Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/42040
6A Daily News – Wednesday, September 14, 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 Still a cow town 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 Editor: I have to agree with Mr. Fred Boest's statement (Tues. Aug. 30) that Red Bluff is still a cow town. We have several events that reflect this fact, along with business connections that account for a large portion of our county‚s economy. New Year's Eve brings spec- tators to the Bull Riding. Janu- ary brings buyers and sellers to the annual Bull Sale. The Tehama County Cattle- men's Association hosts a Field Day in March. Then, on the third weekend of April, this cow town hosts its annual Red Bluff Round-Up parade and rodeo. Those looking for three full days of good clean cowboy fun in the fall, can find it as the Red Bluff Cowboy Church hosts Wild West Fest at the Crystal Rose Cow Dog College in the Red Bank District, Sept. 30 through Oct. 2. Next year, all stock dog own- ers will have an opportunity to show their stuff. On Oct. 27, 2012 a cattle dog competition will be held at the Tehama Dis- trict Fairground. The event will be a benefit for the local Back to School Project. James Nelson, Red Bluff Handwriting out? Editor: I must take issue with colum- nist, author and speaker, Lori Bogman's article on handwrit- ing (cursive) in the Aug. 26 issue of the Daily News. Lori is an advocate in eliminating handwriting, probably originat- ing with her as a youngster hav- ing "bad handwriting." Her bad handwriting is of her own doing and I am thinking she undoubt- edly received unsatisfactory grades for handwriting on her elementary school report card. Lori has the keyboard replac- ing handwriting, however, many letters, notes and correspon- dences are almost always writ- ten by hand: thank you notes, sympathy notes, personal feel- ing expressions, informal writ- ings, invitations and replies (not printed) and many more. She degrades a person's sig- nature to that of an "X" signa- ture. Your signature, the only one like it in the world, is a pride in workmanship and is done in handwriting form. Try cashing a check or signing a legal document with a keyboard or an "X." Lori completely misses the point that your handwriting is an extension of your personali- ty. The one and only require- ment is that it be readable. Finally, in today's written communication world, many keyboards and writing devices have a click on the font selec- tion that will cause the print to resemble handwriting. Why Lori? Norman Weitzel, Gerber Motorcyclists Editor: I wanted to thank the won- derful motorcycle riders who stopped to help my 87-year-old mother, and my sister, after hav- ing to watch my mother's little dog get hit by a truck on the morning of Sept. 6, between Pomona and Olive on 99W. That little dog, named Buster, was my mother's com- panion since my father's death three years ago. He named the dog. My mother put her life in jeopardy trying to get the truck to slow down so my sister could catch Buster. Mom said that if she hadn't moved, the truck would have hit her. Needless to say, they were both devas- tated. The motorcycle rid- ers saw the whole thing, turned around, and came back to help. These wonderful people dug Buster's grave and helped Mom and my sister bury him. Thank you so much for hav- ing good hearts. You have the gratitude of our whole family. You will be in our prayers from now on. Carol Santino, Gerber Free air Editor: In response to The Red Bluff City Council's decision to tax the RV park for their guests, are you kidding me? How is it that both the feder- al government in Washington and the City Council in Red Bluff have become deaf at the same time with respect to the people, to taxes, planning, responsibility and completely mute to the common sense organism that wants to infect them all, but keeps getting sprayed by Tom Foolery — sticky stuff, apparently. Since the loss of sales tax from the boat races and the two car dealerships, you'd think the city would want to encourage in any way possible any activity that would lead to more tax rev- enue paid voluntarily. Those folks at the RV parks Your Turn all buy gasoline, food, patronize local business establishments, use services at the park which are already paid for by the park owners, including property tax and utility fees, etc. Why not tax them extra for the river view, why not just tax them for the air they breathe. Get on it. We understand you can't hear or see, but that doesn't fly when you're standing there right in front of us with your fin- gers stuck in your ears and a blindfold wrapped round your collective heads having tied the knot yourselves. John Swaim, Red Bluff Bingo thanks Editor: Red Bluff Community Center Auxiliary hosts Bingo the first Friday of each month. On Sept. 2, I attended and luckily won one of 5 boxes given away as door prizes. Thank you to the auxiliary and the businesses that donated prizes. The funds received from bingo programs go back into the community to provide grants to various programs to help dis- abled and the children of Red Bluff. A great group of people vol- unteer on bingo night and my thanks go out to them. I enjoy once a month good time at bingo with the opportunity of spending time with friends and family. As a volunteer at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, I appreci- ate the auxiliary's dedication. Pauline Reid, Cottonwood 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; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Taking rural refuge Commentary I'm torn about it, if you want to know the truth. See, the world has been pretty nutty of late. We've had an eco- nomic calamity that wants to keep on calamatizing. We've had hurricanes, earth- quakes and more hurricanes. And some are predicting that overactive sunspots could wreak havoc on our electrical grid and computer systems. Sheesh, how far behind can a plague of locusts be? So I am happy to spend most of my time living in Pittsburgh's countryside, rather than Washing- ton, D.C., where I spent most of the past year and still visit plenty. Though I'm torn. Washington is a fun place. I have friends from all over the world there. Then again, I'm better off in the country if a real catastrophe occurs. In D.C., people with master's degrees think they have the city covered in the event that the unimaginable occurs. They have contingency plans in place that are supposed to establish mobile command centers and organize police, firefighters and Homeland Security types. They have cots, blankets, water and canned goods at the ready, and mobile lighting they could fire up if the electrical grid were to go down. Though too much lighting in Washington is not necessarily a good thing. It only gives the mug- gers more visibility to work in. I delight in watching white- collar people create plans they think will help out other white- collar people. But the truth is that if some- thing calamitous did happen in D.C., most people there would have little idea what to do. This is because most of the res- idents of that town are white-col- lar people who are completely dependent on the blue-collar peo- ple who maintain their water sup- ply, electricity, smartphone signal, etc. Unlike the sophisticated folks in Washington, however, my country neighbors are resourceful and clever. They rely on no man. My neighbors know how to grow, trap or shoot their own food. They know how to make their own alcohol. No matter what might happen, they will stay rela- tively comfortable and safe. If all heck broke loose, my country town would be fine. I could still amble down to the local pub and take in some karaoke -- I'd sing some Willie Nelson tunes and enjoy a shot and a beer, which you can still get for a few bucks (the same costs about $15 in Washington). There is no need for contingency plans in the country. If the electricity shuts will be fine. Their 1976 AMC Pacers -- and other pre-computer- ized cars that so many country folks keep on blocks -- will be put to good use. So I'm torn. On one hand, I want to be in Washington among the sophisticat- ed people. Tom down, all my town will lose is one stoplight and a couple of streetlamps. If the water stops pumping, Purcell breakfast. few will mind. A lot of folks have wells. If there is a food shortage at the supermarket, country folks are prepared. All of my neighbors have deer meat stashed some- where within their houses. Even if an electrical glitch stops everyone's car from running -- late-model automobile motors are computerized -- my neighbors 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. Decisions, decisions. ——— But on the other hand, I like having the peace of mind that no matter what happens, I'll be fine in the coun- try. I can sing Garth Brooks tunes on karaoke night and know that if the world goes to hell, I'll at least be able to have deer meat for