Brothels safer than Health Clinics

I truly am sorry and this is not normally a cause PRO Nevada supports but ... brothels are ONLY IN rural Nevada, so ...

I just really got a kick out of this letter to the Editors of the LVRJ:

Mar. 26, 2008 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
LETTERS: Brothels safer than health clinics
To the editor:

Last week the ABC News show "20/20" addressed the topic of prostitution in America, specifically in Nevada. Diane Sawyer of "20/20" observed that the health department stated that in more than 30 years, it has not had one case of HIV among the women working in the more than 30 legal brothels in Nevada. Ms. Sawyer also stated that each of the women is tested every week for sexually transmitted diseases, and for HIV every month.

Compare the track record of the legal brothels in Nevada, when it comes to disease transmitted, to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, where at least six patients were infected with hepatitis C. Who would have thought that a patron of a legal brothel would be at less risk of catching a disease than a patient at a medical clinic? Both places operate under a profit motive, yet it appears from news reports that one engaged in practices that put its clients/patients health, and very lives, at risk in order to maximize its profits.

It is also interesting to note that the state appears to do a thorough job of ensuring the clients of brothels and the women employed there are protected from being infected, yet for whatever reason can't seem to do the same thorough job when it comes to health care clinics.

There is no justifiable reason for the state health department not doing their job, despite all the excuses we have been hearing about a lack of funding and staff, lack of support from the governor for staffing positions, inability to hire staff, etc. This issue of the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Nevada is far too important to ever be ignored or rationalized away. If you don't believe that, just consider the plight of the 40,000-plus people now living in a medical purgatory as they await the outcome of their medical tests -- or their future as they struggle with a deadly disease.

And finally, like thousands or hundreds of thousands of other citizens, I keep watching the local evening news, waiting to see some health care providers in Las Vegas do the "perp walk" in handcuffs.

Tom Lynch
NORTH LAS VEGAS

All PRO Nevada can say is "Amen"

The SUN is softening!

The Las Vegas SUN has softened a bit. Their editorial today shows a crack in the door of their unwavering and staunch support of the LVVWA (Las Vegas Valley Water Authority) plan to build a pipeline from Northern Nevada to serve a thirsty Las Vegas and drain the rest.

They still aren't FOR the desalinization plant but the say it could be a "long term solution" which is more than they have ever giving the project before. So we at PRO Nevada give a cheer for the SUN. Baby steps, baby steps, maybe next week or next month they we START to consider the damage that will be done to the Northern Counties by this mult-billion-dollar scam. But baby steps are good.

Couple of things for them to consider:

Here's a quote "But desalination is certainly not a short-term option, given the expense of building and operating a plant, not to mention the environmental issues associated with desalination." TELL ME, what do you consider short term and long term? Years? Decades? Desal' plants are in operation NOW and the technology is there, it is as simple as building a factory. The pipeline is no less than 5 years away IF it happens, probably more like 10 years away once they cut through the permits and environmental impact studies. So which is short term and which is long term?

Here's another quote: "The process requires a tremendous amount of money, and environmentalists note that the demand for more electricity means more power plants, which come with their own set of costs and environmental issues." NOT near as much money as this crazy pipeline, in fact we could build EIGHT desal' plants for the price of this pipeline. (See previous post) It would demand electricity and that is the only REAL issue the SUN is addressing.

Next quote: "Trying to build a plant in California would be a difficult — and expensive — task." That is definitely right as rain. BUT why build in California? Mexico is just as happy, if not happier, to have American dollars spent on a number of desal' plants, give more Mexicans good jobs AND as I stated in the previous post, the "brine" is a commodity that can be sold, NOT dumped back into the ocean. (even if that drop in a VERY LARGE bucket would make any difference)

So PRO Nevada is proud of the SUN for taking these baby steps. We hope they will learn to walk on their own soon.

