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I love this judge. A man accused of being a bully against some disabled neighbors had to serve 15 days in jail and hold a sign that told the neighborhood he was a bully. http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Ohio-man-sits-at-corner-with-I-AM-A-BULLY-sign-5398949.php

What if the extra-judicial punishment is framed as a voluntary act of penance to avoid a stiff term in durance vile?

I can think of a few million reasons

How To Book Your Next Plane Ticket To Get The Best Deal You already know that you should be booking your plane ticket 54 days before take-off (if all else fails, you should usually book between 104 to 29 days pre-trip). And while that's all fine and good, there are various nitty-gritty details you should be paying attention to when buying that ticket -- like day of flight and where to book. Luckily, the experts seem to agree on a few key points. Here are some of the tips we found most useful and you might too, so we're passing them along to you. Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com, CheapAir.com and the folks at Hopper.com all agree: To get the best fares, you should always try to fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. In particular, Hopper suggests that travelers should return from domestic trips on Tuesdays (to save up to $50) and from international trips on Wednesdays (to save roughly $60). The most expensive day to return is Friday. Because countless tour groups head across the pond throughout Europe's high season in the summer, CheapAir.com says, you should always play around with your dates if you're flexible. While this may seem like a no brainer, don't ever rely on a single airline's site (because, say, you have miles). It's always best to comparison shop, Seaney suggests. As for preferred days to buy, a study conducted last year stated that you should be purchasing those tickets on weekends; instead, Hopper suggests, the cheapest domestic tickets are more often found on Thursdays (to be fair, international ticketsare generally cheaper on weekends). One important caveat: Expedia noted to us that three days before domestic departure, ticket prices drop by 6%; for international trips, the price drops by 10% about 7 days before departure. The lessons here: Buy early (if you can), buy on Thursdays and fly during the week. In case you forgot, here are those pesky “magic numbers” for when to buy for some common international destinations: Europe: 151 days before your flight Asia: 129 days before your flight The Caribbean: 101 days before your flight Mexico: 89 days before your flight Latin America: 80 days before your flight See the original article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/07/how-to-book-your-next-plane-ticket-to-get-the-best-deal_n_4995144.html

Size isn't important to me as long as it is really hard and strong and never lets me down.

Count me in......

Yeah but your 'research' didn't result in any cute naked butt pix being posted, Paragon. Publish or perish, Mr. P, it's a hard knock life.

"Ah say, boy, you in a heap o' trouble!"

that's so sad... get more

Ok apparently this practical joke has had an on-line life of over a decade, but it's taken that long for the meme to penetrate me deep thru the hills and hollers of Mississippi. For me this is damned near the Platonic ideal of a prank. It's mean, painful, humiliating and funny as hell w/o going quite far enough to subject the prankster or his accomplice to criminal sanctions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iVEKF6YT2Qg And, like a good magic trick, it leaves the prankee frustrated and baffled . Execute it properly and you can whack the poor victim over and over again. (Don't do this at home, kids. )

TY: I am not sure why, but I missed this thread until today. I want to join the chorus of people who thank you for the years of wonderful service. I also echo Oz's sentiment that as wonderful as your time on this board has been... to me it pales in comparison to all the wonderful memories and experiences we had while in Montreal during the heyday. Taboo was never the same after you stopped coming. See you around the board, but I wish I would see you on St. Catherine street!

wow. tomcal. wow. sometimes I wish I could do a remote vulcan mind meld and see all that tomcal has seen.

I'm not sure how much coverage there has been in the various media about the newest favela to have sprung up in Rio, its phenomenal growth and quick closure/death. An empty building of the local phone company OI/ex-Telemar, near Norte Shopping and the Jacarezinho complex of favelas was invaded by squatters on March 30 of this year. Just 2 weeks ago. As of yesterday when the police invaded and evicted them, their umbers had grown to an estimated 5000. Yep. Hard to believe. Like an invasion of rats. As many came from a neighboring favela in the Jacarezinho complex - "Rato Molhado" or "Wet Rat" The phone company claims that they have had the building protected under a security service, but just not sufficient to block the invasion of a large number of homeless. So yesterday the police invaded, arrested a few dozen, caused some minor injuries, no deaths, broke up the shacks that were thrown up and increased security. This is all part of planned protests in advance of the World Cup. During Carnaval the garbage men went on strike. They didn't get enough money in the settlement. They are supposedly going to do this all over again during the World Cup when they eyes of the world are on Brasil and especially Rio de Janeiro. Ditto last weeks invasion by the army of Brasil into the Complexo Mare, right at entrance to ilha Fundao and Ilha del Gobernador with about 2500 troops. Not just the Policia Militar. But Dilma and the Federal Forces are involved now. Here are some links for video and photos. You won't understand the portuguese but the visuals are good. http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2014/04/invasores-fazem-barracos-em-predio-tomado-no-engenho-novo-no-rio.html http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2014/04/policia-militar-retira-invasores-de-terreno-da-oi-no-rio.html http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2014/04/mais-invasores-ocupam-predio-desocupado-no-suburbio-do-rio.html The last link I think has the best video.

