Sheriff Joe Arpaio tries
legal Hail Mary against
Obama immigration plan
President Obama’s
popularity falls to record
low among U.S. troops
PAGE 2
PAGE 4
Volume 16, Issue 42
Obama in violation of the
Constitution re-establishes
relations with Cuba
lasvegastribune.com
PAGE 12
December 24-30, 2014
Ward 5 Chamber of Commerce Member
Obama opens ties with Cuba
By Rolando Larraz
Las Vegas Tribune
The White House announcement
last Wednesday of re-starting a relationship with the communist government of Cuba brought up mixed
opinions among the Cubans living
in the United States as well as Cuban-Americans and the nation as a
whole.
Obama took the world by surprise when he told the world that
he has communicated with the Cuban government and was lifting
some of the restrictions that the
embargo had put in place.
The United States imposed a
diplomatic, commercial, economic,
and financial embargo on Cuba one
year after Fidel Castro seized power
and one year before Barack Obama
was born.
President Barack Obama announced he would restore diplomatic relations with Cuba after the
communist regime led by Raúl
Castro freed American political
prisoner Alan Gross and other dissidents.
President Barack Obama shaking hands with Raul Castro.
That was welcome news to ex- have long opposed.
American community agrees with
iles, but the president also agreed
In Las Vegas, the Obama an- their disappointment.
to a swap of the three convicted nouncement took far too many CuOpening a relationship with
Cuban spies who were responsible bans still remembering the Cuban Cuba could be a catastrophe to the
for the deaths of three American crisis by surprise; they are feeling casino industry and the Nevada
citizens and one U.S. resident, the a great disappointment, to put it economy if casinos were to open on
kind of deal stalwart Castro critics mildly, at hearing this, and the the island, even if talk of that sounds
a little premature at the present
time.
“We have to be realistic and remember that if it was not for Fidel
Castro taking over the country, Las
Vegas would never have been what
it is today,” stated Perly
Viasmensky, the General Manager
of the Las Vegas Tribune and a Cuban herself.
After the 1959 communist takeover of the Cuban isle, the casinos
in Cuba were closed and vandalized
by the Populists, and most expert
dealers working the casinos in Cuba
were flown to the United States, to
Las Vegas, with the casino owners
and management operating on the
island.
Retired gaming executive Tony
Alamo Sr., a Cuban, told the Las
Vegas Tribune that this decision
would only help the dictatorship itself and the members of the hierarchy. “There is no benefit whatsoever to the Cubans in Cuba and the
USA or the American people,”
Alamo added.
(See Cuba, Page 5)
By Parker Philpot
Special to Las Vegas Tribune
Monday morning, the fond
memory of one incredibly special
woman was the topic of countless
phone calls, texts, emails, social
media postings and on-air conversations. Sarann Knight Preddy, a
gaming pioneer and civic activist,
passed after a prolonged illness and
hospitalization at the age of 94.
She is as solid a part of local
gaming industry history as any
other heralded, colorful, dazzling
pioneering legend that helped elevate Las Vegas past its troubled
beginnings to a global travel destination.
She was the first Black American woman in the world to hold a
full gaming license, thus enabling
her to own and operate a casino in
a town that was a bastion of racial
segregation which excluded nearly
all people of color as well as women
from gaining power in its burgeoning gambling empire.
In the 1970s, after owning other
businesses, she began operating
People’s Choice, a quaint neighborhood tavern with a restaurant and
casino located in what is now called
the Historic Westside area near H
Street and West Owens. Her former
place is still a topic of conversation
amongst longtime residents who
reminisce about its significance to
the Black community and as a place
where Strip headliners and visitors
of all races and ethnicities were
welcome to come and have fun.
Sarann (pronounced Sara-Ann,
and she gently reminded others not
to shorten it to either Sara or Ann),
continued as a casino property
owner and worked tirelessly and
optimistically in hopes of resurrecting a renowned 1950s hot spot to
its former entertainment glory. She
was widely known for her dedication to the Historic Westside
community’s once-iconic Moulin
Rouge Hotel & Casino. She even(See Sarann, Page 4)
My Point Sarann Knight Preddy: Las Vegas
of View early gaming pioneer remembered
By Rolando Larraz
I guess that I was wrong when I
said that the Black community is
not united in Clark County; I should
not exclude the rest of the community — the community as a whole
— we are all out of touch.
Two police officers were killed
in New York City while sitting in
their patrol car, while another police officer was killed in Florida; all
three were killed by criminal police-haters.
All day Sunday CNN News reported about the police killing, from
morning to night, with all the sequences of the event and the aftermath.
Next day the local television
newscasters repeated the CNN report that the audience had seen the
day before — the morning broadcast this morning, News Today, and
early news several times like nothing else could have happened in a
24-hour city like Las Vegas.
In June of 2014, two police officers in Las Vegas were ambushed
while having lunch at a local pizza
place by a husband and wife team
with a radical mentality, but the
media reported the incident and
went on with their “infomercials”
as always.
No one in the community protested, no one in the community
showed a public outrage or sentiment one way or the other, and I
again wonder why; what is wrong
with us that we cannot get involved
or act like a real community?
I understand that most people
may have a sour feeling when it
comes to the police department or
the cops, but their beef with them
is not so bad as to cause them to
kill any policemen, especially when
these police officers, the rank and
file, are for the most part honest,
hard-working individuals who live
in our community, maybe shop in
the same stores where we shop,
perhaps go to the same barber or
beauty shop where we go, and have
a family as good as any.
Killing a police officer is not
solving any problem and is not going to help with the rules and regulations of the administration; police
officers are like military, one follows orders, not questions them.
In most cases the administration
is responsible for the behavior of
the officer on the street; the attitude
they might display during their shift
could be due to the stress and the
heavy load the administration
places on them.
(See My Point of View, Page 2)
Sarann Knight Preddy
July 27, 1920 - December 22, 2014
The Rhiannon Gonzales Story Continues:
Judge Adair Sentences Gonzales
By Rolando Larraz
Part Eight of a Series
During Gonzales’ statement, she
finds herself unable to speak after
uttering the words “Your Honor, I
am guilty...” leaving the entire
courtroom speechless, but Judge
Adair halts Rinetti from comment
and urges Gonzales to continue,
“...of allowing myself to be distracted and not protect my baby.”
Deputy Public Defender John
Piro reported that the CPS case had
been closed since November 15,
that Gonzales was employed full
time, had a Nevada driver’s license
with an established Clark County
residence, zero failures to appear,
and was working on reunification
with her baby, as she had completed
all of her CPS requirements. Piro
further contended that although
Gonzales accepted the Alford Plea,
that she had never conceded, and
Elgin and Iyanna early 2014
will never, because it did not occur vertent harm that came upon her
— that she intentionally harmed her baby. He addressed every medical
child. He conceded that Gonzales point argued ad nauseam by Rinetti
did take responsibility for the inad- by elaborating a plethora of rebut-
tals disproving the methods by
which Gonzales’ accusers had arrived at their alleged diagnoses. He
then presented Judge Adair with the
packet of letters, remarking “even
one from House Arrest — they
don’t do that for anyone!” Rinetti’s
statement to the news of a closed
CPS case was “CPS is always doing that to me, Your Honor.”
Judge Adair sentenced Gonzales
to 14 - 72 months in prison, then
suspended the sentence and
awarded her probation instead; probation not to exceed five years. She
told Gonzales to adhere to the visitation stipulations to be determined
by her probation officer, but she
would allow communication with
her baby via telephone, photos and
video conferencing. Gonzales must
complete parenting/anger management counseling, maintain lawful
(See Gonzales, Page 6)
FROM THE DESK OF GORDON MARTINES
Fruits of the Poisonous Tree Doctrine
By Gordon Martines
By definition, “Fruits of the poisonous tree doctrine” means evidence which is spawned by or directly derived from an illegal search
or illegal interrogation which is
generally inadmissible against the
defendant because of its original
taint, though knowledge of the facts
gained independently of the original and tainted search are admissible.
With that being said, the
LVMPD is riddled with wrongful
past criminal investigations and
prosecutions. As an example of this
type of police misconduct, let us
examine the latest lawsuit filed by
Officers of the Nevada Highway
Patrol Drug Dog Interdiction
Squad. This lawsuit was originated
by K9 NHP Troupers in that the
dogs that they were using to sniff
out drugs were not actually trained
to sniff out drugs but were mainly
trained to react to a handlers cues,
to mimic alerting to the presence of
drugs. This practice has been operating for years and was the basis for
hundreds of illegal searches and
confiscation of drugs, money, cars
(See From the Desk, Page 5)
Page 2 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio tries legal
Hail Mary against Obama immigration plan
President Obama’s critic-in-chief over illegal immigration, Sheriff Joe Arpaio of
Phoenix, is determined to stop the plan to defer deportation for millions of immigrants.
By Lourdes Medrano
Christian Science Monitor
TUCSON, ARIZ. — For years,
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has made himself an icon far beyond the sprawling landscape of Arizona’s
Maricopa County through his crusade against illegal immigration.
But the hallmarks of his power
are diminishing, as a federal court
case and the policies of Obama administration both to shield millions
of undocumented immigrants and
to target Sheriff Arpaio’s operations
TRIBUNE
VOL. 16, NO. 42
FOUNDER
Rolando Larraz
PUBLISHER
AND
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Rolando Larraz
GENERAL MANAGER
Perly Viasmensky
MANAGING EDITOR
Maramis Choufani
PRODUCTION
Don Snook
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Colleen Lloyd
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
Kenneth A. Wegner
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David A. Rifkin, Executive Vice President
Quote of the Week:
“Christmas is not a time nor a
season, but a state of mind. To
cherish peace and goodwill, to be
plenteous in mercy, is to have the
real spirit of Christmas.”
—Calvin Coolidge
Please Note:
Although the Las Vegas Tribune
is open to all and sundry opinions about what we publish, we
wish to inform all those who
choose to submit their opinions
in writing to refrain from threatening anyone about whom an article is written or the writer of
the article. In other words, any
opinions containing threats will
not be published. We thank you
for adhering to this policy.
MISSION
STATEMENT
We search for the truth, embrace the truth, and print the truth.
If we inadvertently print something that is not true, we will let
our readers know. We are open to
documented information to shed
light on any issue of concern to
our readers. We are of service to
our community, and it is our intention to serve our community
the best way we can.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio pauses as he answers a question at a news conference at Maricopa
County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona in this 2013 file photo.
directly take their toll.
tive action to defer deportation for stitutional because it bypasses ConLast week, Arpaio was forced to about 5 million of the estimated gress.
dismantle a unit that focused on ar- 11.4 million living in the country
Arpaio has no legal standing to
resting immigrants who rely on illegally.
bring such a lawsuit, says Paul
counterfeit IDs to work. The move
Mr. Obama’s plan, which will be Bender, a constitutional law profeswas necessary to comply with a fed- rolled out early next year, grants sor at Arizona State University in
eral judge’s decision in a 2013 work permits to parents of children Tempe. The courts have made it
class-action civil rights case, in who are legal residents or were born clear that the job of enforcing imwhich Arpaio’s immigration en- in the United States, and extends migration law rests with the federal
forcement was found to violate the some protections for those who government, not local jurisdictions,
rights of many Latinos. Among came into the country before they he adds.
other measures, the court appointed were 16. The president also has
“Arpaio is not entitled to decide
a monitor to oversee day-to-day emphasized that deportations will who should be deported,” says Prooperations at the sheriff’s depart- focus on criminals, not families.
fessor Bender. “It’s not up to him.”
ment.
The action, Arpaio says, will
But Arpaio is struggling to stay
But true to Arpaio’s feisty spirit, harm his ability to do his job.
relevant, says Randy Parraz, cohe keeps throwing punches even as
“Obama’s new amnesty program founder of Citizens for a Better Arihe retreats. On Monday, a federal will greatly increase the burden and zona and a longtime critic of
judge in Washington is scheduled disruption of the sheriff’s duties,” Arpaio.
to take up a lawsuit Arpaio has filed states Arpaio’s suit, which argues
The fallout from the class-action
against President Obama’s execu- that the president’s move is uncon- lawsuit has taken its toll.
My Point of View
(Continued from Page 1)
I feel sorry for the death of the
police officers killed during last
weekend’s rampage, and I am sorrier for the death of the two local
police officers killed in Las Vegas
last June.
Yes, a police officer is a police
officer regardless of the city or state
in which they are serving the community, but the police officers in
Las Vegas were serving my community, protecting my neighborhood,
patrolling the parks in my area and
making sure that a safe speed was
maintained in my school areas.
They were my police officers and
were members of my community
— perhaps they even issued me a
traffic violation if I had ever been
guilty of any traffic infraction.
I never met either of the two
police officers that were killed
while having lunch at a local restaurant, but after listening to the
CNN report of the two officers
killed in New York City, and learning of the killing of the officer in
Florida and all this in Christmas
week, I could not help but think of
those two Las Vegas police officers and their families.
Maybe I am getting old, maybe
I am getting soft in my old age, but
what I know is that we need to be
more community-oriented and stick
together through the good or bad
because united we can do better
than being selfish and non-supportive of the problems of others. How
can we expect others to support us
if we do not support them?
Just because a judge is not fair
to me today, it doesn’t mean that
he/she would not be unfair to you
as well tomorrow; an unfair judge
does not discriminate against anyone.
A corrupted politician is going
to be corrupted until we all get him/
her out of office and the sooner the
better.
An abusive police officer is going to be an abusive police officer
until we as a community make
enough reports against that police
officer until the supervisor, the unit
chief or the chief will have to do
something about it.
We have to realize that if we
have escaped the unfairness of a
judge, the abuse of a police officer
and/or the corruption of a public
official today, it doesn’t mean that
we are not going to be their victim
tomorrow or the following day or
week.
If someone suffers from unfairness, abuse and corruption and
wants to denounce it publicly, we
need to give that person or that
cause the support they need because
tomorrow we may need their support in our cause.
We have to remember that united
we will win, but otherwise they will
win and we as a community, as a
group, as a family, will be the losers.
I am not writing like this because
I am influenced by the Christmas
spirit, I have been insisting on that
philosophy for a very long time.
There is no reason why police
officers should be able to get away
with unnecessarily killing unarmed
citizens, regardless of what level of
criminal the individual may be.
However, no matter what the is-
“He’s really under the gun when
it comes to the federal oversight,”
says Mr. Parraz. “He has been more
and more reined in, and boxed in,
by the strength of that monitor and
the federal judge.”
Moreover, Arpaio is having to
fend off Washington, too. While
previous administrations sanctioned his ability to pursue and detain undocumented people, the
Obama administration has stripped
him of his powers, accused him of
discriminatory practices, and filed
a lawsuit against him that’s making its way through the courts.
Arpaio supporters like Buffalo
Rick Galeener blame the federal
government, particularly the
Obama administration, for making
it increasingly difficult for Arpaio
to carry out his law enforcement
duties. He can understand the
sheriff’s frustration at seeing many
of the suspects he arrests and turns
over to immigration authorities go
free instead of being deported, the
Phoenix retiree adds.
Over the course of an eightmonth period, Arpaio’s department
referred more than 4,000 arrestees
to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and “over 36 percent keep coming back,” the lawsuit claims.
If implemented, Obama’s executive action will make Arpaio’s job
more difficult, says Mr. Galeener.
“It’s going to be a lot tougher
because all he can do is concentrate
on criminal activity,” he says of the
sheriff. “Well, regardless, if he
picks up a criminal and they happen to be an illegal alien, guess
what? They’re going to get special
treatment.”
“It’s a joke,” he adds. “And
that’s not the fault of Sheriff Joe. If
Sheriff Joe had his way, he’d put
them all in jail.”
sue is or what the reason may be,
we need to have faith and hope that
every one of us is able to have a
Merry Christmas tomorrow.
My name is Rolando Larraz, and
as always, I approved this column.
*****
Rolando Larraz is Editor in
Chief of the Las Vegas Tribune. His
column appears weekly in this
newspaper. To contact Rolando
Larraz,
email
him
at:
[email protected] or
at 702-868-NEWS (6397)
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December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 3
CITY BEAT
After-School All-Stars Las Vegas announces plans
to mark 20th year of service in Southern Nevada
The year 2015 marks the 20th
anniversary for After-School AllStars Las Vegas (ASAS), which has
served tens of thousands of Southern Nevada youth in its two-decade
history. One of 15 chapters nationwide, ASAS was founded locally in
1995 by Elaine Wynn as Greater
Las Vegas Inner-City Games, providing weekend sports programs for
youth across the Las Vegas valley.
In 2003, the organization transformed its model to provide academic and enrichment after-school
programs throughout the school
year, becoming After-School AllStars.
Today, ASAS operates in 13 different Clark County School District
elementary and middle schools,
serving more than 5,500 low-income and underprivileged students.
In Nevada, approximately 100,000
school children are alone and unsupervised after school. Often referred to as the “danger zone,” the
hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are
when children are most at risk of
making poor choices and indulging
in risky behaviors such as drugs,
alcohol, sex, violence and gang activity. ASAS is the only provider of
free, comprehensive after-school
programs in the Las Vegas valley,
with a mission to keep children safe
and help them achieve in school and
in life.
In celebration of their 20th Anniversary, ASAS has announced a
series of events beginning in February 2015 to increase awareness of
the non-profit’s programs and raise
critical funds to expand services to
meet the growing need for children
who otherwise would be left alone
during the hours immediately following school:
—All-Star
Dodgeball
Fundraiser — Feb. 21 at UNLV
Mendenhall Center
Fun, friendly dodgeball competition for corporate and individual
teams. Spectators welcome.
—Splashdown for Kids at Wet
‘n’ Wild — April 25 & 26
The park is open to the public
with specially priced tickets. All
ticket and food proceeds benefit
ASAS and Communities in Schools
Nevada.
—ASAS Celebrates 20 Years
of Empowering Youth — Sept. 26
at SLS Beach Life
An evening under the stars with
cocktails, food, entertainment and
special guests.
For more information on AfterSchool All-Stars 20th anniversary
events, please visit asaslv.org
*****
RTC transit to operate on
alternate schedules during
Christmas and New Year’s
holidays
The Regional Transportation
Commission of Southern Nevada
(RTC) will operate its transit system on a Saturday schedule Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, and
on a Sunday schedule Christmas
Day, Thursday, Dec. 25. The Saturday and Sunday schedules are set
due to traditionally lower ridership
and less traffic on these days.
Additionally, the RTC will offer
free rides to locals and tourists from
New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, Dec.
31, at 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. on New
Year’s Day. Riders should note that
various transit detours will be in
place on New Year’s Eve due to the
celebrations on the Las Vegas Strip.
Transit service will operate on a
Sunday schedule New Year’s Day,
Thursday, Jan. 1.
Schedules and more information
for all RTC transit routes are available at rtcsnv.com or in the RTC’s
Transit Guide. Riders with questions can call the RTC’s Customer
Service line at 702.228.RIDE
(7433).
*****
“Godless? So are we!”
These words, superimposed over
an image of the earth from space,
have appeared on a prominent billboard in Las Vegas. This billboard,
promoting the Las Vegas Coalition
of Reason, appeared Monday, December 22, on I-15, just south of
Flamingo Road, facing north. It will
be viewable by traffic heading to
the McCarran International Airport.
“We want to make our presence
in the community known,” said Ray
Johnson, coordinator of Las Vegas
CoR. “Non-theistic people are your
family members, friends, neighbors
and co-workers. We may not believe in a deity or the supernatural,
but we are compassionate, ethical
members of this community.”
The billboard has been made
possible through $6,500 in funding
from the United Coalition of Reason (UnitedCoR), a national organization headquartered in Washington DC. The 14 by 48-foot tall billboard will be up for four weeks, a
period to include Festivus, Human
Light, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New
Year’s Day and the first half of
January. It is illuminated at night.
This Las Vegas campaign is part
a coordinated nationwide program
that began in 2009. From then to
now, 61 similar campaigns have
been launched in 38 states and the
District of Columbia by
UnitedCoR.
“The point of our national
awareness campaign is to reach out
to the millions of humanists, atheists and agnostics living in the
United States,” explained Dr. Jason
Heap, UnitedCoR national coordinator. “Non-theists sometimes don’t
realize there’s a community for
them, especially during the winter
holiday season when they are overwhelmed with traditional theistic
messages. So we hope our effort
will serve as a beacon and let them
know they aren’t alone.”
Johnson added, “We would like
to encourage local atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, skeptics, secularists and humanists to stand up and
be counted. If you are a Las Vegas
nonbeliever, know that you are not
alone.”
“Being visible is important to
us,” Heap concluded, “because, in
our society, non-theistic people often don’t know many like themselves. The winter holiday season
belongs to everyone, not just a few.”
This campaign is the latest in a
nationwide effort to reach out to
non-theists. There have been similar billboards, bus ads, conferences
or Internet campaigns in Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and
West Virginia.
*****
Las Vegas Cat Hospital
educates pet owners about
feline laser therapy
A Cat Hospital, a Las Vegas animal hospital that exclusively cares
for felines, has been working to
educate pet owners about feline laser therapy. Feline laser therapy is
a cutting-edge pain management
and new injury treatment and is
available at A Cat Hospital. The Las
Vegas cat hospital is a leader in feline care and one of the first local
animal hospitals to offer feline laser therapy.
According to the veterinarians,
laser therapy benefits include faster
healing, reduces swelling and inflammation, and provides pain relief for cats. The veterinary care
team at A Cat Hospital recommends
laser therapy as an effective pain
management option for arthritis,
skin problems, and urinary pain.
Laser therapy is also used for treating a range of short-term ailments,
such as abscesses, ear infections,
staph infections, and dental issues
(e.g., gingivitis). The hospital recommends laser therapy as an option
for people who no longer wish to
give daily pain medications to cats.
“We want to educate cat owners
about laser therapy for a new or recent injury and pain management,”
said Las Vegas veterinarian Dr.
Trish Auge. “We have had success
using laser therapy to ease pain. In
many cases, chronic pain can
slowly sneak up on the cat and is
viewed as ‘just getting old.’ Often,
chronic senior cat issues are clues
the cat needs laser therapy for managing this pain. Signs to look for
are decreased appetite, hiding,
mood swings, and a stiff/sore
body.”
Laser therapy uses specific
wavelengths for therapeutic benefits. Research shows that laser
therapy delivers targeted packets of
energy directly to injured or sore
soft tissue, increasing metabolic
activity within the cells. This improves cellular function and health,
reducing inflammation and swelling that is associated with pain, as
well as stiffness and muscle spasms,
says Dr. Auge.
She indicated a series of treatments over several weeks delivers
the greatest pain relief benefit and
are all that is needed.
Cat veterinarian Dr. Heather
Zamzow is also educating pet owners about the benefits of feline laser therapy for a recent injury.
Dr. Zamzow said, “We recommend laser therapy for dental issues, such as gingivitis and stomatitis, as well as treating abscesses,
ear infections and staph infections.”
“With laser therapy, there is
minimal need for pain medications,” said veterinarian Dr. Brian
McAllister. “Additionally, we see
treated cats feeling younger and
happier.”
A Cat Hospital has been providing feline veterinary care for 28
years and has recently added laser
therapy treatment for pain relief.
The hospital encourages cat owners to contact the hospital to find
out if laser therapy is the best treatment option for their pets.
