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Major Derek Routt (Tazz) and Master Sergeant Philip
Gumbs (Gumby) with an F16 MIG Emulator
See Story Page 2
American F16 Flown Like Enemy MIG 29
The USAF Aggressors—Their Job Is To Fly Like The Enemy
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 2
Air Force Aggressor Squadron Prepares Pilots For Traditional Air War
By FRED WEINBERG
Penny Press Publisher
If you’re driving past the Nellis
Air Force Base flight line and you
see what appear to be F16’s with a
large red star, don’t be alarmed.
They’re ours.
In a world where we talk about
a war on terror, there’s a squadron at
Nellis Air Force Base which has not
forgotten the old fashioned kind of
war where nations fight each other
on the ground and in the air.
In fact, the 64th Aggressor
Squadron trains United States and
allied nation’s pilots in air-to-air
combat tactics against just about
everything ever flown by the former
Soviet Union since Korea.
Want to know what a North
Korean pilot might try to do in an
old Mig 19?
Fly against the aggressors.
Want to know what the Iranian
Air Force may try with a modern
Mig 29 Fulcrum?
Fly against the aggressors.
Want some idea of what tactics
Communist China may fly against
our pilots in a confrontation?
The aggressor squadron personnel spends their entire working day
coming up with those answers.
They actually fly Air Force
F16C aircraft with Russian markings, but they practice the combat
tactics which the Russians developed
with their aircraft and now export to
potential enemies around the world.
Even though the cold war is
over, the Russians will apparently
sell their technology to anybody with
hard cash and that includes a lot of
potential US enemies.
And the tactics?
“Well,” says Ground Controller
Master Sergeant Philip Gumbs, “they
export the airplane, they also export
the playbook that goes with it.”
Gumbs spends his time on the
ground talking to the pilots of the
64th as he leads them through the
Russian tactics.
“It’s a culture thing,” said Gumbs.
“Their tactics are very centralized
and very different from ours. A lot
of it has to do with the platform they
fly.”
“The difference,” says Assistant
Director of Operations (and pilot)
Major Derek Routt, “is that our tactics are very fluid and our pilots have
the ability to make decisions on the
spot.
“When I fly as an aggressor, I
don’t think.
“He (Gumbs) does my thinking
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for me.”
The Aggressor Squadron flies
with Red Flag which is a training exercise designed to rotate units
through Nellis’s Air Warfare Center
to give them the latest in tactics.
“It’s a real change of mindset,”
said Routt. “Our pilots have a blueair type of mindset. Our tactics a very
fluid and always changing. When I
fly as an aggressor, he (Gumbs) tells
me where to go and what to do.”
That said, even though he is
flying as an enemy, Routt’s mind
stays on range safety all the time.
It’s been almost 10 years since an
aggressor group lost a plane and
keeping training accidents to zero is
always uppermost on a pilot’s mind
when flying simulated combat on the
range.
The 64th was actually activated
again last fall. Originally, in the 80s,
there were four aggressor squadrons
but for budgetary reasons, they were
compressed into a division of Red
Flag and had flown with only seven
aircraft until last fall. On October
3, the 64th was reactivated and will
eventually grow to squadron strength
with as many of 24 airplanes.
Among their missions is to work
with the new A22 Raptor test units in
developing air-to-air tactics for the
Air Force’s newest fighter.
But even as they work on tactics
with the newest Russian aircraft,
they have not forgotten the older
Korean and Viet Nam era Mig 17
and Mig 19 fighters which are still
flown by some smaller nations.
“It’s the golden BB theory,” said
Routt. “Some enemy in a Mig 17
could stay behind a mountain, get
lucky and take one of us down if we
don’t practice.”
But, he smiled, they really have
to dumb the F16’s they fly down to
emulate a Mig 17 or 19.
“We have to dial the F16 back a
little bit to emulate a Mig 29,” said
Routt, “although they (the Mig 29)
have great engines and are very good
close-in. Same thing for the SU27,
even though it’s a bigger plane.”
Both Gumbs and Routt think that
US pilots are much better trained
than their potential enemy counterparts and that much of that comes
with the funding the US military has
for training.
In addition to Red Flag, the
Aggressors hit the road periodically
to train units away from Nevada.
They’ll be participating in the
Canadian Maple Flag exercise later
this year.
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Dolores Lonergan Pat Choate
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16 PAGES
VOLUME I NUMBER 21
FEBRUARY 19, 2004
Make Your Candidates Take The Pledge
Just Say No To “Rat-heads”
nors and 1279 state legislators have
taken the pledge.
Penny Press Contributing Editor
As Norquist explains, large conGrover Norquist is the president sumer products companies spend
of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), millions of dollars to perfect products so that consumers know what to
expect when they buy a company’s
goods. Consistency is everything.
One mistake, one “rat head in a
Coke can,” as Norquist says, can
turn a customer off for life. What
a coalition of taxpayer groups, indi- ATR is attempting to do, like Coke,
viduals and businesses opposed to is to insure that all Republicans
higher taxes at both the federal, sign the ATR tax pledge, and vote
state and local levels. ATR organiz- against tax increases. People should
es the TAXPAYER PROTECTION have confidence that if they vote for
PLEDGE, which asks all candidates Republicans, they are voting against
for federal and state office to com- tax increases, says Norquist.
mit themselves in writing to oppose
Unfortunately
not
all
all tax increases. To date, President Republicans have signed the pledge.
George W. Bush, 211 House mem- “Kenny Guinn is one of those rat
bers, and 38 Senators have taken the heads,” laments Norquist. So, while
pledge. On the state level, 8 gover- President Bush continues to cut taxes
By DOUG FRENCH
Commentary
Welcome To Las Vegas’
Newest Paper!
Inside:
Ethics?
It's Out In The
Parking Lot...
See Editorial Page 6
and pledges to do more cutting if reelected, governors like Guinn are
betraying their party and defrauding
voters.
Another “rat head” turns out to
be Republican operative Sig Rogich.
He told the RJ recently: “I don’t
think that’s [raising taxes] antiRepublican in any way. I don’t think
Republicans should shy away from
necessary tax increases.” Maybe
Rogich needs to check in with party
HQ. Of course any guy who has
spent as much time in Washington
D.C as he has, probably has lost
touch with what the real world and
paying taxes is like. Rogich had the
gall to say: “Those who stand in the
way are nothing more than obstructionists.” Well, let’s start counting
the obstructionists: George Bush,
211 House members, 38 Senators…
Republican voters should be
Penny Wisdom
The legacy of Democrats and
Republicans
approaches:
Libertarianism by bankruptcy.
