The Beer Bar

The search engine giant celebrated its 10 year anniversary this week. It is so hard to imagine a world in which Google did not exist. I try to think back before Google and it is hard for me to imagine. I think perhaps dogpile was the site I used before Google. The Internet has been greatly enhanced by this company and their ideas.

When overseas, I love to watch some American movies, tv shows, etc and listen to my music. I download quite a bit when I travel. I have always used Itunes as it is legal and the easiest way to download music I have found. The new version of Itunes has a Genius bar which has to be activated on your computer. It reads your music, sends it to Apple and makes lists based on similar songs. This morning when I went to the gym, I wanted to take my Ipod so I picked one upbeat song I like to run to and had my Genius Bar make a play list of 100 songs that are similar. I simply then hit Make New Playllst and it was done. I synced it with my Ipod and I was good to go. The results wer…

I'm intrigued by our new guy's choice of name. The only other Mandrykas I know of are the French cartoonist and the baritone role in Strauss's Arabella. Which of them is being evoked here, if either?

Given that there already exists a promoter on this site for LA events, I am stunned that he has not mentioned the Sunset Strips event to be held next Sunday, the 14th. It's an AIDS benefit that looks like an LA version of Broadway Bares. "...nearly 100 super-talented, super-sexy, professional dancers who will strut, tease, and bare it (mostly) all." Okay, so I don't recognize many of the names mentioned, but it is written by Bruce Vilanch (with help from his trusty aides, no doubt) and, like Broadway Bares, is standing room only. For $160 you get to stand! But, don't worry OZ, there are a number of VIP packages available. And you can stand in the back of the house for o…

When the delegates were chanting "Drill Baby! Drill!" last night I was unsure if this was a call for new oil exploration or simply the GOP leather daddies trying to seduce some cubs.

The blatherers missed no occasion but one to put themselves and their bullshit between the convention and the public, as though it were all about them. I found it disheartening. The one thing they did shut up for was Obama's speech. I should be thankful for that blessing.

I am just loving the new version of Firefox for the Mac. It is faster and easier and makes the web so much more enjoyable. With Googles new browser, things will heat up even more I am sure. How many IE guys do we still have out there?

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Google Inc. is releasing its own Web browser in a long-anticipated move aimed at countering the dominance of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer and ensuring easy access to its market-leading search engine. The Mountain View, California-based company took the unusual step of announcing its latest product on the Labor Day holiday after it prematurely sent out a comic book drawn up to herald the new browser's arrival. The free browser, called "Chrome," is supposed to be available for downloading Tuesday in more than 100 countries for computers running on Microsoft's Windows operating system. Google said it's still working on versions comp…

I love surfing and do so often. I download my music and videos and use tons with ITUNES downloads. Limiting my access would be a real pain in the ass. Here is the ABC News article. Comcast Corp., the nation's second-largest Internet service provider, says it would set an official limit on the amount of data subscribers can download and upload each month. Last week, Comcast -- the second-largest Internet service provider in the country -- announced that starting Oct. 1 it would officially set a threshold for monthly Internet usage. In an online announcement, the service provider said that although it already contacts residential customers who use excessive amounts o…

Daniel who has been getting more controversial roles said the dream role for him is a Drag Queen. Yummy. Has anyone been lucky enough to snag any of his Broadway tickets for the production of Equus? Do I smell a hint of gayness in him? http://www.usmagazine.com/news/daniel-radc...ay-a-drag-queen

I will be in New Orleans-my favorite city in the US-for Southern Decadence 2008 Probably won't attend any of the circut parties-but I had a blast last year just hanging out in the bars and cruising the streets. I hope some of you will join me-watch this space for more info. And yes-Jesse"I am not a prostitute"Santana is scheduled do dance at the OZ again this year