To learn more about the benefits
of feline laser therapy or to schedule an appointment, visit A Cat
Hospital online at http://
www.acathospital.com/.
*****
City Beat is a compilation of
news and views of our editorial and
writing team, along with reader
submissions and topics. Readers
are invited to suggest a local topic
or any other items of interest.
[email protected]
From the Staff and Management
of the
Las Vegas Tribune
Page 4 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
Obama’s popularity falls to record low among U.S. troops
Only 15 percent of U.S. active-duty service members approve of President Obama’s job as commanderin-chief, according to an annual Military Times survey. What’s behind American troop dissatisfaction?
By Husna Haq
Christian Science Monitor
If President Obama’s approval
ratings have slipped with the general population, they have plummeted to record lows within one
segment of the population: the U.S.
military.
Only 15 percent of active-duty
service members approve of Mr.
Obama’s job as commander-inchief, according to an annual Military Times survey, and more than
half — 55 percent — say they disapprove of his job. The president
has never been a very popular commander-in-chief among troops, but
these numbers reflect a record low
for Obama. His first year in office
he enjoyed a relatively high 35-percent approval rating.
Compare that to his approval
rating in the general population,
which is far higher, though still
slumping: In the most recent CNN/
ORC poll, Obama had a 44 percent
approval rating among Americans.
“One thing is clear,” writes the
Military Times. “He is a deeply
unpopular commander in chief
(Continued from Page 1)
tually became part owner of the
world-famous hotel-casino from
1985 until its final closing in the
’90s.
The “Rouge” was the first racially integrated nightclub in Las
Vegas. It originally opened in 1955
and closed before its first anniversary. Its ornate walls and seating
areas were once filled with culturally diverse audiences enjoying
great jazz, blues and Doo Wop legends, and Sarann, who decades later
became a part owner, was a part of
that heyday.
In the early 1990s, she helped a
group that worked to have the property make it onto the U.S. National
Register of Historic Places. To her
disappointment and the dismay of
many, the vacant landmark (all but
its massive neon sign, the signature
Moulin Rouge name in metal script)
ultimately met with a tragic, fiery
demise in 2009.
Perhaps publicly she was most
notably associated with her efforts
to revive the Moulin Rouge, but
those who were lucky enough to see
her life force and grace close up in
action knew her best for openness,
elegance, beauty, charm, wit, wisdom, and a certain way of making
others feel welcome and appreciated. The civil rights fighter and
social justice-seeker was evident in
her peaceful, straight-talking, warrior-woman spirit.
Never one to be superficial herself, she was admired by those who
frequently commented that she
looked amazingly youthful through
her fifties, sixties, seventies and
beyond. She remained that way and
wore her inner beauty more pronounced than her fine outward, unblemished appearance.
She always wore hats—elegant,
decorative, expressive and stylish
ones. One of the hats that befitted
her life well was the cap she wore
while receiving her honorary doctorate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The archives at UNLV, racks at
PBS and shelves at libraries in
Clark County hold numerous recordings, books, news articles and
memorabilia chronicling her
lengthy list of accomplishments and
contributions, and even controversies, as she spoke out against local
injustices since the time of her arrival in the 1940s. Her message was
a call to all for community self-determination, economic development, fair treatment, pride and per-
Sarann
Sarann Knight Preddy receives an honorary doctorate from UNLV.
(Photo by Marty Frierson)
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among the troops.”
Why?
Obama’s sinking popularity
among the troops can be traced to a
number of factors: budget cuts, falling troop morale, frustrations over
the Obama administration’s foreign
policy, gay and gender equity initiatives within the military, and U.S.
political leaders in general.
According to the Military Times’
poll, troops are more unhappy under Obama than they were under
previous commanders-in-chief.
Some 91 percent of active duty ser-
vice members were satisfied with
their quality of life in 2009. This
year, that figure dropped to 56 percent.
One reason: More than half of
American troops believe they are
underpaid today. In 2009, 87 percent of service members rated their
pay and allowance as good or excellent; today, just 44 percent do so.
For good reason, reports the
Military Times.
“Congress just approved, at the
request of the Pentagon and the
White House, a 1 percent basic pay
raise the for the troops next year,”
writes the publication, attributing it
in part, to sequestration. “[That’s]
the second straight year of such a
raise, constituting the two smallest
annual increases in the 41-year history of the all-volunteer force.”
Events in Iraq, Afghanistan, and
the rise of the Islamic State, have
also led some in the military to challenge Obama’s foreign policy.
His decision to remove all troops
from Iraq in 2011 helped lead to the
rise of the militant group ISIS, ac(See Troops, Page 6)
Sarann Knight Preddy, center, joins neighbors at a 2008 press conference concerning the closure of F St.
(File photo courtesy of Las Vegas Review-Journal)
sonal responsibility.
will remain an undeniable part of dren, great-grandchildren, nieces
In a 2008 show of support for Las Vegas history.
and nephews among many others.
the Historic Westside community,
Her funeral service will be
A full-day, community event at
she stood alongside neighbors to handled by Palm Mortuary and is which she was to be honored is still
protest the building of a concrete scheduled for 11 a.m., December scheduled to take place this Saturwall on F Street at West Bonanza, 31, at Second Baptist Church, lo- day at the City of Las Vegas — West
which was designed to redirect traf- cated at 500 Madison Ave.; the Las Vegas Arts Center as part of its
fic but essentially would block off viewing, however, will be private, seasonal celebrations. For informathe neighborhood from the main according to a family spokesperson. tion on the commemorative event,
arterial and encroaching business She is survived by a son, grandchil- call 702-229-4800.
development in nearby downtown.
She was active in her home
church, Second Baptist Church, and
assisted members of countless other
faith-based congregations. As a
community activist, she helped
whomever she could. As a friend,
as so many will bear witness to, this
writer included, she was, and always will be, a symbol of strength
through adversity, a paragon of
poise under pressure, and a person
of unparalleled passion.
Her legacy is multifaceted. Her
legendary, long life and milestones
Cuba
(Continued from Page 1)
The military dictatorship made
no concession at all in exchange for
all the changes in favor of everything the Castro’s demanded. This
is how the USA rewards 55 years
of suffering by the Cubans in Cuba
and 2.5 million people all over the
world.
“In addition to over 200,000
dead in Cuba and attempting to
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 5
cross the corridor of death together
with the people that [were] executed in Cuba by the military dictatorship, it is a sad day for
America,” says Alamo.
Alamo started his casino career
at the Circus-Circus and later oversaw the operations of Mandalay
Resort Group’s newest venture —
the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
He was also responsible for the op-
From The Desk
(Continued from Page 1)
and the arrest of drug traffickers.
Unfortunately, the use of these
phony drug dogs also included and
originated with the LVMPD, who
arranged for the purchase of these
phony drug dogs, through the relatives and associates of high-ranking police administrators.
This lawsuit has been ongoing
for approximately two years and
has since disappeared from the public eye and media. I can only imagine the nightmare, in wrongful illegal prosecutions for drug trafficking and possession cases, that the
legal system must be experiencing
because of all the illegal searches
based on faulty probable cause derived from these phony drug dogs.
But what does it matter the cost?
The poor taxpayer suffers the burden to pay off the defendants, quiet
the court system and judges, and
derive some type of settlement with
the litigants so that all this goes
away quietly and without too much
fuss or notoriety.
Another example of this type of
misconduct is in the O.J. Simpson
case. I have personal knowledge of
this case since I was the Detective
that arrested Simpson at the Palms
Hotel and Casino. Prior to taking
Simpson into custody, I activated a
digital tape recorder in my undercover police vehicle to record any
spontaneous statements made by
Simpson. This recording was very
fruitful in that he admitted totally
his involvement and the involvement of all the others in the incident occurring at the Palace Station,
involving Robbery, Burglary, and
Kidnapping of the two memorabilia
dealers. Simpson also made threats
to my life, but apologized profusely
a few minutes later, still inside the
police car, while still en route to
police headquarters, and on tape.
I prepared an arrest report, an
officer’s report, booking sheet, and
his Miranda Rights card, after securing Simpson inside an interrogation room and handcuffing him
to a metal pole, to await further processing.
Unfortunately, Simpson’s celebrity status had a profound and disappointing effect on some of the
other detectives, uniformed personnel, and upper police administrators
who later responded to the police
headquarters. One would possibly
think that royalty had graced everyone merely with their presence, and
thus Simpson was afforded perks
and privileges that were ordered by
the police administration at taxpayers’ expense. As far as I was concerned, he was just another thug that
was caught, and should have been
treated like everyone else is treated.
Notwithstanding all that, later
on, progressing to trial, no subpoenas were ever issued to me or the
other detectives that were involved
in the arrest of Simpson. Neither
were any of the reports (Arrest Report, Officers Report, Booking
Sheet, or Miranda Rights Card) or
the digital recording submitted to
the court for trial and examination.
By the way, this was one of the
longest and most expensive criminal trials in Clark County History.
These submitted reports were
omitted or destroyed by the police
administration and District Attorneys Office. This omitted evidence
is called Exculpatory or Inculpatory
evidence, and when this evidence
is omitted from the court intentionally, that is a Constitutional civil
rights violation (Due Process)
against the defendant. Understand
that there is no love lost between
Simpson and me, but I am truly a
really big fan of the Constitution of
the United States of America and
The Bill of Rights, and also a lifetime member of Oath Keepers.
For those of you who are wondering, yes, I notified the Sheriff’s
Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office,
the U.S. Attorney’s office, and also
Simpson’s new defense team of
these evidence omissions. I have
also testified on record and under
oath, during legal depositions in
June 2013, pursuant to my 2011
Federal Lawsuit, that these omis-
sions have occurred against
Simpson and should be rectified,
immediately.
Again, I am sure that another
nightmare is in the making, in that
the infrastructure that permitted this
injustice against Simpson to have
occurred in the first place is now
trying to figure out a way to smooth
this over and quietly rectify that
matter without too much media attention. I predict that Simpson will
eventually be released from prison
on a phony medical diagnosis, so
as to live his remaining days on
earth in seclusion, and everyone
will forget what has happened.
Just to wet your whistle, another
example of wrongdoing is the 2007
beheading murder of LVMPD Officer Kevin Scott Dailey, whereby
the LVMPD, Henderson PD, and
the Clark County Coroners Office
is complicit in the commission and
cover-up of this egregious murder
of a fully commissioned police officer, denying him any type of
criminal homicide investigation,
media publication, or his Constitutional Civil Rights.
The rule of law appears to matter not to the past and present po-
eration of the Luxor Hotel & Casino and the Monte Carlo Resort &
Casino during his 38-year career in
the gaming industry.
It is easy for those who have not
suffered communist control in their
own country to express solidarity
and agree with the present administration about the embargo.
The Economist newspaper editorialized in its April 5, 2014 issue:
lice administration of the LVMPD.
I have indirectly and directly tried
to correct these wrongdoings, both
internally and externally, during my
36 years of loyal law enforcement
service to the community and to my
beloved police department. Rest
assured, I will continue my quest
to get rid of the cancerous infections
that have become embedded within
the very bowels of the past and
present police administration. There
is way more to expose and re-examine, so stay tuned.
IN GOD WE TRUST
Gordon Martines is a former
LVMPD detective who has served
in many capacities over his 39-year
career in law enforcement. He has
been a candidate for sheriff in 2002,
2006, 2010 and 2014, with the intention of bringing integrity and accountability back to the department,
and filed a federal lawsuit against
LVMPD in 2011. Martines now
contributes his opinions and ideas
to the Las Vegas Tribune to keep the
public informed and help improve
policing in Las Vegas. He has also
appeared on the Face the Tribune
radio program several times to
share his plan for a better LVMPD.
“Five decades of use will wear
anything thin, and the logic behind
the embargo looks ever weaker. It
has failed to dislodge the Castro
regime of either Fidel or, since
2006, his brother Ral. Indeed, by
enabling the island’s rulers to
present themselves as the victims
of hegemonic bullying, it has
shored up support for Cuba abroad
and given an excuse for totalitarianism at home. America’s allies
think the embargo is counter-productive at best, vindictive at worst.
“Why has America continued
with it [the embargo]? Politics. For
decades Cuban exiles in the swing
state of Florida have supported it,
and have made sure that the (mainly
Republican) politicians who represent them enforce it strictly. And
even if others in Congress privately
think the embargo is loopy, few,
especially on the right, want to look
as if they are soft on the “commu-
nist” Castros. Besides, they usually
add, Fidel will die soon.”
But others strongly believe that
the embargo failed to dislodge the
Castro regime because the embargo
was never enforced by the U.S. government and Cubans themselves
support the Castro regime with the
excuse that they were only sending
money and goods to their families.
Las Vegas Tribune has reported
on many occasions that Cubans borrow money from American loan
companies and buy jewelry before
traveling to their native country to
look wealthy and impress the old
neighborhood while leaving their
hardworking dollars and highpriced loans in the hands of the
same government that oppresses
their countrymen.
Some people are wondering
what ulterior motive may be behind
Obama’s move to bow to the enemies in the Caribbean Island.
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Troops
(Continued from Page 4)
cording to some military experts,
who see Obama as a weak leader
in foreign policy. The rise of ISIS
forced Obama to return U.S. troops
to the region, another unpopular
decision among troops. When asked
whether the U.S. should send a
large force of combat troops back
to Iraq to fight Islamic State militants, 70 percent of survey respondents said, ‘No.’
Similarly, the report found
troops were unhappy with the outcome of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for which they blame
their commander-in-chief.
“The percentage of troops who
feel the war in Afghanistan ultimately will be viewed as a success
has taken a nosedive since 2007,”
writes the Military Times. “Similarly, only 30 percent of respondents feel the eight-year Iraq War
was a success.
“The pessimism about Iraq is
especially understandable; troops
have spent years listening to senior
leaders tell them Iraq was emerging as a stable democracy, its army
a reliable ally in the fight against
Islamic extremism. Just a few years
that erode deep-seated traditions
and potentially undermine good
order and discipline.”
But Obama has reason not to
take the nosediving approval rating
too personally: It turns out his unpopularity among troops comes
with falling support for and trust in
both major political parties.
According to the poll, nearly half
of active duty service members surveyed said they believe both the Republican and Democratic parties
have become less supportive of
military issues. Only 12 percent
said both parties “have the armed
forces’ best interests at heart,” according to the Military Times.
The report found U.S. troops,
like the general population, are increasingly frustrated with
gridlocked congressional politics.
As Army Sgt. 1st Class Gregory
Pettigrew told the Military Times,
“It seems like all the [congressional] debate now is completely
disconnected from reality. They
don’t really seem to care about how
their decisions impact us.”
A soldier photographs Vice President Joe Biden as he speaks to troops at Fort Campbell, Ky., Friday, May 6,
2011. President Barack Obama and Biden came to Fort Campbell to address soldiers who have recently
returned from Afghanistan.
later, both notions turned out to be institution unused to social up- policies and attitudes can be jarheaval, including allowing gays to ring,” concludes the report, adding,
spectacularly wrong.”
Obama has also pushed through openly serve in the military, end- “To his critics, his moves amount
major social changes in a traditional ing the ban on women in combat to heavy-handed social engineering
troops, and cracking down on
sexual assault and harassment.
“For Obama’s supporters, the
(Continued from Page 1)
cultural changes he’s overseeing are
full time employment, submit to substance abuse evaluation and any counon a level with President Truman’s
seling deemed necessary by her probation officer and may also be placed
1948 order that desegregated the
on house arrest at the discretion of her probation officer. Adair then almilitary and put it at the forefront
lowed her to visit with her baby in the hallway that day. The fees and
of the national push for racial equalrestitution amount stood as recommended. In the hallway, many strangity,” writes the Military Times. But
From the Staff and Management of
ers who were present in the courtroom acknowledged their own joy for
for some in the U.S. military, the
the outcome and wished Gonzales and her baby well.
wave of changes to deep-seated
Dena Rinetti was visibly angry and told John Piro that he “better hope
she doesn’t get in any trouble.” Rinetti would never speak to Piro again,
other than the unavoidable.
Gonzales reported to Nevada Dept of Public Safety Parole and Probation on January 24, 2014. She was told that she needed to wait for a call
from her probation officer to schedule their first appointment. When her
new probation officer, R. Willis, did contact her on February 5, he told
her to report immediately or he would violate her. Willis did not allow
Gonzales to have any form of communication with either of her two children. At their first meeting he took her phone and looked through it, finding many photos of her children, particularly of her baby, that she had
been sent from family, foster parents and CPS caseworker throughout
this period. Willis threatened to put her in violation for having had any
kind of communication with her children. He then placed her on house
arrest. For the first week of transition between one house arrest department and the other, she was wearing, and paying for, two house arrest
monitors. Finally, LVMPD House Arrest received the paperwork to remove their monitor.
The Nevada Department of Public Safety Parole and Probation house
arrest cost is based on a sliding scale according to income. Gonzales was
paying $129.22 a week, plus $30.00 a month for the probation officer
plus other fees and expenses. On February 26, Willis had Gonzales sign a
Restitution Schedule Agreement, promising to pay $1,675.00 a month
until her restitution amount was paid in full. This agreement was to commence on February 1, 2014. Willis continued to do random home searches
and drug-tested Gonzales every time she reported for an appointment.
Gonzales was also not allowed to utilize any of the free resources that
she had done the footwork to obtain for herself, such as the counseling
that she so terribly needed. Willis told her that anything she needed she
had to go through THEIR people, then laughed and said that they were
NOT free. She was referred to Hope for Prisoners, a re-entry program
that also does work with many who are on probation, but her calls were
never returned. Willis threatened to violate her if she was lying, but was
able to verify with another probation officer that this was indeed the case.
So, Gonzales had to do without any therapy for the trauma that she, too,
had endured.
To fulfill the substance and abuse stipulation of her probation, Gonzales
met with Nevada Department of Public Safety Substance and Abuse Counselor Edie Kline every other week. Gonzales had noticed that the amount
of restitution was the exact same amount as the hospital bill. She mentioned this to Edie Kline on one such session and wondered aloud if she
should apply Elgin’s medical benefits which had been applied for by CPS
to cover that purpose exactly. Kline encouraged her to give it a try. So she
did. Gonzales went in person to the University Medical Center cashier to
give Elgin’s Medical Insurance number, which left a $300.00 balance,
which she also paid. When she showed up at Kline’s office for her next
appointment, she noticed that Kline did not appear all that pleased to see
her receipt from the hospital showing a zero balance.
On March 17, Edie Kline would receive an email from Iyanna’s paternal grandmother Karla, expressing her concern for the 12-year-old
daughter’s need to see her mother, asking her to please consider allowing
a visit. Kline never responded to the email, although she did mention
having received it to Gonzales during one of their sessions.
Gonzales’ previous house arrest situation had accommodated her work
schedule. This new Parole and Probation scheduled appointments at hours
that Gonzales would have to miss work for. By not working a complete
40-hour work week, Gonzales was no longer eligible to receive her com(Payment due upon contract signing)
missions from AGR Group. In the letter to Judge Adair in January from
her employer AGR Group, Gonzales had been referred to as a top producer. Now some of her paychecks were as low as $143.00. She was no
longer receiving any help from her family. She also had a problem with
her car and her electricity was cut off. Because she had a criminal record
she was not even allowed to apply for food stamps. But she was up to
date on all of her house arrest and other legal fee payments.
When she would relate her financial concerns to Willis, he would tell
her that she needed a cheaper place to live; that she did not need a twobedroom apartment when she didn’t have any kids. He had still not approved any visitation requests with either of her children. He was, however, impressed with her zero balance restitution and told her to tell her
attorney to put her back on court calendar so that he could tell the judge.
The next court date was set for May 13.
Gonzales
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EDITORIALS
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 7
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. — Thomas Jefferson
Our Point of View
Cuba is still a
communist country
What could the President have been thinking when he
decided to slap not only the Cuban community but the
American people in the face by bypassing Congress and
kissing the Castro brothers’ boots when he eased the alleged embargo imposed on that communist country fifty
years ago?
President Obama ignored all the suffering of those Cubans that had to leave their country to start a new life here;
he ignored all the people assassinated by the Castro regime and all those who suffered other violations of human
and civil rights committed against the Cubans, plus the
expropriation of all the American businesses and properties taken by the communist country.
The so-called embargo did not work because of a few
details left out by the U.S. government — like allowing
the Cubans exiled here to send money and goods to the
island and to keep going back and forth after they arrived
here under political asylum.
The US government allowed American citizens to circumvent the embargo by traveling to the enemy country
via a third country and by not making stronger efforts with
other allied countries to stop visiting and doing business
with the communist country of Cuba, an open enemy of
this nation.
In all fairness, President Obama only has been in charge
for the last six years; Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Carter,
Nixon, Johnson and the creator of the embargo, Kennedy,
are equally guilty of the malfunction of the embargo.
President Obama has been playing games with the Mexicans living in the country undocumented for years using
immigration promises as a political pawn; now he turns
his attacks on the Cubans who have built a new life in this
country by bowing to a common enemy, offering all kinds
of benefits and opportunities and getting NOTHING in
return.
Raúl Castro has made it very clear that Cuba does not
have the intention of changing anything, including the communist regime that ignores human rights, freedom of opinion, freedom of information and freedom of expression.
We believe that President Barack Obama should reconsider his position of helping the present Cuban regime to
stay in power and take a step forward by deciding what he
wants to be: the Commander in Chief of the best country
in the world, or a puppet of the Castro brothers and the
communist world.
And so this is Christmas...
You do not have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas.
Christmas, the holiday, is for everyone who enjoys seeing
— and participating in — goodwill toward men, goodwill
toward all. It’s for those who like the festiveness of the
season, and want to decorate their home or their office space
with something to carry the festive note along; and it’s for
those who enjoy the coming together of friends and family and coworkers and strangers alike to share a meal or a
snack or a drink or a cookie. It’s about feeling and showing a little (or a lot) more love; it’s about sharing and caring and doing it without reservation; it’s about old traditions being passed down and starting up new traditions
that will bring people together. And this season of the year
is the perfect time to look up those old Christmas-related
movies, fix yourself a cup of eggnog or tea, and settle in
for a feel-good hour or two with one of those charming
classics such as Miracle on 34th Street or It’s a Wonderful
Life.
Christmas is also for those who like to focus on something other-worldly, even if it’s only once a year; something that makes them think of the grander plan, a higher
power, maybe a real live baby of history who came to discover that he was actually born as both a son of man and
the Son of God. Yes, that’s quite a thought to consider,
even only once a year!
Christmas, the holiday, does not belong to any one group
— and it very definitely does not exclude anyone in any
group — even while Christmas, the holy day, more or less
seems to “belong” to those who believe that that baby, the
one most people call Jesus, really and truly was the Promised One, the Son of God. We naturally believe that all of
us will get to know the truth behind our own individual
beliefs (no matter what we believe in) once we pass over
to the other side, but it is rather a happy thing for those
who choose to accept that Jesus came to earth as a helpless
little babe, passing through all the experiences as humans
do, and came into the fullness of his wisdom while on earth
in order to share it with all those around him, and for all
time.
So whether you only appreciate the twinkling lights, the
pretty trees, the friendly get-togethers, or the presents exchanged between loved ones, let Christmas into your hearts.
It is for one and all.
Pope Francisco may have
become comrade Francisco
By Perly Viasmensky
Oh, God, 2014 is not even over and lots of things
are happening in this lousy year; not very good things,
but they’re still happening.
