Letters

It’s Best Of time

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

OK, here we go. Assuming everything works as planned, as you read this Editor’s Note, our Biggest Little Best of Northern Nevada popularity contest is live at www.newsreview.com/ reno/ballot/bestofreno13. We’ll be accepting nominations and votes through Friday, July 19 at 3 p.m. Every year, we choose to highlight a certain aspect of Northern Nevada, and this year, we’re all about innovation. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot the past few years, as I watch Reno reinvent itself. When you log on to vote, you’ll see what I mean. Be creative in your thinking.

We’ve added new categories, based on the “Freestyle” results from last year. We’ve also removed the least voted-in categories and combined some others. The biggest change you’ll see is we’ve added an autocomplete function so that when you start typing in an answer, a list partially based on last year’s winners will come up. If you don’t see your intended nomination on the list, just keep typing. As we see trends in the voting, we’ll add to the autocomplete list.

Why the autocomplete list? Two reasons: First, we see this as a way of making results more accurate. Why should a chain store beat a locally owned and operated store just because there are more of the chain stores? Bigger doesn’t always mean better. Second, we’re trying to make the counting easier and more accurate. Do you know how many ways there are to spell “Ascuaga,” for example, or how many “Nuggets” there are in Northern Nevada?

Of course, it does create the potential for a chain to win first, second and third-place spots. But you know me, I love the chaos.

I’m excited. If you’ve been around, you know how we like to mix this thing up, using local artists and themes to make it our most anticipated issue of the year. Well, this year, we have an idea that’ll induce eyegasms.

I love it when a plan comes together. At least, I hope it all comes together because by the time you read this, I should be 6,535 miles away, trying to avoid international incidents. —D. Brian Burghart brianb@newsreview.com

Teach a man to farm

Re “Food for the Future” (Letters to the Editor, May 9):

It’s exasperating when an eloquent writer expresses an idea as though all the bases were being covered, when in reality important aspects of the idea are completely ignored. Brendan Trainor wants to equate non-support of GMO foods with not caring about the survival of billions of humans. Not! The longterm effects of GMOs on planetary food production and human health are uncertain at best, beyond mere production totals. GMOs are no savior. Moreover, a look at some local dumpsters or piles of subsidized, rotting food around the world attests that starvation is more a problem of distribution than production. Add to that political and greed-based barriers between food and bellies, and you can see that we don’t need to be running into the arms of GMOs to solve our so-called starvation problem. That’s the same argument that got us hooked on pesticides and chemical fertilizers back in the day. Emotionally effective, but not really based in fact. Subtract waste, greed and politics from food production and then see how much land we could still bank, even in an organic system.

T. Alan Moore Reno

Mustang sally

The Grand Sierra Resort ad in Volume 20, Issue 13, page 2, celebrates the closing of Mustangs Dance Hall and Saloon. We who patronized Mustangs are not exactly celebrating the closure of the only place for country western dance in Reno, which the casino owners fail to realize, is still cowboy country. Mustangs is closing prior to Reno Rodeo, which, in itself, is a direct insult and dismissal of Reno history and culture. We now have country western dance at John Ascuaga’s Nugget, but not on Friday nights when everyone wants to go kick up their boot heels. We knew we weren’t wanted at GSR when drink prices skyrocketed and “select seating” and DJ-only music were implemented. RIP Mustangs Dancehall and Saloon.

Valerie Klein Reno

Likes straight boys

Re “Eagle Scout notes” (Upfront, March 14):

Mormons are not OK with the idea of morally dumbing down the Boy Scouts of America with the admission of homoelective boys to the program. Besides, a lawsuit would soon follow to permit homoelective adult leaders in as well; a coup de grace to the traditional essence of Boy Scouting. I learned years ago that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints would pull its packs and troops out of the BSA and start their own scout program if the BSA ever allowed homoelectives in. I think that would be the best response; especially if morally straight members of other Christian churches were allowed to participate. Just as the Mormon Church has grown worldwide, so has organized militant homosexuality with the LGBT. The church is, by its nature, non-contentious, and I suppose has too much exposure to contend with an organization like the LGBT. Michael W. Jarvis Salt Lake City

April Fool!

Re “Sparks Marina Monster eludes capture” (Feature story, April 1, 2004):

Why in the world would you reprint a story from April Fool’s Day in 2004? It’s far fetched and kind of lame in context and way off base in the first week of May, nine years later.

Tim Asbill Reno

Editor’s note: Actually, Mr. Asbill, we published that story on April 4, 2004. You just happened to come across it on the interwebs in May 2013. But thanks for the memories.

The naked truth

Re “School proposal makes splash” (Feature story, May 16):

Great idea. Let’s raid the school budgets and [have] less money allocated to the students and facilities. I am not a union person, but I can see where they would step into this issue. The idea of merit pay is not new. The constant issue becomes one of how you rate the teacher and at what increment. The current time warming a seat, what is your degree, and tenure are out of date with the needs and quality of education. I am sure the union would not allow any radical reform as this would result in some teachers with a pink slip. (What? Get rid of known poor teachers? Now, that is a concept.) Given that, throwing crazy raises out there can’t solve anything. The idea of attracting good teachers is wonderful in concept, but vision without substance or plan is a waste of good air. No doubt the system needs an overhaul, but it would be difficult, read impossible, to bring the union, teachers and management together to make needed changes. I am sure he raised some attention, but so would a naked man running around Virginia Street ... probably.

Ted Beecher Reno

Hard CORE

Re “Three sides” (Art of the State, May 23):

Excellent reporting. I am a member of the Reno C.O.R.E group and Ky Plaskon wrote an exemplary explanatory piece, with humor and insight, about our project. In just a few words he captured our zeal and our spirit and our dedication to Reno’s superb local art and events scene. Burn on!

Jennifer Robinson Silver Springs

Police state

Re “Live free or live under observation” (The Liberty Belle, May 2):

That’s cute. And naive. But there’s really nothing new under the sun with the PATRIOT ACT or CISPA The government has been illegally spying on citizens since the late 1960s/early 1970s with the Echelon program. All the PATRIOT ACT did was eliminate a single step. Dresden Marino Elko

Eat the poor

Re “Republican Party rebirth” (The Liberty Belle, May 16):

Chanelle Bessette started her column by asking us what comes to mind when you think of the word “Republican.” I’d like to give my answer.

I think of politicians who work slavishly for the rich and powerful. Politicians who believe that the wealthy should have their taxes greatly reduced while the poor and middle class should have their government benefits slashed. Mitt Romney comes immediately to mind.

Why do any middle class Americans vote for Republicans? Because the GOP knows how to use hot button issues. In some parts of this country, any Republican who claims to be against abortion and gun control will get millions of votes. The GOP has been using that trick for many, many years, and as long as it works, they will continue to use it.

The rich are getting richer. Have you looked at the stock market lately? The poor are getting poorer. And that situation will continue as long as the Republicans control the U.S. House of Representatives and Mitch McConnell controls the U.S. Senate. (If you think that Harry Reid is running the Senate, you don’t know what is going on.) Brad MacKenzie Reno

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