Lucky

Have a great time, lurkerspeaks! Let us know what your trip is like. Are you flying coach?

In retrospect, I had two garotos tell me that they feared the gun violence. Both were young and muscular, but they said that doesn't help when up against gang guns. I have never heard a garoto express such fear before.

A new board member- Fluff Persian! Welcome!

This is indeed sad news. Now the show will be even whiter.

I missed the TV presentation, but will see it at the Pasadena Playhouse later this month.

Thanks for mentioning this. I am also interested, and was able to get the last 3 tickets for the date I wanted. So much already sold out.

Looking forward to lurkerspeaks' trip report. It will be fun to see Bangkok through a fresh pair of eyes. I hope he only has good things to report!

My sixth visit was in September. Nothing seemed any different. I felt as safe as ever. Restaurants were busy. Hotels seemed so. The saunas sure were.

I've had my flu shot.

Now how hard would it have been, Rock, to quote my complete position on the subject? Here's what you left out: "But a one-time attempt at a 14-year old over 30 years ago so far has not been followed up by any specific allegations of other attacks. If that happens, then he does move into Weinstein territory. " Welcome back!

Bannon is hardly gone as he is in regular contact with Trump. Trump even cried on Bannon's shoulder this week about his disappointment with cutey Jared...oops, crooked Jared.

Suckrates did an excellent job of trying to keep the forums alive. I think his work is paying off as there is more Boytoy participation than in recent past. Politics might be a harder nut to crack.

Donna Brazile would be the last person I trusted to tell the truth.

I am sorry, but I cannot remember the name of the favela. I might add that we did not go all the way to the top. That's where the gangs make their home, and we weren't welcome there. Still, I felt that I saw a great deal, and they did emphasize that some favelas were more dangerous than others. This one was no country club.

Things aren't looking good for Kevin Spacey. His agent and his publicist have dropped him, House of Cards may never see the air again, and several members of the show's team claim that Spacey sexually harassed them on the set.

Larstrup do you really believe that members here are going to watch all of these silly videos? Better to remain silent than add drivel to the forums.

I wonder what acting achievements he could have attained. His talent seemed limitless. There is no suggestion that he fell into sexual predators, but he certainly fell into drug pushers and users. Young actors seem to face many pitfalls.

LOL. I stated my opinion, then I sat back and gave others the opportunity to state theirs. Meanwhile, I have been reading about Spacey and the allegation. What we know is that a 14 year old Rapp went to a party with adults. Why? He stayed after the party was over. Why? Had he been flirting with Spacey at the party? Did he get in Spacey's bed? Why? Besides getting on top of him in the bed, what did Spacey do that suggested a sexual intent? We don't know. But, it is agreed that Rapp declined and Spacey backed off. Were either of them nude? Now apparently Rapp leaves, buy why didn't he leave earlier? What was his goal in staying? We don't know and he isn't saying. Spacey is no Harvey Weinstein but he is quickly being given the pariah treatment. Why? Because he hit on a 14 year old over 30 years ago? Or is it the bandwagon effect? The media is out to push against sexual harrassment and Spacey is a big name. Many have resented Spacey's success or his unwillingness to discuss his private life. Some of the anger directed at him now is the stupid way he responded to Rapp's claim. But a one-time attempt at a 14-year old over 30 years ago so far has not been followed up by any specific allegations of other attacks. If that happens, then he does move into Weinstein territory. But we don't know yet that the Rapp attempt was anything other than a one-time event. And, let's not forget Anthony Rapp. He could have chosen to reveal this incident at the time. He didn't. Why? Afraid of taking on Spacey? Spacey was not at the height of his career then. Afraid of revealing his own sexual identity? Most likely. But the years go by, he comes out, and still stays silent. Why? The big question is why now?

I took a walking tour of a favela several years ago. There were just a handful of us, and our guide stopped at a big house near the entrance and paid a fee for us to enter, or else to guarantee our safety. Not a single resident acknowledged us in any way, but the tour was quite interesting. Some homes were really constructed of scrap. I was surprised how clean many of them were, although in retrospect I shouldn't have been. It was a fascinating tour and I had no idea that the police might shoot me.

The NY Daily News is presenting a photo gallery on River Phoenix, who died 24 years ago today: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/life-legacy-river-phoenix-gallery-1.2852267

Why do you suppose that Anthony Rapp held on to his secret about Kevin Spacey for all these years? Why now? Does he just want to get on the bandwagon? Is it fair for him to spring that on Spacey without warning? Or is the product of a new age where all past sins are fair game? There is no evidence that Spacey has ever done such a thing since. I am not a big fan of his, but the attention this is getting seems beyond proportional. He's not a Harvey Weinstein. If he were, then I would understand this late revelation better. I hope Rapp has no one waiting to reveal some error that he made long ago...or even recently. (And I hope that it isn't necessary to say that I don't think Spacey behaved well with Rapp on this incident. He was definitely in the wrong.)

Today's Wall Street Journal: Rio Police Killing of Spaniard Spotlights Perils of Slum Tourism A fatal police shooting in Rio recently of a Spanish woman who was taking a guided favela tour is a potent reminder of their perils at a time of resurgent violence in this world-famous city. (The Journal is a subscription outlet.)

After all these years posting together, you already know that what I thought I understood I discovered I didn't. So I am far from ahead of you!

I've never understood why the first person to respond to a thread feels the need to quote the entire thread before he can respond. I mean, the original thread is right there already! At least it was only repeated once...:)

Kevin C, as someone else said: Your posts are way different from merely disagreeing!