Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/485686
GregStevens,Publisher Chip Thompson, Editor EDITORIALBOARD How to have your say: 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 no more than two double-spaced pages or 500words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section will be published. Email: editor@red bluffdailynews.com Phone: 530-527- 2151ext. 112 Mail to: P.O. Box 220, 545 Diamond Ave., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Facebook: Leave comments at FACEBOOK.COM/ RBDAILYNEWS Twitter: Follow and send tweets to @REDBLUFFNEWS Iwassurprisedwhen I recently learned that each year Hollywood pro- duces approx- imately 400 new movies. I try to see as many of the good ones as I can. How- ever, I think the creators of our movies are now starting to put too much emphasis on "special effects." In other words, how many times can the Ter- minator do pretty much the same thing? "Termi- nator Genisys," the fifth, is already running trailers and is coming this sum- mer to a theater near you. Yes, maybe it's time to re- ally terminate this fran- chise. I now look for what I re- fer to as movies with fab- ric. Some examples from the present and past in- clude "Selma," starring British actor David Oy- elowo as the Rev. Mar- tin Luther King Jr. and "Transamerica" released 10 years ago, starring Fe- licity Huffman from Des- perate Housewives, who was playing a man on the verge of becoming a trans- gender, while at the same time finding and meet- ing her or his biological son for the first time. And, don't forget some lighter fare like the new movie "Chappie" starring Sigour- ney Weaver. It's about ro- bots of the future creating their own emotions. You can choose to laugh or get scared with these enter- taining movies. I think most of this es- capism is probably good therapy and can add to our happiness, but I would not recommend watching the latest huge box office hit "Fifty Shades of Grey." I saw it a couple of weeks ago. Those people in Hol- lywood are already call- ing for enormous raises for those same actors for at least one sequel to "Grey." It is already in a production schedule. In my opinion that movie is well done, but the oppo- site of "The Bridges of Mad- ison County," released in 1995. That Clint Eastwood- Meryl Streep movie was about good ol' fashion love. However, "Fifty Shades of Grey" is an unsavory edu- cation about dominant and submissive sex. Don't be alarmed, but "Grey" has al- ready grossed at the box of- fice more than half a bil- lion dollars worldwide. Yes, s-e-x certainly sells, it al- ways has. I am starting to believe that the Hollywood films being released today "ain't as good as yesterday's movies." However, on the other hand, both "Selma" and "12 Years a Slave" have been properly recognized by the film industry. They both have a lot of that fabric I'm talking about. These films will have you talking and reflecting for a long time. They are of such quality that you might want to see them again in five years or so. I will be changing my column every Thursday in the Daily News to do my best to recommend or re- ject another Hollywood film, but the final decisions of course is yours. I will start giving you my opin- ions on movies in the con- cluding paragraph of each of these Thursday col- umns. Your editor told me I should enjoy my new writ- ing opportunity. People often complain about the price of going to the movies today, es- pecially when it costs $5 for a couple of dozen Milk Duds, those are the ones I buy — i.e. "Let's all go to the lobby, to get ourselves a treat." Yet, I occasion- ally tell people of the mil- lions and millions of dol- lars spent just to produce one film. After that invest- ment, all you have to do is take a seat, watch the pre- views and let your minds wander to a location of your choice. Thank good- ness we still have the film industry in the Golden State. Please tell me about your movie habits and what you think of the movies you see today. StanStathamserved1976- 1994 in the California Assembly and was a television news anchor at KHSL-TV in Chico 1965- 1975. He is president of the California Broadcasters Association and can be reached at StanStatham@ gmail.com. My take Seen any good movies lately? I will be changing my column every Thursday in the Daily News to do my best to recommend or reject another Hollywood film, but the final decisions of course is yours. Concernedaboutcharges against superintendent Editor: The purpose of this letter is to address concerns of many commu- nity members regarding the pend- ing charges against Charles Allen, current Tehama County Schools Superintendent. It is unfortunate that Mr. Allen is only charged with petty theft af- ter lying twice about obtaining a Master's Degree in Education Ad- ministration, once at Red Bluff El- ementary and again when apply- ing for Associate Superintendent at the Tehama County Department of Education. This deceit could have resulted in felony charges of grand theft if the statute of limitations had not expired. Larry Champion, former TCDE superintendent, contends that Mr. Allen had an equivalency to a Master's Degree, but an equiv- alency was not written into the original job posting, which noted, "A Master's Degree in a field re- lated to the job assignment re- quired." No superintendent can grant a Master's Degree. This degree is obtained only through an insti- tution of higher learning, such as the CSU system or UC. A Master's Degree is a step beyond an admin- istrative credential, which most school districts and county offices require, as it was in this case. The MA degree program re- quires that a potential recipient engage in a rigorous program fo- cusing on an individual's abil- ity to analyze deeper educational research and to critically think about curriculum and instruction. Mr. Allen took an annual com- pensation package of more than $130,000 and a stipend of $750 per year based on a Master's de- gree that he did not have. Charles Allen lied on has appli- cations. He lied to our voters. He lied to the parents of our children. He lied to our educators. In my opinion, he is not a leader with in- tegrity. How unfortunate for our community. Is it time for a recall? —Christine Fish, Red Bluff Thanks for celebration Editor: I would like to thank every- one who came to Bill Boot's cele- bration of life on March 21 at the Corning Airport, and for their help and support. I especially want to thank the VFW and Air Force personnel for the military tribute. Also, the