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Potpourri
by Ken Mahal, NSC President
Originally published on
June 11, 2009 - reprinted with permission
IS IT PAST TIME
WE SHOULD HAVE THE LOTTERY IN NEVADA?
In the Saturday June 6th article in the RJ was the story about Neal
Vanless of Pierre, SD winning a $232,000,000 Powerball jackpot, one of the
largest single winners in history. I know it has been talked about here any
number of times for Nevada but has always failed in the legislature I guess
because of a certain group who feel it would not be in their best interest if we
allowed such to be in Nevada. Tell me, why would it be such a bad thing to allow
it in Nevada? I went to the California boarder a time or two over 25+ years when
the jackpot was extremely high. Why shouldn’t we allow it to be in Nevada? I
don’t know anyone who wouldn’t enjoy wining that much or even a little less,
do you? Maybe we older folks should look into the possibility and do what it
takes to get it approved in the next legislative session in 2011. Any one wants
to volunteer looking into what it would take to do it in 2011? Oh I can hear at
least a dozen of you want to take it on already. In reality there are probably
no more than a half dozen power brokers against it.
IN THE 2009 SESSION THERE WAS SOME PROGRESS FOR SENIORS.
I must admit that this past session saw me doing nothing which is
the first time in many years that I didn’t do a thing. It was so quiet that
one could hardly believe there was a session taking place. The RJ had a couple
of things that are reported as progress for seniors. According to the RJ article
Senate bill 314 is a broader powers-of-attorney which is aimed at protecting
seniors from abuses by caregivers including their own children in some cases.
Senate bill 313 revises the Nevada guardianship laws in line with broader
national laws that help to prevent financial exploitation of seniors. It might
be good to have Lora Myles of the RSVP Care Law Program come and speak to us
given the linage she is given in the article. What is interesting about this
session is that so many legislatures are being term limited. It may not seem
fair to them now but for most of we voting citizens we might even like more term
limits especially at the federal level.
WHAT HAS THE SILVER HAIRED LEGISLATURE ACCOMPLISHED?
Really what it should read is what has happened with the Silver
Haired Legislature? This was a venture we took on longer ago than I can put a
number on it with a lot of help from Jacky Ridley. All the work went into
setting up an organization of we older folks who would work with the state and
federal legislature and all I ever remember was a lot of fan- fare but not a lot
of results. I guess if you are not elected you are not going to put up with old
upstarts like us. If any one can tell us what they ever accomplished and if they
are still alive let us know about it.
LITTLE GREEN CARS MANUFACTURED BY GOVERNMENT MOTORS.
As bad as it seems we are going into the automobile manufacturing
business with congress and our president in charge, not that they don’t have
enough on their plate already. Can you imagine what the little green car will
look like with two wheels and a gyroscope to keep it balanced and who knows what
will be used as an engine to propel it? Maybe a solar panel roof for an engine
with a wind driven sail for a turbo charged engine. You never know what people
who know nothing about the business will come up with, but can it be any worse
than General Motors and Chrysler, probably not but let’s not bet the house on
it. What is really going on with this country when our banks were about to fail,
insurance companies, automobiles and who knows what is next? Maybe it’s good
if you are older but then we have the grandchildren, we can pray for them.
A TRIP TO FLORIDA SEES A LOT OF VENTURES WORSE THAN VEGAS.
One our recent trip to the south western part of Florida we saw
plenty of unfinished acreage left partially torn up some with the equipment
still on the land. This is a really different piece of landscape with what seems
to be thousands of acres of flat land with an abundance of trees that look like
young trees most likely new growth areas where they cut down the trees, dig a
lake to raise the land a few feet higher for the lots with water front and golf
courses as well. By the way this is a good time of the year to go there when
most of the snow-birds are gone home and if you want to play a few rounds of
golf the prices are right given the scarcity of permanent home owners there
during the warmer part of the year. For a bad economy it is strange to see that
every seat is filled both ways on the planes, which seems strange from all we
hear about the economy. I guess there are always people who have a few bucks to
spend no matter what the economy as a whole is.
Our son talked us into coming down to the Fort Meyers area where they live when
he is not in Europe for his company. I managed to swing my golf clubs which have
not been out of the bag since we were there the last time a year ago. We used to
play here in Las Vegas but most of us are too rusty or have gone to the above
(we hope) and are playing on a different course. When one travels if you need
help the wheel chair service is a lot of help. In fact I even pushed it myself
on one stop when no one was available. Even the airlines are getting to be self
service. All I can say it is good to be home. It has taken Agnes and I more than
a week to feel like we are back to our Las Vegas time line.
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