Lucky

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.

Well, I'll take that as directed at me, as if the word lucky didn't steer me. I have known multiple addicts in my life, lost many of them, and at many times have tried to help them. I learned that you can't do that. But I also learned that alcoholics and addicts have more promises and excuses than you can count. Labeling addiction a disease just gives them one more excuse to say that they are not responsible for their behavior. So they go on, continuing to hurt the people around them as well as themselves. Someone else has to pick up the pieces of their lives. So I admire addicts and alcoholics who have kicked their habits, even if it took several tries. But I have no sympathy for people like Cory who had several chances and still kept using. I am more concerned about the people he hurt, the damage he left behind.

Where, when and how did anyone indicate that this was a problem? Are you on the prowl for problems? Check up in the favelas and you might find them, but not here!

It's an adversarial system. The prosecutor does his job, the defense does his job, and then the judge and jury. I've see bad cops, bad judges, bad prosecutors and bad defense attorneys. The system is run by humans and mistakes get made. That's one reason why the appellate process is there. Why are the California prisons so overcrowded? Because politicians campaigned on a law and order platform and the people voted them in. Then they don't vote the money for the prisons to handle the increased flow. It's kind of like the Church opposing abortion but not helping the women raise the children they force on them under threat of hell.

I don't get it, NC. I show you the two different quotes, yet in the alternate reality you live in there is only one. I give up. But that Caeron, well, he's on the money!

How many guys don't have the opportunities that Cory had? Do you think they would waste them? Thousands upon thousands of guys want drug rehab and can't even get in the door. Yet this guy went in and out. He was known as a hard-partying druggie. He had the means and the opportunity to live up to the expectations of those who supported him, but apparently didn't care enough for himself to do so. (But, I agree that "good riddance" was harsh and retract it.)

A video is floating around purporting to show everyday life for gay men in Palm Springs. Charlie and I are not in it, but we'd like to be. (I checked a bit to see if it had already eenposted here while I wasn't looking and didn't find it. Apologies if I missed it.) http://www.andrewchristianshop.com/S...an-CID444.aspx

What a ridiculous statement the author makes: "The more savage the penalties prosecutors can threaten, the more likely the defendant (guilty or innocent) is to speed things along by pleading guilty and accepting a light penalty. According to the Wall Street Journal, Swartz was offered the choice of pleading guilty and going to jail for six to eight months, or else going to trial and taking his chances." Separate the two remarks. Prosecutors cannot make "savage" charges that carry "savage" penalties without evidence. That's why we have courts and defense attorneys. If the penalties are "savage," it's not the prosecutor's fault as he did not enact them. The legislature did, and they were voted into office by people, many of whom want them to be "tough on crime." The fact that the defendant was offered a "light" penalty tells me that the prosecutor didn't think much of his case. So, because we have courts and defense attorneys, the right to a trial stands before every defendant. If you are innocent- take it! All of the above assumes that prosecutors are hard-asses who only want to cause grief for those charged with crimes. This is nonsense. They are people too. They have to live in the same community as the rest of us do. Prosecutors are too busy going after the really bad guys to waste time on the little guys who did nothing wrong or not much wrong, especially in this time of scarce resources in government, Don't expect to see them going gung ho on the little guy. Not only do they not have time or resources, but the jury won't stand for it. The prosecutors are the guys who prosecute the person who assaulted you, or robbed you. They go after gay bashers and worse. They are not the bad guys causing a defendant to commit suicide. If that happens, you can be darn sure that the guy had other problems before he even met a prosecutor. I know that someone will come up with an example of where the system went wrong and what I said above doesn't apply. That's because nothing in government is perfect. But overall, and overall by far, what I say is true.

NC Bored: "Daring to say that homophobes have rights = self-loathing? That's both absurd and offensive." Now you use a different quote to back up what you say. Do homophobes have rights? Of course they do. Do some here not care that the homophobes they defend and give money to use that money against us? Tome that's self-loathing and I don't see where you have caught me saying somethng different. Your move. (I like your moves, so don't worry!)

I see a new admin logged in today. Welcome! temp_admin so far has only 4 posts, and by his name alone it doesn't look like he will stay long, but welcome anyway!

Really, good riddance. He had his chance at rehab. He had career success. He had money. He knew the depth of his problem. He wasted his life on dope. However, if the autopsy shows that he was completely sober and hit his head on the tub as he fell, I retract everything!

What bothers me about all of this is that none of us- not one- was in the courtroom. We did not hear the evidence in its entirety. Yet that does not stop people from deciding guilt or innocence. When I spoke to the issue, I spoke as a layman and my opinion was: you kill an unarmed man, especially one younger than yourself, then you suffer a penalty. Period. But, that's not the law. Especially in silly Florida. i wonder if opinions would have changed had the young man been a cute white twink. Seriously, think about it.

You weren't paying very close attention there. Please re-read what I wrote. I am not talking about Card at all. And I would encourage you not to characterize other's posts as absurd. You are on the edge of becoming a mean girl yourself.

He gets my vote.

I'll be anxious to hear more on your visit. I might even have to unretire if these stories keep heating up!

Thanks for the interesting tale, Oz. I have been at that mall many times and never had such luck, but then, I haven't tried the movie theater. I am not much for bathroom sex either and would have done my best to bring the lad somewhere more comfortable. Of course, I see why you couldn't do that! But the mall is chock full of Thai youth as most anytime, but especially at night and on the weekends.

Sadly we see gay homophobia all of the time. Congressmen and senators who are themselves gay take strong anti-gay positions either to appeal to their constituency or to cover their own identity. The there was Ken Mehlman, who did irreparable damage as a big Republican, only to reveal that he was gay when he was losing favor with the bigots. Give Larry Craig credit- he never admited to being a bigot and asking for recognition from the gay community for seeing the error of his ways. Homophobia does not escape message boards devoted to gay topics such as this one. Many* are ashamed of who they are, afraid to reveal themselves to their families and friends. Some even defend homophobes in their posting here, not caring that if we give them money they will use it against us. It's called self-loathing, and it's sad that in this day and age gays still feel that way. *Now, I have long since learned that not everyone can come out to their families for various valid reasons, and i do not include them in this description of self-loathing gays. Many of them proudly assist the gay community while keeping a low profile, and I understand that. That's not self-loathing.