Oct. 31, 2013

Letters ........................... 3 Opinion/Streetalk ........... 5 Sheila Leslie ................... 6 Brendan Trainor............. 7 news ............................. 8 green ........................... 11 Feature ........................ 13 Arts&Culture ............... 16 Art of the State ............ 19

trAGedY sPArKs in

Foodfinds .................... 20 Film............................. 22 Musicbeat ................... 23 nightclubs/Casinos ...... 24 This Week ....................27 Advice goddess .......... 28 Free Will Astrology ...... 30 15 Minutes .................... 31 Bruce van Dyke ........... 31

ExpEnsivE’s just anothEr word for frEE hEalth carE See Let Freedom Ring, page 7.

Where’s the evidence?

See News, page 8.

Northern Nevada gets blindsided by sudden gun violence and death in one of our schools

LOng Live the king See Arts&Culture, page 16.

ReNAiSSANCe WRiteR See 15 Minutes, page 31.

RENo’s NEws & ENtERtaiNmENt wEEkly

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VolumE 19, issuE 37

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oCtoBER 31–NoVEmBER 6, 2013

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october 31, 2013

Send letters to renoletters@newsreview.com

Modify your sick-day policy

We’re tight

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

I’m an instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno, right?

After class, this week, one of my students was complaining that her employer said she has to get an excuse from her doctor before she can go back to work because she called in sick. She works at Ruby River Steakhouse, and she said she was told that it was a health code.

Well, it’s not. In my opinion, it’s a bullshit policy on the part of the corporate management that encourages the workers to work with communicable diseases, so the management won’t have to deal with scheduling issues.

Here’s how it works. Somebody is sick so they do what any responsible person would do, and they call in. At that point, they are notified of the policy. “I don’t have $130 bucks for urgent care,” they say. “I’ll come in.”

If they don’t come in, they lose any tips they may have made, plus they are out the cost of a doctor’s visit. If they’re like I was when I was working service jobs, they don’t have the money for a doctor’s appointment at all, so they’ll lose their job.

But no, instead they will come in, spreading flu germs to our plates and glasses, eating utensils, even our napkins.

They spread the disease among their coworkers, who in turn potentially infect thousands of citizens in Reno, including people who have prior health issues or compromised immune systems and the youngest and oldest among us.

Every restaurant, business or retail outfit needs to rethink its sick day policy. A momentary inconvenience for a single manager can cost the community thousands of personnel hours and millions of dollars. *** Along other lines, I’m holding the results of the 95-Word Fiction Contest for a week.

I’m doing this in part because I didn’t want to draw out this Sparks coverage any longer than necessary, but I feel like we would be failing our readers not to cover it.

Re “State of Health” (Feature area, Oct. 11): Thanks to RN&R and Dennis Myers for another great piece, “State of Health.” I have a better understanding of where Nevada is at in terms of health care and also how we got here. Once again, Nevada’s zeitgeist appears to favor the rich and powerful. Maybe Myers would be willing to write another in-depth piece on our state/county tax structures and how they compare to other states/counties nearby? Others seem to be able to maintain schools without the gnashing of teeth we experience in Washoe County every time the subject comes up. Maybe, if we were made aware of what’s going on outside of Truckee Meadows, we might be less tightfisted.

Valerie Truce Reno Editor’s note: Dennis recommends his story “It happens”(Feature story, May 23) as a possible starting point.

That’s a fact Re “Doctors’ secret” (Feature story, Oct. 24): Seeing this subject from the doctor’s perspective is enlightening.

I have always felt doctors were more pragmatic than the rest of us, but had no proof. I have always felt that religion and “the hospital profit motive” often get in the way of the decisions made by the patient (before their incapacitation). And political opposition to reasonable end-of-life care has also hampered this discussion. I couldn’t help but be frustrated by the argument over “death panels” when this kind of discussion could help reach a goal of cutting costs to Medicare and Medicaid, which would improve overall benefits to those programs.

“We can’t fix everything” and “accept our fates” are two pragmatic principles I adhere to, and I resent the obtrusiveness of politics and

Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages people to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live.

religion trying to override my decisions. And frankly, my decisions are based on these few things: I do not want to spend my last days suffering through hopeless “cures;” I don’t want to waste my family’s meager inheritance; I don’t want to make it painful for them to make decisions on their own. If we are to be free to live our own lives, I do not see why we cannot decide how to end our lives.

Tom Distad Reno

A better death Re “Doctors’ secret” (Feature story, Oct. 24): The article hits the nail right on the head. Hospitals and physicians are required to save lives. It seems that, in our society, death has become “medicalized,” and “borderline curative medical procedures” are often promoted over the quality of inevitable death.

One aspect that people/relatives do not know is that even though you have a Do Not Resuscitate (at a bedside, your local hospital or your doctor’s office), if for some reason you call an ambulance, say, for your terminal ill parent in the home, the ambulance folks will disregard your DNR—they are not lawyers or doctors in the know of your situation or the patient’s—and perform life saving duties on the patient. Also, if the patient is taken to a different hospital than normal, they will do life saving acts, since they do not know about the DNR or they fail to consult with you. We carried notarized DNRs for my wife’s mother around with us and provided them to relatives.

This is what happened to my infirm 83-plus-year-old mother-inlaw. She was in normal age-related failing mental health for several years following her husband’s cancer-related death. She also suffered a moderately debilitating stroke during his decline. Both had lawyer-prepared paperwork about

Editor/Publisher D. Brian Burghart News Editor Dennis Myers Arts Editor Brad Bynum Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Editorial Intern Sage Leehey Contributors Amy Alkon, Chanelle Bessette, Megan Berner, Mark Dunagan, Bob Grimm, Ashley Hennefer, Sheila Leslie, Dave Preston, Jessica Santina, K.J. Sullivan, Kris Vagner, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young

Creative Director Priscilla Garcia Art Director Hayley Doshay Junior Art Director Brian Breneman Design Vivian Liu, Serene Lusano, Marianne Mancina, Skyler Smith Advertising Consultants Meg Brown, Gina Odegard, Bev Savage Senior Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay Office/Distribution Manager/ Ad Coordinator Karen Brooke Executive Assistant/Operations Coordinator Nanette Harker

—D. Brian Burghart

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their end-of-life wishes and assigned health-care agents in the event that she became unable to make her own decisions. DNRs were part of their wishes. During her time in a care home, she had two or more trips to the ER and resuscitation, she lingered on for several years in a semi-vegetative state.

We were not available when the emergency folks were summoned and arrived several hours after transfer to the hospital. We had her DNR on file at a neighborhood hospital (right around the corner, which was not her primary care hospital). Her primary care hospital was 20 miles away. Communication problems night shift nurses at the care home and the evening staff at the hospital resulted in her receiving life saving care over her stuttering verbal protests. Therefore, she lingered on for a few more years in a semi-vegetative and declining state of life. Due to all the stress involved in managing her mother’s care from Reno and in person, my loving and caring wife of 45 years wound up dying before her mother.

Frequent monthly trips (400-mile round trip) to visit her and hasty trips to be near her bedside, took a big toll on my wife’s own health.

I had to establish a DNR for my wife, she was 64 years young, at a local Reno hospital, five hours after she was admitted for a breathing problem. After a heroic effort by the staff, they gave me the choice of heart/lung machines and feeding tubes, or let her pass painlessly into the night. Since her brain had been starved of oxygen for a significant period of time during the resuscitation and she was in an induced coma, I sadly and loving let her pass painlessly.

I firmly believe in both the quality of life (living and active, not just surviving), and the quality of death (one that is pain-free and serene).

Dean Chaney Sun Valley

Assistant Distribution Manager Ron Neill Distribution Drivers Sandra Chhina, Jesse Pike, David Richards, Michael Schneider, Martin Troye, Warren Tucker, Matthew Veach, Joseph White, Sam White General Manager/Publisher John D. Murphy President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resource Manager Tanja Poley Business Manager Grant Ronsenquist

Minority rules When did it become “the will of the minority” when it comes to the determining the nature of this nation?

We’re now in a situation where a very small group of representatives is trying to dictate policy despite what anyone else thinks. These representatives claim that they’re only doing what our constituents elected them to do. While this makes for a nice sound-bite, it is completely contrary to the concept of “the will of the people” which is what they incessantly bellow at us on a daily basis. These representatives and their constituents have to accept that there is a limit of their right to determine policy. The basic idea is that we all get a say in things, and we express our opinions with our votes. This constant denial to allow votes on things that everyone knows will pass if a vote were held has to stop. There is a lot of talk these days about throwing all the bums out. I would suggest a more refined option—throw out the bums who are preventing democracy from happening. Deadlock only happens when the will of the majority is ignored.

Michel Rottmann Virginia City Highlands

Loud pipes Re “Bad vibes” (Upfront, Oct. 24): Yes, motorcyclists bring money into our economy, but they need to be roped in a little. The last group of bikers had little or no respect for the citizens who call Reno home, rode with reckless abandon. Also, really, are those pipes legal? You can’t play your music that loud without a citation, so how is a deafening roar OK? I ride three days a week, seven in summer, but I wouldn’t have anything to do with this “event.” Certainly, I am not calling them all bad but the few ruin it for everyone else. I don’t ride during that week because they bring out the hate in people who drive cars, as I would understand, and the hate lasts for a couple of weeks afterward.

Peter Hillman Reno

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october 31, 2013

by Dennis Myers

ThiS ModeRn WoRld

by tom tomorrow

Are schools safe?

Asked in downtown Sparks

Bobby Willmes Marketer

[Problems] are going to happen no matter what. I think they are safe. I went though Washoe schools, and I always felt safe. I have faith in the schools.

Ashley Pugh Cashier

I think they’re as safe as they can be. I don’t think we’re any more dangerous than anywhere else.

Brandon Fisher Student

It’s the law. Follow it.

The shooting at Sparks Middle School was a tragedy.

Sparks Middle School math teacher Michael Landsberry is a true hero. In his last moments, Jose Reyes was a murderer. Now he’s a memory, not a minor, not legally a person.

Unfortunately, this incident will fade from our memories far too quickly. Members of this newspaper staff are already ready to move on. In fact, it’s that consideration that made us run it on the cover now instead of next week when it just would have reinvigorated a discussion that had already begun to move away from this emotional trauma in our community.

One of the lasting effects of this tragedy, though, will be the debate that took place as to whether Reyes’ name should have been released. It took the place of discussions about gun violence, mental illness and school safety that we should have been having.

Even people we typically agree with, like Cory Farley, weighed in, asking the questions: “Do you want to know the name of the 12-year-old who shot Sparks teacher Mike Landsberry last week? Why? What purpose would it serve?”

He then goes on to say, “Two arguments I’ve seen are that knowing the name is important to understanding the ’circumstances’ of the case, and that it will help the community heal.”

These are strawman arguments that have nothing to do with why that information should have been released immediately.

The reason that name should have been released is because the law says it should be released. It’s none of Sparks Police Department’s business why residents or journalists wanted it released. It’s the law. It’s never a OPINION

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No, because there could be shooters in our schools. I just feel like it could happen once, it could happen again.

public agency’s business when a citizen or a journalist goes in and asks for public information. It’s ours, we own it.

And when law enforcement agencies start breaking the law and then have their attorney transparently lying about it by saying “[the department] has not generated any document that would be considered a ‘record’ subject to dissemination under the provisions of (Nevada Revised Statutes) Chapter 239,” we as a community have got a problem. What Chapter 239 says is that all public records are open unless there is an exception in the law—and neither the Sparks police nor their attorney cited such an exception.

It’s becoming an embarrassingly common practice of local government to hide public documents behind stone walls, mushmouth platitudes and attorney’s privilege.

Those agencies drag their feet or simply say, “We’re not giving it up, so sue us,” knowing full well that few media outlets, and even fewer private citizens, have the money to sue a government agency to get public information. Our taxes pay their lawyers to hide our information from us.

We don’t care what laudatory reasons the Sparks Police Department claimed when it decided to break the law and withhold public information. We may even respect the sentiment behind those reasons, although we expect there will be more to this story of special treatment. Sparks Police Department is a law enforcement agency, and it’s Sparks Police Department’s job to enforce the law. “The law” includes public records laws.

Our community should have been talking about school violence, not about whether police should be above the law. Ω |

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Martin Mason Student

I don’t think so because there could be any kids coming in with a gun.

Recently, there are kids who just go through probably bad stuff at home or from bullying or whatever.

Gina Greterman Retiree

I think it’s just the way kids are brought up these days—no respect. They’re missing something so they’re taking it out on others that way.

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Nevada lost two awesome heroines

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Sheila Leslie

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October took from us two Nevada heroines.

Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce, “P Squared” to her legislative friends, succumbed to a third bout of breast cancer in the early morning hours of Oct. 10 in Las Vegas.

Jo Anne Garrett died the same week near her home just outside the main entrance to Great Basin National Park in Baker. Her body was discovered four days after she left for an afternoon walk in the shadow of Nevada’s second highest peak.

Despite the nearly 30-year difference in age, these two Nevada women shared many personality traits. They were courageous, tenacious and laserfocused. Unlike far too many of their colleagues, both in and out of elected office, they didn’t engage in selfserving patter about their wondrous selves on Twitter. Instead, they chose to take action against injustice in the state they deeply loved.

Peggy moved to Nevada to become a lounge singer. When the

OCTOBER 31, 2013

need for constant self-promotion ended that career, she became a shop steward for Nevada’s most ferocious union, the Culinary.

Despite being dismissed as a union lackey by the Chamber and other business lobbyists, Peggy didn’t let union leaders dictate her politics.

When she refused to go along with the multi-billion dollar water grab from northeastern Nevada to fund construction jobs in Las Vegas, one labor leader supported another candidate in her district. Peggy’s constituents chose her instead.

Peggy didn’t suffer fools gladly.

She confronted whining business lobbyists at legislative hearings or in grocery stores, with or without an audience. She was steadfast about the need to impose a corporate tax in Nevada as 47 other states have done.

Her partner, Jon Sasser, told the crowd at her memorial: “Peggy did not want to raise [taxes] because she disliked business. She wanted to because of the seniors, people with disabilities and children the money would help. ... She felt that longtime

Nevadans really didn’t understand how far out of the mainstream Nevada’s experiment with tiny government was. She always had the statistics to back it up.”

Jo Anne, a 40-year resident of Baker, was just as steely, although her style was more understated.

