Print edition for January 27, 2006

Take Five: Las Vegas Gladiators: Las Vegas Gladiators head coach Ron James is approaching the team's fourth season in the Arena Football League with a new mantra: The more things remain the same, the more they change.

Columnist John Katsilometes: Marveling at how the ever-expanding Silverton manages to book its vast array of entertainers: Aside from wearing makeup onstage, Sheena Easton, Twisted Sister and the Village People would seem to have nothing in common. But they also share the same Las Vegas venue -- all have performed at, or are scheduled to perform at, the Silverton.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Saying if you like the Steelers, better put your money on them now for the best price: The point spread on the Super Bowl is sitting at 4 points at most Las Vegas sports books, with the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers favored against the NFC's Seattle Seahawks.

Q + A: Professor Felicia Campbell: UNLV English professor Felicia Campbell has been executive director of the Far West Popular Culture Associations and Far West American Culture Association since 1989 and facilitates annual meetings for the organizations.

Pop goes the culture studies: What is our television telling us? How does hip hop and rock music guide us and what can we learn from our video games? Sexuality, religion, gender roles and racial stereotyping are delivered daily to consumers.

Chip off the ol' block of ice: John Johnson had a restless cruise, from San Diego around Hawaii and back, over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

What's your name, Baby Jane?: David Kihara; For more than two decades, a teenager found naked, stabbed and beaten in Henderson has been known only as Jane "Arroyo Grande" Doe.

Exhibit of Israeli artists planned: An exhibit of work by more than 100 Israeli artists and artisans will be on display Sunday through Feb. 4 at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane in Summerlin.

Columnist Tom Gorman: Preparing advice for a friend considering a move to Las Vegas: I need some help, some input.

Letter: Firm should be further penalized: In reality, someone on the inside saw a marketplace and in various inside meetings set the parameters. Those parameters took great advantage of people and in doing so piled hardship upon hardship. They knew what they were doing and their business plan forecasted what their fortunes would be.

Staying the course: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School Board voted unanimously Thursday to offer longtime district executive Walt Rulffes the post of superintendent -- but only through August 2007.

Lobbying scandal could dent tourism: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Las Vegas stands to lose a tiny but high-profile slice of its tourist market if Congress approves a proposal to ban privately funded travel for lawmakers and their staffs.

Editorial: Tests should first do no harm: A handful of federal lawmakers earlier this week said the rule, a final draft of which they had obtained from an unnamed Bush administration official, violates the intentions of a moratorium Congress placed on all such tests in August when it also instructed the EPA to establish strict ethical standards.

Columnist Jon Ralston: On how concert-going legislators put themselves between a rock and a hard place: It's the reaction, stupid.

Editorial: Same old spin on spying: "There's no doubt in my mind that it is legal," Bush said during a White House press conference Thursday. But plenty of doubt remains in the minds of many members of Congress and constitutional scholars, who take exception with Bush's assertion that he is above the law because the U.S. Constitution establishes him as commander in chief of the military.

Letter: Refuge facts are not 'liberal spin': As it turns out, President Dwight Eisenhower created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; the Reagan administration later called the area where drilling would take place its "biological heart." In addition to musk oxen, thousands of migratory birds and polar bears, the refuge is home to the 129,000-strong Porcupine Caribou herd.

Flashpoint for Jan. 27, 2006: Forget privacy concerns. Anyone Googling this needs to be put away -- and quickly. Roll Call reports that Harry Reid thongs are being sold on the Internet. " 'This is just bad,' read the subject line of an e-mail from one Reid staffer to another," Roll Call says. How much for the I (heart) HARRY REID thongs? $15.99. "Panty-minimalists love our casual thong that covers sweet spots without covering your assets -- putting an end to panty-lines," the online retailer, cafepress.com, boasts. "This under-goodie is 'outta sight' in low-rise pants. Toss these message panties onstage at your favorite rock star ...

UNLV moving beyond 'techies': Recognizing Nevada's growing need for university graduates who can immediately apply technological expertise to jobs in business, gaming, security and other areas, UNLV is creating a new degree discipline to bridge the gap.

Columnist Jeff German: Reports how one official isn't buying into Brugnara's plan for the Crazy Horse Too: It's getting a little crazy on the Crazy Horse Too front.

Letter: School Board members should be ousted: The answer is simple -- fire the Clark County School Board and call for a special election as soon as possible. The inferior educational results, the constantly increasing expenditures, the abysmally low student performance metrics, and the total absence of true purpose -- providing our students with the best education possible -- all point to an executive team (School Board) that needs to go now before more students are damaged.

Letter: No shortage of nonsmoking slobs: A few years ago I was at a casino about 4 a.m. The whole row of machines was empty (about 15 machines). There were also machines on the next row that were totally empty. This woman came by and sat right next to me and did her hand waving. She left and a couple of minutes later sat right next to me on my other side. My question is why do nonsmokers insist on sitting next to smokers and complain? Clearly, there were plenty of other machines to play.

Editorial: Terrorists win election: The Hamas victory immediately raised doubts about the viability of the Mideast peace process. How could Israel possibly reach an agreement with Hamas, which has called for Israel's destruction?