Holding an election and nobody cares

To the editor:

I received my "official" sample ballot for the upcoming municipal general election in June and immediately wondered the total cost of producing, printing and postage involved to decide who will be the next Municipal Court judge in Department 6. While at it, include the cost of transporting voting machines to and from the polling places and the hiring of election workers.

This 11-page printed document contains instructions, where to vote early, etc. (in two languages), and there are but two candidates for one position in the entire missive.

It seems to me, with all of the interest generated in this particular election (none), that the more sensible, cost-effective resolution would be for the candidates to have a winner-take-all, two-out-of-three Paper Rock Scissors contest on the courthouse steps with their immediate relatives in attendance. The relatives, probably the only ones who will vote anyway, would act as judges.

The winner of the contest would gain the contested position and the loser would receive 50 percent of the total saved cost. The only problem with this idea is that both candidates might try to lose.

Even simpler, just hire them both. We need more judges anyway, and it would probably be cheaper in the end.

J.E. Tudor

LAS VEGAS

Wrong message

To the editor:

In response to the Sunday Living section story "Undressed for success" about a couple who strip for a living: What, pray tell, was the point of this article, written by Sonya Padgett? Was it to:

-- Entice young people into a decadent lifestyle?

-- Teach people to worship the god of materialism?

-- Teach people that getting degrees is worthless because, when you get your degree, you have to start at the bottom of the pay scale and work your way up -- just like everyone else has to do?

-- Imply that living together without the benefit of marriage is just A-OK?

-- Teach people that there is no God of the universe, so one does not have to worry about where they will be spending their "eternal" life?

The article was a disgusting representation of the please-me-now generation. I can justify whatever pleases me, myself and I at any given moment. No self-respect. No personal ethics. No work ethic. No responsibility. Flagrant promiscuity.

I am appalled. What in the world ever possessed the Review-Journal to print such garbage?

LYNDA WOODS

LAS VEGAS

Deep water

To the editor:

We are killing the goose that laid the golden egg and no one seems to care. The unfunded liability for public-sector health care and retirement costs Nevada -- and in the United States -- will eventually sink our collective ship if we don't redistribute the load.

I hope that we can all swim.

DEANNA DALLY

HENDERSON

Good money

To the editor:

I read with interest that members of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board of Directors questioned staff members about 37 new positions that added $2.4 million to the budget ("$285 million budget approved," Friday Review-Journal). And that the vice president of operations stated most of the jobs were for maintenance and upkeep on the graveyard shift.

If my math's right, that works out to about $65,000 a year (which some good analyst will point out includes benefits -- benefits above and beyond what the average worker in this city enjoys).

I would suggest that the Review-Journal take a hard look at the salaries, wages and benefits of the visitors authority workers and see how much fat they can find. While you're at it, take a look at some of these of quasi-government and government-regulated agencies and companies (such as the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Las Vegas Valley Water District, Nevada Power, etc.). Seems like they pay about twice as much to their employees compared to an equivalent position in the private sector.

Michael A. Dimmick

LAS VEGAS

Laugh riot

To the editor:

He did it again. On a Sunday when the comics barely evoked a smile, your always-good-for-a-laugh, loony-leftist-liberal, Geoff Schumacher provided a hilarious column. One wonders if he's simply attempting to raise hackles or actually going for the chuckles.

His column covered all the nutty left-wing concerns of the day: impeach Bush, get rid of SUVs, don't shop at Wal-Mart, develop mass transit, etc. But he did find two things to gleefully crow about: Nevada's smokers have been slapped down and Wynn dealers have unionized. Wow! What great social progress.

As with so many of your subscribers, I don't even bother to open the Las Vegas Sun section. So since there is the occasional need to see what the wacko left is currently braying about, be sure to keep Mr. Schumacher around. He's a riot.

Ernie Mathews

HENDERSON