—Nick Nuessle
forewarned—candidates endorsed
by the “rat heads,” i.e. Kenny Guinn
and Sig Rogich are in favor of raising your taxes. Candidates who have
signed the ATR tax pledge have
committed on paper to not raising
your taxes. When a candidate comes
to your door, if you can stomach
talking to them for a minute, ask if
the candidate has signed the ATR
tax pledge or better yet, ask if the
candidate has signed the “Axe the
Tax” petition being circulated by
Nevadans For Sound Government.
A number of candidates are carrying the “Axe the Tax” petitions
and the “Stop the Double-dipping”
initiative petitions while they are
walking their precincts looking for
your support. These are the candidates we need in Carson City. Just
say “No” to “rat head” candidates.
F.O.B. SYNDROME
PAT CHOATE
FRED WEINBERG
DOUG FRENCH
BILL HERE
ALBERT THOMAS
BUSCH CUP DEBUT SET
VISOR
BLAZE WINSLOW
PAGE 4
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THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 4
The Fat Old Broad Syndrome
By KAREN MACNUTT
Contributing Editor, Women and Guns
Special To The Penny Press
Warning: This article is for mature
women only!
A person’s self image is very important. It is, in some respects, more important than what other people think of us.
Shakespeare admonished, “To thine own
self be true and it must follow as night the
day thou canst not be false to any man.”
Eleanor Roosevelt observed, “No one can
make you feel inferior without your consent.” Nan MacNutt opined, “I don’t feel
any different than I did when I was 18. I
could still get over that fence . . . it would
just take me a little longer.” (At age 98).
I have always thought of myself as
a sort of Katherine Hepburn type lady,
sleek, take charge, competent. Over the
years I have become more cultured, an
international traveler by any standard. I
have seen the great museums of Europe,
shopped in Paris, sailed the Rhine, and
been a guest at Buckingham Palace. I
still have my hourglass figure; but all the
dimensions have expanded. I now feel
more like...well...Mae West, voluptuous,
worldly, sophisticated.
Mae West is not bad. Unfortunately,
I also find myself drawn to one of the
characters in the “B.C.” comic strip.
She is referred to as “Fat Old Broad”
(F.O.B.). F.O.B carries a big club and
regularly pounds the character identified
as “Snake.” As I get older, I find I am less
tolerant of the “snakes” in this world.
This article is dedicated to all those
women who are torn between seeing
themselves as Mae West one day and
F.O.B. the next. This is part, I believe,
of what I will be referring to as “F.O.B.
Syndrome.”
Over the years, I have written many
articles on law, but I seldom have the
fun of writing an article on shooting.
Women&Guns, after all, was established
to meet the unique problems of the woman
shooter.
In addition to being a lawyer, I am
a shooting enthusiast. I have never met
a gun I didn’t want to fire. I have shot
competitively in black powder, .22 rifle,
high power rifle, gallery pistol, and military pistol. I feel exceptionally qualified
to write a technical article for the more
mature, Mae West, lady shootist.
It is important to recognize when
you are moving into the F.O.B. shooting
category. It begins when you start having
trouble with the buttons or zipper on your
shooting jacket. I am a firm believer in
air shrinkage. The theory of air shrinkage
holds that if you put an article of clothing
in the closet and do not wear it for a while,
the air will cause the article to shrink. I
have a lot of experience with air shrinkage. For a while, you can stave off the
inevitable by ignoring the zipper on your
shooting jacket and just using the straps,
that is, if your jacket has straps. You can
further extend the life of the jacket by not
using the lower straps. You may also buy
extensions for the straps. If your jacket
has buttons, stop using the lower buttons.
As long as you can still button the top button, you will get some support from the
jacket. When you only use the top button
or strap, you lose the lumbar support of
a properly fitting jacket. To some extent
the lumbar support of the jacket can be
replaced by wearing a wide belt, such as
a cartridge belt. I guess one of those black
corsets the guys at hardware stores wear
would also work. Make sure the rules of
your shooting event allow such support.
The cartridge belt has the advantage
of eliminating the need to try to stuff cartridges in the little pocket on the woman’s
shooting jacket. I have never understood
why some women’s sporting clothess are
made to look like the men’s styles but are
non-functional. Even when I looked like
“Twiggy,” I could never squeeze a box of
7.62 NATO ammunition into the pocket
of my custom shooting jacket as the men
could do with their jackets. A canvas
shotgun shell carrier that holds about 8
shotshells is usually the right size to hold
a box of 7.62 NATO ammo. Some of the
little leather nail carrying pouches sold in
hardware stores will also hold a box of
ammo. Carrying the cartridges on a belt is
a big advantage because it relieves the off
hand shooter from having to bend over to
pick up a new round after each shot. Not
having to bend becomes more important
as your jacket shrinks. The ultimate solution, however, is to donate your jacket to
a junior program and admit defeat to air
shrinkage.
The next problem comes when you
are trying to shoot a rifle in the crossedlegged sitting position without suffocating. The diaphragm is a combination
of muscles and tendons that are located
between the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity. They are the muscles and
tendons that allow the lungs to expand
and contract. External pressure on the
diaphragm prevents you from breathing
properly.
Without proper breathing your heart
has to pump harder, you become flushed,
and, in extreme cases, you pass out.
Needless to say, this interferes with your
having a good point of aim, being steady
with your gun and having a good sight
picture. In the crossed legged (or crossed
ankle) position your upper body extends
over the area directly in front of you so
that your elbows rest on your knees or in
front of your knees. Your abdomen presses against your upper thighs. This has the
tendency to place too much pressure on
the diaphragm. As F.O.B. Syndrome progresses, the problem becomes more acute.
The change in body mass location which
occurs with F.O.B Syndrome also tends to
cause your natural point of aim, when you
use the conventional sitting position with
a rifle, to point downward to a location
about four feet in front of the firing line.
This is a distinct problem if your target is
200 yards away.
If you find that you are having difficulty breathing, or you can feel your pulse
to the point of distracting while in the sitting position with a rifle, you have F.O.B.
Syndrome. You need to adjust your shooting position. An obsolete, but still excellent position, is the open legged position.
In this position you sit with your knees
bent but your legs extended to make kind
of an open triangle. You then lean forward and rest your elbows forward of,
but inside, your knees. You can get extra
stability by digging your heels into the
ground. The position gives a much better
natural point of aim and is more forgiving on uneven ground. Most importantly,
it creates an open space that prevents
putting pressure on your diaphragm. I
once shot a 99-9X in the rapid fire, sitting position, at the National Guard’s
Wilson Match in Little Rock using this
position. It can be a very stable position.
