Remember that old saying, "Go from the ridiculous to the sublime?" Seems to me (one of the so-called greatest generation) we have gone from the almost sublime to utmost ridiculous.
Look at what's coming out of Congress - also the self-proclaimed political experts like O'Reilly, Beck and Limbaugh - it goes on and on from both sides.
What we need is a thorough housecleaning - and the only capable, experienced, proven true leader is Colin Powell.
Elizabeth McCarthy
Carson City
Congratulations to the V&T Railroad, the private company that made this year's runs possible. By working hard and spending smart, Tom Gray is a superstar. He gets most of the credit.
The government commissions involved are more suspect. By spending other people's money, they've never had a motive to reduce costs and operate efficiently. Despite claims that the high ticket prices were a fundraiser, each full train still lost money. No money went back to the commission to help pay for future development.
Now, after a VIP party of unknown cost and a money-losing season, the V&T Commission is going hat in hand to counties they have ignored for years. The enabling law has always required proportional benefit estimates, yet the commission has never followed that law. They could have forced counties to pay up all along, but instead they wait until goverments are truly broke to say, "we need sustainable income."
Meanwhile the gift shop concession, normally a profit center for tourist railroads, is being run by the Northern Nevada Railway Foundation. These lobbyists in fund-raiser's clothing have never made a net contribution to the V&T Commission, yet are selling their wares in a gift shop paid for by the V&T Commission.
Now, despite losing a vote last year 61-38, they are patting themselves on the back for a money-losing season. What's the difference between a politician and a drunken sailor? The sailor spends his own money.
Thanks, Carson City, for making this money pit possible. Keep it up.
Jim Lohse
Reno
I would like to go a little further on what R. Bennett (Nov. 1) said about our sheriff, Ken Furlong.
Not so long ago I wrote a letter to Mr. Furlong to try and get some help with people speeding on my street - my street, which runs along the side of the sheriff's office, where children stand and wait for the school bus, where cars and pickups go anywhere from 30 to 45 mph with no regard to anything or anyone but themselves - from the person in the red Jeep Cherokee, that lives on Kimberly Circle (who likes to drive through the flashing lights on a school bus), to the man in the white truck who lives on Telegraph Street. As well as the sheriff who was going about 30-plus yesterday.
At this writing, I have not heard from Mr. Furlong or anyone at the sheriff's office and I only live 2-1/2 blocks away.
I may be wasting my time writing this, but maybe Mr. Furlong should resign instead of just sitting in his chair drawing a paycheck or maybe he should try and help those who voted him into office.
I wonder if at some time in the past, the speed limit (in residential) was changed and the only ones that know about it are people that work at the sheriffs office, because as far as I know, the drivers handbook still states the speed limit is 25 mph unless otherwise posted.
Debbie Tygart
Carson City