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6A Daily News– Wednesday, July 25, 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 TOT Editor: years ago. Keep the Fat Cats away from Bluff City Council is at it again. The Transient Occupancy Tax By hook or by crook the Red was and is to be used for promot- ing Red Bluff and Tehama County to visitors, future businesses and the residents of the area. Several years ago our esteemed council put forth a TOT on the bal- lot and it was soundly defeated by taxpayers, even though local resi- dents do not pay the tax. Then our esteemed council decided to just put this tax money into the General Fund of city cof- fers without any consideration to taxpayers' vote or what the motel and hotel owners had to say. It is my feeling that if this tax money was put back into its origi- nal purpose, it just might be RV owners and motel owners would find a solution. If anyone remembers Robin Hood this is why he was such a hero, the greedy king wanted it all. Now we come to the newly formed Branding Project in Tehama County as well as the Save the Fairgrounds committee. As stated before, the TOT funds originally where designed to pay for promoting our area. The action of the council by collecting the TOT funds and then providing the Chamber of Com- merce a measly amount to pro- mote this area is a fraud. A recent example is the 4th of the money. W R Hendrix, Red Bluff Wilderness team Editor: With regards to the article by Scott Chandler July 7 Expect More Tehama: Tehama Wilder- ness Team. July fireworks show that had no funding, which I believe is a step by CalFire to eliminate fireworks in Tehama County as has been done in several counties in Califor- nia. by the businesses that generate it as collected by the city, like it was The TOT should be regulated ing, it was also an eye opener. His article focused on Lassen Volcanic National Park (LVNP) because the branding project is the main attrac- tion to increase tourism. Back- packing in LVNP for three days without leaving a trace of their visit is not only noble but it is expected. My question is why does it take a wilderness team? He has connected himself with Corning High School under the pretext of contributing to teacher Christine Lee's design class. At a time when school districts are hav- ing budget woes Mr. Chandler gets an educational grant to buy camp- ing equipment to take a few Corn- ing High School students on a wilderness experience. He then announces next year the Wilder- ness Team will partner up with an established non-profit organiza- tion that he fails to name. While Mr. Chandler is educat- ing the young students about wilderness, I pray he is also edu- cating them on the advantages of how important it is that our nation- al forests remain in multiple use so, if managed correctly, they can be more beneficial to the sur- rounding community than wilder- ness. A national forest can be man- aged to prevent forest fire with heavy equipment by thinning and removing undergrowth and dead While his article was interest- fuel, fire breaks and roads. Roads not only used for harvesting tim- ber but also for an outdoor recre- ational experience of hunting, fish- ing and camping and the money that brings to the local economy. It is equally important to visit our national forests without leaving a mess behind. Also, how important the money is from local timber sales from our national forests that not only help our local schools but also cre- ates real jobs that have been lost in Tehama County over the last 20 or more years. Your Turn more interesting. I love the game of Bridge! I especially love the game of Duplicate Bridge! I enjoy play- ing as well as I can. I derive great satisfaction and a great deal of fun from the friendly competition and excellent learning expe- rience. In other words, you play with excellent Bridge players who can help take your game to a whole new level of excellence and satisfac- It is my guess that there are more hardships created by the casinos in the area than jobs and God only knows how much of Tehama County's welfare funds are wasted gambling in casinos. Les Wolfe, Red Bluff The Red Bluff Duplicate Bridge Club is celebrating nearly sixty years in our community. Our club was organized many years ago at the old Elks Lodge on Main Street/Pine Street by many prominent members of our community who loved to play Duplicate Bridge and loved to socialize with their Duplicate Bridge playing friends. A Dupli- cate Bridge table consists of two pairs of partners and at one time our club consisted of nearly twen- ty tables of players. Sadly, today our club is diminished to two to three tables a game of local play- ers. Fortunately, some of our friends from the Redding Dupli- cate Bridge Club travel to Red Bluff on Wednesdays to