Should I start by thanking Mr. Obama for his early
Christmas present? Honestly, I believe I have been
very good all year long and never expected a bag of
coal as a present from anyone. To say I am furious is
not enough; my heart is torn to pieces.
To receive news of President Obama restoring relations with communist Cuba, especially in the month
of December, when we Christians are celebrating the
birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, is like receiving a dagger deep in our hearts.
As a Catholic, to know that the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francisco, has been dealing behind
closed walls for eighteen months with President
Obama and the hyena of a communist country to restore relations between the two countries without the
knowledge of his congregation, makes me wonder if I
have been practicing the wrong religion.
These actions make me very sad, because I was
born into the Catholic faith, the Sisters of the Company of Mary educated me, and I attended a Catholic
University, and I never thought that I’d have to deal
with the actions of a Socialist Pope.
I still remember when my spiritual counselor, a
Jesuit Priest, told me years ago, that by the year of
2009 the whole world would be communist. At the
time I told him, “Please, Father, you are getting old
and you have no idea what you are talking about.”
My good old spiritual counselor is now dead, but I
am sure he is now turning in his grave if he can see
what is going on in our world and our church.
It was a very cold morning in 1959 when I left my
beautiful island of Cuba, believing what others told
me that it was a short absence, that we would return
in a month or so. It has been 55 long years with no
return. Hey, don’t take me wrong, I found happiness
in this country which I consider my own; this country
where my family and I came looking for freedom,
never ever for financial gain, because we lived a very
wealthy life in Cuba. That’s why I never consider
myself an immigrant, but a political refugee.
During those 55 years I not only lost my native
country, I lost my grandmother who never had the
opportunity to see one of her sons again. I lost my
mother who always wanted to return to Cuba.
I promised my grandmother that I would never put
foot in Cuba until the day the country was free of evil.
Still, some years ago when my uncle who was more
than a father to me was in the last days of his life, I
decided to break my promise to my grandmother and
requested a visa to Cuba to see him for the last time.
All I wanted was to give him a last kiss, but the Cuban
government gave me a slap on the face when they denied me a visa and told me that I was a person “nongrata” in Cuba because I left the country in 1959, without considering the fact that I was a child without any
say.
Forget about personal issues, President Obama
needs to remember that it was the Cuban people who
made Miami an international port. Miami was just a
ghost town until Cubans arrived.
The Cuban people in Cuba did not only suffer from
hunger, destruction, betrayal, abuse, killing of innocent people, and loss of life at sea, there are also Cuban people away from the country who have suffered
many losses as well.
President Obama has just stabbed our hearts one
more time and has just inserted into our thoughts that
we are about to experience the feelings of socialism
and communism once again in our lives.
Merry Christmas everybody!!!
Perly Viasmensky is the General Manager of the
Las Vegas Tribune. She writes a weekly column in this
newspaper. To contact Perly Viasmensky, email her at
pviasmensky@lasvegas tribune.com.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
Christmas Sadness in NYC
and Throughout the Nation
By Maramis
ceptable of ways. His friend, who
If the Christmas season cannot
chose to go into work that would furdiminish the feelings of hate and rage
ther the reality of peace, was very
in a person’s heart, of wanting to kill
disheartened at discovering that some
perfectly innocent people who did
of the so-called leaders in the peace
nothing to hurt them except by bemovement thought nothing of
ing associated with a profession in
“achieving peace” through inciting
which certain individuals may have
riots against those they felt were the
overstepped their job description and
cause of violence due to police abuse,
inflicted harm above and beyond the
and accusing whole groups of people
need to do so, then there is no time
when it was only a few within such
at all when such people would let
groups that were the actual troublethose feelings go.
makers.
MARAMIS CHOUFANI
Once upon a time there was a
Disenchanted as they were, they
happy little boy who lived in a big city. His best friend,
stuck with it, doing the best they could under their
similar in many ways to himself, also lived in that
very trying and difficult circumstances.
city, and the boys spent most of their time playing
As the years went by, the police officer felt embartogether and having long conversations about what
rassed to be associated with those who were seen as
they’d do when they grow up.
bad cops, yet he did all he could to keep to his oath to
One of the boys wanted to be a cop while the other
uphold the principles he had sworn to uphold, and to
one had hopes of being some kind of activist for peace.
struggle through, no matter what, for the good of his
Everyone seemed to think the first boy’s choice was
community and his hometown. In the same way, his
far too dangerous a profession to go into, considering
friend struggled to keep the peace wherever and whenthey lived in a harsh area and that would be where the
ever those in the community started to raise their voices
young man wanted to stay and work. No one thought
and their fists against those they perceived to be the
much of the second boy’s choice, except to say someenemy, as if they were all one voice against their one
thing like, “Good luck making a living with that!”
all-encompassing nemesis — the police.
As they grew up, they went their way, each folThose in the crowd who never really used their
lowing the path they had chosen. The one who chose
ability to think things through started to go along with
police work found it very difficult to be around cerall those who were flat-out against the police in gentain of his fellow officers who seemed to have lost
eral. They joined their voices and their rage with those
touch with their humanity, with looking for the best
who rallied against the police-at-large: They cursed
way to handle a situation in order to diffuse it and
them, threw things at them, overturned their cars, and
cause the least amount of damage or harm. Yet he stuck
created havoc in the streets. As the craziness spread to
with it because, as he reasoned, if all those who felt as
other cities, the mindless followers chanted right along
he did left the force, what they would be left with
with the leaders, “What do we want?” and gave the
would be a cadre of cops bent on showing their power
answer they were conditioned to give, “Dead cops!”
(See Maramis, Page 10)
and throwing their weight around in the most unac-
VIEW POINTS
Page 8 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
Editors note: The views expressed are entirely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Las Vegas Tribune.
King John’s
Premature Ejection
she has agreed to a repayBy Chuck Muth
ment plan with the IRS
Assembly Speakerand has been making payelect John Hambrick adments as agreed?
vised via press release yesIf so, on what basis did
terday that he was removhe come to those guiltying Republican Assembly
until-proved-innocent
Caucus Majority Leader
conclusions?
Michele Fiore as ChairBut the real howler in
man of both the all-importhe statement was
tant Taxation Committee
Hambrick’s claim that
AND as Majority Leader
Fiore’s interviews on
without consulting with
Tuesday “have left our
his caucus in advance.
CHUCK MUTH
caucus further divided.”
Looks like he got a little
ahead of himself.
Oh, puh-lease.
Hambrick’s unilateral decision was
Ladies and gentlemen, Moses couldn’t
made after Fiore did a series of media in- unite these people. All the king’s horses and
terviews on Tuesday in which she explained all the king’s men can’t put this Humpty
that her businesses ran into trouble with the Dumpty caucus together again. In fact,
IRS due to embezzlement by a former em- Hambrick’s move only made a bad situaployee. She said she made repayment ar- tion worse.
rangements with the IRS and has been makLeave aside the fact that he looks totally
ing payments of $5,000 a month to settle ridiculous and indecisive by removing
the liens.
Fiore from Taxation... then the next day
So what’s the problem? LOTS of people putting her back on Taxation... then a couple
have run-ins with the IRS. And as one of days later taking her off Taxation... and who
them — experiencing that absolutely hell- knows what’s going to happen today?
ish nightmare first hand — let me tell you
THE REAL AGENDA
it’s experience worth having in a Chairman
Look, we all know what’s really going
of the Taxation Committee!
on here.
But back to the press release. Hambrick
The establishment moderate Republisaid he found her explanations about the cans want a billion dollar tax hike in the
IRS liens “unacceptable.” Not that the cau- coming session.
cus found her explanations about the IRS
And the last thing they want running the
liens unacceptable. He, personally.
show in the Assembly Taxation CommitJudge. Jury. Executioner.
tee is a conservative who has signed the
And for the life of me, I don’t know how Taxpayer Protection Pledge promising the
he came to that conclusion.
people of Nevada that she’ll “oppose and
Is he saying she lied about having had vote against any and all efforts to increase
an employee embezzle from her company taxes.”
with the money that was supposed to be
That’s the same Tax Pledge, by the way,
paid to the IRS?
that Hambrick initially refused to sign when
Is he saying she’s lying when she says
(See Chuck Muth, Page 9)
Three Leadership Lessons from
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
By Doug Dickerson
and with unique gifts. It is
Then all the reindeer
not in the similarities that
loved him as they shouted
we stand out, but in our
out with glee, Rudolph the
differences. The gifts and
Red-nosed reindeer, you’ll
talents you bring to the
go down in history! —
table of your business or
Robert L. May
organization may not look
For many years, the
like anything else in your
story goes, Montgomery
company, but that is your
Ward department store in
gift. As you embrace and
Chicago purchased and
celebrate those gifts, othgave away coloring books
ers will also come to apas a promotional during the
preciate what you have to
Christmas season. In 1939,
offer.
company
executives
DOUG DICKERSON
We all face
wanted to do something that would both
opposition; ignore it.
Rudolph faced opposition because he
reduce costs and be new and different.
To help with the new project they turned was different. There will always be an eleto Robert L. May, a 34-year old Montgom- ment of people who will oppose you not
ery Ward copywriter who was known to based on your appearance as in the story,
dabble in children’s limericks and stories. but because you have a different perspecHis creation was a short story written in tive; a different attitude, and you bring an
rhyming verse and differed from the ver- optimistic mindset to the challenges your
sion known today. The original Rudolph organization faces.
When you embrace that which causes
lived in the woods with his loving parents
you to stand out you are on your way to the
far from the North Pole.
May’s story became an immediate suc- top. Others can ridicule you or join you but
cess. Montgomery Ward gave away 2.4 the choice is theirs. Regardless of the opmillion copies of the story in 1939 and by position you face, never surrender what is
1946, despite wartime paper shortages; over unique about you and your God-given abili6 million copies had been distributed. Faced ties.
Your moment to shine will eventuwith large medical bills because of his
ally come; welcome it.
wife’s battle with cancer, May asked MontIt is in your daily faithfulness in the little
gomery Ward officials if he could have the
copyright to Rudolph turned over to him. things that you prove yourself. Even though
The company agreed and that same year the Rudolph faced opposition from the others,
he didn’t allow their negativity to defeat
story was published commercially.
May also asked his brother-in-law, him. In the moment of crisis when Santa
songwriter Johnny Marks, to adapt his ba- needed a go-to Reindeer, Rudolph was
sic story idea to music. When Marks was ready. Armed with his natural giftedness
done, one singer after another, including and positive attitude, he navigated the team
Bing Crosby, declined to record the song. of fellow reindeer to a successful compleFinally, in 1949, Gene Autry accepted and, tion of the Christmas mission.
Your moment of destiny will come one
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer shot to
the top of the charts. Autry’s version is now day and it may not happen the way you
the second best selling Christmas song of expected. Open your eyes to all the possiall time, surpassed only by Crosby’s White bilities that your leadership can provide. As
you remain faithful your big moment will
Christmas.
From the song Rudolph the Red-Nosed come.
This Christmas season, celebrate your
Reindeer, come leadership lessons that are
still applicable today. Here are three lead- gift as a leader, rise above your opposition
ership lessons that will serve you well re- and stand ready to embrace your destiny.
As you do, you will have a greater undergardless of the season.
standing of just how special the season can
We all have natural gifts and
be.
abilities; embrace them.
Merry Christmas!
Rudolph was the object of scorn by the
Doug Dickerson is a syndicated columother reindeer who mistakenly thought that
because he was different from the others nist. He writes a weekly column for this
newspaper. Emaii Doug Dickerson at
he didn’t have anything to contribute.
We all come in different shapes, sizes, ddickerson@ lasvegastribune.com.
Confucius say crazed
country have thin skin...
By Mace Yampolsky
Korea’s 14.5 million.
Confucius say crazed
Granted, Sony doesn’t
country have thin skin and
have any nuclear weapons,
no sense of humor (even
but where would those
though they like Dennis
sneaky North Koreans drop
Rodman! Go figure!).
those bombs anyway? ToNorth Korea is p.o.’d bekyo, NYC, Silicon Valley?
cause the movie “The InJust say no! What are they
terview” cast their not-sogoing to do? Sic Dennis
fearless leader in a less
Rodman on you!? Make
than flattering light. Reyou produce a movie about
ally? Don’t they watch
his philosophy of life?
Saturday Night live? They
Open a can of whoop**s
MACE YAMPOLSKY
skewer everyone! You
on Sony’s butt?
don’t see the US Government cyber-hackSony was hit by hackers Nov. 24, 2014.
ing NBC (Granted, the NSA listens to ev- A glowing red skeleton appeared on
eryone and checks their email, but cyber- screens throughout the Culver City, Calif.hacking? There is a line that even the most based Sony subsidiary. The hack apparsecretive, most esoteric, clandestine, cryp- ently was in response to the planned retic, closemouthed, uber spooks won’t cross; lease of “The Interview,” which featured
right, big brother?)
James Franco and Seth Rogen as tabloid
Before I get going on my righteously TV journalists. As they prepare to travel to
indignant rant, remember this is North the secretive North Korea, they’re recruited
Korea. The same country that tells their by the CIA to assassinate Kim. Tuesday,
citizens every four years that they won the December 16, 2014, the hackers, who call
world cup! They also think their supreme themselves the Guardians of Peace, posted
leader is a god. And it is decreed that no a message threatening a 9/11 type attack
one can have a name that is similar to the on theaters that showed the movie.
name of their dictator Kim Jong-un, and
The hacking has had other, massive rethose that have the name Jong-un (which percussions for the media giant. Almost 38
is a common Korean name for both men million files were stolen and doled out on
and women) must get a new name. Could file-sharing websites. Files included the
you imagine the upheaval this would have screening versions of five Sony films, the
caused (not to mention the run on birth cer- script to the most recent James Bond
tificates) if President Lyndon Johnson said movie, embarrassing e-mails between stuthis? (Huh, so what am I supposed to call dio executives, salary data and personal
myself, Vern? Johndaughter?) What if your information about Sony staff.
name was Johnson Johnson? (Remember
During the three weeks since the attack,
in Catch 22 there was Major Major! And I an ongoing question has been “Why?” Hisknow someone named Sugar Cane [for torically, hackers have either stolen intelreal!] who has a sister Candy Cane and a lectual property as part of an industrial esDog Hurri [Cane] and a parrot Nova pionage campaign or grabbed personal data
[Cane]. But I digress.)
to sell. An attack that merely posted mateSony makes billions more than North
(See Mace, Page 11)
BEHIND THE MIKE
Failure is Under Rated
By Michael A. Aun
Toastmasters InternaI recently penned an artional speaking world. I
ticle titled “Success is Over
could not accept that my
Rated.” My good friend
own stupidity caused me
Kevin W. McCarthy, an
to lose. That was unacauthor and internationally
ceptable.
known speaker, jotted me
So the next year I bea note saying that he
gan the arduous task of
passed it on to his kids. He
competing all over again,
went on to suggest that I
winning the Club Comwrite a follow-up article,
petition, the Area Comtitled “Failure is Under
petition, the District
Rated.” So here goes!
Competition and the ReKevin is the author of a
gional Competition. I
MICHAEL A. AUN
number of “On-Purpose”
found myself sitting on
books ranging from personal leadership to the dais along with eight other contestants
business. “The On-Purpose Person” and from around the world in Vancouver, Brit“The On-Purpose Business Person” are his ish Columbia, Canada one year to the day
books that describe how best to apply the later.
unique approach to living your life and
My mind wasn’t really focused as it
doing your work with a purpose.
should have been. My wife had delivered
Since I have a wealth of experience at twins only one week prior to my scheduled
failing at things in life, I find it easy to talk speech and I was seriously considering not
about how failure tends to mould you into even going to Vancouver. With a handful
a better person. The old tried and true ex- of aunts, a mother and a mother-in-law all
pression “Failure is the process by which ohhhing and ahhhing over my twin sons, I
we succeed” has a basis in truth. Dolly couldn’t even get seat time with them. My
Parton once remarked “You can’t have the wife banished me from the house, telling
rainbow without the rain.”
me to go to Vancouver... but don’t come
One of my most profound failures came home without the trophy. No pressure there.
when I was 28 years old. I was competing
I believe it was the defeat in Toronto that
for the World Championship of Public provided the thrust for the victory in
Speaking for Toastmasters International in Vancouver. I often tell my audiences today
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I was so sure that “You have to go through Toronto to get to
I had delivered the kind of speech that could Vancouver. You must experience defeat
win.
before you’ll ever appreciate victory.”
I didn’t even place. In fact, I was disThat was but one of the many defeats I
qualified for going eight seconds over my learned from in my life. I got my clock
allotted time limit. You cannot exceed 7 cleaned when I ran for the House of Repreminutes and 30 seconds. I had practiced the sentatives in 1980. I learned that it’s cheaper
speech hundreds of times and knew it was to buy a politician than it is to be one (just
well within the time frame. What I didn’t kidding).
account for was a standing ovation right in
I have tried and failed at a number of
the middle of the speech... which lasted business ventures and partnerships in my
eight seconds.
life. For every setback, I learned a dozen
So there I was, about to receive the ways “not to do something.” And usually it
championship trophy when I learned I had boiled down to what my friend Kevin W.
been disqualified for time. Later in the day McCarthy speaks and writes about: I didn’t
I was in the Toronto International Airport approach the challenge with a purpose.
about to return to South Carolina, where I
To be on-purpose in your life could be
lived at the time. I sat on my “pity pot” the most valuable life lesson you’ll ever
(my suit case) and had a “pity party” as if I learn. But usually it’s learned on the heels
were the Mayor of “Pity City”... as my of a resounding defeat or setback. Welcome
plane taxied off without me. It was that very to the real world. Failure is under rated. It
moment that I realized that I wasn’t going could be the most valuable learning tool
to win the championship that year. I sud- you’ll ever master.
denly became “on-purpose” in my apMichael Aun is a syndicated columnist
proach to the competition.
and writes a weekly column for this newsI could accept that I was only ninth best paper. To contact Michael Aun, email him
out of the nine regions representing the at [email protected].
COMMENTARIES
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 9
Editors note: The views expressed are entirely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Las Vegas Tribune.
POLICE LEADERS:
Promoted Policemen, Politicians, or Pretenders?
By Norman Jahn
I’ve often listened to what is said
about police chief candidates when
a community is conducting a search
for a new leader. I’ve studied how
chiefs are selected for nearly 20
years. One of the phrases that is
used (when the union or the vocal
members of the department actually
like and support the choice) is, “He
is a cop’s cop.”
That is used as a term of endearment. But is it also a code phrase
that describes the ‘competitive
qualifications’ of candidates? Is the
community going to get a PROMOTED POLICEMAN as the new
chief or someone who has the qualifications and skills that far exceed
the local ‘cop’ or tenured sheriff’s
deputy?
A ‘cop’s cop’ is a term used to
describe an individual that thinks
like a street cop, acts like a street
cop, and views the role of the police like a street cop. Descriptions
that are used include; “He was a
cop’s cop; he never forgot his roots,
never forgot those people who
helped him along the way and never
forgot those people he worked
with.” “He never forgot that he was
a police officer, the guy out on the
street, in the rain and the cold.”
When you are the chief and the rank
and file support you (maybe even
like you) this popularity does not
always translate into effectiveness
and what is best for the COMMUNITY. Some cops will respond, “It
isn’t about the community — it is
about a chief taking care of his
own.”
We see it happening more and
more. The police union tactic of taking a vote of no-confidence to put
the police chief (often a new one)
in his (or her) place. Who is supposed to be running our police departments — the unions or the appointed leader?
Suffice it to say that a ‘cop’s cop’
is NOT always the best person to
be put in a position of leadership.
There must be a transition into the
role that is essential for modern
police chiefs and a good example
of this is what happened last week
(Continued from Page 8)
he first ran for the Assembly... but
signed in the next campaign after
his primary opponent signed it...
and then went on a local public affairs TV program — since cancelled — the very day after his election as Speaker-elect and “pulled a
Roberson” by saying he would
break it to vote for the governor’s
tax hike proposal.
So he was against the Tax Pledge
before he was for it. And now is
against it again. Check.
But back to Fiore...
NOW PLAYING LEFT FIELD
Did Hambrick remove her as
chair of the Tax Committee because
of her situation with the IRS? No.
She was removed because she’s an
outspoken, unapologetic conservative who is seen as a roadblock to
the coming Sandoval tax hike.
Period.
What evidence to back up that
opinion? Just look at who
Hambrick appointed to replace
Fiore...
For the Majority Leader position, Hambrick didn’t tap another
conservative member of the caucus.
No, he tapped moderate Assemblyman
Paul Anderson, who is not a
signer of the Taxpayer Protection
Pledge and voted last year to extend the “sunsets.”
And to replace Fiore as chair of
the Taxation Committee — and this
one is truly unbelievable —
Hambrick appointed a FRESHMAN
moderate, Derek Armstrong, who
has yet to spend so much as a single
day in the Legislature and has never
even cast a legislative vote, let alone
chaired a committee meeting.
And — you guessed it —
Armstrong also has refused to sign
the Tax Pledge.
If you’re still a doubting Thomas, consider this excerpt from a
Chuck Muth
NORMAN JAHN
with the Phoenix police chief when
he lost his job for standing up to the
powerful union. LEADERSHIP
takes courage. Losing your job does
not mean that you weren’t a leader;
I viewed it as a badge of honor because of the circumstances (trying
to serve the public instead of ourselves).
PROMOTED POLICEMEN
A promoted policeman could be
described as a police officer who
has been promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, or
police chief in most municipal departments. The rank structure varies in different departments, but in
the LVMPD the highest three ranks
are assistant sheriff, undersheriff
and sheriff. Of course, the top dog
is elected by the voters and that just
happened in Clark County in November.
Debates (and probably a few
fistfights) over police promotions
have been taking place for decades.
In some police departments promotions are based on seniority. This
could mean whoever took up space
the longest would get the next promotion. This is obviously not a
good method. In other departments
there are more formal systems that
could be called merit-based promotions. Minimum qualifications are
set for time in grade (how much
experience you must have before
qualifying — at Metro it’s currently
six years on the job to take the
sergeant’s exam). Minimum educa-
tion requirements are also set and
Metro is finally requiring more and
more college to qualify to compete
for promotion at each rank. At each
higher rank there normally is a
higher expectation and greater credentials are demanded.
The LVMPD requires competitive promotions up to the rank of
captain. After that, Sheriff Gillespie
can ‘appoint’ whoever he wants —
so long as they have reached the
rank of captain. We always used to
figure that you had to make it on
your own up to captain and then you
had to be a ‘buddy’ of the sheriff to
advance any further. This does not
always happen in municipal police
departments. Some of them actually
advertise for command ranks by
looking outside their organizations.
They seek the ‘best and the brightest’ and often do not want to be
burdened by in-house issues and
drama. Many new police chiefs are
allowed to bring in assistants and
this certainly could help to transform a department (or reform it). I
found out the hard way as a 36-yearold police chief in Shawano, Wisconsin. The department was in desperate need for change, but I was
on an island because the next highest ranking member of the department had also wanted to be the police chief. They hired this ‘outsider’
from Las Vegas and it didn’t go over
well.
So why is it likely that being
‘buddies with the sheriff’ is going
to get you appointed to an even
higher rank than captain? Common
sense dictates that there will be a
comfort level between buddies.
