Print edition for August 4, 2007

FLASHPOINT for Aug 04, 2007: So what does a writer for Scotsman.com think when he comes to Vegas? Here's the essence of Daniel Bentley's piece: "Truthfully, there is no escaping that Las Vegas is a bit of a fraud. Nothing is real. It all looks highly impressive, especially at night when the Strip is like a beacon set against the barren Nevada desert. Purists might point out that none of this is quite as impressive as the originals and that in the cold light of day, parts appear a teeny bit plastic. But none of that can detract from the simple fact that, taken together, ...

Editorial: First Amendment help: A shield law is especially important when it comes to uncovering government corruption because people are more willing to talk to the media if they know that reporters cannot be forced to disclose their sources' identity.

Editorial: Raising the bar on ethics: Major scandals that occurred during the six years that Republicans controlled Congress during the Bush administration made reform necessary. Passed by vote s of 411-8 in the House and 83-14 in the Senate, the bill now awaits Bush's signature.

Letter: Celebrities owe American public an apology: Diaz was seen visiting the South American nation carrying a handbag emblazoned with an offensive communist political slogan printed in Chinese.

Letter: Time to put foot down on dealing with China: I think it's beyond the time when the United Nations should be quickly involved and recall China!

Letter: Tighter term limits will protect citizenry: We, the citizens of the United States, must demand that our election laws for Congress and our president be changed to allow members of Congress only one four-year term and our president only one four-year term of office.

Letter: Fault for climate change not proven: Is the planet warming? You betcha. Is it mankind's fault? The evidence is not conclusive.

Editorial: Apocalyptic quest for oil: Take this fact, for example: Arctic sea ice is diminishing at an astounding rate - 365,000 square miles of it have vanished over the past 30 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Carp are the main attraction at harbor: By Mike Trask; Joe Ornelas cooks up plate after plate of crispy golden french fries only to see his creations get tossed into Lake Mead.

Understudy waiting in wings for arena developer to falter: If REI Neon/Warburg Pincus Joint Venture cannot deliver on its plan to develop an arena in downtown Las Vegas, at least one group is ready to step in and take over the project.

A lot less for the landfill: By Phoebe Sweet; Order a foot-tall vase from a posh retailer and the delivery package is more likely to be the size of an armchair or an armoire than a petite piece of plaster.

City didn't ask, so REI didn't tell of Michigan project's woes: By Mark Hansel; When REI Neon /Warburg Pincus entered the bidding to build an arena in downtown Las Vegas, company officials probably hoped that the city would not ask tough questions about an $800 million REI project in Michigan that has been in limbo for two years.

Nevada Power to cough up $60 mil. in latest settlement: Phoebe Sweet / Staff Writer; For the second time this year, Nevada Power has settled with the EPA after being accused of air quality violations at one of its Clark County power plants.

$89 million will help health system expand: Cristina Rodriguez / Staff Writer; The state has given $88.6 million to Nevada's Health Sciences System in an effort to rev up the project. The year-old system - which brings together 150 health-related programs of study in the Nevada System of Higher Education, from nursing to dentistry - will use that money for new classrooms and work space. It also will leverage the appropriation as a tool for raising contributions. "I think it's a little easier to sit with a donor now," said Marcia Turner, the Health Sciences System's interim vice chancellor and chief operating officer. "Instead of wondering or guessing what the state is ...