Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/23479
6A – Daily News – Friday, January 21, 2011 Opinion 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 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 To clarify the clever headline above, when we see “et” we think Latin for “and” as in et cetera meaning “and so forth.” Well and good. But the British have also used “et” for “ate” for centuries. It may be archa- ic today, but the act of my faithful dog Mur- ray Clyde eating my glasses, was an occa- sion to bring the word out of mothballs. In his defense, he was bored. Cold weath- er has allowed him to be an inside dog albeit a large indoor dog. He climbs onto the ottoman in front of the fireplace and snoozes for hours. But eventually he gets restless and looks for something to chew. My bifocals were sitting conveniently on the hearth...and so he “et” them. He did not actually swallow them, but he rendered them into 6 pieces. I talked to him about this as a parent does a child. He took it to heart, maintained a mournful look and said, “I’m sorry.” I had called him a “bad dog,” which was traumat- ic for both of us. He then raised a paw into the air and placed it against my chest. It is a defense that readers might emulate if in court and on the witness stand. “What’s with the paw bit?” I asked. “I am asking your forgiveness. The ges- ture means let’s forgive and forget and move on. I will not chew up your glasses again.” “Why did you chew them up in the first place?” “You know what they say about why people climb a mountain?” “Because it is there?” “Something like that”, he acknowledged. Then, assuming the matter was resolved, he hunkered down and nodded off. The next day, I handed the pieces of my glasses to master optician J. Gumm, with the assumption the frames would have to be replaced. However, a short time later he had welded them back into perfect condition, and for the cost of two large bags of dog food, I was back in business. A good resolve to an unfortunate incident Murray Clyde and I won’t forget...until the next time. In between fielding calls and e-mails this week proclaiming that I and the Daily News dis- play an overt far right wing leaning, and those labeling us as sterling examples of the vaunted liberal media, I witnessed the hatching of a pretty darn good idea. The idea is so good, I wonder why we didn’t think of it soon- er. It has to do with the Daily News’ presence on the Internet. For years readers near and far have visited redbluffdai- lynews.com for news and infor- mation about Red Bluff and Tehama County. Responding to common feedback that long- time newspaper readers prefer their news laid out on pages and in sections, we introduced the Daily News iFolds edition, which gives on-line readers exactly that — the same Daily News pages, complete with ads, on the Web. Seems this filled a niche, as hundreds of readers signed up to view the iFolds each day. To give readers a chance to try out this new feature, we offered it free for several months before beginning to charge a nominal subscription rate around the end of 2010. Of course, subscribers to our print edition are able to view the iFolds edition with no addition- al cost, handy for keeping track of the happenings back home when on the road. As expected, the numbers dropped some when we began to charge for iFolds, but they are creeping steadily upwards as readers realize the value and convenience of the publication. In order to preserve the value of our print product, our bread and butter, the iFolds edition wasn’t posted to our site until noon each day. Now that read- ers are paying to read iFolds, some questioned why they had to wait until noon to read it. They shouldn’t have to. You pay for a subscription to a morning newspaper, you should be able to read it in the morning — on paper and on the Web. This is where the good idea came along. We have thousands of read- ers who pay for our print and iFolds products and those read- ers should have the best and ear- liest access to those products. On the other hand, we have thousands more who read the news at redbluffdailynews.com free of charge. We value this growing number of readers, as do the busi- nesses and individuals that advertise on the site. But putting all our news up on the site first thing in the morn- ing boils down to giv- ing away that for which others are pay- ing. Moving forward, iFolds subscribers will have access to that edi- tion at roughly the same time as those who read our print edi- tion each morning. Want to check on the news by navigating Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. redbluffdailynews.com? You will still be able to do so free of charge, starting around noon each day. Here’s where some will stomp up and down shouting that we’re just trying to make a buck at their expense and somehow we’re depriving them of their right to read the news. I’m no MBA, but I don’t know of any business that isn’t in the business of making money. Guilty. For those who believe we are depriv- ing them of their right to read the news, we’re not. We’re pro- viding better and more timely service to those readers who support your Daily News through sub- scriptions. After years of free access to news that costs us a fair amount of resources to gather and produce, all we’re saying is those who want to continue receiving it free of charge will have to wait a few hours longer than those who subscribe. We think that’s fair. Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112, or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. 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 — Jerry Brown, 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. Pet et specs Commentary * * * The tragic Tucson Arizona shootings made for daily headlines and special net- work television. But what caught my eye were the many charges filed against the nut case and “alleged” assailant Jared Loughner. Count One was attempted murder of Gabrielle Giffords, a mem- ber of Congress, in viola- tion of Title 18, US Code section 1113, 351(c), Count Two the murder of her staff member Zimmerman “an employee fulfilling his offi- cial duties etc.” and similar charges against others in Federal employ, either killed or wounded in the attack. These were Federal Charges, the purpose of which would be to subjugate prosecution by state or county agencies, thereby paving the way for the assailant, if found guilty, to be executed. That is commendable due to the nature of the crime, as not all states allow the death penalty. But my curiosity has to do with the distinction of the killing of persons in the employ of the government and the prosecution of same. It sounds like a double standard to me. I wonder if the case of the murdered 9-year-old girl will be tried differ- ently than that of a member of Congress, and if so, why? * * * was accurate except that the idea originated from N. Robison, not Robeson. And the famous walking stick of the late B. Dale was made from a banister, not a bar, at the Masonic Hall. The teeth embedded in the stick are elk teeth. And by the way, did you know that Fritz Brandt was a bartender at the old Blue Ribbon Bar? So says D. Sale. * * * Last week’s quiz was answered early in Robert Minch I Say the day by Carol Heilsberg who knew that Francis Scott Key used the melody from “To Anacreon in Heav’n” for the Star Spangled Banner because she sang it with The Renaissance Voices years ago, much to the sur- prise of the audience. The song was a surprise, not her singing. Also, the Carpathia answered the distress call from the Titan- ic, and that Tokyo Rose was the pseudonym of Iva Ikuko Toguri d’Aquino. This week’s quiz: Who was nicknamed “General Tom Thumb,” what was his wife’s name and who did they both work for? * * * Ole, a furniture dealer from Fargo, ND, decided Department of Corrections: Last week’s story of Smiley Burnette to expand his line, so he went to Paris, selected a line he thought would sell well back home, and celebrated his acquisition with a glass of wine at a small bistro. A beautiful young Parisian girl asked him something in French and motioned to the vacant chair at his table. He didn’t under- stand French but motioned for her to sit. He asked if she wanted a glass of wine by drawing a picture on a napkin. She nodded yes and they downed a glass or two. He drew a plate of food on the napkin and she nodded enthusiastically. During dinner he drew a picture of a couple dancing and she nodded, so they danced the evening away. But as the bistro was closing, she took his pen and drew on a napkin a picture of a four-poster bed. To this day, Ole has no idea how she fig- ured out he was in the furniture business. 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. The ol’ switch-a-roo