Print edition for October 5, 2006

Letter: Iraq's problems rooted in nation's beginnings: In 1921 the British created the new nation of Iraq from three Ottoman provinces: Basra, Baghdad and Mosul. These provinces had existed autonomously for hundreds of years and had ethnic, cultural and religious distinctions. The residents of the three provinces had no desire to be united as a country. The British ignored their concerns.

Editorial: Privacy taxes open meetings: When a state agency sues another, it costs the taxpayers.

Letter: In defense of National Guard duty: I was a Guard member from 1966 until 1972 in New Jersey and I saw plenty of action on the home front. My unit was called to duty for the race riots in Trenton and Newark in the late '60s. We were spit on, urinated on, pelted with rocks and even shot at. We were issued M-16s but not ammunition - thank God the rioters did not know this.

The invisible candidate: Michael J. Mishak; Congressional candidate Kenneth Wegner is a little confused. "It's some Republican something," he says, maneuvering his white Chevy Tahoe into a parking spot at the Ellis Island Casino in Las Vegas. "They just tell me to go and I go."

John Katsilometes finds the world's oldest stripper, Bernie Barker, 66, who is uncovered at Chippendales: We found one Tuesday night, shakin' his groove thing with the Chippendales at the Rio. Name's Bernie Barker, and he is not shy about stripping to his chaps in the name of art ... and documentary film footage.

Observing the current global standing of United States basketball makes one wonder ...: By Ron Kantowski; That kind of reminds me of basketball the way legends such as Oscar Robertson and Rick Barry played it a generation ago, and how soon-to-be legends such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade play it today.

FLASHPOINT for Oct 05, 2006: Extremism in defense of our borders is no vice. So why would the state GOP be so nervous after it agreed to send out a release for the Las Vegas Minutemen about a "Help Stop the Illegal Invasion Now!" rally Saturday? It went on: "You're Needed to Stop the Insanity! If you are tired of seeing illegals catered to, then join us Hospitals are closing, jails are exploding with illegals, and our schools are being pulled down by the massive inflow of these invaders. Our system is being drained of vital resources. We'll not allow these illegals to destroy our ...

Feel-good flags proposed for public schools: Emily Richmond, Las Vegas Sun; Click here for a printable graphic.

LOOKING IN ON: WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON - As fallout from the Mark Foley scandal continues, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid predicted Wednesday that House Speaker Dennis Hastert's days in the top leadership position are numbered.

Editorial: A change of heart? Hmmm: About a year ago the federal government began seizing small packages suspected of containing Canadian prescriptions bound for American consumers. The Bush administration and many Republican members of Congress are friendly to free-spending pharmaceutical industry lobbyists. And the drug makers are livid that many state governments, including Nevada's, have passed laws that defy the federal government and enable their citizens to place small mail orders with Canadian pharmacies.

GOP backpedaling after Minutemen e-mail: By J. Patrick Coolican, Timothy Pratt; The state Republican Party put itself in an awkward spot Wednesday by sending out an e-mail invitation to a Minutemen event with the subject line: "Help Stop the Illegal Invasion."

Culinary's maximum effort needed by Titus: By J. Patrick Coolican; Union backing must come with enthusiastic help

Editorial: Investigating indecent behavior: Foley, a Florida Republican, resigned his seat Friday and checked into a rehabilitation center, where he claims he needs treatment for alcoholism. On Tuesday his attorney also said the former conservative lawmaker is gay and as a youngster was molested by a clergyman.

Letter: GOP not worthy of 'family values': The conservative Republican Congress enacted the Terri Schiavo legislation and the "Defense of Marriage" legislation because of their "family values" conviction. In the years 2004-2006, the White House and the conservative Republican Congress are embroiled in one scandal after another.

There's a new Burton in town: By Jerry Fink; What: Nathan Burton Comedy Magic

Illustrating the ABC's of a glorious past: What: "Neon Boneyard Las Vegas A-Z"

LOOKING IN ON: MOTOR SPORTS: Jimmy Vasser, the Champ Car team owner, doesn't know whether his team will have enough cars to allow him to come out of retirement and race in the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix next April.