Desalinization Desmalinization

The Las Vegas Sun took time out of its busy schedule of panning everything Republican and conservative to pen an article on Desalinization, even giving it a title "Desalinization Gets a Serious Look"

Unfortunately they didn't give it that look. Clouded by the unassuming smoothness of Pat Mulroy at the Water Authority and by Californian environmental groups they gave desalinization as an option less than a paragraph in the article. The rest of the time they praised the pipeline, lamented the possibility of dead fish, and crooned about the impractical if not impossible.

They did end it on what I am sure they consider a positive note with a PRO Nevada quote from Launce Rake "“This is a country that put a man on the moon, a country with enormous intelligence and financial resources. We can do this if we have the political will.”

While I am sure Launce meant well and was probably misquoted or taken out of context like the Sun tends to do but desalinization is NOT the equivalent of a moon shot. A desal' plant is the equivalent of building a factory, happens all the time and everywhere. The issue continues to be the amount of POWER needed to make it worth the effort. Unlike the moon shot, the technology is there and waiting.

For a mere $250 million we (meaning Nevada) can build a plant in Mexico and get the credit towards drawing more water from Lake Mead. Okay, $250 million is not chump change but compare that to the LVVWA plan to spend $2 billion on a pipeline (which will probably grow to $4-5 billion by the time there are done) we could build EIGHT DESAL' PLANTS for that!

Many Desal' plants already have alternative energy sources using waves and wind to power the process. Environmental groups complain that the salt goes back into the ocean and kills fish due to its high concentration. 1st that is a literal drop in the bucket and 2nd that salt can be a commodity for some entrepreneurial desal' plant operator.

So check out the article but keep the pressure on Mulroy and her friends in the Sun to push the Desal' plants as a legitimate alternative.

Little boy, why do you hit yourself in the head with a hammer?

I walked around the corner in our neighborhood and found a young boy hitting himself in the head with a hammer. "Little boy," I said, "why do you hit yourself in the head with a hammer?" He looked up with a smile on his face and said, "Because it feels so good when I stop."

The Pahrump Valley Times has another in a series of articles in ALL the local papers on the next attempt by the DOE to "revive" Yucca Mountain. They will send another bright scientist to head the project and then cut back the money and manpower ... again ... while getting now further in the process. More delays, more money down the drain (or hole). I makes you want to ask: "DOE, why do you keep hitting your head with a hammer?"

Well it is long past time to MAKE IT STOP!

It is time to spend the billions of dollars on recycling nuclear waste and not hiding it - "oooh, that feels so good!"

It is time to spend the billions of dollars on technology that WON'T PRODUCE the waste in the first place - "yessss, that feels so good!"

Let's get the DOE to STOP banging themselves with Yucca, I am sure they will thank us for it.

Here's the Thing

Yesterday (March 13) I went to a meeting at the Beatty Community Center held by BEC Environmental. BEC has been contracted by Nye County to ... in essence ... clear the way for alternative energy projects in rural Nye County. I for one THANK them for the attempt. They got the right parties there: Reps from BLM, Electric Companies, Division of Water Resources, officials of Nye County and even a state Assemblyman. Along with them were 3-4 companies who are interested in projects in Nevada and were at various stages in the process. There were even a few individuals who were with investment interests

BUT it became clear VERY early that the people who REALLY needed to be there were not there and would not be at a meeting like this. This was a meeting of people who really want to change things and get alternative energy going in Nevada.

First, let me say the PRONevada position on Alternative Energy in Nevada. PRONevada believes that there is no REAL reason why Nevada cannot be energy self sufficient and even energy positive by 2020. In other words: we have the natural resources in rural Nevada to support the energy needs of the glitz of Las Vegas and Reno AND send some down the line to CA or other states at the same time.

