The Old Blog in the Desert

Jack was married to the lovely and enchanting Alice, whose penchant for misplacing things was as legendary as her charm. The couple often joked that “I’ll put it here for safekeeping” must be an ancient magic spell.

One sunny afternoon, Jack and Alice strolled through the bustling farmers market. As they continued their leisurely walk, Alice’s friend, the equally scatterbrained but endlessly delightful Emily, joined them.

Alice could not help but show Emily her recent purchase. When she finished sharing her latest possession, she said, “I’ll put it here for safekeeping,” sliding it into Jack’s windbreaker pocket.

With a sudden gust of wind and a flurry of sparkles, Jack was no longer in the familiar embrace of his hometown. Frantically, Jack searched for any sign of familiarity but found no compass to guide him home.

Meanwhile, Alice and Emily exchanged bewildered glances as they realized Jack had vanished into thin air.

“Oh dear,” Alice murmured, her brow furrowing with worry. “I think I might have misplaced my husband.”

Please tell me what you want to save.

Is it an open border where the world can send anybody they want through it, including terrorists,  where children are trafficked to sex rings?
Is it the new laws to prosecute the political opposition?
Is it the never-ending printing of money and devaluation of the dollar’s buying ability by the day?
Is it the sterilization of children through gender-affirming care that ends bloodlines before adulthood?
Is it the abolition of property rights, where “squatters” can move in at any time and claim it is theirs, and if you oppose them, you get arrested?
Is it the dissolution of self-defense where if you stop someone after they threaten or hurt everyone around, you will get charged as a criminal because the struggle ended his life?

Please tell me what you want to save.

As a wave of congressional retirements sweeps through Washington, D.C., Nevada’s congressional delegation finds itself on the cusp of potential advancement within committees. While retirements may signify the end of an era for some, they present an opportunity for Nevada’s representatives to elevate their profiles and wield more influence in shaping policy.

In Capitol Hill politics, seniority often translates into power, with longstanding members commanding coveted committee chairmanships and influential roles. With several high-profile retirements looming, Nevada’s congressional delegation could climb the seniority ladder and assume more prominent positions within their respective committees.

Representative Mark Amodei has served in Congress for 12 years and is a leading figure on the Appropriations Committee. As one of the 12 most senior members of the committee, Amodei led the drafting of spending bills, focusing on funding for the legislative branch.

However, with Chair Kay Granger retiring, there is a reshuffling of positions among committee members, including Reps. Tom Cole and Robert Aderholt are vying for the top Republican spot. The reshuffling may lead to Amodei assuming a different role within the committee, possibly dealing with larger bills.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, currently serving her seventh year in the Senate, might gain increased influence within the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. With the impending retirement of Committee Chair Senator Joe Manchin, Cortez Masto emerges as a frontrunner for a leadership role, bolstering her ability to shape legislation on critical issues such as energy and public lands.

Similarly, Senator Jacky Rosen, who is in her fifth year in the Senate, may see expanded responsibilities within the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and the Small Business Committee. With vacancies arising due to retirements and potential shifts in committee leadership, Rosen’s ascent within these committees could enhance her ability to address issues impacting Nevada and the nation.

Among Nevada’s House delegation, Representative Dina Titus and Representative Steven Horsford could capitalize on the changing landscape of committee assignments. With over a decade of experience in the House, Titus stands to assume a leadership role within the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, leveraging her expertise to advocate for critical infrastructure projects benefiting Nevada.

For Horsford, who aims to reclaim a seat on the influential Ways and Means Committee, retirements present a strategic opportunity to reassert his presence in shaping tax policy. With vacancies opening up, Horsford’s return to the committee could coincide with significant legislative initiatives, offering him a platform to advocate for Nevada’s economic interests.

To avoid a partial government shutdown, the House of Representatives unveiled a comprehensive $1.2 trillion spending package on Thursday, March 21, giving Congress six months to finalize funding for government operations through September.

The package, divided into two parts, with the first installment passed by Congress two weeks earlier, includes approximately $886 billion designated for the Defense Department, representing a three percent increase from last year’s levels. Additionally, the bill allocates funds for Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Labor, and others, while the Environmental Protection Agency will experience budget reductions.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called the bill a step toward bolstering national defense and supporting military personnel because one provision include a 5.2 percent pay increase for service members and measures to streamline Pentagon operations.

