TotallyOz

We are now using the new servers and hosting company. So far, I can see the speed of the site has increased and that is good news. There are still some glitches to be worked out and the programmers are doing those things. I know that members trying to register are having some issues and we are trying to resolve these concerns. If you find any difficulty in other areas, please let us know. Thanks for your support! Oz

On August 28, 2002, Bernie Ellis’s farm was raided by the Tennessee Marijuana Eradication Task Force, a force that included both state and federal law enforcement officers. During the ten hours the Task Force was on Bernie’s farm, two helicopters and ten ground troops combed his land, searched his home and out-buildings and confiscated farm supplies, files from his work as a public health consultant and his computer. The Task Force found a small amount of cannabis in Bernie’s home, 20-25 plants that were four to six feet tall and a number of small “clones” (under 12 inches tall) – all ready to harvest. To their surprise, they also found a proposal solicited by the New Mexico Governor’s Office for Bernie to help that state establish and operate a state-operated medical cannabis production facility. From the outset, Bernie cooperated with the Task Force officers and answered their questions about why he was growing cannabis. At the time of the raid, Bernie was using cannabis himself for pain associated with degenerative joint disease and pain and sleep disturbance associated with fibromyalgia. He was also providing free cannabis to four very sick people – three of whom were dead within months of the raid. Bernie admitted that he had been providing free cannabis to sick and dying people for many years, beginning when he helped establish the Tennessee AIDS Program for the Tennessee Department of Health in the late 1980s. At the conclusion of the raid, the Task Force leaders chose not to arrest Bernie. They assured him that he would be able to retrieve his computer within a matter of days so that his work as a public health epidemiologist would not be disrupted. He was also told that the Task Force had found enough plants to place him within the existing guidelines for federal prosecution. Neither of those statements turned out to be true. The Charges For the three months following the raid, Bernie was not charged with any crime. However, in November, 2002, Bernie was informed by his first attorney (a local lawyer recommended by one of the cancer patients that Bernie was helping) that the federal government had asked for the case because of the large reported plant count, which by that time both the government and Bernie’s first attorney knew to be inflated -- but information they did not share with Bernie. He was informed that the federal government intended to charge him with manufacturing 100 or more cannabis plants – a charge that brought with it a mandatory minimum five year sentence. He was also informed that the federal government planned to file a separate “civil asset forfeiture” case against him in order to confiscate his 187 acre farm, a farm that had been Bernie’s home for almost four decades. http://saveberniesfarm.com/case/index.html http://saveberniesfarm.com/

I think it is dependant of how badly you don't want him working again. If you really want him to stay away from the bars, you make it worth his while. I think 20-30k a month is very generous and is enough to keep them away from the bars. But, only you know the boy and what you are looking for. You also have to consider how much family he has, what his obligations to them are, how much he drinks, is he in school, does he have a job, etc. When you factor everything in only you can decide what amount is OK to give. IMHO

Thanks. I don't mind if you check back in 6 months. I may be up and I may be down. I haven't really been worried about the weigt as much as the fat percentages. But, I do believe in a doctor checkup every 6 months so I guess I don't mind a Smiles one as well. I agree that running is the best thing in the world. It is a killer on the knees but the pounding on the pavement, pounds the pounds aways as well. When at the camp, they tried to get us on the road to running and that mantra stuck with me. I fought it there but the more weight that came off the more I enjoyed it. I can't imagine running 5 months ago as I was carrying so much extra poundage, but now, it is easier and even enjoyable. The one thing I miss now is swimming. I am not at a place where that is conducive. I look forward to being back at a hotel in Thailand with a pool. But, not for a long time as I have the business part of my agenda to work on. Cheers!

