Spirit of Nevada

Values

Nevada is built on the hard work of brave men and women who dared to look for something better. The explorers. The settlers. The natives who inhabited this land and the pioneers who dared make it better. Bravery, independence, and a rich history define the Spirit of Nevada. For 152 years, Nevada has been the “Battle-born” state, due to its inception being at the time of the Civil War. Nevada’s harsh environment has developed its rich history and culture. Nevadans have embraced a multicultural lifestyle, adopting customs from Native American tribes, Western explorers, Spanish conquistadores, and the thousands of immigrants who have found their home in the Silver State.

Home, means Nevada, Home, means the hills, Home, means the sage and the pines. Out by the Truckee's silvery rills, Out where the sun always shines. There is the land that I love the best, Fairer than all I can see, Right in the heart of the golden west Home, means Nevada to me.

Then

One year after the Battle of Gettysburg, during the Civil War, Nevada was added to the Union as a the 36th state: Battle Born. What did it mean for the new Nevadans at the time?

Nevada has always had a strong, independent spirit. Nevadans have a long, rugged pioneering history; from the gold mining to the ranching, Nevadans control their destiny, choosing the best for themselves and their families. The hundreds of workers who built Hoover (Boulder) Dam are a prime example of this. Boulder City itself was created to house these pioneers looking for a better future, and these men and women knew that they could forge the future they wanted for themselves based on the sweat and hard labor they put forth. Nevada was also a place of contrast and diversity since its inception. These values have carried over generation from generation, and they are present today, and will remain in the future.

Now

In the new millennium, Nevada has set itself apart from what it was known before. From Reno’s fame as the “Biggest Little City in the World” to Las Vegas’ vibrant nightlife, Nevada has devoted itself to becoming a state that champions family values in both rural and urban settings, as well as maintaining the tradition of independence and courageousness in everyday life. Nevada is a state that truly has a place for everyone. Nevada’s uniqueness comes from its ability to embrace and thrive on diversity. From deserts to snow-capped mountains, from small rural towns to the entertainment capital of the world, Nevada has demonstrated that being a town of juxtapositions and contradictions is something to be proud of. Currently, the college town of Reno, the rural life of Elko, Ely, Sparks, and other small towns, put back-to-back with Las Vegas show the large contrasts between the lifestyles of Nevadans. With industries like entertainment, technology, ranching, mining, and everything else in between, Nevada provides a sense of freedom: that is the Spirit of Nevada.

Future

Las Vegas has poised itself as a hub of technological advancement and innovation. With large companies like Tesla and Switch investing millions of dollars in Nevada, the large industries like gambling and entertainment that currently dominate and propel Nevada’s economy are likely to merge with technology. It is not far fetched to see Nevada being the home of several tech startups, competing, but most importantly, collaborating, with Silicon Valley, its neighbor. The future of Nevada is being shaped by influential people like Governor Sandoval, Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto, Zappos’ Tony Hsieh, Switch’s Rob Roy, and the hundreds of small business owners that are changing the landscape of Nevada’s economy. Our universities are becoming top-tier research institutions due to the hard work and collaboration of our community and the diversity of the student bodies. With different backgrounds and personal histories, Nevadans are creating a better future for not only the 2.8 million people that live here, but also for the hundreds of thousands of tourists that visit our state every year and enjoy what our Silver State has to offer.

Elements

i = 0;

while (!deck.isInOrder()) {
    print 'Iteration ' + i;
    deck.shuffle();
    i++;
}

print 'It took ' + i + ' iterations to sort the deck.';