I was watching a little bit of Casino on cable TV yesterday, including a scene about the Las Vegas "Black Book" which bans people from entering a casino. Does that still exist? If it does, is there a way to find out who is in it?

Why is the year 1922 used on the coins represented in the "welcome" letters on the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign?

Gambling on a plane: Part II.

When you recently supplied a three-part history of the Maxim casino, you wrote that we could expect "some more tangential QoDs to follow." Can we still and, if so, when?!

Is the picture of Tupac on the cover of Cathy Scott’s book, The Killing of Tupac Shakur, which was shown in a recent issue of the LVA newsletter, the last known picture taken of Tupac while he was alive? Where was it taken, who took it, and why is there controversy over whether or not it’s fake? Where exactly was the car when he was shot? Also, since Tupac was known to be fascinated with numerology and with Niccolo Machiavelli -- what observations does Ms Scott have about their possible role or significance in his life and death?

Battista’s Hole in the Wall is a special place we like to go upon every trip to Las Vegas. Can you give us some history on it, including the entertaining accordion player, and celebrities that have eaten there?

I am somewhat confused after reading your news feed about the closing of the Las Vegas Club. I don’t understand what it means that Derek Stevens bought the property but not the name or the gaming. The name I get, but does this mean that he cannot have gaming there? And what will happen to the former employees of the casino?

We know that there are no parts of the "original" Flamingo Hotel still around. How about the Tropicana, which I believe is now [with the closing of the Riv] the next-oldest strip casino left?

History of the Maxim Hotel & Casino: Part III.

History of the Maxim and the question of its "Mob" ties, Part II.