Farewell, Mr. Raggio.

Wow. Just wow. I wasn't ready for this.

Bill Raggio, a former Washoe County District Attorney who became the longest-serving state senator in Nevada history, as died.

Raggio was 85 and died at 10 p.m. Pacific time of a respiratory illlness. He was in Sydney, Australia at the time.

“With the death of Sen. Bill Raggio, one of the great lights in the world of Nevada politics has gone out,” said Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval.

A Reno native, Raggio served 16 years as Washoe County District Attorney. He was elected to the state senate in 1972 and served there until resigning for health reasons in 2010.

He developed a reputation as a master of the legislative process, a tough negotiator and a champion for education and Norther Nevada interests.

I still can't believe Bill Raggio is gone. It seems like he's been a part of Nevada politics forever. He was a stalwart conservative and unshakable Republican. He ran against legendary US Senator Howard Cannon (D) in 1970, and he tried to succeed Harry Reid as Lieutenant Governor and win that seat for the Republicans in 1974.

Yet when it came to governance, he knew how to bend to prevent the government from breaking. And no one who was familiar with Raggio in the 1970s would have guessed that he'd endorse Harry Reid for US Senate in 2010. While Raggio was a stalwart conservative and unshakable Republican, he nonetheless considered himself a Nevadan, and particularly a Renoite and Northern Nevadan, first. He ultimately wanted to do what was best for the state, so this prominent conservative lawmaker was considered "moderate" in later years simply because he was willing to compromise to get the job done. Sadly, he was even attacked by the "tea party" loons in his own party because he was willing to compromise to get the job done.



I remember what we discussed here early last year, when Raggio decided he couldn't take any more of what he was seeing in Carson City.

So I guess he really couldn't stomach another session in Carson City. He is getting older, he does have health issues, and the tension there clearly has been wearing on him...

But obviously, there's more to this story. While conservative, Raggio was never seen as ideologically "pure" by the teabaggers. He did support tax increases when it meant more money for Northern Nevada. He sparred often with tea-nut icons like Sharron Angle and Jim Gibbons. And of course, he endorsed Harry Reid last year.

Oh, and he committed "heresy" yet again when he stated the obvious on this year's budget.

So what happens next? We'll have to see. Bill Raggio has forgotten more Nevada history and Nevada politics than the teabaggers will ever know.

It really wasn't that long ago when Raggio and then Governor Kenny Guinn (R) were actually discussing serious policy solutions on thorny matters like taxes and public education. Now, all we hear from the G-O-TEA are empty platitudes and Grover Norquist pledges. Even though it shouldn't have shocked us, many were nonetheless shocked when Raggio was ousted as Senate Republican Caucus leader right after the 2010 election (when the GOP gained a seat under his leadership!). But even after that happened, Raggio's shadow still loomed prominently in the halls of the Legislature's building. Without a doubt, Raggio made an impact on Nevada government that can't easily be rivaled.

And Raggio's legacy isn't limited to Carson City.



Yes, he was really Frank Sinatra's attorney. Wow.

Without a doubt, Bill Raggio was one of those colorful characters and storied politicians that one can only find in Nevada. Sure, I didn't always agree with what he did. But when it came to protecting Nevada's best interest, and especially when it came to fighting for Northern Nevada, Bill Raggio could always be counted on. He will be sorely missed.

Las Vegas: Oh, How Times Change

Casinos: On the Passing of "Theme Park Casinos"

Casinos may no longer be done like this, but the debate rages on. Were we right in ditching the theme parks for something else?

Hunter at RateVegas posted a photo of TI, and it got me thinking... And arguing.

In the early 1990s, Circus Circus mastered the art of bringing middle class families (with the kids!) to Las Vegas in building Excalibur, and later Luxor. And from there on, the other major casinos were trying to follow suit. MGM Grand originally had a giant theme park (where The Signature towers now stand). Treasure Island was intended to be a place where the kids could explore while the parents gambled. Vegas was a very different town back then.

These '90s theme parks were evidence of the Vegas casinos pursuing the "middle class family" sector that regularly takes trips to the two Orange Counties (California and Florida). That's what all the heavy theming was really all about. The kids wanted somewhere fun, and the parents wanted somewhere for the kids to have fun while they gambled. They were "exotic destinations" that the whole family could supposedly enjoy. But ultimately, the formula didn't work. I couldn't ever imagine Disneyland with a casino.

And by the early 2000s, attitudes were changing. The Strip was becoming "adults only" again. Mandalay Resort Group was already starting the de-theming with Luxor v.1996 and Mandalay Bay. The Palms didn't even go with any type of theme park, opting for a "hip party palace" vibe instead. And after initially flirting with Vegas in the '90s, the family set ultimately stuck with the two Orange Counties while MTV's "Real World: Las Vegas" (FINALLY) made Vegas look attractive to younger crowds.

Let's be honest here. Las Vegas has never really been considered the ideal "family friendly destination", and that's why I think the "theme park casino" concept was doomed from the start. Sure, there are places here in town where the tourists can take the kiddies. Obviously if we can raise kids here year-round, tourists can survive with the kids in tow. However, we'll never be a place like Orange County where families can go from Disneyland to Surf City and keep the kids excited all day.

