Letters for January 6, 2011

Hitchhiker’s guide

Re “Brain drain” (Arts & Culture, Dec. 30):

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the brain drain from the Reno area if Kyle Kozar is the best example you could find. He is standing on the wrong side of the street and hitchhiking backwards. He’ll never make it to NYC. He won’t even make it to Fernley. Either way, if he can even locate the interstate, it doesn’t appear that his departure will negatively affect the overall collective intelligence of Northern Nevada.

Dave Jasper
Reno

Love loss

Re “Brain drain” (Arts & Culture, Dec. 30):

Wait, why wasn’t I interviewed for this one? Just kidding, whatever. We, in the creative community here, are thoroughly entrenched with this idea that Reno is not supportive of its creative community, but that is simply not so. I’ve said for one full decade now that Reno is a great place to create art and commune with other creatives. We support each other, but thinking that you can make a living selling your wares here has, many times over, been proven not feasible.

Two other sound bites I often offer are: 1) We’re in a new era where one can live anywhere but needs to take advantage of online outlets for their self-promotional efforts. 2) NadaDada is interested in exporting artists through national media attention, while Artown is about importing artists to entertain Reno. There’s room for both events. I finally left and survived in LA, working my creative angles there, for four months. I didn’t really plan on coming back here but fell in love; what are ya gonna do? Great to see you writing about this issue.

Chad Sorg
Reno

Shop locally

Re “Home for the holidays” (Arts & Culture, Dec. 23):

Thank you for writing this. Everything you said is so true. None of the money for these big box stores stays even overnight in the city, county, or even state.

If people really care about small businesses, then we have to support them. I sincerely appreciate your comments, for the chain of jobs that come along with these small-business owners is so much longer—locally—than one thinks. It matters. And though they said this year retailers did well, our small independent retailers overall across the country did not so hot. If we lose them, our streets will be bare!

Lynn Sauter
San Jose, Calif.

The power behind the thrones

After living through the disaster of the late ’70s under full Democratic control, I gladly switched to Republican and voted for Reagan.

That’s why I’m perplexed by what happened here in Nevada in 2010. Republicans for Reid seems like a bad dream. I heard rumors that implied many Dems switched parties so they could vote in the GOP primary and voted for Sharon Angle. Coupled with that rumor was that many Friends of Harry also voted for Angle in order to ultimately keep Reid in office. If true, then that means that Lowden, Tarkanian, et al, wasted their time and money. Instead of a two-party system, we have Democratic and Democratic lite!

So, in 2012, as the political season starts getting warmer, the constituents should simply ask Sig Rogich how we should vote in the upcoming elections, since the Good Old Boy Network remains entrenched in Nevada. As for Harry, if he wants to run again in 2016, 2022, etc., and die of old age in office like Byrd and Kennedy, well—ask Sig Rogich! And Sig, thanks for proving progressive criticism of the GOP correct: It is all about the money.

Bill Thibault
Sparks

Papers, please

Re “You’re a suspect” (Editorial, Dec. 23):

I have never read an editorial so important and relevant to every one of us.

I am 64 years old. The difference between the “feeling” of this country in the ’50s and now is shocking. It’s like the National Socialists (Nazi Germany) and the Fascists (Italy) are alive and insidiously eliminating our freedoms.

It seems like each new generation is made to accept less liberty.

What was that Ben Franklin said about those who would trade liberty for security? They deserve neither.

Our Bill of Rights is the only thing that makes the Constitution of the United States worth a damn.

Are your papers in order?

Jody Peterson
Carson City

Support small towns

Re “Lights out for Empire, Nev.” (View from the Fray, Dec. 23):

I was saddened to hear about the demise of the U.S. Gypsum mine, and the economic avalanche that the area will encounter as a result of the plant closure. As a 10-year veteran of the Burning Man festival, I make sure to stop at the Empire store for supplies so as to help support their economy. I plan on making a trip to Gerlach at some point in the next several months as a small vacation. But I was also saddened to hear [letter writer] Mr. Bogard’s opinion of Burning Man. While I agree it is a mess as far as traffic is concerned, I do not understand how it can be an eyesore, as it’s so far onto the playa as to be virtually invisible to anyone in Gerlach. Let’s also not forget all the financial contributions the Burning Man organization makes to the local areas, as well as the millions of dollars the Bureau of Land Management receives. When I arrive in Gerlach, I will make sure to stop at both the Empire store and Planet X pottery and say hello, as well as buy some goods.

Jason Dave
Santa Barbara, Calif.

Know the difference

Re “The end of privacy” (Feature story, Dec. 23):

Your article implied that data from any credit card can be magnetically pick-pocketed. I don’t believe this statement is correct. The credit card must have an RFID chip on it to allow the data to be read without scanning the card in the usual manner.

You could have provided a greater service to your readers by explaining the difference between regular credit cards and RFID cards. And also by explaining how to determine if your card had the RFID chip. Instead you left the impression that all credit cards were subject to this scam.

Jon Harrison
Reno

Hot seat

Re “New House seat for state” (Upfront, Dec. 23):

Let’s be realistic. Clark County got another representative. We in the north will be seemingly forever “represented” by that hopeless, right-wing boot-licker, Dean Heller.

Dean Austin
Sparks

Suicide Tuesdays

Re “Drug tests” (Feature story, July 8):

I tried Bath Salt under the assumption it was coke—that’s what my friends who had it said it was—and although I used more than the writer of this article did, it was pretty much the same high until I had gone through two jars. I was still thinking it was actually coke when I started feeling really tense from being up for so long. It was over 48 hours and then noticed I was seeing spots. That was a little scary for me, and at that point my friends told me what it really was. If you’re gonna do it, do a little and enjoy your high. I did, until lack of sleep messed me up. I would do it again and probably before I would do coke, not because it’s legal, but I didn’t feel the same side effects the next day that I do from coke.

Tiffany Adams
Chiefland, Fla.