I thought the linked Merkel article was quite good, and am still pondering it. I am also happy to look at Deutchses twink-links till the cows come home, even when they warn of an era that I'd rather not see repeated anywhere. I've been guilty of posting what I thought were timely articles without having yet formed my opinions let alone being ready to share them, so I sure can't fault anyone else who might lob one onto the field early on and hold comments till later. Happily, though, this thread reminds me of a story in a book I'm currently reading about the old Bell Labs. It was told by a very bright scientist who many believe purposely tried to be as opaque as possible: . . . there are two men sitting in a meeting where a man is making a presentation. And when the man finishes, one guy in the back turns to the other and says, 'What was he talking about?' And the other says, 'I don't know, he didn't say.'

Actually it was "DIANHEDONIA HALL" but the gloves and the men's clothes were more symptomatic of transvestism. But we digress. Appropriate course of treatment for you-kmow-who? A deep, powerful injection of dark Brasilian chocolate might do the trick. Or is it a dark chocolate Brasilian to powerfully inject deeply into you-know-who? Oh, hell. Forget him. And do me.

OH MY!

You most definitely can find dark chocolate in certain stores in Rio de Janeiro. The C.A.D.E.G. in fact for one. Also at the Cobal of Humaita. Also at Zona Sul for brands other than Lindt. PR2K, praying for your recovery from your battles with anhedonia, dearie.

I use hack-proof technology to store my passwords:

Sorry I haven't been posting. But my trip has been pretty routine. Not a lot of excitement. But I have a few minutes to share a bit with you. I had thoughts of offing boys and massage palors all over the place when planning this trip, but then my boy from last trip was here and I've been a one boy man. I've only been enjoying his company after sunset. I like my days to hang by the pool or run off to Siam Paragon, MBK Center or Terminal 21 for the lunch food courts. Plus I can also grocery shop. Because my boy speaks very limited English, it's just easier for me to sight see alone. My boy is Vietnamese and yesterday he had to do a Visa Run to Cambodia to get his passport stamped for another 30 days. Hot Male will not allow any illegal boys to work there and the foreign boys have to show their passport every week. I knew he would be tired and hungry when he got back tonight, so I met him at his office(hot male) and we went to Dicks Cafe for dinner. I've been to Dicks a few times this trip and barely a customer, but tonight, barely a seat. Don't know where everyone came from. While sitting there I saw a sign at Xboys . Promotion prices 200 per drink and 300 off fee. Not bad. I understand Bangkok Boys is 400 per drink. When it's quiet, not a lot of people make it to the end of the street, so maybe promo will help. After dinner we came back to the apartment, and he said he wanted to spend the night. He has been up for almost 48 hours so I said ok. I went to take a shower, by the time I came out, the a/c was full blast and he was sound asleep. So here I sit and type. I am a tosser and turner so we will see how long he stays asleep. I have a pull out couch if I get to be to much for him. They drove to Cambodia with no a/c in the car, so I think that is what he really wants. When all the boys start complaining about the heat, you know it is hot. This past week has been mid 90's . I have spent a lot of time on Soi Twilight this trip. Mostly outdoor bars. I saw one show. They are pretty much all the same, just different boys and music. Big cock show, glow in the dark paint show, fucking while upside down on the gym rings show, hot wax show, and the fuck your way through the audience collecting tips show. Sitting outdoors watching everyone walk by, I have seen more hot boys than on any of my previous trips. If I wasn't previously engaged, I would have no problem getting a different boy or 2 every night. Weeknights have been on the quiet side, but the weekends have picked up ok. I've seen it busier, but not to bad. Had a friend of mine from San Francisco stop in Bangkok for a few days while on his way to Puket . We spent last Saturday sightseeing at Wat Po and the Grand Palace area. Very few Western tourist. Almost all Asian. We took the water taxi back. It's always a lot of fun, but was very crowded. I would have felt safer with a few less people. It was a really hot day, and kind of did me in. We went out for dinner at the Smokehouse Restaurant on Surawong . After a couple weeks of rice and vegetables, I really wanted a steak. My friend the same. Bit pricey at $30. But sometime u just gotta do it. I called my boy to meet us. He had a rack of ribs. When he got done, not even a nibble for a dog off those bones. Where do these kids put all that food. They are so small. So stomach full and starting to feel the heat after a long day in the sun, sent the little one on his way and went back to the apt and slept all night and stayed in bed most of Sunday. We're not as young as we used to be. I have one week to go. I told my boy that for Friday I would take him to a Vietnamese Restaurant. I'll have rice, he can have what ever he wants. Then Saturday we are going to the Firehouse Restaurant. I think Oz has been there, but again I am in the mood for Western food. The next few days are going to be on the cheap. Have to start watching the $$. I will be back in Bangkok for a couple weeks again in May on the end of a trip around the world. Then 2 days after I get back to Florida, I am driving to Boston for the month of June. We always say it's nice to get home to our own beds. I'll have been gone from mid Feb to July 4th. I don't even know what my bed looks like. I'm sure I'll come up with something to post about this weekend, but for now, it's time to go cuddle up with the little cutie in my bed.