LETTERS: Obama recycles by hiring Podesta

To the editor:

It appears that President Barack Obama is doing his part to increase hiring, even if it is at the taxpayers’ expense, by bringing on board none other than John Podesta as an adviser to the administration in a variety of nonspecified areas. For those of you who may not remember, Mr. Podesta served as the Obama White House transition director during the president’s first term, having previously held several positions in the Clinton White House, most notably chief of staff. In fact, Mr. Podesta was active in reclassifying various security documents and oversaw the pardons that Mr. Clinton granted to convicted criminals during his last days in office.

Mr. Podesta was also active in a lobbyist group, the Podesta Group, along with brother and super-lobbyist Tony Podesta, and was a founder of the influential leftist think tank, Center for American Progress. This group is allegedly quite prominent in the Obama White House.

In 2011, the Canadian company Brookfield Asset Management received a Department of Energy loan guarantee for more than $135 million to build windmills in New Hampshire, through a subsidiary. (This was when it was fashionable to “give” billions to companies such as Solyndra in the interest of green energy.) Strangely, Brookfield was represented by Heather Podesta, a lobbyist in her own right, wife of Tony and sister-in-law of John.

Amazing how the same names reappear. It makes one wonder who is next, and why.

ROBERT LATCHFORD

HENDERSON

Nevada Health Link

To the editor:

So, who do you have to know to get into the Nevada Health Link website or get someone on the phone to answer a question? I filled out all of the information online more than a month ago and got a bill for the dental portion of the application, but the health care portion still has not gotten back to me. I have tried the phone number many times, only to be told by the voice recording, “All circuits are busy now, try your call later.” I have sent so many emails to customer service that I have lost count; either they don’t read them or are too busy on the phones.

If you get to the website, there is always an error message. But not to worry, the error was logged for the administrators, I’m sure that will be fixed very soon. This is our new health care system. Just think, in 10 years when the older folks have died from lack of treatment — having been unable to sign up for health insurance — the administrators might be able to get back to us. Just send a note via the U.S. Postal Service to the cemetery.

RON KIRBY

LAS VEGAS

UNLV basketball

To the editor:

It’s frustrating to see the UNLV men’s basketball team consistently outcoached by teams with less talent. Dave Rice will not win a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament or keep his job long if he can’t learn to coach a half-court game. After three years, with different players, he can’t blame the players for his inability to win against a zone defense. UNLV players overdribble and commit too many unforced turnovers — mostly bad passes.

UNLV can be good with a few changes. For a successful fast break, advance the ball using two or three players spread out and running the court. The ball moves quicker with passes than the dribble, but long passes get intercepted. In a half-court offense, post a big man in the high post and move the ball side to side or through the big man in the high post to keep defenders constantly moving. If players keep the ball moving quickly, without holding the ball, pausing to dribble, or making a one-on-one move, someone else will get an open look. Individual shooting percentages will improve, assists will increase, turnovers will decrease, and UNLV will score and win more.

This isn’t rocket science. Listen to game commentators who consistently cite the same UNLV deficiencies. Watch teams such as Oregon that know how to run a fast break. Watch how John Calipari’s Kentucky team uses a high-post player to beat zone defenses. These techniques will help.

DALE ENSMINGER

BOULDER CITY

Strip search policy

To the editor:

The arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade for allegedly breaking U.S. law earlier this month in New York doesn’t trouble me at all. But subjecting her to a strip search and a humiliating body cavity examination, as she claims, seems bone-headed. Then again, I’m not familiar with the criminal justice system, so I don’t know whether protocol permits for any exceptions.

Is there a precedent for exceptions from cavity searches on prominent lawbreakers that one can turn to for guidance? Perhaps. In the recent past, there have been many famous and well-healed lawbreakers: Martha Stewart, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Bernie Madoff, Jesse Jackson Jr., Sen. Dan Rostenkowski and Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, to mention but a few.

One of these, Ms. Stewart, is an attractive woman and another, Mr. Strauss-Kahn, was a French citizen with diplomatic status and was also director of the International Monetary Fund. Were each of these lawbreakers subjected to strip searches and cavity examinations? If so, the American public and the Indian government should be so advised, and the international uproar will subside quickly. If not, a whole bunch of people should lose their jobs.

HENRY SOLOWAY

LAS VEGAS