While Republicans pushed for restrictions on funding to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency following its involvement in attacks by Hamas, and Democrats championed increased humanitarian assistance for Gazan refugees, the smoke screen hid $850 thousand for a gay senior home, $15 million to pay for Egyptian college tuitions, $400 thousand for a gay activist group to teach elementary kids about being trans, $500 thousand for a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) zoo, which is an anti-racist nature appreciation program, $400 thousand for a group that gives clothes to teens to help them hide their gender, $1.5 billion to green energy funding, and $300 to $500 million to Ukraine Secretary Assistance Initiative, an Afghan Special Immigrant Visas program, authorization to support loans to the International Monetary Fund, late-term abortions and a new FBI headquarters. It contains nothing for U.S. border security.

And now, with the Senate’s passage, the amended bill awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.

University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), President Brian Sandoval drew criticism for his handling of comments made by Regent Patrick Boylan regarding transgender women athletes.

During a Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents meeting on Friday, March 1, Boylan commented about “men masquerading as women” in collegiate sports at UNLV. His remarks triggered a nationwide outcry, with calls for his resignation.

Despite mounting pressure, Boylan has refused to step down, asserting that his comments were not inappropriate.

Meanwhile, in an internal memo addressed to faculty, students, and staff, Sandoval condemned the comments as “extremely insensitive, hurtful, and abhorrent.” He claimed there must be a welcoming and safe environment for transgender and gender-diverse individuals on campus, affirming their right to visibility and inclusion.

Critics say Sandoval failed to address the broader issues of biological men being allowed to play in women’s sports. Furthermore, his call for “more education” on Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Access (DEIA) initiatives comes as a lawsuit filed by 16 female college athletes against the NCAA over the participation of transgender competitors in women’s sports.

The central figure in the lawsuit is Lia Thomas, a biological male athlete whose victory in the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships ignited the debate over fairness and inclusion in sports. The plaintiffs are demanding that the NCAA revise its rules to disqualify biological males from competing against female athletes and strip trans athletes of any awards won in those competitions.

Riley Gaines, one of the athletes involved in the lawsuit, stated, “I’m suing the NCAA along with 15 other collegiate athletes who have lost out on titles, records, and roster spots to men posing as women.”

Nevada made history in 2019 by becoming the first in the nation to have a female-majority state legislature. Subsequent initiatives, such as the ceremonial passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) measure in 2022, further solidified its reputation as a trailblazer in the fight for gender equity.

However, as the spotlight turns to UNR and its handling of the transgender issue, the university faces growing criticism. Meanwhile, there are open records requests for the DEIA budget at UNR after staff opposed the required DEIA training for faculty.

President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Reno has ignited fresh debate over election integrity, with critics questioning the legitimacy of his reported 81 million votes.

Biden’s appearance in the city saw a modest turnout of around 50 individuals, prompting skepticism about the electoral process and its outcomes. Accompanying Biden were local figures Hillary Schieve and Alexis Hill, both facing criticism alongside the President for what some perceive as lackluster support.

The disparity between Biden’s modest audience and the enthusiastic crowds drawn by his political counterpart, former President Donald Trump, has long fueled doubts among voters, especially given Nevada’s election procedures, including discrepancies in voter rolls, the handling of mass mail-out ballots, and concerns over signature verification processes.

Furthermore, there is suspicion regarding the security of electronic voting machines and the influence of partisan interests in overseeing elections.
One of the most contentious issues revolves around the resistance to conducting audits or hand counts of ballots, with authorities purportedly shying away from transparency.

Despite mounting calls for reform, efforts to introduce parallel hand counting, seen as a potential safeguard against irregularities, have faced resistance from officials. Recent incidents, such as coding glitches and sudden shifts in election results, have only deepened public skepticism toward the electoral system’s integrity. Moreover, an increase in illegal aliens and automatic voter registration initiatives have raised questions about the accuracy of voter rolls.

As calls for reform grow louder, citizens wonder if the current election system is trustworthy. The reluctance of authorities to address these concerns head-on has only fueled speculation and eroded confidence in the democratic process.