help fill out our club and make the game Bridge club Editor: tion. All of this is fundamentally important to a persons capacity to learn and maintain their skills in thinking and functioning in their daily lives. That is why so many Bridge players excel into their very old age because they stay involved in activities that chal- lenge and stretch their minds keeping them alive, alert, active, and disciplined throughout their lives. do! This Bridge can and will Our Director, Jerry Anderson, is trying to rebuild our Red Bluff Duplicate Bridge Club's member- ship. We are planning some Fall events aimed at increasing our membership (look for them), however, you are invited to get a partner and attend at any time. We meet at the Elks Lodge on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. with play to begin promptly at Noon. Please don't be late. We have a warm, cordial, welcoming group that meets every Wednesday with refreshments also for our enjoy- ment. If you would like more infor- mation, please call 527-2095 or 527-5775. Consider this your invitation to help us save our Red Bluff Duplicate Bridge Club for many more years to come. I promise enjoyment. Gerry Wolfe, Red Bluff 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. How to improve the Summer Olympics Commentary "Those Harry Potter fanatics actually want a made-up game to become an Olympic sport!" "Ah, yes, you speak of Quid- ditch, a fictional sport invented by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. It requires a broomstick between one's legs at all times. According to Time, fans have established real Quidditch leagues." "Well, Quidditch may as well become an Olympic sport. There already are lots of nutty ones." "The International Olympic Committee (IOC) votes on which sports to include or drop. This Summer Olympics feature 26 sports with 39 associated dis- ciplines. Some may not be as popular in America as in other parts of the world, but you don't want to be jingoistic, do you?" "Look, how can the IOC drop croquet, a sport designed for rich people who can afford mal- lets, but keep badminton, a sport best played at summer picnics?" "Badminton was invented by the British in the 18th century. It's played all over the world and requires a mix of cunning and athletic skill." "If they want picnic sports, why not horseshoes? You spill a lot less beer playing horseshoes. And how did pingpong become an Olympic sport?" "I believe you mean table ten- nis, an intense sport that requires incredible reflexes, power and quickness." "No, I mean pingpong, a par- lor game invented in the 1800s by rich British people with too much free time on their hands. The IOC ought to ditch that one for a game Americans could win with ease: beer pong!" "Well, what about soccer, the hard ball on turf. I think it was invented for people who acci- dentally left their ice skates at home. But at least it's less nutty than the mod- ern pentathlon." most-watched sport in the world?" watches it, but fewer than 10 percent of Americans do. What's with the skinny players falling down, writhing in pain, every time someone bumps them? Our football players play with bro- ken bones and joints and never complain." "Boy, you are tough. I admit I "Maybe the rest of the world The modern pen- tathlon is unusual, com- bining pistol shooting, fencing, freestyle swimming, show jump- ing on a horse and cross-country running. It originates from Greece, where it was intended to showcase the skills of an ideal soldier." "They ought to mod- ernize it to reflect the skills of an ideal soldier today. Have them jump out of heli- copters, raid heavily guarded compounds and capture terrorist leaders while getting shot at." "I hear your complaints, but was sad to see baseball and golf dropped from the Summer Olympics. But the IOC can include only so many sports." "Such as field hockey! I so enjoy watching players with dinky wooden sticks chase a you have to admit there are a lot of wonderful traditional contests in the Summer Olympics: box- ing, wrestling, weightlifting, diving, fencing, tennis, track and field, gymnastics, triathlon and more." "Fair enough, but what the heck is rhythmic gymnastics? People jumping around with hoops, batons and pieces of fab- ric? It may be beauti- ful, but it looks more like a Vegas show. And synchronized swimming would be more entertaining if somebody tossed elec- tric eels into the pool!" "Despite your mis- Tom Purcell givings, millions around the world will enjoy the Summer Olympics." "They'd be Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or e- mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com. market capitalists on one side, big-government socialists on the other. I'd pay good money to see that." ——— enjoyed by more if the IOC brought back tug of war. Put free-