After her partner, Joe Griggs, died, Jo Anne lived alone in the house they built together, although she was rarely alone. She hosted people she loved and people she barely knew who needed respite while traveling between San Francisco and parts east. Her rustic retreat was always full of Nevada’s best scenery and conversation.

Jo Anne moved to the forefront of Nevada’s environmental community when the federal government wanted to plant MX missiles throughout eastern Nevada. She joined Citizen Alert and played a key role in defeating the ill-conceived plan. She fought against Yucca Mountain and led the Great Basin Water Network in protest against the water grab pipeline.

Jo Anne became the voice of

the ranchers and people of Eastern Nevada who demanded to know why they should sacrifice their peaceful rural lifestyle so Las Vegas could build another soulless subdivision.

In one public hearing, she famously and politely addressed Pat Mulroy, the water authority’s czarina, declaring: “Mrs. Mulroy, please tear up your plan!”

Several years ago, I hiked with Jo Anne up to The Table on Mt. Moriah, her Teva sandals suggesting an afternoon stroll down a dirt road instead of the steep trail that left the rest of us gasping. Pausing to take in the spectacular views amid the bristlecone and limber pine, she told me she expected others would join her in opposition to the water grab when they fully understood what was at stake. In the meantime, she intended to take the advice of another Nevada heroine, Maya Miller, to stand her ground.

Rest in peace ladies. On this Nevada Day, we honor your example that guides us toward a better Nevada. Ω

There will be a celebration of Pierce’s life at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center, 925 Riverside Drive, from 3 to 6 on Nov. 16. Doors will open at 2:45, and the program will start around 3:45.

The celebration will move to a local bar for those wishing to carry on into the evening.

Nevadans pay more now and later state-run exchanges appear to function better than the train wreck that the federal government’s website has been, it is still too early to call them successful. And now Nevada is actively pushing for people to sign up for an inferior product.

Nevadans are already feeling sticker shock. According to the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a single, 25-year-old Nevadan would need to pay a monthly premium of at least $184 to be ACA-compliant. Before the ACA, coverage would be $85.

The governor claims that the Medicaid expansion will amount to 70,000 newly covered individuals.

But critics believe it will be at least twice that many. When was the last time you saw a government program that came in under its projected costs?

Isn’t it a good thing to provide health insurance for the poor?

Perhaps, but not with Medicaid. Let me explain.

Medicaid is a cruel bait and switch for many people. The number of doctors who are refusing to accept

Last December, Gov. Brian Sandoval became the first Republican governor to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This October, the state unveiled its Obamacare website, Nevadahealthlink.com.

Nevadans pride ourselves on being by Brendan Trainor self-reliant. With Medicaid expansion, we are jumping over the cliff of increasing debt and dependency on the federal leviathan. You don’t have to love Ted Cruz to see that Nevada cannot rely on the federal government to keep its promises to reimburse us for new patients for long. Sandoval will not be governor in 10 years, but whoever is will have to bear the costs.

The Supreme Court gave Nevada the opportunity to forgo expansion, but that is now lost. There is no provision in current law to opt out once you opt in.

By creating a state-run exchange, Nevada has punted on joining lawsuits challenging whether federally run exchanges qualify for subsidies. While

new Medicaid patients is expected to reach over 40 percent. Dr. Annette Tiejeiro, state coordinator for the Nevada Chapter of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, says, “Medicaid patients are usually the most demanding, least compliant, the most litigious, the most labor intensive in workforce costs—heck, the regulatory red tape is exhausting—and yet the lowest reimbursed.”

Insurance is not health care.

Canada’s single payer system is illustrative. Sure, if you break a leg in Canada, you will be treated for no charge. This obscures the problems with doctor shortages, and other supply problems leading to long waiting lists for more complicated procedures. Many in Canada live with unnecessary pain or even die waiting for treatment that is months longer in coming than in America— at least for now.

Medicaid increases unemployment. Many on Medicaid will not work for fear of losing coverage. Like many government

entitlements, Medicaid can limit the standard of living and keep clients in kind of a roach motel.

Like the states who have expanded Medicaid, many will find once they check in, they can’t check out.

Medicaid does not provide medical care that produces measurable outcomes. Many studies have concluded that Medicaid patients are no better off than the uninsured in measurable health outcomes. The primary benefit of Medicaid is a feeling of security you will not be bankrupted by medical expenses.

The free market approach of medical savings accounts coupled with catastrophic health insurance provides the same feeling, while actually lowering medical costs.

Even if you want the government involved, there are ways to provide security from catastrophic medical occurrences without stiffing doctors or creating more trapped government dependents.

As libertarian humorist P.J. O’Rourke once wrote, “You won’t know how expensive health care

P.J. O’Rourke doesn’t get the love he deserves for political commentary: www.pjorourke.com.

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Photo/Dennis Myers

School buses and parents dropped their children off at Sparks Middle School on Monday, when the school started classes again for the first time since the Oct. 21 shooting. In the foreground, Washoe schools superintendent Pedro Martinez does an interview for a local television station.

New population numbers

(NDAs) prior to 1990 were more thorough and vigorous. This is absurd. Furthermore, his singling out of biologic drugs makes no sense at all. The fact of the matter is that the pre-approval testing of drugs in the 1980s was far less vigorous than what now happens.”

State Demographer Jeff Hardcastle has released the newest population predictions for Nevada up to 2032.

“Currently, we are projecting our state will continue to grow decade to decade at a rate slightly above the projected national rate,” he said in a prepared statement. “From 2010 to 2020 Nevada will grow at 9.6 percent compared to a national forecast of 8.1 percent, for example. Given Nevada’s current levels of employment and the potential for growth, the 2013 projections are for a state-wide increase of 529,322 people over the next 20 years.

“Broken out by region, Clark County could experience an increase of 377,037 people; Washoe County an increase of 120,070 people; and other northwest counties (Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Storey and Lyon Counties) could see population increase of 26,808. The counties along Interstate 80 (Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander and Pershing Counties) could see an increase of 1,567 people and the balance of the state (Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, Nye and White Pine Counties) could see an increase of 3,840 people.”

The current statewide population estimate is 2,750,217.

Ad lib hazards The third annual “Governor’s Banquet” last week was used as a sort of launch for the lead-up to the state’s sesquicentennial next year.

Nevada turns 150 on Oct. 31, 2014.

There were some jarring comments during the evening. “Miss Rodeo Nevada” Tara Bowlby, one of the speakers, said patriotism can be used by government “to advance its control.” Master of ceremonies Rich Crombie made reference to the “ominous presence” of the 150th anniversary of the state. One audience member wondered if he meant “auspicious.”

Crombie also described a scenic section of Storey County that has been turned into an industrial park: “Fifteen years ago, it was just sagebrush and rocks.”

A display that flashed dozens of photos on state history captioned Gov. Grant Sawyer as “Gov. Frank Sawyer” (that was his first name, which he did not use).

Michael Archer, biographer of the late Washoe County Sen. William Raggio, presented a spoken and video tribute to Raggio that was well received. A counterpoint was jocular comments during the evening about the Mustang Ranch, and the conspicuous presence of the current owner of the Ranch buildings, Lance Gilman, who spoke to the gathering during a roving microphone period. Raggio as Washoe County district attorney was a harsh critic of the Mustang Ranch and tried to shut it down more than once. An advance press release on the banquet read, “Due to the sophisticated nature of the event, the banquet is open to all persons 16 years or older only.”

Some of the proceeds from the banquet will go to the Children’s Cabinet of Nevada.

Reid: Moderates aid ‘anarchists’ U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic floor leader, this week criticized moderate Republicans for failing to stand up to “extremists” who have taken the party far out of the mainstream.

“Although I deplore the behavior of the extremists who sparked this month’s manufactured crisis—and many of the crises of the past three years—I do not blame only them for holding the government and the full faith and credit of the United States hostage,” he said. “I also blame their mainstream Republican colleagues, who remained silent even as the anarchists among us committed political malpractice. They should know better. They know the consequences of default. And they know the cost of a government shutdown. Yet they allowed members of their own party to take the country down a dangerous road, doing irreparable harm to the Republican Party in the process.”

It is unusual for Democratic leaders to take on moderate GOP members during legislative sessions for fear of alienating them on votes. But Reid may have decided that since the Democrats aren’t getting any help from the moderates anyway, he had no reason to hold back.

—Dennis Myers 8 | RN&R |

OCTOBER 31, 2013

Off medication

Uncertain information Medication claim about student shooters hits Truckee Meadows One of the hazards of withholding information showed up in the days after the Sparks Middle School shooting—it fostered by rumors. One was that the Sparks Dennis Myers Police Department was withholding the name of the alleged attacker because his family was in the country illegally. Another, which made it into print, was that the attacker was the son of a police officer.

Reports that the school shooter might be on anti-depression or other medication also circulated around the valley in the wake of the tragedy.

“Ten percent of the attackers were known to be non-compliant with prescribed psychiatric medications.”

U.S. Secret Service/ U.S. Department of Education “I have heard the questions asked as to if the student shooter was on the dangerous prescription anti-depression drugs,” one reader wrote to the RN&R. “According to recent studies some 90 percent of school shootings for over more than a decade have been linked to a widely prescribed type of antidepressant called selective

serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. We have friends who have lost children to suicide who have unknowingly put their children on these drugs.”

She provided a link to a story in World News Daily, which led to an article headlined “Psych meds linked to 90% of school shootings” by Jerome Corsi. The speculative Dec. 18, 2012, article on the Newtown shooting attributed the statistic to Dr. David Healy. We were unable to confirm that Healy said or wrote what was attributed to him, though he is known as a critic of pharmacology. But the same or similar statistics appear on thousands of online sites. Some say all school shooters were on medication, others use the 90 percent figure. One says attackers in 60 school shootings were medicated.

Healy has himself been criticized for sweeping statements that express unlikely conclusions, as with his tweet, “Any drug released since 1990, esp the biologic gp of drugs, should be considered a poss candidate for late side effects.”

Forbes columnist John LaMattina responded, “Healy ascertains that any drug approved since 1990 should be considered a possible candidate for late side-effects. Where does he get this? What makes 1990 special? His implication is that the studies done in support of new drug applications

In studies of logic, causality or causation refer to the relationship between one event and a subsequent event, with a suggestion that the first event caused the second. But sequence does not necessarily result in cause-and-effect.

In the 1960s, for instance, as part of its effort to discredit the evidence that smoking caused cancer, the tobacco industry pointed out that, statistically, there was also a correlation between divorce and subsequent cancer.

In addition, there is always the possibility that there are unknown factors and events. The first and second events may not be the first and second events. They might be the second and third or the ninth and tenth.

In the case of school shooters, it might not be a case of individuals who took medications and then became violent. They could have been troubled or violent first, and so were prescribed medication. In that case, their mental problems, not the medication, could be suspect. And if they fail to take their medication, that introduces another element that might increase the risk level.

In fact, a joint report by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education on 37 incidents of targeted school shootings and school attacks that have occurred in the United States from 1974 through June 2000 found that most of the attackers had never received mental evaluations at all before the shootings.

Only about a third had been in therapy or other forms of treatment, which presumably means only that number or fewer had been prescribed medication.

It also indicated that one of the facts known about some of those who were prescribed medication was that they were not taking it: “Only one-third of attackers had ever received a mental health evaluation (34 percent, n=14), and fewer than one-fifth had been diagnosed with mental health or behavior disorder prior to the attack (17 percent, n=7). ... The only information collected that would indicate whether attackers had been prescribed psychiatric medications concerned medication noncompliance (i.e., failure to take medication as prescribed). Ten percent of the attackers (n=4) were known

to be non-compliant with prescribed psychiatric medications.”

The study further reported evidence that the attackers were troubled: “Although most attackers had not received a formal mental health evaluation or diagnosis, most attackers exhibited a history of suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts at some point prior to their attack (78 percent, n=32). More than half of the attackers had a documented history of feeling extremely depressed or desperate (61 percent, n=25). Approximately onequarter of the attackers had a known history of alcohol or substance abuse (24 percent, n=10).”

Faith in dogma Although the Secret Service/DOE report is online and easy to check, sociologist James Richardson said some people who use the 90 percent and similar claims may not be all that anxious to have the accurate information.

“They believe something,” he said.

“If they get it from a semi-reliable source, they’re satisfied. There’s a tendency to believe it because they have seen it in print or online.”

The word “believe” is important with some of these pieces of misinformation. Some advocates arrive at positions because of their beliefs rather than from empirical evidence and become invested in them. Thus some

“ There’s a tendency to believe it because they have seen it in print or online.”

MANDATORY INSURANCE AHEAD

James Richardson sociologist

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information, including urban legends, can be akin to doctrine or dogma. As a result, dissuading them with evidence can be difficult because they may see it as a breach of faith.

The World News Daily article at the link provided by the RN&R reader, referencing the Newtown shooting, bore this subhead: “Expert: Psychiatric drugs likely cause of [Adam] Lanza’s extreme violence.”

Yet the same article made it clear that at the time the article was written, it was not known whether the attacker was on medication (“Though there has been no definitive confirmation that drugs played a role in the Newtown, Conn., assault...”).

World News Daily, an antigay, birther site, is based in Cave Junction, Ore., also home to the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, a climate change denial organization that has posted a petition signed by 30,000 alleged scientists (“Everyone’s a scientist,” RN&R, Jan. 13, 2011) who challenge climate change science. Ω

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Members of the congregation at Second Baptist Church sang at a special prayer vigil last week for victims of the Sparks Middle School shooting incident. It was held by the African American Clergy Council of Northern Nevada. Pastor Michael Randle told the gathering that one outcome of the incident has been that some residents have felt a stronger sense of community: “We can say to one another that we are all here for each other.”

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october 31, 2013 V5_102770.3_4.93x11.5_4c_Ad.indd 1

10/28/13 2:40 PM

PHOTO/SAGE LEEHEY

Black Rock Solar has installed more than three megawatts of solar power in Nevada. From left, Alex Kirkpatrick, project manager; Laura Brigham, communications coordinator; Catherine Leon, education program manager; Marnee Benson, deputy director; Matt Sheets, office administrator; and Anthony Jacks, energy efficiency and solar thermal manager.