With the upcoming primary elections in June, the debate will intensify as citizens demand accountability and transparency from their elected officials. Meanwhile, the fate of Nevada’s electoral system hangs in the balance as the question remains: Can we trust our election process?

I don’t think so.

Mark Kampf, the top elections official in Nye County, Nevada, known for its rural landscape and recent electoral controversies, has tendered his resignation, according to a letter received by the county.

Kampf gave no reason in the letter but did indicate his resignation would be effective from March 31. County representatives refrained from providing additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding Kampf’s departure.

Kampf assumed the position during claims of widespread election fraud during the 2022 midterms. The county commission, responding to conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election, unanimously voted to discard voting machines, prompting the resignation of Kampf’s predecessor.

Kampf facilitated a hand count, albeit not as the county’s primary method. Instead, the county utilized machines alongside manual counting, leading to clashes with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada (ACLU), which raised concerns about election integrity and efficiency.

The hand-count, initiated in late October 2022, encountered legal hurdles and was temporarily halted following legal challenges by the ACLU and subsequent directives from the secretary of state’s office. Kampf’s tenure also coincided with the candidacy of Jim Marchant, running for secretary of state, who claimed election manipulation and garnered support from a group of so-called election deniers across the country.

Nevada Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, who succeeded Marchant, expressed gratitude to Kampf for his service, acknowledging the challenges faced by election officials amid heightened scrutiny. Kampf’s resignation adds to the turnover among county election officials in Nevada, with several counties witnessing changes in leadership since the 2020 election.

Virginia City, and in 1908, it was a place where whiskey flowed as freely as the jokes in a comedy club, then arrived an unexpected visitor — none other than the formidable Carry Nations.

Now, if you’re not familiar with Carry, let me paint you a picture: she was a temperance advocate with a penchant for smashing up saloons with her trusty hatchet, which she believed was a divine instrument for enforcing sobriety.

As Carry stepped off the Number 11 onto the boardwalk of the V&T Depot, the whole town seemed to shudder with apprehension. Saloon owners exchanged nervous glances, their bottles of bourbon trembling on the shelves.

They knew they were in for a rough ride.

With her stern demeanor and hatchet in hand, Carry wasted no time. She marched through the streets, her mission clear — to rid the Comstock of its sinful ways. But the townsfolk weren’t about to let their beloved watering holes go down without a fight.

The first saloon Carry barged into was at 120 C Street, where they greeted her with jeers.

“Who let this teetotaling tornado into town?” the bartender exclaimed, trying to steady his nerves as Carry brandished her hatchet menacingly.

But Carry wasn’t one to be swayed by heckling. With a determined glint in her eye, she swung her hatchet and brought it down on the bar with a resounding crash. Bottles shattered, whiskey wasted, and patrons scattered like startled chickens.

Like a whirlwind, Carry stormed from one saloon to the next, leaving a trail of broken bottles and stunned faces in her wake. By the end of her two-day rampage, every saloon and bar in Virginia City had shut its doors, cowering in fear of the hatchet-wielding force of nature that had descended upon them.

Let me spin a tale as wild as a drunken cowboy riding a sun-fishing Bhrama bull in a lion-claw bathtub.

Paul Hoyle, a man with what some call a Bostonian-sensibility, while others say it’s just eccentricity and a penchant for dusty things, was at a crossroads during the middle of 2023. While standing outside the Tahoe House, gazing at the historic building with its weathered façade and whispered tales of yesteryears, he was brainstorming and blocking traffic.

As Paul, great-grandnephew of the waxed playing card impresario Jack Hoyle, contemplated his next move, inspiration struck him like a chilly Zephyr on a stormy night.

“Tonopah!” he exclaimed, much to the confusion of passersby.

For in that moment, Paul realized the key to unlocking the doors of success lay in the most unexpected of places — with Carry Nation.

“Why name my antique shop after some boring old historical figure when I can pay homage to a hatchet-wielding maniac?” Paul mused, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

And so, Carry Nation Antiques was born, much to the bewilderment of the locals. With its shelves stocked full of curiosities from times gone by and its walls adorned with a portrait of the infamous temperance crusader, Paul’s shop promises to become the talk of the town.

