Lt. John Madea
Lt. John Madea holds his daughter as she is baptized with holy water from the ship's bell of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46). This is the fourth person baptized aboard Tortuga since the ship's christening in 1988, and her name will be inscribed inside [...]
President Obama went on TV yet again tonight on the David Letterman show. He's been on TV more times than he's had days in office! Anybody besides me question this strategy? GET OFF MY TV ALREADY!
RACE - YES - the race card was pulled again!
Letterman asked Obama how [...]
My son is getting married :) My son bought his woman's ring at Helzberg Diamonds here in Reno in the Meadowood Mall :)
I was there - we shared his story with the women behind the counters at Helzberg :) My son met his special girl while playing softball [...]
Many people read this blog - some from far places. THIS post is for my NEVADA readers :)
I feel like I NEED to write this. I only got involved in politics since the caucus in 2008. I got fired up, and I haven't stopped being fired up since' [...]
I just sadly witnessed the most Socialist speech I've ever seen or heard an American President make in my lifetime. My heart ached as the words fell from his tongue.
He actually, openly used very disturbing language in my opinion. Words like redistribute. Of course, he phrased it as the redistribution' [...]
Sean Hannity Freedom Concerts - Have you ever been to one? AMAZING! Eight cities, Eight days, one month - all to celebrate our troops, their families, and AMERICA - AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE - AND CONSERVATISM!
I had the honor to attend the Vegas concert this last weekend. A surprise [...]
Today, I had a pleasurable moment at work. As a multiple business owner, I am not at each location all the time - plus - I have "princess tendencies" that bring me in late (hahaha).
A customer came in for a repeat visit. He had been to our shop [...]
WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today he expects Congress by year’s end to extend the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers. Reid said the program has support from both Democrats and Republicans, and continuing it would be on the agenda before Congress adjourns in December.
[...]"When there was only one set of footprints, that's when I was walking and you were driving your SUV."
Oh, those halcyon days of yesteryear when you could knee-steer your Hummer to the mailbox 17 feet from your driveway while wrestling a Carl’s Jr. CarniSlab© hamburger into your gnashing maw without [...]
WASHINGTON -- The head of the Republican campaign arm in the Senate acknowledged Wednesday that Republican Sen. John Ensign’s affair has disrupted the political landscape for his party in Nevada as it tries to field a challenger to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
[...]Senator John Ensign (R-NV) has announced his opposition to the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court, saying: “While I believe Judge Sotomayor is an impressive role model for millions of Americans, I take my responsibility as Nevada’s Senator very seriously, and feel I [...]
The Las Vegas Sun described the Nevada Interim Finance Committee's actions to curtail Governor Jim Gibbons' handling of ARRA funds (stimulus) and to place oversight under the direction of a person who must go through the vetting process for hiring classified personnel, instead of an individual appointed by the' [...]
The North Koreans got a photo op and a carefully crafted response to their detention of 2 young American reporters. The U.S. retrieved the two young women from five months of incarceration and the possibility of 12 years hard labor for "crimes against the state." North Korean 'faces' were saved; [...]
The Legislature has sent a clear message to the governor: We don’t trust you to do your job. Democratic lawmakers on Monday took unprecedented steps to control the role of the executive branch, according to lawmakers from both parties.
[...]Service employees listened intently last week as number-crunchers said Clark County will begin the next fiscal year $115 million in the red — a deficit that could lead to job cuts among their union’s 9,500 county workers.
[...]Republican Sen. John Ensign was never much blamed for his party’s electoral losses in the Senate in 2008, when he was chairman of the electoral committee and handed Democrats a nearly filibuster-proof chamber.
[...]Halloween Town
Here’s something positive from our troubled clubland: Dutch mega-DJ Tiësto has announced on his website he’s the New Year’s Eve talent for Haze, which will be the major nightspot opening this December at CityCenter. Members of his site can already purchase tickets. Expect further announcements from Light Group on [...]
What happens to people you used to know - used to look up to - and then "poof" life changes, circumstances change, and voila - a new sad person is born. HOW MANY times can you watch one individual be on top of the world - and then [...]
Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez & Jacko
35 years old from Weidman, Michigan
K-9 unit of the 527th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th MP Brigade
September 2, 2008
"I asked Greg if anything ever happened to him where he'd prefer to be buried," Sgt. Rodriguez's wife, Laura,' [...]