Yes, I think a chauffeur is a good way to start. It gives a good impression of the camp and made a tense trip easier. I am maintaining and loosing slower. I have kept all 70 off and lost a few more than that. I have not been struggling as much as the beginning. I have not fallen off the wagon. I have kept up with the exercise and do not look it as a pain in the ass but as a way to relax and enjoy life more. I still work out with a trainer 3 days a week and do cardio 5 days a week. I also run 5.2 miles 3-5 days a week. Overall, I am still very happy with the results and have no regrets. I do eat out a bit more than I did 2 months ago but I watch what I eat. I ate at Ruby Tuesdays today with a bf and I had the turkey burger. I realize that many are skeptical of many things and do understand that. I am as well. For me, this has been a very good experience and as I said it was life changing for me. I hope to keep it off for a long time but only time will tell. I don't know what the future holds but I do know that I will keep exercising for a long time to come and that is half the battle.

Sanjaya just left the show. It was good while it lasted. Melinda is my favorite but I was surprised that Sanjaya was voted off.

I got one of these babies when it first came out. Great machine and nice graphics. I love the fact it plays Blu Ray disks. The recent Happy Feet came out and is amazing. Sony is also making many new games for this technology. I have heard many older couples are buying the PS3 only for the Blu Ray and their grandkids think they are the coolest grandparents because they have a PS3. I was shopping for some new games today and one of those grandparents were there to buy a game for the grandkids. I thought it was funny that they got one that was rated M and the grandkids were all under 12. Perhaps, they need more labeling on the disks.

Not much to explain other than it is an anomaly. We are not sure how it happened but are looking into it. DCForum is not as stable as other forum boards. We are looking to move to a new format in the coming months. I hope that helps explain the ODD posting.

We are moving servers very soon. That may cause some downtime on the site. We apologize in advance for this. We should be back up within a day or two if the site goes down. We are trying to make the transition as smooth as possible. Please bear with us. Oz

Thanks guys for the great info. I really do appreciate it. Actually, it sounds like a trip I would like to take one day.

> Rejoice in it >for as long as you both are happy in it. Agree!

Curiosity killed the cat. What put you in such a good mood?

Thank you for a great post. I have wanted to take the BF to Hong Kong for a while. Your post convinced me and gave some great advice!

It is not exactly as I want it. When it comes to flame wars, I do prefer we not have them here. But, I know there are things that can be improved and expanded upon. I totally agree. I have always thought the community was better off with more boards rather than less. I would also add C4S to that mix as there is often some good information there as well. haha. That is observant. I was once asked why I like Pattaya so much, I said I felt at home there. I wrote a post once about pimps and ho's and a city where the night is king and sex rules. Guess which city that was? I can't tell you the number of times I have felt this way on many boards with certain posters. Instead of getting into pissing contests with them, I just shrug and move on. Some can't do this and take the bait time and time again. In my experience over the years, I will say that they do have more flamers than other boards. Perhaps they are just allowed to run amok on the boards but there is definitely a higher correlation on these boards than other ones. IMHO Totally agree with you here. I have never said that we wanted the most popular board. I don't mind that going to someone else. My intent was to have a board full of information that others could use when they come to LOS. I think the informative posts are the ones that are the most productive and the ones that I appreciate the most. Naturally, the gossipy ones get the most views but they are not the ones I have been most interested in having on this board. I do have to admit, I have been known to check out the Enquirer or WWN when in line at the grocery store. Not interested in stirring the pot or making my living from this board. It is something we do for fun and as a service to the gay community in Thailand. I have said from the beginning we will eventually put links on the site to pay for exenses but I never expect to derive my income from here. Loyality is not a bad thing. Playing jump rope and Hop Skip Jump at my age might be stupid though. (I use those as examples of childish games as I always hated the ball sports and always played with the girls)

>Ok... I guess your story (which still has me reeling...) >tells us all that "age appropriate" means... you >love him, and he loves you. haha. NOOOOO. I like him and enjoy his company. I think I love Brett Everett and I've never met him.

