"It's over-the-top, vintage Vegas!"
Vegas' run as the Paris Hilton of cities continues in the June 28 issue of Fortune magazine, in which back-of-the-book columnist Stanley Bing — whose tagline says he's an "executive at a Fortune 500 company he'd rather not name" and whose two previous columns offered advice to MBA grads and hailed his discovery of executive attention deficit disorder, a malady that afflicts senior management with closed minds and hard hearts — lists 15 things he likes about Sin City. Though less harsh than the New York Times' groin kick, Bing's affirmation-by-negation approach, while funny, doesn't exactly engender civic pride.
Bing cites an overabundance of slot machines, smokers, fat tourists and free drinks used to lure gamblers; he talks about the upscale dining establishments "with the same names that attract people in real cities" (last time Weekly staffers checked, those are real taxes the federal government extracts from our paychecks) and claims that "Vegas makes me a moron."
Ironically, his top "like," that he doesn't have to stay here, is what locals like most, too.
On Sunday afternoon a police car pulled up to the intersection of Casino Center and Colorado, in front of graffiti artist Dray's studio, where he and another artist had recently painted a naked woman onto the building holding a rose to cover her privates, along with the statement "The birth of an art scene." The friendly cop said that he'd read in one of the papers (this one) about the controversy surrounding the breasts in the painting (because, well, they're breasts and it's right next to a school bus stop) and he wanted to check it out. The policeman was impressed by the mural and thanked the artist for doing good things in the neighborhood.
Two years ago, John Nichols of In These Times magazine identified 10 "progressive contenders" who could change the political paradigm: "Every election brings out a crop of new candidates who have the potential not just to improve the election statistics for their party, but to shift the discourse in a dramatically different direction. Think Paul Wellstone and Bernie Sanders in 1990, Russ Feingold and Cynthia McKinney in 1992, or Dennis Kucinich in 1996."
Nichols couldn't have figured that the lone Vegas name on his list would experience a scandal-plagued political flameout.
Can you identify the former golden child by this description?
"First elected to the Nevada legislature at age 23 and chairman of the powerful Clark County (Las Vegas) Board of Commissioners by 27 ... well positioned to win what will be one of this year's hardest fought congressional races. As a state legislator, BLANK sponsored a number of initiatives to expand access to health care and provide more funding for education, and he now enjoys strong backing from unions, progressive groups such as Americans for Democratic Action and Latino activists. If he wins the open seat in Nevada's Third District, he will be well-placed to emerge as one of the most prominent 'next generation' leaders within the national Democratic Party."
Iran-Contra fall-guy-turned-broadcaster North was in Vegas to speak to a group of nationwide cargo security professionals and offered a few pearls of wisdom before receiving a standing ovation:
On having a TV show: "Can you keep a secret? I wear makeup. If the word gets out that a marine wears makeup, it's curtains for the free world."
On the need for Arab-American U.S. military recruits: "You can't take a blond-haired, blue-eyed gringo and plunk him down in the soup and have him ask, 'Has anyone seen Osama?'"
On his uber-conservative followers—oops, wait. On the jihad: "Jihad is the consequence of teaching young people how to hate and how to kill."
The children may keep pledging their allegiance under God, said the Supreme Court Monday—Flag Day—overturning a decision earlier this year by the 9th Circuit Court that keeping such a phrase in the pledge is unconstitutional. The case was decided on a technicality: That Michael Newdow, who brought the case on behalf of his 10-year-old daughter, could not legally represent her. Some cheered at the decision. Others balked. Mel Lipman, Las Vegas president of the American Humanist Association (AHA), whose members believe people can lead ethical and moral lives without God, vowed to keep fighting. "This struggle against state sponsored sectarianism is far from over. By throwing this case out on standing, the Supreme Court implies it is willing to disregard the 30 million Americans who identify with no religion, as well as faithful Buddhists, Hindus and others who do not subscribe to this monotheistic pledge," said Lipman, in a released statement.