Dale Baird

04/24/11 00:00:00

Age: 82

Home: Fresno

Occupation: Retired printing shop owner

Hobbies: I love Beethoven to Jimi Hendrix, concertos to rock 'n' roll, grand pianos to muttering saxophones. Reading, writing (unpublished), TV, golf when knees permit.

Bee reader since: 1934 when Sis and I would race out our dusty farm road to be first to grab the funnies. Sister's gone now, and The Bee's always within easy reach at my front door. It's not the same, not even close.

How many letters: 37 since 1987.

Favorite topics: Anything and everything.

Why do you write? To amuse myself and others. Sometimes to address serious issues like abortion and government spending.

Education: English major, Fresno State, BA, 1959. Taught remedial high school English one year, then decided that running a printing press would be easier on my nerves. It wasn't.

Family: Divorced. Cherish my three children, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren.

Political philosophy: Registered Republican. Moderate. I think President Obama should punt.

-- Compiled by Pam Rowse