Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/56657
6A Daily News – Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Opinion Introspect, respect and expect more Tehama 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 I would like to take this oppor- tunity to add my views to cogent dialogue initiated in this paper by Bill Cornelius on February 18, 2012, and expounded upon by Cori Brown, Joe Harrop, and Les Wolfe last Saturday. Indeed the 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 mantra "Expect more Tehama" can result in success for every child growing up in our communi- ty only as we do a better job in pro- viding appropriate intervention and support services for our chil- dren and families and I share Mr. Cornelius's fear that we may soon have a system where we spend more tax dollars on prison beds than we spend on education if we fail to address our failing econom- ic, education, corrections, and rehabilitation programs in Red Bluff, Tehama county, the state of California, and our nation. This is of course as huge and continuous an undertaking as it is vital and imperative for the youth of today and the society of tomor- row. There should be little con- tention that a change in course is necessary as the expenses of our law-enforcement, court, and prison systems are demanding larger shares of a diminishing bud- get that is struggling to sustain, much less improve, our economy and education systems. As all the other writers have mentioned, we must reprioritize and organize our efforts to achieve better results. To me the key to unlock the Pandora box of suffering and dis- enfranchisement is through early intervention, mentoring, respon- sive corrections, and effective rehabilitation for those that lack guidance or motivation to work diligently, act responsibly, and improve themselves and their communities. This begins by inspecting the conditions and qual- ity of one's life, respecting oneself and others to attain higher levels of awareness, joy, and abundance, and ultimately acting with humili- ty, compassion, and wisdom to make the world a better place for all. This means it is often necessary to look beyond our own egocentric and individualized paradigms by suspending our disbelief that such large and seemingly intractable problems can be solved. In fact this is the very purpose of our democracy and our birthright and responsibility as American citi- zens to pursue in this nation of lib- erty and justice for all. Two things are for sure: 1) it takes a commu- nity to rectify alienation, individ- ual suffering, and lawlessness, and 2) these problems are best addressed at the local level where one-on-one mentoring and assis- tance can be affected. Such is our challenge to find ways to improve our lot, improve our communities, and improve our world. So how might we best proceed – in a word cooperatively. And this is precisely what I am seeing us do locally by continuing this dialogue, avoiding casting blame and passing of judg- ments, or trying to score political points. What I am talking about is the "heart" of the matter, how we can start with frank intro- spection, develop new- found respect for our common goals, and realistically expect the best possible outcomes. We don't want or need a nanny state telling us how to run our commu- nities, but we do need help fashioning sys- tems to do this locally, and assurance that our diligent efforts will be rewarded and support- ed as we achieve our objectives to reduce the demand for corrections by increasing our investments in education and opportunity. Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Cornelius that AB 109, where- in the State of California is reduc- ing its exploding prison population by returning certain offenders to local jurisdictions for housing, supervision and programming may in fact turn out to be largely positive if the State of California provides adequate long term stable funding to support local programs. I go further to encourage that all of us support efforts, including tax increases and local bonds, to fully fund our education, early interdiction, public assis- tance and rehabilitation needs to help end the cycle of poverty, igno- rance, disenfranchise- ment, and lawlessness. While money alone will not solve these wrench- ing, and seemingly entrenched maladies, it will provide a tangible and fungible demonstra- tion of our commitment, compassion, and com- pulsion to improve our community. I believe that the Chamber of Commerce branding effort is an important step to help improve our community, that the commitment of our teach- ers and returning students like Cori Brown to help our youth is anoth- er and that with the implementa- tion of the efforts of the team working AB109 locally that we are well on our way to be a model of effective governance. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He now makes his home in Los Molinos and can be reached at living-green@att.net. 