From the Man Bites Dog File: Area businessmen -- you know, the prototypical low-taxes/small-guvmint crowd -- are complaining about the stimulus package. Not on account of fiscal-conservatism principles but because they don't get enough Washington moolah. Actually, the appended bullet-point list of stimulus provisions and incentives looks pretty good to me, particularly the part about counting canceled debt as income. That measure couldn't be more timely, seeing as Station Casinos is asking unsecured creditors to eat 83% of what they're owed, for the greater glory of Station.

But please, somebody buy a crying towel for SurePayroll President Michael Alter, who voices this lament: "There's very little, if any, money in the stimulus package for small businesses, and what is there is really sort of a trickle-down from the benefits that go to consumers." Aw gosh, how pitiful.

Seems like it's consumers who keep the Michael Alters of this world in business to begin with but I'm kinda crazy that way. Besides, people of his ilk were all gung-ho about trickle-down economics when they were its primary beneficiaries. Not so much fun to be at the secondary or tertiary level of the trickle-down, you say? Welcome to the world of supply-side economics as the non-business-owning person experiences it. What's sauce for the goose ought to be just dandy for the gander.

Some of the less-whiny businessmen in the story have sound criticisms/suggestions vis-a-vis stimulating the economy. Tax credits for companies that provide health plans for their workers is pure common sense, for one (especially when you consider the costs of health-related lost productivity). Still, this ideological identity-crisis thing seems to be catching.

Speaking of shameless, bankers who are accepting federal bailout money have no compunction about crossing their own palms with silver. One of the institutions in question is Nevada State Bank, where I do my personal business ... and from which I should probably withdraw my deposits. But are any of the alternative institutions less ethically challenged?

This just in: The Nevada Assembly voted 35-7 to jam tourists up with an increase in the Clark and Washoe county hotel taxes. The seven opponents include a couple of the worst pricks in the lower house but they're on the side of the angels this time. Too bad it was a losing cause. Sanity may prevail in the state Senate, though I'm pessimistic.