I only got involved in politics about 2 years ago. But what I've learned so far climbing "up the ranks" and that's not saying much to where I am...but it all still seems to be BULLSHIT! From local, to state, and then to national politics, all I see' [...]
Cpl. Reynold Armand
21 years old from Rochester, New York
2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
August 7, 2007
Reynold Armand didn’t want to wait until he turned 18 to join the Marines. He persuaded his adoptive mother to sign papers allowing him to sign up [...]
I just recently went to the doctor for numbness in my hand. Thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome - NO - I have cubital tunnel syndrome, from the tunnel in the elbow instead. Yes it was a "specialist" I went to, not the average doctor.
Just got a bill today for [...]
I just recently went to a specialist doctor because of numbness in my hand and thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome. Turns out - NO - I have cubital tunnel syndrome - of the tunnel in the elbow instead...
Today, I got a bill in my mailbox stating what [...]
What does a FREE AND STRONG AMERICA MEAN TO YOU?
Give Romney's PAC $50 and you might win an all expense paid trip to see a ball game at Fenway Park sitting in the Romney Family's seats :) Consider it a raffle ticket :) Many complained that it cost something to [...]
Pvt. William Long
23 years old from Conway, Arkansas
D Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry
June 1, 2009
"My brother taught me valuable lessons and made me the man I am today," said Pfc. Triston Long, brother of Pvt. William Long. "My commander said, 'Make your brother one of us.' I" [...]
I SWEAR - I'm NOT a Conspiracy Theorist! However...I'm living in a time unlike anything I've ever seen in my lifetime, and I'm 46.
Each new "regulation", or "new law" up to and including BOTH my "Obama" administration AND my Nevada legislation...has creepily had RESULTS BEFORE the ink was [...]
When SUCCESS is no longer a viable OPTION...a FEW will continue to succeed.
When FAILURE is no longer a viable OPTION...ALL will eventually FAIL!
[...]
I swear...I never thought I'd live to see the things happening right before my own eyes today. One man managed in 6 months to spend more money than ever before in 30 administrations before him. One man has managed to appall the masses (even the ones that voted' [...]
That's the question posed if you put a couple of last-minute mail pieces together in the race for Las Vegas City Council. Turns out Glenn Trowbridge was a union lobbyist (and partied at the police union HQ on primary night!) and that Sen. John Ensign has endorsed him. I have [...]
Both passed with veto-proof majorities. I have posted the veto letters at right.
[...]Sheila Leslie wrote to Rory Reid (why do I smell the speaker's hand here?) and made it seem as if the county has not been cooperative. Read at right.
[...]That's what legislative leaders fear as clock ticks and administration abruptly reduced number of people who can accept bills from eight to one. Read their letter at right.
[...]An anti-tax group has mailed a piece taking on the chamber and asking people to call its leaders to try to stop the tax plan.
Posted at right.
[...]State Sen. Warren Hardy's pending lawsuit disqualifies him from voting on taxes, subtracting one vote from the pro-tax caucus. Can they still count to 14 later tonight or early tomorrow? I think so. But less margin for error. The opinion is at right.
[...]The veto messages are posted at right.
[...]Eight bills in all vetoed in ceremony at Capitol. Remarks by Man Formerly Known as Governor are at right.
[...]The Man Formerly Known as Governor has nixed two more -- and his logic is as twisted as ever. One would have made hospitals report more events; the other would charge higher fees on off-roaders. See the veto messages at right.
[...]Cites will of voters in gay marriage in veto message but invokes his signing of public accommodations bill to show he does not think "domestic partners are in any way undeserving of rights and protections."
He also vetoed bill dealing with regional planning in Washoe (says it is redundant and state [...]
Updates, including more veto over-rides in the Nevada Assembly and Senate are posted at Desert Beacon. The Senate will convene at 11:00 AM and the Assembly at 9:00 AM tomorrow morning.
[...]
Folks...some TRUE news is SO BIZARRE...you just can't make this kind of craziness up! And yet you find yourself head in hands pulling your hair out as to how grown adults in charge of a city of several hundred thousand people actually meet and DECIDE that THIS is' [...]
I figured I clear out my bookmarks again and do one of those lazy bullet posts. That said, there are some interesting tidbits to be gleaned or, in the case of the curveball, just some cool stuff to look at.
