well I, for one, was encouraged to note that new member Rob Schmid nominated the other new member, Danielle Jackson, to be mayor.” “A lot of good that did,” grunted Murray Clyde. “The bloc of 3 immediately nomi- nated one of their own…and that was that. She won’t wear the mayor’s robe for years. Tsk, tsk.” “Perhaps the new members will swing some votes their way as time goes by. They may even persuade the others to take up the matter of the City Manager living 55 miles away.” “And pigs may fly,” replied the big dog as he closed the paper and prepared for a nap. Oh well, at least the new council will solve the budget shortfall. Won’t they? * * * Department of Corrections: Last week I commented on “The People’s Pharmacy” as being on a Sunday morning PBS station. A woman, unbeknownst to me, stuck her head in our door and shouted, “NPR!” When she could see her remark was not registering, she added, “That show is on National Pub- lic Radio, not PBS. That’s what the R means in NPR. Get it?” Yes, belatedly I got it. And, in another context, I wrote of Red Bluff Union High School having a radio sta- tion and wrote “….so Marilyn Dana, Russ Frey, myself and Kathleen Bulkley…” and was immediately corrected by L. Brown. I, of all people, should have written “I” instead of “myself.” That rates three tsk, tsk, tsks. I think the editor let it go because I have gravy, hashed brown potato nuggets and peas and carrots. But the dessert was the catch – an apple cake cobbler. I’m just not a cobbler or cake guy, so I passed. I never once thought about giving up the Salisbury steak dinner, though. About once a week I hear of a reader who has called to cancel a subscription because of a single article, most often an opinion col- umn, in the Daily News. Yes, canceling a subscription is a protest, so I would have to dump every last one of them. Thankfully, most readers who cancel sub- scriptions in the heat of indignation over a particular column realize the move was somewhat rash after going without a newspa- per for a few days and they renew. Those who don’t have taken a stand, but whom are they really punishing? The offend- ing columnist will continue to run, along with all the news, features, sports and other opin- ions the readers enjoy enough to pay for each day. Chip but what are these folks protesting? The news of their community, several features, local sports coverage and one opinion with which they disagree in one edition each week. Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. Because these readers are often emotional when they call and threaten to cancel a subscription, there’s little I can say to change their minds – short of promis- ing to immediately suspend the offending columnist and never allowing that columnist, or one of like mind, to appear again in the Daily News. While this would solve the problem for the reader, it wouldn’t take long before the Daily News had no opinion page. I can’t think of a single columnist that hasn’t generated great outcry from at least one reader, Not that I don’t appreciate hearing feed- back on the content the Daily News provides its readers. But try to understand that we attempt to provide a variety of views to appeal to a variety of interests and beliefs. If some of what we publish didn’t tick off some readers, then we would be in trouble. And those columnists that strike a cord with you just as likely incense some other readers. I suppose I could have written to the folks at Swanson’s demanding that the apple cake cobbler be replaced with something I liked or else I would never again ask my mother to buy the company’s Salisbury steak TV dinner. But I just enjoyed the steaks, potatoes and peas and carrots too darn much. *** For those those scratching their heads, the title of this column is a loose reference to South African play- wright Athol Fugard’s 1978 “A Lesson From Aloes.” Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Your Turn Bribery Editor: The entire system of government in the US is based upon bribery of gov- ernment officials by lobby- ists, in return for votes. Cal- ifornia is $25 billion in debt because public employee unions have bought legisla- tors’ votes to double their pay and benefits compared to civilian employees. Propositions are funded by lobbying groups that deny choice to the majority of citizens who pay taxes. Bribery is alive and well in government. Although a majority of Americans opposed Oba- maCare and President Obama's deficit spending program, bribery from unions and favored groups achieved passage of these negative programs. Life as a taxpayer and US citizen is often very unfair for the minority who are honest. Joseph Neff, Corning Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3063 Sacramento, 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. Paradise Lost Commentary foamed at the mouth once too often about my text being edited. Where for art thou lit- tle blue pencil? * * * Apparently, amongst scholars, there is a profound maxim known as Han- lon’s Razor, which stipu- lates, “Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.” A doctor friend supplied this quote, which can be applied to people in all walks of life, but per- haps most pointedly to pol- itics. * * * It was a prideful moment when I was first informed that my nephew Bruce Smith, who owns and operates Alpine Enter- prises in Ketchum, Idaho, skied straight down a * * * Last week’s quiz was answered by L. Brown who decided the opposite of “Night Hawk” was “Mourning Dove”, the opposite of “Catwalk” was “dog run” (I prefer “dog trot”), that Dizzy Gillespie spent a night in Tunisia, and that Olivia deHavilland rode Roy Roger’s horse Trigger in the “Adventures of Robin Hood.” She was not, however, in a Dale Evans outfit. This week’s quiz: What Robert Minch I Say mountain at Les Arcs, France, at nearly 120 miles per hour. That was back in 1982, but his mother, Lizann Smith of Redding, is just now getting her heart beat back to normal. * * * Good news on the economic front! According to TIME, as the Chinese and their neighbors in India grow richer, “...they will increasingly consume goods and ser- vices from older economies like that of the U.S. If you don’t believe that, ask college presidents. In 2000 there were 114,000 stu- dents in the U.S. from India and China; this year there are 233,000…and they don’t just live on air alone.” Apparently prosperity for us is just around the corner. And speaking of TIME, clever writer Joel Stein says a number of people object to his use of the personal pronoun. In fact, a New York Times profile said that his columns focus on three topics: himself, his life and his deep, private, personal thoughts. You wouldn’t think an editor would let a columnist get away with such self promo- tion, would you? was “Teddy’s” rank in the military, what were his two physical problems, and up what hill did he allegedly lead a charge? * * * Something else I didn’t know: Roy Rogers’ horse Trigger, was first named “Golden Cloud “and Roy bought him for $2,500 when the King of The Cowboys was making $75.00 a week as a contract player for Republic Pictures. Character actor Smiley Burnett suggested he be renamed “Trigger” and history was made. Roy and his horse made 88 films together * * * A burglar broke into a house to search for valuables. As he went into the living room, a budgie in a cage said, “I can see you and so can Jesus!” The burglar ignored the little bird and went about casing the room, but the bird repeated, “I can see you and so can Jesus!” The burglar, to show he was not going to be intimidated said, “Oh yeah, and what are you going to do about it? You’re only a budgie”. “Maybe,” replied the little bird, “but Jesus is a Rottweiler.” Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff and former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine. He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com.