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i have found on instagram new gay bar - meat place in center of rio. name: espaco kalazans location rua buenos aires 21, centro RJ picture remind me of old meio mundo personal. is anyone familiar with the place

Does the above post @Tomcal mean that, in response to the quoted post, you are lost for words ?

Your expectations are too high, sir. But I suspect you know that already given your experience. Banking is a service - you need to pay for a service for it to be worthwhile. My 2c.

That's the one! Cool decor inside, and loads of parking.

I'm with @PeterRS on this, this is getting SOOO annoying. The point (for me) is not fear of covid, but wanting to get the vaccine to be able to travel again as soon as possible (which currently it is not even fully vaccinated). But with the "Phuket Sandbox" with Q-free entry into Phuket supposed to come July 1st, they now also restricted domestic travel to Phuket to vaccinated people (of which there are virtually none at this point). As for "those who were elected to solve problems", remember they were NOT. They rigged the system and the election such that they got back to power. Thailand in fact DOES have a de-facto dictator (especially in the covid arena, nothing whatsoever happens there without his nod), except he is neither benevolent nor competent but the source of all current ills Considering a vax trip to Germany, too. It would be easy to go there (I think no quarantine requirement there for Thai arrivals) and to get the vaccine. But all so utterly unreliable and unplannable for the return to Thailand. The Phuket model supposed to work only for "low to medium risk countries" (obviously they don't fully trust the vaccines). Even if Germany is low or medium at the time of going there, that designation can change in a heartbeat and then I get stuck there. Complete no-go!

you're rushing to conclusions LOL, June 30th is too soon to believe it! Even July 1st. The first day to believe it will be when the first tourists actually arrive And even then it could be closed again in a split second if and when some outbreak happens, like seychelles-style. It can only be really trusted I suppose when it's been up and running for several weeks AND possibly survived new Covid cases there. I don't want to be overly negative, but the flipflopping (and other monumental government failures) in recent weeks and months has been just appalling

From the Thai Enquirer Thailand will launch a quarantine-free travel program for its ten top provinces for tourism starting in October, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said on Wednesday. The provinces are Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Chonburi, Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phang-nga and Buriram. Phiphat insisted on opening Phuket this July as planned despite a resurgence of Covid-19 infections. Phuket must achieve a vaccination rate of 70 per cent by this month, he said. The first group of foreign tourists is set to arrive at Phuket on July 3 from North America, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The estimated number of foreign visitors in the third quarter is predicted to be around 129,000. The minister said these ten provinces generated up to 1.5 trillion baht of tourism income, accounting for 75 per cent of total income, and brought about 40 million foreign visitors in 2019, prior to the pandemic. https://www.thaienquirer.com/28182/country-to-reopen-tourist-provinces-in-october-minister-says/ ============================= From The Tourism Authority of Thailand

From The Thaiger / Bangkok Post The operator of the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores has confirmed it will open another 700 shops in the Kingdom this year. According to a Bangkok Post report this morning, CP All plans to spend between 11.5 and 12 billion baht on expansion in 2021. The company has opened 155 new 7-Eleven stores so far this year, meaning there were 12,587 CP All-operated stores by the end of the first quarter of 2021. Chief Financial Officer Kriengchai Boonboapichart says around 4 billion baht will be invested in new projects, subsidiaries, and distribution centres. Between 3.8 and 4 billion will be spent on store expansion, around 2.5 billion on renovating existing 7-Eleven stores, and around 1.4 billion on IT systems and fixed assets. 2020 total reported revenue for CP All was 547 billion baht, down 4.3% from 2019, and net profit was down by 27.9% at 16.1 billion baht. During the first quarter of 2021, total revenue has dropped by 8.5% year-on-year, with net profit dropping by 54%. The fall is largely attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to decreased consumption and purchasing power, as well as the drop in tourism. Customers habits are also shifting to favour online shopping, and CP All is continuing to focus on offerings such as 7-Eleven Delivery, All Online, and 24Shopping. https://thethaiger.com/news/business/another-700-7-eleven-stores-to-open-across-thailand

Botox side effect; paralyzed facial muscles, cannot open mouth, typing fingers engaged in attempts to pry mouth open ... relationship breakdown.

