This one sneaked up on me but it's not too late to join in the fun tonight at the Firkin and Fox at 310 S. Carson St. for an Oktoberfest that will benefit CASA of Carson City. Festivities go on from 5:30 p.m.to 7:30 and the $20 ticket includes a drink of your choice and tasty hors d'oeuvres. Of the $30, $12 will go to CASA. CASA volunteers are appointed by Carson City's Juvenile Court to speak in the court and in the system on behalf of children who have been removed from the home by child welfare due to allegations of abuse and neglect. So a double sawbuck will get you into the party and help CASA do its work. Tickets are at the door or see cpetersoncasa@earthlink.net.
THANKS TO MARK
For almost 15 years I edited Mark Pilarski's "Deal Me In" gaming column, and thanks to Mark's advice I know my personal way around gaming. Some of his basic rules: Never play more than you can afford to lose; always quit when you have doubled your original stake (the longer you play the more certain you'll lose), play the pass or don't pass in craps; and make sure the payoff is correct in video poker. I'm at least $1,000 ahead thanks to Mark, and yes, I paid the IRS.
BOOK NOTES
David Balcacchi is a professional thriller writer and his new "The Whole Truth" (Grand Center Publishing, $26, 406 pages, at the Carson Library) demonstrates why he is so popular. This one has the inevitable super agent named Shat, and he is entrapped by an unnamed American agency into doing dirty work. An arms merchant named Creel wants to take the world to the brink of war so he can sell more weapons. Shades of the old "Merchants of Death." Frank is the man controlling Shaw, Katie is the reporter who has a secret as well as a booze habit. Creel triggers a story that Russia is a police state murdering its citizens and the world gets upset. It's called "perception management" and is practiced everywhere, although not noticeably. No great happy ending but rather an improbable one but nevertheless satisfying.
ON THE HORIZON
Took in the rehearsals of the new cabaret "I Say Nevada" coming to the Brewery Performance Hall starting Nov. 7 and am now looking forward to catching a performance when it premieres here.The 15 acts are written by Bobby McGee, half of the duo "Bobby McGee and Me," the "me" being June Joplin, Comma Coffee's boss in chief. McGee is also known as Robert Leonard Reid of Carson City. And his whole show is witty, fast-moving and dead on in its spoofing of much of Nevada's pride and joy. This is a Proscenium Players production and stars many regulars of the troupe, including Lisa Bommarito and Jeff Whitt, among the cast of eight. If nothing else, this should settle for good the correct pronunciation of "Nevada."
SHOW BIZ
Mimi Chu and Joyce Lee will bring laughter to Harrah's Lake Tahoe Saturday at 8 p.m. with tickets $28 to $88, call (800) 786-8208. They will be followed there by that grand duo of comedy the Smothers Brothers. Remember when CBS decided the two were too impolite for network TV? They appear Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. with tickets $45.
Neil Young with Death Cab and Everest appear at the Reno Events Center Saturday Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. with tickets going for $52 to $177, call 335-8890. At Reno's Grand Sierra casino Yakov Smirnoff brings his "inner peace" wit Tuesday Oct. 29, call (800) 648-3568. The Jagermeister Music Tour plays there as well Saturday Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Included are the Minder Band, Trapt and other groups.
The fantasy-muscle show Aphelion continues at the Eldorado in Reno with tickets starting at $24.95. Call 786-5700. At the Silvery Legacy's Reno Ballroom it's Dolphy also Saturday with tickets $38 to $88. Call 329-4777. Same night, it's the Wild Erotic Ball in the Grand Exposition Hall with tickets a modest $25. Call 325-7901.
At the Movies
"Body of Lies,"now showing at the Fandango Galaxy, is a telling indictment of CIA methods, chilling in its bland assertions. Director Ridley Scott keeps the explosions and car chases moving but he doesn't skip over the bad CIA guys, such as Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the good ones Ferris (Leonard DiCaprio). This is DiCaprio's best performance yet, and Crowe is a perfect uncaring bureaucrat. This is presented as "your government at work."
• Contact Sam Bauman at editor@nevadaappeal.com.