Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/799197
ChipThompson, Editor 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: Daily News 728Main St., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Facebook: Leave comments at FACEBOOK.COM/ RBDAILYNEWS Twitter: Follow and send tweets to @REDBLUFFNEWS Many thanks to Robert Minch for using his bully pulpit, such as it is, to assist in the promo- tion of the State Theatre seat sponsorship program. Purchasing 740 new theatre seats is an ex- pensive prop- osition, and it is only with the support of a generous and support- ive community that we are able to undertake this ambi- tious restoration project. For more information regard- ing the State Theatre seat re- placement program, check out www.statetheatrered- bluff.com. ••• I should also thank Mr. Minch for his kind words re- garding my choice of topics for many of my columns. I had been thinking that I was perhaps spending too much time writing about my suc- cesses, failures and experi- ences related to my lifetime involvement with sports. I was also thinking that maybe I spend too much time writing about friends and acquaintances who, while important to me, mean nothing at all to the vast ma- jority of you who actually read my column. I was thinking about changing it up a bit by try- ing to convince you every couple of weeks that there is in fact no God. I was think- ing maybe I would do what I could to influence you to ac- cept that our new President is the most inept and despicable person in the entire world. I was also thinking maybe I could shake things up by pretending to talk to and exchange thoughts, ideas and observations with my dog Butch. Then I remem- bered I don't have a dog, so I guess that's out. Lastly, I was thinking maybe I could throw in some corny joke ev- ery week as filler, never mind if it wasn't funny at all. That said, I was pleased when RM insisted that I share with the world my lit- tle league batting average. To be honest, I wasn't much of a hitter in little league, or even in high school for that matter. My batting average probably hovered around the .200 to .250 mark; and as for power, I had none. Batting aside, I was a pitcher from age 9 through about 22; and looking back now, some 50 years later, I got to tell you, I was really something. While I am not sure why, Mr. Minch would also like to know if I have ever met any- one interesting while riding a train. While my experience in riding trains is somewhat limited, I did in fact have a chance meeting with some- one famous as a result of having ridden a train. Way back in 1993 I was elected to serve as president of Red Bluff's finest service club, the Rotary Club of Red Bluff. In May of that year, Billie and I made the 37-hour flight to Melbourne Austra- lia in order to attend Rotary International's annual con- ference. After having our photo taken in front of the confer- ence entrance to prove we attended, we immediately left in order to explore the vast continent of Australian countryside. After exploring Melbourne by car, we flew to Sydney, which we found to be especially beautiful. We then flew to Cairns, where we visited one of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef. It was after swimming with the fishes that we headed into the outback that was only accessible by a re- ally old clickety-clack train. We slowly traversed up the mountainside in to the rain forest and disembarked in a small village made up mostly of huts, small shops and a very small 50-seat theater featuring authentic aborig- inal dancers. After entering the theater, I immediately sought out the men's rest- room as any right-minded man would do after a two- hour crawl on a clickity-clack train. The restroom was small, and home to only two uri- nals. I sidled up to one, and a few moments later some- one else took the customary position in front of the other. It was only after each of us had matters in hand, so to speak, that I glanced over to see that my mate at said urinal was none other than Hall of Fame Denver Broncos quarterback, John Elway. In keeping with the excep- tional athlete code of behav- ior, I nodded at John and he nodded at me. I grunted at John and he grunted at me; and then as quickly as he had appeared he was gone. I think of that special meeting of- ten and can only assume that John Elway does as well. That, Mr. Minch, is my story about meeting someone on a train. ••• Congratulations to the Corning High Varsity Boy's basketball team on what was likely the most successful hoops season in the history of this athletically gifted community. I am guessing that be- ing undefeated with a re- cord of 29-0 and a section ti- tle in hand is unmatched in the history of Northern Cal- ifornia basketball. Unfor- tunately, the Cardinals per- fect season finally came to an end this past week when they were upset by Ripon, 58-50 and thus were elim- inated from the California State playoffs. ••• Unless you have been liv- ing under a rock, you are aware that the Peking Res- taurant is no longer. After 50 plus years, first as the Ming Terrace and more recently the Peking, this one-time Main Street anchor within the Red Bluff dining-out food community is calling it quits. Word has it that another Mexican restaurant will soon occupy this space. As much as I enjoy a great beef and bean burrito, it seems to me that Red Bluff is already home to several quality Mex- ican food establishments. Don't know about you, but I would prefer to see the space occupied by a high-end steak house such as the Farwood Bar and Grill that seems be thriving in the small town of Orland. In any event, I am pleased to learn that the space will be home to a new tenant, rather than sit empty as so many buildings are doing in downtown Red Bluff. I wish them well. ••• Happy birthday, Mom. I miss you every day. Bill Cornelius is a life long 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. WilliamTells Response to peer's many queries Cartoonist's take Thank goodness St. Patrick's Day is upon us. Our country is in need of some Irish humor about now. With all the vit- riol in our poli- tics these days, we could use more brotherly love — which reminds me of the joke about McAlister. One Saturday night, he ordered three pints at the pub. When the bartender asked him why he wanted three, McAlister explained: "I've got two brothers, one in America and one in Australia. Every Sat- urday night we go to our respec- tive pubs, order three pints and drink with each other. Right now, me brothers are sipping three pints, too." McAlister continued his tradi- tion