From Nikkei Asia Vietnam's 'new COVID variant' part of existing Indian strain: WHO HANOI -- As Vietnam's northern manufacturing hub fights COVID-19 variants, the World Health Organization's main representative in the country is urging authorities and companies critical to supply chains to continue containment efforts because vaccinations of factory workers are falling behind needs. Since late April, Vietnam has been struggling to contain multiple COVID-19 outbreaks at factories located in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, two neighboring provinces near Hanoi, the capital. On Wednesday, authorities reported 241 new cases in the country, with 157 in Bac Giang and 31 in Bac Ninh. Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long shocked global investors on Saturday, hinting that a newly discovered variant could have contributed to outbreaks in the heart of the country's economic engine. Long said the government uncovered "a new COVID-19 variant" that combines characteristics of two existing variants first found in India and the U.K. "There is no new hybrid variant in Vietnam at this moment based on WHO definition," Kidong Park, the WHO representative in Vietnam, told Nikkei Asia on Wednesday in an online interview. "The variant detected is Delta variant, with additional mutations, and needs more observation. We need to monitor during next couple of weeks," he said referring to the newly labeled "delta" variant which was first detected in India and appeared in other countries. "This is within the existing [delta] variant. It is an additional mutation" Park explained, adding "as for now, there is no alarming alert from WHO. Park also stressed the delta variant is dangerous as it is highly contagious and spreads very quickly. Son Nghiem, a senior research fellow at Griffith University's Centre for Applied Health Economics in Australia, agreed there is no need for new WHO alert at this time. "To my knowledge, the Bac Giang and Bac Ninh outbreaks were mostly associated with the Indian variant," Nghiem told Nikkei Asia last week. Park said it is difficult to tell when Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, home to factories for international manufacturers including Samsung Electronics, will be able to end the outbreaks. Since late April, more than 400 companies -- with 65,000 workers -- have halted production in Bac Ninh. In Bac Giang, four out of six industrial parks were forced to shut down on May 18, affecting at least 140,000 workers. Local authorities also ordered COVID-hit factory operators to keep workers inside facilities to contain the virus. Employees were asked to eat, sleep and work in factories, with tents set up as temporary accommodations. Since vaccinations for factory workers just started this week in the two provinces, authorities and operators will have to continue stringent containment measures including testing, contact tracing and isolation "for a certain period of time," Park said. Vietnam had been one of the most successful countries in preventing the spread of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The challenge now is to accelerate vaccinations amid a shortage of doses as Asian economies rush to secure supply. https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Vietnam-s-new-COVID-variant-part-of-existing-Indian-strain-WHO ========================================== From Bloomberg News / Bangkok Post Vietnam to have 125m doses this year Vietnam’s health ministry said the country will have nearly 125 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this year after initially reporting it expects 120 million vaccine doses, according to an updated post on the government’s website. The total includes 5 million doses from Moderna Inc, 20 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and 31 million doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, it said. Vietnam, with a popultaion of 96.5 million, will also acquire 30 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses and 38.9 million doses through the Covax initiative, the World Health Organization-backed effort to buy and distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income nations. Vietnam is nearing its goal of purchasing 150 million vaccine doses this year for 75% of the population, according to the post, which cited Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long. Vietnam continues to negotiate with vaccine manufacturers to boost vaccine supplies to reach its herd immunity target by the end of this year or early 2022, Long said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2126251/vietnam-to-have-125m-doses-this-year

Words written in a particular manner sent to just the right person can produce results. Keep in mind that most CEOs do not read these letters, but all of them employ someone who does. It is that person's job to get the job done. Writing a good letter of complaint can be challenging work. It takes time, hard thought and energy. There are often many details that need to be explained, a lot of them are boring and difficult to keep straight in a smooth, comprehensive narrative. The goal is to have impact, to elicit good results for you. If you possess poor writing skills, it's better to find someone who does. Some people can put their heart on paper without a decent education in English, but this is not the norm. Personally, I could write a book on bank treatment in my life. I've known my share of bank owners from around the world. All of them filthy rich. The book would be boring as all hell, I doubt anyone would want to read it. And then the financial world would hate me. It's not worth the trouble. It's a complicated question without an easy answer. Much depends on your financial needs and your personal thoughts and feelings about convenience and fees. I typically recommend a little study about the available options, and see if something rings a bell in your brain. If you read high-quality travel blogs, you will find sincere love for credit unions and or private banks. A lot of wealthy people own stocks and they use investment accounts. Most credit unions are owned and managed by its "members," and this type of ownership can make all the difference in the world. Many people claim the best credit unions are run by military members, former and current. If you have a military member in your family, you may be eligible to join one of these credit unions. There are a few with outstanding reputations. It's almost impossible to replicate the fantastic deals they can offer you elsewhere in the commercial market. Sweet eyes and a handsome face always have the power to open my wallet.

I do believe this is the new restaurant, looks quite nice. Kin Kao restaurant and cafe 168/2 Pracha Uthit 90 Samut Prakan, Thailand 10290

I'm sure they must have talked about re-opening Patpong bars as well

# me too, hope it will materialize and it that happens see you on top of MahaNakhon just like last time

Medellin has a small block (Calle 57A) of hustler bars with a sex hotel with rainbow flag on the north side. The guys in Medellin are generally much better looking than in Bogota and half the price or less, but this block attracts the only ugly guys in Medellin somehow. I think the Definitive Columbia thread here still has photos. In spite of hot guys and perfect weather, Medellin is mostly worth it over Bogota if Club Tobi is open.

