Some other stuff is happening, you know. And here it is, wrapped in delicious Quick Hits…

• Las Vegas Councilman Larry Brown — the budget "hawk" who transforms into a stork to deliver bundles of corporate welfare joy — is running for Clark County Commission. That’s the one with all the people who go to prison for corruption, and not the one with the gin-loving mob lawyer running the show, right?
  
• Congratulations, Mr. Brown! You are the one trillionth person in politics (since the nation was founded) to use the phrases "critical juncture," "grass-roots" and "issue driven" in a campaign announcement! You win a personalized set of those rubber coaster things people use to open stubborn jars of pickles.
  
• The Culinary Union Local 226 today started picketing laundry deliveries at Las Vegas casinos to protest the fact that Mission Industries has failed to negotiate a new contract, despite a year of trying. "Laundry workers deserve the same protections and health benefits that casino workers have achieved," says Kevin Kline, the Culinary’s chief negotiator (and one hell of an actor, if we do say so ourselves). "We are prepared for whatever lies ahead and will be taking all of the necessary steps to ensure that no worker is left behind." The two sides are scheduled to meet again Nov. 5.
  
• Memo to Mission Industries: The Culinary doesn’t fuck around. We’d sign if we were you.
• A Baltimore jury returns a nearly $11 million verdict against those assholes who picket military funerals and say soldiers die because America doesn’t stone gays like it says in the Bible. Aforementioned assholes picket the court, too, with signs that read (among other things) "America is doomed" and "You’re going to hell." You first, assholes.
  
• Now do you see what we’re talking about? Seriously, woman, seek help!

Now we know why U.S. Sen. John Ensign wanted fellow Sen. Larry Craig out of office so badly! (Because he may be gay, of course. Craig, not Ensign.) But we mean we found another reason for Ensign to dislike Craig, besides the uncomfortable sexuality question: Craig asks tough questions on nuclear waste!

The House of Representatives today passed a bill that would update the General Mining Act of 1872, another demonstration of the genius of our Founding Fathers in creating a system that can avoid progress for 135 years. It’s no wonder they’re just getting around to condemning the genocides of the Ottoman Empire! (We can’t wait until 2033, when the House is scheduled to condemn Adolf Hitler using Very Strong Language.)

Anyway, despite the opposition from Nevada’s delegation and the hard work that went into reforming the act, it’s pretty much dead. How do we know? Well, check out this statement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

"Today the House of Representatives, led by Chairman [Nick] Rahall and Chairman [Jim] Costa, laid down a marker on mining policy," said Reid, a native of the hardrock mining camp of Searchlight, Nevada. "I am pleased to be working with Chairman [Jeff] Bingaman and Senator [Pete] Domenici on legislation that will provide a constructive counterpoint to the Rahall-Costa bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both the Senate and House who care about mining, public lands and rural America to provide a new vision for industry and conservation in the West.  While I cannot support many of the provisions in the House bill, I believe that the opportunity still exists for common sense reform.  It is in no one’s interest to leave the regulation of this important industry to the whims of each passing administration, as is the case today. When Congress succeeds in this challenge, communities like Elko, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, and Ely, Nevada will have a much brighter and more certain future."

Now, we’ve covered Reid for a long time, and we can translate the sometimes-obscure dialect of the Senate into common English. Let’s see, it’s a simple matter of rearranging the letters, changing the punctuation a little here and there, and … presto: Here’s the message in clear text:

MINING is big business in NEVADA. MINING also donates to my CAMPAIGN. If we impose even an oh-so-reasonable eight percent royalty on gross profits, MINING will have less to give to my campaign. Therefore, MINING has told me to oppose this bill. And so I will.

Yeah, we thought so. 

Oh, and thanks much to the Las Vegas Gleaner for linking to this Denver Post story, which shows Reid at his absolute best, which is to say, worst.

We don’t think it’s going to far to say the Review-Journal is conspiring to keep news about the Joe Biden for president campaign away from Nevada Democrats, given that he’s the best choice for president ever. How else can you explain the Associated Press dispatch in the R-J on Wednesday that failed to mention Biden even once, despite the fact that he had the best line of the night? (And his follow-up ain’t too bad, either.)