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Las Vegas Cracks Down on Graffiti By Swiping Licenses

CitizenSugar — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:00:40 -0700

The price of graffiti in Las Vegas is not only the eyesore but, according to the City Council member, a $30 million dollar bill on top of the tags. It's money that according to one councilman says could be “used for things like education. We can educated young people on how to do positive things.” The solution to stop the amateur Banksy-esque hooligans? Stiffer penalties.

The City Council of Las Vegas has just approved higher fines as well as community service to clean up the graffiti. If you are younger than 18, your parents will foot the bill — but if you’re older? That can of spray paint could make you find yourself doing hard time waiting for the bus. Taggers stand to lose their drivers licenses for up to two years. The tougher penalties aren’t just for the sake of punishment, but rather an easily legible plea to gangs who regularly mark their territory, to stop.

Is taking the keys to the car a fair penalty for marking up the streets?

Source

Troops Overseas Give More Money to Obama by 6 to 1

LibertySugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:00:32 -0700

US troops deployed overseas give six times as much money to Barack Obama, compared to John McCain. The Center for Responsive Politics, which conducted the giving-analysis, also made conclusions about the military's overall contribution pattern:

Despite McCain's status as a decorated veteran and a historically Republican bent among the military, members of the armed services overall — whether stationed overseas or at home — are also favoring Obama with their campaign contributions in 2008, by a $55,000 margin. Although 59 percent of federal contributions by military personnel has gone to Republicans this cycle, of money from the military to the presumed presidential nominees, 57 percent has gone to Obama.

Some military personnel might give to the Republicans but not McCain. The totals only include donations over $200, since smaller contributions are not reported to the FEC. Thus, the study explains that "these figures are likely to disproportionately represent the mood of officers, who have more disposable income to spend on politics than do the lower ranks. But because young people tend to be more liberal than their elders, the total dollar figures could lean even more in Obama's favor."

This month, John McCain spoke to disabled veterans in Las Vegas. To see some video of the speech, and to find out how the vets received McCain,

Morning News Anchors Drink McDonald's Coffee (For Cash)

LibertySugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:15:00 -0700

Each morning news anchors on Fox's Las Vegas affiliate sit in front of very visible McDonald's iced coffee cups, part of a product-placement deal. The fast-food chain sponsors the two-hour morning news-and-lifestyle segment, but instead of commercial breaks, the advertisement happens during the news.

Since advertisement dollars already influence networks, I think the product-placement deal raises some old conflict of interest concerns. The producers say they would pull the cups if they had to report a negative story about McDonald's, just as they would pull a regular commercial. Still, the covertness of the promotion could deceive some viewers not aware that McDonald's paid for the cups' placement.

To find out how political parties are incorporating product placement, and how the industry sees it,

Vegas to OK Prostitution — The Pope's "Secular Challenges?"

CitizenSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:55:54 -0700

Yesterday the Pope praised America as a nation where strong faith and religious beliefs live harmoniously with secular society. His remarks, delivered at the White House as part of his first trip to the US, came with a caveat addressed later to the bishops: The US is battling a "subtle influence of secularism" that threatens to derail the righteous. He said:

Is it consistent for practicing Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and the marginalized, to promote sexual behavior contrary to Catholic moral teaching or to adopt positions that contradict the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death?

Maybe the Pope should have started his trip in Las Vegas. The Sin City mayor just had this to say about legalizing prostitution:

It's disingenuous when people say they don't want to legalize it. Right now it's uncontrolled and unregulated. There's no check and balance as far as the women's health is concerned and legal brothels could be an important revenue-raising device for the city. When you speak about it intellectually, not morally, it makes sense.

Las Vegas exists in an odd bubble as much of the rest of the state allows and watches over the sex trade. To see the dilemma,

Front Page: Attack in Iraq, Lethal Injection, Ricin Arrest

CitizenSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:00:40 -0700

Attack in Iraq: No fewer than 30 people have been killed and many more injured in a suicide attack on a crowd of mourners in Iraq. The attacker detonated his explosives at a funeral near the city of Baquba, north of the capital, Baghdad. Officials said the funeral was for two brothers said to be leading figures in the Sunni Awakening Council, who may have died fighting al-Qaeda in Iraq militants. The Sunni Awakening Council works alongside the Americans and Iraqi government to fight al-Qaeda-linked insurgents. More than 50 people were killed in another Baquba attack just two days ago.

Lethal Injection: The US Supreme Court voted 7-2 yesterday to reject prisoners' challenges to the lethal injection procedure in Kentucky. The justices upheld the method saying the state's use of a three-drug combination does not violate the Constitution's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Many states put their slate of executions on hold waiting for the court's ruling and are now rushing to assign execution dates. The decision may particularly help Nebraska after the state's Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that its only method, electrocution, was unconstitutional.
Ricin Arrest: The man who was sickened by the deadly toxin ricin in his Las Vegas motel room was arrested upon his release from a hospital yesterday and charged with possession of the substance. The federal indictment says the man enjoyed experimenting with production of the substance derived from castor beans, calling it "an exotic idea," but had no specific intention to use it against anyone. An FBI agent said, “based on the results of our investigation, we don’t believe that the public was ever in danger nor do we believe that this was any terrorist plot.” The man is expected to be arraigned this afternoon.

Headline: Suspicious Powder Found at Las Vegas Excalibur

CitizenSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:30:29 -0800

For the second time in a week, amounts of suspicious white powder were found in a Las Vegas Hotel room. One room in the Excalibur hotel was quarantined after a guest reported seeing white powder in his bed. The man and the exposed hotel workers were secluded, but tests have just revealed that the substance was nontoxic.

This latest powder scare comes on the heels of a similar episode last week. As a result of that instance, a man is currently in a coma after being exposed to the suspicious powder that ultimately turned out to be ricin.

Do Las Vegas Bouncers Make More Than Our President?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:00:46 -0800

Q: What does a Las Vegas bouncer have in common with Mike Huckabee?
A: An extreme distaste for the IRS and Paris Hilton's number on speed dial.

Okay, maybe not that last one, but the suspected tax-evading bouncers at the Vegas nightclub Pure might be in favor of ol' Mike Huckabee after the IRS raided the club this week, confiscating computers. The cash-based industry attracts the attention of the very department Huckabee wants to abolish. It's rumored that good bouncers are clearing half a million dollars a year.

Not a bad paycheck considering our Commander in Chief only makes $400,000. Maybe we'll see Bush checking IDs at a door sometime soon . . .

Source

Debate Rebate: Democrats Gamble in Vegas

LibertySugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:08:09 -0800

Now that they're all friends, (sooo over the race thing,) and on a first name basis, the Democrats were free to talk policy at last night's debate. While it seems like debates are supposed to help highlight each candidate's unique qualities, this slot machine came up cherry, cherry, cherry. All three support universal health care, ROTC/increased military recruitment, and energy independence — and all three oppose the war. Seems like a jackpot — unless you're undecided. Here are the highlights:

John Edwards: John seemed pretty passionate. He broke down his stance on Iraq, saying:

“I will end combat missions. And while I'm president, there will be no permanent military bases in Iraq.”

Overall, Edwards was the most willing to point out differences. He says his plan to get troops out of Iraq is more aggressive and claimed to be the only candidate not to take money from special interests.

For the rest of the candidates,