Friendships rather than credentials
are going to be important and embraced rather than balancing the
YES MEN with independent thinkers, innovators, and dissenters.
Kevin McMahill and Todd Fasulo
are being promoted by Sheriff
Lombardo, who we all know, is just
filling the seat for Doug Gillespie.
I don’t believe buddy promotions
can happen so much (if ever) in the
military and obviously not in municipal police departments where
there are more structured (and se-
cure) promotional systems. Of
course, any system can be compromised and there have been ‘cheating scandals’ in most every police
department in America at one time
or another.
Here is an example of what can
happen when strong ‘relationships’
are more powerful than integrity.
I’ve heard from several sources that
the questions on the LVMPD sergeant promotional written exam are
exactly the same this year as they
were last year. Everyone has that
one ‘friend’ that they confide in, but
they forget that secrets get repeated.
If this is true and everyone gets the
‘notice,’ it may reduce the rigor of
the testing process, but at least it is
fair. If only certain ‘buddies of the
regime’ who have consumed the
Kool Aid about ‘relationship-building” get it, then it is entirely unfair.
Metro has an Office of Human
Resources and a Civil Service
Board that are supposed to oversee
promotions — among other things.
But what if they are just a rubber
stamp for the sheriff? Rules can be
changed to the benefit of your ‘buddies’ and then they can keep climbing ranks.
The LVMPD also now has an
internal review board so some promotion hopefuls will never stand a
chance. I can’t believe the unions
have allowed this because there was
once ‘outside’ oral board members
and no internal review board. I am
certain that I earned every promotion that I ever had at Metro (sergeant 1987, lieutenant 1992, and
sergeant again in 2007). Nobody
told me what to study or gave me
any ‘inside’ information that may
be rampant these days. I’m of the
opinion that the promotional process was much more objective and
secure when I experienced it than
it is now. Some of those who would
be called a ‘cop’s cop’ will never
be allowed to proceed beyond the
internal review if they refuse to sell
their souls to the regime.
Bottom line: The leadership
skills, experience, and qualifications needed to lead modern police
departments are rarely to be held by
a ‘promoted policeman.’
POLITICIANS
The next category of police chief
would be described as a politician.
These are the folks that can blend
in with elected officials and managers and get things done. Joe
Lombardo will need to have some
‘political’ skills if he is going to get
budget increases or More Cops support. Street cops use derogatory
terms when describing their leaders and one of them is ‘politician.’
It is true that many former police ‘officials’ jump into politics.
Stavros Anthony was a Metro police captain and is now a member
of the City Council. Richard
Perkins stayed in politics after he
left the Henderson Police Department. Stan Olsen and Dave Kallas
became lobbyists. I don’t recall all
of the names and places but this
happens in many cities.
Bill Bratton from NYPD (formerly NYPD and LAPD) would be
called a ‘politician’ by many cops
because he is so refined and rubs
elbows with politicians all of the
time. He is standing right next to
his mayor (Bill De Blasio) during
much of the turmoil in recent
weeks. Lots of street cops hate De
Blasio for ‘throwing them under the
bus’ and they probably don’t like
(or understand) the role that Bratton
must play. Anyone studying municipal police leaders (sheriffs can
be a different beast) will realize that
there are many different personalities and they run the gamut from
north to south and from west to east
(i.e., Daryl Gates, Bernard Parks,
Willie Williams in LAPD and Lee
Brown, Raymond Kelly, and Bernard Kerik in NYPD).
While the term ‘cop’s cop’ is a
term of endearment (from the
troops), the term ‘politician’ is most
often used in a derogatory manner.
There are at least two different perspectives here. Elected officials
appreciate when the police leader
has the maturity and sophistication
to work with them instead of being
a battering ram and being bullheaded. They may find this to be
(See Norm Jahn, Page 10)
story on this brewing brouhaha
which appears in a recent Las Vegas Review-Journal column.
“The appointments are also a
plus for (Gov. Brian) Sandoval,
who is expected to seek increased
funding levels for education when
he presents his budget... Sandoval
will need the support of Republicans and Democrats to get the twothirds vote needed to raise new tax
revenue.”
ILLOGICAL LOGIC
Now get this further absurd explanation that Hambrick gave the
RJ for removing Fiore and replacing her with Anderson...
“Anderson was originally
elected the majority leader and I
believe the majority of caucus
members were correct in this.”
Oh, dear Lord.
By this insane course of logic,
Assemblyman Ira Hansen was
originally elected Speaker-elect by
a majority of caucus members, so
Hambrick should be removed now
and Hansen put back in that position?
Hmmm...
On the other hand, once Anderson gave up his position as Majority Leader to run unsuccessfully
against Hambrick for Speaker-elect,
Fiore ran for the Majority Leader
position and was elected by a majority of caucus members.
As Hambrick knows full well.
He was one of those who voted for
her!
So what Hambrick is really saying here to his colleagues is...
“You elected me and you elected
Michele. But Paul isn’t happy with
losing to me and losing his position
to Michele. So instead of letting the
caucus decide, I’m just going to
unilaterally undo Michele’s election
and give Paul back his old job.”
It’s good ta be da king!
Seriously. If Fiore was elected
by the caucus, how can Hambrick
single-handedly and unilaterally
remove her? Who’s he think he is,
Kim Jung-un?
EXPOSING THE
TAX LIEN LIE
Still not convinced that this is a
War on Conservatives hidden by a
slight-of-hand attack on Fiore’s finances?
Sit down and be prepared to
have your delusion completely, totally shattered once and for all.
When Hambrick first announced
that he was removing Fiore as Taxation Chairman, he also announced
that he was removing freshman
conservative Republican Assemblywoman and Tax Pledge signer
Victoria Seaman from the Taxation
Committee, as well.
So if this was really all about
Fiore’s tax liens, then why kick
Seaman off the Tax Committee with
her? Seaman has no tax lien issues
with the IRS.
No, by kicking Seaman off the
Tax Committee along with Fiore,
Hambrick revealed that it was all
about getting rid of conservatives,
not tax liens. It was plain as day.
OK, now get this...
Not only did Hambrick remove
Fiore as Majority Leader, but he
also — secretly — without telling
his caucus — and without telling
the public — removed conservative
Assemblyman John Ellison from
the position of Speaker Pro Tem and
replaced him with liberal Republican tax-hiking Assemblyman Lynn
“The Bug Man” Stewart!
Ellison has no tax lien problem
with the IRS. So, then, why did
Hambrick screw him, too?
Come on, people! How much
clearer can it get?
The Republican establishment
isn’t out to get Fiore over those tax
liens. The tax liens are a smoke
screen.
They’re after EVERY conservative.
But here’s where it gets really
embarrassing.
After the secret decision to remove Ellison became known,
Hambrick got some blowback.
So what did he do?
What he always does.
He reversed himself AGAIN and
put Ellison back on as Speaker Pro
Tem!
Good. Grief.
ANDERSON’S
WHOPPER
For his part, Anderson — who
with Hambrick’s move got back the
job Fiore took from him in a caucus election a little over a week ago
— told the RJ that “Speaker
Hambrick did what he thought best
to unite the caucus and bring an end
to the internal strife.”
Hoo-ahh! What a whopper!
Anderson’s nose must be about tenfoot long this morning after that
one!
Removing Fiore as both Chairman of Taxation and as Majority
Leader has only further divided the
caucus, not united it.
Removing Fiore as both Chairman of Taxation and as Majority
Leader has only made the internal
strife worse, not better.
This was a stupid move, period.
Even if the decisions hold up —
and there’s no guarantee they will,
since Hambrick had no authority to
unilaterally undo an election —
Hambrick has shown himself to be
completely incapable of providing
the steady, unwavering leadership
necessary to serve as Speaker of the
Assembly for the 2015 session.
His decisions are apparently
based upon the opinions of the last
person he talks to.
So you can’t take his word to the
bank.
Plus, Hambrick is clearly cowed
by the governor, lobbyists and donors who presently control the GOP
establishment in Nevada and is
willing to do their bidding to curry
their favor.
He’s made himself look more
like Pee Wee Herman than Stormin’
Norman Schwartzkopf.
BREAK OUT THE
MUSICAL CHAIRS
Indeed, Hambrick has so embarrassed himself and irreparably damaged his reputation by demonstrating all the leadership resolve of a
bowl of Jello that, frankly, he needs
to step down as Speaker-elect.
Because if he thinks selling out
the conservative members of his
caucus and siding with the moderates means the moderates won’t
now pursue the “nuclear option”
and displace him on February 2nd,
he’s sadly mistaken.
Hambrick has, unfortunately,
shown himself to be both weak and
unreliable. Why would Democrats
want to deal with someone whose
decisions blow with the wind when
they can gang up and install a true
tax-hiking moderate Republican
instead?
What?
You want to know how to reach
Mr. Hambrick?
Well, according to his campaign
website — which reads, “It is imperative that I have your feedback
so I can best represent you in the
legislature” — here’s how to weigh
in…
Email Hambrick direct at:
[email protected]
(Cell Phone: 702-499-6169)
Just trying to help!
*****
Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public
policy grassroots advocacy organization. Chuck Muth may be reached
by email at the following address
[email protected].
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 11
Cynthia Turner teaches us the
true meaning of Christmas
By Thomas A. Nagy
Part 25 of a Series
Our time, and this year of 2014,
have much in common with Palestine at the time of the birth of
Yeshua ben Joseph, whom we have
come to call Jesus Christ. In those
days a brutal Roman Empire dominated a diverse cultural mix of
peoples in the Holy Land, a crossroads of many cultures sharing
critical trade routes from east to
west and from north to south. increasingly in our time of this 21st
Century since the celebrated birth
of humble circumstances, those
who impose order in our society are
accused of brutal, sometimes fatal,
aggression.
In Roman days it was commonly
accepted that criminals would be
put to death rather swiftly by dominant blade-wielding soldier-police.
Norm Jahn
Weapons have changed in the centuries since a dying Herod ruled in
Palestine, yet results are too often
the same: judgments are too swift
and fatal for those suspected of
crimes.
In Ferguson, Missouri the Wilson-Brown case became instantly
famous around the globe. This followed other infamous cases of perversions of justice, and was in turn
followed by new circumstances in
which those who are armed and
empowered to enforce laws for the
good of all of us are suspected of
abusing power and perverting justice.
The brutality of Roman police
and its nearly complete lack of accountability forms a model for
present-day squadrons of battleready police taking to the streets in
Ferguson and other cities in the
(Continued from Page 9)
the case more with a ‘cop’s cop’ who has not gained all of the additional
experiences and skills necessary to lead the largest police departments.
They would like to view the police chief as a colleague rather than someone who is difficult to work with.
It is ironic that Larry Burns and Joe Lombardo recently had to be ‘politicians,’ as the term can be used, because they had to run for sheriff. Neither of them may actually have had the political skills necessary to navigate the Las Vegas City Council and County Commission — at least not
right away. Municipal police leaders need the skills right away.
Over the weekend the police chief in Phoenix got fired. This is an
example of how police chiefs are held accountable (the termination of
Daniel Garcia may or may not have been justifiable) as compared to an
elected sheriff who can do just about whatever he wants to do (i.e., Joe
Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona).
Garcia got fired by a city manager. Just how long would Sheriff
Gillespie or any of his predecessors have lasted if they could be hired and
fired by a mayor or city manager? It is highly possible that they would
not even get an interview for police chief in many municipal police departments. How would Gillespie fare if a police commission or a public
safety director was responsible for the oversight of the police chief? I
have met and personally know some very successful police chiefs who
have navigated the ‘rapids’ in multiple departments and have national
reputations as police leaders. I guess what I didn’t do is ask them how
they survived and listen to their advice!
Daniel Garcia was hired in Phoenix after a career with the Dallas Police Department. He was what is known as an ‘outsider’ and this causes
significant problems. Garcia was ‘embattled’ over contract negotiations,
a pending vote of no confidence (which can actually be an indicator that
your police department is becoming more professional) and other issues.
He spoke out when he was told (by his ‘civilian’ supervisors) to not speak
out. Basically, he asked for some job security, a two-year contract (for
him) so he had the stability to continue to make changes he felt were
necessary. The powerful union (probably a big campaign contributor and
endorser like Las Vegas police unions) was trying to humiliate him and
remove him with a vote of no confidence and other actions. It isn’t even
a fair fight when the union members have so much influence and the new
chief is not even from the community, but this is what it is going to take,
more often than not, to have true change.
Garcia basically asked, “Does the police chief or the union run this
department?” He was fired for insubordination (I was, too... Captain Todd
False-ulo, who is now going to be an Assistant Sheriff, jumped two ranks
since firing me). An insubordination termination does not mean that his
actions were not based on his principles. He may have been serving the
greater good (the community) and not sucking up to politicians or bowing down to the union. Of course the ‘suits’ claim that they can’t expect
regular police officers to follow orders if the chief doesn’t. Another false
narrative! What is most important is that Garcia took a stand and does not
appear to have been a PRETENDER — which is the most base and disgusting type of police leader and will be the last classification that I address in this column.
Below is an excerpt of Garcia’s comments regarding recent developments in Phoenix:
“The union actions have hurt the department’s image in our community’; they have damaged the reputation of our officers in this organization,” said Garcia.
Could the same thing be said about the police unions (PPA and PMSA)
in Las Vegas? Look at the role that the PPA played in the recent election
— some believe the PPA somehow sabotaged Larry Burns and their office-holders will be well-received by the Lombardo administration. Look
at the role the PPA played in the discontinuation of the coroner’s inquest
proceedings and what Metro officers are required to answer (or not) after
use of deadly force. Look at how the PPA ‘hired’ Bryan Yant — they
really didn’t hire him but both the PPA and Doug Gillespie had to be
involved in the transfer.
PRETENDERS
There are too many pretenders in policing. They are the types of people
that get promoted because they are golfing buddies or they worked in K9 with the sheriff years ago. They neglected development of their professional skills (formal education, etc.) until it became an impediment to
their own careers. They critiqued and judged others who chose a different
career path or who had different aspirations. These are the types of people
that the street cops will say ‘changed’ when they got promoted because
they were not true to themselves. You can be a ‘cop’s cop’ and make the
transition to being a police chief and be true to yourself. This may alienate many of your former peers but it does not mean you should be condemned.
Pretenders have the ‘stars and bars,’ but often they did not earn them
in the traditional way (through hard work, performance, and achievement). I listed the names of many current captains in the LVMPD who I
know and have worked with in the past. How do the more senior (and
seasoned) members of the LVMPD feel when the ‘New Kids On The
Block’ (and they know who I mean) are promoted past them in total disrespect for their career contributions? I know how it feels to believe you
are held in contempt and disdain by the Gillespie regime... but I sleep a
whole lot better than I would have if I was still a member of the LVMPD
who had to conform to their self-serving system!
If you are a ‘true’ police leader you are not ONLY a leader in your
police department, you are also a leader in the community, and your area
of responsibility is public safety and TRUST. And by the way, you don’t
have to achieve rank to be a professional and a police leader, which is the
only reason that the LVMPD seems to be surviving these days.
Norm Jahn is a former LVMPD lieutenant, who has also served as a
police chief in Shawano, Wisconsin, and has nearly 25 years of police
experience. Jahn now contributes his opinions and ideas to help improve
policing in general, and in Las Vegas in particular, through his weekly
column in the Las Vegas Tribune.
United States, or other nations in
this world.
In Roman Provinces at the time
of Christ’s birth soldiers were employed primarily to protect assets
of privileged wealthy families. That
should seem familiar. The same is
true today, with corporate assets
taking precedence over protections
given to poor and disadvantaged
folk.
For decades this imbalance has
become increasingly obvious. Injustice in our society grows with
each passing year. It has become
impossible to ignore. A din rises on
streets of our cities on occasions
such as those prompted by officerinvolved killings in Ferguson and
New York City, but for a majority
of cases outrage is silent.
We have come to a point of accepting injustice throughout our
society, at every level, as easily as
we have welcomed a nearly complete transition to a secular society.
This is because secularism and injustice are intricately intertwined.
A couple of years ago in my blog
ReGeneration (http://thomasanagy.
blogspot.com) I wrote on this transition to an amoral society, and its
dangers.
As followers of this series know,
Cynthia Turner has been pursuing
an elusive Justice for the murder of
her son, Jason R. Turner-Shenker,
in 2005. In fact, Cynthia seeks a
moral outcome in an amoral world
through entirely secular means. Her
quest intersects with the essence of
the birth of Christ at the time and
place in which that occurred.
The Gospels are simply “good
news.” Those that relate our ChristMass story tell us that in the midst
of an amoral, brutal Roman Empire
was born One who was without sin,
One who was pure of heart and incorruptible, and One who was destined to teach human beings a new
way of life. Here was to be a light
in the midst of unfathomable darkness.
People of the Roman Empire
were actually more religious than
people of this generation. Worship
of their pantheon of gods, too many
to name, included brutality and
death as a matter of routine. Even
pious, religious Judeans executed
law violators immediately, commonly by stoning a person to death
by the hands of a mob. This is depicted in the gospel describing the
attempt to stone to death a woman
accused of adultery. “Let he who
has not sinned cast the first stone”
to carry out that sentence. Romans,
Greeks and Judeans practiced their
faith more assiduously than we do
today, in much higher percentages
of respective populations, yet the
behavioral result was comparable to
our secular society today.
Justice cannot occur as a derivative of an amoral secular society.
Justice cannot occur when there
is hatred or a sense of revenge. It is
not a “thin line” between justice and
revenge, but rather a broad “demilitarized zone” between the two.
Anyone who foments hatred in
his or her heart cannot also reasonably seek justice. That person inevitably seeks revenge, not justice.
It is like starting on a fifty-yard line
in a football game; one goal represents justice while the opposite end
represents vengeance.
Yeshua was born into this world
because humankind had lost its perspective in too many ways; among
those perspectives, that Justice is an
aspect of God, not mankind. Justice is a perfect balance between
judgment and mercy, thus it requires a perfect and merciful Judge.
No human is perfect.
Cynthia Turner hopes that justice, for her son’s murder, will be
meted out by imperfect human beings who have taken power within
the State of Nevada, Clark County
or federal jurisdictions. To seek justice is certainly a moral quest, one
that we should all pursue in our own
pathways, our allotted time and
space.
However, for Turner to attain
justice will first require a “new
birth” for all those named thus far
in this series, or those who retain
power in pertinent venues. It would
require that Clark County Coroner
Michael Murphy would be reborn
to possess a pure heart dedicated to
seeking justice as God intends it to
be. The same applies to his successor. The same is true of District Attorney Steve Wolfson; he would
have to be reborn to possess a pure
heart devoted to a fair and equitable
administration of justice. He would
have to seek the Wisdom of
Solomon, however elusive that may
be to attain. For each man, they
would have to pray for Divine Wisdom to penetrate their heart and
minds so that true justice might be
administrated in Clark County. That
would make their respective oaths
of office sincere oaths.
The same concept applies to all
others named previously in this series. Those administrators at
Temple Sinai and the Shenker
Academy would need to experience
a rebirth comparable to “entering
this world anew” without becoming a fortress designed and purposed to preserve privilege or exclusivity, and more concerned with
being a school of morality and wisdom. Lieutenant Steiber and Detective Gillis and various other officers of the court, lawyers and judges
tasked with meting out justice but
rarely do, all these would have to
be reborn to the spirit of their oaths,
and to perceive this world and their
respective roles in it “in a new
light.” Each must be guided by that
new light of wisdom and hope represented by the Star of Bethlehem.
Perhaps the lesson of that Gospel Star is that simple: those who
follow its light become wise along
their journey toward it; being wise
is not a prerequisite to seek its light.
Justice is the Wisdom of God. It
cannot be attained without acknowledging and seeking God’s
Wisdom.
To understand the meaning of
Christmas we need to understand
that the old and present ways of this
world are inadequate to attain justice. Christ was born into a world
darkened by injustice that had become institutionalized in both secular Roman administration and religious hard-heartedness. In our
present the same hard-heartedness
exists everywhere that secularism
and amorality dominate.
We must never give up though.
To be resigned is to allow hatred
and selfishness to increase as cancers in society, as negativity feeding on negativity. This is not what
God has wanted for humanity, although this is what we have accepted too readily by demanding an
amoral, secular society.
Cynthia Turner strives to attain
justice for the murder of her son
Jason in this unyielding, amoral and
self-serving society. That she has
not yet attained this noble goal is
testament to a problem that we all
face, in Las Vegas, in Ferguson,
Missouri, in New York City, and in
a thousand other cities and villages
around this globe. We demand no
moral fortitude in those we empower to dominate our lives. We
(See Nagy, Page 11)
(Continued from Page 7)
If anyone got in their way — well,
too bad. The “ragers” had to rage;
the incensed protesters insisted on
having free rein to protest, and all
those so-called “demanders-of-justice” felt free to demand justice in
their own way, even if in their quest
for it they destroyed the very thing
they sought.
Those who took up that mindless demonstration of followingthe-leader probably thought they
were doing something good in support of those who suffered at the
hands of overzealous or simply incompetent police officers, without
giving a thought to how they were
hurting the innocent, the blamefree, the very officers who have
devoted their lives to helping their
community, and all the innocent
bystanders who would get caught
up in such mob mentality.
In spite of all that, and despite
the added danger that had attached
itself to being both a police officer
and a peace activist, the two friends
surged on, doing the best they could
under their own circumstances.
Then one day they heard the news
on TV: two police officers shot in
the head. Killed. Just for being cops.
Now it wasn’t just the work that
a police officer did that was dangerous: it was dangerous to just
wear the uniform; being a cop was
being a target. Yet the young man
who chose police work stuck with
it, danger and all. And the young
man who chose peace felt needed
more than ever.
One day they met for lunch, discussing what they could possibly do
to change things for the better. They
had the same desire to protect their
community and keep the peace.
Children looked up to them. Their
friends who really knew them
looked up to them. Their fathers
were proud of them. They believed
in what they did, and they did it
well.
Then one day, right before
Christmas, the police officer friend
was involved in a situation that required force to stop a perpetrator
from doing additional harm to others. Two store clerks had been killed
in cold blood during an attempted
robbery. Backup was called. Someone who was watching the event
take place misread what was going
on and shot the police officer in order to “save” the apprehended perpetrator, who had killed the two
clerks inside the building, out of
sight of those watching what was
going on. The peace activist happened to be nearby. He heard the
commotion and immediately
headed toward it. As he rushed over
toward the downed officer, he saw
it was his long-time friend. Bystanders were still giving verbal
support to the now long-gone perpetrator who obviously took advantage of the situation and got away.
Within minutes of the fatal wounding of the officer, two more shots
rang out down the street. The escaped perpetrator had struck again.
Up to that point, two store clerks
were killed during an attempted
holdup, and the police officer who
had apprehended the perpetrator
outside the store was shot dead by
a protester of police violence who
didn’t know what was going on, but
who was filled with rage toward any
person wearing the uniform.
As more police officers arrived
on the scene, some to investigate the
other shots and some to handle the
original situation, the crowds had
to be moved back and were asked
to go home; after all, it was Christmas Eve, and they didn’t need to
fill their heads with something that
could possibly spoil Christmas for
them for years to come. Many went
home, but a few ran to see what had
happened down the street. As
feared, those shots did represent
more dead bodies. And they were
both cops. Three policemen had
been killed that day.
Violence continues to breed
more violence; and misunderstanding breeds the kind of mob mentality that leads to even more violence.
