Opinion

Often, I read stories in which someone reflects on his career or life and insists, “I have no regrets.”

Really?

Boy, some people must be perfect. Being an imperfect person, I have my share of regrets, especially after I read my stories in print.

Recently, I wrote a column using the word “jihad” in referring to a battle at City Hall. A local police officer, Clarence Romero, wrote a letter to the editor, rightly chastising me for the use of that word, noting that it creates negative connotations about Muslims.

Now that the saturation coverage over Michael Jackson’s death has subsided, leaving only the cable news channels to continue picking apart every titillating detail about his family and his dermatology, perhaps it’s a good time to take stock of the Fourth Estate.

I am flabbergasted by the farce that is labeled the “health care debate” currently playing out in Washington D.C. and in the media.

Each one of us has entered a local store and seen a container near the check-out counter with a label asking for donations to help someone in need of medical treatment. Nowhere else in the industrialized “developed” world would such a request be seen. Why not? Because nowhere but in these United States is health care rationed either by one’s ability to pay or by a bunch of profit-hungry insurance bureaucrats!

During Mora County’s public hearing on oil and gas drilling, everyone agreed on one thing: Mora County is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And, indeed, the view is incredible.

Many of the speakers at the hearing said they didn’t want anything that would spoil the scenery, and in their minds, oil and gas drilling would do just that. They also contended that the drilling would cause water and air pollution.

To help their arguments, some ranchers came in from San Juan County to talk about the negative impacts of natural gas drilling there.

The city’s Charter Commission, charged with reviewing the city’s most important document, is busy these days, preparing to hold public meetings in all parts of town and make recommendations to the Las Vegas City Council in early September.

We’re looking forward to the input citizens will have on what should and shouldn’t be changed in the city charter, and thought we’d get our two cents in early:

The disheartening story about lifelong Las Vegas resident Gordy Thatcher and her struggle to maintain and keep her home on Tilden Street is a tale of systematic failure — on the part of social services, the city and private individuals with the best of intentions.

Can you imagine having a job that wherever you go, someone is unhappy that you’re there?

That would largely define the job of a police. officer. You stop someone for speeding, that person is mad. “Why don’t you go after the real criminals?” the speeder asks.

Truth be told, officers often catch the bad guys at seemingly routine traffic stops.

When an officer responds to a domestic violence call, you can be sure someone is upset about his arrival. And trying to bring peace is like bringing the Israelis and Palestinians together.

The Optic gave it a thumbs down (but) I like using the intersection of Grand and University. No, I am not kidding. For years we had traffic lights and it was the worst intersection in town. I had many near misses there because someone was running the light or simply wasn’t paying attention. Since it’s become a four-way stop, I like using it because it is an experience in human interaction. Everybody is on guard. Everybody pays attention to their surroundings and their place in line. I have yet to see someone being rude or pushy.

I would like all those people who use the e-mail for their trash communication to know I am sending my Quarantine Summaries to the Albuquerque FBI office. The Bureau investigates each e-mail sender on that list. So those of you who think their jokes and trash communication are funny, you can expect a knock on your door from an FBI agent.