Print edition for October 16, 2007

FLASHPOINT for Oct 16, 2007: By Jon Ralston; The strange case of the Larry Ruvo plaque continues to percolate. When I first reported that the Family Gibbons had painted over the brass lettering on a mansion building dedicated to the spirit man and philanthropist, I was amused that a gubernatorial intimate told me Gibbons didn't know about it - as if bored state workers with extra paint just did it. Now Northern columnist Guy Farmer has come to their defense, congratulating the Gibbonses for covering up the name of - cover your eyes - "a wealthy Las V egas liquor distributor." Oh, the horror! Smashmouth activist Chuck Muth ...

Editorial: Where's the outrage been?: It has devoted a large amount of time and numerous resources to investigating the incident. It has compiled a voluminous report and is now making multiple demands of U.S. officials.

Letter: Perils of a broken health care system: Why should a preexisting condition exclude someone from obtaining health insurance? Why should an insurance company be allowed to deny tests that have been recommended by a doctor who spends his or her life studying and trying to cure people?

Letter: We need to elect ourselves real leaders: His description of how the lack of leadership by our weak and ineffective politicians has led to the disastrous rise in state initiatives is the best that I have seen. It seems to me that people today try to get into politics for a few years of job security followed by a retirement plan at the public trough rather than as a way to best govern for the benefit of all our citizens.

Reid braves rival's turf, in the name of bipartisanship: By Lisa Mascaro; LOUISVILLE, Ky. - You wouldn't invite a bruised and sweaty prize fighter into a tea parlor to lecture about the art of pulling punches.

Looking in on: Gaming: By Liz Benston; There was a time when casino executives worked their way up through the ranks in Las Vegas, from dealer or downtown hotel manager to the finest Strip resorts. With the industry's evolution into global businesses that make most of their money outside of gaming, companies are looking farther afield for talent.

From House of Blues to TV success: Listen: "Just Okay" is on iTunes, and "I Won't Let You Go" is at myspace.com/sarahthiele1 or arselect.com (artist search: Sarah Thiele).

Editorial: A question of responsibility: There simply are not enough taxes collected to pay for the necessities. The state's schools are underachieving and overcrowded. The highways in Southern Nevada are congested. And the need for social services is overwhelming.

No hearing for night court yet: By Tony Cook; Rather than expand hours to nights or weekends, Clark County officials plan to spend $14.7 million on courthouse renovations to make room for six new District Court judges who will take the bench in 2009.

Trail blazed, legend laughing: What: Bill Russell and His Legendary Friends Camp

Editorial: Protecting accountability: Members of the House and Senate intelligence committees are calling on CIA Director Michael Hayden to halt his probe, which is highly unusual and which some lawmakers are calling an effort to intimidate Helgerson.

Letter: Appeasing Turkey over Armenia is wrong: Although there may be some rationale for avoiding the label to appease Turkey and presumably assist in the Iraq war, to do so would also be inherently wrong. By that rationale, if Germany suddenly balked at the phrase "Holocaust" would we change that historical tragedy to "World War II victims" to appease them, simply out of convenience?

Nothing but nature in this calendar: By Phoebe Sweet; Taking his clothes off and appearing in a beefcake calendar didn't scare 39-year-old Todd Kincaid. On the other hand, falling from the Grand Canyon rock outcropping where he posed, in nothing but his climbing shoes and a chalk bag, did.

Lost in the bullet points: By Charlotte Hsu; The headlines were colorful, undeniably sexy: "Regents to discuss gun training for professors." "Faculty guns in regents' hands."