And you know what? That's OK. We have gambling. We have fine dining. We have shopping. We have great spas. And of course, we have nightclubbing... And now dayclubbing! We're an adult oriented destination, and that's OK.

That's why I honestly don't miss the "theme park casinos" that dominated The Strip in the 1990s. It seemed then like they were pretending to be something they weren't. The casinos were pretending to be "kid-friendly fun zones" when they really just wanted the parents' cash, and Las Vegas was pretending to be another Orange County when we could never really fit that mold.

When I step into Wynn and Encore, it feels like a place where Steve Wynn and Roger Thomas finally had the full freedom to create a unique and luxurious experience. When I step into Aria, it feels like a cool and jazzy place that is really its own place. I even feel very comfortable at Mandalay Bay, as I think Circus Circus/Mandalay Resort Group saw where Steve Wynn was starting to go with Bellagio and taking it further in dropping the heavy theming to instead just provide a classy resort that doesn't have to pretend to be something else (save for perhaps the wave pool/"beach").



For me, it's OK for casinos to just be casinos... OK, maybe not. Still, I appreciate the casino resorts of today that aim higher. Wynn and Encore are a study in "maximalist" postmodern design that simultaneously incorporated the rich history of "Old Vegas" opulence and "New Vegas" chic. CityCenter is what happens when a casino resort complex takes a new direction in incorporating natural elements, contemporary minimalist cool, and the great postmodern art of our time.



So what's wrong with Las Vegas being herself? Especially when we have nothing to be ashamed of? Let's just be ourselves, especially now that we've matured into

"Camp Vegas": Then & Now

Remember these?





Well, that was then... And this is now!







Oh my, how times have changed. :-)

Our Vegas: Then & Now

It's Thursday night. Relax and take a tour of The Strip...

In 1957:



And 2009:



Ain't our lil' jewel in the desert amazing? :-)

Las Vegas: Then & Now (More to Be Seen!)

I thought you'd enjoy another lovely trip down Memory Lane... Also known here as Las Vegas Blvd! Notice all the changes to The Strip over the years?







Btw, I'm reading Super Casino (by Pete Earley) and Sharks in the Desert (by John L. Smith) this weekend. Next week, I'll have more stuff up on Vegas history (with tie-ins to today's politics and culture in Southern Nevada) here on the blog. Get ready! :-p

Las Vegas: Then & Now

I thought you'd like a trip down Memory Lane... Especially if this Memory Lane happens to be our beloved Las Vegas Strip! :-D

9/11: Then & Now

Where were you? How did you feel? What did it feel like when it seemed the world was coming to an end?

I can't forget that day. It was my second day of school. When I woke up and got prepared, it seemed like any other normal school day. I didn't even bother to turn on the TV.

But as soon as I arrived on campus, something didn't seem right. No one was chirpy and cheery as usual. And as soon as first period started, the geography teacher broke us the news.

A terrorist attack? The Twin Towers are burning down? The Pentagon is under attack? What is the world coming to?

That's how I felt immediately upon hearing this. But of course, there was soon more to digest.

al-Qaeda? Who are they? Muslims? Muslim terrorists? Why would this happen? And what else is happening? Another plane crash in Pennsylvania?

I was starting to "rebel" as a teenager, and this became increasingly evident later in the day... And especially in the coming weeks and months. I was then attending a Christian Fundamentalist private school. I was scared then, and deeply in the closet. But as everyone around me started repeating everything George W. Bush said as if it were the word of god as they pumped their fists and threatened to "kill all the Muslims", I became frightened... Of these people I thought I knew.

I felt so weird back then. Everyone else was cheering for wars and more wars. I was not. I remember hearing the pleas from RAWA not to invade Afghanistan. I remember wondering why everyone all of a sudden was calling for war on Iraq when Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. I remember why everyone seemed so willing to give up what made America so free in order to "stay safe".

I wasn't directly affected by 9/11, but it nonetheless turned my world upside down. While so many were lavishing George W. Bush with hero worship, I felt like the only one who actually noticed the real courage of Barbara Lee being the lone voice of reason as she spoke against what would soon become endless wars and countless attacks on our civil liberties. While so many were suddenly changing their tunes from "getting bin Laden" to "getting Saddam", I was wondering what was happening to my country.

Eight years ago, I never expected I'd register to vote as a Democrat. I never expected I'd become a member of the ACLU. I never expected I'd become a "peacenik". I didn't expect then that I would be here now.

I guess in some way, this reflects the story of how this nation has changed in the last eight years. Perhaps I was "ahead of the curve", but it's interesting to now see that most Americans now oppose the endless war in Afghanistan and that so many people are now talking about our Constitution and civil liberties. Of course, now all we hear is "Obama wants a government takeover of health care!" Ironically, these are the same blowhards who never questioned Bush when he really was stripping away our Constitutional rights. The same right-wing extremists who once supported every criminal act of Bush are now "concerned" about Obama's "un-American socialist attacks on our freedom"? Gimme a break.

But hey, at least dissent is no longer considered "un-American". And maybe one day, this nation will wake up and realize that another world is possible. A world at peace. A world of social justice. A world without terrorism, whether it's a bunch of cruel extremists attacking a city or government sponsored attacks on other nations.