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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, 728Main St., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Facebook: Leave comments at FACEBOOK.COM/ RBDAILYNEWS Twitter: Follow and send tweets to @REDBLUFFNEWS Attheriskofbitingthehandthatfeedsme,I suggest that you stop reading this column and move on to the obituary page. I think you will find it much more interesting. LastweekIsharedwith you that we really old people, who are no longer contribut- ing members of society, of- ten fill our days by asking each other "Where in the hell did the time go?" I should have added, "How did we ever find the time to work for a living?" In order to prove what an ac- tive and exciting life we lead I would like to share with you the stuff we did this summer as recorded by the wife on the cal- endar located by the kitchen phone. JUNE 2016: 2. Take Alix (4 yr. old granddaughter) to dance class. Bill haircut. 3. Grand- parent Day Antelope School. 4. Alix dance. 7. Kirsten's (daugh- ter—in-law) birthday, (Birth- day card and gift) Last day of school for Sam (10-yr-old grand daughter). 9. Alix to Dance, At- tend Michael's (Molaris) 8th grade graduation. Pick up Sam and Alix 3:15, Last day school for Wyatt and Tait (grandsons). 11. Rotary BBQ, Alix Dance Re- cital at State Theatre. 13. Take Alix to Pre School. 14. Rob and Debbie (Gibbs) Anniversary ($2 card), Alix preschool grad- uation Community Center. 15. Jack and Betsey (Fennel) An- niversary ($2 card) 16. Dennis and Maggie (Murray) Anniver- sary, ($3 card, He's a Judge), Nails and Haircut 12:30. 17. Lunch with girls at Green Barn, Dinner at club with Peytons & Dominicks, Kirsten gone to Ire- land. 18. Tim Kuhn's wedding at Wilcox 6:00 pm. 20. Karen Millers B-Day ($2 card), Watch boys. 21. Bill, Dentist, Watch boys. 22. Bill golf. 25. Boys All Star baseball games Tait, 9:00 and Wyatt, 11:30. Big Brother and the Holding Co, State The- atre. 27. Watch Boys, BUNCO, Bobbie Epperson's house. 29. Cherry Mealer's birthday ($2 card), paving our road. 30. Judy (sister) in Canada. JULY 2016: 3 & 4. Stay at Cabe's (son) cabin (Almanor) parade with family and the Jantzens. 5. Manzanita Lake with Cori (Daughter), Chris (son-in-law) and the boys. 6. Judy's B-day, Joe and Missy Dominick 30th Anniversary (Two cards, one day). 7. Nails/ pedicure Emma. 9. Wanda Birdsong's B-Day (Another day another card). 10. Ca- ri's B-Day. (Niece gets a card too). 11, 12, 13, &14. Wyatt & Tait, Chico baseball camp, De- liver and/or pickup. 15, 16, & 17. 8th annual Grandpa Camp- ing trip to Lake Almanor. (Bill, Tom, Larry, Jack and grand- sons). 17. Cherry and Charlie Mealer's Anniversary (card). 18. BUNCO, Cherry Mealer's house. 20. Brother Don's birth- day (card). 21. Chris' birthday (card & gift). Alix dance. 24. Recycle day (Garbage). Hen- ry's B-Day, (brother-in-law & another damn card). 28. Nails and Hair, 11:30. 29. & 30. Trip to Eureka with the Jantzens for the Annual Coastal Busi- ness Systems golf tournament. Mickey Chapin Memorial ser- vice @ Wilcox. AUGUST 2016: 2. Lunch with Cori. 4. Bob Kirstiens Memo- rial, Fairgrounds. Alix, Dance. 5. Debbie Gibb's birthday. (Card). 6. Dick White's Memo- rial, Wilcox. 8. Bill, Dr. Frantz. Watch Boys. 9. Watch Boys. 10. Day trip to Paradise with Nola. 11. Dinner with the Mur- ray's in Chico. 14. Wyatt's 12th B-Day, Ray's birthday. (2 cards and one great present). Recycle day. 15. Sam/Alix School. Billie Dentist. 16 Bill, Larry, Cabe & Richie Giant game (great seats, game sucked). 18. Nails. 19. Ber- nie Gleason Memorial, Wil- cox. 23. Wyatt/Tait School. 24. Glenn Miller Orchestra State Theatre. 26. 27. & 28. Medford, Boy's travel baseball. Gregg Hassey Memorial service. 29. BUNCO @ Back to the Hearth $20 gift, pick up Jean. 30. Chambers 1:30? Watch Boys. SEPTEMBER 2016: 1. Bd. of Sup. Chambers, Zoning. 2, 3, 4 & 5. Patrick's Point, camping. 6 & 7. Watch Boys. 8. Nails. Alix, Dance. Jean's house. 9. Judy, Brunch. 10. H.S. Reunion picnic, Cone Grove. Boy's base- ball, Elk Grove. 11. Recycle gar- bage. Boy's baseball. 13. Boys practice. Pick up girls. 14. Co- ri's B-Day, Lunch Redding (Card & Gift) 15. Alix, Dance. 16. Bruce's (Carter) B-Day. (Card). Alpin Hong, State The- atre. 17. Beef and Brew. Wy- att, double-header, Chico. 16. 17. & 18. Bill, Annual Stoveeny Golf tournament at Chester. 20. Cabe-Kirsten 13th Anni- versary (Card and Gift). 19, 20. 21 & 22. Cabin w Jean Moran and the Turcos. 22, Funeral service for Diane (Cousin). 23. County Fair. 24. Betsey's birth- day (card). Lassen Park Foun- dation Dinner. 25. Recycle. Boys DH Redding. 26. BUNCO, Corky's. Eye exam. 27. Watch Boys. 28. Tait's 10th birthday (Card and big gift). 