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4A Daily News – Saturday, August 18, 2012 Opinion Charity is 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 In response to Orval Strong's letter Aug. 4, "Charity is social- ism." socialism? Editor: It seems that Orval is as con- fused as a sterile rabbit — much like Obama. First, he says, capital- ists are greedy with no humanity and don't give a damn about you. Then, when I point out some of the ways capitalists give back to their community in charitable giving, in time, money and humanitarian missions, he comes up with the notion that their charitable giving is an act of socialism. How much sense does that make? On the other hand, I don't hear you complain about bonuses given to the executives of bankrupt Solyandra, or the bonuses given to GSA employees or the squander- ing of millions of dollars GSA has spent on partying up on the taxpay- ers' dollar. freely, as a gift, to give a helping hand to a person or family in hard times or after a disaster. Charity is also a gift to make an improvement in the community to benefit every- one. Charity is a contribution given I quote: "When I made that statement I was referring more to Douglas R. Oberhelman, chairman and CEO of Caterpillar who, in spite of receiving a 60 percent pay increase — to $17 million — since 2010, wants his employees to accept a wage freeze and reduced health benefits." I certainly will not argue that Douglas R. Oberhelman Is worth his 60 percent pay increase, how- ever Caterpillar is a private sector business and you or I don't have to buy any of its products and if their employees don't agree with their wages and benefits nobody is hold- ing a gun to their head to keep them there. Socialism takes, by force with the threat of loss of property, a financial loss in fines or fees and the threat of incarceration, from those who do work, or will work, and give it to politicians and those who don't work and won't work that creates a lifestyle of govern- ment dependency that creates a power base for our socialist leaders in Washington D.C. and the Cali- fornia State Capitol and with examples in local government such as Red Bluff and Tehama County. I am not implying that everyone on the government payroll doesn't earn their paycheck or everyone that gets a welfare check is unde- serving. The government employ- ees that don't earn their paychecks and those who bilk the welfare sys- tem know who they are and they are many. Les Wolfe, Red Bluff waste of taxes Editor: Your Fed and State taxes subsidize 40 percent of the full costs of installing a wind tur- bine or roof solar pan- els. These past 3 years $35 billion in subsidies have gone to bankrupt solar panel and battery manufacturers and for wind farms and home solar panels. Without subsidies no one Wind Turbines 70 percent capacity for fossil fuels and 90 percent for nuclear. Forty percent of US corn is Your Turn would install these devices since the cost of the electricity gener- ated, without subsidies, varies from 29 cents a kW-hr for solar in sunny areas to 64 cents per kilowatt hour in cloudy ones. Wind energy costs average 22 cents a kW-hr for most small wind farms, and 18 cents for large wind complexes. For com- parison, the average US cost for fossil fuel generated electricity, delivered to your home, cents per kW-hr. is 12 tive energy subsidies, only 3 percent of US energy produc- tion is from wind, and less than 1 percent is from solar because it is so costly and inefficient. These systems are usable only 20 percent of the day for solar and 25 percent for wind, versus In this 30th year of alterna- now diverted to inefficient ethanol, because of Federal mandates and subsidies, even though there is a global food shortage, and more than half of the US 2012 corn crop is endangered because of the 100 year drought now in process throughout the corn belt. Ethanol has only two-thirds the energy of gasoline, and it must be trucked or delivered by railcar because it corrodes pipelines. Nuclear, coal, natural gas, hydro, and geothermal are the only alternative energy sources that make economic sense. For- tunately, with the modern tech- nology of fracking and horizon- tal drilling, natural gas is now abundant and within 20 years will probably replace half of the current 50 percent US electrici- ty dependence on plentiful coal. Hydro power will continue to decline as pressure groups man- date the removal of dams to allow fish passage. Whenever you see a wind turbine or solar panels on a home, remember these are your tax dollars providing the welfare subsidy. Joseph J. Neff, Corning 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. A refreshing read Commentary I try to read a variety of books and commentary so I don't get stuck in a rut. Besides basic Bible reading, I phase in and out of his- tory, philosophy, theology, science, science fiction, and fiction. Lately I have been reading