Without engaging rational thought,
all we get is a different version of
what used to be called lynching, as
in: “We, the mob, believe we’re
right and everyone else is wrong;
therefore, since we can’t expect justice through the system, we’ll take
justice into our own hands and do
what must be done... even if we
must do it alone, as vigilantes.”
And so it was on that particular
Christmas morning. There were
five families who had to face that
day and all the rest of their lives
without their loved ones, all because of one man who had it in his
heart to steal, and then to kill, and
one man who thought he would do
a “good” thing in general for Black
men caught up in an “unjust tussle”
with the police, unknowingly allowing a known murderer to go on
to kill twice again.
If Christmastime does not offer
pause for reflection on all those
deeds done in the name of justice
that ended up causing untold misery to those in the path of the reckless and mindless ragers and perpetrators of that useless and out-ofcontrol violence and harm to others, than what season will? What
day will it all end? When will the
“ragers” and would-be “dogooders” for their own cause realize that they are simply creating
more problem situations and more
sadness in families everywhere?
Peace on earth and goodwill toward men... and let it begin with
each and every one.
*****
Maramis Choufani is the Managing Editor of the Las Vegas Tribune. She writes a weekly column
in this newspaper. To contact
Maramis,
email
her
at
[email protected].
Maramis
Mace
(Continued from Page 9)
rial, much of which could have been
sold for large amounts of money on
the black market, is unprecedented.
After entering and copying much
of the Sony network, the hackers
released malicious software, or
malware, that infected Sony’s computers and was extremely destructive. Its job was not just to erase files
but to destroy them,” said Tom
Kellermann, a computer security
expert with Trend Micro. This sort
of behavior hadn’t been seen much
since the 1990s, when “script
kiddies” copied computer programs
they didn’t actually understand and
used them merely to wreak havoc.”
Back then, we saw this a lot, people
jumping in, messing up a network
and jumping out, but there was no
financial gain. It was just ‘Ha ha,
look what I did!’ “Kellermann said.
North Korea has been suspected
of employing hacking attacks
December 3-9, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 11
against groups it disagreed with,
including South Korean media outlets and banks. While making the
film, Sony representatives met with
Assistant Secretary Daniel Russell
of the Bureau of East Asian and
Pacific Affairs and other State Department officials to discuss U.S.
policy in Asia, State Department
spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. She
did not detail their conversations.
Psaki would not confirm reports
that Robert King, the U.S. special
envoy for North Korean human
rights, relayed messages to Sony
about the movie. King “did not
view the movie and did not have
any contact directly with Sony,” she
said. Psaki said the department had
no credible information to support
these threats against theaters showing the film.
Hours after an announcement
that U.S. authorities determined
North Korea was behind the recent
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Open letter to Congress from
Cuban political ex-prisoners
Distinguished members of the Senate and House of Representatives:
First of all, our congratulations for your support in trying to establish
democracy and freedom for the long-suffering people of Cuba. It is inconceivable to us that President Obama and his team had accepted the
conditions of tyrant Castro without extracting any political, economic or
civic concessions. Neither the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, nor the Fundamental Liberties (liberty of expression, of
assembly, of the press, of opinion, of association) were part of the agreement. It also omitted any mention of economic liberties (free trade, right
to own property), cultural liberties (availability of books) or labor liberties (right to form and join unions).
In reality, this rapprochement will only help the military, the repressors, the members of the party, the collaborators and the committed. They
will be the lucky recipients. No benefit will trickle down to the ordinary
citizen. The Cuban catastrophe after the Marxist-Leninist experiment only
succeeded in transforming Cuba from one of the most advanced and developed countries in the Americas to one of the most underdeveloped and
poor
The Cuban regime, presided over by the Castros and the communist
party, has kept, is keeping and will keep the Cuban people under control,
terror and fear. The many years of property theft and seizure of assets
without compensation, of murders, of thousands of executions, of tens of
thousands of political prisoners, of hundreds of dead bodies in the Florida
Straits, of the exile of 15 percent of the Cuban population cannot be forgotten. The “restrictions” and “isolationism” were NOT imposed by the
United States; they were imposed by the Castros to the people of Cuba as
part of the communist system for the establishment and maintenance of
totalitarian power.
In our name, as well as in the name of those “without voice” (the
people of Cuba), receive our support, respect and admiration.
Thank you very much.
José A. Jiménez, Chicago, IL
Eduardo Ochoa, North Bergen, NJ.
Guillermo Estévez, Rutherford, NJ.
E-mail: [email protected].
Phone: (201) 867-6211, WEB: ueppc.com
Nagy
(Continued from Page 10)
expect an amoral judge to provide
a moral outcome, which is justice.
We elect officials who tell us that a
moral standard is irrelevant to their
oaths of office and administration
of their duties. We overlook the
obvious incongruities of these suppositions until a member of our
family, or a neighbor, or someone
who matters to us personally is
killed, and we then seek justice that
can only come through a moral and
equitable process.
The story of Christmas is many
things, rich in symbolism and deep
meaning. It is the story of love, of a
mother for her newborn son, and the
same woman who understood the
meaning of sacrifice. Mary knew
that being obedient to the Will of
God meant that her sacrifice would
inevitably be great, but that this
world would be enlightened by the
Gift of her Son, the Prince of Peace.
That Son was destined to die young,
as was Jason Turner. To bring light
into the darkness of this world requires great sacrifice and obedience
to the Will of God.
Justice cannot be attained any
other way.
Miracles do happen. This is one
of the meanings of Christmas.
Hard-heartedness can be softened
by love, especially in that all love
is divine, emanating from God. For
this reason I ask that everyone pray
who prays for Cynthia Turner and
her quest for justice and Light in
this darkened world. Prayer is, af-
cyber-attack on Sony Pictures, the
entertainment company announced
it was pulling the film, ‘The Interview.’ “The comedy about journalists who score an interview with
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un
was scheduled for a Dec. 25 release.
Sony Pictures has no further release
plans for the film,” according to a
statement from the company. Sony
also removed any mention of the
movie from its website by Wednesday afternoon, December 17. But
according to some news reports on
December 23, Sony will allow
some theaters to show “The Interview.”
I think it is high time we hack
back. Sony should set forth a reward to the hacker that can screw
up the government of North Korea
the worst: missile guidance, traffic
lights, kimchee fermentation plants.
Make it a contest like American
Idol: America’s got Hackers! Get all
those techno nerds from MIT, CAL
Tech and those other super-smart
technical schools to compete every
week. You could have Stephen
Hawking and the heads of Apple
and Microsoft be the judges. You
could also throw Simon Cowell in
there now and then to stir things up:
“My 3-year-old daughter could
screw things up worse than you!
You call yourself a hacker? I’ve
seen better hacking when my cat
coughed up a hairball!”
Federal law enforcement officials believe the attacks originated
outside North Korea, but they have
determined that the actions were
sanctioned by North Korean leaders. President Obama decided not
to tip his hand about how the United
States would respond to the Sony
cyber-attack, but he left no doubt
he would do something. His statement that “we will respond proportionally and we will respond at a
place and time we choose” left the
North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un,
guessing about whether the United
States would seek to use economic
sanctions or some kind of counterattack for its action. He also said
there was no evidence that another
country, including China, aided
North Korea in conducting the attack.
He made it clear that the United
States could not allow a destructive
attack, designed to intimidate, stand
without a national response. Otherwise, he said, it would encourage
other countries to sabotage documentaries, “or news reports they
don’t like.” And he said he had no
doubt that future attacks on the
United States were “going to be
sophisticated” and will do harm. He
was attempting to create something
ter all things, the greatest gift one
can give after Love.
*****
Thomas A. Nagy is the author of
Cannabis Consumer Handbook
available at Amazon.com, and the
blog
ReGeneration
at
blogspot.com. Email direct at:
[email protected].
Face the
Tribune
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every Monday thru Friday
at 12 noon
Face the Tribune is hosted
by Rolando Larraz.
that so far does not exist: Deterrence for cyber-attacks on the
United States, from North Korea or
other actors.
The US has always said, “We
don’t negotiate with terrorists.” (I
guess it should be amended to say
“...unless they don’t like our movies.”) “Do we stop releasing every
movie that people anonymously say
not to release?” filmmaker Judd
Apatow, who launched Franco’s
and Rogen’s careers on his 19992000 TV series “Freaks and Geeks”
and directed the Rogen-starring
“Knocked Up,” told the Tribune
from his Los Angeles office. “Tomorrow it could be ‘Don’t release
Pepsi.’ It could happen to every
business. It’s not even a show business question.” Jimmy Kimmel said
that we should feature Kim JongUn in every new movie. Then what
would they do? Shut down the entire motion picture industry?
“The North Koreans are probably tickled pink,” said Jim Lewis,
a senior fellow with the Center for
Strategic and International Studies.
“Nobody has ever done anything
this blatant in terms of political manipulation. This is a new high.”
“With the Sony collapse,
America has lost its first cyber-war.
This is a very, very dangerous precedent,” said former Republican
House of Representatives speaker
Newt Gingrich in a Twitter post..
I’ll tell you it is a scary time when I
am on the same page with Newt!
Obama said he was sympathetic
to the damage and threats Sony has
dealt with. “Having said all that,
yes, I think they made a mistake,”
Obama said. “We cannot have a
society in which some dictator
someplace can start imposing censorship here in the United States,”
he said. “Because if somebody is
able to intimidate folks out of releasing a satirical movie, imagine
what they [will] start doing when
they see a documentary that they
don’t like or news reports that they
don’t like.”
Even worse, Obama said, “imagine if producers and distributors and
others started engaging in self-censorship because they don’t want to
offend the sensibilities of somebody
whose sensibilities probably need
to be offended. That’s not who we
are. That’s not what America’s
about,” he said. What’s next, the
thought police? Do we all need to
get a politically correct lobotomy
so that we don’t offend anyone?
You can’t please everyone, so you
might as well please yourself. In the
words of Voltaire, ‘I [might] disapprove of what you say, but I will
defend to the death your right to say
it.”
So why don’t you put on your
big boy panties, North Korea?
Mace J. Yampolsky is a Board
Certified Criminal Law Specialist,
625 South Sixth St., Las Vegas, NV
89101; He can be reached at:
Phone 702-385-9777 or fax 702385-300. His website is located at:
www.macelaw.com.
RadioTribune Lineup
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Gordon Martines was a career police officer with 39 years of on-thejob experience. Past cases involving Kevin Daley, Trayvon Cole and a
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Martines spent 12 years as a Los Angeles police officer before moving
here and resuming his police career in Las Vegas, retiring from the Las
Vegas Metropolitan Police Department after 27 years of service. The
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Martines inside the department led to his decision to contest the good ol’
boy’s club and run for Clark County Sheriff three times against what he
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Covering what’s happening in the
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Page 12 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
POLITICAL ANALYSIS
Obama in violation of the Constitution
re-establishes relations with Cuba
By Frank de Varona
Bear Witness Central
On December 17, 2014, President Barack Obama unilaterally reestablished diplomatic relations
with Cuba in violation of the
Helms-Burton law and the Constitution. The surprise announcement
came at the end of 18 months of
secret talks behind the backs of
Congress and the American and
Cuban people.
In June 2013, Obama sent two
White House officials, Benjamin J.
Rhodes and Ricardo Zúñiga, to
meet in secret with Cuban officials
and begin negotiations. Nine meetings were held, most of them in
Canada, which has diplomatic relations with Cuba. Once again,
Americans were left in the dark
while the corrupt and deceptive
Obama administration decided to
help the anti-American terrorist and
corrupt oppressive Cuban regime.
To minimize criticism, Obama’s
announcement was made after Congress had adjourned for the Christmas holidays. Pope Francis encouraged the negotiations. Unfortunately, the Pope did not demand, as
neither did Obama, that the tyrant
Raúl Castro respect human rights,
hold free and fair elections, and release all political prisoners.
The day that Obama made the
abominable announcement of normalizing relations with the tyranny
that has oppressed the Cuban
people for 56 years, the price of a
barrel of oil was $55.93. The Venezuelan communist regime cannot
survive unless the price of a barrel
of oil is at least $130. The communist regime receives 94 percent of
its income from oil exports. Since
the price of oil is expected to continue being very low in 2015 and
beyond, as the result of increased
oil production in the United States,
Venezuela is about to go bankrupt.
Communist Cuba depends on
the free oil that it receives from Venezuela to survive. It was for this
reason that the Cuban dictator Raúl
Castro started an aggressive campaign in the United States with
communist officials of the Obama
administration, as well as communist members of Congress and other
useful idiots, to lift the embargo and
to be recognized diplomatically.
The Cuban tyrant knew that without the help of the United States the
communist regime would also go
bankrupt and that a change of government could possibly take place
in Cuba.
Barack Obama, who has admired Fidel Castro for many years
together with his preacher of 20
years of the United Church of Christ
in Chicago, Jeremiah Wright, and
his many communist friends, finally
achieved his dream of helping the
communist regime of Cuba. Obama
stated in his speech that he did not
want “the sanctions against Cuba to
push the island into an abysm.”
Obama forgets that the one that
pushed Cuba into the abysm was
the communist dictatorship of Cuba
and not the United States.
By recognizing Cuba and partially destroying the Cuban embargo, Barack Obama has thrown a
lifesaver and given oxygen to the
Cuban dictatorship that now will be
able to continue to jail opponents,
assassinate and shoot freedom-loving Cubans, and continue to oppress
12 million people.
Obama ignored the fact that Fidel Castro pleaded with Nikita
Khrushchev to launch a surprise
nuclear attack upon the United
States during the 1962 October
Missile Crisis. Obama is unaware
or does not care that Fidel Castro
may have been involved in the assassination of President John F.
Kennedy. Lastly, Obama is unaware
or does not care that the sadist and
serial killer, Ernesto “Che”
Guevara, shot over 2,000 children
and men in the first few months of
1959 when he was placed in charge
of the La Cabaña prison in Havana.
Later, when Che came to speak at
the United Nations, he planned with
Cuban terrorists in New York City
to blow up the Statue of Liberty and
other places, but fortunately the FBI
discovered the plot and was able to
stop it.
The bloody dictatorship in Cuba
has shot or assassinated more than
14,000, jailed over 300,000, and is
responsible for the deaths of over
80,000 Cubans who have drawn or
years have shown that isolation has
not worked. It’s time for a new approach.” Obama stated in a television from the White House that his
action will “begin a new chapter
among the nations of the Americas”
and move away from a “rigid policy
that is rooted in events that took
place before most of us were born.”
Obama has violated the Constitution since he assumed power in
January 2009. He is a lawless president who has committed more
crimes in six years than any other
president in history. Obama’s unilateral and shameful actions with
respect to Cuba are just the latest
in a series of unilateral actions that
he has taken without consent of
Congress and in violation of the
separation of powers of the
branches of the Constitution.
Last month, Obama announced
he would grant temporary amnesty
to almost five million undocumented immigrants and announced
a dreadful agreement by which the
United States would cut carbon
emissions while China promises to
cut them in the future. Obama is the
worst and weakest negotiator in history and his deal with the oppressive and sanguinary communist dictatorship of Cuba is just the latest
of these outrageous agreements.
The United States will ease restrictions on remittances, travel, and
banking while Cuba will allow
more Internet access and release 53
Cuban intelligence service, the
DGI.
—Secretary of State John Kerry
will review Cuba’s designation as
a state sponsor of terrorism. In
1982, Cuba was designated as a
state sponsor of terrorism.
—By relaxing regulations, the
flow of travel, commerce, and information between the United
States and Cuba will be facilitated.
Certain items that supported the
Cuban private sector will be allowed to be exported, including
certain building materials and agriculture equipments. Certain telecommunication items in Cuba will
be allowed to be exported. Companies will be allowed to establish
infrastructure. Licensed American
travelers will be able to import $400
worth of goods (including $200 in
tobacco and alcohol).
—United States institutions will
be able to open accounts at Cuba’s
financial institutions. Travelers to
Cuba would be allowed to use
American credit and debit cards.
United States entities in third countries will be allowed to engage in
transactions and meetings with Cuban individuals in third countries.
—There will be no limits with
respect to remittances being sent to
close relatives in Cuba.
However, a formal end to the
embargo has not occurred. The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996, also known as
the Helms-Burton law, requires
Cuba to hold free and transparent
elections, abolish its secret police,
respect human rights, and free all
political prisoners. The measures
announced by Obama will allow the
administration to increase the
United States ties with Cuba before
it approaches Congress to request
the lifting of sanctions. For example, lifting all restrictions on
travel, including for tourists, would
require removal of the Helms-Burton law.
Discussions between U.S. and
Cuban officials will continue into
the next year. Obama will attend the
April 2015 summit of the Organization of American States serving
as the largest public forum during
which the two sides can meet.
Obama will again shake the bloody
hands of, and perhaps embrace, the
tyrant Raúl Castro. It is important
to remember that when Raúl Castro
came down from the Sierra Maestra
mountains and captured the second
largest city of Cuba, Santiago de
Cuba, he shot many people without a trial in order to implant terror
among the Cuban population. Raúl
Castro is a murderer.
Raúl Castro spoke on Cuban
television at the same time that
Obama was speaking to the nation.
Prior to the appearances of the two
leaders, Obama and Raúl Castro
held a 45-minute telephone conversation. The bloody Cuban dictator
stated the following: “We have been
able to make headway in the solution of some topics of mutual interest for both nations. President
Obama’s decision deserves the respect and acknowledgment of our
people. This in no way means that
the heart of the matter has been resolved. The economic, commercial,
and financial blockade, which
causes enormous human and economic damages to our country,
must cease. Progress made in our
exchanges proves that it is possible
to find solutions to many problems.”
(See Political Analysis, Page 13)
Obama announces his new policy on Cuba from the White House.
been devoured by sharks while des- prisoners, and freedom of speech?
perately trying to cross in rafts and Where are its promises of real ecosmall boats the dangerous Straits of nomic change for the people?
Florida. The brutal regime has at- Where are its open, honest electacked boats trying to escape from tions? What will be done about its
the Island prison that is Cuba kill- association with and support of tering many freedom-loving Cubans. rorist organizations or regimes?
The worst tragedy occurred on Senator Marco Rubio calls Obama
July 13, 1994. A boat carrying over “the single worst negotiator we
50 people trying to escape at night have had in the White House in my
just a few miles from Havana was lifetime.”
discovered and it was rammed by
Obama is under the illusion that
three Cuban coast guard ships. The increasing commerce in Cuba
inhume naval personnel used large would bring democracy and respect
hoses to drawn those trying to es- for human rights. All that Obama
cape while desperately begging for needs to do is look at the example
mercy. A total of 37 people died, of China. When the United States
including 10 children. I met a man and the West began to trade with
who lost 10 members of his family, China and build factories and reincluding his grandchildren. He was search and development centers,
a speaker at a meeting of the Junta
Patriótica Cubana. We were commemorating the worst crime committed by the bloody dictatorship at
sea. All of us in the audience cried
as we heard the brutal assassination
of the family of this unfortunate
man. Just two days before Obama’s
shameful announcement, another
boat was similarly attacked and
rammed killing one man while the
rest were taken to jail.
At this time, there are tens of
thousands of former political prisoners, such as myself, who live in
the United States. We feel betrayed
and abandoned by Obama as he unilaterally restored relations with the
Senator Marco Rubio, Republican from Florida, promised to block
inhumane communist Cuba.
Cuba will continue to work with President Obama’s future ambassador in Havana.
enemies of the United States, such which helped that country to be- Cubans identified as political prisas Venezuela, Russia, China, Iran, come the largest economy in the oners by the United States. Aland North Korea. Barack Obama world, they were under the illusion though whatever is left of the emhas sold out the Cuban people in that this country would become a bargo will continue, the president
their quest for freedom and democ- democracy. Today China is a totali- called for an “honest and serious
racy. The Cuban people have been tarian dictatorship where human debate about lifting” it, which
fighting for 56 years to establish rights are being violated constantly would require an act of Congress.
democracy and a constitutional and that has become a serious threat Of course, the Republican majorRepublic in Cuba that would re- to our national security. The same ity in Congress will not lift whatspect human rights. Indeed, Decem- thing will happen in communist ever is left of the Cuban embargo.
ber 17, 2014 is a day that will live Cuba if the United States strength- There will be 54 Republicans in the
ens the bloody regime.
Senate and 247 Republicans in the
in infamy!
Obama, if he wanted to bring House of Representatives to oppose
Obama did not complain when
communist Cuba sent a ship full of democracy to Cuba, could have the lifting of whatever is left of the
heavy weapons, including several sought regime change in Cuba. embargo. However, Obama will do
MiG aircraft, in violation of the Obama could have left the Cuban everything possible to undermine
arms embargo of the Security regime to go bankrupt when Ven- what is left of the embargo through
Council of the United Nations. ezuela no longer could provide free more executive orders, or a new and
Obama did not complain when the oil and thus provoke an internal re- easier form of violating the ConstiCuban Occupation Army assassi- volt. In the meantime, Obama could tution, executive memos.
The White House took several
nated and tortured students and oth- have protected the courageous
ers who peacefully demonstrated in peaceful opponents in Cuba, who major steps as part of their “New
many cities in Venezuela. Obama are beaten up, jailed, and tortured Course on Cuba”:
—Diplomatic relations will be
did not complain when Russia an- by the secret police of the regime.
nounced that it plans to build mili- But Obama has decided to pursue a re-established, including a U.S.
tary and naval bases in Cuba. None policy of helping and keeping the embassy in Havana, and a Cuban
of these will change by assisting the Castro brothers in power and sim- embassy in the United States. UnCuban dictatorship to improve eco- ply hope that changes ensue in der Obama’s plan, the Castro dictatorship will be able to open an
nomically. Quite the contrary, it will Cuba. It simply will not work.
President Obama stated the fol- embassy in Washington, D.C.,
make Cuba a stronger nation to continue to act against the interests of lowing in the White House: “We which will function as a major base
the United States and threaten our will end an outdated approach that of spying operations in addition to
security. Cuba has biological weap- for decades has failed to advance its United Nations mission. The soons and cyber warfare capabilities. our interests, and instead we will called Cuban Interests Section curIt also has served as a center to spy begin to normalize relations be- rently operates as Castro’s embassy
on our nation. Cuba has shipped all tween our two countries... These 50 in Washington and is a front for the
type of drugs to our nation working with Colombian drug cartels.
Cuba has sent people to steal millions from Medicare and once they
are discovered are given asylum
back in Cuba.
As usual, Obama gave away the
store. The Cuban regime will be
strengthened and the Cuban people
will continue to suffer. There is
nothing in Obama’s deal with Cuba
that would further democracy and
human rights in that unfortunate
island. Obama did not demand that
the Cuban dictators Fidel and Raúl
Castro free all political prisoners,
respect human rights, or hold free
and transparent elections.
Barack Obama decided that it
was time to appease another brutal
dictator by opening up relations
with Cuba after a fifty-year embargo. This is another bad deal for
America. Where are Cuba’s concessions on human rights, political
Pope Francis played a vital role in the rapprochement.
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 13
Political Analysis
FREED: (from left to right) Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, and Ramón Labañino are three Cuban
spies released by President Barack Obama in exchange for the return of prisoner Alan Gross. Hernández
was given two life sentences for conspiring to shoot down the small airplanes flown by four Americans of
Cuban descent working for Brothers to the Rescue.