Rifle shooters who shoot prone bend the
knee of one leg. This raises the chest
slightly and takes pressure off of the diaphragm. The rifle shooter’s prone position tends to be higher than that of the
pistol shooter’s prone position. This is
because of the way the rifle is held, with
the elbows used as a bi-pod, but close
to the body. Rifle shooters with F.O.B.
Syndrome may have additional support
in this position with the body naturally
creating more of a tripod or even quadrapod effect.
Pistol shooters with F.O.B. Syndrome,
on the other hand, have a big problem
with the prone position. Most prone pistol shooters will lie flat on their stomach
with the hands extended. This tends to do
two negative things. First, the head will
not be in a good position for a natural
point of aim. The resulting strained neck
caused by this position creates tension
for the shooter. As the neck stretches to
position the aiming eye, more pressure
is placed on the diaphragm. This causes
the second problem which is improper or
labored breathing. The larger the F.O.B.
Syndrome, the more difficult it is to get
into a comfortable prone position.
The key to all good shooting is position. A good position is one that is comfortable. Your breathing should be easy.
Nothing should feel strained. Your bone
structure, rather than soft tissue, should
be supporting the gun. It is hard to do this
lying on your stomach.
Of late I have been experimenting
with a modified Creedmoor position. That
is, instead of laying on my stomach, I
lay on my back or side. Unlike a true
Creedmoor position, the pistol shooter
should never assume a position in which
the gun is shooting over any body part.
That could be a safety hazard, especially
for those with F.O.B. Syndrome. What
seems to work well for me is a position
where I am on my side, shooting onehanded, almost as if I were in a onehanded offhand position but laying on
the ground. The arm and leg not next to
the ground may be bent to brace the rest
of the body. Care must be taken with the
gun arm not to take a position that creates
strain on the elbow. Although good scores
can be obtained for a short while with
elbow strain, you will eventually develop
tennis elbow and not be able to shoot at
all. Experiment with this position until
you find something that is comfortable
but places no undue strain on the elbow.
Probably the most dangerous problem with F.O.B. Syndrome is vision.
Vision changes impact all of us as we get
older. The other day some friends invited
me to go to the range from work. They
said they would give me all the equipment
I needed. What I did not have was my
bifocal aviator glasses.
When I am not shooting, I like those
little reading glasses that come in a metal
case about the size of a fat cigar. I carry
them with ease in my pocket and I am not
forever breaking the glasses. The glasses
are only one inch wide. They were not
much help shooting. Because they were
small, I had to wear a second pair of
safety glasses over them and then juggle
to get ear protection over both pairs.
When I held my head in the proper position, I could not see out of the glasses. I
had to hold my head in an extreme, rear
extended position to see. That threw off
my balance. It looked strange and I did
not shoot very well.
Those who must wear bifocals at all
times, as opposed to those who just use
reading glasses, have less of a problem. I
wear contact lenses for distance and use
reading glasses to see up close. When
I shoot, I use bifocal shooting glasses.
Without them I have trouble seeing the
sights. Surgical correction of my near
sightedness would not help because I
would still need glasses to see up close.
At one point I tried bifocal contact lenses.
These may work for some people, but I
had double vision with them. They did
not improve my shooting scores.
Obviously the solution is to wear the
bifocal shooting glasses. But is this really
a good solution? If the only thing you do
is target shoot, then special glasses work
fine. But what if you are also carrying for
protection? You will not be able to ask
an assailant to wait while you find your
shooting glasses. All people who train for
emergencies, or high stress situations, say
that you must train as you will be expect-
Continued on page 5
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 5
Commentary: Pat Choate
Outsourcing U.S.
Patent Searches
For more than three decades, the
Government of Japan and a number
of big multinational corporations
from Europe and the United States
have been trying to weaken the U.S.
Patent System.
In 1999, they tried, for instance,
to change the rules so that a patent
went to the first person to file an
application at the Patent Office as
opposed to the first person to actually invent something. Common
sense prevailed in that instance and
the first-to-invent rule still prevails.
Another cherished goal of these
big companies is to get an advanced
peek at patent applications. Too
often, at least for the multinationals, individual American inventors
have come up with innovations that
have undercut their less inventive
counterparts in the corporate world.
Consequently, the big guys persuaded Congress in 1999 to publish the
entire patent application only 18
months after submission, even if a
patent was not yet issued.
Put into perspective, patents on
average now take 42 months to
review. Thus, anyone from Japan,
Europe, China or even big U.S.
corporations can see the details of a
patent proposal months before it is
fully protected.
Congress justified this historic
change in U.S. policy by allowing the inventor to sue if someone pirates their invention from the
unprotected filing.
As outrageous as this 18-month
rule is, it is not enough for the big
guys. Now, they have persuaded the House Judiciary Committee
and the Bush Administration that
they should enact legislation that
would remove the Patent Office
from Congressional Oversight and
allow that office to outsource patent
examinations to private firms here
and abroad.
This legislation (HR 1561)
almost was enacted by the House of
Representatives last week. It was
not because two Members not on
Judiciary learned of it and sent a joint
alert letter to the other Members.
The letter by Representatives Marcy
Kaptur (D-OH) and Duncan Hunter
(R-CA) caused a minor firestorm.
As a result, the bill was pulled.
But it will be back in a week
or so. Lobbyists from the big guys
already are trying to grease the skids
to get this perverse piece of legislation enacted before the public learns
more about it.
The fact that this legislation has
gotten this far says much about this
Congress’s indifference to the ongoing job losses in the U.S. economy.
Someone should whisper in their
ear that if this continues, their jobs
that will be at risk too.
PAT CHOATE
The FOB Syndrome
Continued from page 4
The Penny Press Tips Its Cap To:
Jack Galardi for generously offering to pay the City of Las Vegas the million
dollar fine they assessed him for his liquor license at Cheetahs instead of closing him down and also offering to withdraw the appeal of the fine. What a deal.
Considering his ex-partner son Mike plead guilty to bribery of public officials
Galardi is lucky to be in a position to even talk to the folks at cityhall.
All of the folks at the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Photo
Marketing Association who made their respective conventions and trade shows
possible this past weekend. The events were well attended, well run and a
reflection of what may be the future of Las Vegas. Two 30,000 people shows
in a weekend instead of one 50,000 person show. Come back soon. (They are
both scheduled here for next year.)