THROUGH THE SCARY IT WAS AN UNUSUAL LUNCH. RON BROUGHT HIS

parrot, Trouble, and we got Trouble his own plate of chicken wings, which Trouble ate while sitting on Ron’s shoulder. I will admit I was distracted. Ron Finfer is the owner of Ability Counseling, and his path through the scary started at a very young age.

Sunny outlook

Ron grew up in Los Angeles in the 1980’s. “I had bone cancer as a child, and every time it resurfaced, I knew it could kill me. So by the time I was a teenager, the way I dealt with it was to stay as loaded as possible.”

Solar energy non-profit receives award

At 17 Ron found 12-step and stayed sober until 22. His relapse lasted ten years. “Five of them were spent in a 5-star, 6-fence, 7-gun federal hotel with a lousy concierge.” Even after Ron got out of federal prison, he continued to use. Until he was on the verge of taking his own life.

Local non-profit solar energy provider, Black Rock Solar, earned national recognition for their solar energy installations and educational work last week.

The organization won the Brian D. Robertson Solar Schools Memorial by Sage Leehey Fund Award after being nominated by the fund’s board and then voted on by the public. They were in the running against Grid Alternatives s age l@ and Solar Liberty for the vote. BRS was honored for this award at Solar news review.c om Power World magazine’s Top 250 Solar Contractors Gala on Oct. 21.

This gala was scheduled during Solar Power International 2013 in Chicago, which is a large annual solar industry conference. It was attended by over 15,000 solar industry professionals from more than 75 countries, according to the conference’s website. Executive Director Patrick “Paddy” McCully accepted this award at the gala in Chicago.

The memorial fund is named in honor of a solar industry giant who died suddenly in December 2011. Brian D. Robertson was a leader of several different solar companies, including Amonix Inc. where he was CEO. Amonix Inc. specializes in the design and manufacturing of solar power plants.

“Brian Robertson was a prominent leader in the solar industry … and then was killed in a plane crash, so this memorial was set up for him,” McCully said. “I never met him, but he was very into philanthropy and helping schools. The memorial fund is set up to award people in the solar industry who help with schools and things like that. It’s really nice to get this recognition for the work we’re doing.”

The gala hosted the top 250 solar contractors—as its name suggests— in the country, including five contractors from Nevada. Three of these were from Las Vegas—Bombard Renewable Energy at rank 71, Sol-Up USA at rank 203 and Robco Electric at rank 206. One was also from Carson City—Sierra Solar Systems at rank 196—and one was from Reno—Hamilton Solar at rank 101. These five companies are responsible for 81.27 megawatts of solar energy installed and employ 145 employees.

For more information McCully explained that the organization is honored to receive this about Black Rock award but is truly excited by what it could do for the organization’s Solar, visit www. future solar installation projects because of the fact that BRS is receivblackrocksolar.org. ing the award in front of the biggest and best solar contractors in the business.

“We’re a non-profit, so we have to try to get donations to do our work. We’re getting recognition for our work and recognition from the solar industry, and hopefully that will be helpful in getting donations from the solar industry for solar panels and equipment,” McCully said.

“We do projects for people that couldn’t normally afford it, so those things are helpful.”

BRS has currently installed more than three megawatts of solar power in Nevada since its beginning at the Burning Man festival in 2007 where it installed a 30-kilowatt photovoltaic array, later donated to Gerlach.

Those three megawatts are made up of over 15,000 individual solar panels that have been installed on schools, non-profit organizations, hospitals, tribal buildings and community centers. Ω

Ron remembers looking in the mirror the day before he sobered up and screaming at his reflection, “I want myself back!” Ron played for some big-name bands, and on his last day of drinking, a fellow musician walked into the bar that Ron was at and recognized him from Ron’s L.A. music days.

Ron offered him “A line, a drink, and a joint. And he said, ‘No way Man, I’ve been sober 7 years.’”

Ron believes that God speaks through people. He asked this man who was at this point no more than a stranger really, to take him to a meeting. On June 14, 2001, he went to that meeting, and has never looked back.

Ron’s advice to parents: “Starting from about age 12 your child’s peer group will have a lot of influence. You need to get your kids active in spots or after school activities. Look for problems. A little weed is not okay.”

Ron’s advice for addicts: Ron follows the therapy of Alfred Adler. “People are driven by goals and social involvement.

If a person can replace the use of drugs with standards and goals, they will find that achieving a goal is the best form of getting high!”

If you happen to be in Reno and you see a guy with a parrot on his shoulder, it’s going to be Ron. Need help? Ask him for it, because he’s been there.

Ron is an alcohol and drug counselor and can be reached at RenoDuiCouncling.com Let’s help each other Through the Scary. Please share your successes. Contact me at Laura.Newman8888@gmail.com.

NEED HELP NOW? JTNN offers weekly meetings with

THE PARENT GROUP, 6:00pm Thursdays at 505 S. Arlington.

Confidential, FREE, and run by a licensed counselor.

Laura Newman – JTNN Board 775-324-7557

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october 31, 2013

Photo/ERIC MARKS

Last week at the Sparks Marina, the community mourned the loss of math teacher Michael Landsberry.

by Georg ia Fisher

tRAGEDy SPARKS IN

Northern Nevada gets blindsided by sudden gun violence and death in one of our schools world may never know Jose Reyes’ final thoughts: Why the preteen fatally shot math teacher Michael Landsberry on Oct. 21 at Sparks Middle School, for one, or what compelled him to open fire on a pair of students, both of whom were lucky to survive. After all, their assailant—who brought the 9 mm handgun from home—took his own life, too.

“The poor young man kind of looked like a zombie walking,” said social studies teacher Dave Clark, whose classroom adjoined Landsberry’s. The three-time Iraq War veteran says he’d “never been more terrified than I was that Monday morning,” when the sound of gunfire filled his beloved workplace, and the smell of gunpowder hit his nose. He peeked from a window to see children huddled in fear as Landsberry, his close friend and Air National Guard comrade, lay dead on the basketball court.

Reyes, who’d also shot a male student by then, continued walking, and Clark soon heard him try in vain to open a nearby door. A third gunshot rang out a moment later—this time for another boy.

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“Then he walked across the playground,” Clark recalled, “and he shot himself, right near Mike Landsberry.”

One eighth-grader who witnessed the attacks sounds at once meek and tough when he described what happened.

“I see everyone running, and my teacher just falling,” he said. “They were opening the doors and there were so many kids crying, just in panic mode. My friend was hysterical. I had to calm her down.”

Trauma surgeon Jim Harris said Renown Regional Medical Center got exaggerated reports of the shooting at first, and that his staff geared up to treat as many as a dozen victims.

“We heard there could be as many as six to 12 [emergency patients] initially coming in,” he said, “and that the shooting was still active, and the scene was not under control.”

But thankfully, it was.

Because of the school’s security system, Reyes never made his way inside the building.

And though Sparks Middle and other Washoe County campuses are patrolled by the district’s own police force, officers weren’t present during the shooting, which happened before the first

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bell and lasted just a few minutes.

The school’s 600 or so students quickly evacuated to Agnes Risley, an adjacent elementary campus.

“I saw my teacher’s body on the blacktop then,” the eighth-grader said. “And that’s when I started crying.”

Students were eventually boarded on buses so they could be reunited with their families at Sparks High School.

Landsberry, for his part, had calmly tried to stop Reyes, who put a bullet in the teacher’s chest as the two walked toward one another.

Police believe that act of heroism held the shooter’s attention long enough for others to find safety.

“Because that teacher was shot,” said Lisa Gardner, a witness’s parent and neighbor to the school, “my son was able to run away.” In fact, Andrew turned and fled all the way home as soon as the mayhem began, saving himself from both the danger and the sight of a killer on campus.

Who WAS JoSE REyES?

“tRAGEDy SPARKS” continued on page 14 IN

The surviving victims’ families have stated publicly that they don’t believe their sons |

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(who are both recovering well from shoulder and abdominal wounds, respectfully) were targeted. As of press time, authorities were still tight-lipped about any motive, citing an ongoing investigation. Twelve-year-old Reyes’ grief-stricken parents are cooperating, Sparks Deputy Police Chief Tom Miller said at a press conference, and there’s also a chance they could be prosecuted.

Their son’s identity stayed under official wraps until city attorney Chet Adams seemingly let it slip to a journalist a few days after the devastating event, or—if you ask city spokespeople—until a confused reporter spoke with Adams, then printed the name that was already on everyone’s lips.

At any rate, out it came.

As one of Reyes’ friends later told the Associated Press, he was actually an upbeat kid, oft-smiling, and an eager fan of video games and bike rides. And while he was no big man on campus, Reyes certainly had friends. He had a family, too, though not much is known about them yet.

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“tRagedy spaRKs” continued from page 13 in

His parents “are grieving … and are going through a very challenging and difficult time,” Miller said before police officially named the boy, imploring the public to show empathy and patience.

But questions, particularly in regard to a motive, have kept coming. So have expressions of grief, often through the lens of adolescence.

A member of the National Guard, Michael Landsberry graduated from McQueen High School, Truckee Meadows Community College, and the University of Nevada, Reno. His military service took him to Kuwait and Afghanistan.

RemembeRing mR. L andsbeRRy Landsberry “wasn’t just my teacher,” as several students posted on Twitter. “He was my friend.”

“So sad,” wrote another person, under the handle #LisaHome. “Sparks HS teacher survives serving in Afghanistan but cannot survive teaching math in a middle school. RIP Mr. Landsberry.”

“I will miss you laughing and telling jokes when I was in your class back in 7th grade,” said Twitter user @ArVillalpando. “We all love you!!!”

The fun-loving Nevada Air National Guard master sergeant and former Marine was 45 years old. He was apt to banter with youngsters about everything from Batman to his sole classroom commandment: “Though shalt not annoy Mr. L.” A Facebook page dubbed “Rest Easy Mr. Landsberry” had more than 18,000 likes by the weekend, and has became a virtual memorial wall, with students and strangers alike calling his final actions the ultimate sacrifice. Some have even proposed changing the school’s name in Landsberry’s honor.

“You once said, ‘I’ll die doing something I love,’” read a colorful, carefully hand-painted sign posted during an Oct. 23 vigil at the school. “So not only did you die serving your country, but you died serving and protecting the students that loved you.”

Hundreds of somber-faced youth turned out that night, lighting candles, leaving symbolic gifts, and holding one another from time to time. Veterans and military personnel, some in fatigues, also dotted the crowd.

“My condolences to our fallen hero,” Washoe County School District Superintendent Pedro Martinez told reporters early in the event’s aftermath, looking to be near tears as he praised students and staff for their quick cooperation in evacuating the school.

The slain teacher had a wife, Sharon, and two doting stepdaughters, one of whom graduated from naval boot camp last week. Just before his death, a proud Landsberry jovially asked Clark if he should wear his dress blues to the ceremony.

He was eager to attend, said his brother, Reggie, going on to describe the loyal family man and dedicated educator: “He cared about people. He cared about his country. He really loved to teach. And he was one of those people who, if you needed help, you could call him up, and he would be there.”

When they could find time, the brothers liked fly-fishing together at Pyramid Lake, a tradition they’d upheld since childhood.

Landsberry’s ex-wife, Susan, didn’t learn of his death until the evening of Oct. 21, because—bleakly enough—her nephew was in a fatal car crash that same day.

14 | RN&R |

OCTOBER 31, 2013

“He was a great guy,” she said of her former spouse as she digested the news. “He was 100 percent honest.”

He had a soft spot for dogs, she added later, “and he loved his guns.”

Years ago, she said, a brief stint working for the Washoe County Sheriff’s department gave way to more schooling as the young man realized his passion for teaching.

Landsberry hailed from Birmingham, Ala., the National Guard reports, and was a graduate of Reno’s McQueen High School, Truckee Meadows Community College, the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Phoenix program. His military service brought him to Kuwait and Afghanistan, and earned him numerous honors.

His career with the Washoe County School District began in 2001 at Fred W. Traner Middle School, and by 2006, he’d assumed his role as a math teacher at Sparks, where he was also a popular soccer and basketball coach.

A celebration of his life—which Westboro Baptist Church is rumored to have added to its picketing list of military funerals, unfortunately—is slated for Nov. 3.

OuR peRmanent RecORd Counseling services have been under way at the school, which stayed closed for most of last week as the community began its lengthy healing process. Even President Barack Obama’s office reached out to Sparks Mayor Geno Martini, offering support.

Meanwhile, the obvious question: Why do such shootings happen in the first place?

Not surprisingly, the national conversation is returning to other schools that have made somber headlines, such as Sandy Hook Elementary and Columbine High.

To another community’s collective horror, Massachusetts math teacher Colleen Ritzer was also brutally killed just a day after Landsberry. Her attacker was a student, too—a 14-year-old wielding a box cutter.

An avid Twitter user, Ritzer actually referenced the Sparks violence on the social networking site before she died, calling it “simply devastating.”

It’s not the only local school shooting in recent years. In 2006, Pine Middle School student James Scott Newman, then 14, brought a .38 caliber pistol to campus and wounded two

classmates—supposedly after researching the Columbine High School massacre of 1999—but dropped the weapon when gym teacher Jencie Fagan enveloped him in a bear hug.

Dr. Harris, the trauma surgeon who treated Reyes’ surviving victims, said he rarely sees children who’ve been assaulted by their peers, and that most kids’ serious injuries are a result of sports or automobile accidents. But he does think violent injuries, such as gang-inflicted gunshot wounds, have noticeably increased among young people in the last five to 10 years.

As for what could be driving schoolchildren to brutality, Sparks parent Mary Brown had a quick answer. But it was not a simple one.

Brown—whose son, Tommy Wing, was another witness on Oct. 21—believes heightened expectations of students nationwide, fewer moments of downtime and creative curricula such as arts programming, and an overall worker-bee, test-obsessed system have worsened Americans’ educational experience to a dangerous degree.

Bullying is par for the course in public school, added Brown, a mom of six who said she previously worked for the school district.

“Every one of my kids has been hit, punched, you name it,” she said. “It’s been a fight just to keep my kids safe.”

Among other things, she speculated, “It comes down to No Child Left Behind stress; to making sure the students are in school [regardless of disciplinary or mental-health needs] and that no one’s suspended. Schools have to look good, and they can’t have any discrepancies as far as absences and suspensions.”

(District spokesperson Victoria Campbell did not return calls for comment on this story.)