I just read this. I am so sorry! I hope you are recovering fast. Hopefully, I am leaving this weekend to Buenos Aires. I have both Pfizer shots, but I am not going to be careless. Wish me luck, things are really bad down there.

...sorry to have read about your canceled trip because of CoVID. I do hope that you get well soon! I am continuing to wear my masks until the numbers who have been "vexxed" in California have risen to 90+%. ...was in Carmel, CA about an hour ago. Everyone is still wearing masks while out-of-doors and inside businesses as well as restaurants prior to receiving their meals. By everyone doing this, I felt comfortable. ...visited family in Kansas City a week ago. We've been vaccinated except for one member. We kept our distance from him, and while in his company, we donned our masks.

Two takeaways from Tomcal's post. 1. He uses Botox! I'm actually surprised. 2. Someone who can give you free Botox injection is worth keeping. lol

That's good to hear, though in that location they will never attract a tourist crowd (except @vinapu making the occasional trip there). The name is about as simple as it gets: Kin Kao means to eat a meal, so I guess a loosely translated English name would be "Let's eat".

In a study one dose of AZ gives close to 76% efficacy. That and majority of those taking this vaccine will only get their second dose 12 weeks or longer.

Please, please, not vests! I was having a beer in Panorama. A couple of tables away was an elderly gentleman in a white vest with his Thai companion....heaven knows what my mother would have said. I thought it absolutely appropriate that he was drinking beer (the large Singha or Leo, whatever) while the Thai had a glass of water. But that's my prejudice showing. Apologies; my Britishness is showing again. A km away, in Soi Bukheaw (sp), he could have bought a T-shirt for less than 100 bht. Less than the cost of his beer. This was over a decade ago. It's probably not to my credit that it has stayed in my memory.

Come On! Somebody has to have something nice to say about Wells Fargo! So here goes: Nice stagecoach dude! It also explains why their service is so slow - they are still delivering via coach! They have been a disaster for me too - I was a Wachovia customer until Wells purchased them in 2009.

Very sensible rules, especially considering astrazeneca 1 dose, and natural immunity from recovered patient. Hopefully they will do away with the covid insurance as well and of course the lenghty procedures that STV required.

The above posts reflect both the the good and not-so-good of policies put forward as the world attempts to come to grips with the real enemy: the virus itself. The last time the world attempted to defeat a threat on this scale was in WWII. And that battle was accompanied by the same interplay of political, regional and industrial interests. It was successful only to the degree that individual nations sublimated some of their own priorities and arrived at a grand compromise. As in that war, the opponent, the Axis powers, helped shape how the war was conducted. Now, it's the virus itself that is shaping the same political, regional and industrial responses. It's not always--or even rarely--a comforting process to witness. But its success or failure will be measured in the same way: was the threat defeated. At this moment, that remains undecided. Even many of those who stand to benefit from victory appear undecided on the cure. The same percentage (about two-thirds) of the population in both the US and Thailand are reluctant to receive a vaccine. The only thing all of us have in common is the desire for victory. And with such daunting odds, it's easy to get side tracked with the differences.

Waiting on june 30th before i trust phuket will open july 1st.

That is so very true, I loved that little restaurant, always had good food there and the owner and staff were always very friendly.

Sending shots is for show. It's a drop in the bucket to what's needed. 20 million vs. 6 Billion. The only solution is to let vaccine factories in other countries make the vaccine and waive the patent. India alone has over 500 vaccine factories. Pfizer bought the patent from a German firm that invented the vaccine and won't let anyone else make it. Moderna is not so mean and AZ has an obligation from the EU to waive it's patent for poor countries. The Sputnik vaccine is excellent and many countries, including Argentina, are manufacturing it free of patent but the US is trying to stop countries from using it for politics. Lives should matter most, not corporate profits or politics.