for several months. But one Saturday he ordered only two pints. "Sweet goodness," said the bartender, "did one of your brothers die?" "The brothers are fine," said McAlister. "It's just that I quit drinking." Reports of alleged wiretap- ping and spying are all over the news of late. That reminds me of the one about a German spy who was sent to Ireland during World War II. The German was instructed to meet an Irish spy named Mur- phy and confirm Murphy's iden- tity by saying, "The weather could change by Tuesday." After he parachuted into Ire- land, he set off for town. Along the way, he asked a farmer where he might find a man named Murphy. "Well, sir, it depends on which Murphy," said the farmer. "We have Murphy the doctor, Mur- phy the postal carrier, Murphy the stonemason and Murphy the teacher. I, too, am a Murphy, Murphy the farmer." The German got an idea. "The weather could change by Tuesday," he said. "Aye," said the farmer, "you'll be wanting Murphy the spy." The resistance of millions to our overreaching government continues to remake our political landscape. It reminds me of the time a policeman caught Seamus with a bucket of fish in a no-fish- ing zone. "You've got it wrong," Sea- mus said to the policeman. "These are my pet fish. I bring them to the reservoir every day for exercise. After they swim for 10 minutes, they come back to the bucket and I take them home." "Prove it," said the cop. Seamus dumped his fish into the reservoir and off they swam. An hour later, they still hadn't returned. "Ha, you lying rogue," said the officer. "Where are your pet fish?" "Fish?" said Seamus. "What fish?" The economy is exploding suddenly — nearly 300,000 pri- vate-sector jobs were created in February, according to ADP and Moody's Analytics, exceeding es- timates by a staggering 100,000. That gives hope to millions who had dropped out of the work- force entirely. That reminds me of the one about St. Patrick visiting an Irish pub. Donovan, McNally and Finnegan saw St. Patrick enter the pub and each bought him a beer. When St. Patrick shook Don- ovan's hand, Donovan said, "My arthritis! St. Patrick, your touch has cured it!" St. Patrick shook McNal- ly's hand, and McNally said, "My blind right eye! St. Patrick, you've cured it!" St. Patrick went to shake Finnegan's hand. Finnegan shouted, "Get away from me, St. Patrick. I'm on disability!" These days, with all the con- flict and disagreement going on, our public discourse could profit from a better sense of humor. Which reminds of the time Paddy died. Paddy's wife went to the news- paper to place his obituary. The newsman said the cost was $1 a word. "I only have $2," said Mrs. Paddy. "Just print 'Paddy died.'" The newsman decided that old Paddy deserved more. He gave her three extra words at no charge. "A kind man you are," said Mrs. Paddy. "Print me husband's obituary this way: 'Paddy died. Boat for sale.'" 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 We can use a little Irish humor now It was only after each of us had matters in hand, so to speak, that I glanced over to see that my mate at said urinal was none other than Hall of Fame Denver Broncos quarterback, John Elway. Bill Cornelius Tom Purcell Last week, President Trump significantly escalated the US military presence in Syria, send- ing some 400 Marines to the ISIS-controlled Raqqa, and sev- eral dozen Army Rangers to the contested area around Manbij. According to press reports he will also station some 2,500 more US troops in Kuwait to be used as he wishes in Iraq and Syria. Not only is it illegal under in- ternational law to send troops into another country without permission, it is also against US law for President Trump to take the country to war with- out a declaration. But not only is Trump's first big war illegal: it is doomed to failure because it makes no sense. President Trump says the pur- pose of the escalation is to de- feat ISIS in Raqqa, its headquar- ters in Syria. However the Syr- ian Army with its allies Russia and Iran are already close to de- feating ISIS in Syria. Why must the US military be sent in when the Syrian army is already win- ning? Does Trump wish to oc- cupy eastern Syria and put a Washington-backed rebel gov- ernment in charge? Has anyone told President Trump what that would to cost in dollars and lives —— including American lives? How would this US-backed rebel government respond to the ap- proach of a Syrian army backed up by the Russian military? Is Trump planning on hand- ing eastern Syria over to the Kurds, who have been doing much of the fighting in the area? How does he think NATO-ally Turkey would take a de facto Kurdistan carved out of Syria with its eyes on Kurdish-inhab- ited southern Turkey? And besides, by what rights would Washington carve up Syria or any other country? Or is Trump going to give up on the US policy of "regime change" and hand conquered eastern Syria back to Assad? If that is the case, why waste American lives and money if the Syrians and their allies are al- ready doing the job? Candidate Trump even said he was per- fectly happy with Russia and Syria getting rid of ISIS. If US policy is shifting toward accept- ing an Assad victory, it could be achieved by ending arms sup- plies to the rebels and getting out of the way. It does not appear that Presi- dent Trump or his advisors have thought through what happens next if the US military takes pos- session of Raqqa, Syria. What is the endgame? Maybe the neo- cons told him it would be a "cakewalk" as they promised be- fore the 2003 Iraq invasion. Part of the problem is that President Trump's advisors be- lieve the myth that the US "surge" in Iraq and Afghanistan was a great success and repeat- ing it would being the victory that eluded Obama with his re- liance of drones and proxy mil- itary forces. A big show of US military force on the ground —— like the 100,000 sent to Afghan- istan by Obama in 2009 —— is what is needed in Syria, these experts argue. Rarely is it asked that if the surge worked so well why are Afghanistan and Iraq still a disaster? President Trump's escalation in Syria is doomed to failure. He is being drawn into a quagmire by the neocons that will destroy scores of lives, cost us a fortune, and may well ruin his presi- dency. He must de-escalate im- mediately before it is too late. Ron Paul is a former Congressman and Presidential candidate. He can be reached at the RonPaulInstitute.org. Ron Paul Why Trump's Syria 'Surge' will fail OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, March 15, 2017 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A6