Lucky

The nice thing about books is that we can all have a different opinion on how good it is, and no one gets hurt feelings. After all, it's the clearest case of "just my opinion."

"Interesting how our discussion on here about the word faggot now comes in and makes me feel uncomfortable when Max uses it." Yes, it is interesting!

I can admire a man who loses this kind of weight and keeps it off more than I can admire just about anyone else who sets a goal. Society keeps throing junk food at us, and our peers are all buying it, so it is hard to resist. Congratulations!

I was bored to tears and did not finish it.

I saw a picture on the internet just now that caused me to do a double-take. There was tomcal, in Rio, helping the Pope with his luggage! The article went on to say that tomcal had been hired to asssit the pope as a "guide" during his time in Rio. Well, I can only imagine IL Papa at 117!

Did the new pope get tricked by the gay lobby into putting one of its own leaders in charge of the housecleaning of the Vatican? Called "The Prelate of The Gay Lobby," he is the star of an article in Italian magazine Espresso Republica, and they do seem to have the goods on this wily prelate once caught in an elevator car with his boyfriend. Their relationship scandalized the Church in Uruguay until he was shuttled off to the Vatican. Apparently the gay lobby got his file cleaned because nothing derogatory was in it when the Pope named him to the leadership position. Apparently, the Pope has now been advised of the trickery: http://espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio/the-prelate-of-the-gay-lobby/2211440//0 English translation

Not many beauties outside of the gay resorts. When I moved here, I thought there would be loads of sexy mexicans, but that has not been the case. Today, however, the grocery had two. One dressed very smartly, tight clothing, sunglasses, a sexy attitude going on...and a young toddler. Then another lad with a tight shirt, stripped down the sides to show smooth brown skin, the strips going all the way down to show off his underwear. Really a rare find for our neighborhood. A rather handsome guy, 40ish, nearly knocked me down trying to find where stripped shirt went. It turned out that I was going to be in line right behind him. Guess what I did? I went to another line! I was afraid I'd drool all over him.

Go ahead and sue me, sue me. You can be Nathan Detroit singing that, and I will be Sky Masterson, singing Lucky Be A Lady Tonight! Tampa Yankee will conclude with Sit Down, Sit Down, Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat

Some real ones here show he can pack a basket just fine: http://socialitelife.com/photos/justin-bieber-shirtless-in-his-underwear-in-miami-photos/exclusive-justin-bieber-strips-down-to-his-boxers-by-the-pool-11

I have a Pentecostal relative who is one of the finest people I know. She's not preachy, but lives her life as an example of her beliefs.

I like this pope so far. When he finally speaks about gay issues as pope I wonder if I will still like him.

The more I think of it, I realize that I do read novels whose authos have viewpoints I don't buy into. But I enjoy the novels. It's not a black and white choice.

Now it seems that every web page I go to has an ad for Andrew Christian. That's the price of watching the video. For all the goodwill they might have won with the video, they lose it with the incessant ads. My other ads are "fly to Palm Springs!" and "flights to Bangkok." I wonder which flight would be cheaper.

It certainly didn't meet my definition of a "kiss."

"...it's very strange to me that the US celebrates and is even weirdly obsessed with the sexuality of black men, but not of Latin men." News to me. When was the last celebration we held of black male sexuality? I could get the concession on black dildos and make a fortune.

I went to Verizon once for a broken phone. They opened it up and said they have a white spot there that if it discolors, it means your phone has een exposed to water, thus voiding your warranty coverage. Even sweat can do this. I had no memory of my phone being exposed to water, but they said it had, and they get the last word. BTW, I hate the Samsung Galaxy4. Worst phone I ever had. And I'm stuck with it.

So many have already come to the conclusion that the death penalty should be abandoned if we are to call ourselves a civil society, yet I have been one of those who thought that, in very limited circumstances, it should be kept. I didn't argue that it was a deterrent, as some do, because crimes with the death penalty keep happening anyway. I doubt it's a consideration for most people who kill. But I believe that there are truly evil people who do truly evil things, and know darn well what they do. I think of people like WIlliam Bonin, who put hot rods up the butts of young blond hitchkikers in California some 42 times. Then there's John Wayne Gacy. Lots more in that department. And people who kill the president I didn't think deserved to live. Basically, my argument was that we had to have such a penalty for our worst criminals. Why pay to keep them for life in prison? Too many chances they might get out. Yet I have had no trouble opposing super-max prisons as cruel and unusual punishment. These are the places where the prisoner is locked in a small cell 23 hours a day, and even when let out, exercises alone with no human contact. I think that is no way to treat prisoners. But today a study was released of thousands of older death penalty cases, and mistakes were found at an alarming level. It's too late to help someone who has already been executed but now I believe it should be the last straw in the argument for the death penalty. It's a punishment where mistakes simply cannot be made. "An unprecedented federal review of old criminal cases has uncovered as many as 27 death penalty convictions in which FBI forensic experts may have mistakenly linked defendants to crimes with exaggerated scientific testimony, U.S. officials said." Since we have been unable to do the job with perfection, then we should abandon the penalty. I know others have long since come to this view, but for me, having seen in court some of the most dangerous people alive, it took longer. The study, as reported in the Washington post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/us-reviewing-27-death-penalty-convictions-for-fbi-forensic-testimony-errors/2013/07/17/6c75a0a4-bd9b-11e2-89c9-3be8095fe767_story.html?hpid=z3

So they have a white kitchen and a single Chinese book for sale. That's one interpretation! But I love Siam and I love Siam Paragon. There are some other neat malls in the same area, Central Plaza and MBK are both huge. I get quite confused in MBK, both getting lost and wondering what all of those electronic gadgets are for. My big question is who has the money to keep these malls operating? It must cost a fortune, and Oz cannot do it alone.

For me, a break from posting was a great idea. I don't intend to post at the level at which I was once known, but I do enjoy the interaction, especially considering how many interesting, smart, and well-traveled men post here. Having said that, if tomcal is taking a much-needed break from here, more power to him. But I would like to express the thought that my return here found his absence disconcerting as I consider him to be one of the more valuable members of the board. Thus, I hope he is in fact just taking a break and plans to rejoin us. He's not just a great guy to be in Brazil with, he's a great guy to be posting with. Here's to his health, happiness, and continued travels, which I hope to hear all about!

IHPGUY, I think it is great that you provide us up to date sauna reports. Thanks!

In the circles I travel in, admittedly not large ones, there is no drug use other than medical marijuana, which I fully support. Many years ago in San Francsico I briefly dated a young guy who liked cocaine. I was amazed at how widespread the cocaine underworld was. In essence, it surrounded us. If you were not tuned in to it, you didn't notice. The war on drugs has been a huge failure.

Hey, I can do lace too! That video is damn hot, why don't we try to top it?

Firecat, thanks for sharing! I hope that there is more to come.