sydneyboy1

There is a report in today’s Sydney Morning Herald that Brazil is no longer publishing a running total of Covid-19 deaths and infections. This almost defies belief. Can Brazil now claim to be a democratic country?

An interesting point. When Brazil was staging circuses like the World Cup and the Olympics I recall there was a major backlash with rational people arguing the money should have been spent on education and more importantly its apparently decrepit hospital system. With this system now stretched to its limit and beyond Brazil is not a country to get sick. Something to consider.

The United States has prohibited foreigners entering the US who have been to Brazil in the previous 14 days.

This is one of the lead items on news in Sydney tonight. Brazil now number 2 for coranavirus cases. One person is to blame.

The latest daily toll is 1100 dead. In one day. This figure in a country like Brazil would be a gross understatement. Truly appalling.

I don’t pretend to be a medical expert, but one thing the USA and Britain have in common is that they were very slow to act. The measures now in place are obviously strict but the way this virus spreads it’s a case of closing the door after the horse has bolted. As I mentioned in an earlier post Johnson was actually boasting about 7 weeks ago of shaking hands and socialising with sufferers. As for Trump, what is there to say? His bizarre inconsistent ravings have been well documented. As reported on the news tonight he has reached his all time low. Suggesting injecting sufferers with disinfectant. Americans come November you have your chance. How could anyone in their right mind vote for this man?

The ineptitude of this British response is breathtaking. Unlike countries such as Germany or Australia they have not engaged in widespread testing but only offered testing if someone was in hospital. Now realising their folly they have set a target of conducting 100,000 tests a day by the end of April. This is a somewhat optimistic goal given that 18,000 tests were conducted on Tuesday and the acting Prime Minister Dominic Raab boasted that they now had the capacity to conduct 40,000 tests a day. He was subjected to forensic cross examination on this in Parliament this week by the new Labour leader Keir Starmer. Only 18,000 3 days ago, the alleged capacity is 40,000 and 100,000 within a week. The acting Prime Minister was found seriously wanting when questioned on this by an Opposition Leader who is a QC and former Director of Public Prosecutions. Why is it that countries run by right wing ideologues USA, Brazil and the U K have been so thoroughly incompetent in dealing with this crisis?

Perfectly true but ask Boris Johnson what it’s like when the virus attack is nasty. He had the best medical advice available and when he was very ill his treating doctors made crucial clinical decisions that saved his life. Not to mention 2 nurses who were at his bedside around the clock for 48 hours. All this he now freely acknowledges. I can’t help but make the cynical observation if he would have had all this attention from the NHS if he had not been Prime Minister. It should also not be forgotten that he is still not back at work. i was watching a news bulletin last night on the medical front line of the virus in New York. One doctor who had just come off duty had pronounced 6 people dead on that shift. A number of medical professionals interviewed stated they had never see anything like it in their medical careers. It is not to be taken lightly.

You can add a third leader, Boris Johnson. There is much used footage of him at the end of February boasting at a press conference of shaking the hands of virus sufferers. There is nothing like catching the virus and nearly dying to make someone wake up to themselves. The virus has had a catastrophic impact in Britain and, very important, the official statistics as disastrous as they are, don’t include deaths in aged care facilities. Johnson has a lot to answer for.

A country with a President who still thinks it’s just the sniffles and wants the country to get back to normal.

I’m booked for late October but I don’t like my chances.

Thank you.

Did the new Fragata actually open prior to the recent dramas and lockdowns? There has been so much happening (or too little depending on your point of view) to follow developments.

I am canceling for personal reasons. My point is that Fragata has historically been the poor relation of the 2 and with new premises and a new identity it may give Lagoa a run for its money. Yours is the most positive review so far of the new Lagoa

I have postponed my Brazil trip until October so it should be operational by then. Judging from the rather mixed reviews Lagoa has received I am intrigued if a new Fragata will give Lagoa real competition.

What about the new Fragata? Mind you are obviously very busy with what you met at Lagoa.

Is it now fully operational? Is there anyone who can provide feedback?

I am resurrecting this old thread to discover if there is any up to date information on Trilingual or Drey. I was a frequent contributor to the old Gay Travel Brazil website and still have a great affection for the site and these 2 gents in particular. It was an (almost) indispensable source of information on Gay Brazil. I never had the opportunity to meet them, a source of regret.

I know we are still in the realm of speculation, but wouldn’t any decision on closure be a state decision? In other words a decision by a governmental authority in São Paulo may differ from Rio. People more familiar with Brazil’s constitutional arrangements may like to comment.

Thank you.

Anyone?

Unless I’m mistaken this is the opening weekend. Can’t wait to hear feedback.

On the Men4Men forum there is a post dated today 7 January where a contributor says in part ''The scene in Rio was very stale this year. The new Espaso Lagoa in SP was worth a trip. Very new, very clean, lots of guys.'' I assume he meant working guys. What to believe?

Any more comments on the new Lagoa after its “settling down “ period?

I assume the answer to my own question is 25 January.