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: governor@gover- nor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Ceanothus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 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 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francis- co, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. California's rotten, green rat hole Commentary It is really fascinating to read the rationalizations put forth by the reliable, "usual suspects," like our resident enviro-liberalist defender of all green schemes, or projects, when faced with simple facts. When presented with truthful analysis of how PG&E has jacked up the costs and rates for residen- tial electricity, up to and over 30 percent over three years, we're told to just eat that carrot, put up with that stick because we're being induced to become "energy effi- cient users." Specifically, I was told that I simply (please raise your nose and read out loud in your most imperi- ous, pompous voice) "experienced a tariff adjustment as approved by the CPUC to better reflect the base- line energy requirements of effi- cient energy users and to promote the adoption of efficiency mea- sures by those most able to reap cost-effective benefits, thereby keeping demand and consequential generation requirements in check." So, I've already installed dual-pane windows, high SEER central air conditioning, and have personally crawled around in the mud of our crawl space, and shoved my face into the existing cellulose insula- tion in my attic, all for the purpos- es of upgrading the insulation and "energy efficiency" of my 1960s home, all well prior to the recently jacked-up rates. I'm now supposed to just accept that I can magically reduce my usage another 30 per- cent to return to prior costs that, I can assure you, never significantly fell as a result of said upgrades. Unicorns, big rock candy moun- tains, "free bubble-up and rainbow stew" are all more likely. The rationalizations we were plied with last year, like what you read above, and will have to endure going forward, reflect the duplici- tous nature of those who refuse to accept reality, stick their heads in the sand, and blather on about reaping energy-efficiency benefits to offset the higher rates. So-called "green energy," like wind and solar, and the ideologically-driven refusal to use cheaper sources like coal, nuclear and increased natural gas, are not policies to help energy users spend less on electricity, and more for enjoyment, a growing economy and jobs. The opposite is quite true: you, your fellow Californians, and Americans from the Midwest to the east coast will see energy costs "necessarily skyrocket" (per candi- date Obama) because wind and solar are massive money pits, but are touted as so-called green sources because …. Well, it's not because those windmills, massive solar panels or thermal projects use fewer resources in the construction process, divided by the homes served and megawatts produced. The massive price tags are certain- ly not efficient from the standpoint of being the most cost-effective way to provide an economy and its people with our essential energy needs. More electricity is available and can be produced for fewer budgetary dollars with coal, nuclear and expanded natural gas. Just about 3 percent of Califor- nia's electricity is produced by wind and solar: "California imports more electricity than any other state. Recent state laws pro- hibit utilities in California from entering into long-term contracts with coal-fired power plants for electricity imports." America's cheapest elec- tricity comes from coal but California only derives 1 percent of our energy from coal. (Insti- tute for Energy Research, 9/2011) What you could learn from my electricity bills, and the rationalizations from the PG&E "green energy" apologists, has already been written and reported, but perhaps not on your mainstream, nightly news reports. In "Electric bills about to spike," Laura Colarusso told readers last October that utilities across the country need more money for grid updates and pollu- tion controls, and are passing the huge bill on to consumers. Citing liberal sources, she wrote "utilities are seeking permission to pass on hundreds of millions of dollars in new charges to cus- tomers to help upgrade aging infra- structure and build new or retrofit- ted power plants that comply with tougher environmental regulations (Daily Beast)." Said former Clin- ton energy secretary Bill Richard- son, "They desperately need to upgrade." Midwest ratepayers will be hit with massive increases due to regulatory, arbitrarily unrealistic (and unauthorized by Congress) mercury limits. Their only alarm is how to reimburse the poor and fixed-income elderly for the higher Don Polson The way I see it bills – meaning not you. The EPA and other environ- mental zealots tell us that literally billions of dollars in upgrades and power plant shutdowns will save 11,000 lives. They can't name them; nei- ther can they go back and name specifically who has died due to the prior limits. It's all bogus science based on skewed computer pro- jections! Enviro-liberals routinely trot out such doom-and-gloom sce- narios to drive and manipulate public sup- port for policies, regula- tions and laws that lead only one direction: dras- tically higher rates and costs. Please consider: from "Federal Electric Subsidies per Unit of Production (2007 dol- lars per megawatt hour)," we are informed that your tax money only pays 25 cents per unit of natural gas and petroleum – one, thin quar- ter – 44 cents per unit of coal, less than a dollar for hydroelectric, bio- mass or geothermal, and $1.59 per unit of nuclear, which may seem relatively high. That is, until you consider that the federal subsidy for wind is a whopping $23.37, and for solar is $23.34 (IER.org). If this isn't rotten enough, I'll have more next week. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.