(Continued from Page 12)
The exchange of Alan Gross
for the three Cuban spies
Even worse than the exchange
of the five high-ranking Taliban
from Guantánamo for an American
sergeant who abandoned his post in
Afghanistan, was the exchange of
Alan Gross, an American who had
committed no crime in any civilized
nation and had been held as a hostage in prison for over five years in
Cuba. Alan Gross, a foreign aid
contract worker, was imprisoned by
the Castro regime for trying to help
members of the Jewish community
in Havana to communicate with the
outside world. The innocent Alan
Gross was traded for the three remaining spies left in jail in the
United States. This represented a
major victory for the Cuban communist regime since for a number
of years the Cuban dictator called
these spies “heroes” and demanded
that they be released from prison in
the United States. Alan Gross arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in
Maryland. As a former political
prisoner, I am delighted that Alan
Gross returned home.
The “Cuban five” were affiliated
with the Cuban intelligence service
and the “Wasp Network,” whose
purpose included penetrating U.S.
military facilities and transmitting
information about the operations of
the facilities and layouts to Cuba,
and infiltrating Cuban-American
groups. One of the “Cuban five,”
Gerardo Hernández, was convicted
to life imprisonment in a trial in
Miami of conspiracy to commit
murder in the deaths of four Americans of Cuban descent who were
members of Brothers to the Rescue.
The four were shot while in the
air in their small propeller planes
in international waters by two Cuban MiGs after a spy alerted Cuba
of their plans. One airplane escaped. Fidel and Raúl Castro gave
the order to assassinate the pilots
while flying in these planes. This
horrendous crime, however, has
been unpunished and now obviously forgiven by the traitor who
lives in the White House.
Cuban American members
of Congress and the families
of the assassinated pilots of
Brothers to the Rescue
expressed outrage
From left to right, former Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart, Cuban dissident Iris Tamara Pérez,
Senator Marco Rubio, and U.S.
Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart
and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen address
reporters during a press conference
in Miami on December 18, 2014.
They were joined by relatives of the
four Brothers to the Rescue pilots
who were killed when the two Cuban MiGs shot down their planes
in 1996.
Asked about a poll that suggests
that support for the embargo has
diminished, Senator Marco Rubio,
an embargo supporter, said the poll
does not tell the whole story. Senator Rubio stated the following:
“First of all, on issues of deep principle — such as human rights, dignity and democracy — that we
should take our cues from a poll?
Secondly, we have a poll every two
years in this state. It’s called ‘elections.’ As far as I can tell, every one
of our members of Congress who
has been elected in those districts
agrees with my position — and I
with their position — on this issue.”
I know several of the relatives
of the Cuban Americans who were
assassinated in response to the order given by Fidel and Raúl Castro.
Like them, I am outraged at the actions of the traitor who lives in the
White House for releasing the three
spies. During the press conference,
Miriam de la Peña, mother of one
of the young pilots who was shot
down, said the following as she
cried: “I feel that I have been
slapped in the face by the president.
I feel that the justice system of the
United States has suffered a big
blow.” Of course, she was absolutely right!
Criticism of Obama’s illegal
actions with respect to the
Cuban communist regime
Republicans, along with a senior
Democratic senator, denounced the
rapprochement with the bloody dictatorship of the Castro brothers as
appeasement. Republican lawmakers, who will take control of the
Senate as well as the House next
month, made clear that they would
resist lifting the 54-year-old trade
embargo. Senator Marco Rubio and
two other potential Republican candidates for president joined in the
criticism. Senator Ted Cruz of
Texas called it a “very, very bad
deal,” while former Governor Jeb
Bush of Florida said it “undermines
the quest for a free and democratic
Cuba.”
Democratic Senator Robert
Menendez of New Jersey, the outgoing chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, who has always
been a strong supporter of the Cuban embargo, said the following: “It
is a fallacy that Cuba will reform
just because the American president
believes that if he extends his hand
in peace, that the Castro brothers
suddenly will unclench their fists.”
Democratic
Senator
Bob
Menendez, who is Cuban-born, reacted to Obama’s announcement by
saying the following: “It is an extremely dangerous precedent. It invites dictatorial and rogue regimes
to use Americans serving overseas
as bargaining chips. I fear that
today’s actions will put at risk the
thousands of Americans that work
overseas to support civil society,
advocate for access to information,
provide humanitarian services, and
promote democratic reforms.”
Senator Marco Rubio called
Obama “the single worst negotiator we have had in the White House
in my lifetime.” Of course, he was
right since Obama did not receive
any meaningful concession from
the Cuban dictatorship. The United
States gave Cuba what it wanted
and received nothing in return!
Javier Manjares posted in Shark
Tank on December 18, 2014 the
strong criticisms of Senator Marco
Rubio. Responding to President
Obama’s normalization of relations
with the bloody, oppressive, murderous, narco-trafficking, state
sponsor of terrorism, Cuban communist dictatorial regime, Senator
Marco Rubio stated that the
president’s irresponsible deal only
serves to legitimize the decades of
human rights atrocities, including
the murders of hundreds, if not
thousands, of political dissidents,
by the Castro regime. Manjares
wrote that Senator Rubio stated the
following: “Obama not only has
American blood on his hands because of his weak and failed foreign
policy in the Middle East, but now
you can add the blood of all those
victims of the Castro regime, and
from the victims in other countries
that the Castro’s have influenced
and propped up. One of these countries is Venezuela, where Cubans
have stood with Chavez and, now
Maduro’s thugs, to silence the freedoms of the Venezuelan people.”
Senator Marco Rubio expressed
the sentiments of many Cubans in
the United States and in Cuba who
support democracy by stating the
following: “The entire policy shift
is based on the illusion — in fact,
on the lie — that more commerce
and access to money and goods will
translate to political freedom for the
Cuban people. Cuba already enjoys
access to commerce, money and
goods from other nations, and yet
the Cuban people are still not free.
They are not free because the regime — just as it does with every
aspect of life — manipulates and
controls to its own advantage all
currency that flows into the island.
More economic engagement with
the U.S. means that the regime’s
grip on power will be strengthened
for decades to come — dashing the
Cuban people’s hopes for freedom
and democracy.”
Secretary of State John Kerry
said that he would be the first Secretary of State to travel to Cuba and
that the Obama administration was
looking to build an embassy on the
island. A major problem for Obama
and Kerry is that in January 2015
there will be 54 Republican senators. Any ambassador to Cuba will
need confirmation by the Senate.
Senator Rubio said, “Not only will
I vote against it, but I reserve the
right to do everything within the
rules of the Senate to prevent that
sort of individual from ever even
coming up for a vote.”
The Role of The Council
of Foreign Relations (CFR),
the Bilderberg Group (BG),
and the Trilateral
Commission (TC) in
Obama’s new Cuba policy
On May 19, 2014, 46 powerful
business people, former politicians,
and government officials, among
them 17 Hispanic (mostly Cuban
Americans) wrote an open letter to
the president requesting to end the
embargo. This letter was rejected by
anti-communist Cuban Americans
in the United States and by almost
all of the opponents of the tyranny
in Cuba. Among this group are 15
individuals who belong to the three
powerful organizations that are so
influential in the United States and
the world, the Council of Foreign
Relations (CFR), the Trilateral
Commission (TC), and the
Bilderberg Group (BG).
This is why a secret and wellcoordinated campaign went on for
several months which involved
multiple editorials in The New York
Times and other newspapers controlled by these powerful elitist
globalists demanding an end to the
embargo, releasing the three remaining spies, and restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba. It was
all about money, without regards to
the immense suffering of the Cuban people. They know that what
Obama did will help the tyranny to
remain in power for years to come
with Raúl Castro’s very powerful
son, Coronel Alejandro Castro,
waiting to take over. All the multinationals want is to increase their
profits using the slave labor in
Cuba, a country 90 miles from the
U.S. How horrible and disgusting!
All of these individuals want to
make Cuba the China of the Caribbean by building factories in the
Island where workers receive salary of $20 a month and there are no
unions or any other human rights.
The fact the workers in Cuba are
oppressed and exploited by the
bloody dictatorship is of no concern
to the multinational corporations
that want to move into the Island to
maximize profits.
These multinationals that built
factories in China did not care about
the oppressed Chinese workers and
their miserable wages nor about
environmental violations of that
nation. However, now that China is
much stronger economically and
militarily, the dictator Xi Jinping is
demanding higher salaries for the
Chinese and more concessions from
the multinationals. Cuba offered a
unique opportunity. With the Cuban
economy seriously at risk due to the
imminent bankruptcy of Venezuela,
Cuban dictator Raúl Castro wanted
to mend fences to the United States
to save his brutal regime.
Brazil invested $980 million to
make the port of Mariel one of the
best in the world with modern gigantic cranes, rail, etc. to accommodate large containers ships. Everything was prepared for the
change of U.S. policy towards
Cuba.
The following are the most powerful individuals in our nation who
are a part the elitist groups (some
belong to the three groups) and who
were responsible for the measures
taken by Obama:
David Rockefeller [BG, TC, and
CFR] — Honorary member of the
Council of the Americas and one of
the most powerful individuals in
our nation and the world.
Richard Feinberg [BG and CFR]
— Former White House Official on
Latin America and professor at the
University of California in San Diego.
Dan Glickman [BG and CFE] —
Former Secretary of Agriculture
and former congressman from Kansas.
Lee Hamilton [BG, TC, and
CFR] — Former chairman of the
House of Representatives Foreign
Relations Committee and Intelligence Committee.
Jane Harman [TC and CFR] —
Former United States representative.
John Negroponte [TC and CFR]
— Former Deputy Secretary of
State and former Director of the
National Intelligence Agency.
Ambassador Thomas Pickering
[BG, TC, and CFR] — Former
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. He participated in the
Benghazi cover-up when he was
appointed by Secretary Clinton to
a panel and the conclusion favored
Clinton.
Susan Segal [CFR] — President
and CEO of Americas Society/
Council of the Americas.
Anne-Marie Slaughter [TC and
CFR] — President and CEO of
New America Foundation and
former Director for Policy Planning
of the Department of State.
Admiral James Stavridis [CFR]
— Former Head of the Southern
Command of the United States from
2006 to 2009, former Supreme Allied Commander de NATO from
2009 to 2013, Dean of Fletcher
School at Tufts University.
Alan Stoga [CFR] — President
and Founder of Zemi Communications and Vice President of Americas Society.
Strobe Talbott [TC and CFR] —
Brookings Institution, former
Deputy Secretary of State.
Arturo Valenzuela [CFR] —
Former Assistant Secretary of State
for Western Hemisphere Affairs and
professor of government and international relations at Georgetown
University.
Alexander Watson [CFR] —
Assistant Secretary of State for
Western Hemisphere Affairs.
George Weiksner [CFR] — Vice
President of Credit Suisse.
The Council of
Foreign Relations
Daniel Estulin wrote The
Bilderberg Group (2009), a book
that has been translated into 48 languages and sold in over 67 countries. He discussed the three powerful organizations that have been
already mentioned: the Council of
Foreign Relations (CFR), the Trilateral Commission (TC), and the
Bilderberg Group (BG).
The Council of Foreign Relations is a think tank. Its website
explains the following: “The CFR
is dedicated to increasing America’s
understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S. foreign policies. The Council accomplishes this
mainly by promoting constructive
close debates and discussions, clari(See Political Analysis, Page 14)
From left to right, former Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart, Cuban dissident Iris Tamara Pérez, Senator Marco Rubio, and U.S. Representatives
Mario Díaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen address reporters during a press conference in Miami on December 18, 2014. They were joined by
relatives of the four Brothers to the Rescue pilots who were killed when the two Cuban MiGs shot down their planes in 1996.
Page 14 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
Political Analysis
(Continued from Page 13)
fying world issues, and publishing
the Foreign Affairs magazine.”
Other writers describe the CFR as
the invisible government of the
United States.
Colonel Edward M. House, who
was the chief advisor and the power
behind the throne of President
Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to
1921, was one of the founders of
the CFR in 1921. According to
Estulin, Colonel House was a
Marxist and wanted a one-world
government. He supported the creation of the Federal Reserve Bank,
(which is not federal and has no reserves and is a banking cartel) and
the passing of the 16th Amendment
to the Constitution, which introduced the graduated income tax.
Colonel House also wrote the plan
for the League of Nations. From the
very beginning, the members of the
CFR wanted to form a one-world
government with a centralized global financing system. It attracted
capitalists, socialists, opportunists,
and some idealists.
The Rockefeller and the
Carnegie foundations financed the
organization. All members were
sworn to secrecy. Even though top
executives from all major newspapers and magazines and later television channels participated in the
meetings, no one reported about
what took place and what decisions
were reached.
Estulin wrote that one of the earliest critics of the CFR was the
mayor of New York City, John F.
Hylan, who stated in a speech in
1922 the following: “The real menace of our republic is the invisible
government, which, like a giant octopus, sprawls its slimy length over
our city, state, and nation. At the
head is a small group of banking
houses generally referred to as international bankers. This little coterie of powerful international
bankers virtually runs our government for their own selfish ends.”
The CFR is located in the Harold
Pratt House on the corner of Park
Avenue and 68th Street in New
York City. The building was donated by the widow of an heir to
the Standard Oil Rockefeller fortune. There are over 4,000 members
who belong to the CFR. However,
only a small group of an inner circle
is in charge of this organization.
Members of CFR have included
several former U.S. presidents:
Herbert Hoover, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, Jimmy Carter,
George H. W. Bush, and Bill
Clinton. However, the presidents
who do not belong to the CFR, as
well as those who do, name CFR
members to their most important
cabinet positions (such as the secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury). All presidents have also appointed CFR members to the Joint
Chiefs of Staff , the CIA, and other
important White House positions,
such as director of the National Security Council.
The CFR membership is made
up of former ambassadors, cabinet
officers, bankers, CEOs of multinational corporations, industrialists,
high ranking armed forces officers,
media owners and editors and important reporters, university presidents and key professors, Supreme
Court justices, federal judges,
think-tank leaders, wealthy Wall
Street investors, and entrepreneurs.
A very powerful member who has
served as president of the CFR is
David Rockefeller.
The Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group (BG) was
founded in 1954 by Polish-born Joseph Retinger to promote a greater
understanding between Europe and
the United States. The organizers
met at the Hotel Bilderberg for a
three-day meeting in Oosterbeek,
Netherlands and that is why it received that name.
A founding member was German-born ex Nazi Prince Bernhard,
husband of Queen Juliana of Holland. During the first meeting, very
powerful individuals from the
United States and Europe decided
that the group would decide all issues regarding the political and economic policies that their nations
would follow. They also decided
the strategies they would follow for
ruling the world and eventually create a planetary one government.
Since 1954, the Bilderbergers
have met annually in different cities in Europe, Canada, and the
United States. The members of the
BG have represented the wealthy
elite of the Western World: bankers, industrialists, financiers, prime
ministers, presidents, monarchs,
key politicians, owners of the media, presidents of the European
Union, presidents of the World
Bank and the International Monetary Fund, chairmen of the Federal
Reserve Bank and presidents of
European central bankers, secretary
generals of NATO, important cabinet members, and military leaders.
Like the CFR, the BG meetings are
secret.
All U.S. presidents since
Eisenhower have belonged to the
BG global ruling class or have sent
representatives to the meetings.
David Rockefeller, the billionaire
banker and former president of the
Council of Foreign Relations, was
one of the founders of the
Bilderberg Group. He later founded
the Trilateral Commission. He has
always advocated for a global government. In his book, Memoirs
(2003), he stated the following:
“Some even believe we are a part
of the secret cabal working against
the best interests of the United
States, characterizing my family
and me as internationalists and of
conspiring with others around the
world to build a more integrated
global political and economic structure-one world, if you will. If that’s
the charge, I stand guilty, I am
proud of it.”
From the creation of the BG,
various members of the Rockefeller
family and their allies and the
Rothschild dynasty in Europe have
been the most powerful force of the
organization. Baron Edmond de
Rothschild has been a most active
member of the BG. These two families, European monarchs, and a
small group of very wealthy individuals determine who will be invited to participate in the BG meetings.
There are about 130 participants
in these meetings, of which about
80 are regulars such as Henry
Kissinger. Many of Obama’s advisors, cabinet members, and important White House officials are
Bilderbergers, such as Obama’s
godfather, George Soros, Zbigniew
Brzezinski, Hillary Clinton, Robert
Gates, Timothy Geithner, Janet
Napolitano, Susan Rice, Paul
Volcker, and James Jones. Approximately 2/3 of the participants come
from Europe and the rest from the
United States and Canada.
Promising politicians are invited
and interviewed by the BG, such as
the governors of small states,
Jimmy Carter of Georgia, and Bill
Clinton of Arkansas. If these politicians support the one world government objective of the BG, then
the BG gives them enormous financial support and, with the established media owned by them, massive positive coverage to make
them presidents. Of course, after
Carter and Clinton were elected,
they staffed their administrations
with CFR, TC, and BG members
and they consulted with BG constantly on domestic and international matters.
The most powerful individuals
on the planet, such as David
Rockefeller, are members of these
three organizations. The Americans
who participate in the BG, CFR,
and TC meetings with head of nations and high government officials
are in violation of the U.S.’s Logan
Act that prohibits elected leaders to
meet in private with influential
business and banking executives to
debate and design public policy.
According to Daniel Estulin, author of The Bilderberg Group
(2009), the major objectives of the
Bilderbergers to achieve a oneworld government under them are
the following:
One International Identity. All
national identities must be eliminated to establish one set of universal values.
Centralized Control of the
People. Using mind control methods, they plan to direct humanity to
obey their wishes.
A Zero-Growth Society. In a
post-industrial period, zero growth
will be necessary to destroy
progress. U.S. and Canadian industries will be moved to poor Latin
American countries to use slave labor, such as is being done in Cuba
today.
A State of Perpetual Imbalance.
They will manufacture constant crises to keep the people under duress
and bring about apathy. Again, as
in Cuba, where people are constantly looking for food and being
told that the United States is about
to invade them or that rich Cubans
are coming back to take away their
homes and enslave them.
Most Cubans hate the regime but
very few try to overthrow the most
horrible and oppressive tyranny of
the Americas that has lasted 56
years. Some writers think that the
Cuban regime was installed by
these powerful organizations as a
model for Latin America. No one
has explained why David
Rockefeller has flown to Cuba so
many times to meet with the bloody
dictator Fidel Castro.
Centralized Control of All Education. Indoctrination will be implemented in schools and universities
to erase the past and the lessons of
history regarding constitutional
rights, liberties, and freedom. Many
think that Obama’s Common Core
curriculum for all public school students is being pushed by globalists
including its biometric invasion of
privacy that reminds this writer of
George Orwell’s book, 1984. The
new Advanced placement U.S. history presents a distorted vision of
our past and trashes our Founding
Fathers. Our best and brightest students will leave that course believing that our nation is evil.
Centralized Control of All Foreign and Domestic Policies. This
objective has been done with previous U.S. presidents and is currently being done with President
Obama. The president is pushing
vigorously for the approval by the
Senate of a series of U.N. treaties
that are harmful to our nation since
they take away our sovereignty, liberties, and wealth.
Empowering the United Nations. This has been done slowly for
many years.
Expansion of NATO and the
Western Trading Bloc. This has
been going on as the European
Union incorporated Eastern European and Mediterranean nations.
Now Obama is negotiating a trade
pact with Europe and many Asian
nations. This should alarm all
Americans.
One Legal System. The U.N.
International Court of Justice would
become the sole legal system of the
world.
One Socialist Welfare State. The
BG envisions the creation of a socialist one world government where
obedient slaves will be rewarded
and non-conformists will be exterminated.
The Europeans have long supported the concept of giving up the
sovereignty of their individual nations as they formed the European
Union. President Obama, as he
stated in Berlin during the 2008
presidential campaign, believes that
“he is a citizen of the world.”
Obama agrees that we need to
move toward a world socialist
government.
The Trilateral Commission
The Trilateral Commission (TC)
was founded in 1973 by David
Rockefeller, former secretary of
State Henry Kissinger, and former
National Security Advisor
Zbigniew Brzezinski. The TC has
about 350 members from Europe,
Asia, and the Americas who want
to foster a closer cooperation between these three continents.
Former presidential candidate and
Senator from Arizona, Barry
Goldwater, who previously had
criticized the CFR, said the following about the TC: “David
Rockefeller’s newest international
cabal is intended to be the vehicle
for multinational consolidation of
the commercial and banking interests by seizing control of the political government of the United
States.”
Anthony Sutton’s book, entitled
Trilaterals over America (1995),
concluded that the TC’s real objective is to collaborate with the CFR
and the BG to establish policies regarding the implementation of a one
world government. In the first few
years, the TC issued six position
papers which were later incorporated in a book titled Triangle Papers.
Estulin cited Gary Allen’s book,
The Rockefeller File (1976), which
stated the following: “If the Triangle Papers are any indication we
can look for four major thrusts toward world economic controls.”
Allen described that the TC would
first, pursue a new world monetary
system; second, raid or steal U.S.
resources and wealth to share with
Third World countries; third, increase trade with communist countries; and last, use the energy crisis
to gain international control.
Estulin wrote that since the publication of Allen’s book, the U.S.
has sent billions of dollars in technology to China and Russia and has
heavily subsidized and forgiven
debts of Third World countries. The
inner circle of the Trilateral Commission, as with the Council of Foreign Relations and the Bilderberg
Group, has as its main objective to
achieve a one world socialist government. The New World Order
wants the United Nations to implement the world government but it
will be controlled by the rich powerful elite from these three organizations.
Conclusion
The illegal and unilateral move
to normalize relations with the tyrannical communist regime of Cuba
is being compared to treason
throughout the country by Americans of Cuban descent. The measures taken by the White House will
prolong the military dictatorship
and will enrich the communist regime. It will give oxygen to the
worst dictatorship and the most
bloodthirsty regime of the Americas. Recognizing Cuba diplomatically and lifting the embargo on
Cuba unconditionally will only prolong the suffering of the Cuban
people. Obama is responsible in
history for having betrayed the defense of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Cuban
people. Obama has betrayed the
internal Cuban resistance and opponents of the communist tyrannical regime.
Far from advocating measures
and sanctions against the Castro
regime aimed at its demise, Obama
has given oxygen to keep its tyranny. Obama did not demand that
Cuba’s regime respect each of the
rights recognized in the Universal
Declaration of human rights, of
which Cuba is a signatory, as a step
to normalize diplomatic relations.
Obama did not demand the dismantling of the repressive apparatus of
the minions of the Cuban State Security (secret police) used to repress
the Cuban people. Neither did he
demand that Castro hold multiparty general free elections and establish a rule of law that guarantees
legal stability and democracy in
Cuba.
It is sad that Obama will help the
tyrannical communist regime of
Cuba, which has increased repression on the island, violated the arms
embargo against North Korea,
maintained an army of occupation
in Venezuela, and supported henchmen who have killed and tortured
young people protesting peacefully
in cities of Venezuela. It is shameful the silence of Obama in response
to the constant violations of the
communist regimes of Cuba and
Venezuela.
Even worse is the silence of
Obama to the agreement of Cuba
and Venezuela with Russia with respect to naval and military bases
located so close to our nation that
they will seriously endanger our
national security.
