This week’s Sample Sunday selection, My Week at the Blue Angel – And Other Stories from the Storm Drains, Strip Clubs, and Trailer Parks of Las Vegas, is representative of a number of creative non-fiction titles we’ve published over the years. The author, Matt O’Brien, is our foremost practitioner of the style, if his two Nevada Arts Council artist-fellowship grants and his Nevada Writers Hall of Fame Silver Pen Award are any indication.

I'm a Vegas limo driver and recently drove a wedding couple and their friends to Bellagio after their wedding because they wanted to take pictures in the Conservatory and by the Fountains. While by the fountain show, a Bellagio security guard came up and informed them that wedding pictures were not permitted anywhere on the property. I'm not sure why this is a rule or why you can take pictures anywhere on the property unless you're in a wedding gown, but this is what they were told. Do you have any clue why this rule exists?

I recently saw some statistics where Nevada has the highest rate of divorcing couples in the U.S. Do you think the reasons are obvious, given the lifestyle? Or are there some hidden problems that us occasional visitors might not know about?

In a recent QoD regarding safety riding the bus, you said, "....this city has some distinctly dubious neighborhoods...." Care to tell us exactly which neighborhoods we should stay away from?

Besides Oscars, are there any other restaurants that offer a view of the Fremont Street Experience downtown?

Are there any tours out to Scotty's Castle in July/August from Vegas? I know there are no tours to Death Valley due to the heat, but Scotty's Castle is open and indoors. I don't drive and can't find any other way of getting there.

This might be more than one question. What is casino credit? If a person wanted to take a large sum of money ($10,000) to Vegas to only play blackjack with, but not exclusively at one casino, what would be the best and safest way to get it out there? Carry it yourself, cashier’s check or money order, traveler's checks? At home, we use a local credit union, so we can't go into a bank out there and withdraw, nor can we get more than $500 per day from the ATM.

Does Lake Las Vegas still offer their free movies on the lake during the summer? For that matter, could you bring us up-to-date on the area. I’ve heard very little since the latest closure of the casino.

I happened to make the cover of the Las Vegas Sun back in January of this year. How do I go about getting some copies to hand out to my family and friends?

I will be in Las Vegas on my birthday this year. Do any of the casinos or restaurants give out good birthday specials? (It doesn't look like this question has been answered since March 1, 2006.)