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Too expensive to live?

Everyone knows that when you tax something, people will do less of it. Governments have used this tactic for imposing social engineering on populations for decades.

When you raise the price of a product, a service or an activity, whether it be through taxation or price increases, such as what the government did with cigarettes, people will do less of it.

Can you imagine what the progressives have in mind with the heavy taxation and penalties for non-compliance built into the health care bill?

When it costs people too much to live, they will do less of it.

BRIAN K. SHOEMAKE

Huge success

The Pahrump Wild West Extravaganza was put on this year by an independent, tax exempt organization. It was a huge success thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers, the Saddle West Hotel and Casino, several business sponsors, the Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Pahrump, the Bureau of Land Management, and, especially, all of you who came out in 100 degree temperatures to enjoy a great event.

We added new events this year and some of the traditional ones grew by leaps and bounds. The third annual two-day Single Action Shooters Society event at the Lone Wolf Range, managed by Debra Strickland, drew entrants from all around with more than 80 shooters. The ninth annual Pony Express Ride with Trail Boss Jim Hannah, was the largest yet with over 90 riders. The entertainment booked and scheduled by Teri Rogers was outstanding with the highlight being Joey Dillon, three time World Champion Gunslinger. The melodrama by the Shadow Mountain Players and led by Gayle and Carlton McCaslin, was excellent as usual and the villain was smothered with popcorn many times.

Advertising, under the direction of Alice Eychaner and boosted by $5000 grants from the State of Nevada Council on Tourism and the Town of Pahrump, was extraordinary and reached into Utah, Southern California, Arizona, all of Nevada and through KPVM-TV and KNYE broadcasts and Saddle West putting flyers in every room, the entire United States. The wild horse adoption program, in its second year, was managed by the BLM and Debbie Hines from the National, Wild Horse Association and Pahrump was selected as one of two sites in the United States for a major media event.

New this year were the gun show and the cattle auction. The gun show, managed by John Young and Walt Rubio, exceeded expectations with over 30 exhibitors and big crowds while the cattle auction went off without a hitch thanks to Debbie Woodland, Lucille Piper and the 4-H Club.

Thanks are due our major sponsors. They were The Saddle West Hotel and Casino, Cahlan West and Tommasinos. Other sponsors included Wulfenstein Construction, Steiger Corral Panels and Gates, Shadow Mountain Feed, Valley Electric Association, Artesia, Air Internet, D2 Design, Wells Fargo Bank, Channel 41, KNYE,the Pahrump Valley Times, Saitta-Trudeau and H & M Pipe and Supply.

Special thanks are due to the volunteers like Jeannie Geiser, Phil Huff, Don Rogers and some I'm sure I missed, who contributed to the success of the Extravaganza. Without them, the show would not have gone on. Now it's onward and upward to next year, our tenth anniversary.

BOB BAKER

PWWE Chairman

Roundabouts make sense

My background includes constructing roads and highways in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada and Arizona.

Initially I had the impression, like many observers, that the installation of roundabouts at roadway intersections was really a dumb idea. For several years I have observed the construction and use of roundabouts and have come to the conclusion that they really do make sense.

Go to the Web site www.nevadadot.com/safety/roundabout/benefits.asp for information on roundabout construction, safety, and economic benefits. You will learn that the typical roundabout will save about $5,000 per year in operating and maintenance expense. Those are your tax dollars.

Motorists will save about 30 percent in fuel costs by not having to stop, wait for the light to change and then accelerate through the intersection. You will also learn that studies indicate that roundabouts are safer than signalized intersections.

Motorists will still have accidents, but the severity of those accidents will be much less.

In these times with everyone being aware of the need to cut costs, save money and increase highway safety, we need to support the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 160 and Homestead Road.

RICHARD HATCH

This is a 24-hour town

Once again, a couple of our esteemed county commissioners want to tell us what is right for us and ignore what we want.

