Print edition for July 13, 2007

Jeff Haney offers evidence that early lines on football games Las Vegas sports books will offer this summer aren't likely to hold up in the fall: Whereas there were just a handful of these so-called "games of the year" available a few years ago, a leading sports book such as the Las Vegas Hilton now routinely posts as many as 80 NFL games and the same number of college football games, with other books offering a smaller selection.

Struggling through summer: Louis Amundson, the former UNLV center, hobbles by with tape around his left ankle.

Exhibit will test your taste in art: By Kristen Peterson; Playful and nostalgic, Marty Walsh has portrayed members of her family via paintings of vintage kitchen appliances. Her portraits of plastic cowboy and Indian dolls evoke memories of childhood and her cake series is lavish and otherworldly.

LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT: If vocalist Darcus and saxophonist David Van Such are the warm-up acts, what follows has to be awesome.

FLASHPOINT for Jul 13, 2007: Need a new bumper sticker? Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently put a lot of them in the mail along with a letter that contained a pitch for money for him. The fender art reads: Give 'Em Hell Harry. The accompanying missive touts all of the supposed accomplishments of the Reid-led Congress and promises "an aggressive and visionary agenda for change." The language is pretty boiler plate - more health care coverage, out of Iraq, fighting special interests. Lots of boxing metaphors, too, from the former boxer. But even if you decide not to contribute $25 or $35 or $50 ...

Jon Ralston says although Hillary Clinton is the front-runner, don't think that Barack Obama doesn't have a shot at winning here: Liberal, female and ambitious - sound familiar? - Leslie's career has been filled with forays into progressive causes such as improving health care and helping the less fortunate. She was a natural to be the next in the cascade of Nevada elected officials to endorse the New York senator.

Editorial: What twilight years?: Only if your definition of fun includes playing softball, partying with your friends, dancing, working out, hiking, swimming and having an active sex life.

Editorial: Bush's 'optimism' misplaced: On the most important issue facing the country that Bush ordered invaded more than four years ago for stated reasons that proved false, the report said, "... the security situation in Iraq remains complex and extremely challenging."

Letter: On Iraq, put interest of America first: It is alarming to think that 23 out of every 100 surveyed live in the same state of denial as Bush. It is even more alarming that nearly 90 percent of Republican senators and representatives in Washington still back his decisions and policies on Iraq.

Letter: Ensign served voters on immigration bill: The thousands of communications from our citizens opposed to that amnesty bill had the desired effect. We don't really care what route the senator used to defeat the bill.

Letter: C-SPAN shows where real boondoggle is: Everyone should spend an hour a day with C-SPAN. It shows you up close and personal how our elected officials are serving our interest. But I must warn you, you may be a little dismayed at how childish some may appear when they are trying to hold up legislation for whatever reason.

Editorial: A word smackdown: Of course, the dictionary's new words may also be seen as a "perfect storm," another addition, for the language.

A PRAYER AND PROTEST: WASHINGTON - A couple of days ago, when it became known that a Hindu chaplain from Reno would be giving his religion's first-ever opening prayer for the U.S. Senate, offices of a Christian values organization in Mississippi didn't think twice about bad karma.

Former Nevada Test Site workers counting on Reid's legislation to pull them through: Ed Koch and Mary Manning; Paul Stednick nestled into his rocking chair Thursday, slowly petted his 8-month-old black toy poodle, Maggie, and held the phone closely to his ear to listen to the U.S. senator on the other end.

Suits woo Goodman and council with plans for arena: Men with delicate salt-and-pepper haircuts gripped black briefcases and spoke in hushed excitement as they waited in a lobby Thursday for their turns to pitch arena proposals to the mayor of Las Vegas.

Party for 150? My house? Friday? Come on over, Obama: By J. Patrick Coolican; So Yvette Williams gets this call Monday, and under normal circumstances, the guy's request would seem kind of rude. He wanted to know whether Williams would mind throwing a party Friday, about 1 p.m., light refreshments, for 150 people.

Iraqi family can stay, but with strings: Timothy Pratt, Las Vegas Sun; Dallal Muhamed made at least one mistake per hour dealing cards at the Orleans on Wednesday night.

Suspended or not: Judge may hear soon: Sam Skolnik; The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline appears to be moving rapidly toward at least a temporary resolution to the saga involving District Judge Elizabeth Halverson.