The Penny Press Sends A Bronx Cheer
And A Bouquet of Weeds To:
The Transportation Safety Administration which, faced with a lot of people
moving through McCarran Field can't seem to get it right on the days after
large conventions break up or the end of a holiday weekend or both. We
did, however, notice a separate (and short) screening line for first class
passengers leading into the D gates in mid-January. How nice. Sucking up
to first class flyers while the average Joe stand in line for hours. Your tax
dollars at work.
ed to perform. That is, if you do not wear your corrected vision shooting glasses at all
times, you should not practice defensive shooting wearing them. If you do, when you
have to use your gun in a defensive situation, you will suddenly realize you cannot see
your sights. This will cause a moment of hesitation and that can mean the difference
between success and failure.
If you have F.O.B. eye problems, you have a number of alternatives. 1. You may
be able to be fitted with bifocal contact lenses. 2. If you use contact lenses, try wearing
only one. That one should be in your weak eye. Let your dominant eye become your
close vision eye. This is not a good solution if you aim with one eye because, although
you will be able to see the sights, you will not be able to find the target. 3.You may
decide that your best choice for home defense is a shotgun. 4. Try to find a handgun
with really big sights that you can see without your reading glasses. 5. If none of the
above solutions are acceptable, then you must learn to instinct shoot. Instinct shooting
is shooting without using the gun’s sights. Many of the world’s best shooters have been
instinct shooters. There are a number of books on instinct shooting.
Because most defensive shooting takes place at close range, your goal is to be
able to place all your shots on a man sized target at no more than 25 feet. The average
defensive shooting, I believe, is 10 feet or less. Beyond that distance you probably do
not have legal justification to use deadly force.
Instinct shooting requires you to re-think your equipment. You need a gun with
a good natural point of aim. That means when you hold the gun comfortably, without looking, the barrel naturally points straight ahead and parallel to the ground. For
example, if you hold a Colt Government .45 pistol in a relaxed hand, you will discover
that the gun wants to point downward at a 45% angle. Cowboy guns, on the other hand,
tend to point straight ahead. Elmer Keith’s book, Sixguns has an excellent description
of the natural point of aim. When you try your gun out, pick it up and point it without
looking. Do not think about where the gun is. Just do everything comfortably. The last
thing you do is look at the gun. You will see where its natural point of aim is. You want
a gun that will point on target without your thinking about it.
Instinct shooting is based upon the premise that we can all point at objects. If you
hold the gun so that the sights naturally line up, you can hit what you are pointing at
without using the sights. It takes practice, but it can be done.
If you opt to practice instinct shooting, make sure you have a good backstop and
a clear field of fire as your first attempts are apt to be a little wild. Do not let F.O.B.
Syndrome keep you from the shooting sports. Remember Mae West was the leading
lady in some classic cowboy movies and she owned a gun.
OPINION
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 6
From The Publisher...
We've Got No Ethics Problems Here...
Let’s see if we can get this straight.
make things right with his subjects.
Las Vegas City Councilman Michael Mack takes a $60,000
loan from a local car dealer, votes against allowing that car
dealer’s competitor zoning for a dealership which would be
located near that dealer, goes broke in his personal business, says that he “forgot” the loan, goes into business with
the Mayor’s son as some sort of “consultant” and is found
not to have any ethical problems.
And, so it came to pass that the king went out into the kingdom to meet his subjects face to face.
Mayor Oscar Goodman hosts a “coming out” party for his
son and Mack’s new business venture at a national Mayor’s
conference, neglecting to point out that his trip was paid for
by the long-suffering Las Vegas taxpayers. No ethic violations there.
When he did that, of course, he had to drink from the general kingdom’s water supply and became as crazy as his
subjects.
Whereupon his subjects said, “Rejoice, the king is not crazy
any more!”
If we have done a good and proper job of telling this old
political fable, we should not have to explain its application
here.
County Commissioner Yvonne Gates shakes down casino So, instead, we’ll get to the point. Abuse of power.
operators who she has a say in licensing for locations to
place her “Fat Tuesday’s” franchise and gets an ethical We don’t know whether or not Janet Moncrief has violated
state campaign finance laws. But we damn sure can smell
pass.
the smell from the incidents we noted in the beginning of
City Councilwoman Lynette McDonald takes a place on the this editorial and the smell of whitewash is overpowering.
board of Station Casinos, Inc., a company which has locaSo we find it just a bit on the odd side that all of the power
tions she regulates and there’s no ethical violation there.
and majesty of the State of Nevada, which fined Wendell
But Janet Moncrief beats a city councilman so ethically Williams and then let him pay off that fine in $100 a month
challenged that the VOTERS throw him out of office, Mike installments, which tried to violate the First Amendment and
McDonald, and the state indicts HER for campaign finance fine Bob Beers for saying something the state didn’t like,
should be arrayed against the nurse who beat McDonald in
violations.
a city council election.
This reminds us of a story.
We agree with the state that campaign finance laws should
Once upon a time, there was a king who was much beloved count for something.
by his loyal subjects.
And enforcing them should not be at the whim of people
Until, one day, something polluted the kingdom’s water sup- who are allowed to lie, then change their testimony, and
ply and everybody went crazy ― except of course the king maybe lie some more. Frankly, none of the witnesses in
who lived in the castle and drank from a protected water this brou ha ha has the least bit of credibility but that has
never stopped this state’s political enforcement apparatus
supply.
from getting into a state of high dudgeon.
The subjects, all being crazy, began to think that the king
who had not been drinking from their water supply, was los- If she did do what she is accused of, she should get the
same slap on the wrist which Williams got. If she didn’t, she
ing it. And they began talking about replacing him.
should slap the state and everyone involved with a billion
The castle advisors, who also drank from the castle’s water dollar civil rights action which, if she has good lawyers who
supply, began to pick up this chatter and began to get a aren’t part of the Mayor’s club, may do a lot more damage
little nervous. They relayed their concerns to the king who than she did when she clotheslined McDonald.
FRED WEINBERG
looked at them and suggested that he tour the kingdom and
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 7
Commentary: Doug French
Requiem for an
Entrepreneur
The public’s image of entrepreneurs and businessmen as mean, conniving, miserly, greedy crooks has
been shaped from the time of Charles
Dickens’s Ebenezer Scrooge to the
modern day Michael Douglas character, Gordon Gekko, in the movie Wall
Street.
This image essentially puts a face
to the Marxist class struggle theory.
