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Withtheonsetoftherecentcoldweather(forRed Bluff, at least) and the decorations around town I find myself humming that old Andy Williams standby "It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year." Ialsofindthe"Christmas Waltz" echoing throughout the empty spaces in my head. It is "the time of year when…" In many ways, this is the most won- derful time of the year for us and our family. It is certainly a very busy time for us. After Thanksgiving, we have five fam- ily birthdays, our anniversary, Hanukah, and Christmas. There are lots of things to celebrate and to share. This is also the season of re- flection and anticipation. We normally take time to review our year, our lives, and our fu- ture. We look forward to the warmth of the season and the year ahead. In some ways, we act like the ancient Roman god Janus; he was pictured with two faces, one looking forward to the future and the other to the past. He was the god of transitions, doorways, and gates. Each day may, in fact, be a transition, but this is a sea- son where we are more aware of transitions. When we look back at 2016 we think of our blessings, laugh at our mistakes, and put our lives into perspective. We laugh at the contentious politi- cal events of this year, the fake news, the tragic events, the disappointing teams, and the stressful events in our individ- ual lives. We smile because we can. We smile because we are in charge of ourselves, that is, our attitudes, and we know that we can continue to be in charge of ourselves no matter what. We watch "It's a Wonder- ful Life" and we realize we are interconnected to a wide range of people and events; we understand that we have; we affirm that we will con- tinue to make a difference in the world where we live; and we know that others care for us. This is particularly true when we live in a tight knit community like Red Bluff, where you cannot avoid a pleasant visit with friends in the market, the doctor's of- fice, or when taking a walk. We remember those we lost along our life's journey, parents, grandparents, and friends; we reminisce about them, gloss- ing over their shortcomings and toasting them. We under- stand that forgiveness does not change the past, but it does en- large the future. We anticipate time with our family and sharing memories and embraces. We know there will be a feeling of warmth and love, and we also understand that the exchange of presents is a minor part of that sharing. We look toward 2017 with all its uncertainties, knowing that we will persevere no mat- ter how silly or serious events become. We know we have built our lives on a solid foun- dation, and that we can face the future with confidence. We understand with John Ruskin, the famous 19th cen- tury English writer and art- ist, that "our duty is to pre- serve what the past has had to say for itself and to say for ourselves what will be true for our future." Learning from the lessons of the past will help us make a better future. Enjoy the wonders of this sea- son, and carry that enjoyment with you into 2017 and beyond. Joecanbereachedat DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. JoeHarrop It's the time of year BlackLivesMatter seeks equality Editor: Over the past year-and-a- half, I have been attending college away from my home in Red Bluff. When I was home for Thanksgiving break, I did something I rarely do, and that is talk about politics with my friends. We talked about the Black Lives Matter movement, and in my opinion, it is an hon- est cause that deserves our at- tention. Many others see the Black Lives Matter movement as an unnecessary act of vio- lence and selfishness. My friends used the argu- ment that all lives matter. I decided to write this letter to communicate that it is true that all lives matter, but there are parts of the All Lives Mat- ter movement that overlook the issues that face the black community. This is in no way, shape or form an attack on the police. I have had nothing but positive experiences when I have had interacted with the Red Bluff Police Department. One focus of the Black Lives Matter movement is to have the voices of the Afri- can American community be heard. The members of this movement want to be treated equally by members of the po- lice department, and they are tired of a member of their community being viewed as dangerous in comparison to a member of another race. Given past experiences, there is a divide in how the black community and white community view the criminal justice system. There has been violence on both sides of this fight, but let us not allow the actions of de- ranged individuals affect the image the Black Lives Matter is trying to put out. The Black Lives Matter movement stands for non-violent protest. The protesters believe the All Lives Matter movement is undermining their cause, and ignoring the fact that the black community is experienc- ing injustices. The black com- munity is fighting in order to finally feel safe around their communities, and they are looking for an end to the in- justices that face them. What I am asking is for my community to be accepting and be role models for the rest of the nation. It does not mat- ter who you voted for or what your views are. Let us as residents of Te- hama County be open to the views of others, and realize that there are injustices out there that we must join forces to fight. As a white male, I am not speaking on behalf of the black community. I am speaking to anybody that will listen. — Sam Kellar, Red Bluff More about the salmon Editor: I want to talk about the salmon some more. There are things that can be and should be done to help reestablish them in Northern California. To start with, riparian by- passes of dams; not just Shasta Dam but any dam that impedes their return to their old spawning beds. A professor at UC Davis has established that post hatchery rice pad nurseries are a viable way to allow smolt to develop some size to aid them in deal- ing with striped bass on their was to the Pacific. Eliminate the size and catch limit on striped bass — an in- vasive species. This will help assure the smolt can reach maturity in the ocean. I would also like to see mini hatcheries on viable streams like Butte Creek and Mill Creek and any other year round streams. — Fred Boest, Red Bluff Students owe thanks for taxpayer subsidies Editor: Cal State students owe a huge thanks to taxpayers who bear about one-third of the costs to fund the low undergraduate in state tuition. Even the University of California in state tuition of $12,000 