Washoe County has a slightly higher attendance rate than the state average, but Sparks Middle’s latest available federal progress report, which was posted last year, deems it “in need of improvement” because of low English language-arts performance. The school had adequate ratings otherwise, however, and while last year’s eighth-grade math and reading proficiency rates were below statewide figures, seventh graders did comparatively well.

Less-than-dazzling performance reports aren’t an indicator of violence, of course.

Perhaps what happened in Sparks is just an anomaly—a monstrous aberration for a quiet, misunderstood boy who few people knew, and one that played out despite the school district’s security system and police presence.

schOOLs: safe, but safe enOugh?

Randy Jaques, who now lives in Florida, said he worked for WCSD’s police department back in the ’90s, and again from 2003 to 2004.

He responded to calls at Sparks Middle “many, many times,” Jaques said. “Nobody was assigned to that school … and that’s because they don’t have manpower within their budget to put a police officer in their middle school.” He left the district for good, he said, when he became the only armed officer at Hug High.

Clark, Landsberry’s colleague, couldn’t disagree more with notions that Sparks Middle School is dangerous.

“Sparks has always kind of had trouble getting over a bad reputation that it never really deserved,” he said. “Like every middle school in the area, we’ve had our fights, and every now and then we’d have a problem,

[such as] finding marijuana on campus, but deep down, it’s a beautiful place to work.”

Many Sparks Middle School students are Hispanic, and the vast majority qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They are also, Clark said, “the sweetest, kindest, most loving students I could ever ask for.”

Chief Mike Mieras lamented the nation’s problem with violence—on and off school grounds.

“Unfortunately,” he said at a press conference, “in today’s society, this is not just a school issue. This has been an issue that’s occurred in theaters. It’s been an issue that’s occurred in churches, malls. … We’ve had [shootings] even on military bases, so we make our schools as safe as we can possibly make them.”

The district’s police department was established in the early ’70s. It employs 38 officers, and “has been kind of a leader in [making] the schools safe,” Mieras said.

Thirty-eight trained pros in uniform may sound like a lot, but they’re divided among more than 90 campuses, and only the high schools have armed cops on duty full time.

Others are on a patrol circuit, and in regular contact with school administrators.

Two school-years ago, trustees approved a $15 million budget package for school security upgrades, some of which are still in construction throughout the district.

And after gunman Adam Lanza took the lives of 20 students and six staffers last December at Sandy Hook, Mieras called a meeting with federal, city, county and tribal law-enforcement agencies to discuss best practices “in the event of an active assailant.” Students’ families then attended a series of forums designed to brief

The Community Foundation of Western Nevada has established a support fund for students, staff and families of Sparks Middle School. But recovery has only just begun.

“This is a tragedy,” as Superintendent Martinez said, “and it’s going to take us awhile to heal from it.”

them on district safety protocols.

As for what drove Reyes to kill, “people are making so many assumptions,” said Gardner, the mother—and one of many—who tearfully credited Landsberry with saving her son’s life. “It’s not a gun issue, and it’s not a gang issue.” Nor is her community a less than nurturing place to live, she said.

“It is a little rougher,” she offered. “But it’s a neighborhood of really hardworking individuals who are just trying to raise their families.” Gardner also takes umbrage with dismissively racist comments she said she’s heard in regard to the shooter.

“Somebody was saying, ‘Oh, it’s just a Mexican,’” she recalled, her voice hardening.

“My son is half-Mexican. What does it matter what race [Reyes] is?”

Ultimately, Gardner said, “This is an issue of kids not getting help when they need it.”

On Oct. 25, students came back to campus for counseling. Therapists brought dogs to comfort them, and gave the children huge sheets of paper with crayons and markers, prompting them to write letters to Mr. Landsberry, if they wanted to. Many were afraid to go into his room, which has been left untouched save for the packed lunch he’d left on his desk the morning he died. Clark finally removed that.

In fact, many kids were afraid to return to school at all. Clark was, too, and told them so.

He also reminded them it was OK to cry, and at times cried with them.

“We’re going to get through it together,” he promised, “and it will make us closer.”

Veteran teacher Vicki Hardy will eventually take over Landsberry’s class, Clark said.

The eighth-grader sounds older than his years when he surmises what’s in store.

“Experiencing something this traumatic,” the boy said, “well, you’re not going to forget it in a week.” Ω

“ I saw my teacher’s body on the blacktop then. And that’s when I started crying.”

A shAred future Nicole Hockley, whose 6-year-old son, Dylan, was among those killed at Sandy Hook, issued a statement about Sparks as word began to spread.

“The unthinkable has happened yet again,” Hockley said on behalf of nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise, which seeks to increase dialogue about gun safety and mental-health research, and serves families affected by the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.

“It’s moments like this that demand that we unite as parents to find common-sense solutions that keep our children—all children—safe, and prevent these tragedies from happening again and again.”

eighth grader sparks Middle school

A memorial for sparks Middle school teacher Michael Landsberry will be held at 3 p.m. on Nov. 3 at sparks Christian fellowship, 510 Greenbrae drive.

A public viewing will be held 9 a.m. Nov. 2 at Walton’s funeral home, 1745 sullivan Lane.

Gardner will never forget hearing a cluster of sirens that she likens to something from a TV show. Andrew, her son, has since maintained a cool exterior.

“He pushes it away,” his mother said. “It’s his way of dealing with it. And really, I think I’m taking it worse than he is.”

Her voice cracked with emotion.

“The what-ifs are bothering me right now.”

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15

THE

ThE BEsT ThE shInIng (1980): The best

MADNESS OF

In honor of Halloween, our movie critic picks the best and worst Stephen King adaptations

I

By BOB gRIMM

used to read all of Stephen King’s books right around the time I was sprouting into the beast of a man you see around town today.

So you can partially blame him if you don’t like me. King represented the finest in popular fiction to me, and that was back in the ’80s when he was considered a hack.

While younger fans might think of King as a man of many genres, he was mostly about the horror when he started.

This being Halloween, I decided it would be fun to compile my best and worst list of Stephen King film adaptations. I’m going with “horror only” for this list, so no The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption. While those had some horror elements, like prison laundry room gang rapes, they shied away from King’s more macabre stuff.

When compiling this list, I was surprised to see that I hate more King films than I like. Also, the high point of Stephen King horror adaptations occurred over 30 years ago. It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten some good cinematic chills from one of the masters of modern horror.

horror film based on a King book is still Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece starring a bug nuts Jack Nicholson as an alcoholic father who takes a job as winter caretaker for a haunted hotel. Apparently, this is also one of King’s least favorite adaptations of his work. Are you kidding, Stephen?

You should be forever grateful that a maestro like Kubrick spent time on any of your work, and he improved upon your novel. I hated all of that business with the stupid boiler.

I’m currently reading Doctor Sleep, a sequel to The Shining and King’s latest novel. Maybe somebody will make a film out of it and score some good old-fashioned Stephen King cinematic scares.

CaRRIE (1976): This is

OCTOBER 31, 2013

MIsERy (1990): Filmed in part at Lake Tahoe and even in Reno, this one was more of a psychological horror, but who doesn’t wince when Kathy Bates takes a sledgehammer to James Caan’s foot. That’s physical horror at its best.

a close runner-up for best King movie. De Palma pET made a swirling, sEMaTaRy surreal nightmare of a movie (1989): I about a bullied remember telekinetic girl Stephen King who doesn’t claiming that like pig’s blood he would never on her dress. allow this one to Sissy Spacek be made into a and Piper Laurie movie because it both got Oscar was “too scary.” nominations Well, the movie and deserved got made, and I them. As for think it’s one of the recently those pretty bad released remake guilty pleasures.

ThE BEsT: kaThy BaTEs In MIsERy, JOhn from director Gage the killer CUsaCk In 1408, Danny llOyD In ThE Kimberly Pierce, baby is badass, shInIng it doesn’t come and Church the close to matching freaky cat rules. the splendor of De Palma at the top Bonus: Herman Munster as the old of his game. The Black Prom still guy next door who gets his neck stands as one of the greatest horror bit out. sequences of all time.

1408 (2007): John Cusack having CREEpshOw (1982): George a truly terrible time in a hotel room, Romero directing an anthology of much worse than that time I stayed stories written directly for the screen in a place simply called “Motel”

by Mr. King? Yes, please. King somewhere in the northwest where a himself stars in a funny, and scary, spider attempted to eat my foot. tale of a man who probably shouldn’t have touched a meteor. This film ThE MIsT (2007 BlaCk anD contains “The Crate,” something I whITE vERsIOn): I gave Frank count among the scariest things I’ve Darabont’s adaptation of this King ever seen at the movies. It also has short story a negative review when I Leslie Nielson delivering perhaps saw a color version of it in theaters. his greatest screen performance as a When I saw it in black and white, jealous husband who is pretty mad Darabont’s original intention, I just at Ted Danson. This film, in many felt it worked so much better. Good, ways, best encapsulates the horror scary, paranoid fun. vibe King was putting out at the top of his scary game.

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ThE DEaD ZOnE (1983): Until I saw this film, I was unaware of Christopher Walken’s true brilliance as an actor. This is actually quite a tame movie for director David Cronenberg, who got rid of most of his gross body horror tactics to make a commercially viable and quite scary film. Yes, there’s some violence and creepy images—those kids falling through the ice while playing hockey is a visual that lingers—but the true horror came in the depiction of Martin Sheen’s crazy, apocalyptic political figure.

Bailey produced a tone “ as rich as melted chocolate.”

Dvořák Hagen Beethoven Dvořák Hagen Beethoven Dvorak

THE WORST CREEPSHOW 2 (1987): The

SILvER BULLET (1985):

second Creepshow movie is a mess, and I think I’m one of perhaps four people in this world who have actually seen it. George Romero wrote the screenplay based on King stories.

There’s really no excuse for how bad this is.

Speaking of bad makeup, this werewolf film featuring Corey Haim in a wheelchair had one goofy looking dog monster. This one has gathered a little cult following, but I still think it’s a piece of poop.

CHRISTINE (1983): When I

Classix Three

SLEEPWALKERS (1992): Sparks

his first and only time directing a movie. The prospect of seeing a film where King controlled the scares, with Emilio Estevez (an acting hero of the young me) starring had me giddy. My joy was short lived when I realized about 15 minutes in that the film was a piece of shit. I left my hometown’s shiny new multiplex with my shoulders slumped and my head hanging low.

THINNER (1996): Sometimes, a movie just lives and dies by its makeup. This one died a pitiful, painful makeup death.

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native Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks) heard my other horror hero, John was nice to look at, but this movie Carpenter, was helming this story about some kind of mom-and-son of a possessed car running people cat people eating their neighbors and over—a King novel I genuinely having incest sex was a sloppy mess liked—my excitement was immeasurable. The THE DARK resultant film HALF (1993): had pretty cars George Romero playing the title directs another character, but left King movie, with out the book’s far less success scariest aspect, than Creepshow. that of the car I believe that being possessed the presence of by a ghoulish Amy Madigan, driver and an actress I can’t former owner stand, torpedoed named Roland this one.

LeBay. It took out the central FIRESTARTER evil, made the (1984): A car crazy for no young Drew particular reason, Barrymore pouts and wound up and starts fires being an overwith her mind. stylized bore.

THE WORST: BRIAN KRAUSE IN The only thing Admittedly, SLEEPWALKERS, CUjO, MAxIMUM really scary this movie had a OvERDRIvE’S ‘GREEN GOBLIN TRUCK’ about this is little more style that the young and finesse than Barrymore was apparently drinking some of the films listed below. In my bottles of whiskey and going to coke opinion, it slandered a good novel parties after filming days. and shat the best stuff out its exhaust pipe, so I hate it, even with its merits.

MAxIMUM OvERDRIvE (1986): King actually directed this,

~ Washington Post

CHILDREN OF THE CORN (1984): This one was panned when it was first released, but has gained some sort of cult following since then. I don’t care if it’s cool to like this one. I still think it blows.

CUjO (1983) : This movie feels like it’s 10 hours long. E.T.’s mom stuck in a car with some dopey kid as a Saint Bernard drools on the windows.

DREAMCATCHER (2003): Aside from being just plain stupid, this one had too much toilet horror in it. I don’t like toilet horror. I see no need for toilet horror. Stop it. Stop it with the toilet horror. Ω

Zuill Bailey | Cello

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PHOTO/ALLISON YOUNG

Double trouble

Dromio of Ephesus (Canaan Peterson) makes the ladies laugh: Luce (Megan Lee Aguas), Luciana (Karina Dyer) and Adriana (Rachel Smith).

The Comedy of Errors I know what you’re thinking: “Ugh. Shakespeare.”

That’s usually what I think about by Shakespeare. Despite being a writer and Jessica Santina a teacher of English, I still brace myself before attending a performance. I think, “Yes, it’s a classic, and Shakespeare was a genius, but that difficult language! The long running times! The outdated themes!”

Nevada Repertory Company, the University of Nevada, Reno’s resident theater troupe, knows you’re thinking that, too, which is why they made a pre-show announcement on opening night, asking us not to use our cell phones, or sleep.

But from the minute the lights dimmed The Comedy of Errors will be at the Redfield until the show ended 90 minutes later Studio Theater, UNR, (without an intermission), my fellow 1664 N. Virginia St., audience members and I were utterly through Nov. 3. For energized, swept up in a story so beautifully tickets, visit www. mynevadatickets. staged, sharply directed and well cast that

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the themes felt universal, the “difficult language” was a cinch to understand, and the time flew.

The Comedy of Errors is Shakespeare’s only true farce—characterized by crude humor, slapstick physical comedy and outrageous misunderstandings. Nevada Rep has somewhat modernized it. Judging by the costumes—bowler hats, plaid tweed jackets, pin stripes—it appears to be set around the turn of the 20th century.

As the story begins, an elderly merchant from nearby Syracuse, Aegeon (Richard McIver), is being tried for the crime of doing business in Ephesus. This is strictly forbidden due to bad blood between the cities. Duke Solinus of Ephesus (Cameron Miller-DeSart) sentences Aegeon to death.

Aegeon begs for mercy. He’s in Ephesus only to look for his lost son. He tells the Duke the story of how he and his wife had identical twin sons, and had also adopted identical twin boys from a poor couple who were unable to care for them.

Each carrying a biological son in one arm and an adopted son in the other, husband

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and wife were separated by a violent storm at sea. Now, Aegeon has wandered into Ephesus to find the two missing boys.