I have to admit that this board is very tame compared to the other boards. This is by intent and Stef, GayButton and myself all prefer it this way. I have never really understood why grown men keep taking licks at each other on message boards. What is the point? Is it really to try to win an argument? Is it to try to convince others the good or evil in someone? Is it just to fill the void in their time? Or, is it more than that? As both Gaybutton and myself have had people on the board to try to blackmail us to change board policy, I have never really been able to grasp the reasons why some will go so far as to do that. Or, to keep bickering back and forth with the same person and try to create even more hostility and spite. What is the point to all of it? What are others trying to accomplish? I really do not mean any disrespect to anyone or to any other boards. I would just love to understand why some take things beyond the brink of what I would consider the miles past the edge of sanity. Having run message boards for so many years, I have never had any problems on other boards. It is only on these Thailand related boards that the sewers get waded in so often. Why? I check the other Thailand related boards about once every week to see what is happening. When I was in Thailand, it was more often. Since I have been gone it has been much less often. For years, it seems the same. Many question why I have such faith in GayButton to moderate this board. It was really very simple. I met him, I liked him but more than that, I trusted in judgments when it came to advice on the boards. His board was the one I read the most and got the most information from on my first visit to Thailand. He is also someone who has garnered my respect. I know that he gets a bit pissy at times. I think we all do. But, all in all, he does run the board strict and that makes my job very easy. He is opinionated and I like that too. I don't always agree with him but I still respect his right to say it. I have read the insults thrown at him on other boards and it really does sadden me. He offters his knowledge freely to all those that ask. Many readers here just take information. He is always willing to share and assist. Before he ever even met me, or knew anything about me, he offered to take me around and show me Pattaya. He is a sweet man. In all honestly, is this board going the way you want to see it? Are there suggestions you have for it? Are there ways to improve it? I have NO intent to letting the flame wars develop here and it was during one of them that I asked one member to never post here again. It was not Earwig/LMTU. Many see him as controversial. I see him as someone who has a great deal to share about his many years in the LOS. I much prefer him to others who constantly bitch and moan. He sucks at grammar but he does often provide great information. As most know, I also like him as a friend. I read with great interest Rainwalkers take on what he has learned in the last 20 years. The post is on Sawatdee. If you have not read it, you should. It was great. The one thing I would add to the list is that nasty mean posting on any board is really unnecessay and those that participate in those posts are not typically the type of people you would want as friends in LOS. I know this little post must be a long boring tirade and I am sure I will be eaten alive for it. But, I am serious. What would you like to see for the direction of this board. What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong?

I have been dating a guy that is 12 years older than I am for over 5 weeks now. I have really enjoyed my time with him. He is one hot MF and has a body that would put to shame most professional bodybuilders. My family adore him even though he was married in the past and has 2 daughters in their mid twenties. I also adore the daughters and they have accepted me into their father’s life as a "special friend". I doubt this is long term but I am enjoying it while it lasts. What I find most interesting is comments by family and friends that they are so happy I an in an “age appropriate” relationship. Perhaps they mean someone that makes more money than me. Perhaps they really do have an issue with age. My first long-term boyfriend was 2 years younger than me and we were together for almost 5 years. My last long-term boyfriend was with me for over 4 years and he was 13 years younger than me. I have not quite understood the mentality of age appropriate if that is only referring to guys that are older than me. If one is 12 years older and the other is 13 years younger, is that really such an age difference with adults? I am just trying to figure out what is meant by “age appropriate.”

Welcome back. We do hope you enjoy it here. We also have free blogs and photo gallery for you. As we all know you have some great photo shots, perhaps one day when you get over your shyness, you'll share some with us.

I remember when my parents first saw him and brought back pics from his show It has just been a bad week all around for the Ho's.

I will have to admit when I read your post I thought 15 a month. Holy Shit. That is a lot. I logged into my Itunes account and I have downloaded over 6000 songs and over 500 TV shows. I guess 15 a month isn't so bad now.

>True but I do remember 8 tracks. My mom had a bf that had a >Pinto (I never said I came from high class) that had an 8 >track player. Does that count? A Pinto was the car I learned to drive on and brings back many fond memories. So, yes, it counts. I do remember trying to park it in the middle of an open field, under moonlight and making out with my first girlfriend. The curves on the hood and the light weight made it impossible to get a homerun. Or, perhaps it was just I was meant to ask her brother out instead of her.

Luckily, you are too young to remember carrying 8 tracks around everywhere.

