Remembered yesterday what I miss about Manhattan. Near Union Square, a man in a Phantom-of-the-Opera outfit, in period jacket, tri-corner hat and mask and walking on stilts, was handing out flyers for a strip club, equal opportunity of course, male and female. You just have to love the culture advantage Manhattan provides. That reminded me that at my first Comdex in Atlanta in a galaxy far, far away, I took a strip-club flyer from a guy in a gorilla suit. I went, purely for research purposes I assure you. … I do have one complaint, with so many of our Muslim friends operating the street carts, it’s impossible to find an Italian sausage sandwich near the Port Authority Bus Station. You have to learn to recognize the Arabic signs for “Halal” from a distance. ... Walking along 42nd street I saw a marquee that proclaimed Johnny Winter was appearing. I saw a picture next to his name thought, "Oh, my God. He cut his white hair short and got this awful dark tan" before I realized the place was B.B. King's restaurant. BB's is a perfect place for old people (like me). Upcoming acts include Chad and Jeremy, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Davy Jones from the Monkeys, and Al Green (kids ask your parents whose people are). They still have groupies, but they're in wheel chairs. Fans can't wave candles during concerts. It would set off the oxygen canisters. ... With a daughter in college I realized I could witness a remarkable phenomenon: money disappearing remotely in real time. ... An accountant friend sent a news item about a tax attorney whose attempt to deduct more than $100,000 spent on pornography and prostitutes in 2004 and 2005 as medical expenses necessary for his good health was disallowed by the tax court. I thought, damn, I'm going to have to amend my returns again.
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The hazards of online banking: My daughter Elisa’s student bank account shows a $9.25 debit card payment at the Museum of Sex in New York. I’m not mad. I want to know if they offer a discount to AARP members. But despite the fact, Elisa has moved out, we still have unbreakable tie to her -  We’re connected by our bank accounts.  And she’s already reaping the benefits of higher education. She’s learned which bars don’t card and which grocery stores will sell 40-ounce beers to teens. ...  It's been reported that a Walt Disney museum will open on the grounds of the Presidio in San Francisco. But I don't think I'll go. It's probably a real Mickey Mouse affair. ...   I think I made a bad investment in a new animal called the ginchilla. They have luxurious fur, but they're extremely hard to breed because they rarely sober up. ... I got an automated telephone call today about covering the high cost of funeral expenses. Is someone trying to tell me something? ... A friend asked me to name my favorite recipe from a TV cooking show. I said I didn't know what to call it but it involved Rachel Ray and a can of Reddi-Wip. … With some much heated debate about healthcare, it's time to turn to someone we all trust, the Aflac Duck.  And given the success of animals in the insurance world, including the Geico gecko, the American Insurance Group has chosen its symbol, the AIG Weasel. Read more...