Print edition for January 9, 2007

Letter: Troop surge would leave us vulnerable: Sam Chinkes; The real problem as I see it is that at the present time the U.S. and its diminishing number of allies are fully aware that our military is stretched too thin as of yesterday. Our enemies, increasing in numbers and power as we speak, know that as well.

John Katsilometes on Passion Parties' Pat Davis and her new book: By John Katsilometes; The book draws on experience from several of Passion Parties' 28,000 "passion consultants," who are part of the company's multilevel business plan. Consultants (all female) host small parties to show off the latest in sensual products and romance accessories. Guests (again, all female) usually purchase something to energize their relationships and can sign on with the company to become a passion consultant. It's sort of like the model made famous by Tupperware, except ...

Letter: Curtailing growth is long overdue: John Stewart; The Jan. 4 Sun editorial, "Lake Mead under siege," was very good, but it failed to bring to the surface what actually is taking place here. We residents are encouraged to conserve water while builders are permitted to build residences for hundreds of thousands more residents.

Stunning beauty showcased at Consumer Electronics Show: By Abigail Goldman; Anyone who doubts the new Taser can be feminine need only see the stun gun lying in front of Playboy playmate Sara Jean Underwood, as she was twittering and signing autographs Monday, smiling to show gums of a shade very similar to the newest Taser shell: pearl pink.

Letter: This isn't Vietnam; it's World War III: Dave Dooley; As a Vietnam vet, I fully remember the Vietnam War. I also remember the 3 million murders that occurred in Southeast Asia after we cut and ran because the gutless Democratic Congress and Senate cut off funding. The Vietnam War was not lost by the U.S. military but by the politicians and the peace activists who tied the hands of the U.S. military. LBJ was picking targets from the Oval Office.

Assessed value of many homes being reduced: Click here for a printable graphic.

Gibbons' Cabinet worries lawmaker: CARSON CITY - Southern Nevada holds 70 percent of the state's population. It generates more than 71 percent of the state's sales and gaming taxes.

An extremely full plate: By Jerry Fink; When she's asked if she has a writing routine, Rudner says, "No. I can't because I have a daughter and a dog on diuretics who has to be walked at least 12 times a day and a husband."

Letter: Safe reputation worth more than federal aid: James Price; Wouldn't it make more sense to tell the world that Las Vegas is a safe, relaxing, enjoyable place to visit? We are first and foremost a tourist town, right? You can live "on the edge" here, but you probably won't fall off.

Politicians meet in Las Vegas for symposium on ethics: For several months last year an Interstate 15 billboard trumpeted the benefits of juice - with a wink and a nod to Las Vegans who know it isn't just for breakfast anymore.

Editorial: Marking time downtown: According to a story by the Las Vegas Sun's Mark Hansel, 18 bronze medallions will be embedded in the sidewalks of the area between Las Vegas Boulevard and Eighth Street to commemorate such events as the 1905 railroad land auction that allowed creation of the city, the 1906 opening of its first hotel and the 1931 legalization of gambling.

Editorial: Ominous plan for Iraq: The concept, apparently, is that additional troops will be able to prevail over the civil war that is now taking thousands of Iraqi lives a month and rendering the country's government virtually impotent.

LOOKING IN ON: GAMING: By Liz Benston; Those free beers and buffet passes down on the Strip can really add up.

Editorial: New source of stem cells: A team led by Dr. Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University's Institute for Regenerative Medicine found stem cells in amniotic fluid taken from routine tests on pregnant women.

FLASHPOINT for Jan 9, 2007: By Jon Ralston; So now we know what our politicians in Carson City and D.C. care about most: Ethics. They are chattering about their plans for reform, as if they have been deeply committed to such actions for some time and not simply reacting to the inevitable backlash against the G-Sting and Abramoff scandals. But reform is in the eye of the beholder and in the hands of the reformers, so we'll see what they do in either cloistered environment. Federal and state lawmakers have for years resisted such efforts, and are on their soapboxes now mostly out of political convenience. They should ...