In Las Vegas this week famous magaician David Copperfield is the subject of an ongoing FBI investigation that started in Seattle and resulted in a late night raid on a warehouse owned by Copperfield in Vegas. Police siezed a digital camera, a computer, a storage chip containing pictures, and over two million in cash. Copperfield was recently in the news when reports surfaced that he had a history of inviting women from audiences to perform in his shows, inviting them backstage after where he would reportedly drug and rape them. This is another case of these rich individuals with high social class standing believing that they are above the law and can get away with doing anything they want.

After visiting the census web page I found the Las Vegas economy breaks down as follows: Food service employs the most people 39,122, makes about2,416,602,000 it lists 962 establishments in the city. Professional, scientific, and technical services have 1843 establishments empley 14919 people , retail trade 1563 establishments, making 6.5 billion and employing 27809 annually. Health care and social assitances employs 23420, there are 225 manufacturing establishments employing only 3000 people. And educational services lists 77 establishments, employing 496 people. So it appears as if education isn't high on the list of positive things going on in Las Vegas Nevada.

excuse.my.post.this.week.my.space.bar.is.broken.and.i.cant.go.anywhere.else.so.please.bare.with.me.
In.sticking.with.what.we.have.been.talking.about.in.class.Las.Vegas.is.using."short.sales,"as.alternatives.to.foreclosures.Because.millions.of.adjustable.rate.mortgages.
will.reset.over.the.next.18.months.Short.sales.allow.a.home.to.be.sold.for.less.than.what.is.owed.rather.than.having.the.home.foreclosed.on.In.Vegas,there.are.3,350.homes.listed
as.short.sales.This.number.has.more-than-doubled.in.the.last..4..months...Banks.are.excepting.these.losses.because.they.say.it.is.better.than.paying.attorney.fees.loss.of.prolonged.vacancy.and.marketing.costs.so.its.not.a.bail.out.for.home.owners.but.it.is.a.result.of
having.no.affordable.housing.for.middle.class.people.
In.other.news.Police.in.Las.Vegas.have.formed.a.new.task.force.to.help.solve.gang-related-murders.in.the.poorer.areas.of.Las.vegas.It.is.especially.concerned.with.developing.trusting.relationships.with.neighborhood.residents.in.order.to.deter.crimes.against.witnesses...A.new.trend.of.anti-snitch.tactics.are.being.deployed.by.gang.members.in.order.to.intimidate.and.even.physically.harm.witnesses.
I.find.this,interesting.because.the.rich.prominent.neighborhoods.don't.have.task.forces.to.help.protect.witnesses.because.witnesses.ususally.arent.intimidated.by.thier.neighbors.in.these.neighborhoods.
another.positive.to.having.enough.money.to.live.in.a.high.priced.neighborhood.

A las vegas firefighter named Sam Bond was arrested for breaking into the firestation and stealing drugs. Apparantly while the on duty crew was out on a call Bond broke into the station from an upstairs window. He stole and then overdosed on an undisclosed controlled substance and was admitted into the hospital the following morning for the overdose. He was then booked into the clark county detention center until he was later released on house arrest. This was the second time he was arrested for breaking in and stealing drugs. Guess no one is above the law.

In other news regents at the university of nevade narrowly rejected adopting policy that would allow faculty and staff to carry guns on campus. Concerns over campus safety are driving people to look for a quick fix, but I'm not sure if i would want anyone carrying a gun on campus, I mean what if a situation occured that saw a student take a gun from a teacher and then shoot someone with it, can you imagine the public outcry that would happen in that case. Also I think teachers should concentrate on teaching and if conditions are that dangerous law enforcement should be increased on campus.

In las Vegas this week a little girl who had been sexually abused on camera by a convicted sex offender was found safe with her mother. The little girl was abused on camera and las vegas police had to make a decision of whether or not to release the tape in order to help find the person guilty of the crimes against her. Some people belierve police revictimized the victim by releasing the tape, Lead investigator Tony Demeo said that they had never seen a case like this before and that they only wanted to find the victim to make sure she was safe.