According to the theory, “the primary
form of exploitation is economic,”
explains professor Hans-Hermann
Hoppe in Requiem for Marx, “The
ruling class expropriates part of the
productive output of the exploited
or, as Marxists say, ‘it appropriates a
social surplus product’ and uses it for
its own consumptive purposes.”
Of course, the negative stereotype
of businessmen is as false as Marxist
theory itself. While millions have, and
continue to, suffer under Marxist or
socialist economic regimes, entrepreneurs at work in the capitalist world
invest capital, organize resources,
develop new products, create jobs
and make the world a better place for
the millions that are affected by their
energy and vision.
“The vehicle of economic progress,” wrote Ludwig von Mises in
Human Action, “is the accumulation
of additional capital goods by means
of saving and improvement in technological methods of production the
execution of which is almost always
conditioned by the availability of new
capital. The agents of progress are
the promoting entrepreneurs intent
upon profiting by means of adjusting
the conduct of affairs to the best possible satisfaction of the consumers. In
the performance of their projects for
the realization of progress they are
bound to share the benefits derived
from progress with the workers and
also with a part of the capitalists and
landowners and to increase the portion allotted to these people step by
step until their own share melts away
entirely.”
Ronald Yanke, an entrepreneur
who touched the lives of thousands,
died February 3rd in Boise, Idaho at
the age of 68. Yanke grew up working
in his father’s machine shop and took
over the family business in 1973 upon
his father’s passing. Yanke Machine
Shop is now in its 62nd year in
business, serving contractors, mining
companies and the forestry industry.
Speaking at Yanke’s funeral service,
Tom Nicholson, Yanke’s friend of
55 years, mentioned a number of
machine shop employees who had
worked for the business for over 50
years. Nicholson told the hundreds
in attendance that Yanke would “do
anything for any employee,” and that
in turn, “the employees would walk
through fire for him.”
The machine shop business was
just the beginning for Yanke. He
owned two sawmills in Montana, a
charter air service company, and a
company that manufacturers firefighting equipment. He was also a rancher
and owned vast amounts of timberland in the western United States
as well as owning and developing a
number of other real estate projects.
Yanke also held significant ownership
interests in a mechanical contracting
firm, a manufactured housing firm
and two banks.
But, Yanke is best known for being
one of the three original investors
in Micron Technology, the secondlargest memory chip manufacturer in
the world and the largest private-sector employer in Idaho. Yanke, along
with Nicholson and another friend
Allen Noble funded brothers Ward
and Joe Parkinson who started Micron
in 1978 in the basement of a dentist’s
office. As Ward Parkinson told Idaho
Statesman reporter Julie Howard,
“There wouldn’t be a Micron if it
wasn’t for Ron.”
From those humble beginnings,
Micron stock is now traded on the
New York Stock Exchange and the
company has $7.5 billion in assets,
$5.4 billion in shareholder equity and
17,000 employees worldwide.
Ronald Yanke was a big man, with
a larger than life personality. It’s been
said that he never had a bad day, and
you should believe it. The only other
person this writer has been around
who was as constantly cheerful as
Yanke was Murray Rothbard.
Reverend James Wilson told those
at the Yanke funeral that there was
“not a mean bone in Ron Yanke’s
body,” and described him as a “gentleman” in the true sense of the word
– “a gentle man.” Friend Jim Nelson
told those assembled that Yanke was
the “hardest worker anyone had ever
seen,” and “the hardest player anyone
had ever seen.”
Nickolson amplified that point,
telling the crowd that Yanke had one
speed for both work and play – peddle
to the metal.
Despite being a man with considerable wealth, Yanke’s tastes were not
expensive. A story Jim Nelson told the
Idaho Statesman illustrates the point.
“We flew to Australia with our wives
in 1985, and I said it’s a 12-hour flight,
we could upgrade to business class for
$1,200 and be a lot more comfortable.
Ron said if we flew coach, we could
make $100 an hour. So we flew coach
and he sang ‘We’re making $100 an
hour.’ He wasn’t stingy, but he was
certainly cognizant about money.”
Yanke was a big supporter of the
Boise State University football program, and would allow the coaches
to use his airplane for recruiting trips.
However, to attend bank board meet-
ings once a month in Las Vegas,
Yanke, Son-in-law Bryan Norby and
Tom Nicholson would fly Southwest
Airlines, with lunch after board meetings being at the soup-and-salad bar
in a small local casino.
The Boise media has not mentioned Ron Yanke’s investment in a
community bank located in southern
Nevada. In relation to Micron and
some of his other businesses, the
bank is probably too small to merit
mention. But, just as in the case of
Micron, there wouldn’t be a Silver
State Bank if it wasn’t for Ron. Yanke
and Nicholson invested $5 million to
start the bank eight years ago. Today
the bank has $520 million in assets
and employs over 120 people.
As one of those employees, I thank
my lucky stars for Ron Yanke and his
friend Tom Nicholson for the opportunities they have created for me. If it
were not for people like Ron Yanke,
the world would not only be a poorer
place but an emptier place. There will
never be another Ron Yanke and very
few like him. As Jim Nelson said at
Ron’s funeral, “God doesn’t make too
many like Ron Yanke. They are too
complicated.”
The words of Jimmy Buffett and
Mac McAnally from “Oysters And
Pearls” say it best:
How does it happen,
How do we know,
Who sits and watches
Who does the show?
Some people love to lead
And some refuse to dance.
Some play it safely
Others take a chance.
Still it’s all a mystery
This place we call the world
Where most live as oysters
While some become pearls.
Ronald Yanke was the most precious of pearls.
DOUG FRENCH
Investor Special Investor Special Investor Special
Under $115,000 with built in tenant. Three bedroom home/over 1100 sq.ft.
Well Maintained/Seller requests rent back until the end of March 2004.
LIBERTY REALTY
Randall Vincent 232-6603
Investor Special Investor Special Investor Special
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 8
The Best Vegas Calendar BAR NONE!
By Billhere
brought to you by the VIVA LAS VEGAS NEWSLETTER.
Subscriptions to the free, e-mailed, and complete index of Las Vegas coupons is available on the internet at:
http://www.billhere.com/free.html
FEBRUARY, 2004
===============
+++++
Thru Feb.22= Elton John - Caesars Palace.
+++++
Thru Feb.22= Shelley Berman - Improv Comedy Club in Harrah’s.
+++++
Thru Feb.29= Martin Nievera - Golden Nugget.
+++++
Thru May 2= “A Century of Painting: From Renoir to Rothko” exhibit
in the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in the Venetian. Eleven of the
37 paintings have been shown before.
+++++
Thru Sep.13= Monet Art Exhibit - Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.
