Mob museum a callous display of insensitivity

To the editor:

In response to the Tuesday article, "Interactive mob":

To pay homage to a bunch of murdering thugs is nothing short of detestable. The opening of the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana is a callous display of ignorance and insensitivity. The concept, wholly endorsed by the soon-to-be former Mayor Oscar Goodman, is un-American and a slap in the face to all the families who fell victim to a bunch of goons who ruthlessly killed those who got in the way.

Mr. Goodman has been quoted as saying he would sooner spend time rubbing elbows with criminals than law-abiding citizens such as police officers. It makes me sick. Glamorized movie accounts of these racketeers such as in "Casino," "Little Caesar" and "Bonnie and Clyde" would have you believe the characters merely marched to the beat of a different drum. In reality, if innocent people fell out of favor or got in the way they just blew their heads off. Then they chopped them up like pieces of meat and stuck them in cement-filled graves.

To celebrate the lives and exploits of thugs is abhorrent. To pass them off as just a bunch of quirky guys is outrageous and completely untruthful. Everything that these thugs stood for goes against what law-abiding American citizens embrace.

This venture is a cruel reminder to the masses of people victimized by illegitimate and vicious reprobates. Unfortunately, no elected official had the courage to take on Mr. Goodman.

William Dwyer

Las Vegas

No checks

To the editor:

In response to the Tuesday letter, "I am getting back what I paid for, not a free ride," by Michael R. Stilley:

I am not sure of Mr. Stilley's exact age, but if he has been drawing Social Security payments for more than five or six years, he has drawn out everything he ever paid into the system plus interest.

I might remind Mr. Stilley that his contribution was matched by taxes on his employer, and that he himself has only withheld around 3 percent of his paycheck for a retirement check indexed for inflation.

And I would venture to guess that if Mr. Stilley has been receiving Medicare benefits for any significant amount of time, he probably has received payments totaling more than 100 times what he has put in.

Right now Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid take up 57 percent of the national budget, and that is expected to increase to 60 percent by 2014. It doesn't take a math wizard to understand that this is unsustainable.

The system needs to be reformed, and reformed soon, or nobody is going to get a check.

Warren Willis Sr.

Las Vegas

Looks bad

To the editor:

I read with great interest the article on Spanish Trail Golf and Country Club removing turf and replacing it with drought-tolerant plants. I do not take issue with the club removing the turf. I do, however, take issue with what they have replaced it with -- the most unattractive plants and turf one could find.

As you drive around Las Vegas, many homes and businesses have desert landscaping, and it is very attractive. What Spanish Trail has used, however, could not be more unappealing. Their story is that it will look better when it matures. That is not true. Young, unattractive plants mature into larger even more unattractive plants.

Also, I was told that the mulch used will not stop grass from cropping up continually over the years and will need constant attention.

It is a shame that what was once a beautiful landscape has now been turned into an eyesore.

Adelle L. Gersten

Las Vegas

Pay attention

To the editor:

Kudos to Assemblyman Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, for his insightful, common-sense approach to lawmaking (Feb. 17 Review-Journal, "Bills ban texting"). By reversing his position on whether to support a ban on texting while driving, Mr. Atkinson once again demonstrates that he is a pragmatic lawmaker.

Two years ago, Mr. Atkinson, as chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, refused to even allow a vote on a Senate-passed bill to outlaw texting by drivers. Now Mr. Atkinson says, "A lot of things have changed since then" and he is supporting such legislation.

Anyone who drives in this town cannot dispute the dangers caused by drivers who pay more attention to their cell phones than to road conditions. Texting while driving appears to be getting out of control, particularly among young -- and hence inexperienced -- drivers. It's definitely time for the Legislature to take some action to protect the public.

Once again Mr. Atkinson demonstrates he's got his head on straight. Two years ago he was responsible for killing legislation that would have allowed police to stop and cite drivers for simply not wearing a seat belt. He reasoned that such a law would open the door for racial profiling. Now his reasoning powers are evident again in his decision to re-think his position on texting by drivers.

Well done, Mr. Atkinson. There should be more common-sense lawmakers in Carson City like you.

Dennis Sarfaty

Henderson