Publisher's Note December 2018

How many of you suffer from the same affliction as I do? Because of the rarity of the condition, diagnosis had to be accompanied by a naming ceremony. As a licensed architect with an engineering background, I have always lived in a world of measurements. This fixation with numbers most probably conditioned me for my diagnosis. I suffer you see, from “Metermania,” the unrelenting obsession with the odometer of an automobile.
Gauging one’s vehicle ownership by distance traveled seems reasonable. Stopping, however, at the side of the road as the zeros all line up in neat order really pisses off passengers.

Sitting here writing this, I am aware of the parallels. Our files are being finalized, which once uploaded to the printer; they will soon become our one-hundredth issue. Concurrently, we are focused on future DAVIDs. No time to pull over, pop a cork and admire the achievement.

Anyone who knows me well knows that notwithstanding the above, corks will fly and celebrate we will. As always in all things grape related we asked Marisa Finetti for advice. Her piece, Growers’ Bubbly, pages 46-51, explores the world of small estate Champagnes. I know what I’ll be drinking; Cheers!

This month we review our publishing years, from our premier issue with the quirky Albert Einstein image by Israeli artist Hanoch Pivin on its cover to the hundred issue gold ribbon that we now sport. To provide a perspective on this journey, I invited Jaq Greenspon to get personal. In his essay, My DAVID Years pages 28-31, he reviews the many excellent articles he wrote for us. It is safe to say DAVID would not be what it is today without his many contributions.

Our prosperity has depended largely on the welfare of Las Vegas, emerging from a crippling “Great Recession” in a true frontier town style it addresses adversity with creativity and gusto. We are privileged to have the venerable Paul Harasim write about developments in healthcare in Southern Nevada. In his piece Home Grown Medicine pages 42-45, he covers the plans our State leaders have to become a world-class medical care and research hub.

Aliza Freeman writes on the performing arts in her piece Curtain Calls in the Desert, pages 52-56. She explores the impact that The Smith Center has had on the many other Strip and off-Strip productions.

The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2018, demanded Lynn Wexler’s best writing skills. As usual, she does not disappoint, her essay Target of Hate pages 32-35, explores this and other acts inspired by the twisted dogmas of anti-Semites. We all pray for the day when these articles become redundant.

In late 2009 my wife Joanne and I had the crazy idea of creating this publication. I saw it as more relationship therapy than commerce and projected a glorious three to four-month run. Fate had other ideas, and today we find ourselves planning for the next 100 publications and beyond.

I quickly became aware that our prosperity depended on the continued interest of our loyal readers and the value that our advertisers saw in their placements. You all have our commitment to continued excellence, we will not disappoint.

Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas, as always it is our profound privilege and pleasure to see you in the racks.

Max D. Friedland

max@davidlv.com