Corning Fire Department for the American flag display. Thanks to the city of Corn- ing and City Council members for their help. Our family has been over- whelmed by the kindnesses of- fered. Thank you again from the fam- ily of Bill Boot. —Barbara Boot, Corning On opposition to elephant preserve Editor: I knew it wouldn't be long be- fore we started hearing from the anit-elephant folk. Mr. Sam Collins points out (in a letter to the editor) that we should not mess with Mother Nature. To that extent we should probably send all them Holsteins and Here- fords back where they came from; the Brahmas too. Then we won't have to grow so much corn and we can let the bi- son repopulate the great plains. I wonder whether Mr. Collins has ever milked a bison. He won't get as much milk as he could from a guernsey, but at least it will be natural and help Mother Nature keep her continent in balance. We should be thankful some- body wants to help mother na- ture preserve the elephant and we can be a part of it. Seems like the people in Africa look at the el- ephant the same way our forefa- thers looked at the buffalo as they moved west. Something to exterminate on their way to the gold fields. —Fred Boest, Red Bluff Taxpayers should not be funding subsidies for retirees Editor: Eighty-eight percent of Califor- nia workers and retirees are non union. Their employers end sub- sidies for employees upon retire- ment, no matter the age. It is not fair to ask taxpayers to continue to subsidize health care for state public employees upon their early or late retirement. That is a per- sonal responsibility of the retiree. Taxpayers should not be asked to provide a dollar for dollar wage increase for public employees, to help pay for these unearned bene- fits. The combination of increased wages for productivity or seniority should be limited to the rate of in- flation. After a decade of work, se- niority seldom ensures increased productivity in civilian or govern- ment jobs, including school teach- ers. Liberal politicians have pro- vided increased pay, vacation days, sick days, holidays and early re- tirement days for votes of union- ized and professional state em- ployees. These added costs should not be a burden on taxpayers, but paid for by the politicians who ap- proved these foolish cost increases for no added productivity benefits. Public employee benefits need to be reduced to non union private sector levels of 10 vacation days, 8 holidays, 3 sick days, an end to pensions prior to age 65 and an end to defined pensions. Taxpay- ers cannot afford these huge wel- fare subsidies. Public employees now work 25 percent fewer work days during their career than pri- vate sector non union workers. The benefit of a government job should only be the lifetime em- ployment guarantee. —Joseph Neff, Corning Your opinions Cartoonist's take As my family prepares to celebrate Easter 2015, I feel overwhelmed by the changes the holiday has undergone in both religious and secular terms. Perhaps it's the haze of pass- ing years that prejudices me, but it seems that the holiday has declined greatly in innocence and reverence since the days I was hugging my stuffed bunny and fighting my cousins for fes- tive eggs in Granny Tyree's front yard. The White House Easter Egg Roll has devolved into the poor man's version of "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." ("I got a chocolate egg." "I got a strawberry egg." "I got a lemon egg." "I got tire tracks from the Secret Service Agent's runaway car.") Innocent children's songs about hippity-hop rabbits are on the verge of being shang- haied by hip-hop artists. (I un- derstand good ol' Peter is about to forget the bunny trail and instead get the spotlight in "I like big cottontails and I can- not lie...") Remember when the impor- tant question was who got to bite the ears off the chocolate bunny, not who got to behead the chocolate bunny if it was found in a car with a male other than a family member? Casual Friday at work has segued right into casual Sunday. Fewer and fewer people care about looking spiffy for Eas- ter. Instead of an Easter bon- net with all the frills upon it, we have a parade of Easter butt- cracks with all the frills upon them. Cable channels have done way too many historical ex- pose documentaries riding the coattails of Easter. What will we hear next, "Judas Kiss Or Judas Lap Dance: You Be The Judge." If da Vinci were painting to- day, his masterpiece would probably contain product place- ment and be called "The Last Supper Before Next Exit." Facebook has shot down its "Feeling Fat" status, but I hear that "Feeling Crucified" is still in the wings. Remember when sunrise ser- vices could be conducted with- out side issues such as carbon footprints? ("Sunrise services: where we're reminded that so- lar panels are the reason for the season. Don't forget your 'God loves windmills this much' poster.") I understand the next "Fast and Furious" movie will be filmed in the church park- ing lot immediately after Eas- ter services. ("See ya at Christ- mas.") It used to so much simpler to deal with resurrection skeptics at Easter. Now proselytizing gets met with "So Jesus really gave up a man cave like that? You are pulling my leg." It used to be so comforting to think that Jesus Christ came to save everyone. Due to recent "private server" developments at the State Department, scripture is being rewritten to say, "Every- one can be saved — except the people my staff has looked over and decided aren't worth sav- ing." Remember when "coming out" meant emerging from the tomb, not coming out to your parishioners? ("Since there's not a single feline mentioned in the Bible, you've probably wondered why I've had the choir direc- tor do all those show tunes from 'Cats'...") I am cautiously optimistic about NBC's Easter presenta- tion of the early-church drama "A.D." — but I fear that its in- spiring moments will soon be negated by a documentary with a promo that blares, "Pontius Pilate washed his hands of the whole matter — or did he? Hid- den-camera footage shows Pi- late not washing up before send- ing Christ to his death, or before going to his second-shift job flip- ping burgers." Danny Tyree welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol. com and visits to his Facebook fan page Tyree's Tyrades. Danny Tyree It's not a war on Easter, but... Stan Statham OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, March 26, 2015 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A6