mysteries; most recently I have read two of the Maisie Dobbs series which takes place during and after World War I. Those books peaked my interest in WWI and its prologue, and I am now reading The Proud Tower which explores the conditions in Western Europe from 1890 to 1914. Once in a while someone gives me an unexpected book that turns out to be a real pleasure. My daughter gave me a book entitled Fisch Tales, by Robert O. Fisch, because she thought it reminded her of my own writing, and she and her husband had met Dr. Fisch and own one of his paint- ings. After reading the book, I feel I am less than an adequate compar- ison to Fisch's wisdom and insight. Nevertheless, I believe Fisch's phi- losophy would be a good model for most of us to follow. Robert O. Fisch, a physician who currently lives in Minnesota, was raised in a Jewish family in Hungry; he devoutly attended Sab- bath services each week as well as Mass with his Roman Catholic nanny. He is both a Holocaust sur- vivor and a survivor of the harsh treatment by the Russian occupa- tion of his native Hungry. He was forcibly marched to a Nazi death camp, and was so weak he could- n't walk when he was rescued by American soldiers. After he returned home to Budapest he was banished to harsh work in a mining town because he was "politically unreliable." It would be easy to conclude based on the deaths and horrors he has lived through that Fisch would have a fairly jaded view of life. That would be a false conclusion. His views on life and his per- sonal demeanor witness to a posi- tive view of life. He states that six values have guided his life: 1) com- passion; 2) equal treatment; 3) chil- dren; 4) humor; 5) suffering; and 6) remaining humane even in inhu- mane circumstances. The book is tucked full of wis- dom. For example, he tells the story of a wise Rabbi who was asked: "What are the three most important things parents can give their children?" The Rabbi replied, "Example, example, example." Example is a good thing for par- ents to provide as well as for our leaders to provide. Adults often forget that what they do around children is mimicked, often imme- diately. to San Jose would have been impractical. While at the park, I spotted another boy of about my age who was walking hand in hand with his father. I walked over to him, put my right index finger on his chest and proclaimed, "You're full of bull (expletive delet- ed)". I expected a giggle from the boy and a smile from his father, but my expectations were quickly set aside as the boy's father grabbed me and dragged me to my own father to let him know what I had said. My defense, of course, was that "Daddy says that to me."My father and I both learned a lesson that day. his mother from the Nazis during the war. Wouldn't it be a different world if Fisch's openness to others was shared by more peo- ple? Joe Harrop His story reminded me of an old incident. One time I when I was a post toddler pre-school age boy our family went on a picnic in Alum Rock Park in the foothills east of San Jose; we could drive from San Francisco to San Jose even in the middle of World War II because my father worked for Golden State Dairies which provided food for the military; therefore he had a spe- cial gasoline rationing stamp giv- ing us more fuel than others. Oth- erwise driving from San Francisco Fisch relates some of his dreams. "One night in a dream I asked God, 'Are we Jews the cho- sen people?' God answered, 'The world turns on it axis and each seg- ment receives an equal share of sunshine.'" Fisch's openness to others was most likely a result of his unselfish father who was the only person from his death camp barracks buried in an identifiable grave. His father was accorded that honor because he would share his rations of food with those around him even when he was very weak. The other person of great influ- ence on Fisch was his nanny, a Roman Catholic woman who loved and supported him, and hid words of people like Dr. Fisch, I have to pause and reflect not only on what he says and means, but also on what I believe and feel. Fisch's wisdom is expressed in such sim- ple ideas as "The attitude with which we approach a choice, not the choice, makes the difference." Or, "When I was young I enjoyed life; now I value it as well." When I read the ment, and we must take the needs and desires of others into consider- ation. We need a different attitude towards each other in this ever more crowded world. We must alter our biologically enforced atti- tudes with broadly accepted civi- lized laws and customs." Fisch states: "We live in a crowded environ- Altering "our biologically enforced attitudes" is a constant struggle for us as we deal with the complexity and diversity of life. If someone who has had so much evil happen to him can understand and believe that premise, maybe there is hope for the rest of us. 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.