Firstly let me say that I enjoyed the drawings by Marcelo Pombo, Latbear4blk And I agree to considerable extent with many points made. I too hate to see any misogyny or racism in the gay community, and I feel a bit uneasy when I see the likes of Amazon sponsoring their gay staff to walk in the Pride parade. Whilst not wanting to deprived the staff of their “day out” I cannot help feeling it implicates the gay community in unconditionally supporting the likes of Amazon. And I also hate the current trend of some who want to make a Pride parade more respectable by excluding those who parade in leather gear and as part of kinky groups and so on. However I think some of your statements are be a bit overblown. For example what you said about gay people being offended at being addressed playfully as women. In my experience no gay was ever really offended by that, unless there was a straight person addressing him and the gay man was concerned felt he was perhaps being undermined or insulted. And I’m sure a man who identified as queer would not appreciate being referred to by feminine nicknames by a straight guy who he (the queer identified guy) felt was trying to subtly undermine him in some way, despite his abjuration of the fake masculinity of the “gay”. I think the reaction of people in such cases depends more on the situation than their ideology. Also, your example of gay men in the gay bar being jokingly disparaging about women struck me as rather weak as a critique of gay identity. You may think it crass or not funny, but how do you know when the gay man is expressing his privileged position in the misogynistic patriarchy, or just being crass? I think there is an innate repulsion towards the sexual organs of the gender you’re not sexually interested in. I imagine there something similar regarding lesbians and men’s sexual organs. Of course in that case one can make the point that the lesbian joke isn’t from a (relative) “position of power”, But perhaps also you can read too much sociological meaning into peoples jokes. And general terms regarding terminology, I sometimes wonder if this is just a natural progression in the generations . I think there is a general tendency for one generation of a particular group to see the terminology last generation as being insufficient. In the early 70s, “gay” was seen as something of a radical word. The gays rioting at Stonewall were rejecting the compromises of the earlier generation who had referred to the movement as the “homophile” movement. You had a somewhat similar situation in the black community, with the move from Coloured to Negro it to African-American etc. How much of this is a genuine insight into the deficiencies of the terms in question, and how much is just each generation thinking it knows better, I don’t know. To be honest, your article felt to me a bit like somebody who is dissatisfied with a lot of the conservatism of a general gay culture (as I said I sympathise to a considerable degree) and attaching that critique to an ideology (being “gay identified”) that you ascribe to homosexual men of many different views and politics. Some of your arguments are in danger of disappearing down a bit of a rabbit hole, I fear. For instance I understand your point about the celebration of “coming out” putting pressure on men who might feel they can’t, or are not confident enough in their identity to do so. But that doesn’t negate the point that in general, that it’s better for sexual minorities that homosexual men come out rather than not. So the argument would be, is the pressure on gay men to come out a “progressive” pressure (the more gay men out the better), or is it better embrace a queer identity and it says “I don’t have to come out because I wasn’t already in”. That idea might seem logical from the perspective of a post-graduate seminar discussing a Judith Butler article, but I think it’s hard to argue that in the real world downgrading coming out would not have a conservative or regressive effect for sexual minorities. And to turn the tables on you a bit, your handle would seem to indicate that you are a Latino who is into black men. Could this not be seen as fetishising a different race, which could be seen as rather dehumanising of them? If I were the sort of university seminar lesbian who is in to that type of thing, I am sure i could work up 1000 words tearing into you as the worst sort of Latino racist who sees black men as dildoes (pingas) for his pleasure rather than men in their own right, who writes articles criticising the dreadful cis-heteropatriarchy of the term "gay" to cover up his own guilt at his own cis-heteropatriarchal racist fantasies of.....(you get the idea). To be honest this is something that one could spend a whole evening and several glasses of wine discussing, if we met up in real life, but those are some of the issues (or could I be as grandiloquent as to say “internal contradictions”) that struck me from your essay anyway.

Nonsense! we are all irresistible, whatever we look like, whatever we wear. Or so I've been told.

Mild flu like stuff, headache, muscle ache, runny/stuffed up nose....I guess everyone with their vaccines and false sense of security, feeling invincible (guilty) ....should think twice about partying/ gathering without a mask still ....

LOL

IME other jobs. Bear in mind, they lived with their sponsor who supported them for the first few years. So sex work wasn’t really interesting for them. In later years, I know one who became a model, another Cuban is now an accountant and a couple have office jobs.

Thanks for posting. I leave for my winter home in Medellin in one week, but will be spending time in Cartagena over the holidays. Sorry that no one warned you about the dirty beaches. The only fair beach in Bocagrande is close to El Laguito by the Hilton Hotel. Everyone else will choose to take a boat ride out to the islands for a carribean white sand beach day. I usually have success in Cartagena but not in the tourist areas. El Torre del Reloj (Watchtower) is the worst spot ever -- to be avoided at all costs. The walled city tends to attract some pretty aggressive players and is not worth the hassle (from experience). Most of the local gay spots were closed up due to the pandemic, and many of them (I suspect) will not be reopening. Hollywood beach on a Sunday used to be a reliable spot to meet locals but even that scene has slowed, I would imagine. Cartagena was hit hard economically by the quarantine, so I can appreciate that there would be some aggressive hustling these days as the tourists slowly trickle back. It will be a while before Cartagena bounces back, but I am confident this jewel of the Carribean will return.