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My tyrannical tenure has come to a close. I have retired once again, this time as admin/moderator of this site, effective 1 April. It has been planned for a few months. I've had a wonderful 8 years and 8 months working with Oz to develop and moderate this site. He has been a wonderful partner in this endeavor, I could not have asked for better. However, I've been looking forward to cutting back on my commitments and responsibilities to others as I engage full retirement. That time has come. Oz has been a great friend since I first met him several years ago in Montreal. There never was a more friendly, generous, supporting, interesting, and fun man that I've met. I consider him a super man. I appreciate sharing this endeavor with him which has been a labor of love on both of our parts. Going forward, I wish the very best for my exceptional friend. I'll continue to walk these halls and brighten up the Pub with my cheery countenance , just without the clanking of keys on my belt.

TY, thank you for everything! You are incredible and amazing and have been wonderful to work with. Your wisdom and advice and easy going manner have been invaluable. You are truly an amazing person and will be truly missed! Beyond that, you are a good friend and I still remember those trips to Montreal and one fun gay weekend at Pride in NYC with you, my boyfriend and a few friends from Campus. Plus, I still have a few photos from a Blue and Blue event from years gone by that give me many smiles! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

AS, I think you have to know at least a smidgen of computer tech stuff to be a moderator. Remember a few years back when TY kept deleting posts by accident? Me, I'd probably wind up deleting half the underlying software that runs the site if I had admin rights. I remember when I finally broke down and bought a computer for personal use, I hadn't had it for more than a month when I had to get the windows software reinstalled after I managed to screw it so bad it wouldn't even boot.

I think that, at the very least, Oz owes you that trip to Havana you've been pining for for years. How about it, Oz, why not keep TY on as our special correspondent for Havana? The Brothers Castro can't live forever, so it behoves BoyToy to get prepared for the opening up of what will likely be the next Brazil for gay sex tourism. TY, you being so elderly and all, if you find yourself in need of an assistant for the trip, I'll buy myself one of those portable Oxygen machines and toddle along behind you just in case you need a second opinion on some of the boys. Did I mention I speak a little Spanish?

I would eat them if they had been in hito's shoes. I think he has very clean feet.

I never felt unsafe flying and I don't now. But I did enjoy it much more prior to 9/11. Today, it's the closest thing to a cattle car experience without the actual bovine camaraderie. Once I'm on the plane, I have little problem with cramped quarters and lack of amenities. But the experience of actually getting inside the plane is nearly unbearable. I remember the glory days of traveling for business in the seventies. It was a matter of pride to leave the office less than an hour before flight time, walk into the airport ten minutes before and know that I could sprint to the gate, check in, and squeeze through the doors just as they were closing. Flying was something to look forward to then and now it's drudgery. But, again, it's not the experience in the plane that queers the deal. It's the process of actually getting to the point of buckling up. On the plus side, I pay three hundred dollars for a coach seat today just as I did then, forty years ago.

The Bondinho's!!!! YEAH!!!! are coming back in some form supposedly next month. And by the end of the year, the prediction is that the newly-laid rails will go all the way up to Silvestre, where there will be a connection with the funicular which heads up from Cosme Velho to the top of Corcovado. New 3-car trains with the center section even having a space for the handicapped. There will still be the traditional ledges for the hangers-on riding for free on each side. The trains are modern, but intended to lend a nod to the past. Tradition! Here;s a link to the story in O Globo. http://oglobo.globo.com/rio/ancelmo/posts/2014/03/29/a-volta-dos-bondinhos-529284.asp

I read an article today suggesting that many folks now feel less safe because of MH370. So, I pose the question. Safety is partly technology and part attitude. But how safe one feels may be 90+% emotion. Therefore if you were nervous about flying before, probably you still are. If you thought it thrilling, probably you still do. If you took it matter of factly as the best option to get from here to there, you probably still feel that way but you tell me. I have no problem with increased amount and frequency of aircraft data being transmitted by SATCOM. All that stuff is being stored and reported now anyway. I have no problem with international traffic having passports checked through Interpol. I do have a problem with increased invasion of privacy, which I consider unconstitutional, at least in the US. I have little to no problem with profiling. I do have a problem with folks suggesting that there are a lot of ways to increase aircraft safety. It already is the safest mode of transport around. Only grounding all aircraft will produce significantly increased safety. Now you know what I think. Tell me what you think. Best regards, RA1

new video from co-directors Silas Howard and Erin Greenwell reflecting the Polk Street in the 1970's I was very much a part of this scene. Someday I will tell all about my experiences of this era. I am not ashamed of what I did during this time of my life rather it is not something everyone might fully understand, It was both the best of times and a time of personal destruction that would snowball into a very dark period of my life, I will say that I miss the Polk street scene very much. Not just the incredibly hot guys that could be had for a very low price compared to what working fellas ask for today- but the fun bars we had back then.Nothing like that scene exist today and a whole generation of Gay men have no idea of what life was like back in those days.I wish the directors had talked to some folks such as myself that were part of the scene. The video makes it look like nothing but Trannies worked Polk when in fact that scene was on Post st. and Larkin st. while Polk was for the fellas.

First Letterman, then TY. Seems the Great Old Ones are departing us left and right.

I moved to San Francisco in 1980. I was living 1 block off Polk Street. The early 80's it was still going strong. I could probably match you story for story Townsend. I met my first boyfriend on Polk St. We stayed together for 5 years, but are still best friends till this day. I came from a small town and was really amazed that A Polk St. existed. But for all the fun that was to be had, there are a lot of sad stories to be told.

Well, perhaps he can find redemption and forgiveness for his anti-gay marriage donation. But Javascript?

April first cocktail menu, I really want to go to that place! Guess it's in Rhode Island.

Let me spring the trap: I hereby nominate our estimable, our learned, our jurisprudentialist extraordinaire MsGuy to take over as Admin! How say ye all?

Soley dependent on your position in Bed....

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adLWT19iCfU/TyWpZin1o7I/AAAAAAAAA_s/6irXtl-HVSM/s1600/Just+Say+it+Ain't+So.png Don't be a stranger!

Wow Adam, you are such a "layered" person, and you reveal your layers to us little by little. Today we have learned you have a foot fetish.... Well I suppose that makes perfect sense, its the next step up from SCAT !

Thanks for your reply. Briefly, I think the 4th amendment is being abused which is unreasonable searches and seizures + search warrants and probable cause. These seems to be broad abuse but I am specifically referring to the TSA and the HSA. I realize the administration + Congress think they have overcome constitutional issues with the Patriot Act (among others). However, I do not think those acts are constitutional and should not be. All too many of us seem to accept these intrusions as a part of safety. Neither safety nor morality can be legislated. Every airline pilot and most other pilots know just how many holes there are in the system and how easy it is to circumvent "procedures". As basically law abiding citizens they do not try to do so and, in fact, support the system although it abuses them also. Have fun on your trip. Best regards, RA1

Put me in the matter of fact category before and after. I'm more annoyed by people who don't move their bins forward while they proceed to unpack their bags and take off their clothes. Use zip lock baggies and empty your pockets before even getting in the security lane!

Pilots don't have much privacy. I was referring to pax. However, why would you do that alone when there is another guy (likely) sitting next to you? Best regards, RA1