Print edition for August 17, 2006

Educators aim to better understand black youths: By Timothy Pratt; Mike Maxwell recently surveyed a small group of black males between the ages of 11 and 15, with questions such as, "How does a black person act white?" and, "How does a person act black?"

FLASHPOINT for Aug 17, 2006: The new campaign for governor started right away - at least so far as Democratic nominee Dina Titus was concerned. Titus held a news conference Wednesday to define herself, define Jim Gibbons, issue a debate challenge and name a communications director (Hilarie Gray, late of UNLV). Phew. She danced around the possibility of a Jim Gibson endorsement. She said Gibbons doesn't like education and she does - or words to that effect. She already had pulled votes from Gibbons' state legislative days - against class-size reduction and against all-day kindergarten. Is she a liberal, an AP scribe wondered? "I don't ...

Editorial: Technology falling behind: In the wake of British officials recently thwarting a terrorist plot to blow up 10 U.S.-bound flights over the Atlantic, the Associated Press has reported that a Senate Appropriations Committee report in June characterized the Homeland Security Department's research division as "a rudderless ship" that has been impotent in developing long-term strategies and new technologies.

THE ELEVATOR: Who's headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene - and who's getting the shaft.

Here's a tip: IRS might not honor deal: By Jeff German; The Internal Revenue Service has "double-crossed" thousands of Las Vegas food and beverage workers by auditing them after they signed agreements with federal tax collectors aimed at encouraging casino employees to accurately report tips, Culinary Union leaders charge.

Nevada candidates for governor stake claim on Day 1: AP; State Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, the Democrats' pick in Tuesday's primary, held a news conference to "highlight the differences" between her and Republican nominee U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons.

Letter: Our attention should be on the homefront: Warfare in Middle Eastern countries has long been due to ethnic, religious, political and social differences; little has changed in thousands of years as it seems inevitable that the strife will continue long into the future.

Sales fly away: At the Perfumania store at McCarran International Airport, you can buy Carolina Herrera's Fly With Me fragrance for $65.

LOOKING IN ON: MOTOR SPORTS: In his state-of-the-sport speech last month at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR Chairman Brian France insisted that changes would be made to the Nextel Cup Series' championship format to bring more excitement to the 10-race "Chase for the Nextel Cup."

Letter: Parents need to be much more involved: I am all for raising teachers' pay, but that isn't going to make parents do their job any better. The parents should be sent to the principal's office if their kids don't make the grade.

Editorial: Textbook ad campaign: A small Minnesota publishing company is shaking up the college textbook industry by selling advertising space inside its texts, which allows students to download and print out the books for free.

Editorial: 40,000 a year and holding: Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe all have reported a decline in the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS, as have other parts of Africa and India, The Washington Post reports. However, roughly 40,000 new HIV cases have been reported each of the past 15 years in the United States - the nation that generally leads the world in developing new prevention techniques and drug therapies.

Despite PAC's cosign, its calculus misses on Angle: What can $880,000 buy? Almost enough.

Letter: Bush dropped ball on finding bin Laden: By letting Bin Laden off the hook, Bush sent a clear message of acquiescence to the rebuilding of al-Qaida. This latest plot is merely the first fruit of Bush's decision.

John Katsilometes finds much to be desired at Las Vegas Monorail's station at the Drive, like parking: But I did learn firsthand that one of the issues dogging the slow-moving people mover is a lack of convenience, particularly at the station that sits above the Drive across the street from the Sahara Hotel on Paradise Road. The Drive is the "autotainment" attraction that is a business partnership among General Motors, the Las Vegas Monorail and the Sahara Hotel. This station seems to be the most locals-friendly of all Monorail stops, as it sits off the Strip on the corner of Sahara Avenue and Paradise Road.

TAKE FIVE: MIKE SANFORD: One of the most hotly contested battles in training camp this month will determine whether transfer Rocky Hinds or incumbent Shane Steichen emerges as the Rebels' starting quarterback.

Juried exhibit on the cutting edge: What: 55th Art Roundup Juried Exhibition

Could they be any more different?: By J. Patrick Coolican, Lisa Mascaro; One candidate for governor is a twangy-tongued Southerner with an acid wit and a program for education, health care, energy and the environment. The other is a snow-haired fighter pilot from Sparks with a resume and a promise to hold the line on taxes and spending.