Opinion

Dec. 11, 2012 — With the recent turmoil reemerging between Israel and Palestine, I can’t help but ponder the significance, or lack thereof, of all the fighting.

  The division between the two has gone on since before the formation of Israel in 1948. Jews from Eastern Europe fled to Palestine to escape pogroms. Resistance to the migration was evident then, but picked up mainly during the massive exodus of Jews after World War II.

  The many reasons, claims and justifications of war are too numerous to mention, or even comprehend. Both sides lay justifiable claim to the area, a fact that intensifies the conflict.

Dec. 4, 2012 — I found my first gray hair at the young age of 26, which was not surprising because my dear old dad found his at 24. He’s now 61 and has a full head of snowy white wavy hair (in a pony tail no less). Since having children eight years ago, my pesky whites are taking over my head at an alarming rate.

As a woman, I have the option of dyeing my hair (and spending about $100) every couple months in an attempt to cover the pale strands. Or, I can choose to let my new gray hairs slowy mingle with my dark brown waves (and smile politely when friends comment on how gray I’m getting).

Dec. 4, 2012 — Kudos is what I’d like to give freely to the residents who have contributed to making their weekly newspapers sparkle with community pride.

Photos, emails and calls with information, a whisper here and a holler there, it all adds up to the newspapers that receive constant comments and compliments from those who visit here from the big cities.

What makes your hometown weekly so special?

From the comments, it’s actually what we don’t have.

It’s the lack of canned news from the wire, the state and national news feeds; the stuff you watch on television every day.

Dec. 4, 2012 — Every elected representative comes from somewhere, but a third-generation Lassen County farmer took the oath of office yesterday in Sacramento and now serves as our District 1 Assemblyman in the California state legislature.

Former Lassen County District 4 Supervisor Brian Dahle collected nearly 80 percent of the vote in the November election, handily defeating challenger Rick Bosetti in a hard fought race. The campaign marked the first time in District 1 that two Republicans squared off against each other thanks to a new state law that pits the top two vote getters in the primary election against each other if no one gains more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary.