Who Are You People?

I'm a native Nevadan. I was born here. I grew up here. I go to the zoo regularly. Why don't I see you there? I know it's kind of crummy, but you know what, people? It's all we have. And it won't get better without patronage.

There is a vary upsetting pair of articles in the Review Journal and the Sun today. In the RJ, we learn that our state museums are laying people off and cutting hours. The article is fairly neutral, but you still come away feeling like you should blame policymakers for cutting budgets. I, and I shudder typing this, tend to sympathize with our boys in Carson City on this one. I understand the importance of education and law enforcement, and appreciate them putting these things over Cultural Affairs. I blame you, Las Vegans.

How many of you even knew we had a zoo? How many of you attend our museums? A museum is still a business, Guys. Sure, they get a little somethin' somethin' from the government, but they still need patrons. What happens to Awesome Mom and Pop restaurant if no one eats there? Same principal, Kids.

In the Las Vegas Sun, we get news of an even more disturbing trend. Seems that, even with the economy in the tank, more than 150,000 underage teens a year undergo cosmetic surgery. The article says, "Most of the procedures were done on minors who wanted to improve their features — a smaller nose or bigger breasts, for example." Really?

So, all I want is a zoo with a couple of wolves and instead I get a 15 year old with a boob job.

Get it together, Guys. Maybe if you took your kid to the Museum a couple times a year, she'd wouldn't think she needed a nose job for her senior year yearbook photo.