Here is what it will take. Here is what was missing at the BEC meeting yesterday.
- Reid, Ensign, Berkley, Porter, and Heller because the fact is: it will take an ACT OF CONGRESS to get federal land "disposed" in rural Nevada. 97% of Nye County is owned by the feds.
- US Fish and Wildlife, US Forestry Service, Sierra Club, and any other Environmental Group that is waiting in the wings to protest on behalf of the Amargosa Turtle, Devil's Hole Pupfish, and the Las Vegas Cockroach. Our above political leaders should say, "Okay Environmental groups, we agree that it is important for you to protect these species so we will agree to protect 10 acres of Nevada wilderness for every 1 acre of Alternative Energy land use if you drop any and all protests on that one acre.
- PUC Executives, Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Executives, and even Valley Electric Executives. (Although Valley Electric did sent a low level engineer) THESE are the people who need to change the "culture" of the Power companies in Nevada. Change a culture that says "We're sticking to what we know and what we are good at and will, if forced, pay some lip service to Alternative Energy" There current mandate is to become 20% Alternative Energy by 2020 but right now they say they are "trying but there are not cost effective projects out there and we don't want to drive up the price to our consumer." I know for a FACT that they have stalled and rejected Alternative Energy Projects that would provide power to their grid for LESS THAN what they purchase it on the open market for. If you want more proof of their reluctance just talk to the executives of Solar One who took over SEVEN YEARS to get their project going and Nevada Power STILL says it is not working.

Here's the thing. BEC, you made a great attempt and the companies and individuals at the meeting will continue to fight the uphill fight but until we smash down these walls: BLM land disposal, Environmental protests, and Power Company gerrymandering; we will only get a trickle of Alternative Energy in Nevada and that is definitely NOT PRONevada.
-

The Local Toad

I have just read a quote that completely summarized what PRO Nevada is all about. This comes from the Pahrump Valley Times and it is out of a story entitled "Beatty Group Opposes Amargosa Toad Listing"

It seems there is a local group of volunteers that have been working to preserve the natural habitats along the Amargosa River in Beatty and suddenly the feds have come in and declared the Amargosa Toad an "Endangered Species." Ryan Tweney is the chairman of the group of local volunteers and he is opposed to the listing. Now comes the great quote:

"Listing as an endangered species would make this harder, not easier. These things are best done locally and with the cooperation of everyone involved," said Tweney. "We don't want our work hampered by all of the bureaucratic obstacles that listing would bring." (PVT)

Let me say that again, with emphasis: "Listing will make (protecting the toad) HARDER!" And "(Protecting the Toad) is best done LOCALLY with COOPERATION" and "(Protecting the Toad is) HAMPERED by all of the BUREAUCRATIC OBSTACLES!"

This is what PRO Nevada is all about. WE in Rural Nevada should have the opportunities to do what needs to be done without the bureaucratic obstacles of outsiders. Sure there are people who will sometimes abuse the privilege of rural land ownership and predetermination but we at PRO Nevada believe that it is the rights of the rural landowners to work cooperatively together to preserve rivers, streams and toad AND to grow alfalfa, mine gold and silver, and raise herds at the same time. IT IS POSSIBLE to be good stewards of Nevada and put food on your table AND make a profit! That is PRO Nevada!

More on the Water Grab

Jim Sanford has a good (long) article where he very clearly articulates many of the issues related to the need and use of water in Nevada. Give it a read.

Especially fun to read is Las Vegas Mayor Goodman who claims that CA farmer will let their cropland go fallow before Las Vegas drys up. Jim seems to be pushing a few proposals on reversing some rivers and building some canals that would send "unallocated" water into the arid West. I don't quite understand what he is proposing but I have started an email dialogue with him and will keep you informed as to whether this is PRO Nevada or not.

17 Alternatives to the Stealing of Rural Nevada Water

Here is a great article by Mark Bird in the Salt Lake Tribune. A VERY PRO Nevada article written by a professor at the College of Southern Nevada.

17 Alternatives to the water pipeline proposed by Nevada

We could not agree MORE. Pat Mulroy and Jon Ralston are you listening?