30. Harvest for Health, 5:30 State. ••• I warned you. If you actu- ally tried to make sense of the wife's summer calendar short- hand gibberish, you need to get a life, as you have way too much time on your hands. That said, for us, at least, our calendar pretty much tells us how fortunate we are to lead the lives we lead. A close look at our calendar reveals that we are so very for- tunate to live near and be in- cluded in the lives of our chil- dren, grandchildren, sisters and brothers, etc., etc., etc. Our calendar reveals that we have the greatest friends in the world. Our calendar reveals that at our advanced age we are spending more and more time attending memorial services for family, friends and acquain- tances. Our calendar reveals that we live in a wonderful little town where activities are many, and folks work side by side to make the community the best it can possibly be. Our calendar reveals that we are so very fortunate to have the means to travel and enjoy the things we worked so hard to acquire. Perhaps most important, our calendar reveals that the wife spends too damn much money on birthday and anniversary cards. What does your calendar say about you? ••• Coming to the State The- atre: October 14, John Sebas- tian — Welcome Back. October 23, Kingston Trio. Tickets may for each of these great concerts may be purchased at the Te- hama Country Visitor Center. Call 529-2787 for additional in- formation. BillCorneliusisalifelong resident of Red Bluff, a retired Chief Probation Officer, a champion of the State Theatre and an exceptional athlete. He can be reached at bill. cornelius@sbcglobal.net. William Tells Afulldancecard all summer long Cartoonist's take "What do you mean Judge Judy is not a U.S. Supreme Court justice?" "Ah, yes, you speak of a re- cent survey by the American Coun- cil of Trustees and Alumni's 'A Cri- sis in Civic Educa- tion.' ACTA found that a high per- centage of college graduates are ignorant of the basic principles of our republic." "I'm not ignorant. Try me." "What's the process for amending the U.S. Constitution and how is an amendment is ratified?" "That's easy. The president amends the Constitution with a red pen and ratifies his changes by telling government bureau- crats to write new rules and regulations. At least that's how President Obama seems to do it." "Sorry, but the answer is in Article V of our Constitution. Amendments may be proposed by the Congress, when two- thirds of both the House and the Senate "deem it necessary," or by a convention of states called for by two-thirds of the state legis- latures." "I knew that. I was just check- ing to see that you did. What about ratification?" "Well, to become a part of the U.S. Constitution, the amend- ment must be ratified by either the legislatures of three-fourths of our states, with each having equal voting weight, or by ratify- ing conventions in three-fourths of our states. The Congress de- cides which of the two ratifica- tion processes to follow." "Whatever. With everybody shouting at each other these days, there's no way we'll ever get two-thirds of our politicians to agree on anything." "The rancor in our politics is concerning, but what is more concerning is how little college- educated Americans know about their government. Fewer than half of college graduates knew that presidential impeachments are tried before the Senate." "The Senate? You mean Judge Judy doesn't oversee impeach- ments, either?" "Another worrisome finding of the survey was that almost 40 percent of college graduates did not know in our system of gov- ernment only the Congress has the power to declare war." "You can't fault me for not knowing that one, when our last three or four presidents didn't seem to know it, either." "Here's a fact that confused more than half of the college graduates surveyed: How long are the terms of our members of Congress?" "Let me take a stab at answer- ing that one. In the House, the terms run until our represen- tatives qualify for excessive re- tirement packages? And terms in the Senate run until a sena- tor gets caught in an inappropri- ate relationship with one of his young staffers?" "Unfortunately, you are not entirely incorrect. However, it is regrettable that so many col- lege graduates do not know that House members serve two- year terms and Senate members serve six-year terms." "Well, maybe this is all just a fluke. Maybe the college gradu- ates who took this year's survey were having a bad day." "If only that were the case. ACTA says that in its 2014 sur- vey, one-third of college gradu- ates were unaware that Presi- dent Franklin Roosevelt spear- headed