Quick and Dirty: a notebook of news and politics

Critiquing the critics of N.Y. Times series

The New York Times series on Las Vegas has generated a frenzy of columnizing in the city. As community leaders uniformly condemn the newspaper's coverage of Las Vegas, local writers have sought to provide a more nuanced response. Many think the six-part series is lacking in proper context and perspective, while others bemoan what the paper missed. Here's a digest of reactions:

Ą Jon Ralston, Las Vegas Sun: He condemns the Times' "cliché-ridden, lazy approach." "The Times, with all its resources, couldn't come up with something better than a stripper whose life is as fake as her breasts?" he wonders. Ralston says he understands what the Times was trying to accomplish with its "montage of images of the city," but he says the paper "provided a slice of life, but too many slices were missing or ignored, leaving me hungry for what might have been."

Ą Jeff German, Las Vegas Sun: Carving out an iconoclastic niche--one that, incidentally, was touched on in this space last week--German suggests that local condemnation of the series was hypocritical: "We spend millions of dollars each year promoting the most famous stereotype of all about Las Vegas, our reputation as Sin City, to lure millions of visitors to our spectacular casinos," he writes. "And yet we ignore the social costs (as if they don't exist) that come with our booming tourism-based economy. É When the New York Times exposes our underbelly and points out that Las Vegas is not all glamour and glitz, we get offended."

Ą Brian Greenspun, Las Vegas Sun: He calls the series a "one-sided, typical hatchet job" that could have been written about any large city. "One block from the New York Times offices, there is more despair per square foot than exists in any Budget Suites in Las Vegas," he writes. Greenspun argues that jealousy plays a part in people lashing out against Las Vegas. "Warts and all, Las Vegas continues to be the kind of place more and more Americans want to call home. Whatever we are doing here has appeal. Call it sex appeal, call it the appeal of opportunity for a new life, a better life. Whatever it is, we have it and so many other places don't."

Ą Steve Kanigher, Las Vegas Sun: He calls the series "shopworn journalism, about as fresh as an open can of paint exposed for a year to the desert sun." He suggests that a good angle for the Times would have been to send reporters to other cities and find out why their residents are leaving in droves to pursue their new lives in Las Vegas. "If life is so swell in Peoria, why do people keep flocking here?" he asks.

Ą Steve Sebelius, Review-Journal: He doesn't completely condemn the Times, noting that the social problems identified by the newspaper's reporters do exist here and are often overlooked by the local press. But Sebelius agrees that the Times missed a "good chunk of the story." "There's the Las Vegas in the New York Times story, and there's the Las Vegas that locals know, and even love. And the thing is, they're both true."

Ą Jane Ann Morrison, Review-Journal: She tells of two local high school graduates who don't fit the Times stereotype of troubled teens in Las Vegas. These graduates of the Las Vegas Academy magnet school are headed to college in the fall. One wants to be a concert pianist, the other a doctor. "The two are intelligent, lovely and focused, the antithesis of the young Las Vegans portrayed so dismally in the New York Times," she writes.

Unnoted by local columnists was how easy it was, apparently, for the Times to find residents who don't like it here. A ladies' room attendant at Spearmint Rhino says Las Vegas is the place "closest to hell." A Henderson businessman draws a sharp distinction between the city where he lives and works and the cesspool next door. Family Court Judge Gerald Hardcastle blames the city for his family's woes. "I wouldn't come here again," he says. "I won't retire here." A stripper says she misses the beach. "Can you imagine growing up in Sin City?" she asks.

One hopes the Times series, however well-crafted it was, will prompt local officials, activists and journalists to take a closer look at what we have wrought here in the desert and what, if anything, we need to do to address the issues cited by the Times. It would be the height of arrogance--and ignorance--to simply dismiss the series out of hand and continue to think everything is wonderful.--Geoff Schumacher

Local punks pay tribute to Ramones

If the Ramones had ever realized their plans for world domination, rock 'n' roll would have been limited to three chords, and Valium would have been sold next to Chiclets in the supermarket candy aisle. As it turns out, the Ramones were too bored to lead a revolution, and they only managed to win over the lowest rung on the social ladder, the slacker-punk.

