Nobody asked us, but ...Five running for Amodei's Senate seat

Well, the election season is nigh upon us. Mark Amodei's seat is up for grabs since he was capped by term limits. Darn that law, anyway ... we have the vote and that should have "limited" our legislators. If you don't like them, vote them out, or are we too stupid and lazy to do that? Apparently so. That, however, is water under the bridge this year, so five gentlemen have put their names in the hat: Rob Potter (D), Cody J. Quirk (IAP), Kevin Ranft (D), James Settelmeyer (R) and Steve Yeater (D). Hopefully, we will get to know them all in the next two-plus months (the primary's in June). We always hope for clean, uplifting campaigns.

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Numbers you might like: Instead of getting charged for phone directory assistance, call 1-800-FREE411 and you will not have to pay for that service. In Nevada, you can also call 211 for free information and access about basic human services, medical and mental health resources, support for seniors and persons with disabilities, and for other essential services. You can also call the IRS at its theft hotline (1-800-908-4490) if your wallet is lost or stolen. Your account will be flagged, and if anyone uses your identity, they will let you know.

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Mollie Sanders sent us this off the Internet: "The economy is so bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail. I ordered a burger and the kid behind the counter asked, 'Can you afford fries with that?' If the bank returns your check marked 'Insufficient funds,' you need to call them and ask if they meant them or you. And Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen." Egads.

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Referring to the above joke ... it's really coming close to reality. Nevada has the most foreclosures in the country, which means we aren't doing well in other parts of the economy, either. Hiring, sales, furloughs, education, Medicaid, immigration, etc. are all part of what the next legislature will be facing. Better get on your knees and pray that we come up with some answers soon.

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Good news: Norma Conway is recovering well from valve replacement surgery. Landra Reid also is home and recovering from a semi crashing into the rear of her car. She received a broken nose, neck and spine in that accident, but is fortunate not to have any paralysis from her injuries. Parker Schmid, too, is home from the hospital; he was ill with a 105-degree temperature and was terribly sick for a 3-year-old. Thank God for all of them. You can send Pat Potter a prayer (or card) ... she tripped in the bathroom and really hurt her head with broken bones and cuts. She will be in rehab for up to a month in the old CT Hospital after she gets out of CTRMC this week. Her son is Rob Potter, who is running for state Senate.

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We see that Sarah Palin is campaigning for John McCain ... guess all the bad vibes are gone now. Yeah, right. Ms. Palin could be Gilderoy Lockhart's twin sister ... WW gave him the most "charming smile" award ... maybe she'll win it this year (you have to read "Harry Potter" to get this one). You betcha!

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Brian Whalen, Jr. is getting a year older this week; and a thank you to Ryan at ZBistro for his kindness to M. Fast Signs of Reno is giving FREE personalized welcome home banners for our troops to anyone who wants one. Please contact them at 827-8899 for details. What a great idea. Have a good week.

• Carolyn Tate and Maizie Harris Jesse are longtime Carson City residents. They can be reached at editor@nevadaappeal.com.