+++++
18-22= Debbie Reynolds - Orleans.
19-21= “RENT” - Aladdin.
19-22= JAMZ Cheerleading Championship - Aladdin. Info.:
http://www.jamzcheer.com/nationals.htm
19-22= Boat, RV & Travel Show - Cashman Center.
19-22= World Archery Festival - Riviera. Info.:
http://www.worldarcheryfestival.com/tournaments/vegas/
19-Mar.3= George Carlin - MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre.
20= John Mayer - Mandalay Bay Events Center.
20= Eddie Money - Silverton.
20= Linkin Park Live - Thomas & Mack.
20-21= Etta James - Las Vegas Hilton.
20-21= Hall & Oates - Paris Las Vegas.
20-22= Consumers Golf Show - Orleans Arena.
20-22= Gifts & Crafts Show - Plaza.
20-22= Kraig Parker (The King Lives - Elvis Tribute) - Suncoast.
20-22= Streetcar Named Desire-Nevada Ballet Theatre-UNLV.
21= Rickey Van Shelton - Silverton.
22= Marvin Hamlisch - UNLV Ham Hall.
23-26= MAGIC Clothing Convention-various locales Info.:
http://www.magiconline.com/home.htm
+++++
25= Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company opening a tattoo parlor Palms. (The first tattoo parlor in any casino. They already have a
fortune teller’s booth. Congratulations to the Palms for trying something new but don’t look for me in the line!) Internet site:
http://www.hartandhuntingtontattoo.com
+++++
26-29= Ann-Margret - Orleans.
27= Rufus Wainwright - Hard Rock Hotel.
27= Boxing - Orleans.
27-28= Hotel California (Eagles Tribute) - Silverton.
27-29= Ben Vereen - Suncoast.
28= REO Speedwagon - Buffalo Bill’s Star Arena.
28= Luciano Pavarotti - The Colosseum in Caesars Palace.
28= Enrique Iglesias - Hard Rock.
28= Liz Phair - House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.
28= Boxing. Chavez vs. Morales-MGM Grand Arena.[HBO-TV]
28= Merle Haggard - Texas Station.
28-29= Kenny Loggins - Paris Las Vegas.
29= Yes, there is a February 29th this year!
29= Martin Nievera Show closing - Golden Nugget.
+++++
+++++
Feb.??, 2004= Hawaiian Marketplace opening $140 million, twostory, shopping center with 60 stores and 12 fast food restaurants.
Located on The Strip just south of Harmon in place of the Polo
Plaza shopping center in front of the Polo Towers. The Polynesianthemed center will recreate the look and feel of the International
Marketplace in Honolulu, Hawaii. Some of the announced stores are:
Pearl Factory, Zebra Shoes, Massage Zone, The Stogie Shop, Wild
Flower, Creative Edge BodyJewelry, Glamour Women’s Accessories,
Suncatchers, Oxygen Bar, and an ER Urgent Care Center. Info. at:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Jan-12-Mon-2004/
business/22940294.html
+++++
Feb.??, 2004= TAO Restaurant & Nightclub opening, taking the place
of WB Stage 16 in the Grand Canal Shoppes in the Venetian.
MARCH, 2004
============
1= New Robert N. Broadbent Las Vegas Monorail grand opening.
(Delayed from January 20th, 2004.) Will go from MGM Grand all
the way to the Sahara. Monorail trains will have huge advertising
on them to help defray costs. Will operate daily from 6 a.m. to
2 a.m., take 15-minutes, and cost $3 one way, $5.50 round trip.
Information:
http://www.lvmonorail.com
Picture and story at:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Apr-08-Tue-2003/
news/21058377.html
NOTE: The old section from MGM Grand to Bally’s is now closed and
will NOT re-open until March 1, 2004 as part of the above.
+++++
1= New nonstop air service from Austin, El Paso and San Antonio,
Texas. Also from Cleveland, Ohio. Also from Canada; Edmonton,
Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia.- America West. America
West Airlines (now has 107 daily LV departures from 47 cities) and is
the second largest airline operating out of Las Vegas after Southwest
(who has 184 LV daily departures from 43 cities).
+++++
1-3= Three Card Poker Tournament - Golden Nugget.
2= Melissa Etheridge - Hard Rock Hotel.
3= 311 - House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.
4-7= Charlie Daniels Band - Orleans.
4-10= Howie Mandel - MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre.
5= Chris Rock - MGM Grand Garden Arena.
5= Three Dog Night - Silverton.
5-6= Scrapbook & Stampers Expo - Stardust.
5-7= NASCAR Weekend. L.V. Motor Speedway. Information:
http://www.lvms.com/schedules/
5-7= Sergio Mendes - Suncoast.
6= Britney Spears - MGM Grand Garden Arena.
6= Mark Chestnutt - Silverton.
6= Paula Poundstone - Sunset Station.
7-10= Nightclub Trade Show - LV Hilton. Info.:
http://www.nightclub.com/conventions/vegas04/brochure/index.
html
7-11= Gift & Jewelry Show - LV Convention Ctr. & Mirage. Info.:
http://www.merchandisegroup.com/merchandise/asd_spring/index.
jsp
8= Spirit of the Dance re-opens - Golden Nugget.
9-11= Bingo World Expo - Riviera. Info.:
http://www.bingoexpo.com
9-May 9= The Fab Four - Las Vegas Hilton.
10-13= Chicago - Stardust.
11-14= Ray Stevens - The Orleans.
11-17= Paul Anka - MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre.
12= Boxing - Orleans.
12= Newport Jazz Festival Tour - UNLV Ham Hall.
12-14= Tony Danza - Suncoast.
13= St.Patrick’s Day Parade-Fremont St. Experience. Info.:
http://lvsoe.com/events/st_patricks_parade/parade_main.htm
+++++
13= Boxing. Sugar Shane Mosley vs. Ronald “Winky” Wright
Mandalay Bay Events Center. [HBO-TV]
Please e-mail errors, omissions and additions to:
billhere@VegasResource.com
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 9
Listen To America's Most
Respected Commentator
On Las Vegas' Most
Respected Radio Station
Weekdays at 5:30am,7:30am,Noon, 5:53pm
When You Need To Know
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 10
Commentary: Albert Thomas
It’s Better
Question: How does it get better when it
gets worse?
Last week we had a jobs report from
Washington that there were fewer jobs created
than they had anticipated, but the stock market
took that as good news and the DOW had a
strong rally. WOW! The bad news somehow
turned into good news because the unemployment rate dropped one tenth of one percent.