Before we let NDOT build one roundabout in Pahrump, I challenge our commissioners to go to the Costco in Las Vegas, across from the Red Rock Casino, at about noon on any Saturday and see what a nightmare a roundabout really is all about.

I take a run into Las Vegas about every other week, and it seems that the stop lights on 160 are going up like Christmas trees.

Its NDOT's job to provide traffic control for Nevada, not just Clark County. If this isn't happening, it's up to our county commissioners to give them a push in the right direction.

Do you think, that when the building re-starts in Pahrump, the Focus Group is going to be happy channeling potential customers to their sites through roundabouts?

When Samson Yao was here, every time he talked about a stop light, the sum of $1 million came out of his mouth. Now we are hearing $2 million. When do the scare tactics stop and common sense take over?

I dread the thought of the huge semi trucks that have been carrying nuclear waste to the test site on 160 having to negotiate a roundabout. We must remind our commissioners that Pahrump is considered a 24-hour town and that there is traffic in the dark, and some of the traffic has been playing and drinking at all hours.

RICHARD A. BROWN

Why Pahrump?

It is hard to believe the idea of a roundabout at Highway 160 and Homestead is once again being considered.

But in spite of all the concerns previously raised on this issue, the one question I would like them to address this time is, "Why Pahrump?"

Roundabouts have been in use in the Summerlin area for more than 13 years now. I know that because my first experience with one was next to the Summerlin Hospital on Town Center Drive when I took my oldest son Joshua to see his pediatrician. Come to think of it, placing one there was probably a good idea.

There were others placed within some Summerlin areas. Some worked out OK, some did not.

One that did not was at the intersection of Grand Canyon and Gowan that a resident in the area told me was removed. The request for removal came from the Clark County Fire Department because the roundabout was too disruptive to the flow of emergency vehicles from a fire station near the site.

Anyone care to guess the impact of having one at the first major intersection reached when entering our town?

What really kind of interests me is why there haven't been more constructed along the Highway 160-Blue Diamond corridor. After all, if they are such a great idea for slowing or controlling traffic, why didn't NDOT build one during the recent flap over accidents at Blue Diamond and Durango? Or at El Capitan, Decatur, Jones, Rainbow, or even the massive interchange next to the recently expanded commercial centers down near the I-15?

All of those potential sites to show the value of roundabouts and yet not one was constructed. Does anyone else wonder why?

Of course, now that we have a stop light at Homestead corner, the need for a roundabout is not a high priority on most people's list.

The continued accidents at 160 and Wilson, Highway 372 and Pahrump Valley Boulevard, or even 372 and Blagg Road, are a much higher priority for traffic safety among residents. So why not put in a roundabout at 372 and Pahrump Valley Boulevard to demonstrate their utility?

But in making the determination, I would also like to see a much more basic question answered: Since it did not seem appropriate to put them along highway thoroughfares in Las Vegas, why Pahrump?

BOB LITTLE

Nye's quarterly check req

Just scanned the Nye County report for the quarter.

I won't go into asking about the payouts to the University of Pittsburgh or the Shakesphere Festival in Utah, but I am curious as to why, just at a quick scan, we are paying out $992,803.91 to various insurance companies just for the quarter.

It would seem that a lot of consolidation is in order by the county. We are shelling out almost $4 million per year for insurance. I should think a little negotiating is in order. Wouldn't a contract with one or two insurance companies give us a better break?

I noted other things in the report that probably could use consideration. Buying from various tire stores is commendable, but if they really want our business, they too, could come up with a contract.

If the county doesn't have a purchasing agent, we sure could use one. If it does have one, maybe the commissioners should be re-evaluating his performance.

RICHARD A. BROWN

A boatload of thanks

We would like to thank Patty from Sunflower Fashions for hosting our first fundraiser for special needs individuals who come to the ranch for therapy.