But why Carry Nation, you ask? Well, let me tell you, dear reader, it’s not just because Paul has a soft spot for hatchets — though that may be part of it — it’s because Carry Nation embodies everything Paul aspires to be: bold, audacious, and unapologetically unique.

Sure, some may scoff at naming a shop after a woman known for smashing up saloons with a hatchet, but Paul saw the genius in it.

“After all, what better way to attract attention than by aligning oneself with a historical figure who wass equal parts feared and revered?” Hoyle said.

And so, as patrons flock to Carry Nation Antiques, drawn in by the promise of quirky treasures and a dash of historical intrigue, Paul stands proudly behind the counter, hatchet in hand, ready to carve out a slice of history at Tahoe House. After all, in a world of dull and mundane hatchets, why not embrace the chaos and raise a toast to the one and only Carry Nation?

A new paid family and medical leave requirement for companies seeking tax breaks in Nevada has sparked debate among economic development officials, who argue that the policy is impeding efforts to attract and retain businesses in the state.

Under the mandate, companies with over 50 employees must offer paid family and medical leave to workers who have completed at least one year of service. This requirement, which took effect as part of a session bill in June, mandates that employees receive at least 55 percent of their salary for up to 12 weeks, surpassing the federal standard set by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which is unpaid.

Tom Burns, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office for Economic Development (GOED), expressed concerns about the impact of the new requirement. He cited a specific case where a company opted against relocating its headquarters to Southern Nevada due to the obligation to provide paid leave, stating that they were unwilling to offer the benefit selectively across different states of operation.

Burns emphasized that the requirement was starting to influence relocation decisions negatively. Tina Quigley, President and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, echoed these concerns, noting that the policy surpassed California standards, making it challenging to attract businesses from neighboring states.

The move aligns with a broader trend, with thirteen states and the District of Columbia already having mandatory paid family and medical leave laws for private employers. However, the stringent nature of the Nevada policy has raised eyebrows within the business community.

Despite criticism from economic development officials, supporters of the policy, including State Sen. Edgar Flores, argue that it promotes a balance between pro-business initiatives and family-friendly practices. Flores championed the bill during legislative sessions, framing it as a means to attract socially responsible businesses to the state.

However, further concerns about the healthcare coverage provided by companies benefiting from tax breaks are also in question. State Sen. Fabian Donaté asked whether companies are covering their employees adequately, pointing to statistics showing a significant number of employees enrolled in Medicaid despite working for companies receiving substantial tax breaks.

GOED’s tax abatement programs mandate that businesses cover 65 percent of employee health insurance premiums, exceeding the Affordable Care Act requirement of 50 percent. Despite this, concerns persist about the affordability of healthcare for some workers, leading to reliance on Medicaid.

Prepare yourself as I present some mild truths that may provoke or confound you.

Allowing the federal government to wield the power to ban any business, including TikTok, is troubling enough. Yet, it plunges to new depths of ignorance and authoritarianism when we permit the President to wield such authority.

This erosion of constitutional boundaries reveals a profound disregard for the limited scope of federal power. It only exacerbates the consequences of a populace misled, naive, and ultimately enslaved by their acquiescence.

Worse, the political party perpetrating this scam is the same that professes to champion small government, conservatism, and constitutional fidelity—the Republicans.

Only willful ignorance or deception can anyone perceive this as a positive development. It lacks constitutional authorization and goes against the principles enshrined within the Constitution.

The control of property equates to ownership of property. When the government seizes control, individuals possess nothing and become enslaved.

Don’t be fooled into believing that such measures only target “foreign-owned businesses.” Recall the assurances made regarding the Patriot Act. It’s merely a pretext to coerce your consent to your subjugation.

Now, onto another contentious viewpoint.

A federal judge in Illinois has recently affirmed that the Constitution safeguards the gun rights of noncitizens who enter the United States unlawfully.

In this regard, she is unequivocally correct. Our rights are inherent, bestowed by our Creator, and merely acknowledged by the government.
Her interpretation, though misguided, serves as a reminder that all gun regulations represent infringements upon our liberties.

If individuals who are in the country illegally can rightfully possess firearms due to their natural, God-given rights, then surely, the same applies to us as citizens. It’s time to leverage this understanding against those who seek to undermine the Second Amendment for the benefit of the U.S. citizen.