Two decades later, the Ramones still hold sway over these denizens of the record store and the video arcade--particularly over the 14 local punk bands that contributed to Sniffin' Glue: A Las Vegas Tribute to the Ramones. Organized and produced by 2 Cents Worth frontman Adam Segal, Sniffin' Glue runs the gamut from a jazzercised take on "Blitzkrieg Bop" (Las Vegas Nines) to a hardcore rendition of "Chinese Rocks" (False Cause). In between, the Pervz and the Vermin wail on rarities ("Loudmouth" and "Carbona Not Glue," respectively) while Happy Campers pogo through a pop-punk version of the Ramones fave "I Wanna Be Sedated."

"I think the mix came out pretty good," says Segal. "When I started the project, I thought everyone would try to do something from the first three albums because they're considered classics. But then I went back and realized that the CD really spans the Ramones' entire career."

The Cooler Lounge will host the official release for Sniffin' Glue on Sat., June 12, at 10 p.m. Each band on the compilation is slated three songs during the show, but at least one already has other plans in the works.

"We couldn't narrow it down to three, so we're going to do five," says Pervz bassist Dallas Wise, noting that all the songs will be Ramones covers. "It'll only sound like one song, though, because we're going to play them all without stopping."--Newt Briggs

Vegas TV shows no signs of tuning out

In a culture where the Next Big Thing becomes "Where Are They Now" fodder in no time, Las Vegas' 15 minutes of fame seems to be enduring longer than anyone thought. While NBC's "Las Vegas" proves to be one of the 2003-04 season's highest-rated dramas, a spate of new shows also offer proof that what happens in Vegas fascinates the rest of the world: There's NBC's "Father of the Pride," a primetime animated show based on Siegfried and Roy; "American Casino," a reality show about the workings of Green Valley Ranch Station, which debuted Friday at 8 p.m. on the Discovery Channel; and, of course, "The Casino," which premieres June 14 on Fox. Don't touch that dial!--Andrew Kiraly

New sponsors means veterans show marches on

The weekly television program "America's Veterans" has gained a new lease on life. Thanks to new and returning sponsors, the 30-minute show that debuted on UPN Las Vegas cable channel 14 (KTUD Channel 25) in late February has been picked up for an additional 13-week stint. The show airs Saturdays at 5 a.m. Co-hosted by Chuck N. Baker, who is also the program's executive producer, the local program provides news of interest to veterans. "People are watching it," he says. "They want to hear about news that affects them."

Baker, a decorated Army veteran as well as managing editor of the monthly newspaper The Veterans Reporter, says veterans' news is only superficially covered by the major news organizations. Baker shares hosting chores with Crystal Cole, a local mortgage loan officer, who provides expertise in the areas of VA mortgage benefits, veterans housing and investing in real estate.

During its inaugural run, Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Jon Porter participated in sit-downs with Baker. Other guests include World War II veterans who provide commentary concerning military life. On-air topics include federal legislation, health and educational benefits and veteran homelessness. "We are hoping to keep the show going," Baker said.--Barbara Scherzer

New book takes fresh look at Pat McCarran

A forthcoming book on Nevada could create some interest here. The title is Washington Gone Crazy: Senator Pat McCarran and the Great American Communist Hunt. The author, Michael Ybarra, is a former Wall Street Journal reporter who has written for most of the major national publications. McCarran was the most powerful Nevadan ever to walk the halls of Washington, D.C., becoming Senate Judiciary Committee chair and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He did a lot for his state. If not for him, Nevada might not have gotten the Basic Magnesium plant that started Henderson, the gunnery school that became Nellis Air Force Base or the airport that bears his name. But he also was an old-fashioned political boss and, as the website on the book says, he was "consumed with looking for communists in Washington and his obsession almost consumed the country." For more info, you can check out amazon.com or www.steerforth.com/books/washington_gone_crazy.htm.--Michael Green