Wait a minute. We had fewer employed
yet the unemployment rate went down. How
can that be? It seems that if you have been out
of work for a while and your unemployment
benefits have run out and you have become so
discouraged you are no longer looking for work
you are not counted as unemployed. You should
read that sentence again. This is government
statistics to make you think that black is white.
It is pointed out that many in that category
have gone into business for themselves so they
don’t count – as they should not. Remember
that people work to provide income and most
folks work for other folks. Usually new businesses take about 18 months to get to break
even so these entrepreneurs must eat of their
savings until new purchasing power is realized.
(I know. I’ve been there.) Unfortunately, 80% The market is going up on anticipation.
Now you’ve got it. The bad news is really
of new businesses fail within the first 5 years.
good news. And the stock market always comes
(I’ve been there too.)
It is amazing that the stock market can find back.
enough new money to propel it higher. Where
ALBERT THOMAS
is all this cash coming from? You can thank Sir
Copyright Albert W. Thomas All rights reserved. Author
Alan Greenspan, head of the Federal Reserve.
of “If It Doesn’t Go Up, Don’t Buy It!” www.mutualfundHe has been flooding the economy with cash magic.com comments to al@mutualfundmagic.com
so banks will have cheap money to make loans
to businesses yet when I look at the trend of
Commercial Bank Loans for the past 2 years
they have been steadily declining. Banks want
to loan, but businesses don’t want to increase
their borrowing for expansion. No expansion,
no new jobs created.
Why don’t the businesses want to buy new
machinery to expand their production and hire
new people? Because they have excess production capacity now. According to business
surveys most companies are only running their
plants at 75% of capacity. When you have 100
machines of which only 75 are working why
would anyone buy more to produce nothing?
Yet the stock market keeps going up. Why?
Investors believe, rightly or wrongly, that there
is light at the end of the tunnel. Things will
get better. They think world buying will pick
up and capacity utilization will increase to the
point more machines and workers will be hired.
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 11
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 12
Kyle Busch To Make Nextel Cup Series Debut In Las Vegas
Special to the Penny Press
Kyle Busch will be a busy man
during the NASCAR Weekend at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In addition, to running the Sam’s
Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series
race on March 6, the 18-year old
Durango High graduate will attempt
to qualify for his first ever Nextel
Cup event at his hometown track.
This will be the first time that
Kyle will get the chance to race in
head-to-head competition with older
brother, Kurt, in a nationally-sanctioned event. Their only previous
duels came in Legends and Dwarf
cars.
“I didn’t expect to be racing
against Kurt so soon, but I’m excited
to do it, especially here at home,”
said Kyle Busch. “This is going to
be a special weekend for me and my
entire family.”
If running both the Busch and
Cup races isn’t enough, Busch
also plans to compete in both a
Super Late Model and a Legends
Car at the Southern Nevada Dodge
Dealers Showdown at the Bullring
on Saturday night after the Sam’s
Town 300.
“Racing is what I do,” Busch
said. “I love to race. I grew up on
the Bullring and won a lot of races
there. I’m looking forward to a really big weekend.”
Kyle and Kurt Busch were among
the many drivers that tested their
cars in Vegas during the last week of
January, prior to the start of the racing season. The teams used the pre-
season testing to their advantage and
were able to work out a number of
technical issues that have arisen due
to the many changes NASCAR has
made to the cars since last season.
Kyle is in the majority of drivers in
the fact that he is having difficulties
getting used to the new spoiler and
tires on the car.
“They (the tires) just don’t stick
like they used to. Hopefully we can
get back to the feeling of the car
from last year. Once we do that, I’ll
be comfortable again,” Kyle said.
Kyle spent the entire week at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway testing both his Busch Series car, as
well as his Nextel Cup Series car.
He is scheduled to run the entire
2004 Busch Series along with seven
Nextel Cup Series races, which
includes his debut race in the UAWDaimlerChrysler 400.
Kyle is taking a relaxed approach
to his first Nextel Cup event.
“Pressure? What pressure?” Kyle
said. “It’s just another race and
another race track. We’re just going
to go out there and do the best we
can, and hopefully I’ll put on a
good showing for my family and
friends.”
Apparently pressure is not a big
issue for Kyle, who kicked off his
racing season with a win for the
Hendrick Motorsports team at the
ARCA race in Daytona. Despite a
24th-place finish in the Busch Series
event at Daytona due to mechanical
problems, Busch will be one of the
cars to beat at Las Vegas.
Welcome to the Psychic Corner with VISOR
Week of February 20, thru February 26, 2004
Happy Chinese New Year! The Year of the Monkey starts on January 22nd, promising a year of nutty
Monkey energy, parties, good times and (yes, indeed!) is monkeying around. The whole world will be
curious, funny and ready for love -- so get ready for YOUR Year of the Monkey
Aries
Mar. 21- April 20
You’re sprit is alive but is seeking for satisfaction, which makes aggressive hunger for new experiences. Thinking about new cultures makes you
want to visit different places and absorb all that they have to offer.
Sept. 24 -Oct. 23
Libra
Cope with any lingering disappointment by doing something nice for
yourself. Nesting impulses might run stronger on days when you turn
your back on the world. Bring new artwork or plants into your home.
Apr. 21- may 21
Taurus
You can’t be renowned every day of your life. And if you really you think
about it, you in all probability wouldn’t want to be. There’s no need to
fiddle with current agreements, either. Although you no longer see the
need for particular agreements, honor thy situations because others still
have something to gain form them.
Oct. 24 - Nov. 22
Scorpio
The meaning of life becomes clear in a flash. Of course, having insight
is a long way from explaining to everyone. This could take hours if you
pursue it to its logical conclusion.
May 22-June 21
Gemini
There’s no pressure to move on when everyone is happy where he or
she is. And if somebody feels restless, he or she can just get up and go
without you.
Cancer
June 22-July 22
Getting involved in an ego clash is worse than useless. Instead, you should
be building bridges with whatever material comes into your hands.
July 23-Aug 22
Leo
Whether the subject is friendship, habits or other ways of being, this
could be a day of endings or beginnings. Your direction depends on your
outlook. Just in case excess could be a problem, be moderate for now.
Aug. 23 -Sept. 23
Virgo
You might also gain access to certain privileges that were beyond your
reach until now. Grand visions and sweeping pronouncements work for
others, but your true brilliance lies in how you put all the pieces together.
Nov. 23 -Dec. 21
Sagittarius
Taking the longer view and then mapping it out will pay off in the long run.