Duke Solinus, played hilariously by Miller-DeSart as an effeminate man given to emotional, high-pitched wails, is so moved by Aegeon’s story that he offers the condemned man a deal: He will have one day in which to be reunited with his sons before the executioner’s ax falls.

One of the sons, Antipholus of Ephesus (Justin Tanks), lives there and is married to a shrewish woman named Adriana (Rachel Smith). His poor, clownish, adopted brother, Dromio of Ephesus (Canaan Peterson), lives with him as his slave.

Antipholus of Ephesus’s behavior is less than admirable, which causes his twin brother, Antipholus of Syracuse (Jonathan Rolling), and his slave, Dromio of Syracuse (Wesley Gaines McNair), considerable trouble when they arrive in Ephesus,

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without a clue that each has a twin living nearby.

What most impresses me is the casting. Each member of the twin pairs astoundingly resembles the other, in both appearance and comportment. In fact, it took me a few minutes to realize that there were two Dromios.

I especially want to compliment the work of Rolling and McNair, an inspired comedic team who lit up the stage when on it.

Rob Gander’s skillful direction ensures that each cast member knows how to deliver Shakespeare’s lines effectively, placing vocal and physical emphasis where needed to ensure that each line’s meaning is understood. And the actors’ talents are made clear through subtle gestures and facial expressions that drive lines home and give humorous touches to the material throughout the show. Despite over-thetop plot points and outdated themes, the actors’ winks and nods to the audience, the little lines uttered under the breath, all completely sell the story, even to those whose hearts are the most hardened to Shakespeare. Ω

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Fill ’er up Ernie’s All American Burger 2995 Vista Blvd., Sparks, 626-6884 I think we can all admit we’ve eaten at a gas station before. Sometimes the siren song of the long overcooked hot dog by K.J. Sullivan spinning on the metal rollers is too much to resist. Or maybe it’s just me. Ernie’s All American Burger may share space with a gas station, but you won’t find any sad, dried-up hot dogs here. Instead, Ernie’s is a small eatery offering items ranging from burgers to pasta to chicken fried steak.

Photo/AlliSon Young

Department of Theatre & Dance • School of the Arts

William Shakespeare’s

Owner Mohsen Kalbassi prepares a Swiss mushroom burger at Ernie’s All American Burger.

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Ernie’s All American Burger is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On this trip, my friend Tim and I were in the mood for burgers.

I went with the namesake, the Ernie’s All American burger ($5.89 for the combo, which includes a drink and fries). Instead of fries, I decided to get the onion rings ($2.25). The All American comes with a quarter pound patty on a choice of Texas toast or a sesame bun. I would probably eat cat food if it came on Texas toast, so clearly I jumped on the chance to have this with my burger. Tim went with the Swiss mushroom melt ($7.19 for the combo), added on bacon and upgraded his drink to a milkshake ($3.25). He also went with the Texas toast.

After placing our order with the very friendly woman behind the counter, we took a seat at one of the booths. While the space is small, it’s set up well and is very clean. The walls are sponge

painted—giving it a bit of a cavelike feel. For those who want to skip coming inside all together, Ernie’s offers a drive-thru.

Tim and I were starving, so he was happy when his chocolate shake was brought out first. I was about to be jealous, but then the friendly counter woman placed a tiny cup of chocolate shake in front of me so I could have a sample, too! The shake was rich and chocolaty and I kept refilling my cup from Tim’s shake.

The rest of the food arrived fairly quickly after this. My burger was large and piled high with chopped lettuce, tomato and pickles. A slice of cheese covered the burger, which was resting in between two fat slices of Texas toast. The burger was cooked well and was tasty, but overall, it seemed sort of average. I hate to even say this, but I almost felt like the Texas toast was too much bread. Trust me, those words have never come out of my mouth before. I set to work on my onion rings, which were perfectly battered and nice and crispy.

Meanwhile, Tim was practically proposing marriage to his burger.

He offered me a bite, and I couldn’t believe how amazing it was. They chopped up the bacon and mixed it in with the melted cheese and mushrooms, meaning you got bacon in every cheesy, melty bite. Where I felt the Texas toast was too much bread on the other burger, on the mushroom Swiss, it seemed to work to hold everything together.

The crinkle cut fries were salty and crispy, but overall, I preferred the onion rings.

We ate about every bite of food presented to us and had to roll ourselves back out into the parking lot. Ernie’s has good food and reasonable prices, but next time I would definitely go with one of the specialty burgers versus the plain one. So if you find yourself in Sparks needing gas, double down and get yourself a burger, too. Ω

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Still crazy Bad Grandpa The dawning of cinema had the likes of Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin risking their lives with daring stunt work while making moviegoers crack up.

Here in the modern film era, we have the immortal, the deranged, and the considerably less refined Johnny Knoxville.

Knoxville has tried to parlay his Jackass fame into an acting career, and he hasn’t by exactly been setting the world on fire. So, Bob Grimm because huge paychecks are tempting, Knoxville has returned to the Jackass well bgrimm@ newsre view.c om numerous times with three official movies, and his body has paid a tremendous toll. The man has thrown himself into the path of buffaloes and bulls to score good laughs and, oh man, has he gotten those good laughs.

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Who says grandmothers are more important than grandfathers?

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As big as those checks can be, internal bleeding and broken limbs can lose their luster.

So now we get Bad Grandpa, a sort of Jackass movie that has a narrative mixed with hidden camera stunts (very much in the tradition of Borat). Knoxville gets to play one part for the film, that of Irving Zisman, an over-80 letch of an old man that has shown up in past Jackass skits.

This allows Knoxville to keep the Jackass films going, while lowering the likelihood of his head disengaging from his body for the sake of laughs.

The plot (Bahahahaha! Plot!) involves Irving begrudgingly taking his grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll) on a road trip after the kid’s crack-addicted mom goes to jail. Along the way, the two get themselves into all sorts of hijinks. Director Jeff Tremaine (who piloted all of the Jackass films) provides some bonding, scripted scenes between Knoxville and the kid that are actually quite sweet at times.

OCTOBER 31, 2013

These scenes act as the buffers before and after the Jackass-type madness.

Early in the film, Irving is presiding over his wife’s funeral, one where he has gotten an audience full of strangers, including church choir members, to sit in and help him mourn.

The results are hilariously disturbing, and just about as evil as any hidden camera gag has chosen to be.

Nicoll is quite the little scene-stealer.

Knoxville has to labor for laughs, subjecting his body to a rapidly folding bed and shooting through a store window in a faulty kid’s ride. Nicoll need only put on a bemused face or keenly deliver a zinger to show up his older co-star.

The film’s best moment involves one of those disgusting child beauty pageants, and it belongs to Nicoll. The kid winds up in a rather convincing little princess Toddlers and Tiaras getup, politely going through the motions of a pageant until the talent competition. That’s where he strips off his sailor outfit and does his best stripper dance to “Cherry Pie.” When tabulating the year’s funniest movie moments, Nicoll’s flailing away on the ground while Knoxville showers him with dollar bills will surely contend.

There are a lot of good gags, with a few clunkers. Most of them are worth at least a good chuckle, while others are butgusting funny. Irving’s visit to an all-male dance club results in some ball-hanging fun, and a fart contest with his grandson has some hilariously explosive results. I also liked a bit involving a virtuous motorcycle gang, and one where Billy asks strangers on the street to be his new daddy.

Stick around for the credits featuring some funny outtakes and, best of all, scenes of the duped stunt victims finding out they are in a movie. It’s actually a relief to see those poor funeral attendees get the news.

I’m going on record and saying I would prefer to see Knoxville dial it down in future film ventures, as he does in Bad Grandpa.

No, his latest isn’t as uproarious as some of the more insane Jackass stunts, but it does represent a profitable, safer, yet still crazy career direction for Mr. Knoxville. It’s the sort of movie that should please his fan base while blessedly lowering his risk for early, bonesmashing mortality. Ω

4

Captain Phillips

2

Carrie

Tom Hanks plays Richard Phillips, captain of the MV Maersk Alabama cargo ship. While delivering relief goods in 2009, his ship encounters Somali pirates who could give a rat’s ass about charity and try multiple times to board his ship. They eventually succeed, putting into play a crazy hostage drama that results in Phillips being taken aboard a space capsule-sized lifeboat with his captors. Hanks gives an expert performance that is just another notch in a great career. Fortifying the story with a terrifying yet somehow oddly sympathetic performance would be Barkhad Abdi as Muse, the pirate leader. One of the major strengths of this film is the relationship between Phillips and Muse, one that basically starts with Muse informing Phillips that he is no longer the captain of his own ship.

Director Paul Greengrass mellows out on his shaky cam a bit, and delivers one of his best efforts yet.

If you see this new 2013 version of Carrie starring Chloe Grace Moretz in the role that netted original star Sissy Spacek an Oscar nomination, you’ll probably walk away feeling it has more in common with Brian De Palma’s 1976 film than Stephen King’s sloppy first novel. While Moretz gives it her best shot, and Julianne Moore is delightfully nasty as Carrie’s crazed mother, director Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don’t Cry) provides very little reason for remaking the movie. And don’t go to the film hoping for a faithful retelling of King’s novel because, other than a few plot elements thrown back in that were excised from the original film, this is a straight-up remake of the De Palma movie. While some of the supporting cast is OK, the presence of Nancy Allen and John Travolta is sorely missed. The Black Prom, a sequence so terrifying in the original film, is reduced to a glossy, silly mess in this version. Don’t waste your time.

1

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

This is animation done with all the style and grace of a spastic colon saturated with hot sauce. While the first film in this series had a reasonable amount of charm, this one goes haywire from its start right until the finish line. Bill Hader returns as the voice of Flint, the overly excited inventor who, in the first movie, managed to use a crazy invention to inundate his hometown with giant food. Now, the machine has gone nuts, creating a race of living food including cheeseburger spiders and dolphin bananas. The film boasts an intolerably frantic pace, with a plotline that’s scattered beyond reasonability. It’s hard to follow, but it does have the occasional fart and poop joke to make the kids laugh. The only character I managed to enjoy was a jittery monkey trying to put out a sparkler, and that accounts for about 30 seconds of the film. Don’t waste your time and, trust me, your kids won’t like it either.

2

The Counselor

You would think a movie written by Cormac McCarthy (No Country For Old Men, The Road) and directed by Ridley Scott (Alien) would be amazing, but that is not the case with this bore-fest. Michael Fassbender, so good in Scott’s Prometheus, plays a character simply named Counselor, a lawyer who gets involved in drug trafficking and puts himself and others in jeopardy. Cameron Diaz plays the girlfriend of his partner in crime (a wild-haired Javier Bardem), and she’s just a terrible actress in this movie. She’s required to be bad, and you can feel her trying to be bad at every turn.

Let’s just say she’s very bad at being bad.

Scott puts together some intense, violent scenes that feel like they belong in a movie where the actors aren’t required to deliver long, boring, unrealistic monologues. Brad Pitt is OK as some sort of drug dealer sage, but he’s starting to look a lot like Mickey Rourke. (He actually references him during one of his speeches.) Scott almost manages a good movie out of this mess, but Diaz and the preachy script prevail in badness.

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Don Jon

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Escape Plan

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Gravity

2

Rush

Joseph Gordon-Levitt writes, directs and stars in this frank sex comedy about a sex addict who thinks porn is better than true romance. Gordon-Levitt is excellent and consistently funny as the title character, a Jersey boy who’s quite the stud, yet finds himself jerking off to internet porn within mere minutes of finishing with a live woman. His little problem comes to the forefront when he meets Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), the first real love of his life, a woman with high standards who doesn’t approve of the porn thing. The movie is full of porno clips, so don’t see it with kids or a first date, unless you and that first date already have some sort of naughty understanding.

Gordon-Levitt has given us something akin to a funnier Saturday Night Fever, with porn replacing disco. Julianne Moore is her usual excellent self in a supporting role, and the shock casting of Tony Danza as Don’s dad proves smart. Danza gets to show some cinematic comedy chops that he hasn’t been able to show off before. This is an overall triumph for Gordon-Levitt.

At long last, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger team up for a movie together in which they both play big parts. Yes, they have been in the Expendables films together, but Arnie has only done guest spots in those. This one has Sly playing a dude who escapes from prisons for a living, in scenarios where somebody knows he’s not really a prisoner and he gets a big check on the other side. Things go bad when he gets buried in a maximum-security prison and the folks who put him there plan to keep him locked up. Arnie plays a prisoner who befriends Sly on the inside, and they both look for a way to get out of a seemingly inescapable place. Stallone is good here, and I haven’t enjoyed Arnie this much since well before he became a governor. Arnold has one scene where he raves about God in German, and he’s raving to the warden. It turns out the warden is played by Jim Caviezel, who did in fact play Jesus for Mel Gibson, which makes the scene extra insane. It’s junky fun, and will make fans giddy. Yes, they are getting old, but they look great and have a lot of life in them.

Finally, we get a big event movie that delivers the sort of thrills absent from too many large-scale movies promising big things this year. If you see this movie, you’re going to have a cinematic trip like no other.

This is what going to the movies is supposed to be about. I sound like a movie critic quote machine, and I don’t care. In her first true blue science fiction role since Demolition Man, Sandra Bullock puts herself through the ringer as Ryan Stone, an astronaut on her first space shuttle flight. Her mission commander, played by a charismatic and calming George Clooney, ribs her about her upset tummy as he flies around space in a jet pack while she works tirelessly on the Hubble. Space debris comes their way, and an incredible survival story/adventure is underway. Director Alfonso Cuaron has put together something here that will always be remembered and talked about. This is truly a landmark film.

Hollywood has a real hard time making car-racing movies even remotely compelling. The latest genre misfire comes from director Ron Howard, who brings the true story of James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) to the big screen in surprisingly ho-hum fashion.

The surprise comes in that the story itself is so amazing, it wouldn’t’ seem possible to render it dull, yet Howard manages just that.

For a racing movie, surprisingly little of the film actually takes place on the racetrack.

Instead, too much of the film is devoted to routine love stories that seem to be a means of saving budget. Bruhl is decent as Lauda, a determined man who returned to racing mere weeks after being severely burned in a near fatal crash. Hemsworth is charming as Hunt, but little more. Their rivalry was one of the greatest in sports history, yet this movie turns it into a soap opera.