Instead of recognizing Cuba and
removing the embargo, Obama
should impose tough sanctions
against Cuba and Venezuela.
ENTERTAINMENT
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 15
B&B Burgers & Beer offers a unique menu
By Sandy Zimmerman
Las Vegas Tribune
Photos by B&B Burgers & Beer
unless otherwise indicated
What a setting for dining at
B&B’s Burgers & Beer! Its casual
yet romantic and relaxing with a
touch of class.
Walk into the B&B Burger &
Beer’s terrace and you see the calm
waters of the Venetian Resort’s Canal and ornate building. In contrast,
you can also look at the flashing
lights of Las Vegas Boulevard.
These are not ordinary burgers
but prepared with the best quality
beef. Their burgers are ground fresh
daily from USDA Prime Black Angus B&B Las Vegas beef. The
burgers are big and the bun is filled
with lots of tasty toppings.
Choose from several burgers, the
Morning After (topped with a sunny
side-up egg), the Bottom Burner
(Pepper Jack Cheese, Jalapeno
Pesto and Mario’s hot sauce), the
Really Good (Potato bun, Heritage
bacon, Gorgonzola cheese, Chianti
mustard) and more.
Why don’t you try a pretzel bun
for a change?
Burger & Beer doesn’t mean just
that, the restaurant’s unique menu
offers signature dishes,
Most people will be surprised to
see their liquor shakes including a
Caramel Swirl Shake with vanilla
ice cream, Averna caramel and ginger syrup. B&B Burger promises a
rockin’ Batali & Bastianich joint.
The B&B Hospitality Group has
a restaurant for everybody. Each of
their four restaurants in the Venetian and Palazzo Resorts are different.
Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and
Lidia Bastianich founded B&BHG
on traditional Italian principles that
revolutionize the typical dining experience.
With an eclectic group of critically acclaimed, unanimously
adored restaurants in New York
City, Los Angeles, Kansas City,
Pittsburgh, Newport Beach, San
Diego, Westport, Port Chester and
Las Vegas, B&BHG is known
across the country for its fresh in-
You can see the Venetian Resort’s Grand Canal and Las Vegas Boulevard’s lights from the terrace. (Photo by Sandy Zimmerman)
gredients and invigorating dining
ambience.
Additionally, B&BHG has international restaurants in Singapore
and Hong Kong. B&BHG is proud
to be an industry leader in
sustainability with initiatives that
include food waste composting, no
bottled water policy, alternative
food source utilization and much
more.
B&B Burger & Beer offers a
B&B Burgers & Beer entrance
(Photo by Sandy Zimmerman)
unique group dining program so
that larger parties can sample and
share bites from across our menu.
Group dining is available for parties of 16 or larger, both in the main
dining room and on the outdoor
patio (weather permitted), making
the space ideal for both corporate
and social functions.
For information, call (702)-4142220. B&B Burger & Beer is located along the canal in the Venetian Resort, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd.
South. Visit www.bandbhg.com.
*****
Award
winning
Sandy
Zimmerman is a syndicated columnist featuring Show and Dining reviews, travel, health, luxury and
more. Sandy is talk show host of the
Las Vegas Today Show programs
and Discover the Ultimate Vacation
travel specials. If you want to suggest topics for articles, request for
a review, for information or to ask
any questions about Sandy’s articles, call’(702)-735-5974.
SUGGESTIONS: Do you have a
favorite singer, comedian, hypnotist, vocal group, specialty act,
spectacular production show or
other entertainer in Las Vegas?
Please let us know and you may win
free show tickets or other prizes.
Send the name of the entertainer, the
reasons for your choice and your
telephone number. Information is in
the paragraph above.
Page 16 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 17-23, 2014
Bob Anderson becomes Frank
Sinatra in biggest tribute ever
This Week
in Las Vegas
By Mike Kermani
By Mike Kermani
Las Vegas Tribune
Conceptualized by an all-star
creative team, FRANK has been
called the most authentic re-enactment of a Frank Sinatra concert
ever performed on stage. The show
is produced and directed by
Stephen Eich and stars Bob Anderson the most revered singing impressionist in the world. It features
a lush 32-piece orchestra under the
direction of Sinatra’s former musical director Vincent Falcone.
With the help of Hollywood’s
leading makeup artist Kazu Tsuji,
Anderson takes on the appearance
of Frank Sinatra. His prowess for
assuming the persona and vocal
styling’s of this legendary artist is
the major component of this production. The original orchestrations
of Sinatra’s music catalog performed with the same musical instrumentation will bring it all to life.
Anderson as Sinatra stylishly leads
us through the intimate execution
of his craft, with chilling performances of the man who transcends
all generations.
The 90 minute production depicts FRANK in three distinct areas of his music; the recording studio, television specials, and personal appearances. The elegant set
portrays to the audience an earlier
time when glamorous nightclubs
were in their heyday. This quintessential salute to the greatest singer
of the 20th Century will contribute
to sustain his enormous popularity,
as well as the music of The Great
American Songbook of which he
made so famous.
“This show will give generations of music lovers around the
world a chance to leave this hightech world behind and travel back
to a time circa 1970 to experience
an evening unlike any other today.
For those who yearn for a sophisticated Vegas music experience — at
the site where the Rat Pack earned
its fame — FRANK- THE
SINGER THE SONGS is the show
to attend.” — John Caparella President and chief Operating Officer,
The Venetian The Palazzo and
Sands Expo.
“I have been in the entertainment business for almost 40 years
performing in the finest venues all
over the world. In all that time, I
can’t recall anyone ever telling me
they didn’t like the music of Frank
Sinatra. I wouldn’t expect the average listener to understand the intricacies of his singing... they just
liked what they heard. I know how
great Frank Sinatra was and playing this iconic legend was a humbling and monumental experience.
I tried desperately to avoid caricature. I wanted everything to be as
close to reality as possible. The size
and quality of the orchestra, the
original arrangements, the set, the
sound, the lighting and everything
else had to be exquisite. I commissioned one of Hollywood’s leading
makeup artists Kazu Tsuji, to turn
me into Frank Sinatra. His work is
extraordinary. As a result... the
complete production will be out of
the ordinary and unprecedented in
today’s world of entertainment.” —
Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson... not only graces
the Las Vegas Casino Legends Hall
of Fame, where he performed on
the Las Vegas Strip for 28 years,
he has over 100 national and international television appearances to
his credit and commands the most
prestigious concert venues throughout the world. Anderson is known
and respected by his peers as a saloon singer in the league of Sinatra
and Bennett, and the only artist performing today with the complete
technical skills to take on this challenge. Like Sinatra, his jazz oriented
sense of time is flawless. His diction and intonation are perfect, his
resonance and tone are amazingly
close to that of Sinatra. As an actor
he has no peer when it comes to recreating the greatest nightclub performers of all time and is unanimously endorsed by his subjects.
Go to: bobanderson.com, for a complete presentation of his work.
Stephen Eich, Producer/ Director, is a producer, director, manager,
and teacher with over 32 years experience in both the commercial and
not-for-profit professional theatre.
Trained a director, he is an all
around theatre professional.
From 1979 to 1995, he was the
Managing Director of Chicago’s
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
where he produced over 125 productions including the 1990 Tony
Award — winning Best Play, “The
Grapes of Wrath.” Eich produced
Steve Martin’s award-winning
“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” at
Steppenwolf before taking it to Los
Angeles’ Westwood Playhouse, then
to New York, Chicago, San Francisco and England as well as a National Tour.
Mr. Eich was co-producer of
Paul Simon’s Broadway musical
“The Capeman”, and produced two
concerts at Carnegie Hall in New
York featuring the National Voices
of Puerto Rico and so much more.
Vince Falcone, Musical Director, was the house piano player at
Caesars Palace when he first met
Frank Sinatra. Bill Miller was conducting the orchestra for Sinatra and
Falcone was playing piano. Later
Falcone was offered the position of
Musical Director, Conductor and
Pianist for Mr. Sinatra. Falcone became a close friend and musical
advisor. They worked together for
nearly a decade. Falcone was also
the musical director for entertainment legends, Tony Bennett, Jack
Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Anka,
Robert Goulet, Andy Williams and
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.
*****
REASONS TO RING IN THE
NEW YEAR AT THE
CROMWELL LAS VEGAS
LET THE COUNTDOWN
BEGIN...At The Cromwell, the
Strip’s newest (and only free-standing) boutique hotel resort, your big
Las Vegas New Year’s Eve can now
be had in an intimate, sophisticated
and stylish setting without missing
any of the action-packed fun. Without a doubt, New Year’s Eve in Vegas is the ultimate party paradise,
and what better way to ring in the
New Year than at the center of the
famed Las Vegas Strip? Need more
convincing? Here are five more reasons you should bid adieu to 2014
and welcome the New Year at The
Cromwell Las Vegas.
1. The Cromwell is at the Center of the Action
As they say, location is everything and that certainly stands true
when it comes to The Cromwell.
Set to celebrate its first New Year’s
Eve, The Cromwell is perfectly
situated at the corner of one of the
busiest and most iconic intersections in the city - the corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvd. The
Cromwell is positioned right in the
heart of all the action. Imagine being at the 50-yard line of the famous
and bustling Las Vegas Strip - directly across from Caesars Palace
and kitty-corner to the dazzling
Bellagio fountains. The pulse of the
Strip on New Year’s Eve is perfectly
palpable from this ideal hotel
2. The Only Roof-Top Hot
Spot: Drai’s Nightclub + Iggy
Azalea
Drai’s Nightclub and global
musical sensation Iggy Azalea are
teaming up to create the Strip’s biggest New Year’s Eve party and live
concert event on Dec. 31, 2014. As
2014 hits its final note, Azalea will
take to Drai’s center-stage for a full
concert turning the accplaimed
nightlife venue into the apex for
New Year’s Eve revelers, altering
the 65,000 square foot venue into a
one-of-a-kind live concert and
party. Further welcoming 2015, the
year kicks off with DJ duo ADVENTURE CLUB on Jan. 1 and
multi-talented performer The
Weeknd performs Jan. 2. Boasting
unmatched rooftop views of the Las
Vegas Strip and surrounding valley
and perched 11 stories high atop
The Cromwell, Drai’s will light up
the new year via Azalea’s concert
as well as with shows high in the
sky with a 360-degree view of the
legendary Strip Fireworks Extravaganza.
3. Celebrity Chef Giada De
Laurentiis and her Namesake
Eatery
GIADA at The Cromwell will
celebrate its first New Year’s on the
second floor of the boutique hotel,
overlooking the sure to be packed
corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas
Blvd.
Guests will enjoy a pre fixe
menu complete with a selection of
specialty dishes including antipasti,
Braised Wagyu Short Rib with
Barolo Reduction and Crispy
Confit Potatoes, Chocolate
Fettuccini with Pancetta and Peas,
Spaghetti with Champagne and
Caviar, among additional items. To
book your GIADA New Year’s Eve
dinner or for additional information, please contact 702-731-7778
or
LVCityWideRestaurant
[email protected].
4. Incomparable Celebratory
Cocktails by Master Mixologist
Salvatore Calabrese
Bringing a new meaning to the
lobby bar experience, toast to the
New Year at Bound by Salvatore.
World-renowned
bartender,
Salvatore Calabrese’s more than
thirty years of experience shines
with perfectly executed classic
cocktails, never-before-seen
espresso cocktails and signature
creations.
5. In addition to The
Cromwell, there are exciting New
Year’s Eve happenings going on
throughout Caesars Entertain-
ment’s Las Vegas properties
For a guide to all, please visit
http://www.totalrewards.com/lasvegas/things-to-do/events/newyears-eve.html. For additional information about The Cromwell visit
www.TheCromwell.com.
*****
RING IN THE NEW YEAR’S
AT TIVOLI VILLAGE
Tivoli Village is encouraging
patrons to ring in the New Year responsibly by providing guests complimentary transportation home
within a 10-mile radius. Guests who
use the car service will be driven
home in style in a luxurious town
car. To book transportation guests
can visit the valet stand located in
front of Vasari between 8 p.m. on
Wednesday, Dec. 31 to 2 a.m.
Thursday, Jan 1.
In addition to the complimentary
transportation, select Tivoli Village
restaurants will also offer dining
and cocktail specials that will satisfy your appetite as you countdown
the final seconds to the New Year.
Enjoy Cantina Laredo’s special
three-course New Year Celebration
prix-fixe menu. Visit the website
www.cantinalaredo.com.
Don’t miss your chance to indulge in Kabuki’s refreshing take
on a traditional cocktail, the Tokyo
Mule. Only available through Dec.
31, this special off-menu concoction features New Amsterdam
Vodka, ginger beer, lime and mint
and is only offered at Kabuki Japanese Restaurant locations.
www.kabukirestaurants.com.
Let your taste buds travel around
the world with a special 12-course
prix-fixe dinner served with a complimentary bottle of wine or champagne. Guests will also enjoy a DJ
and
live
music.
Visit
www.thecrepelasvegas.com.
*****
Mike Kermani is an entertainment writer for the Las Vegas Tribune newspaper. He writes a weekly
column in this newspaper. To contact Mike Kermani, email
mkermani@ lasvegas tribune.com
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 17
Red Mercury brings two shows to Riviera
By Jerry Fink
Las Vegas Tribune
The Rat Pack is Back and MJ
LIVE is moving from the Rio to the
Riviera, debuting March 2.
Red Mercury Entertainment,
owned by venture capitalist Darin
Feinstein and former Caesars and
AEG Live entertainment executive
Carlos Reynoso, inspired the
moves.
MJ LIVE I co-produced by
Feinstein and Dick Feeney, and The
Rat Pack is Back is produced by
Feeney.
The shows will end their Rio run
Feb. 22 and a little over a week later
debut at the 950-seat Versailles Theater for performances seven-nightsper-week.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to
be working with the iconic Riviera
since last year contributing our expertise to broaden the property’s entertainment options and to help create new experiences for both locals
and tourists in the entertainment
capital of the world,” said Feinstein.
“We’re thrilled for MJ LIVE and
The Rat Pack is Back to become a
part of the Riviera’s entertainment
lineup on the famed Las Vegas
Strip,” said Feeney, a 40-year entertainment industry veteran who
also owns the Flying Elvi skydiving team from Honeymoon in Vegas. “We’ve had a great two and a
half year run at the Rio with much
critical acclaim, so both of these
popular and top-notch theatrical
production tribute shows will continue to entertain thousands of visitors from around the world.”
MJ LIVE is the number one
Michael Jackson tribute show in the
world showcasing the energy, excitement, spectacle and pure joy of
this legendary superstar and his
music. Experience this awesome,
critically-acclaimed stage production with its powerful sound, spectacular lighting and visual effects
that takes you back to when the
King of Pop ruled the charts —
along with the Michael Jackson
tribute artist’s spot-on breathtaking
impersonations, performed by rotating impersonators Justin Dean,
Jalles Franca and Tony Kouns. Sing
along to many of Jackson’s biggest
hits presented on all one stage, including “Bad,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat
It,” “Dangerous,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Black & White,” “Thriller,”
“Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,”
and many more. MJ LIVE also includes a Jackson 5 segment (“I’ll
Be There,” “I Want You Back”)
complete with Afro wigs and costume design inspired by Soul Train.
Feel the energy from the mega-talented team of dancers, the threepiece live band on stage, as MJ
LIVE captures the spirit of the
famed superstar.
Voted “Best Tribute Show” in
the 2014 Best of Las Vegas Poll by
the staff of the Las Vegas ReviewJournal, The Rat Pack is Back features classic music and skits honoring the original bad boys of Las
Vegas — Frank Sinatra, Joey
Bishop, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean
Martin. Relive the days when Las
Vegas’s most famous entertainers
put the town on the map with their
music, comedy, style and pure cool.
The stellar cast of Vegas entertainers, complimented by some of the
finest musicians in the city from the
nine-piece Lon Bronson Orchestra,
share the smooth sounds of the legendary performers singing all the
golden hits, including “My Way,”
“That’s Amore,” “What Kind of
Fool Am I,” “Luck Be a Lady,”
“Mr. Bojangles,” and “New York
New York, ” along with many other
great songs from the era. The cast
is played by actors who portray dual
roles, including Frank Sinatra
(Brian Duprey), Dean Martin
(Drew Anthony), Sammy Davis, Jr.
(Kyle Diamond) and Joey Bishop
(Mark Cohen). The Rat Pack is
Back is in its 16th year of perfor-
mances all over the U.S. and is the
only Las Vegas-based show with
national touring companies and the
recipient of an award from the Congress of the United States.
The Rat Pack is Back will be
performed nightly at 6:30 p.m., beginning Monday, March 2. Guests
must be 18 age or older. MJ Live
will be performed nightly at 8:30
p.m. beginning Monday, March 2.
Guests must be five years of age or
older, and children age 12 and under are free with every paid adult
ticket.
Tickets for both shows at Riviera
opening March 2 will go on sale at
a later date. For more information,
visit www.MJLiveShow.com,
www.RatPackIsBack.com or
www.Ticketmaster.com.
*****
THE RIVIERA WELCOMES
2015 WITH FREE
PERFORMANCE BY
GEORGE BUGATTI
The renowned Riviera Hotel &
Casino is proud to usher in 2015
with a free performance from
singer, songwriter and celebrated
pianist George Bugatti. Held inside
the intimate Le Bistro Lounge located in the heart of the casino floor,
Bugatti’s performance will take
place from 11:00 p.m. until 1:00
a.m. on Wednesday, December 31,
2014.
Discovered by the legendary
Steve Allen while performing at the
Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills,
George Bugatti was born in Brooklyn, NY, where he honed his skills
as a classical pianist at both the
prestigious High School of Performing Arts and The Juilliard
School.
Recently, Bugatti performed as
music supervisor for the film documentary and Off-Broadway hit
show “Surviving Mommie Dearest,” staring Christiana Crawford,
daughter of Joan Crawford and author of “Mommie Dearest.”
George Bugatti will perform
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
from 11:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. at
the Le Bistro Lounge inside the renowned Riviera Hotel & Casino.
No cover charge and guests must
be 21 years or older. For more information,
please
visit
www.RivieraHotel.com. Find
Riviera Hotel & Casino on
Facebook and follow on Twitter .
*****
TRIO OF COMICS AT LAUGH
FACTORY
A trio of comedians will take
over the stage at the Laugh Factory
the week of Monday through Sunday (Dec. 29-Jan 4, 2015), including New Year’s Eve inside the New
Tropicana Hotel, with Adam Ray
headlining what is sure to be a
“Madcap” night of zingers.
Assisting Ray will be, Sandy
Danto, who never holds back on
any subject that comes into his
mind, and hosting the evening is
Las Vegas resident, Penny Prince.
Show times are 8:30 and10:30 p.m.
*****
THE COSMOPOLITAN OF
LAS VEGAS
ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m.; Doors
at 7 p.m., Tickets: Prices starting at
$125
Eric Church
with special guest Halestorm
Friday, Jan. 16 & Saturday, Jan.
17, 8 p.m.; Doors at 7 p.m., Tickets: $65 - $75 GA; Reserved prices
starting at $95
Billy Idol
with special guest Broncho
Saturday, Feb. 21, 9 p.m.; Doors
at 8 p.m., Tickets: $50 GA; Reserved prices starting at $55
Rose. Rabbit. Lie.
Rose. Rabbit. Lie. at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a modern supper club where cocktail culture and culinary repertoire combine with spontaneous live enter-
tainment. With hints of the past and
a flair for the future, Rose. Rabbit.
Lie. sets a new precedent for the
night. It’s an experience that blurs
the lines between restaurant, bar,
club and live entertainment while
adhering to no standard model, following no written rules. Come
when you want. Leave when you
wish. Grab a drink. Snack or dine.
Let the night take the lead. Rose.
Rabbit. Lie. opens at 5:30 p.m.,
Tuesday to Saturday and features
live music and entertainment. The
food and beverage is curated by
world-class partner Coastal Luxury
Management. Guests can make dinner reservations via opentable.com.
*****
RING IN 2015 WITH
CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
LAS VEGAS
New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas is
a bucket list item for which Caesars
Entertainment spares no expense.
Guests will experience the best in
dining and entertainment, as well
as breathtaking views of world-renowned firework displays.
Two leading ladies of the Strip,
Britney Spears and Olivia NewtonJohn, are ready to ring in the New
Year with fans. Olivia NewtonJohn “Summer Nights” at Flamingo Las Vegas takes guests on a
musical journey through the iconic
artist’s illustrious career featuring
hits from her early years, as well
some of her favorites from Grease.
Favorites and hits from her other
movies, including Xanadu, keep the
room dancing, while new songs
from her recent Billboard hit album
Grace and Gratitude warm the
hearts of the entire audience. Olivia
Newton-John will perform at 7 p.m.
on New Year’s Eve.
Legendary pop icon, Britney
Spears has captivated the world
with show stopping performances
for more than 15 years. Now she
brings her most spectacular show
ever to Planet Hollywood Resort &
Casino in Las Vegas. “Britney:
Piece of Me” is a celebration of one
of the most illustrious careers in
music history, boasting more than
20 worldwide smashes from one of
the most iconic artists ever to grace
the stage. Presented in the fully-reconstructed The Axis Powered by
Monster at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, the show features the
largest indoor immersive stage projection in the world, creating the
most cutting-edge concert experience ever produced. On New Year’s
Eve, Britney Spears will perform at
9 p.m.
GIADA at The Cromwell will
celebrate its first New Year’s on the
second floor of the boutique hotel,
overlooking the sure to be packed
corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas
Blvd. With designated seatings
throughout the evening beginning
at 5 p.m., guests will enjoy a pre
fixe menu complete with a selection of antipasti, Braised Wagyu
Short Rib with Barolo Reduction
and Crispy Confit Potatoes, Chocolate Fettuccini with Pancetta and
Peas, Spaghetti with Champagne
and Caviar, among additional items.
A special champagne toast will take
place with guests at the stroke of
midnight.
Serendipity 3 , Rao’s and Old
Homestead at Caesars Palace, and
Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las
Vegas will also be featuring specialty menus as well as stunning
views of New Year’s festivities.
Reservations must be made by contacting
702-731-7778
or
LVCityWideRestaurantGroupSales
@Caesars.com.
VooDoo Steakhouse at Rio AllSuite Hotel & Casino, Restaurant
Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace and
Margaritaville at Flamingo Las Vegas will not only feature specialty
menus but guests will be able to
take in the best views of the fireworks in the city to ring in the New
Year. Restaurant Guy Savoy will
serve a pre fixe menu complete with
signature favorites including Colors of Caviar, Foie-Gras “Bitter Infusion,” Venison Tourte with Wild
Mushrooms and Périgueux Jus and
the rich All Black dessert. With a
panoramic view of the entire Strip
skyline, guests at VooDoo have the
premier spot to watch fireworks go
off across the entire city. At the
heart of the New Year’s Eve celebrations, Margaritaville is offering
a variety of party packages, all
which promise more than a good
time. For reservations, please call
702-731-7286.
Guests can toast to the New Year
not only with champagne but
unique champagne cocktails at
FIZZ at Caesars Palace . For $125
per person, guests can enjoy a 3
hour premium open bar, a champagne toast at midnight and passed
hors d’oeuvres.
The first LGBTQ nightclub in a
casino on the Strip, Liason at
Bally’s Las Vegas, will have a
hosted bar until 12:30 a.m. with a
$50 cover charge. Haus of Edwards
will host the night’s festivities while
guests dance to beats by Nick Ayler
and Brynn Taylor. VIP table reservations are available.