If you ever wondered why hitting a curveball was so hard, [...]Reporter J. Patrick Coolican (LV Sun) explains how Robert Uithoven (the Republican consultant who gave us our 11% re-electability governor) and other anti-tax/government forces are trying to use the 'day jobs' of Nevada state legislators to strip votes away from tax proposals, by filing "ethics complaints." 'Conflict of interest' [...]
CARSON CITY – The state Senate tonight adopted Senate Resolution 10, which would allow even senators with conflicts of interest to vote upon spending and tax bills, abstaining “…only in clear cases and where the matter is particularly personal.”
Moreover, ethics rules do “…not require any member of the Sentate [...]
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) announced yesterday that the state of Nevada will be receiving $1.5 million in economic recovery funds to create jobs related to responding and preventing domestic violence in the state. This is good.
Now, I'd truly appreciate it if the Senator could reverse course on his cringing cave-in' [...]
I spend enough time in downtown Las Vegas to have gotten used to the smell of the place, which tends toward a mixture of body odor, sand, car exhaust and vomit. Which is why it was so easy to find the Helldorado rodeo last weekend, even though it was tucked [...]
Two more months cooped up?
Be a good boy and you can
run around the yard.
CARSON CITY – In a surprise move hinted at by an Associated Press story early today, state Sen. Bill Raggio took to the floor of the state Senate to announce he would not vote on the tax package because of a legal opinion from the legislative counsel.
Raggio — who [...]
I stopped in at the Las Vegas Chip Collectors monthly meeting last week for an upcoming story. On the way out, I noticed these brilliant plates:
[...]This one is quite the piece of work by the city and its building trades allies, still running a campaign against a union pushing ballot questions that were thrown off the ballot. The mailer is posted at right.
[...]North Las Vegas Councilman William Robinson is having a fundraiser tonight at the Seven Seas Restaurant and the host committee is quite impressive: Mayor Oscar Goodman, County Commissioners Lawrence Weekly and Tom Collins and City Councilman Ricki Barlow, several assemblymen and other well-known West Las Vegas figures. Why would Goodman, [...]
Given the manner in which Nevada Democratic leaders have made the case for fundamental and sweeping tax reform, new polling conducted for the local newspaper must be considered something of a surprise: You'd think support for raising taxes would be...
' [...]I had a dream I was eaten alive by starving teachers. I wonder what that means?
govgibbons IM CERTAINLY DISMAYED BY THE LACK OF RSVPS TO MY EVITE FOR TODAYS BUBBLE BATH SUNDAY PS BYOL MEANS BRING YOUR OWN LOOFAH!!!
govgibbons @LeftyFace and no, just because Dawn has man-hands does NOT [...]
The Senate Finance Committee has amended and passed a bill that would require the Truckee Meadows Water Authority to fluoridate Washoe County's water.
The amendment would require TMWA to start fluoridation but would put a question on the November 2010 ballot that would allow Washoe County voters to stop the [...]
Good news? The Shopping Center industry's annual convention in Las Vegas, NV put the spotlight on “retailers that continue to aggressively expand despite the recession.” Who's on top of the list? Wal-Mart. “Heading the list was Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which, despite the economic slowdown, plans to
[...]What will Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and John Ensign (R-NV) be working on next week? The U.S. Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 627, the Credit Card reform bill on Tuesday, May 19. Or, as the Senate Calendar specifies: "10:00 am resume consideration of HR 627, the Credit Card legislation," [...]
Oh, I don't mean the Gibbers-enablers depicted backing up the Gøøbers bigoted, unreasoned stance against the domestic partners bill, SB283. There's little hope of persuading them of anything that will help the state and support civil rights. (RJ) I mean...
' [...]High roller Terrance K. Watanabe is mounting an unusual defense to charges he failed to pay $14.7 million in Strip gambling debts. He is accusing Caesars Palace and the Rio of providing him with a steady flow of alcohol and — in the case of Caesars Palace — prescription painkillers [...]
FIRST AND FOREMOST...DON'T THINK I'D EVER DISRESPECT RONALD REAGAN. He was a great President.
BUT...I'm growing ever increasingly tired of Reaganomics, Reaganophics, The Reagan Principle, Reaganesque!!! It's like people DON'T realize that when you were young...and little Johnny and little Bobby lived next door...they BOTH had great dads...but like your [...]
I’m guessing Mandalay Bay and MGM/Mirage aren’t exactly singing “Hakuna Matata” with regard to the opening The Lion King. Surely worries abound that the long-awaited opening of the Broadway musical adaptation of Disney’s 1994 animated megahit won’t attract the needed bodies and dollars to justify the investment. But if there [...]