Wes will rock you Love Like Wes The Holland Project’s annual Halloween show, in which local musicians, dressed as famous groups, perform cover sets, by Brad Bynum is one of my favorite annual music events in Reno. (Though I’m not bradb@ sure why they haven’t adopted my newsre view.c om suggestion to call it “Hollandween.”)

This year’s show, a couple of weeks ago, was packed with music, something like 30 bands, from “Flight of the Concords” to “the Beastie Boys” to “Sisters of Mercy” to “the Cramps.”

Photo/Brad Bynum

the lead guitarist and harmony vocalist. Henry Lindsay plays the bass. Kieran Clark is the drummer.

And they’re usually joined for live performances by jazz trumpeter Jef Derderian.

The band members admit that they’re bad at promotion.

“We’d rather people see us and be surprised,” says Rolling.

Songs like “New Love” and “10,000 July” sound like a fun vintage Strokes tunes. In fact, the Strokes sound—quick, upbeat rhythms up against a bittersweet vocal melody and harmonic progression—is a key ingredient in Love Like Wes’ originals.

But Love Like Wes is actually poppier than the Strokes—more falsetto earworm vocal hooks.

And there’s also more syncopated dance music in the mix. “On the 7th” is college funk. There’s also some strong ska, jam band and pop punk undercurrents running through the music.

The band name, which I initially disliked, is inspired by a guy named Wes, an amateur filmmaker who went to Reno High School with the band members. His films were, according to the band, pretty terrible, but Wes was so dedicated to his craft of filmmaking, that he continued to make films despite the ridicule of his classmates. The band members found his artistic perseverance admirable.

“By no means did we set out to start a pop band,” says Rolling. “We just try to write music that we like.”

“We played for a long time before we were like, OK, this is what we sound like—we have a thing that we do,” says Grubbs. “We were just friends that played music together. We did mostly covers for a long time.”

That quality, of friends playing music together, is a big part of the band’s appeal. Love Like Wes definitely has the vibe of a group of 20-year-old dudes who live in a house together and play music together—it feels fun, youthful and brotherly. Ω

Friends that play music together: Love Like Wes is Jonathan Rolling, Erik Grubbs, Henry Lindsay and Kieran Clark.

I was only able to catch about half the show this year, but among the many highlights I saw was a group of musicians I’d never seen before performing as ’70s arena rock titans Queen. The rhythm section was sporting outrageous wigs. The guitar player nailed the tricky Brian May guitar solos. And the singer was able to hit the right notes and, even more remarkably, able to convey the ineffable charisma of the great Freddie Mercury.

I made some inquiries and learned that “Queen” was Reno indie pop band Love Like Wes. A few days later, I met the band at their practice space, a big house walking distance from the University of Nevada, Reno, where, in classic college style, all the bands members live, along with four other roommates. (There was a seemingly oblivious dude playing video games on the couch all during our interview.)

Jonathan Rolling is the primary songwriter, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Erik Grubbs is

Love Like Wes performs at the alley, 906 Victorian ave., Sparks, on nov. 6 with thicker than thieves, one a-Chord, and Seedless 10 den C. For more information, visit www.facebook. com/LoveLikeWes

OPINION

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NEWS

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GREEN

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FEATURE STORY

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ARTS&CULTURE

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ART OF THE STATE

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FOODFINDS

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FILM

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MUSICBEAT

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NIGHTCLUBS/CASINOS

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THIS WEEK

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MISCELLANY

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OCTOBER 31, 2013

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THURSDAY 10/31

FRIDAY 11/1

SATURDAY 11/2

1UP

214 W. Commercial Row, (775) 329-9444

3RD STREET

Blues jam w/Blue Haven, 9:30pm, no cover

THE ALLEY

Halloween Bash w/Misfritz, Liver Scars, Part of the Problem, 8pm, no cover

125 W. Third St., (775) 323-5005 906 Victorian Ave., Sparks; (775) 358-8891

BAR-M-BAR

816 Highway 40 West, Verdi; (775) 351-3206

Cut Copy

CEOL IRISH PUB

Oct. 31, 8:30 p.m.

Knitting Factory 211 N. Virginia St. 323-5648

538 S. Virginia St., (775) 329-5558

CHAPEL TAVERN

1099 S. Virginia St., (775) 324-2244

Whiskey Haulers, 9:30pm, no cover

Monday Night Open Mic, 8pm, M, no cover

Sonic Mass w/DJ Tigerbunny, 7pm, no cover

Good Friday with rotating DJs, 10pm, no cover

Blarney Band, 9pm, no cover

COMMA COFFEE

Catch a Rising Star, Silver Legacy, 407 N. Virginia St., 329-4777: Dave Mencarelli, Th, Su, 7:30pm, $15.95; F, 7:30pm, 9:30pm, $15.95; Sa, 7:30pm, 9:30pm, $17.95; Bob DiBuono, Tu, W, 7:30pm, $15.95 The Improv at Harveys Cabaret, Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, (800) 553-1022: Rachel Feinstein, Brandt Tobler, Th-F, Su, 9pm, $25; Sa, 8pm, 10pm, $30; Jack Gallagher, Dylan Mandlsohn, W, 9pm, $25 Reno-Tahoe Comedy at Pioneer Underground, 100 S. Virginia St., 686-6600: Hypnot!c with Dan Kimm, F, 7pm, $13, $16; Justine Rupple’s Scary Funny, F, 9:30pm; Sa, 7pm, 9:30pm, $13, $16

Post show s online by registering at www.newsr eview.com /reno. Dea dline is the Friday befo re publication .

COTTONWOOD RESTAURANT & BAR

Dan Copeland, 7pm, no cover

DAVIDSON’S DISTILLERY

Thee Orbiters, 9:30pm, no cover

Ignition, Wabuska Yachting Club, 9:30pm, no cover

Karaoke w/Miss Amber, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke w/Lisa Lisa, 9pm, no cover

Live flamenco guitar music, 5:30pm, no cover

Tango Quartet, 6pm, no cover

EL CORTEZ LOUNGE

235 W. Second St., (775) 324-4255

Karaoke w/Lisa Lisa, 9pm, no cover

FUEGO

170 S. Virginia St., (775) 322-1800

DG Kicks, 9pm Tu, no cover

Freestyle firespinning, 9pm, no cover The Clarke Brothers, 9pm, no cover

275 E. Fourth St., (775) 324-1917

Moon Gravy, 8pm, no cover

Thicker Than Thieves, One A-Cord, Seedless 10DenC, 8:30pm, W, $8-$10

Pub Quiz Trivia Night, 8pm, no cover

10142 Rue Hilltop, Truckee; (530) 587-5711

3rd Street, 125 W. Third St., 323-5005: Comedy Night & Improv w/Patrick Shillito, W, 9pm, no cover

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 11/4-11/6 College Night Wednesdays, 8pm, W, no cover

A Pale Horse Named Death, Weight of the He Is Legend, Shatterbox, Tide, Seasons of Insanity, 8:30pm, $10 Weapon Status Red, 7:30pm, $10-$12

312 S. Carson St., Carson City; (775) 883-2662

Comedy

SUNDAY 11/3

Select Saturdays, 8pm, no cover

Traditional Irish Tune Session, 7pm, Tu, no cover

CW and Mr. Spoons, noon M, no cover Mark Diorio, 5:30pm, W, no cover

Open Mic Jam, 9:30pm, M, karaoke, 9:30pm, Tu, open mic, 9:30pm, W, no cover Karaoke w/Lisa Lisa, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke w/Miss Amber, 9pm, W, no cover

Karaoke w/Andrew, 9pm, no cover

Bass Heavy, 9pm, W, $TBA

GREAT BASIN BREWING CO.

846 Victorian Ave., Sparks; (775) 355-7711

THE GRID BAR & GRILL

8545 N. Lake Blvd., Kings Beach; (530) 546-0300

HANGAR BAR

Canyon Jam, 8pm, no cover Reno_Print_ad_S:S.pdf 1 7/12/13

Karaoke Kat, 9pm, no cover

10603 Stead Blvd., Stead; (775) 677-7088

HARRY’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL

9:21 AM

Open mic, 7pm, no cover

1100 E. Plumb Ln., (775) 828-7665

THE HOLLAND PROJECT

Aan, Memory Motel, Credits, 7:30pm, $5

140 Vesta St., (775) 742-1858

JAVA JUNGLE

Java Jungle Sunday Music Showcase, 7pm, no cover

246 W. First St., (775) 329-4484

JAZZ, A LOUISIANA KITCHEN

1180 Scheels Dr., Sparks; (775) 657-8659

Erika Paul, 6pm, no cover

First Take featuring Rick (SAX) Metz, 6pm, no cover

Reno_Print_ad_S:S.pdf Bill Davis, 6pm, no cover

1

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9:21 AM

Colorless Blue, 1pm, no cover

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THURSDAY 10/31

FRIDAY 11/1

JUB JUB’S THIRST PARLOR

SATURDAY 11/2

SUNDAY 11/3

The Generators, Infecto Skeletons, Falcon A, Mary Jane Rocket, 7:30pm, $6-$8

71 S. Wells Ave., (775) 384-1652

KNITTING FACTORY CONCERT HOUSE 211 N. Virginia St., (775) 323-5648

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 11/4-11/6 Open mic, 9pm, M, no cover

Cut Copy, Larry Gus, Kauf, 8:30pm, $15-$40

Baauer, DJ Mustard, S-Type, 9pm, $20-$40

KNUCKLEHEADS BAR & GRILL

A Pale Horse Named Death

Open Mic/College Night, 8pm, Tu, no cover

405 Vine St., (775) 323-6500

PADDY & IRENE’S IRISH PUB

906-A Victorian Ave., Sparks; (775) 358-5484

THE POINT

Acoustic Wonderland, 8pm, no cover Karaoke hosted by Gina Jones, 7pm, no cover

3001 W. Fourth St., (775) 322-3001

POLO LOUNGE

1559 S. Virginia St., (775) 322-8864

RED DOG SALOON

Karaoke hosted by Gina Jones, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke hosted by Gina Jones, 9pm, no cover

Gemini w/Johnny Lipka & Andrea, 9pm, no cover

Gemini w/Johnny Lipka & Andrea, 9pm, no cover

Nov. 1, 8:30 p.m.

The Alley 906 Victorian Ave. Sparks 358-8891

Lady and the Tramps, 8pm, no cover

76 N. C St., Virginia City; (775) 847-7474

Open Mic Night, 7pm, W, no cover

THE RED ROOM

Halloween Party w/Bunk Brothers Band, 8pm, $5

9825 S. Virginia St., (775) 853-5003

RISE NIGHTCLUB

J-2 Acoustic Band, 8pm, $5

Maximum Volume Thursdays w/DJs Max, Noches de Sabor: Latin Night w/DJ Rise Culture Saturday, Fierce, 11pm, $5-$10; no cover ages 21+ Freddo, 11pm, $5-$10; no cover for locals 10pm, $5-$10

210 N. Sierra St., (775) 786-0833

RUBEN’S CANTINA

Hip Hop Open Mic, 10pm, W, no cover

1483 E. Fourth St., (775) 622-9424

RYAN’S SALOON

924 S. Wells Ave., (775) 323-4142

SIDELINES BAR & NIGHTCLUB 1237 Baring Blvd., Sparks; (775) 355-1030

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

Live jazz, 7:30pm, W, no cover

Renegade, Alias Smith, Tazer, 8pm, no cover

Open Mic Night w/Tany Jane, 8pm, M, Black and Blues Jam, 8:30pm, Tu, no cover

ST. JAMES INFIRMARY

Dance party, 9pm, no cover

Strange on the Range, 7pm, M, no cover Tuesday Night Trivia, 8pm, Tu, no cover

Dead Sexxxy—Stiff Kitty Burlesque Halloween Show, 7pm, $15

Ritual (’80s post-punk, industrial, goth), 9pm, $3 before 10pm; $5 after

Karaoke Night, 7pm, Tu, Open Mic Wednesdays, 7pm, W, no cover

VASSAR LOUNGE

Friday Night Blues, 9pm, no cover

Rock’N J Entertainment Karaoke, 8pm, no cover

WALDEN’S COFFEEHOUSE

EJ Maldonado, 7pm, no cover

445 California Ave., (775) 657-8484

STUDIO ON 4TH

Dead Sexxxy—Stiff Kitty Burlesque Halloween Show, 7pm, $15

432 E. Fourth St., (775) 410-5993 1545 Vassar St., (775) 348-7197 3940 Mayberry Dr., (775) 787-3307

THE ZEPHYR BAR

Korn Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Grand Sierra Resort 2500 E. Second St. 789-2000

Halloween party w/KristiNikol, 7pm, no cover

1074 S. Virginia St., (775) 348-1723

simply seafood

THE ALLEY HALLOWEEN PARTY TH HE AL ALL LLE LEY HALLO LEY HA LLO LLOWEE OWE WEE EN PAR P ART TY + COSTUME CONTEST

the way mother

Thursday, Thu T rsday, y October 31

W/ The Misfritz, Liver Scars, P Of The Problem, Donkey Jaw, Part Dirtyy Kid Discount (acoustic) D Dirt

nature intended

- for 36 years -

PALE AP ALE AL A LE HORSE NAMED DEATH H

Friday, F Fri day, day y November 1

(From T Type O N Negative And Life Of A Agony)) (F ti A d Lif W/ Special Guests Sinister Scene, Weight Of The Tide, And Seasons Of Insanity

HE IS LEGEND

Saturday, November 2

W/ Shatterbox, Weapons Staus Red, Harvest And The Hunt

THICKER THAN THIEVES

Wednesday, November 6

W/ One A Chord, Seedless 10 Den C, Love Like Wes

THE FAIL SAFE PROJECT

Thursday, November 7

THESE DON’T MIX Think you know your limits?

Think again.

W/ Ostracized, Up Against It, Half A Tusk

THURSDAY KNIGHTS OUT

Friday, November 8

W/ Me Time, White Bulbs, Frontier City Sounds 13

13

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’13 1555 S. Wells Ave. Reno, NV 13

www.Rapscallion.com

775-323-1211 • 1-877-932-3700 Open Monday - Friday at 11:30am 13 Saturday at 5pm

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NEWS

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GREEN

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FEATURE STORY

Saturday, November 9

W/ Memory Motel, Courtesy Call, Feather Merchants

If you drink, don’t drive.

