Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/555794
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@ redbluffdailynews.com Fax: 530-527-9251 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 As I write this column, I already know I will be writing a few on the topic of de- bates between now and America's election for president next year. I absolutely love politics and love to debate, and this political debate was over the top. Iamgoingtohavealotof FUN watching and analyzing all the debates through this year and next. I hope you do too. First of all, I want you to know that I do thank the Don- ald for getting into the race. For open- ers, Mr. Trump turned the debate into a free for all, which is just one def- inition of a democracy. He also guaranteed that all of us would get a lot of what I call "infotainment." The candi- dates were able to jump all over each other, if they de- sired to do so. I thought Trump might try to behave in this first debate last Thursday, but that did not happen. I have decided that he gave us a rather poor, egotistical performance, but obviously brought in some huge television ratings. And, I also enjoyed the ver- bal fisticuffs between Chris Christie and Paul Rand. I sometimes joke that politics is the only profession where people are expected to stab each other in the front. In 2003 I was lucky enough to be chosen as the modera- tor of the most watched po- litical debate at that time. It was California's Recall De- bate. That record is now bro- ken, but 2003 was when doz- ens and dozens of our fine cit- izens, including Mary Carey and Gary Coleman, threw their hats into the political ring to see who would replace then Governor Gray Davis. E. J. Dionne of the Wash- ington Post called that "won- derful." He wrote it was an "honest political moment." As I watched last week's debate, along with 24,000,000 other citizens, I had to make a special effort not to focus on the Donald. I was unsuccessful, as I think most people were. However, even the Don- ald's hair is usually enough to distract me. And, since I had been a moderator for many gubernatorial debates, I also paid extra close attention to moderators Chris Wallace, Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier as they took on that respon- sibility. I really enjoyed the any- thing-can-happen-atmo- sphere of this debate. I think the main stream media did a lot to make that happen. Again, thanks to the cover- age of the Donald. I think that created a situation where all the candidates were a bit more candid and aggressive since we all know that Trump is so unpredictable. Please let me know if you enjoyed this debate as much as I did. At first I thought 17 re- publican candidates — 7 on the first, small stage and 10 on the most important big- ger audience stage — was un- wieldy, but it worked. As it turns out, most po- litical pundits think the only republican woman candi- date, Carly Fiorina, was the most outstanding candidate. I agree with one who said she was very bright, as well as being a heat seeking mis- sile. It does not look like she or Trump are going away any time soon. Mytakeonthemovies Definitely go see the film "Southpaw," starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Forest Whita- ker. I enjoyed "Rocky" way back in 1976, but this film is even better. It tells a good story, along with a lot of heart. As they say, it is great entertainment for the entire family. Viewer discretion does not have to be advised. StanStathamserved1976- 1994 in the California Assembly and was a television news anchor at KHSL-TV in Chico 1965- 1975. He is past president of the California Broadcasters Association and can be reached at StanStatham@ gmail.com. My take Lastweek's presidential debate As it turns out, most political pundits think the only republican woman candidate, Carly Fiorina, was the most outstanding candidate. I agree with one who said she was very bright, as well as being a heat seeking missile. Public safety nightmare on Walnut Street EditorL Approximately 2 years ago there was a contract on a county project with city zon- ing, namely our new State Court House. A 4.4 acre land parcel was sold to the state for $1.2 million dollars, according to the Corning Observer. This particular contract with the county and city was given 35 days to request a traffic study. Be aware that the present 15 county offices are to stay near the new courthouse in city zoning, according to CEQA, but an exemption was filed that there was no need for traffic signals. Not true. More CEQA stud- ies are needed. In reality, there wasn't an assessment of the remaining public and private buildings that service the public on Wal- nut Street, which has become a thoroughfare. Within a two mile radius, we have 2 huge apartment complexes, 3 con- valescent homes, 2 churches, 4 businesses, 7 subdivisions and 4 schools — 3 of which are directly behind the Bidwell School, including the 15 county departments adjacent to the new courthouse. Once this 16,000-square- foot courthouse is staffed, with all the cars for litigants, cars for their families, sympathiz- ers, added to the mix of city and school buses,other private cars commuting east to work, foot traffic with children and elderly; it is a disaster in wait- ing. We, the residents, can not get to a grocery store, bank, post office, doctor's office, or hospital without crossing Wal- nut Street. How does our beloved fire, law enforcement and medical emergency fit into this loop? What if there was an order to evacuate the court prem- ises, bomb scare. Don't laugh, it happens, or are you up on the news developments, via news reporting. As a Bidwell Oaks resident, will somebody please give me a solution to all of the above? — Kathy Bonner, Red Bluff The drought and trees Editor: I don't know if this has been covered in your paper. I don't read the gardening section be- cause I don't garden. I have a few pots of annual flowers for color, and some shade trees. My concern has been with the trees. I regularly travel over most of the valley between Red Bluff and Coming and I've seen a lot of trees either in distress or al- ready dead from the drought. The orchards are all right of