Don’t scoff at measurable dividends. You need this kind of predictability in
your life. There’s nothing wrong with a little comfort and safety.
Dec. 22 - Jan. 20
Capricorn
Despite that satisfying sense of closure, you’ll never be completely finished. Whatever you undertake now feels like your life work. Nobody gets
between you and the call that must be answered.
Jan. 21 -Feb. 19
Aquarius
They’re entitled to their opinions. Maybe you’ll prove them wrong, but
maybe it’s not worth bending over backwards to try. Pleasing yourself is
challenging enough in times like these.
Feb. 20-Mar. 20
Pisces
But all of this doesn’t mean that you can write your own ticket. You might
not get the reward that you expected, but don’t worry. Something equally
acceptable is coming your way. Making a friend is better than a little extra
money to put in your pocket.
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 13
A little over two years ago, some Las Vegas businessmen
brought Parnelli Jones over to the studios of a radio station
I used to own to do some radio commercials for a product
they invented called Rollgard...
Keep in mind, that having owned the official radio station of the Las Vegas Motor
Speedway, I had a lot of friends in common with Parnelli and we started talking
about the product.
He saw my truck outside, a 1999 4 Wheel Drive Ford F-150 (since sent to truck
heaven), and arranged for the owners of the company to install Rollgard on the
truck, telling me that I really had to have it. Said it would make the truck handle
like a Corvette.
That was in August of 2001.
I now have the distinction of having driven almost 150,000 miles in three big
trucks that were Rollgard equipped.
I was impressed then and I’m so impressed now that I own stock in the company
that makes Rollgard.
Parnelli knows trucks,
driving and suspensions and he was
right.
Simply put, Rollgard
makes any big truck
with leaf springs handle like a high performance sports car.
For less than $400. Here’s the F-150. We put about 50,000
miles on it with Rollgard
The F-150 has been
replaced with a 2002 4-Wheel Drive Ford Excursion. That’s
the biggest, heaviest production passenger vehicle sold in the
United States. The SUV Nazi’s hate it, but they don’t live on Mt.
Charleston and have to deal with 10 feet of snow every year. I
love it and Rollgard tamed that beast on the highway as well as
Yes, the Excursion is big. With Rollgard, it is very well behaved! the winding mountain roads.
Rollgard looks simple, but is based on solid scientific principles as
applied by a race car designer to fix some of the faults inherent in truck based vehicles with high centers of gravity.
They lower the center of gravity of a truck or SUV and restore your ability to steer without making constant corrections.
With Rollgard, the truck or SUV goes where you point it. It keeps your rear wheels flat on the ground and you don’t sway in
your track. This means that you can drive at normal speeds safely on the interstate and you are much less likely to roll over
in the event of a sudden maneuver. It raises your margin of error.
Rollgard fits on any vehicle which uses leaf springs, take about 30 minutes to install and cost $395.
But, because the company which manufactures Rollgard is here in Las Vegas, you
can buy it direct and save. In this ad is a coupon for $100 off the price AND free
installation in the Rollgard shop, here in Las Vegas.
If you have any questions about Rollgard, you can call me, Fred Weinberg, at my
office, 702-740-5588
If I’ve done a good job selling you, call Rollgard at 312-6124 and tell them you want
one installed as soon as they can. You’ve got nothing to lose because there is a 30day money back guarantee, no questions asked.
NOW!
FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!
Bring In this ad and get $100 off
Rollgard and Free Installation!
Offer Good To February 28, 2004
THE PENNY PRESS, FEBRUARY 19, 2004 PAGE 14
Real Estate: Blaze Winslow
Editor’s Note. Blaze Winslow is a
long-time Las Vegas Realtor who
has graciously agreed to answer
questions phoned, faxed, or emailed
to the Penny Press. Since the residential market in Las Vegas is so hot
and this is what he specializes in,
we thought this would be a chance
for our readers to get their questions
answered easily. He can be reached
at 349-6228 and he loves to talk real
estate.
replace your shingle roof with
tile. The first thing to do is hire a
construction engineer to see if your
framing will accommodate a tile
roof. Many homes with shingle roofs
will not support a tile roof without
reinforcement of the frame.
Next you must consider if the cost
will be worth it. If several homes (if
you live) in your subdivision have tile
roofs then you might get your money
Q. How old does someone have to back when you sell. But if you are
the only one with a tile roof then you
be to buy a house. Billy B.
will have what is known as a “nonA..I don’t know that there are any conforming” property and there is a
age requirements to OWN a home, good chance you won’t recoup your
but the minimum age for obtaining a investment.
mortgage is 18.
Q. We have 5 cats and they have
Q. Our home is 20 years old and done a pretty good job of wearing
has a shingle roof and needs our carpet. We are about to put
replacement. Do you think we our home on the market and were
should replace the roof with tile? wondering if we should replace the
Walter & Madge L.
carpet or give a carpet allowance.
Bill & Beverly P.
A. There are a couple of things
to consider before you decide to A. I’m not a big fan of allowances of
PHOTO BY ANGIE TOMASHOWSKI
Indian Springs High School Cheerleaders pose in their
Pro Bowl uniforms last week in Hawaii. L-R, Laura
Anderson, Britney Dobrin and Katie Tomashowski made
the trip.
any kind. First of all your home will
not show well if it needs new carpet.
If a prospective buyer sees worn and
torn carpet it may trigger a red flag
that there are other problems with
the home. Invest in new (it doesn’t
have to be the top of the line) carpet.
and price the home right.
documentation do we need? Bob
& Betty L.
A. All I can say is you’ve got a lot
of nerve asking someone who makes
his living selling homes for advice.
Q. When we decided to replace our
carpet we discovered a large crack
in the slab. We are afraid this
might cause problems in the future
when we decide to sell. What do
you think we should do? Jack &
Margaret B.
Q. We asked our agent to show
us homes in a certain (ethnic)
neighborhood and she freaked out
on us. She said if we ever asked the
question again she would refuse to
represent us. Can she do this?
A. That is a legal question that
A. I don’t know where your homeland requires the services of an attorney.
is but this is the good old USA and Tell him to refer to NRS 113 and it
we take Fair Housing very seriously. will probably save you a few dollars
You asked your agent to violate Fair in research fees. If you can prove that
Housing laws by steering you to an the seller knew about this problem at
ethnic neighborhood. If you specified the time of sale, I think you might
your wanted to see a specific home in have a good case. Just remember
a certain area, then that is a different this. When you sell your home,
you must disclose the defect to the
story.
buyers.
Q. We are going to sell our home
“For Sale By Owner”. What
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