We would also like to thank "Jenny" with the Sigma Phi Sorority, West Star, the families of our special needs kids, Martha Reedy's class at the high school, Trinity Assembly for the use of tables and everyone who donated and participated in our sale for Northfield Ranch Therapy With Animals Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

SHERYL CORK

Appeasement Prize

When I was a young man I stood in awe of the Nobel Peace Prize. Unfortunately, it has now been stripped of all its nobility. It should be renamed the Warm and Fuzzy, Lovy Dovey, Appeasement Prize.

Obama's foreign policy is not noble, it is dangerous. Our long-standing policy of "peace through strength" has now been replaced by a policy of "peace through apology." Obama seems not only concerned but obsessed with our standing in the world.

When he looks at the other countries of the world, he apparently sees great virtue and morality everywhere. He sees a multitude of godly, righteous, holy nations -- nations that have every right to judge our every action; nations that are morally superior to us; nations we should emulate; nations we should bow down to and worship.

Obama sees the world as a great fountain of love that the United States refuses to drink from. Obama views the world as a vast reservoir of goodwill that the United States refuses to frolic in.

What is the reality?

I have done an in-depth study of most of the nations of the world, and for the most part, they are a morally sad and sorry lot. A large number of them are noted for little more than corruption, oppression and aggression. Not to mention cold-blooded murder.

In 1964, I sat in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and I heard Sen. Barry Goldwater making this statement: "I don't give a tinkers dam what the rest of the world thinks about the United States." My sentiments exactly. Obama is dreaming of a world without nuclear weapons, war or violence. Obama is dreaming of a worldwide love fest. Obama is a dreamer.

Dreams are good, but reality is better.

GARY MARCHINKE

Meyers column on Crawford

I just stumbled on your article about Don Crawford published March 4, 2009.

Don Crawford was my grandfather and I can state factually he lived in Cedarville, Calif., for his entire time in office.

He was indeed a colorful character in both private and public life.

He did indeed introduce legislation to protect the Pyramid Lake Monster. He received national press about it and easily won re-election that year. His district was northern Washoe county and included the Pyramid Lake area.

He often marched with the Paiute marching band in local parades carrying a French horn, that he occasionally bleated a note from, not being a musician.

One of my favorite stories was when he brought a young donkey from Cedarville in the back of his Nash car and paraded it onto the floor of the Assembly during opening ceremonies.

I recall one occasion ( in my mothers absence) when he decided the grandchildren should ride the Jenny ( mother donkey) but it was cold outside, so he just marched her in the door of my parents house and proceded to give us rides.

They don't make them like that any more.

VERN CRAWFORD

First 'Walk for Awareness'

In September, I was approached to organize a walk-a-thon at this year's Pahrump Powwow to raise awareness that diabetes is the No. 1 killer of Native Americans and affects 8 percent of Nevadans.

I have had the privilege to be a member of the Pahrump Powwow board of directors for several years and proud to accept the request to organize and announce the first Walk for Awareness.

All donations will go to the Nevada Diabetes Association, the only organization in Nevada that provides direct services to children, adults and support for families dealing with diabetes in Nevada.

It will also be the first walk for awareness of this plight at any Powwow.

The response for the scheduling of this walk has been tremendous, and Pahrump citizens have a unique opportunity to really make a difference.

The encouragement has prompted the beginnings of creating a local support group for over three-dozen families right here in Pahrump who have children with Type I diabetes.

Please join us by forming teams or walking as an individual to not only walk for awareness but participate in a walk to help.

This year's 11th annual Powwow, Nov. 20, 21 and 22, promises to be even better with Native American dance and drum contests, authentic Native American artisans and craftsmen, the return of the Aztec dancers, traditional foods and, of course, the cultural experience unique to the Pahrump Powwow.

If you have questions please contact me at 775-751-1529 or send an email to dee@swspecialdees.com or dawninthedesert@yahoo.com.

Thank you. I look forward to walking with you on Saturday, Nov. 21, Petrack Park at 8 a.m.

DEE KILLION PAINTER