A bill to allow taverns that permit smoking to also serve food has died in the Assembly Judiciary Committee without a vote.
This is the final day for committees to process bills and Committee Chairman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, asked his members if they wanted to bring up any bill for a [...]
Okay, plug time. Stumbling out of the El Cortez last Friday, I caught the tail end of the Fremont Street Farmer’s Market just as dusk was retaking the street. Everyone was packing up and my inner don’t-bother-the-people guy said let these farmy, markety folks go home. But my oh my [...]
Today's the Legislature's second committee deadline, meaning all non-exempt bills must make it out of committee or they "die." Of course, die is a relative term here in Carson City as many measures crop up again as an amendment on the floor or in conference committee.
The most watched bill today appears [...]
A memo that made the news: May 14, 2009 TO: PLAN Board of Directors and Allies FR: Bob Fulkerson, State Director RE: Potential Mining Tax Ballot Initiative As you are probably aware, there are some ominous signs that legislators will...
[...]The first proposal, to lower small businesses payroll tax burden more than a tenth of a point, is posted at right. Now what will the ceiling be for big businesses? Depends how much money they need.
[...]Stavros Anthony says Glenn Trowbridge is a puppet of unions and Trowbridge touts his "unparalleled experience" in new mailers I have posted at right.
[...]The unions have a radio ad beginning today in Southern Nevada that talks about sacrifices of public employees compared to chamber members.I have attached it at right.
[...]Will Bette serenade the president with "The Rose"? Will Sheryl explain to the Senate majority leader that unlike his re-election, "Everyday is a Winding Road"?
You will have to be at The Collosseum on May 26 to find out as President Obama is joined by Crow and Midler for an event [...]
Those are the claims in the latest mailers in the increasingly heated race to replace Larry Brown on the Las Vegas City Council. Mayor Oscar Goodman is lending his name to the Glenn Trowbridge campaign while Stavros Anthony is claiming union bosses inside the PPA are out to get him. [...]
The PAC funded by allies of Mayor Oscar Goodman already has signs up trying to combat those ballot questions that aren't even on the ballot because the Supreme Court hasn't ruled yet. They are not exactly truthful, either. I have posted a picture of one at right.
[...]Jim Uster is now furious about selling off the tobacco settlement. He penned this letter to the governor:
Dear Governor Gibbons,
Selling our Tobacco Settlement money is akin to eating our seed corn. Your proposal to trade our hard-earned Tobacco Settlement annuity for a fraction of its value is fiscally shortsighted and [...]
He's doing a robocall for Robinson and hitting Buck, whom he ran against once, in the process. I have posted the call it at right.
[...]The lawsuit is posted at right.
Here's what Institute spokeswoman Lisa Stark said in a statement:
“This is an unfortunate situation and an action that we do not take lightly. However, in order for us to meet the needs of our patients, supporters and citizens, we take seriously our obligations and the [...]
That's what a poll done by supporters of the project found -- surprised they let me have it! The survey also contains information on a City Council race and various special interests. I have posted it at right.
[...]Nevada News: “Mining eyed for tax hike via voters – Group says industry pays too little, may launch effort to amend state constitution” [LV Sun] PLAN observes: “In 2007 the state set a record with $5.4 billion in commodities extracted, according to the state Minerals Division. With the tax rate [...]
A liberal interest group is threatening to go to voters in 2010 to amend the state constitution to increase the tax on mining operations. In a letter to the board of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Bob Fulkerson, the state director, said there are “ominous signs that legislators will [...]
This is not going to be a good legislative session for local governments.
[...]North Las Vegas Councilman William Robinson doesn’t want to talk about a 1994 FBI investigation targeting him and which now threatens to upend his campaign for mayor. He said his innocence is supported by the fact he was not prosecuted. “We’ve put this behind us,” said Jim Ferrence, Robinson’s campaign [...]
Later this month, my two sons will be 26 & 20!!! They're no less my babies today however than on that awesome May, 23 26 years ago :)
My boys showed up this morning and made me biscuits & gravy with scrambled eggs for breakfast (at the appropriate not too' [...]
Oh...Lawdy, Lawdy, Miss Clawdy! I don't have a green thumb...not even a brown one LOL! I have a BLACK thumb hahaha!