PerIod.

OPINION

13 RARE MONK

13

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ARTS&CULTURE

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IN ROTATION

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OR AT 13 13 JOIN US ON 13 FACEBOOK, WWW.THEALLEYSPARKS.COM FOR DAILY + WEEKLY DRINK SPECIALS, CONTESTS, SHOW

GET PRE-SALE TICKETS NOW: A Pale 13 Horse Named Death – November 1 He Is Legend – November 2 Thicker Than Thieves – November 6 Tonight Alive – November 15 Jello Biafra And The Guantanamo School Of Medicine – November 17

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TheAlleySparks.com (775) 358.8891 906 Victorian Ave, Sparks NV Facebook.TheAlleySparks.com

ART OF THE STATE 13

13

13

13

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FOODFINDS 13

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FILM

| MUSICBEAT 13

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NIGHTCLUBS/CASINOS

| THIS WEEK

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MISCELLANY

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OCTOBER 31, 2013

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RN&R

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ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT SPA 3800 S. Virginia St., (775) 825-4700 1) Grand Ballroom Stage 2) Cabaret

BOOMTOWN CASINO HOTEL

2100 Garson Rd., Verdi; (775) 345-6000 1) Event Center 2) Guitar Bar

CARSON VALLEY INN

1627 Hwy. 395, Minden; (775) 782-9711 1) Valley Ballroom 2) Cabaret Lounge

Highway Poets Nov. 2, 10 p.m.

Crystal Bay Club 14 Highway 28 Crystal Bay 833-6333

THURSDAY 10/31

FRIDAY 11/1

SATURDAY 11/2

SUNDAY 11/3

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 11/4-11/6

2) Steppen Stonz, 8pm, no cover

2) Steppen Stonz, 4pm, no cover The Vegas Road Show, 10pm, no cover

2) Steppen Stonz, 4pm, The Vegas Road Show, 10pm, no cover

2) The Vegas Road Show, 8pm, no cover

2) Two Way Street, 8pm, M, Tu, W, no cover

2) Dean Brownell, 6pm, no cover

2) Dan Parslow, 4:30pm, Dale Poune, 8pm, no cover

2) Dan Parslow, 4:30pm, Dale Poune, 8pm, no cover

2) Dale Poune, 6pm, no cover

2) Desperado, 6pm, M, Tu, W, no cover

2) After Dark, 7pm, no cover

2) After Dark, 8pm, no cover

2) After Dark, 8pm, no cover

2) Chris Zanardi & His High Beamz, 10pm, no cover

2) Highway Poets, 10pm, no cover

1) Grease, 8pm, $24.95+ 2) Audioboxx, 10:30pm, no cover 3) Skyy High Fridays, 9pm, $10 4) Live piano, jazz, 4:30pm, no cover

1) Grease, 7pm, 9:30pm, $24.95+ 2) Audioboxx, 10:30pm, no cover 3) Addiction Saturdays, 9pm, $10 4) Live piano, jazz, 4:30pm, no cover

CRYSTAL BAY CLUB

14 Hwy. 28, Crystal Bay; (775) 833-6333 1) Crown Room 2) Red Room

ELDORADO HOTEL CASINO

1) Grease, 7pm, $24.95+

345 N. Virginia St., (775) 786-5700 2) Audioboxx, 10:30pm, no cover 1) Showroom 2) Brew Brothers 3) BuBinga Lounge 4) Live piano, jazz, 4:30pm, no cover 4) Roxy’s Bar & Lounge 5) Stadium Bar

2) Jamie Rollins, 6pm, Tu, W, no cover

1) Grease, 7pm, $24.95+ 2) Audioboxx, 10:30pm, no cover 4) Live piano, jazz, 4:30pm, no cover

1) Grease, 7pm, Tu, W, $24.95+ 2) Live Band Karaoke, 10pm, M, DJ Chris English, 10pm, Tu, Left of Centre, 10;30pm, W, no cover 4) Live piano, jazz, 4:30pm, W, no cover

GRAND SIERRA RESORT

Karaoke Bottoms Up Saloon, 1923 Prater Way, Sparks, 359-3677: Th-Sa, 9pm, no cover Elbow Room Bar, 2002 Victorian Ave., Sparks, 359-3526: F, Tu, 7pm; Su, 2pm, no cover Celtic Knot Pub, 541 E. Moana Lane, 829-8886: J.P. and Super Fun Entertainment, Th, 8pm, no cover Flowing Tide Pub, 465 S. Meadows Pkwy., Ste. 5, 284-7707; 4690 Longley Lane, Ste. 30, (775) 284-7610: Karaoke, Sa, 9pm, no cover Sneakers Bar & Grill, 3923 S. McCarran Blvd., 829-8770: Karaoke w/Mark, Sa, 8:30pm, no cover Spiro’s Sports Bar & Grille, 1475 E. Prater Way, Sparks, 356-6000: Music & Karaoke, F, 9pm; Lovely Karaoke, Sa, 9pm, no cover Washoe Club, 112 S. C St., Virginia City, 847-4467: Gothic Productions Karaoke, Sa, Tu, 8pm, no cover

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2500 E. Second St., (775) 789-2000 1) Grand Theater 2) WET Ultra Lounge 3) The Beach 4) Summit Pavilion 5) Silver State Pavilion

4) Fantasies in Chocolate, 8pm, $65, $75 4) Korn, Rob Zombie, 7:30pm, $39.50

HARRAH’S LAKE TAHOE

1) Gov’t Mule, 7pm, $36.30 3) DJ SN1, 10pm, $20

15 Hwy. 50, Stateline; (775) 588-6611 1) South Shore Room 2) Casino Center Stage 3) Peek Nightclub

HARRAH’S RENO

1) Beatles vs. Stones w/Abbey Road and Jumping Jack Flash, 8pm, $25, $35 2) Life in the Fastlane, 9pm, no cover 3) Club Sapphire w/DJ I, 9pm, no cover

1) Beatles vs. Stones w/Abbey Road and Jumping Jack Flash, 8pm, $25, $35 2) Life in the Fastlane, 9pm, no cover 3) Club Sapphire w/DJ I, 9pm, no cover

2) Rebekah Chase, 7pm, no cover 3) The Scotts, 5:30pm, no cover 5) Karaoke Night, 7pm, no cover

2) Rebekah Chase, 8pm, no cover 3) The Scotts, 6pm, no cover 5) Namolokama, 6pm, no cover

1) Clapton for Clams Benefit, 8pm, $20 2) Rebekah Chase, 8pm, Country at the Cabaret w/DJ Jamie G, 9pm, no cover 3) The Scotts, 6pm, no cover

2) Halloween part w/Keyser Soze, 6pm, no cover 3) Skin and Scare VIII: Hollow, 10pm, $20 3) Social Network Night, 9pm, no cover 4) Live music, 6:30pm, no cover

219 N. Center St., (775) 788-2900 1) Sammy’s Showroom 2) The Zone 3) Sapphire Lounge 4) Plaza 5) Convention Center

JOHN ASCUAGA’S NUGGET

1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks; (775) 356-3300 1) Showroom 2) Cabaret 3) Orozko 4) Rose Ballroom 5) Trader Dick’s

PEPPERMILL RESORT SPA CASINO 2707 S. Virginia St., (775) 826-2121 1) Tuscany Ballroom 2) Terrace Lounge 3) Edge 4) Capri Ballroom

SILVER LEGACY

407 N. Virginia St., (775) 325-7401 1) Grand Exposition Hall 2) Rum Bullions Island Bar 3) Aura Ultra Lounge 4) Silver Baron Lounge

5) Namolokama, 6pm, no cover

2) Country at the Cabaret w/DJ Jamie G, 7pm W, no cover 3) Freeport Jazz, 6pm, W, no cover

2) Rose’s Pawn Shop, 8pm, no cover 3) Salsa dancing with BB of Salsa Reno, 2) Rose’s Pawn Shop, 8pm, no cover 7:30pm, $10 after 8pm, DJ Chris English, 3) Rogue Saturdays, 10pm, $20 DJ ((Fredie)), 10pm, $20

2) Kate Cotter, 6pm, no cover

2) Kate Cotter, 6pm, M, Tu, W, no cover

2) Live music/DJ, 9pm, no cover 3) Fashion Friday, 7pm, no cover 4) Live music, 8:30pm, no cover

2) Recovery Sundays, 10pm, no cover 3) Midnight Mass, 9pm, no cover 4) Live music, 6:30pm, no cover

2) Gong Show Karaoke, 8pm, Tu, no cover 3) Step This Way (dubstep, house), 8pm, W, no cover

2) Live music/DJ, 9pm, no cover 3) Seduction Saturdays, 9pm, $5 4) Live music, 8:30pm, no cover

For a complete listing of this week’s events, visit newsreview.com/reno

El Día de los Muertos Celebration As we approach winter, the days get shorter, and the nights get colder and longer. The cycle of life and death completes another rotation as plants and animals go into hibernation or perish as the fertility of the land gives way to the barren times of winter.

Various ancient cultures marked this seasonal transition with rituals and festivals that gave thanks for a bountiful harvest, as well as honored the gods and dead ancestors. The Celtic festival of Samhain marked the end of summer and temporarily removed the barrier between the living and the dead. The Roman feast of Pomona honored the goddess of the harvest and was held roughly the same time as Samhain. Ancient Aztecs held a festival which honored dead ancestors and was dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, also known as “The Lady of the Dead.” Elements of these ancient festivals can be observed in the present-day celebrations of Halloween, El Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) and the Christian counterparts All Hallows Eve, All Saints Days and All Souls Day, which fall between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2.

Widely celebrated in Mexico and throughout Latin America, El Día de los Muertos is gaining more attention in the United States as a result of its growing Latino population. During this three-day holiday, which corresponds with the Christian observance of Hallowmas, families visit cemeteries and decorate the graves of relatives, remembering the departed and leaving offerings of flowers, food, beverages and treats. The Latino Research Center at the University of Nevada, Reno will hold a celebration of the holiday this Saturday, Nov. 2. There will be music, food, children’s activities, including face painting and making traditional sugar skulls, and an exhibition featuring altars created by students and members of campus organizations and the wider community. The event begins at 2 p.m. at the Joe Crowley Student Union Ballroom at the University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St. Call 784-4010 or visit www.unr.edu/latinocenter.

—Kelley Lang

World Music & Dance

Masquerade at Moulin Rouge

Dark of the Moon Shines

Traditional Association for Cultural Harmony presents this program of Indian slide guitar, kathak dance, ghazal singing and jazz to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. Indian classical guitarist (kachappi veena) player Thakur Chakrapani Singh performs along with harp and saxophone/flute duo Susan Mazer and Dallas Smith, dancer Anya Devi and vocalist Ganesh Swami. The concert begins at 4 p.m. on the eve of Diwali, Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Laxalt Auditorium inside the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St. Tickets are $10-$50. Call (775) 241-8144 or visit www.tachllc.org.

Nevada Museum of Art invites the public to experience the excitement of Belle Époque France, during the late 19th century when artists and aristocrats filled cabarets like the famed Moulin Rouge in Paris to watch dancers perform the scandalous can-can, drink absinthe and seek inspiration. The fête includes music by French chanteuse Suzanne Ramsey, a.k.a. Kitten on the Keys, a Parisian-style photo booth and acrobatic entertainment

by Gregangelo and Velocity Circus of San Francisco. The event also celebrates the grand opening of Mark Estee’s new French-inspired restaurant, chez louie, and the premiere of the NMA’s feature exhibition Toulouse-Lautrec & La Vie Moderne: Paris 1880–1919, on view Nov. 2 through Jan. 19. Costumes are encouraged. The party begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the NMA, 160 W. Liberty St. Tickets are $45 for NMA members and $60 for non-members. The ticket price includes a complimentary drink and refreshments. Call 329-3333 or visit www.nevadaart.org.

This dramatic “play with music” by Howard Richardson and William Berney has been staged in high school and college theaters across the nation since its Broadway debut in the 1940s. The script is based on the folk ballad of “Barbara Allen.” Set in the Smoky Mountains, it recounts the story of John, a strange “witch boy” who falls in love with the beautiful Barbara Allen at first sight. He is given human form to woo and marry her on the condition that she remain true to him. But, alas, the lovers’ union will not have a fairytale ending.

Showtimes are 7 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, on Oct. 31-Nov. 2, and 2 p.m. on Nov. 2 at Damonte Ranch High School, 10500 Damonte Ranch Way. Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for students, senior citizens, WCSD staff, and an opening night special offering two seats for $10.

There will also be a witch costume contest on Halloween night with prizes awarded for most creative and scariest costume. Call (775) 334-7124 or visit http://drhspacdramaprogram.weebly.com.

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Reno Philharmonic: Classix Three The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra’s third concert in its Classix season features renowned cellist Zuill Bailey, who will perform Antonín Dvorák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, op. 104.

The program also includes “Heliotrope” by Daron Aric Hagen and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C major, op. 21. The concert begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St. Tickets are $26-$77. The Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra will also present their Fall Showcase at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4. at the Pioneer Center. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Call 323-6393 or visit www.renophil.com.

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I’ve tried to be open-minded, but I’ve decided that men are givers and women are takers. I study at my local coffeehouse. I am interested in this woman who comes in, and I often unplug my computer and offer to let her use the outlet. Two weeks ago, I decided to make my interest clearer by buying her coffee. She said, ”Oh! Thanks!” Then she put her nose back in her books. The next time she came in, I offered her my large table because she had tons of books. She blushed as girls do, asking, “Are you sure?” I said, “Of course!” I then worked at a small, cramped table next to her. She made no effort to talk, except when she asked me to watch her computer while she went to the restroom. Finally, I decided to be really clear and asked if she’d like to grab a bite sometime. She smiled and said she’d just see me here, but thanks. Yeah, she’ll see me there and expect me to give her my big table. I’m sick of this take, take, take. A woman needs to tell a man right away if she’s not interested and not let him sit there like an idiot, planning to make her life easier.

I guess when you ask a woman whether she’d like to use the power outlet, she should just come right out and say, “I would, but I don’t find you very attractive.”

Why go after what you want when you can dance around it, do it favors, and hope it figures out that you’ve made a secret agreement with it in your head?

There are girls who would respond in a way you’d consider honorable—who would not only show appreciation when you provide them with complimentary food and beverages but even follow you home.