Gustav has brought out what little the gops have to offer in the way of playacting talent. It falls handily into three acts: 1) pretending outwardly to be sorry that Bush and Cheney won't appear at the convention; 2) striving to look masterfully in control of the storm crisis; 3) feigning concern for the evacuees and the disadvantaged at large. So far, not so convincing. Nobody in his right mind believes the first one. Bush, shown sitting at the head of a FEMA crisis meeting, is working so hard to look commanding that his eyes cross with the effort. McCain, trying to appear supportive in revealing ECU from Mississippi on all the news shows, looks and sounds merely b…

Ordinarily I'm quick to blame my computer-related difficulties on my own computer naïveté. Not this time. Why do I have such trouble getting a forum to acknowledge that I'm logged in? I log in, a cute little flag that tells me I'm logged in, but it apparently doesn't tell the forum. When I try to post I'm told there has been an error. I've found that going to the home page then back can help. But now and then, this morning as an example, I have to perform that dance several times before it finally takes. Any insights?

I've always said that it would be fun to be at a convention where there was no bush at all, but this time there isn't even going to be Dick!

I've been around MER for a little over 2 1/2 years while byebottomboi has been on here about 2 1/2 weeks. Yet I'm having a hard time keeping pace with all his posts. Fuck this is hard work.

So, what the fuck do you think the GOP does now that New Orleans is being evacuated? The know that Bush fucked up during Katrina so they have to do something spectacular like call in Superman and the Flash to personally escort old ladies out of the French Quarter or something. Perhaps they could throw Cheney into a volcano and see if that helps? Seriously though, Bush is now not going to be at the convention and McCain might only give a speech via satellite and I can't imagine that even the GOP wants to be having a party while cities are being destroyed by the wrath of God. So, what's their plan going to be: 1. Cancel the convention and give up that free TV airtime. …

New Owners,New Staff,New Menu. Back to its roots. Numbers has been reopened.New(gay)owner and management team. The new owners say they want to have the old feel of the original Numbers while updating the menu. Reports are creeping in that this is a fun place once again. Will give it ia try very soon.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_...-on-gay-ri.html She opposes same-sex marriage, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.[9] While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin complied with a state Supreme Court order and signed them into law.[28] She disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling[29] and supported a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.[30] Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.[31] Palin has stated that sh…

Does anyone know anything about Sarah Palin other than that she's governor of Alaska?

I have moved those postings into the Buffet and they are still there. All Craig's List topics about escorts can be discussed in the Buffet. I also removed the Leisure Class forum as there were no postings in it. Just trying to clean up the board a bit.

No, this is not a porn title. It seems that California is going to let gay inmates marry their boyfriends - as long as their boyfriends are not also locked up. http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_10328048?nclick_check=1 This touches so many, many fantasies in my sordid brain.

I have been using a new program which I am in love with. It is called The Brain. www.thebrain.com Mirroring the way a human thinks is a tough job for software, but PersonalBrain 4.5, a powerful brainstorming and knowledge management tool, falls just shy of artificial intelligence. PersonalBrain expresses individual topics as nodes in a mind map, a 3-D representation of the relationships between topics. This mind map is referred to as a Brain. Topics in PersonalBrain parlance are called thoughts. Main thoughts (called Parent thoughts) can have Child thoughts (thoughts related to the main or parent thought), Siblings (thoughts related to the child thoughts), and Jumps …

http://wcbstv.com/health/NYC.HIV.Infections.2.804259.html In New York City new HIV infections are three times the national average. So, hey, let's play careful out there!

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008...ts-phelps_N.htm A federal appeals court has upheld an Ohio law that limits picketing at funerals, rejecting an appeal by Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay Kansas congregation that has held protests across the country.

Your presence here has added some new life that most of us welcome. This site needs new blood, and I am glad that you came along. You do tend to have a lot to say, though, and I think that diminishes the value of your posts. Why not cut the number of posts so people don't just decide to skip them all. Speak up on the subjects most interesting to you, let other people have a chance to respond, and you will find more people participating in your threads. Sometimes silence says a lot too. Best wishes.