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6A Daily News – Friday, July 20, 2012 Opinion What you have in common with Richard Simmons 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 I traveled to New Orleans a couple of weeks ago for a conven- tion and had the opportunity to have my picture taken with fitness guru Richard Simmons. Considering my physique, it should come as no surprise I'm not a devoted follower of Simmons' teachings, but it was fun to meet him and I walked away with a pic- ture that coaxed more than a few chuckles from friends. The most memorable part of the encounter, though, was a short conversation we had. He asked what I do for a living and I told him I worked for the newspaper in my community. face and he asked, in a serious baritone, "Do you think newspa- pers will be around in the coming years?" I gave him the same answer I A stern look fell on Simmons' give everyone who asks me that exact question. Newspapers will be around as long as there are readers who want to read them and advertisers who need to promote their products and services. Say what you will about Sim- mons and his flamboyant rise to celebrity, but when it comes to news he's just like most of you. *** have incorporated Twitter into their daily beats and this week I jumped on board by creating @EditorChip. I was skeptical. Most of what I had seen tweeted was celebrity gossip, descriptions of meals and the angst of despondent teens. A quick primer. Twitter allows anyone to send out short — 140 characters or fewer — blasts of information instantly to anyone who follows that person's feed. I'll admit, saying newspapers will be around as long as people want to read them is a smug answer in the rapidly evolving news business. Of course there's more to the story, and that involves following our audience and mak- ing sure we deliver the news in the format that audience wants. For younger readers, that for- mat is social media — Facebook, Google+, Twitter, etc. If you're reading this in a for- mat you can crumple up and use to start a fire, you're likely scoffing at the fact younger readers view social media as a news source. We could join you, or we could do our best to deliver accurate, timely, rel- evant news via social media. We're opting for the latter. Toward that end, our reporters For journalists, Twit- ter is a natural. In fact, it's not so different from what we do five day a week. a Twitter feed. We gather information, write it up and send it out each day to anyone who follows us — subscribers and website visitors. Say the Daily News is each day because that's what you have told us you want. I can't tell you how Imagine putting out an edition, or portion of an edition, instantly any time of the day or night. That's what Twitter enables us to do. The striking differ- ence is the 140-character limit. But timeliness goes a long way in making up the shortfalls of brevity. If there's a wreck that shuts down I-5, that's information you need now. The details can follow after you've found an alternate route. A number of you, if you have read this far, are likely dismissing Twitter as a fad and have no inten- tion of ever creating a Twitter feed or following @EditorChip or any of the other feeds coming from the newsroom. Don't worry, we'll continue putting out a newspaper many times I've had readers tell me they love holding a print edi- tion in their hands each morning and no other method for delivering the news feels right to them. Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. move in the same direction as our readers. Twitter to follow me and offer feedback, as I'm new at this. For the rest of you, including Richard Simmons, you'll still find me here each Friday. I encourage those already using Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 or by email at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Follow him @EditorChip on Twitter. 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. Being number two? Commentary Vice Presidential running mate for Romney. And yet, as the previous election demonstrated, a female Veep does not a Presidency make. Condoleezza might however be a better fit for the office than S. Palin in that she would also garner some of the black vote that Romney cov- ets…and the former globetrotting Rice would know where one could more likely see Russia from Alaska. But, would Ms. Rice want the job? TIME suggests that C. Rice may become a A little reading in the latest issue of Smith- sonian magazine indicates the VP job is not a highly favored position. As John Nance Garner put it, "…it is not worth a bucket of warm spit." He called his job a "spare tire." The Constitution failed to specify the powers and status of the office and no provisions were made for replac- ing a VP who died or departed before finishing their term in office. As a result, the office has been vacant for almost 38 years in the nation's history. The VP had no official residence until 1970. The office holders themselves must have been irked in that the job rarely has had a future. In one 62 year stretch, no VPs were nominated for a second chance. And as far as one attaining the Presidency, only George H. W. Bush became the first sitting one to win election to the top job since VanBuren in 1836. Truly, the office of Vice President is not a consummation to be wished, devoutly or other- wise. The missus and I were watching a PBS spe- cial on the Queen of England's trip to Scotland, during which she waved to and received warm greetings from large crowds. She appears to be a popular monarch in an age that has passed many monarchies by. At any rate, she has learned protocol and what it takes to be on good terms with her subjects. And yet, I wonder if the Queen ever gets exasperated. We all do from time to time, and often relieve the situation with well chosen invectives. It is therefore possible that a certain turn of events...or an improper dal- liance involving the royal family and a com- moner, would cause the Queen to use the S word...or even the F word. It is highly unlikely she would use them in public or near an open mike, but what if, when she and the Prince Con- *** sort retire to the privacy of their bedroom, she removes her crown, and then, so to speak, let's her hair down and delivers blue letter expletives usually reserved for sailors and dock workers? The thing is that we will probably never know. Biog- raphers will come and go but none will have the courage to recall, in print, a moment when her highness dropped her guard and was on the point of losing her regal com- posure. It is perhaps best we do not know, for It might destroy the royal image and cause governmental shut downs. Most of her subjects will use the S and F words during their life time, but woe to the monarch who deni- grates her image. If Queen Victoria were alive, and in ear shot of these words from an heir apparent, she would probably have responded, "We are not amused." *** Robert Minch I Say why the joke was missing from last week's col- umn. Some readers maintain that the joke is the best closer since Giants pitcher Brian Wilson. Well, if you must know, ye Editor felt a joke about Polish gents in a bar was demeaning to that often maligned group. So, rather than change it, I elected to omit the joke entirely...and await the indignant callers bereft of their Friday joke fix. That the calls did not materi- alize suggests that C. Larimer is not the only one too full of himself in the writing catego- ry. A former columnist nitpicker, with too much time on his hands, has castigated the DN for an occasional typo when it is acknowledged that it happens to the largest and the smallest of news- papers. The august S.F. Chronicle produced a typo recently reporting, with a straight face, that the muscular Serena Williams was "in the finals for her first WTA title since returning from blood clots in her lugs," which was worth a chuckle. And when an article by J. Zeeb in the DN of 29 June read, "…passenger Jerry Kline 50, of Modesto, who was in the sleeper birth in the rear of the big rig, was flown to Mercy Med- ical in Redding," we did not seethe with indig- nation. We only smiled and wondered if births have actually occurred in sleeper berths. *** Last week's heat wave might have been unbearable for many, but compared to the all time record of 134 degrees set in Death Valley on 10 July, 1913, a stroll in our fair city in July was just a walk in the park. *** I was disappointed when no one called to ask U.S. , and N. Rick was first in with Sail Rock, West Quoddy Head, Maine, the Pealed Island or Cape Wrangell, Attu, Alaska and South Cape or Kalae , Hawaii, in that order. She also identified the motto of Paramount News as being "The Eyes and Ears of the World." This week's quiz: An invention called The Draisienne, in 1817, was the precursor of what, how did it work, who invented it and how was it later improved? *** wanted us to bend over, he would have put dia- monds on the floor." Joan Rivers. A man went to an Optician. "I keep seeing spots in front of my eyes" Receptionist: "Have you seen a doctor?" Man: "No, just spots." "You have to stay in shape. My grandmoth- er, she started walking 5 miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today...and we don't know where the hell she is!" Ellen DeGeneres. Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine and author of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. "I'm Jewish and I don't work out. If God had Last week's quiz asked for the most easterly, westerly and southerly points in the *** When new readers come along and tells us Twitter is where they like to receive the news, wouldn't we be fools not to listen? If we want to be in business 25 years from now, it just makes sense to