Some last-minute Valentine's tips

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY (well, almost ... it's tomorrow)! If you have a sweetie you wish to romance, you can call almost any restaurant in town, and they will probably have a Valentine's dinner going on.

If you don't have a sweetie, so what? Take yourself out to dinner and be glad you're only paying for one. Or invite some other "sweetieless" friends in, and have a toast to being able to do whatever it is you want to do without having to "clear" it with someone else. Either way, the evening should be a success, and champagne or sparkling cider is a "must." Enjoy!

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Things and people we love ... Steve Zuelke, just because. June Joplin for organizing the "Peace Rallies" in front of the Legislature from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on Mondays (www.commacoffee.com for details). Travis Lamborn for being our new state wrestling champion.

"Pericles, Prince of Tyre," the play that CHS is putting on at the Community Center, still has one weekend left. They do a bang-up job, deserve your support, and you should all go and get some "culture." Call 887-0438 for times and details. Richard Brown is outstanding as Pericles, and the rest of the cast does a great job. Nina Bailey, and Skip and Dottie Brandt for their nice letters. You are all sweethearts.

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Pre-Mardi Gras, Bruce Smith found this one about New Orleans: "Jack was sitting on a plane when a guy took the seat beside him. He was a wreck, pale, hands shaking, and moaning in fear. 'What's the matter?' Jack asked. 'I've been transferred to New Orleans ... there are crazy people there. Shootings, gangs, race riots, drugs, the highest crime rate...' Jack interrupted, 'Wait a minute. I've lived in New Orleans all my life. It's not as bad as the media says. Find a nice home, go to work, mind your own business, enroll your kids in a nice school, and it's as safe as anywhere in the world.' The man relaxed, stopped shaking, and said, 'Oh, thank you. I've been worried to death. But if you live there and say it's OK, I'll take your word for it. By the way, what do you do there?' 'Me?' Jack replied. 'I'm a tail gunner on a Budweiser truck.'"

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Proscenium Player's Inc. will open its third play of the season on Friday at the Brewery Arts Center's Don W. Reynolds Theater. It's a hard-hitting musical, "The Fix," FOR ADULTS ONLY. Due to adult dialog and political theme, children will not be admitted. Tickets and information can be obtained by calling 883-1976. Curtain is at 8 p.m., with no late admissions. And on Friday there will be an opening-night party after the play. All the behind-the-scenes political machinations you ever dreamed of will be on display. It's an apt time for singing.

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John Gorka will be at the Brewery's Performance Hall on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Call 883-1976 for details and tickets. The Brewery Arts Center, along with Cable Access TV (channels 10 and 26), is also bringing the Legislature to the public, a good way to see what's going on without having to fight for a parking place or a seat in the gallery. Keep those legislators on their toes.

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Molly Sanders wants men to be warned about this on Valentine's Day: "A woman's husband, being unhappy about his wife's mood swings, bought her a 'mood ring' so he would be able to monitor her many moods. He discovered that when she's in a good mood, it turns green. But when she's in a bad mood, it leaves a big red gash upon his forehead. Maybe next time, he'll buy her a diamond."

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Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of Martin Rios, who passed away Thursday. May he rest in peace.

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We'd like to address the plight of two of our country's border guards, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who are in prison now, convicted of shooting a drug smuggler in the butt. The smuggler, by the way, has just been re-arrested for trying to smuggle another million dollars' worth of marijuana across the border (after WE gave him immunity and fixed his wound the first time). EIGHTY-ONE Republican congressman (as of Friday) have signed on to fight this case and get the guards a complete pardon. But, also as of Friday, the president has said he will refuse to do so.

Mind you, Congress has found out that the prosecuting attorney (a Bush appointee) and his minions have admitted they LIED to Congress about the case. It is believed by some that the men were purposely convicted to make the administration of Vincente Fox (the former president of Mexico) look good.

To get OUR border guards out of prison, please call your representatives in Congress and give them an earful: Sen. Harry Reid (882-7343), Sen. John Ensign (885-9111), Congressman Dean Heller (202-225-6155), Congresswoman Shelley Berkeley (202-225-5905, ext. 1505) and Congressman Jon Porter (202-225-3252). You can reach the White House at 202-456-1111. We urge you to call them immediately and rectify this injustice.

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Every now and then, we get an email from Mel Rappaport, a veteran of WWII who served with the "Super Sixers," the Sixth Armored Division, in Gen. Patton's Third Army. Mel writes, "We went overseas to the UK on those small Liberty ships. A battalion on each ship, it was a huge convoy. January 1944, we had the big U.S. Navy battleship, the Nevada, right along our side. There was a Nazi U-boat scare, so we landed in Glasgow, Scotland. Took us 12 days or so. ... We were there three days, then by train to the English midlands. Now when we went to Utah Beach, Normandy, from Southampton, England, we were all on the landing crafts that opened right on the Normandy beach. And we drove off ... did not get wet, as the tide was out. Ho ho ho ... au revoir, Mel R."

We feel it's nice to know the USS Nevada guarded so many men on their way to fight what eventually became the Battle of the Bulge and the fight into Germany to end the war.

Mel's unit (and that of Maizie's dad), tanks and the 86th Recon were also the first group into Buchenwald concentration camp on April 11, 1945.

Love, and thanks, to all of you.

• Carolyn Tate and Maizie Harris Jesse are longtime Carson City residents. Write to them at editor@nevadaappeal.com.