Week in Review: Reporters’ Notebook

Humor can be dangerous on the campaign trail, and a joke Carolyn Goodman told Friday on a subject near and dear to many Las Vegans fell flat.

At a recent forum, the mayoral candidates were asked for their feelings about a stadium and a professional sports team for Las Vegas.

"Don't leave the room and put down your cell phones," Goodman said when her turn came. "We got a call from David Stern this morning. We are getting an NBA team."

The room went silent, and Goodman kept a straight face during a long pause before finally crowing, "April Fool's!"

She seemed pleased with herself afterward, as though she had pulled a good "gotcha" on the crowd. But some of the attendees may have been thinking something else: "Worst. Prank. Ever." Or maybe, "Changing. My. Vote."

ALAN CHOATE

The Facebook page Overheard at UNLV posted a picture of a handwritten sign someone put up outside the education building laying out the effects of state budget cuts.

It detailed jobs lost, programs cut and class secitons eliminated. Yes, class "secitons."

Maybe it really would be a bad idea to cut education funding, giving how much lernin' those kids still got to do.

RICHARD LAKE

You know that annoying moment when you're browsing through the greeting cards and you inadvertently open one that plays some obnoxious song?

Now North Las Vegas residents can have that experience at home.

In what may be a first for a local election, City Councilman Richard Cherchio is using talking-greeting-card technology in a new campaign mailer aimed at his chief rival, Wade Wagner.

So what's the attack ad about? It really doesn't matter. It's a campaign mailer that talks. Out loud. God help us all.

HENRY BREAN

TWEET OF THE WEEK: @jlnevadasmith (Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith) What's worse for (Barry) Bonds: Being accused of perjury, or of having a Johnson the size of a raisinet?