Print edition for December 12, 2005

Letter: Plenty of sound reasons for war: If Mr. Harrington is referring to our attack on Iraq, then his premise of such a war being "unprovoked" is false and a strawman argument. We knew that Hussein had WMDs at one time and that he did use them and would have eventually used them on Israel and the U.S. if given the chance.

Mexico donates books in U.S.: By Timothy Pratt; Fifteen women, some of whom had not gone past the fifth grade, sat in an elementary school classroom, holding a literary criticism talk of sorts.

Diabetics gaining a friend: Michelle Swafford; Diabetes is an incurable disease that affects millions of Americans and more than 167,000 Nevadans. It can have brutal complications that affect the heart, eyes, kidneys, nervous system, lower limbs and gums.

Editorial: Do the math: No tax cuts: And last week the House voted to extend, until 2010, tax cuts for high-income people. If the cuts remain, those with substantial investments in stocks and real estate will enjoy a more prosperous decade.

Support for Utah nuke site wanes: Benjamin Grove; For weeks speculation has swirled around the comprehensive new national nuclear waste policy being drafted by the Energy Department, and for now, kept under wraps.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Two unique competitions at Leroy's: Leroy's "Money Talks" football handicapping contest

Columnist John Katsilometes: Comparison shopping at the Wynn's Esplanade shops: I flipped the price tag and stared at the number: $500. I pulled the tag closer to my face -- thinking maybe one or both zeroes would vanish -- but the price did not change: $500.

Education Notebook: Candidates' identities closely guarded: By Emily Richmond; The names of the finalists for Clark County School District superintendent are slated to be made public 48 hours before the School Board begins its interviews Jan. 9.

Police believed slaying evidence strong: David Kihara; By nearly all accounts, Metro Police had the right man in the killing of Jamie O'Rourke -- her husband, Lawrence.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: The tale of the video tape from an up-close viewing of Rocky Balboa boxing match: Last Wednesday, I was speaking to Marc Ratner, the Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director, when I heard what sounded like a trumpet fanfare and the dull thud of body shots coming over his cell phone.

Editorial: Bush mum on Katrina papers: Since early November, however, Bush has been strangely silent about the hurricane and its still-suffering victims. In a story last week on lagging federal construction aid to the region, Bloomberg News reported that Bush has mentioned the disaster just six times in recent weeks, and then only fleetingly.

Inspired by Liberace, Aussie hits Vegas: When: 8 p.m. Dec. 18-31, with special performances at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 29-30. There will be one 10:30 p.m. performance Dec. 31. Dark Tuesdays.

Editorial: Hitting the skids at airports: The Associated Press reported one day after Thursday's accident that Chicago's Midway is one of 300 commercial U.S. airports without such margins, which are designed to guard against planes running off the ends of runways.

Letter: Where is this so-called progress in Iraq?: Now he is spending our tax dollars reconstructing his destruction in Iraq. Pardon my humor, but that is a sick joke. Bush is spending billions building new schools for the Iraqi kids while many of our schools in the inner-city ghettos are in shambles and a national disgrace.

Flashpoint for Dec. 12, 2005: I'm sure you thought I was joking, that I couldn't have been serious when I told you The Happiest Mayor in the Universe was musing about becoming The Happiest Senator in the Club of 100. But he is. And now word has wafted back to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is understandably excited about the idea of Goodman taking on Sen. John Ensign. And for Ensign's close, close friend, Sen. Harry Reid, Goodman is the perfect candidate. When Ensign asks him how he could have let it happen, Reid can say, "You expect me to control Oscar." Then again, ...

Letter: Liberal platform has weak foundation: Democrats were beaten by a party of "inept stumblebums" -- Berlatsky's term to describe members of the Bush administration -- that had the sense to run on values that the American people understood and cared about instead of a nothing platform containing only one plank: Beat Bush.

UNLV aids military research: UNLV researchers are helping the Army be all it can be.

Crackdown on waste: Benjamin Grove; Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., has introduced a bill that would create a "Results Commission" to be tasked with eliminating government waste. Porter, chairman of a House panel with oversight of federal agencies, is compiling a list of what may be duplicative programs. Among them:

Water talks on tap: Interior Secretary Gale Norton is scheduled to speak at a meeting of Colorado River water users in Las Vegas next week, capping three days of potentially tough interstate discussions on managing the river's resource.