course, but the groves of oak and a lot of trees along the creeks are suffering. People. Don't let your trees die. Don't let your 30-year-old rose bushes die. These are important to our area. I personally think we've been handed a bill of goods on this drought. Us letting our trees die so they can send the water down south to somebody else's trees is quite frankly a crock. If you want to feel you are being helpful, go ahead and use the tools that have been suggested, saving shower wa- ter, just using less water, let your lawn die, but save your trees. However long it has been growing is how long it will take to replace that tree after this drought is over. Anyway, I looked up some suggestions on watering your trees. For shade and produce trees water within the drip line. Ev- ergreens water out to five feet beyond the drip line. Water slowly; let it sink in. Water three times a month through September, perhaps longer this year. The best tech- nique is drip irrigation or a soaker hose. Try to not concentrate the water at the tree trunk. This can lead to rot. The roots branch out as far as the tree branches do so put the water there. — Fred Boest, Red Bluff Donald Trump Editor: With all the crap that spews from Donald Trump's mouth I'm surprised no one has put him in his place by simply ask- ing him how he plans to run the United States with budgets when he has had to file for bankruptcy and had to have someone bail him out, twice I believe. Not only that ask him about his integrity when it comes to something he wants. When Trump was build- ing his Trump Tower, which is all gold inside, there was one house that was in the middle of his building plans. He of- fered to buy this old house but was told no because the old woman that lived there had lived there for many years, raised her kids there and she wanted to die there. Mr. Trump tried to have the home taken away from her by eminent domain using the rea- son his casino would bring in a huge amount of revenue for the state. But he couldn't be- cause that was unlawful. So he had his contractor build a cat walk over the top of her house, incasing her house on both sides and over the top. Then he continued to work like it wasn't even there from early morning till late evening until she passed away. Who in their right mind would trust a person like that for President of the United States? Maybe someone will ask him at the debates. — Kathy Nelson, Red Bluff Your opinions Cartoonist's take Will "aw shucks" businessmen someday say, "We put our pants on half a leg at a time, just like everyone else"? According to the Christian Sci- ence Monitor and NBC News, a new social media movement, #FreeTheKnee, is gaining ground in its campaign to make men's shorts acceptable office attire. I already wear shorts (Car- hartt, if you must know) in my physically demanding day job, and I see no reason to deny simi- lar freedom to white collar work- ers. Lots of managers and outside busybodies disagree, however. Dignity and professionalism will supposedly suffer if shorts are allowed into the workplace. I can't say I would turn cartwheels for a psychiatrist who looks like he's ready to play volleyball — but then again, I wouldn't want one who looks poised to embalm me, either. We're told that people want businessmen whose image com- mands trust, confidence, respect. Right — like I want financial ad- vice from someone who pays out the wazoo for needless air condi- tioning. ("Look in our brochure, to see how we also ignore leaky pipes and leave the office lights on all night.") Don't get me started on re- cent studies showing that women must wear extra layers to cope with offices kept chilly enough for overdressed men. We're supposed to let dieti- cians and stockbrokers guilt us into doing The Sensible Thing when they wont' even do a sensi- ble thing like seeking ventilation during a sweltering summer? Opponents of shorts in the of- fice emphasize tradition more than a road company of "Fid- dler On The Roof." ("I'll just read these chicken entrails to divine what interest rate to charge you. What? I'm sorry — we can't give you a loan for a horseless carriage unless the radio plays only bar- bershop quartet music.") Some opponents really chew the scenery, sighing "My grand- father —who won Haberdasher of the Year seven years in a row — must be turning over in his grave because of the heresy of #FreeTheKnee." No, your grand- father is turning over in his grave because one of my ancestors is kicking his butt for dissing kilts. Some commentators warn that blurring the boundaries be- tween work and relaxation can cause discomfort and awkward- ness. Of course we have such dis- tinct boundaries otherwise. You know, home is the place you go to eat six boxes of Girl Scout cookies your supervisor's daughter was selling. "Esquire" magazine is trying to be accommodating to the move- ment, but has issued strict guide- lines about which types of shorts are permissible, what shirt and shoes to wear, etc. Some fellows have taken it better than others. ("First I had to give up my Gen- eral Lee. Now I have to give up my Daisy Dukes!") There's still hope. Our arbi- trary dress codes are not carved in stone. If they were carved in stone, the masons would proba- bly have passed out from heat ex- haustion after insisting on wear- ing long pants. Granted, some skeptics just won't give in. They think shorts are just too big a distraction. They think jealous co-worker cat- calls such as "My grandpa the veterinarian euthanized bet- ter looking calves than those" in- terfere with the important office work of bulldozing virgin forests to build a new strip mall, con- ning consumers into buying an unnecessary extended warranty or composing commercial jingles that bore into your brain. *Ahem* On second thought, maybe we need a few more dis- tractions. Anybody want to petition for hospital gowns in the office? Danny Tyree welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol. com and visits to his Facebook fan page Tyree's Tyrades. Danny Tyree Should men wear shorts in the office? Stan Statham OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, August 13, 2015 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A6