Unfortunately, they’re the sort of girls who catch a Frisbee in their teeth.

Like the sign spinner on the corner in the Statue of Liberty suit, you think you need to lure women with a special offer, except instead of “Cash for gold!” it’s “Snake your drain for a date!” You’re apparently convinced that no woman would want you for you. This probably isn’t entirely off base, since currently “you” is a guy who thinks instilling a sense of obligation in a woman for favors rendered is your best hope of having sex again before you forget where the parts go.

Stop grumbling that women are conniving takers, and work on accepting yourself, flaws and all. Once your self-respect is no longer trailer-hitched to whether women want you, you can be direct—just talk to a

woman, let her see who you are, and ask her out.

She may turn you down, but if you feel OK about yourself, you’ll see her rejection as your cue—simply to find the next girl to hit on, not to storm out behind the coffeehouse, shake your fist at the sky, and yell, “Hey, weren’t the meek supposed to inherit the Earth?

Where’s mine?!”

Wait problems A friend of a year has a pattern of raving about people she meets and then completely cooling on them. Last week, she met a man online. On their first date, he took her shopping, buying her a gold ring and a key ring he had engraved with both their names and “Thinking of you always.” She describes him as perfect, brilliant, etc., and said she loves him and would marry him. I said things like “Take some time to get to know him,” but I don’t think she really heard me.

A first date like theirs raises some questions for the second date, such as, “Who should pay the invoice for the side-by-side burial plots?” Be prepared to wear out your face trying to talk sense into your friend. The problem is “confirmation bias”—our tendency to seek information that supports what we already believe and toss information that does not. In other words, your time would be better spent painting a wall and speaking meaningful thoughts to the paint as it dries.

Another productive use of your time would be adding up how much of it you’re spending worrying about this woman’s problems. It isn’t mercenary or ugly to expect a friendship to be mutual and to influence you in positive ways. If how she lives is dragging you down, you may want to give her a little less prominence in your life. Then, when you do see her, you can just admire her ring and share in her happiness at reaching that milestone golden anniversary—celebrating 50 joyous minutes of knowing a man.

Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave., No. 280, Santa Monica,CA 90405, or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com).

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by rob brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Once when I

was hiking through Maui’s rain forest, I spied a majestic purple honohono flower sprouting from a rotting log. As I bent down close, I inhaled the merged aromas of moldering wood and sweet floral fragrance. Let’s make this scene your metaphor of the week, Aries. Here’s why: A part of your life that is in the throes of decay can serve as host for a magnificent bloom. What has been lost to you may become the source of fertility. Halloween costume suggestion: a garbage man or cleaning maid wearing a crown of roses.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What don’t

you like? Get clear about that. What don’t you want to do? Make definitive decisions.

What kind of person do you not want to become, and what life do you never want to live? Resolve those questions with as much certainty as possible. Write it all down, preferably in the form of a contract with yourself. Sign the contract. This document will be your sacred promise, a declaration of the boundaries you won’t cross and the activities you won’t waste your time on and the desires that aren’t worthy of you. It will feed your freedom to know exactly what you like and what you want to accomplish and who you want to become. Halloween costume suggestion: the opposite of who you really are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Are you up for

an experiment? Not just on Halloween, but for a week afterward, be scarier than your fears. If an anxious thought pops into your mind, bare your teeth and growl, “Get out of here, or I will rip you to shreds!” If a demon visits you in a nightly dream, chase after it with a torch and sword, screaming, “Begone, foul spirit, or I will burn your mangy ass!”

Don’t tolerate bullying in any form, whether it comes from a critical little voice in your head or from supposedly nice people who are trying to guilt-trip you. “I am a brave conqueror who cannot be intimidated!” is what you could say, or, “I am a monster of love and goodness who will defeat all threats to my integrity!”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Are you

ready to be amazed? Now would be an excellent time to shed your soul’s infantile illusions, to play wildly with the greatest mystery you know, to accept gifts that enhance your freedom and refuse gifts that don’t, to seek out a supernatural encounter that heals your chronic sadness, to consort and converse with sexy magical spirits from the future, to make love with the lights on and cry when you come. Halloween costume suggestion: the archetypal lover.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Some people in your

vicinity are smoldering and fuming. The air is heavy with emotional ferment. Conspiracy theories are ripening and rotting at the same time. Hidden agendas are seeping into conversations, and gossip is swirling like ghostly dust devils. Yet, in the midst of this mayhem, an eerie calm possesses you. As everyone else struggles, you’re poised and full of grace. To what do we owe this stability? I suspect it has to do with the fact that life is showing you how to feel at home in the world no matter what’s happening around you. Keep making yourself receptive to these teachings. Halloween costume suggestion: king or queen of relaxation.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Unification

should be a key theme for you in the coming weeks. Anything you do that promotes splicing and blending and harmonizing will get extra help, sometimes from mysterious forces working behind the scenes. The more you work to find common ground between opposing sides, the stronger you’ll feel, and the better you’ll look. If you can manage to mend schisms and heal wounds, unexpected luck will flow into your life. To encourage these developments, consider these Halloween disguises: a roll of tape, a stick of Krazy Glue, a wound that’s healing, a bridge.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What do you

think you’d be like if you were among the 1 percent wealthiest people on Earth? Would you demand that your government raise your taxes so you could contribute more to our collective well-being? Would you live simply and cheaply, so you’d have more money to donate to charities and other worthy causes? This Halloween season, I suggest you play around with fantasies like that— maybe even masquerade as an incredibly rich philanthropist who doles out cash and gifts everywhere you go. At the very least, imagine what it would be like if you had everything you needed and felt so grateful, you shared your abundance freely.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What if

you had the power to enchant and even bewitch people with your charisma? Would you wield your allure without mercy? Would you feel wicked delight in their attraction to you, even if you didn’t plan to give them what they want? I suspect these questions aren’t entirely rhetorical right now. You may have more mojo at your disposal than you realize. Speaking for your conscience, I will ask you not to desecrate your privilege. If you must manipulate people, do it for their benefit as well as yours. Use your raw magic responsibly. Halloween costume suggestion: a mesmerizing guru, an irresistible diva, a stage magician.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

I had a dream that you were in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? You were like the character played by George Clooney after he escaped from a prison chain gang. Can you picture it? You were wearing a striped jailbird suit, and a ball and chain were still cuffed around your ankle. But you were sort of free, too. You were on the lam, making your way from adventure to adventure as you eluded those who would throw you back in the slammer. You were not yet in the clear, but you seemed to be en route to total emancipation. I think this dream is an apt metaphorical depiction of your actual life right now. Could you somehow use it in designing your Halloween costume?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I invite

you to try the following exercise: Imagine the most powerful role you could realistically attain in the future. This is a position or niche or job that will authorize you to wield your influence to the max. It will give you the clout to shape the environments you share with other people. It will allow you to freely express your important ideas and have them be treated seriously. Let your imagination run a little wild as you visualize the possibilities. Incorporate your visions into your Halloween costume.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the

course of earning a living, I have worked four different jobs as a janitor and six as a dishwasher. On the brighter side, I have performed as a songwriter and lead singer for six rock bands and currently write a syndicated astrology column. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you Aquarians are primed to cultivate a relationship with your work life that is more like my latter choices than the former. The next eight months will be a favorable time to ensure that you’ll be doing your own personal equivalent of rock singer or astrology columnist well into the future. Halloween costume suggestion: your dream job.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Author

Robert Louis Stevenson loved the work of poet Walt Whitman, recommending it with the same enthusiasm as he did William Shakespeare’s. Stevenson also regarded Whitman as an unruly force of nature, and in one famous passage, called him “a large shaggy dog, just unchained, scouring the beaches of the world and baying at the moon.” Your assignment is to do your best imitation of a primal creature like Whitman.

In fact, consider being him for Halloween.

Maybe you could memorize passages from Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and recite them at random moments. Here’s one: “I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, / I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.”

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at (877) 873-4888 or (900) 950-7700.

30 | RN&R |

OCTOBER 31, 2013

by Brad Bynum

The writer

you either have to do it or you don’t. There’s always things I would have done differently and ideas I would have shot for, but that would have missed some of the things that those guys got. But it’s a good ride and it’s fun. But the directors, the Polsky brothers, tried really hard, and they shot scenes at my favorite places, like the Halfway Club. My favorite bar, my daytime drinking bar in Reno, has always been the Elbow Room. I love that bar, and they shot a scene there.

Willy Vlautin Author and musician Willy Vlautin, who grew up in Reno, will be doing a Q-and-A session at the Joe Crowley Student Union, at the University of Nevada, Reno, on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. The Q-and-A will follow a free advance screening of the film The Motel Life, based on his debut novel. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Dakota Fanning and Kris Kristofferson.

You and I first talked back in 2006, before The Motel Life—the book—had even come out. And it was kind of in the build-up of the book coming out. Flash forward a few years, and now we’re talking right before the movie comes out.

No kidding! It ’s really wild that they actually made the movie. The whole process of it is pretty amazing. You just never know about that stuff. I’m pretty excited that it’s actually going to be seen. ... I thought it was really nicely made and it made Reno look really beautiful. … I wish they would have done more outside shots of Reno, but you can only wish for so many things. One of my bargaining things when I sold it to them was that I was really hoping they would shoot it in Reno. They wouldn’t put it in writing because different states give different tax breaks for making movies. But they promised me they

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And you’ve got a new novel coming out next year?

Yeah, I’ve got a novel called The Free coming out in February. I’m doing a reading at Sundance [Books and Music]. I love Sundance. Thy ’re so nice to me. On Monday, February 10. I’m excited about it. You never know. I like writing the novels more than anything. And just to get them published is a huge thing, and who knows if people like it?

would make it in Reno. ... They invited me down to see Kris Kristofferson ’s scenes, because I’m such a big fan of his.

Did you meet him?

I meet him briefly, but I’m such a big fan, I was so nervous. What do you say? He was in a trailer, and one of the directors said, Yeah, Will’s a musician too, and I was just like, Fuck! Why’d you have to say that? And I say, I’m not much of a musician. His quote was, “My friend Willie always tells me what a shitty guitar player I am, that I should just quit playing guitar altogether, but I just can’t quit.” And he was talking about Willie Nelson. I got out of there as fast as I could because sometimes it’s better not to meet a legend, even though he was really nice. I eavesdropped on him the whole time I was there, and he seemed really like a cool dude. … He said he read The Motel Life and liked it, and the idea of him reading The Motel Life made my month. But to answer your question about the changes,

Tranquility So here I sit, broken hearted—no, wait. Hold on. Take two. So here I sit, Monday morn, snow on rabbitbrush, cold front born. According to my nifty digital weather center, it’s 35 degrees. Things have changed.

Suddenly. Autumn is having one of its little chill attacks. No problem.

I’m OK with it, because I spent last week in Paradise.

As it turned out, Paradise was good ole Pyramid Lake. It’s always nifty when Paradise is conveniently local, and last week, Pyramid was a place of exquisite light and blessed windlessness. It was there for the taking. I’m smugly happy to report that I got off my rear end last week and helped myself.

It became glaringly obvious that Pyramid was indeed Paradise on Sunday the 20th, when I went out to the Willows on the northwest end of the lake to do a bit of birding. We didn’t see much in the way of birds, but the lake itself quickly impressed. There was simply no nicer place to be on planet Earth

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Anything else you want to talk about?

The people that go to see it—don’t be mad because they shoot it as Elko, but it’s really Virginia City. On film, they thought Elko and Reno looked too similar. So they just changed the sign, so when you’re driving into Virginia City it says “Elko.” … They just wanted a town that looked different, but wanted it far enough away, like Elko. I really like Elko, and I wanted it to be seen in the movie, but what are you going to do? Ω

A longer version of this interview can be found at www.newsreview.com.

∫y Bruce Van Dye just an occasional breeze ripple on its surface to give it a touch of sheen. When the lake is this calm, it becomes possible to see every tiny wake made by every grebe and gull as they leisurely paddle about. I could see dozens of these telltale wakes. Mondo fab. It was extremely easy to just sit, enjoy and savor. What a truly fine place to sit. This was sitting and watching and snacking and sipping taken to a high level.

The waning moon came up over the eastern mountains, sending a ghostly beam of lunar light on the water. Out here, I could sleep the sleep of the unfettered simpleton. In the morning, my perch would be reassumed, coffee in hand, hand under blanket, waiting for the sun to rise upon this Lake of Tranquility. Ω

that afternoon—73, sunny, clear, winds of zero to zero point five. The light was rich and the water dark blue. And flat. Flat glass. You don’t see Pyramid like this in April or May. It just, quite simply, felt real good to be there, to be a live functional entity glomming it all up. The band XTC has a great song that fit this scene—“Senses Working Overtime.”

Upon getting back home that night, I looked up the weather for the week, and lo and behold, Monday through Friday were gonna be just as nice as Sunday. Warm. Calm.

Perf. A voice sounded in my mind.

“Hey. You have a trailer. You wanna use it? Or what?” Yes, I replied. If not now, when?

I parked the trailer on a bluff north of Spider Point that overlooks the lake. From this spot, I could see the Willows and the Needles to the north, the Pyramid to the south.

For three days, each as perfect, weather-wise, as the day before, I could watch the lake in its glassy glory, usually perfectly flat, with

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FREE CONSULTATION

cheapest propane in Town!!! only $2.30 per gallon

TATTOO REMOVAL STARTING AT $50.

When you get arrested, you need a fast, dependable, & courteous bail bondsman who will respect your confidentiality. Locally owned & operated since 1952.

600 s. virginia, reno, nv

• Gift Shop & Store, Exercise Room, Handicap-Accessible • Metered LP Gas, Local Bus Service, 50 Amp, Phone & Cable Ready • No jet Noise, No Flooding, No 28 Day Rule • $50 Storage w/Free Dump

INK

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RETHINK

to

$1.00 – $1.19 – $1.29

call oR ViSit NoW to ReceiVe the beSt Rate We haVe eVeR offeRed

East on Neil Rd. exit from 395.

1/2 mi. R on Meadow Wood Ln, 1st R on Riggins Ct.

Y O U R

general dollar store

Shamrock RV Park ersary move-in special!!!

TH 25 anniv

5635 Riggins Ct., #21

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775.689.8888 www.anewmereno.com 1475 Terminal way, SuiTe 1a, reno, nevada