She was identified after news media aired pictures of the girl taken from the video tape. She was found safe and sound and the suspect was also identified. Some people will say that the officers should not have released this tape with such graphic abuse of a child on it. I feel like they did the right thing because they found the girl and they were also able to get a suspect. The safty of the child right now should out wiegh anything else.

Las vegas was originally built by mormons as a fort halfway between Salt Lake City and LA. In the late 1800's it became a mining town. Hoover dam was built in 1931 this brought many lots of people to the city and in the same year gambling was legalized. There is a parrallel in the growth of Las Vegas as Tourism and entertainment became the mainstay many government facilities were buitl in and around the area. In 1960 Las Vegas had 65,000 people in a 25 squrae mile radius. The main source of income for the city was and still is tourism and entertainment. Hotel and casino, strip malls, and food and beverage consumption, including alcohol which im sure contributes to the crime rate. Las Vegas is the largest metropolitan city in the US that was founded in the 20th century.

In Desert Springs hospital in Las Vegas Nevada there is a man in a coma. His name, or place of birth is unknown, and he is being sued. The hospital is sueing him and the attorney generals office because they believe he was in the federal witness protection program and has racked up at least 75000 in hospital bills over the last 2 years. Hospital officials either want him taken out of thier care or for his bills to be paid. A hospital in Uruguay has agreed to take him in only if the US verifies his identity which they havent done so far because he was supposedly in the witness protection program. What a story, it speaks 1. about the state of our health care system in the US, we have the best health care professionals in the world and millions of people who cannot acces the services because our healthcare system is a ridiculous maze of insurance agancies and buaracratic red tape. 2. he could be treated but the FBI refuses to give up his identity, which I understand on the one hand but on the other they should then pay his bills. 3. people in the United States will sue anyone at anytime for anything, we are a lawsuit happy society and some of the money wasted in many frivelous lawsuits could be better used in the field of helthcare.

For my topic I will start with the crime rate and types of crimes that go on in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is ranked as the 88th best place to live in the US by forbes magazine it is also ranked 1st in net migration and 3rd in job growth among cities with at least 100,000 residents. According to the census for the year 2000 Las Vegas reported 63,000+ arrests, the statistics also indicate that sometimes offenses are not reported so the number may by higher. Larceny is the most populous crime at 30000 incidents, burglary is second at 13000 motor vehicle thefts at 11500 robbery 4000 aggravated assaut at 3500 rape at 597 and murder at 109. Studies are currently being done to try and link cities with gambling venues to increased crime rates.

The economic influences in this city are capatalism at its best, people with lots of money invest in business ventures in this city and eventually make tons of more money. The majority of the profits turned by these disgustingly rich people are made off of the working class people who sink thier money into casinos hoping to hit one big one so that they can then be rich and can exploite other people instead of being exploited themselves. Although most of them dont realize they are indeed being used, they come and go and donate to no particular cause quite willingly.

OJ charged in Vegas

OJ Simpson was arrested and questioned in regards to an armed robbery that happened in a Las Vegas hotel this week. Apparantly armed men stormed a hotel room where sports paraphanelia was being held for auction. The men took items by force before leaving with no injuries being reported. OJ later said that he simply took items that belonged to him, because he didnt want people making money off of him if he wasnt going to get a cut. He also said there were no weapons and that he didnt break into the room. Also this week the family of Ron Goldman appeared on Oprah to discuss thier releasing of the book "If I did it," which supposedly tells how OJ would have killed Ron and Nicole Simpson, the book was originally supposed to be released by a publisher who would pay OJ royalties but the rights to the book were awarded to the Goldman family by a federal judge. I wonder if this effected OJ's decision making process this week?
The 2007 VMA's were also held this week at the Palms hotel and casino owned by the Maloof brotheres of Albuquerque NM. Lots of lip-syncing by people with little talent and lots of fans.