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The Mad King is just an ongoing embarrassment to the USA. Thank God he's lazy and not very smart. That level of narcissism in a real man and he'd have blown up the world during his third term.

Welcome out of retirement.... some people thought you were a figment of my imagination when I mentioned you!

Since I've been playing with ChatGpt as a translator lately, I asked your question verbatim, then later went into further discussion about how can I trust him because he's part of the collective, it got funny, but I won't bore you with that part, here's to your question: What happened to your friend is a very common recommendation pattern and there are several boring, non-spy explanations that together easily produce exactly that result. Here’s what’s most likely going on behind the scenes: 1. Social graph cross-pollination YouTube (Google) doesn’t need you to search Düsseldorf if: You are connected to someone who recently searched, watched, tagged, posted, or geo-located content about Düsseldorf (your friend from the festival). You interacted with that person recently on FB/IG. Platforms heavily weight shared interests between connected users. Travel is a big one. Basically: “People you interact with + travel content = suggest same city.” 2. Interest clustering You’ve been actively watching/searching: Austria Budapest Moldova Danube cruise content The system groups users into “Central Europe travel planners.” Once you fall into that bucket, it starts testing nearby/high-probability cities even if you never mentioned them. Düsseldorf pops up because: Festival city Popular tourism content Frequently recommended to Europe-travel audiences. 3. Location inference via your friend If your friend: Posted stories from Düsseldorf Used location tags Uploaded photos Watched travel videos while there And you’re socially linked, Google’s systems assume shared relevance. This is very normal and documented behavior across Meta + Google ecosystems. 4. No microphone needed People jump straight to “they’re listening,” but in reality: Recommendation engines are scarier than surveillance. They predict based on behavioral similarity and social overlap. They don’t need audio when metadata and connections already tell them what you’re likely discussing. Even advertisers have repeatedly said microphone harvesting isn’t used because it would be illegal and unnecessary — prediction models work better. 5. Timing illusion The creepiest part is always the timing, but that’s also explainable: The algorithm constantly injects travel suggestions because you've been consuming travel content. Düsseldorf becomes the first German city it tries. Your brain links it to last night’s convo (totally human). Same thing happens when people talk about a brand and then see ads — it's usually prior behavior + predictive modeling, not live spying. Bottom line: You’re in a travel-heavy data bubble, connected to someone who just lit up Düsseldorf across multiple platforms. The algorithm stitched those signals together and served you what it thought was relevant. Creepy? Yes. Listening? Almost certainly no.

@TotallyOz, this thread's intention has been kidnapped by personal beefs between posters. I, myself, take ownership of my responsibility for going down to the level of the troll who started the distraction. I hate to give you extra work, but is it possible to send to the sandbox all the posts that are not related to the OP? I will try to redirect the conversation toward a more constructive tone, in case anyone is still reading after such an unpleasant exchange (and yes, I include myself among those who contributed to it). I met Patrick during my last visit to Rio de Janeiro, where I spent an entire month. Thanks to @floridarob's mediation, I met @Akita, an American expat living in Rio with deep knowledge and lived experience of Brazilian culture, particularly the realities of Brazil’s most disadvantaged communities. Patrick is his boyfriend. Through Akita, I also met a small group of foreigners who gravitate around him. These were not the kind of gringos who come to Brazil to benefit from lower prices while lecturing locals on how to improve their lives from a position of entitlement and supposed civilized superiority. These were men genuinely in love with Brazil, learning the language, immersing themselves in the culture, and engaging with the country respectfully. They were aware of social and economic shortcomings and involved in efforts to improve local living conditions, but from a place of empathy and genuine care and human empathy, not condescension. As a Latin American myself, I am particularly sensitive to this distinction. Patrick is a 30 y.o. former GP and a cria: born and raised in a favela. When he was born, Vidigal had not yet been pacified, and he lived through its transformation from a violent, insecure neighborhood into the cultural powerhouse it is becoming today. I felt an immediate affection for him. The enthusiasm and warmth with which he spoke about his life and his dreams were deeply moving. Unlike many young and not so young people, he does not dream of wealth for its own sake, but of creating projects that can improve life in Vidigal. Although he now lives in a comfortable apartment in Copacabana, his heart and soul have never left the morro above Leblon. Patrick does concrete things. Last December, he organized a fundraiser to buy gifts for children in the favela. When I visited in August, he was networking and raising funds to open a restaurant in Vidigal, serving popular Brazilian food and employing people from the community. Because of this project, Patrick invited me and a few other non-Brazilian friends to visit his former neighborhood. We did not take an Uber or an air-conditioned bus. Instead, we waited, as Vidigal residents do, for a spot in one of the minivans that carry workers up the hill in the afternoon and down to their jobs in the morning. In our van, foreigners were a small minority. As we climbed the morro, Patrick would jump from one side to the other, pointing out landmarks from his life and strategic spots offering privileged views of the city. He seemed to know and love everyone, and everyone seemed to know and love him. This was not a tour, but a visit to the places where he imagined building his restaurant. Still, I believe the experience offered me a glimpse of what became Patrick’s next dream, one far more achievable than his previous one. If you did not run away in disgust and are still reading this, please take a look at the following info: Everything is available in this IG address I shared in my OP and that share here again: https://www.instagram.com/tpk_008/ This has nothing to do with sex work, my personal convenience, or any kind of exploitation. This has to do on one hand with sharing with you a unique opportunity to have a learning experience that may educate you and radically change your preconceptions about the people from the favelas. On the other hand, this also has to do with supporting a community business run by people from Vidigal, with and for people from Vidigal. This effort could be part of a renaissance for this community similar to what many of us admired in Comuna 13 in Medellín. I hope our poor behavior has not been counterproductive.