is taxpayer subsidized. A Cal State science, technol- ogy, engineering and math grad can easily cover their full four- year tuition with about one-third of their first full year's $64,000 starting salary. Room, board and transportation costs would exist if at home or in college. The UC tuition for a four-year STEM de- gree can be paid off with three- quarters of the first year's salary. Taxpayers do not owe stu- dents large college subsidies, just because the student chooses to stretch the four-year degree to five years. It is sad that a graduate can find the means to pay off the typ- ical $32,000 new car purchase in five years, yet a majority are now deadbeats in refusing to pay off their average $26,000 college debt even in a timely five-year period. The students, not tax- payers, chose degrees that have little market value, yet taxpay- ers will soon be asked to pay off $108 billion in deadbeat loans expected by 2020. As those who chose to self fund college, without paren- tal support in the decades since the 1950s, choose difficult high school courses to prepare for col- lege, consider two-year junior col- leges to start, maximize academic scholarships, be frugal with spending, hold off on the high school car purchase and the post- college new car until the college debt is erased, choose work-study programs to limit debt, take re- sponsibility for your debts, choose degrees with market value, take the needed courses to finish the first degree in four years. Be self responsible for your col- lege choice and debts. No one is owed a college degree. — Joseph Neff, Corning Your opinions Cartoonist's take I'll bet you a can of Who Hash that you didn't realize the clas- sic holiday special "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas" based on the 1957 book celebrates its 50th anniversary on Dec. 18. Federal regulations require that I give the full, formal title of the program, so you don't con- fuse it with "William Faulkner's How The Grinch Stole Christ- mas" or "Aristotle's How The Grinch Stole Christmas." According to Wikipedia, the holiday perennial almost didn't get made. The author didn't want any of his books animated. Legend has it that animator Chuck Jones convinced him by threatening to drop a giant Acme Corp. anvil on his head. The first 14 or so times I watched the program, I saw it in black-and-white, so I did not get to see the Grinch's eyes change from red to blue. This is because my father's face turned a Grinchy green color every time he looked at the price of color TVs. We're fortunate the story line turned out as well as it did. It could have ended abruptly if the Grinch had spent 50 cents for some ear plugs to get rid of all the "Noise, noise, noise, noise." Or if Cindy Lou Who had used the "stand your ground" defense. And the Grinch decided to steal Christmas disguised as Santa Claus because his dog Max emerged from the snow with a snow beard? Good thing the "king of sinful sots" didn't observe any other canine activ- ities, or he might have been in- spired to steal Christmas dis- guised as a table leg. When I was little, I didn't re- ally get the irony of the show — or realize how many injuries it caused. The boys on Madi- son Avenue got eye strain and slipped discs because of how often they winked at one an- other and slapped each other's backs because the special with the anti-commercialism theme was being used to deliver com- mercials for stuff we didn't need. "And of course the Whos down in Whoville wouldn't want new linens and towels for Presidents Day, either. Oh, I'm busting a gut laughing." Who can forget Boris Karl- off's narration or the "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" song performed by Thurl Raven- scroft? Even in his other job as the original voice of Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes huckster Tony The Tiger, Ravenscroft was teaching us the truly important things in life: "Drugs for type 2 diabetes — they're grrrrreat!" The show rather nonchalantly tosses out medical advice about hearts "growing three sizes that day." They should have saved it for a story about the true meaning of after-Halloween candy mark- downs, and all the people whose butts grew three sizes that day. The timeless tale is practi- cally ripped from today's head- lines. "He thought up a lie and he thought it up quick. A lit- tle fake news, and he'll get rich when they click." The story has resonated down through the decades because it is a tale of redemption, without all the icky stuff about crucifix- ion. "For God so loved the world that he gave everyone pantookas, dafflers and wuzzles." Spoiler alert: By the end of the show, the Grinch, Max, and all the Whos are happy. The only one who might have complained was the Roast Beast carved up by the Grinch. "So every last one of the Whos is a hippie-dippie, love and peace, non-materialistic progressive? Why couldn't they also be vegetarian?" Danny Tyree welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol. com and visits to his Facebook fan page Tyree's Tyrades. Danny Tyree Classic holiday special 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' turns 50 GregStevens,Publisher Chip Thompson, Editor EDITORIAL BOARD 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 By Danny Tyree State and National Assemblyman James Galla- gher, 2060 Talbert Drive, Ste. 110, Chico 95928, 530 895-4217, http://ad03.asmrc.org/ Senator Jim Nielsen, 2634 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico 95928, 530 879-7424, senator. nielsen@senate.ca.gov Governor Jerry Brown, State Capital Building, Sacramento 95814, 916 445-2841, fax 916 558-3160, governor@governor. ca.gov U.S. Representative Doug LaMalfa, 507 Cannon House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515, 202 225-3076 U.S. Senator Dianne Fein- stein, One Post St., Ste. 2450, San Francisco 94104, 415 393- 0707, fax 415 393-0710 U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, 1700 Montgomery St., San Fran- cisco 94111, 510 286-8537, fax 202 224-0454 Local Tehama County Supervisors, 527-4655 District 1, Steve Chamblin, Ext. 3015 District 2, Candy Carlson, Ext. 3014 District 3, Dennis Garton, Ext. 3017 District 4, Bob Williams, Ext. 3018 District 5, Burt Bundy, Ext. 3016 Red Bluff City Manager, Rich- ard Crabtree, 527-2605, Ext. 3061 Corning City Manager, Kris- tina Miller, 824-7033. Your officials Joe Harrop Enjoy the wonders of this season, and carry that enjoyment with you into 2017 and beyond. OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, December 10, 2016 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A4