the New Deal. And in a survey last year, more than one-third of college graduates couldn't place the American Civil War within the correct 20- year time frame." "You worry too much. What's the big deal if people are too busy to keep up with a bunch of random civics stuff?" "Because, as the ACTA survey concludes, our Founders built a system of self-government that demands fully engaged and well- informed citizens. Poorly in- formed citizens are more easily manipulated by charlatan politi- cians, who, if not kept in check, will eventually be the ruin of system of government." "Maybe Judge Judy can keep them in check. I hope she runs for Supreme Court in the next election." "Oh, brother." Tom Purcell, author of "Misadventures of a 1970s Childhood" and "Wicked Is the Whiskey," a Sean McClanahan mystery novel, both available at Amazon.com, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist. Send comments to Tom@TomPurcell.com. Tom Purcell A crisis in civics education In order to prove what an active and exciting life we lead I would like to share with you the stuff we did this summer as recorded by the wife on the calendar located by the kitchen phone. Tom Purcell Bill Cornelius The death of former Israeli president and prime minister Shimon Peres last week marks the last of the Zionist "old guard" who successfully fought for a UN mandate to establish the state of Israel in what was formerly Brit- ish Palestine. Much has been written about Peres since his death. He was a peacemaker. He was a warrior. He was brutal. He was complex. It is possible for all of them to be accurate at the same time. Was Peres a warrior? That is without question. Israel was es- tablished in bloodshed and Peres played an important role in that fight. Also, the brutal Israeli at- tack on a Palestinian refugee camp at Qana in 1996 took place under Peres's command. In that attack more than 100 women and children were killed. But history, and especially Middle East history, can be quite complex. Shimon Peres was above all in favor of try- ing to find a way for Israelis and Palestinians to live side- by-side. He was right there in spirit when Israeli Prime Minis- ter Yitzhak Rabin had a famous 1993 handshake with Palestin- ian leader Yassir Arafat. Rabin paid for his efforts with his life, as a right-wing radical assassi- nated him in 1995. Shimon Peres was in favor of real negotiations with the Pales- tinians and he several times in- serted himself into the process to urge the hawkish Benjamin Ne- tanyahu to start talking rather than saber rattling. In 2012, for example, Peres made it known again that he favored a two- state solution and that Palestin- ian leader Mahmoud Abbas was a suitable negotiating partner. He also urged Netanyahu to open up direct talks with Hamas if cer- tain agreements could be made beforehand. But perhaps his greatest move to avert war only came known with his passing. For- mer Jerusalem Post editor Steve Linde wrote a fascinating ar- ticle last week in his old news- paper detailing a meeting he and the Post's managing edi- tor had with Shimon Peres in 2014. According to Linde, Peres was asked what he thought was his greatest legacy. He replied that he had personally inter- vened to stop Netanyahu from ordering a preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear sites. Asked by the journalists when they could report this revelation, Peres re- sponded, "when I'm dead." So it came to pass last week. How much for the worse things have become in Israeli- Palestinian relations with the passing on of anyone preferring negotiations to violence. There is little interest among current Is- raeli leadership to take steps to- ward negotiation or peace. In- nocent Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be killed and in- jured as long as no compromises are considered. Sadly this posi- tion is reinforced in Washing- ton, where the Obama adminis- tration just agreed to grant Israel the largest military aid package in US history. There is much to admire in those who work for peace, even those with stains on their record. I remain convinced that Israeli- Palestinian peace efforts would be much closer to bearing fruit if the U.S. government would stop inserting itself into the process and subsidizing either side. Left alone, both sides would likely produce more leaders interested in ending bloodshed and conflict. Ron Paul is a former Congressman and Presidential candidate. He can be reached at the RonPaulInstitute.org. RON PAUL A er Peres, is peace possible in the Middle East? OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, October 5, 2016 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A6