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Out of curiosity I found this same guy on garotocomlocal and decided to also ask him about his rates, and got 400 reals, and even a possible discount if we met right away. Unsure why the huge disparity of quotations between me and @Canadianbtmguy (1000 vs <400), but now I am extra curious and will try to give him a go. I may report later how it went, we shall see.

I AM SO PROUD OF OUR BARKING DOG!!!!!! HERE BOY!!!! HERE BOY!!!! HERE IS A BIG TREAT!!!!! YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD DOG!!!! LOYAL AND TRUE TO TRUMP 100 % !!!! NOW GO BITE SOME CHINESE HACKER. AND TELL THEM NOT TO COPYCAT US AND INVADE TAIWAN OR KIDNAP THEIR LEADER. There is double good news here. Turns out our dumb dog is learning to make kindergarten distinctions. He figured out that ABC and handsome David Muir report real news. Like about Chinese phone hacking. When the pup wants real news, he is learning to watch ABC. Could MSNBC be next? But hopefully not the socialist outlets like the BBC or NPR! Second piece of good news is that Venezuelans are happier, and hopeful. Assuming this poll is correct. Who knows in Venezuela? Exclusive polling reveals surging optimism inside Venezuela But it is consistent with the idea that Maduro stole the last election, which the opposition won overwhelmingly. And, so far, the US has no boots on the ground. That said, people who want democracy in Venezuela may end up just as disappointed as US voters who wanted lower prices. The verdict is out. But at least we have not unleashed a blood bath in Venezuela, like we did in Iraq. Yet. Then again, maybe Trump is just saving the boots and the ammo for a bloodbath in Greenland. With the stupid America-destroying and alliance-destroying piece of shit leading the US, you never really know.

Because of my concern of conversations being spied upon, I don't own any of those spying machines such as Alexa. But last night we had some friends over for dinner and cocktails. One of them recently went to Düsseldorf for some music festival, and I asked him some questions about the city (which I have passed by in the past but never visited). This morning, the first suggestion I found from YouTube videos was a video on what to see in Düsseldorf. We're taking a Danube cruise in May, and I have searched for things to do in Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Hallstatt, as well as made hotel reservations in Austria, Budapest, and Moldova, but never any searches in Germany, much less northern Germany or Düsseldorf. My phone wasn't on while we were together (albeit not powered off). We are friends on Facebook and Instagram. Anyone here have any idea as to why YouTube gave that suggestion? Or is it just a creepy coincidence (researching future destinations in general is one of the things I do on YouTube, but, again, nothing ever near Düsseldorf or the Ruhr Valley in general)?

My best luck was on Scruff, most guys quoted 2000 to 2500 in Bangkok 1500ish in Pattaya. No luck on Grinder though I had guys approaching me they then quoting 7000 baht or one guy 9000 baht. I did meet a guy off Jack’d. problems with apps is some did not overly resemble their pics, where as in Silom area massage shops and bars you can see for yourself for not much more or less if you go to Arena.

Beware the one that backs on Quarter hotel, part of the building has low ceilings, I kept bumping my head! And the bathroom where they had me change into shorts for foot massage had a door that was shorter still! To be honest most massage shops had parts, usually because of stairs where they would warn me to be careful. Not Prince though, their ceiling was as high as their prices.

What is the best app to use in Thailand to find local moneyboys? Rentmen has a few locals, but it seems it is set up for international travelers willing to pay London or New York hourly rates. Are there better apps to specifically find these men in Thailand?

which prompts an obvious question...

Nah, you don't need a crib sheet. Hang around, keep an open mind, take part, don't take us too seriously, don't take yourself too seriously and eventually you'll figure it out. Have fun!

So the name of the island is Samae San Island. Appears plans are progressing and will probably be in Pattaya the first week in March for around 10 days.

Yeah probably better do you things separately. Yeah will just be a chance thing I’m sure to get the balance inbetween… All this lingo on this site is entertaining 😂 I could do with a small brief sheet to know what is being said or alluded too 🙈

I've never noticed either, I've had some longs waits there and even asked people controlling the lines if there was some way to resolve this wait , code for is there someone I can pay to bypass this long line, they said no 🤷‍♂️

Probably every religion in there someplace.

We share the same Aunt 😳

I remember it from Charlie Sheen, but knew it was older than that, from Google: While Sheen popularized the phrase in modern pop culture, he has sometimes credited the sentiment to legendary actor Cary Grant, who reportedly once said, "You pay a prostitute to leave when you're finished".

Yes and I just got back home here fr Bangkok. At least where I live it’s a blue area but I do notice changes. Both from outside and from what friends are saying.

He's probably a Scientologist.

Ahh I see, yes, that makes sense.

First, rude Second it has been attributed to Hugh Grant “I don’t paybforvsex, I pay them to go away after words. Third I had lots o offers for free on the apps in Bangkok. I happilypayed to have the experience I wanted with the one I wanted and when I wanted it. I felt I got a good value for money. Especially in cases where I got to live a fantasy I’d been having. Fourth I was in my 30s first trip to Bangkok could have all the sex I wanted at Babalon. Still Payed mor massages for same reasons above. Finally I’ve been judged enoph in my life that I try not to do the same to others. We all have reasons we do what we do. Even if we have others scratching their heads. Just as long as we aren’t leaving others worse than we found them and hopefully better.