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4A Daily News – Saturday, April 7, 2012 Opinion DAILYNEWS 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 Whenever we fly I seem to end up discussing the weather differ- ences between Red Bluff and wherever we happen to be going. I mention to my random flying companions we do not have a true winter in the North Valley, but that we can see snow on three sides and drive to it. In almost 40 years in Red Bluff I have never had to shovel snow, nor have I had to take a snow day. I complain about the high humidity in much of the country. Our conversation inevitably leads to tornadoes and the sirens that send two of my children and their families into the storm cellar every so often. The usual retort by my travel- ing companions is that they would never live in earthquake country. I laugh. earthquake was one that hit San Francisco during my senior year in high school, on March 22, 1957. I was in Latin class on the third floor of Lincoln High School, and the floor seemed to move, there was a vague sense of low frequency rumbling, and the overhead lights began to swing menacingly. Our teacher, some- one we described at the time as a proper spinster, named Miss Rosen, didn't miss a beat to tell us in an unusually authoritarian voice to get under our desks. Everyone complied. My desk was in the row next to the window, and when I thought we had been down on the floor long enough, I got up and looked out the window to see what may have been happening. My most vivid memory of an Once again, Miss Rosen did not miss a beat before she said with great authority, "Under your desk, Mr. Harrop." She had been It's a tragedy about Trayvon Martin, no doubt, but after a month of hearing so much about this so- called murder, is the real truth coming out or are we still getting the liberal's rendition. Always biased, mostly untrue, spreading lies, deceit, untruths, fabrications, on and on. Lame media Editor: tell, won't it? It's a very sad day when you can't believe our news channels, ABC, CNN, NBC and others. This time I'm really angry. NBC deliberately edited the tape, taking out a sentence that was cru- cial to this act, to falsely imply that this was a racial act. Then we have those two preachers throwing in their two cents worth, making the situation worse. A bounty is even on Mr. Zimmerman's head, and still, the truth isn't brought forward until now. If this is the truth, that is. What can we believe anymore? I heard once on my favorite radio-talk pro- gram, that NBC edited that tape. I've also heard the edited tape sev- eral times and last night the real tape for the second time. Appar- ently NBC will get off free and clear. I watched Hannity's show last night, I'm still trying to under- stand what is true, and with other things I've heard, I believe Zim- merman isn't guilty as charged by the liberal media. But time will I sincerely hope Mr. Zimmer- man sues NBC for every penny he can get for doing this. If it's true, that is. So much going on in this crazy country, our America, and we have to try to figure out truths being aired from our so-called media stations. Where are our laws for this yellow media journalism? Apparently the media, Obama's media can do anything, without any recourse. What really angers me too is, where are those on the other side of the aisle letting this happen? They need to stand tall and swat these imbeciles down, take affir- mative action, fight back. And, now, Obama's reprimand- ing the Supreme Court? They're not elected, they shouldn't take this on, Congress should do it. Well, yeah, Mr. President. Back to square one. Shouldn't we fire them and save a lot of money then? What's their job exactly if that's the case? He appointed two of those judges? In his pocket too, so that's okay. To only do the bidding of this president? in who will do his bidding to bring this country to their knees. Well, sadly, it may be working. Eric Holder's fiasco, Fast and Furious, no accountability either. On and on. Lots of hype at the time of the dirty deed, then they walk away free and clear, it wasn't his fault. I think we'd have more candidates running for offices but they don't want to go through all the dirty dealings they would have to go through. Lies, whatever dirt would be dug up on them. How can they live with themselves, chastising Santorum about his baby daughter. Really despicable. I loved the piece Nancy Pelosi's daughter did on those welfare bums recently. Right on. Bet Mom wasn't happy. Maybe there is hope after all. Bernice Cressy, Cottonwood The Czars weren't elected, all those officials he appointed weren't elected, he put his cronies Thank you for publishing comments that are intended for the misguided individuals who foolishly depend on Fox News and the Bill O'Reilly cable broadcast for keeping abreast of current affairs by virtue of their Fox News Editor: odd affinity for listening to loud and disputatious commentary spewed by a know-it-all host. Although I admit to taking in Your Turn a few minutes of O'Reilly's nut act every now and then, but it's just to see who he has selected to interrupt and aim his dependable