Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Good news, bad news, other news

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, Oct. 7, 1999 | 10 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@vegas.com.

Give us more good news.

In this business, we hear that so often that it sounds like a broken record. I don't think that most people are sincere when they criticize newspapers, television, magazines and radio for highlighting the sensational and ignoring what would be considered "good news."

Anyone who believes that positive news will outsell the negative stuff is dreaming. Just look at the readership of the tabloids or watch the most popular talk shows to get an idea of what people seem to want to read and see. There's no doubt that a high school band recital will never get the exposure of a gang war.

That is too bad, but it is a fact of life. However, a little bit of humor helps from time to time. In that vein I am taking the liberty of sharing a greeting card I received from a Sun reader. The front of the card has little illustrations of a coffee bean, a jumping bean, a jelly bean and a human bean. On the inside is the simple message: "How have you bean?"

And on to some more serious stuff.

How many listeners caught the Ed Bernstein grammatical error in his latest "take the first step" commercial on television? The prospective senatorial candidate relates his record of helping people and then proclaims, "that's me." Top that one with the recent Channel 8 newscast when Nobel Prize was spelled Noble Prize.

Las Vegas is becoming the goose that lays the golden egg as politicians flock here to raise money for their respective parties or campaigns. I hope we will be getting something in return, like a veto of the waste dump, but who knows? At the same time that affluent citizens are dishing out money for political clout, charitable organizations report increasing difficulties in raising funds and bemoan the fact that donations are slow to materialize. Give it some thought.

I can't help noting the exuberance Oscar Goodman brings to the job as mayor. His enthusiasm is catching -- now if he can just keep his optimistic approach as he gets deeper into the quagmire of city politics. So far, give him high grades.

Now that Sheriff Jerry Keller and Councilman Michael McDonald have buried the hatchet with a handshake, the next test for the city fathers will be how they handle the appointments to the two new council seats.

Sometimes the monthly water bill contains more than just the information that you owe something to the company. This time a small brochure included with the billing outlines a program to teach you how to save water in your yard, as well as what flowers to plant this fall. It's all included in a "Day with the Experts," sponsored by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. It's a free event with a special program planned for children.

The event is set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Desert Demonstration Gardens, 3701 W. Alta Drive, near Valley View Boulevard. There will be demonstrations and free gift items. Please call the Desert Demonstration Gardens at 258-3205 for more information.

An 83-year-old friend says he's not afraid of dying. It's just that he has been alive as long as he can remember and is kind of set in his ways.