Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/30441
6A – Daily News – Friday, April 29, 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 The guidelines for letters are pub- lished in every edition on the opinion page, but many readers view our online product and others just don’t bother with small print — I know I often don’t. The result is I often have to reject letters or write back to ask for additional information, so here goes. Letters must be signed and include your home address and phone number for verification purposes. Only your name and town will be published. Maxi- mum length is 500 words, but shorter is better as these letters will run much more quickly. Long letters tend to sit waiting for space. We don’t publish open letters to others. If you have a beef with a pub- lic official, say so, but don’t copy me on a letter you write to that official. Sometimes letters are signed by a husband and wife, or multiple parties. Please, only sign with the name of the person who writes the letter. Chip Due to the volume of letters we receive, multiple letters from a single reader will probably not run. If they do, there will be a good couple of weeks in between and only then if we are short on letters from other readers. Finally, we don’t run pic- tures on the opinion page, except for columnist mug shots and cartoons. Let your words paint a picture, but please don’t ask us to run a photo with a letter. *** Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. In the narrowly-avoided- the-Leno-show department this week was a headline I almost published with a story about the position of Assis- tant Sheriff being approved by the Board of Supervisors. “Sheriff’s No. 2 gets nod from county.” Accurate, but far too easy to inter- pret as bathroom humor. Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Reminders about letters Kate will never be Queen Katherine Middleton is, quite simply put, a commoner and, as such, will never be the next Queen. The very popular Kate will Editor: Sorry. On behalf of the Brits, as much as CNN, Fox or HLN trumpet and proclaim that Katherine (Kate) Middleton will become the next Queen of Almost Everywhere I am sorry to inform you that this is not the case, what- soever. Your Turn become an honorary princess upon the wedding nup- tials to Prince William today. She will keep the title of Princess for all time — provided, of course, that she remains married to the Prince. She carries the same sta- tus of Lady, and once Princess, Di — another nice Lady who could also never become Queen. You have to be born a Princess in order to, one-day, become the Queen. You have to be born a Prince in order to, one day become King. For example the current Queen, Her Majesty Eliza- beth the Second, has a good, decent and loyal husband, Prince Phillip — aka the Duke of Edinburgh. However, even though he is married to the Queen he can never become King. You have to be born into that title. This particular rule has been around for 1,500 years and it is very unlikely to change - despite what CNN/Fox or HLN may state. On the other hand, this wedding is truly a blessing and teaches young people around the world that there are viable options to simply living together. God Save the, er, Princess. Chris Copley, 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 3070 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. Divine drive by Commentary How was your Easter? I was surprised how many people wished me a Happy Easter. The wish was, I’m certain, sincere. However, in my case, it was as effective as the familiar “Have a nice day.” We mentioned, a week or so ago, of receiving an unsolicited paper “prayer rug.” I could have rolled it out and perhaps participated more in the event as I was certainly prepped for it. I had found at our office door Saturday morning a card about the size of those you put on your door at night in a hotel requesting breakfast the next morning. It read, “You have had a Drive by Prayer. We have prayed for your establishment that God’s pro- tecting, gentle spirit will hold you steadfast and secure!” And it concluded, “If you are interested in hearing more about ‘Driver By Prayer,’ please call this number etc.” I have not called, but can testify that whatever they did, worked. I felt steadfast and secure for at least the remainder of the morning. Arriving at the ranch a few hours later, I felt the blessing was wearing off and I had become more steadfast than secure…but then it could just be a delayed reaction to pay- ing taxes last month. * * * We need more Dorothy Parker in our lives. When we had a website, “The Poetry Corner” was a regular sidebar in which we often featured the witty lady. She was quoted as saying, “Brevity is the soul of lingerie.” And “You can lead a horticulture but you can’t make her think.” Here’s one of her poems: “By the time you swear you’re his, shivering and sighing, And he vows his passion is infinite, undy- ing... Lady, make a note of this: one of you is lying.” * * * Writer Joe Klein reports, “President Obama may now have a shot at real reform this time...the ridiculous farm subsidies, the ineffi- cient job-training programs, even the defense budget is now on the table.” Whoa. There is nothing inefficient about our local job-training program as administered by Kathy Schmitz. She runs a tight ship and helps develop new skills for the un-employed. * * * Speaking of the defense budget, TIME reports public spending for defense jumped from $1,500 per person in 1998 to $2,700 in 2008. One example: Sixty crewmen from one ship recently pock- eted $3.4 million in re-enlist- ment bonuses. Do you sup- pose these sailors might have settled for far less than $56,666 each in order to stay in the service? I would hope to kiss your Aunt Fanny. * * * F. Reynolds informs me that the Air Force jets flying over the Round-Up, were actually Navy jets. So noted. * * * Use a word three times and it is yours. A new word, coined by writer Catherine Mayer is “Amortality” It has nothing to do with perpetual infidelity among members of Congress. It is a term for the burgeoning trend of living agelessly. We are now living 30 years longer than we were at the beginning of the 20th century. If any of you folks are now 60, and you play your cards right, you might live to 90 or beyond. The thing that caught my eye in reading of Amortality is that the author cites developments such as Del Webb’s “Sun City in various parts of the southwest as being conducive to living longer.” This is the same corporation (Webb died in1974) that is apparently on hold for the 9 Mile Hill development in our fair county. If they ever get it off the ground, it might be a good place for your golden years. However, as many Sun City communities now offer synchronized swimming, onlookers could be bored to death long before their newly allotted four score and 10. * * * Did you know that the Pentagon pays an average of $400 to put a gallon of fuel into a combat vehicle or aircraft in Afghanistan. This statistic is likely to play into the escalating debate in Congress over the cost of a war that entered its ninth year last week, let alone the cost in human lives. Pentagon officials have told the House Appropriations Defense Subcommit- tee of this cost by the time the fuel arrives in the remote locations in Afghanistan where U.S. troops operate. Tsk, tsk. * * * Robert Minch I Say * * * A connoisseur of County Western asks if any of the following were sung at the recent Red Bluff Round-Up: “Jump in the hefty bag, baby, ‘cause I’m takin’ out the trash;” “My best man was her daddy’s shotgun;” “I’d rather pass a kidney stone than another night with you;” or “Lovin’ you clogged my arteries with your big fat lies, then you bypassed my heart for some other guy.” I told him no, and I didn’t even hear “Red River Valley” or “When it’s roundup time in Texas.” He was disappointed. * * * A young man was teaching his girlfriend the game of golf. He stuffed his pockets with golf balls and walked awkwardly to the practice tee. When she asked why he was shuffling along, he replied “It’s only golf balls.” “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. “Is it anything like tennis elbow? 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. Last week’s quiz was answered correctly by many but first in was N. Rick who knew that Lawrence Welk’s California license plate read “A1ANA2,” that Roy Allen, along with a fellow named Wright founded the A & W chain and that Erle Stanley Gardner once wrote under the pen name of A.A.Fair. This week’s quiz: Rio Street was originally called what...and what were two of the things it was noted for ...and of what were the original sewer pipes in early Red Bluff made?