Casino player was asleep at his machine

To the editor:

We were extremely disappointed to see Roger F. Kinsey’s Sept. 27 letter (“Please exit the property,”) which represented El Cortez in a negative light, and unfortunately was never fact-checked before being printed. Also unfortunate is the fact that nothing Mr. Kinsey wrote is accurate.

Mr. Kinsey is a regular customer of the El Cortez, and we appreciate his business. We also regularly look out for him, as he has a tendency to sleep at his slot machine on a regular basis. We wake him up and warn him of the dangers of not looking out for his machine while a ticket is inside it. Our security guards also suggest that if he is tired, he should go home and get some rest before returning to the casino floor.

After we were informed of the incident on Sept. 21, which happened while Mr. Kinsey was asleep, surveillance footage was viewed, and we did everything in our power to recover his $15.52.

Additionally, since the inaccurate and inflammatory letter was run, we have received numerous phone calls from concerned citizens threatening to spread the word of our treatment of seniors. This is especially disheartening, since senior citizens have been the lifeblood of our business, and we take pride on treating our customers like family.

ALEXANDRA EPSTEIN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

EL CORTEZ HOTEL & CASINO

LAS VEGAS

Muslims do grieve

To the editor:

On Wednesday, the Review-Journal published a Michael Ramirez cartoon captioned “A Brief History of Muslim Outrage,” depicting the Muslim world as being hypocritical for expressing outrage at the “Innocence of Muslims” trailer, but remaining silent for such tragedies as the ’98 U.S. embassy attacks and 9/11.

I was living in Syria when the World Trade Centers were attacked. I was 11 years old, just finishing up my Arabic language class with my tutor, an old family friend who wore the hijab, fasted for Ramadan, did everything that’d be expected of a devout Muslim woman.

I remember my parents calling us into the other room, and seeing them sitting dumbfounded in front of the TV as grainy repeat footage of passenger planes crashing into the Twin Towers was played. They were still trying to wrap their heads around it. But my tutor? She was sobbing. Not out of any guilt – this was before it was known who was responsible – but simply out of heartbreak for all the lives lost.

Similarly, in the following weeks most everyone we met, upon hearing that we were Americans, told us how deeply sorry they were, and that no matter what, we were always welcome in their homes. Each and every one of our Arab and Muslim acquaintances would go out of their way to show us kindness and hospitality – even strangers would come and beg us to tell the world that “We’re not like them.”

But you won’t see any of that. You don’t see the photos of counter-protesters in Libya, apologizing for the deaths of the four Americans killed there. You don’t hear about the Muslims who volunteered to help the victims of the 7/7 bombing in London, or the outrage many claimed feeling against the perpetrators of the attack. The simple truth of the matter is, there’s Muslim grief for the actions of other Muslims all over the place – you just have to be willing to listen for it.

GORDON BROWN

Las Vegas

Consultation with Whoopi

To the editor:

While in New York City last week to attend the U.N. General Assembly and the Clinton Global Initiative, President Obama once again showed his terrific diplomatic skills.

There was no time for the Israeli prime minister (second time in one week – some kind of foreign policy record?), the deputy prime minister, the Libyan president, the new French president, Iraq’s prime minister or a high-level Security Council meeting, let alone the other world dignitaries attending.

Despite the chaos and terrorist attacks in the Near East, Mr. Obama has little time to devote to them or confer with them. You know who will? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, that’s who.

But there are a few people Mr. Obama will make time for – those really important, high-level foreign policy dignitaries on “The View.” You know, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar – the most ultra-liberal talking heads.

I’m certain they’ll touch on all the important issues facing this country. Perhaps Mr. Obama can share with them the important discussion about foreign affairs he had with David Letterman the previous week.

GEORGE PUCINE

LAS VEGAS

Yard sign landslide

To the editor:

My wife and I are volunteer Sun City Summerlin security officers. We drive through the labyrinth of streets that comprise this senior community. In the past two weeks, we’ve been counting presidential campaign signs. We’ve counted approximately 120 Romney signs and two Obama signs.

Is this a preview of things to come? Does this mean Romney wins by a landslide, or are Obama supporters so confident they see no need to exert the effort to place a sign on their front yard?

We thought Review-Journal readers might find this interesting.

MURRAY ROSNER

LAS VEGAS

Dollar will melt down

To the editor:

There is no shortage of disaster scenarios on TV and in the movies. But there is one playing out right now that only a few politicians seem sufficiently worried about.

The Federal Reserve has begun printing money again, a lot of money. President Obama recently said in an interview that the $16 trillion debt is not a problem over the short term. Neither is brain cancer. UCLA economics professor Tim Groseclose estimates that the U.S. national debt will rise to $20 trillion by 2016 and $26 trillion by 2020. No one knows for sure when the dollar will melt down, or what the consequences will be. Many financial analysts are predicting an extremely dire outcome for the U.S. economy, wiping out trillions of dollars in U.S. equity markets.

Most Americans who pay attention to such things know in their gut that a national economic reset is coming. If that happens, it will be followed by a political reset. Why do you suppose President Obama has been called the greatest boon to gun sales in American history?

SKIP BLOUGH

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Comics controversy

To the editor:

After reading the letters in Wednesday’s newspaper concerning the comic strips, I thought I would clarify the reason why “Cul de Sac” has stopped.

The strip’s creator, Richard Thompson, has Parkinson’s disease, which affects the central nervous system. His condition makes it difficult to draw, and even with an assistant, it was hard for him to meet the strip’s deadlines. He announced his upcoming retirement in August, and this was reported in a number of places.

As for the choice of replacement, I personally would have considered a number of strips other than the heavy-handed politics of “Mallard Fillmore.”

STEVEN F. SCHARFF

HENDERSON

• To the editor:

Diane Shaul wrote to express her shock at Mallard Fillmore, a political cartoon, being placed in the comics section, and said the Review-Journal was shoving its opinion down our throats on the comics page. Our question to her is, do you ever read Doonesbury, which has been on the comics page for years? Would not Doonesbury’s long-term placement indicate a strongly liberal slant?

In any case, please continue to publish Mallard Fillmore.

PHILIP & CLAUDIA WRIGHT

HENDERSON