Print edition for December 2, 2006

Editorial: A Capitol offense: Not the job itself, but the actual office in the Capitol Building in Carson City.

Letter: Put nonviolent criminals to work: What would make more sense is to sentence them to service in the military. There are any number of positions they could be assigned to. They could work in the mess halls, as mechanics or anything else they have the talent for. There are tens of thousands of nonviolent prisoners who should be paying their own way by serving the people who are supporting them.

Letter: With kindness, we can all just get along: When people enter this country, without obtaining official permission (passports) and set up businesses, they should have a little courtesy and invite the local people simply by at least printing menus in English.

FLASHPOINT: I love this story about the pro-dump caucus acting so wronged because Sen. Harry Reid plans to use his majority leader's position to hurt the Yucca Mountain Project. Abuse of power, these fine folks cried. How can he put the needs of the few - that's us, fellow Nevadans - before the needs of the many? Oh, please. Were these principled folks outraged when a senator by the name of Bennett Johnston decided to use his power 19 years ago to pass a measure infamously known as the Screw Nevada Bill, one that singled out the state because of its ...

Letter: Streets still littered with Airola signs: I find it interesting that an individual who ran for the highest law enforcement position in perhaps all of Nevada is now technically breaking the law.

Letter: Big differences between Pearl Harbor, 9/11: Yes, Japan attacked us on Dec. 7, 1941. But we knew who our enemy was. It was Japan. When 9/11 occurred, Mr. Posselt specified that we were attacked by Muslim terrorists. What specific country were they from? (11 were from Saudi Arabia.) Should we have invaded that country, or maybe Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey or numerous other countries that harvest Muslim terrorists? Check your facts. Were any of these 9/11 terrorists from Iraq? Invading Iraq was like invading Mexico after Pearl Harbor (I cannot take credit for that quote). The only justification for war was with Afghanistan, where we should ...

Editorial: Bucking president's secrecy: On Monday a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled that two provisions of an executive order that Bush signed in 2001 were unconstitutional. The judge said that the provisions, which were designed to block financial assistance to terrorist groups, were vaguely worded and had "no apparent limit" on the president's ability to label groups or people as terrorists or associates of terrorists.

Editorial: Every vote still counts: Dean's "50 State Strategy" includes doing what many political advisers think is a waste of money - sending organizers to Republican strongholds, such as rural Nevada. Many political insiders from both parties say it would be better to write off places such as rural Nevada because the Democrats won't win there.

CONVENTION CRASHING: POOL & SPA AND BACKYARD LIVING EXPOS: Way in the back of the combined Pool & Spa Expo and Backyard Living Expo, past the drooling-tongued tiki head bar stools, past the robotic pool vacuums with names like "The Jet" and past the hot tubs with built-in televisions, there was a pool cover.

State has more history than funds to save it: By Mike Trask; Perhaps only in Southern Nevada would one of the oldest buildings in the state and a 45-year-old motel both be considered cultural gems.

County looks to increase Walker's pay: Eager to persuade Clark County Aviation Director Randy Walker to stay right where he is, county officials hope a pay raise might get him to change his mind about leaving for a private sector job.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION: A new computing system is desperately needed to serve the Nevada System of Higher Education, but the system can't afford it.

Cruising for parking violators: By Mike Trask; People typically reserve the type of disdain directed at parking enforcement agents for used-car salesmen and tax collectors.