Youthful screamo group This Romantic Tragedy releases its debut CD Like Drama, Like Karma at 6 p.m. July 18 at Jillian’s. Tickets are $10 for this all-ages show; the lineup includes Amarionette, The Material, Save The Hero and Veona. … David Banner performs live to celebrate his record release July 18 at Rain’s “Music is the Currency.” …

After a two month hiatus, “Less Than Zero” ‘80s night returns to The Palm’s Ghostbar July 17. … In visiting DJ news: L.A.’s deep house tastemaker Marques Wyatt helms “Late Night Empire” July 19 at Tabu; Bad Boy Bill brings bangin’ Chicago house to “Daylife Sundays” July 20 at Wet Republic; on July 22 acclaimed hip-hop producer DJ Premier commands the room at Blush; and Sebastian Ledger and Phynn play June 23 at Body English’s “Godskitchen.”

News and Notes is compiled by “Poizen” Ivy Hover. Send items of lurid self-promotion and shameless gossip to ihover@lvcitylife.com.

We took a gentle tap at state Sen. Dina Titus, who we like, when she came out in favor of lifting the federal ban on offshore oil drilling the other day. It’s a short-sighted and bad policy, we think, and a foolish gambit if done for political reasons.

Why? Well, check out today’s newspaper, in which Titus is attacked by her eventual Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Jon Porter, on the very issue she sought to inoculate herself on, drilling. Wouldn’t you just know that Titus took a different tack in 2007, voting against a resolution that called for offshore oil drilling, and even attempting to amend the resolution to replace “oilmongering” with “renewable energy.”

Sure, Titus can say today that the resolution didn’t have the language she wanted in it (allowing states to choose whether to allow drilling; allowing them to share in the royalties from offshore oil leases; and restricting the oil for use here in America). But that’s explaining, and if you’re explaining in politics, you’re losing.

Better to have stuck with her original stance — against offshore drilling — not only so she could remain consistent, but also because she was right. Porter’s position — to allow drilling — is wrong. So why embrace it? Because Titus could see the Republican planning to slam her on energy, when drivers are facing record gas prices and looking for somebody to blame.

We’ve said it before, people: Stick to your principles, assuming your principles are right. You don’t gain anything when you abandon them.

Or as President George W. Bush’s favorite political philosopher once put it: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Don’t answer, people. That question is meant to be rhetorical.

Reader Monika Roer writes in response to us panning the idea of siting gigantic, possibly frightening paintbrushes downtown in order to scream “WE’RE ARTISTIC! WE’RE ARTISTIC!” to drown out our deep insecurities about being a real city:

Why another Oppenheim ? The one at UNLV is not very famous. Knowing Las Vegas, there must be some behind the scenes connection we do not know of. And paintbrushes? How creative!!!? But I am not surprised.

In the twenty years I live here I have seen a lot of repetition, not much creativity. The casinos basically all look the same . How many variations of Italy can one build? Not that any of them captures the essence of Italy, but of course that is not their purpose. For that kind of money, you would think some real creativity could be bought??

How many variations of Cirque du Soleil can the Strip offer before people get really bored? I stopped seeing the Canadian shows when I made the mistake to shell out over 200 Dollar for Ka right after it opened and was not awed at all, nor was my visiting guest I was trying to impress.
I always wonder who makes these decisions, like for example the Monorail which shows you nothing of the Strip, or the Fremont street experience which killed the charm of downtown, not to mention that disaster called Neonopolis?

The Forum shops were great and unique when they opened. But how many shopping centers does a tourist attraction require, before it becomes a huge bore?

I used to work in International tourism and I have visited every single tourist attraction in the U.S. The worst thing about all these attractions is that they are nearly all run by the same hotel and fast food chains, shopping mall developers and souvenir manufacturers. Instead of giving people an unique feel, the experience becomes alike. Everybody tries to be the same instead of being different. It is like that old joke about the American tourist in Europe staying everywhere in a Hilton. “It is Thursday, it must be Paris.” Why travel if everything is like at home?
After that rant I come back to the downtown art district. I would have preferred to see a row of martini glasses to paintbrushes. Or a row of fun sculptures of strippers, showgirls and prostitutes.

When I think about it, I really like the idea of martini glasses. The glasses could spill over with mayors, show girls, tourists, prostitutes, gamblers, dealers, monorails , corrupt politicians, billionaires, homeless people , drug dealers, smut peddlers, brides and brigegrooms, strippers, Britney Spears and Paris Hiltons, throw in a little bit of history like Elvis , Howard Hughes , Bugsy Siegel and Sandy Murphy and you got Vegas. …..
Just give me the commission and I promise that my artwork will make headlines all over the world.

Editor’s note: The flashlight sculpture at UNLV was created by Claes Oldenburg, not Dennis Oppenheim.