Cabaret Lounge and Napoleon’s
at Paris Las Vegas will both open
doors at 7:30 p.m., offering guests
a variety of entertainment as well
as party favors and momentous
champagne toasts at midnight.
If Planet Hollywood Resort &
Casino is your destination of
choice, start by enjoying the entertainment offered at Extra Lounge
beginning at 6 p.m. Afterwards,
head over to The Playing Field,
which will offer a champagne toast
for each time zone in the continental U.S. with no cover charge. From
there, continue the fun at Heart Bar
, which will have a live DJ and party
favors for guests.
Jerry Fink is an entertainment
columnist for the Las Vegas Tribune
newspaper and writes a weekly column. To contact Jerry Fink, email
him at jfink@ lasvegastribune.com.
&
HEALTH LIFESTYLES
Page 18 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
Healthy eating is good for your body
By Sandy Zimmerman
Las Vegas Tribune
Photos by Sandy Zimmerman
If you are seeking healthy food
that is ready-to-cook fast, that has
been difficult to find. Wild Oats and
Fresh & Easy have produced a new
line of “Grab and Go” meals that
are nourishing and without artificial
flavors, preservatives and added
trans fats or high-fructose corn
syrup.
These are not just regular meals
but many of them could compete
with restaurants for their taste, high
quality and exciting ingredients.
Their “Salmon-on-a-cedar
plank” is ready to place in the oven.
You taste that Cedar-flavor while
dining at home. After the salmon is
cooked and served on the plank, the
“feeling” is similar to being in a
restaurant but without the waiters.
The “Grab & Go” meals are organic made by Wild Oats and available at Fresh & Easy stores.
There are not many “Grab and
Go” items on the market and not
usually USDA certified organic as
these two companies offer.
One surprise, instead of Spaghetti and Meat Balls, they have
Spaghetti and Beet Balls for vegetarians. The meatless meat balls
are made with mushrooms, brown
rice and beets served with spaghetti
and Marinara sauce.
A great example of a gourmet
meal is their Chipotle Beef, tender
juicy boneless chuck meat prepared
with garlic, thyme, onions, rosemary and red and green jalapenos.
Chicken can become a gourmet
meal with their Organic Honey
Dijon stuffed Chicken Breast. It is
their added touch that makes the
meals so good and so fast.
Wild Oats Apple Walnut
Chicken Salad with Balsamic
Vinaigrette sauce, Grilled Chicken,
Apples, Cranberries and Lettuce is
as tasty as it is healthy.
The meals are prepared in different sizes for one person, couples,
families and groups.
Brendan Wonnacott, spokesman
for Fresh & Easy explained, “It’s
not just providing salads and meals,
we do all the preparation ourselves
so all you have to do is heat and
serve.
This makes everything easier for
you to put the dinner in front of your
family.
We bring in a variety of products for people who are looking to
indulge themselves like waffles
imported from Belgium topped
with strawberries and cream.
We offer some foods they would
not find anywhere else. Our
Smoothie Kit is easy, all you do is
take the fruit add ice, follow instructions and put them in a blender.”
The USDA Organic double
Chocolate Cookies were real
chocolaty with a crunch to them,
they are not soft like the usual cookies. The small packets are good to
take without carrying the whole
box. Visit the websites:
www.wildoats.com
and
www.freshandeasy.com
Award
winning
Sandy
Zimmerman is a syndicated columnist featuring Show and Dining reviews, travel, health, luxury and
more. Sandy is talk show host of the
Las Vegas Today Show programs
and Discover the Ultimate Vacation
travel specials. If you want to suggest topics for articles, for information or to ask any questions about
Sandy’s articles, call (702)-7355974.
The “Grab & Go” meals are organic made by Wild Oats and Fresh & Easy.
Wild Oats Apple Walnut Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette sauce,
Grilled Chicken, Apples, Cranberries and Lettuce.
Roast Beef Sandwich filled with cheese, peppers and more.
Customer
Their “Salmon-on-a-cedar plank” is ready to place in the oven.
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 19
EarthTalk is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss
and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to:
[email protected]. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/
subscribe; Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.
Dear EarthTalk: Do you have
any tips for helping me get my kids
involved in environmental protection advocacy? — Jeanine Black,
Charlotte, NC
There’s no time like the present
to teach kids to respect their environment and be willing to stand up
to protect it. Of course, any good
environmental education starts at
home: parents should always keep
in mind that they are role models
for their kids, and should act responsibly. And most schools today
incorporate issues of sustainability
into their curricula. But kids who
want to do more can sync up with
one of any number of nonprofits
focused on getting young people
involved with volunteering and advocacy on behalf of the environment.
One of the best places to start is
Youth for Environmental Sanity
(YES!), a nonprofit that runs a national speakers’ and workshop tour
around the U.S. and beyond as well
as summer camps devoted to teaching kids how to take action on behalf of the environment. The group
also runs JAMs, bringing together
“young changemakers” from local
communities to brainstorm ideas
for solutions to local, national and
international environmental problems. The YES! website features
information on a wide range of environmental topics as well as videos focusing on organizing and coalition building around shared environmental goals.
Another great resource is the
Center for Biological Diversity’s
Generation Wild program, designed
to help kids learn about and help
protect local wildlife. The
program’s website offers kids tips
on things like how to write an effective and compelling “letter to the
editor” for publication in a local
newspaper, creating a backyard
wildlife sanctuary, encouraging
teachers and schools to undertake
projects that help local wildlife, and
spreading the word via social media.
Meanwhile, Earthforce, Inc.
helps kids ages 10-14 develop citizenship skills and address both local and national environmental
problems. Participants get handson, real-world opportunities to learn
about the issues and develop skills
that can help them become lifelong
leaders in addressing them. Another
leading youth environmental group
is Tree Musketeers, which empowers kids to use innovative approaches in launching their own
environmental campaigns where
they live. Through its Young Executive program, the group provides
resources to help kids learn the
practical, logistical and personal
skills to lead environmental actions
and spread the word about the need
to live more sustainable lifestyles.
Yet another nonprofit vehicle
that helps kids get active is
SustainUS, which focuses on sustainable development. Its Agents of
Change program sends youth delegations to United Nations conferences on climate change, sustainable development, women’s issues
and biological diversity—and its
Lead Now Fellowship trains and
supports young people in becoming leaders in advancing sustainable
development.
Last
but
not
least,
TakingItGlobal is an international
network of young people working
to tackle global environmental challenges. Its Digital Youth Engagement, Global Education and Social
Innovation programs focus on creating the next generation of envi-
Environmentalists hail biochar, a form of charcoal derived from baking biomass, as a savior of soils damaged
by agricultural overuse and pollution that can sequester significant amounts of carbon dioxide in the process.
ronmental leaders around the world.
Young people can also get involved in environmental protection
efforts right in their own backyards
even without the support of a nonprofit. Examples include organizing a local e-waste recycling drive,
asking schools and businesses in the
area to refrain from using noxious
chemicals for landscaping, and coordinating carpools to reduce traffic-related greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise, kids can learn a lot
by finding a local green group and
volunteering to help canvass for
funds, clean-up a beach or waterway, or lobby local officials to take
sustainability into account. Indeed,
our common future may well depend on it.
*****
Dear EarthTalk: What is
biochar and how can it help reduce
my carbon footprint? — William
Jarvis, Bethlehem, PA
Biochar is a naturally occurring,
fine-grained, highly porous form of
charcoal derived from the process
of baking biomass—and it’s been
associated with fertile soils for
some two thousand years. “Biochar
is found in soils around the world
as a result of vegetation fires and
historic soil management practices,” reports the International
Biochar Initiative (IBI), a trade
group representing the world’s burgeoning biochar industry. “Intensive study of biochar-rich dark
earths in the Amazon has led to a
wider appreciation of biochar’s
unique properties as a soil enhancer.”
Teen activists in Newton, Massachusetts show their true environmental colors at a presentation for the nonprofit Green Decade/Newton.
Indeed, researchers have been
hard at work perfecting their own
methods for manufacturing biochar
by baking biomass in giant oxygenfree kilns. The resulting biochar can
then be used as a soil amendment
to help restore tired, compromised
farmland, not to mention contaminated industrial sites, all the while
taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. A liquid by-product of
the biochar production process can
also be converted into a carbonneutral “biofuel” that can displace
other carbon intensive fuels.
Farmers can layer biochar into
their fields where it becomes part
of the soil matrix and helps retain
water and essential agricultural nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous
and potassium. “You can basically
think of it as a soil reef upon which
abiotic and biotic phenomena happen,” says David Shearer, CEO of
Full Circle Biochar, one of a handful of U.S. based biochar start-ups
working to commercialize the ageold “technology.” Farmers like the
fact that using biochar can lower
their water and fertilizer bills as
well as yield more and better quality agricultural products — leading
to better market performance overall. “This is really a hedge for farmers,” reports Shearer. “It really helps
them manage their financial risk
and it helps them manage risk into
the future around production.”
Beyond agriculture, biochar can
also be used to clean up polluted
land. “For example, if you have a
mine that has contaminated soil
adjacent to it, biochar... will allow
you to remediate soils,” says
Shearer. He adds that biochar also
makes for an excellent filtration
medium: “We know that activated
charcoal has been used for millennia as a filter mechanism, and so
there is discussion in the biochar
community that maybe the first step
is we’ll use it as a filtration media,
and then we’ll move to agriculture
as the cost of production of biochar
comes down.”
As far as environmentalists are
concerned, the greater the demand
for biochar the better, given the fact
that it is a potent storage mechanism
for carbon dioxide that would otherwise head into the atmosphere
and contribute to climate change.
“The carbon in biochar resists degradation and can hold carbon in
soils for hundreds to thousands of
years,” reports IBI. “We can use this
simple, yet powerful, technology to
store 2.2 gigatons of carbon annually by 2050. It’s one of the few
technologies that is relatively inexpensive, widely applicable and
quickly scalable. We really can’t
afford not to pursue it.”
*****
Page 20 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / December 24-30, 2014
New Year and a New You
By Sidney Wilson
There’s a reason why everyone
from movie stars and financial
moguls to school teachers and
nurses use personal trainers: The
benefits of working with a personal
trainer is one of the fastest, easiest,
most successful ways to improve
your health and fitness. In fact, the
benefits of personal training has
proved so effective that it has
spread worldwide. Today, personal
trainers are used by people of all
fitness, age and economic levels —
and from all over the world — to
help make lifestyle changes those
people couldn’t achieve by themselves. How do you know if hiring
a personal trainer is the right choice
for you? Consider the following
things a personal trainer can do:
1. Improve Your Overall
Fitness.
In a recent survey, studies show
the primary reason people hire personal trainers is to get professional
assistance to improve cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, endurance, posture, balance and coordination. A personal trainer can
monitor your progress and finetune your program as you go, helping you work your way off plateaus.
2. Reach or Maintain a
Healthy Weight.
Body fat reduction, weight reduction or management, body shaping and toning can all be achieved
with the aid of a qualified personal
trainer, who can help you set realistic goals and determine safe strategies, all while providing the encouragement you need.
3. Learn to Stick to It.
Sticking with well-intentioned
plans is one of the biggest challenges exercisers face. Qualified
personal trainers can provide motivation for developing a lifestyle
that places a high priority on health
and activity. A personal trainer can
help you brainstorm ways to overcome your biggest obstacles to exercise.
4. Focus on Your Unique
Health Concerns.
In a recent survey, studies show
that 50 percent of personal trainers’
clients have special medical needs,
By Dr Nina Radcliff
My New Year’s
Resolutions
Sidney Wilson
such as arthritis, diabetes or obesity. doorway to new personal growth
A personal trainer can help you with experiences. Many personal trainthese or other issues, including low- ers provide mind-body activities,
back pain, rehabilitation from in- such as yoga or tai chi sessions.
jury and pre/post-natal training. A Your personal trainer may help you
personal trainer can work with your uncover new insights about yourphysician, physical therapist or self or find potential you didn’t reother health care provider to plan a alize you had.
safe, efficient program that will
9. Benefit From the Buddy
speed your recovery or enable you System.
to reach your health goals.
What could be better than mak5. Find the Right Way to
ing a commitment to regularly meet
Work Out.
with someone who will provide you
You will learn the correct way with individualized attention and
to use equipment, and appropriate support?
form and technique for cardiovas10. Would you Like Some Help
cular work and free-weight training. or Know Someone that Does?
6. Stop Wasting Time.
Please feel free to call me or
Get maximum results in mini- email me at anytime and I would
mum time with a program designed be more than happy to help you
specifically for you. Workouts that with anything that you need.
use your strengths and improve on
Sidney Wilson is a Las Vegasyour weaknesses are efficient and based celebrity fitness trainer and
effective.
lifestyle coach dedicated to provid7. Learn New Skills.
ing his clients with the tools needed
Want to improve your tennis to “Get Vicious.” Through rigorous
game, learn to ski, become an in- workouts and extensive nutrition
line skater, golf like a pro, better coaching, Sidney trains clients at
your weekend basketball game or The Get Vicious Training Center
get ready for your bathing suit? An located at 5693 South Jones Blvd.
individualized program can im- Suite 103, Las Vegas, NV 89118, or
prove your overall conditioning and remotely around the world through
develop the specific skills you need. his website www.sidneywilson.com.
8. Enhance Your Mind, Body Sidney can be contacted at:
and Spirit.
[email protected] or 646A personal trainer can act as a 226-6359.
SOCIAL SECURITY AWARENESS
The twelve sites of Social Security
By Amanda McWilliams
Social Security Assistant District
Manager in North Las Vegas
Back by popular demand is our
holiday favorite, “The Twelve Sites
of Social Security.” It’s inspired by
the popular traditional holiday
song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” a holiday favorite since 1780.
Play it again, Santa!
For the first site of Social Security, we give to you: our home page,
www.socialsecurity.gov. It’s the
place to go for all things Social Security. Everything you could want
— from online services and benefit
screening tools to publications and
frequently asked questions — you
can find easily on this site.
For the second site of Social
Security, we give to you: answers
to all of your Social Security related
questions at our Frequently Asked
Questions page online at
www.socialsecurity.gov/faq.
For the third site of Social Security, we give to you: an easy way
to learn how to replace your Social
Security card at the website
www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.
For the fourth site of Social Security, we give to you: an online application for retirement benefits that
you can complete and submit in as
little as 15 minutes, online at
w w w. s o c i a l s e c u r i t y. g o v /
applytoretire.
For the fifth site of Social Security, we give to you: five estimates
of your future Social Security benefits! Or one, or as many estimates
as you would like using different
scenarios. Get instant, personalized
estimates of your future benefits at
www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
For the sixth site of Social Security, we give to you: a convenient
way to apply for disability benefits
at
www.socialsecurity.gov/
applyfordisability.
For the seventh site of Social
Security, we give to you: an online
application for Medicare that you
What
You Need
To Know
can complete in as little as 10 minutes, at www.socialsecurity.gov/
medicareonly.
For the eighth site of Social Security, we give to you: Extra Help
with Medicare prescription drug
plan costs.
You can learn more and apply
online at www.socialsecurity.gov/
prescriptionhelp.
For the ninth site of Social Security, we give to you: our convenient publication library with online
booklets and pamphlets on numerous subjects at the website
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
For the tenth site of Social Security, we give to you: services for
people who are currently receiving
benefits, such as the ability to replace your Medicare card, request
a proof of benefits letter, or check
your Social Security information or
benefits. You can do these and other
things at www.socialsecurity.gov/
pgm/getservices-change.htm.
For the eleventh site of Social
Security, we give to you: a way to
get your Social Security forms
online at www.socialsecurity.gov/
online.
On the twelfth site of Social Security, (and we saved the best for
last): open your own personal my
Social Security account, which will
enable you to verify your earnings,
get future benefit estimates, obtain
instant benefit verification letters,
update your Social Security information, and more at the website
w w w. s o c i a l s e c u r i t y. g o v /
myaccount.
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Find it all (except the partridge and
pear tree) at the website
www.socialsecurity.gov.
By Nina Radcliff, MD
Happy new dreams
Happy new days
Happy new desires
Happy new ways
Happy new year
Happy new you
As we enter into our next year, 2015, “We will open the book. Its
pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book
is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Entering
into the new year brings excitement, reflection, and hope that are often
embodied by our New Year’s Resolutions. Unfortunately, many people’s
resolutions go “in one year and out the other.” In fact, only 8 percent of
people actually achieve their resolutions. Let’s draw out a clear map to
reach our destination so we do not get lost.
Fuel
Ann Wigmore stated: “The food you eat can be either the safest and
most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” There is
much truth to that. Exotic sports cars exemplify this concept. If we owned
a Ferrari, we would pump only the top of the line fuel—no preservatives,
nothing fake or artificial. Let us view our bodies as a Ferrari and food as
our fuel. Food provides vitamins, nutrients, and energy to sustain us. This
year, let’s make wise choices about what we eat, because our Ferrari’s
performance depends on it.
Exercise
With our long list of things-to-do, exercising often gets pushed down a
few numbers, and, in some instances, dropped altogether. Let’s try to put
physical activity in the number one or number two position by incorporating it into our daily routine. It may not be possible to dedicate hours
for gym workouts, but we can find at least 15 minutes in our day to take
our Ferraris out for a drive. So, whenever possible, take the stairs instead
of an elevator, stand up or walk during phone calls, or stretch or do pushups during commercial breaks. Studies have shown that short bursts of
physical activity have a cumulative benefit.
The 4 “A’s” — Avoid, Alter, Adapt and Accept
“Stress is the trash of modern life. We all generate it. But if we don’t
dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake our lives.” Finances,
parenting, family, health, work/life balance, and the state of the world
today have made it difficult for our ancient stress response to keep up.
This year let’s put into effect a plan to Avoid unnecessary stress, Alter the
way we communicate and make decisions, Adapt to the stressor, and Accept the things we cannot change.
Sleep
Not having a good night’s sleep can make even the best of us morph
into the Incredible Hulk. Let’s make a commitment to maintain great sleep
hygiene in 2015. It will improve our mood, decision-making abilities,
and overall health. In 2015, let’s plan to remain our Dr. David Banner self
by continuing to make our ZZZ’s a priority, then it’s bye bye, Lou “Hulk”
Ferrigno.
Gratitude
At the end of October of 2014, I started chronicling—every morning
and every night — at least three things that I am grateful for. And I am
grateful I did. Feeling appreciation for what we have can change negative
emotions into more positive ones and provide us with greater satisfaction
and happiness. Additionally, it has been shown that there are a number of
health benefits when we have a genuine feeling of gratitude: better sleep
and eating, increased energy and lifespan, and decreased overall illness
and depression.
Kindness, Patience and Generosity
My parents provided me invaluable lessons on kindness, compassion,
and empathy from as early as I can remember. While I try to embody
kindness in all that I do, this year, I will take it up a notch by putting
“random acts of kindness” on my daily list of things-to-do. Generosity
and kindness can connect us with our community, improve our mental
and physical health, and become contagious... and help to reduce our stress
levels.
Unplugging
I admit, I used to be a “tech-a-holic.” My day began with checking
my email, which wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t checking my emails and
texts right before going to bed, and throughout the day. My real eyeopener was when I was almost hit by a car because I was texting while
walking across the street. In addition to being a distraction while driving,
technology can interfere with our sleep and prevent us from enjoying the
moment. Let’s take the time to power down and unplug during meals or
when driving or spending time with loved ones.
As we embark upon the New Year, let’s take the time to reflect and
plan what we would like to happen in our life this year. Making goals
provides us with direction and is the first step towards achieving them.
Further, they provide an affirmation to ourselves, our life, and our ability
to choose. To that extent, let’s choose to write a great story on the blank
pages of the book titled “2015.”
*****
Dr. Nina Radcliff is dedicated to her profession, her patients and her
community, at large. She is passionate about sharing truths for healthy,
balanced living as well as wise preventive health measures. She completed medical school and residency training at UCLA and has served on
the medical faculty at The University of Pennsylvania. She is a Board
Certified Anesthesiologist and a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists where she serves on committees for Young Physicians and
Communications. Author of more than 200 textbook chapters, research
articles, medical opinions and reviews; she is often called upon by media
to speak on medical, fitness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle topics impacting our lives, today.
PLACES TO GO
December 24-30, 2014 / LAS VEGAS TRIBUNE / Page 21
QUICK GETAWAYS
Beyeler Museum: Great Art, the
Beauty of Nature and Great Cuisine
By Sandy Zimmerman
Las Vegas Tribune
Photos by Sandy Zimmerman
unless otherwise indicated
Switzerland offers many interesting museums especially the
Beyeler Museum at Berower Park,
in Basel. Our introductory guided
tour showed us rooms with Gauguin
and other great works of art and incite into the artists as well as many
surprises.
Berower Park’s setting was perfect for walking or dining before or
after seeing the museum.
A historic site, the Restaurant in
Berower Park was built in the eighteenth century.
When you walk by the lake and
first see the restaurant from the trail,
that is the outside patio but you
should enter the dining room and
take a look at the pictures and interior.
In the front, the restaurant’s architecture and design looks like a
scene from a film of that time.
Amid trees, sculptures and nature all around us, we sat on the
The Restaurant’s Entrance
patio looking at their lunch menu.
The Mediterranean/Swiss menu
suggested a Swiss wine pairing for
each meal and I was surprised to
see one California wine, Halter
Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, from
Paso Robles, California. This was
suggested for their veal sausage
with onion sauce and homemade
Rosti (Swiss potatoes).
One interesting dish I have not
seen before, poached egg on an
apple and onion confit with cheese
gratinated bread.
Their beef stew, grandmotherstyle, sounded like our comfort
foods. The stew was prepared with
wine from Jura and served with
Tagliatelle and vegetables.
Tagliatelle (“to cut”) is a traditional
type of pasta from Emilia-Romagna
and Marche, regions of Italy.
They offered the classic beef tartar, a tasty mixture of finely
chopped raw meat mixed with
spices and herbs often served with
onions, capers.
A country-style Terrine (dish) of
salted meat and comté cheese was
a nice combination especially the
unique taste of the cheese. Comté
(also called Gruyère de Comté) is a
French cheese made from un-pasteurized cow’s milk in the FrancheComté region of eastern France.
My shrimp on skewers and a
salad was healthy and for guests
with diets.
The restaurant is happy to provide more than just its menu and
also serves Gluten-free and Lactose-free meals.
This atmosphere would be great
for parties in the summer.
The cook uses produce fresh
from the market and a choice of four
different daily specials in addition
to its seasonal dishes a la carte.
Visit www.fondationbeyeler.ch/
en/Museum/Restaurant
Award
winning
Sandy
Zimmerman is a syndicated columnist featuring Show and Dining reviews, travel, health, luxury and
more. Sandy is talk show host of the
Las Vegas Today Show programs
and Discover the Ultimate Vacation
travel specials. If you want to suggest topics for articles, request for
a review, for information or to ask
any questions about Sandy’s articles, call (702)-735-5974.
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other entertainer in Las Vegas?
Please let us know and you may win
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Send the name of the entertainer, the
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telephone number. Information is in
the paragraph above.
This historic eighteenth century Restaurant is adjacent to the Beyeler Museum at Berower Park, in Basel. (Photo by the Beyeler Museum)