WEEKLY EDITORIAL RECAP

FRIDAY

SLAP on the wrist

It sure does appear the message of the state Board of Medical Examiners is: Write "too many" painkiller prescriptions for patients who are actually in chronic pain and we may very well yank your license. But if you choose to knowingly put your patients at risk of potentially deadly infectious diseases in order to make a couple hundred grand per year in extra profits, what the heck, business is business, we'll say "Naughty, naughty," fine you a couple weeks' pay, and send you right back to work.

And that's appalling.

THURSDAY

CHOPPY SEAS

Instead of viewing the Economic Forum's revenue projections with skepticism, taking a conservative approach to budgeting and cutting back on expenses, lawmakers spent every dime -- and increased the budget 10 percent in the process.

They simply couldn't bring themselves to cut so many of the new programs they had splurged on over previous years. So legislators passed the tax increases with full knowledge that the hikes, in all likelihood, won't deliver enough revenue to keep the budget balanced and will require them to convene in the near future to make the tough decisions they put off this spring.

WEDNESDAY

PRICING PROBE

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, concerned that retail gasoline prices have increased by more than 50 cents per gallon -- almost 25 percent -- in the past two months ... has called on state Energy Department Director Hatice Gecol to figure out why.

When economics students at UNLV want to find out why such commodity prices fluctuate, they at least have the good grace to pay a semester's tuition.

It's called "the market," Mr. Gibbons.