AMERICA is watching Don Imus’s self-immolation in a state of shock and awe. And I’m watching America with wry amusement. Since I’m a second-class citizen — a gay man — my seats for the ballgame of American discourse are way back in the bleachers. I don’t have to wait long for a shock jock or stand-up comedian to slip up with hateful epithets aimed at me and mine. Hate speak against homosexuals is as commonplace as spam. It’s daily traffic for those who profess themselves to be regular Joes, men of God, public servants who live off my tax dollars, as well as any number of celebrities. In fact, I get a good chuckle whenever someone refers to “the media” as an agent of “the gay agenda.” There are entire channels, like Spike TV, that couldn’t fill an hour of programming if required to remove their sexist and homophobic content. We’ve got a president and a large part of Congress willing to change the Constitution so they can deprive of us our rights because they feel we are not “normal.” So I’m used to catching foul balls up here in the cheap seats. What I am really enjoying is watching the rest of you act as if you had no idea that prejudice was alive and well in your hearts and minds. For the past two decades political correctness has been derided as a surrender to thin-skinned, humorless, uptight oversensitive sissies. Well, you anti-politically correct people have won the battle, and we’re all now feasting on the spoils of your victory. During the last few months alone we’ve had a few comedians spout racism, a basketball coach put forth anti-Semitism and several high-profile spoutings of anti-gay epithets. What surprises me, I guess, is how choosy the anti-P.C. crowd is about which hate speech it will not tolerate. Sure, there were voices of protest when the TV actor Isaiah Washington called a gay colleague a “faggot.” But corporate America didn’t pull its advertising from “Grey’s Anatomy,” as it did with Mr. Imus, did it? And when Ann Coulter likewise tagged a presidential candidate last month, she paid no real price. In fact, when Bill Maher discussed Ms. Coulter’s remarks on his HBO show, he repeated the slur no fewer than four times himself; each mention, I must note, solicited a laugh from his audience. No one called for any sort of apology from him. (Well, actually, I did, so the following week he only used it once.) Face it, if a Pentagon general, his salary paid with my tax dollars, can label homosexual acts as “immoral” without a call for his dismissal, who are the moral high and mighty kidding? Our nation, historically bursting with generosity toward strangers, remains remarkably unkind toward its own. Just under our gleaming patina of inclusiveness, we harbor corroding guts. America, I tell you that it doesn’t matter how many times you brush your teeth. If your insides are rotting your breath will stink. So, how do you people choose which hate to embrace, which to forgive with a wink and a week in rehab, and which to protest? Where’s my copy of that rule book? Let me cite a non-volatile example of how prejudice can cohabit unchecked with good intentions. I am a huge fan of David Letterman’s. I watch the opening of his show a couple of times a week and have done so for decades. Without fail, in his opening monologue or skit Mr. Letterman makes a joke about someone being fat. I kid you not. Will that destroy our nation? Should he be fired or lose his sponsors? Obviously not. But I think that there is something deeper going on at the Letterman studio than coincidence. And, as I’ve said, I cite this example simply to illustrate that all kinds of prejudice exist in the human heart. Some are harmless. Some not so harmless. But we need to understand who we are if we wish to change. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should confess to not only being a gay American, but also a fat one. Yes, I’m a double winner.) I urge you to look around, or better yet, listen around and become aware of the prejudice in everyday life. We are so surrounded by expressions of intolerance that I am in shock and awe that anyone noticed all these recent high-profile instances. Still, I’m gladdened because our no longer being deaf to them may signal their eventual eradication. The real point is that you cannot harbor malice toward others and then cry foul when someone displays intolerance against you. Prejudice tolerated is intolerance encouraged. Rise up in righteousness when you witness the words and deeds of hate, but only if you are willing to rise up against them all, including your own. Otherwise suffer the slings and arrows of disrespect silently. By HARVEY FIERSTEIN Published: April 13, 2007 NY Times Op Ed

Looks like even I will have to go through Scott to get a date with Athan in LA. Shit. I guess he should start his own agency!

Well, I am not there yet but I will say it is possible to get there. Not sure how easy it is to keep it off but anyone can get there. I have lost over 70 pounds so far and have been happy to keep it off. I have more to go and not sure what will result when I get there. I do eat a piece of chocolate cake now and again. Just not as often as before. And, not the whole cake.