It’s almost the weekend! Start it off right with a round of Quick Hits!

• OK, let’s clarify something: Just because we at CityLife can — thanks to a federal court ruling — advertise for legal brothels in adjacent counties, it doesn’t mean prostitution is legal in Clark County. Got that, everybody? Prostitution — such as this open and flagrant example of trick-turning — is prohibited by law!
  
• So now the health district says you can bring your own food into a smoking bar, just that no bar employee can help you get it. That’s not what the district said recently. (According to the Review-Journal, the health district sent bars a letter in June saying the smoking law doesn’t allow third-party food service in stand-alone bars, which, by the way, it does not.) Gosh, we love grassroots democracy!
  
• Nevada newspaper again serves as enabler for pathetic, slightly nutty, publicity starved area man.
  
• Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio distances himself from Gov. Jim Gibbons‘ budget-cutting plans, proving that not all Republicans want to see the end of government as we know it. Thanks, senator.
  
• Sadly, Raggio’s wisdom and obvious affection for his state and its residents will fall on deaf ears.
  
• Because of Republicans like these.
  
• If even the aforementioned Gibbons is concerned about it, and mean-looking doctors are against it, and it just sounds like one of those really bad ideas, the Sierra Health Services-UnitedHealth Group merger must be bad.
  
• Hey, people, it’s Vegoose! Check out CityLife for a complete rundown of bands to see at the festival of young people’s music. (But keep it down, will you? We’re trying to listen to Tony Bennett over here!)
  
• And, if you’re totally bored, we at Various Things & Stuff will be on Nevada Week in Review, with Mitch Fox talking about budget-cutting, presidential politics and whatnot. Non-obnoxious guests include Howard Stutz of the Review-Journal, Casey Smith of KTNV Channel 13 and Michael Mishak of the Las Vegas Sun. The show airs at 7:30 p.m. tonight, and repeats at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.
  

You know, our critics probably think we can’t say anything good about Gov. Jim Gibbons. But seriously, how can we when he takes almost every opportunity to screw the pooch (politically speaking, that is)? Plus, we didn’t make him drink at McCormick & Schmick’s, kick a highly qualified person off the homeland security commission or appoint a lawyer for a bankrupt home lender to oversee the state’s Mortgage Lending Division!

Check out this statement that the governor’s office released today regarding Nevada Day:

Carson City – Governor Gibbons released the following statement commemorating Nevada Day:

"Each year, Nevadans across the Silver State join together to commemorate October 31, 1864, the day Nevada was admitted to the Union. This annual celebration of Nevada’s heritage provides an opportunity for each of us to look back on the past 143 years. As we do so, we are reminded of the can-do pioneer spirit that led to the founding of our great state.

"That unique spirit continues today as Nevada remains one of the last frontier states, where businesses continue to grow and families can achieve the American dream.

"As a Congressman, and now, as your Governor I look forward to the opportunity to participate in Nevada Day festivities, where our unique history is showcased throughout the day. Following the parade on Saturday, October 27th, the Governor’s Mansion will be open for tours so that Nevadans and those visiting our state have an opportunity to visit one of Carson City’s most historic buildings.

"I am honored to celebrate this Nevada Day as your Governor and look forward to visiting with all those who join the festivities this Saturday in Carson City."

Did you see it? There in the third paragraph? The part about how businesses continue to grow and families can achieve the American dream?

You know what the American dream is right? Home ownership!

And you know that Nevada leads the nation this year in home foreclosures, right?

The governor should: He held a behind-closed-doors summit on the foreclosure crisis this month, where he said the state couldn’t really do much about it.

And CityLife reported this week that renters are among the hardest hit, since the majority of homes foreclosed upon are rental properties.

So it would seem that a lot of Nevada families — whether they own or rent — are seeing their American dream turn into a nightmare, which is probably why the governor shouldn’t have extolled the state’s economy so much in an otherwise inoffensive holiday message.

(We won’t even get into the part about businesses continuing to grow: If that’s true, why has the governor called for potential budget cuts due to lower-than-expected tax revenues? And why is it that the leader of a state with a "can-do pioneer spirit" is constantly telling us what he can’t do? He can’t raise taxes. He can’t do anything about the foreclosure crisis. And he can’t seem to go for even a short period of time without doing or saying something politically problematic.

Happy Nevada Day, Nevada.