Last year, I damn near killed myself trying to have the perfect yard, since I'd just moved into this neighborhood, into this beautiful home...and I bought FLATS [...]
1st Lt. Michael A. Cerrone
24 years old from Clarksville, Tennessee
2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
November 12, 2006
Cerrone's men said in written statements of remembrance that he put their safety and welfare first. He lead from the front and all of [...]
Ed's BACK! I wrote a story long ago about Reno's icon eccentric Ed The Waver. A seeming hippie with a story of unconditional love that walked to the moon and back, and almost everybody waved :) STORY HERE.
The VIDEO portion of that story is "currently temporarily unavailable"! [...]
I love Nevada :) It's nice to know that Blue Rhino (the folks that provide your BBQ propane tanks) elected Reno, NV as the 9th BEST city in ALL OF USA for cookouts :)
Our ranking was based on the fact that we have SO MANY rain free days [...]
All your trash are belong to them.
Oh yeah, the folks at Greener Vegas are cleaning out their warehouse tomorrow, too, off-loading all kinda convention swag that might otherwise be chucked into the garbage.
Think of it as a yard sale that goes to support a cool nonprofit that recycles and [...]
[UPDATE: The national press may not care much, but the public seems to. As of noon today, "Danny Gans" was the eighth most-searched term on Google News and Gans' death is the 5th item to come up on Google's Blogsearch homepage.]
The national media may be largely indifferent to' [...]
When you’re making the First Friday rounds tonight, be sure to hit the common area in the Arts Factory, where UNLV architecture students have collaborated to create a model of a re-envisioned Fremont Street, even more lively and pedestrian-friendly than the current one is shaping up to be.
Cooler yet: [...]
Reader Jack Cook writes:
I have used the Las Vegas city buses for 15 years and think the RTC has done
many great things lately to decrease the stress I use to experience on crowded buses
where you had to sit next to people who skipped school, so they knew [...]
Seventeen GOP senators want an explanation and have written a letter asking for answers to detailed questions on the decision to the energy secretary. Here comes the pushback from the dump proponents:
SENATORS SEEK EXPLANATION OF OBAMA'S YUCCA MOUNTAIN DECISION
29 April 2009
States News Service
The following information was released by the U.S.' [...]
After being snubbed by state Supreme Court, the union is trying again at the lower court level. The motion is posted at right.
[...]Ex-Assemblywoman Sharron Angle is preparing for a bid against the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and is raising money. See her pitch at right.
[...]High court says it will not intervene in case of ballot questions Las Vegas City Council refused to allow on ballot even though they qualified. Order says District Court was right venue and high court "not appropriate forum in which to resolve disputed questions of fact."
I have posted the order [...]
So why would President Obama want to meet with Ø? Good question.
Why would Ø write a letter saying he wants to meet with POTUS? Political stunt? You don't say! His letter is posted at right.
' [...]The campaign to save City Councilman Steve Ross and the Oscar B. Goodman City Hall continued over the weekend with His Honor attacking the Culinary and portraying the new government edifice as free and able to create better schools. See the propaganda from both sides at right.
[...]The news wasn't a few hours old when Chairwoman Sue Lowden sent out a missive kicking Arlen Specter out the door, tying him to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and trying to raise money off the news:
My fellow Nevadans:
Today, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter turned his back on the Republican Party' [...]
It's good to be a congressman and have that tax money to use to supposedly keep constituents informed. Or send them campaign pieces. Check out the piece at right.
[...]The city and its allies in the building trades, which have formed a ballot advocacy group even though there are no ballot questions (at least not yet) were out campaigning this weekend against the questions that were qualified but knocked off the ballot by the City Council. Not taking any [...]
Mayor Oscar Goodman and the city win another round in court fight to stop people from voting on that City Hall project. The union he calls "evil" will appeal. Decision at right.
[...]Now that forecasters are officially quantifying the state of Nevada's inability to function properly, let's review, just for the nonce: Nevada is already the cheapest state in the nation -- for the size of the state's economy, Nevada spends less...
[...]The Fiscal Gospel of Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons: “We want to stimulate the economy, not kill it,” he said. “We do not need to raise taxes to balance this budget. “Now is not the time to raise taxes. Now is not the time to kill recovery of the state of [...]
I like the fact that Nevada Congressman Dean Heller does town hall telephone calls. Some may say it's not the most high-tech way to communicate, but I think it is pretty effective and a lot better than just receiving franking letters a couple times a year from your representative. That [...]