cheap shots in the direction of. always chosen to distance myself from those who are in the bragging business, however, O'Reilly's boastful demeanor is excessive and deserving of a crusty, but appropriate put down. year-old brother summed it up best when he crudely opined, "O'Reilly is nothing more than a primetime punk who needs the crap slapped out of him, then slapped again for crapping." As my plain-speaking sibling happens to be a retired logger, the word crap is used to help sanitize and have publishable the actual four-letter word that he vented, but both words pretty much define the "stuff" that he so eloquently articulated. Rodina Turner, Los Molinos Therefore, I think my 82- 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), 2595 Cean- othus 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 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Shake, rattle and roll Commentary watching over her flock the whole time we were squeezed under our desks, more worried we were safe than about covering her own head. I may have forgotten much of my Latin, but I will always remember Miss Rosen. Later that day we found a crack in the mantel at home; we also saw that the bridge across Lake Merced and some of the roadway around the lake had fallen. It was quite an adventure, but generally no one I knew had been injured or suffered serious damage. My future father in law, who was unknown to me at the time, owned a drug store in the Sunset District, not far from the beach. He lost several items as many glass bottles and jars were launched from his display shelves, and someone put a photograph of the damage in the newspaper. He too was uninjured. quakes I remember was the 8.8 magnitude trembler that launched a tsunami that inundated Crescent City; I remember watching the devastation on a grainy black and white television set in my future in-laws' home in March of 1964 just after I was released from active duty. The pictures may have been grainy, but they bore stark witness to the strength of Mother Nature. Now when you drive up and down the California coast you are greeted with signs that warn: You are Entering a Tsunami Area. My father-in-law was born in San Francisco in 1904; he always claimed he remembered camping out in Golden Gate Park after the earthquake struck; his family then homesteaded in the outer Mission District in Holly Park Circle. One of the stronger earth- move my mother-in-law to an assisted living facility we found several glass negatives from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. My sister-in- law took them to an archivist in Orange County who restored them and put the pic- tures on DVD's. We have several prints on our family room, reminding us of our San Francisco roots. While we closed his house to There were many minor earthquakes between 1964 and the time we moved to Red Bluff in 1973. Since liv- ing here there are three earth- quakes I remember. The most vivid memory was of the earth- quake during the 1989 World Series. I was driving home from Gerber School and turned on the car radio to listen to the Giants and the A's game; the first words I heard as I headed up Highway 99W were, "We just received word the Bay Bridge is down." That got my attention as did the vague description of things at Can- dlestick Park where play had been interrupted and confusion reigned. When I got home I witnessed something I have only seen twice. Our pool was lapping over the deep end and shallow end in large rhythmic waves, splashing water across the cool deck and onto the grass. This seemed to last for a long time. The pool repeated that activity when the Ferndale earth- quake hit in 1992, but that time the waves were from side to side instead of from end to end. The second earthquake that Joe Harrop sticks in my mind happened on the night of my niece's wedding in June 1992, about three months after the Ferndale shak- er. She had been married in LA, had a reception in Orange County, and then headed for the air- port for the night so the new couple could be ready for an early morn- ing flight to their honey- moon. We stayed at my sister-in-law's house in Fullerton; at 4:30 AM we were rudely shaken, almost tossed out of bed, and literally had to stagger to reach shelter of a doorway. Things calmed down, and after we got back to bed an aftershock sent us to the doorway again. Meanwhile the honeymooning couple, who were staying on the top floor of the hotel, had to use the stairs to get to the outdoor parking lot---twice. I often won- dered if her husband had promised to move the earth for her. quake in Japan caught our atten- tion; this time it was not only the quake or even the resulting tsuna- mi; it was the potential threat of a man made powder keg of radia- tion that put fear in all of us. I still like living in Tehama Country, at the foot of a volcano and prefer it to high humidity and tornadoes, no matter what other people say. Joe Harrop is a retired educator with more than 30 years of service to the North State.He can be reached at DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. More recently the devastating Throughout my many years I've