Lucky

An AP article posted last Wednesday by Drey at gaytravelbrazil.com: From the AP: RIO DE JANEIRO – Health officials say Brazil is at risk of an even deadlier outbreak of dengue fever as the South American nation enters its long, wet summer, when standing water turns into breeding ponds for the mosquitoes that spread the disease. The country saw a dramatic spike in the number of fatal cases this year: 592 were recorded from January through October, an increase of 90 percent over the 312 dengue deaths recorded during the same period last year, according to figures released Thursday by the Ministry of Health. And the resurgence of the Type 1 dengue strain largely absent in Brazil since the 1990s means that cases could continue to rise, officials say, stretching an overtaxed health care system. When the six-month rainy season starts in December, the frequent downpours will quickly turn trash piles, old tires, abandoned wells and even crumpled cigarette packs into containers of stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed. Luis Fernando Moraes, president of the Regional Council of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro, said the risk is particularly high for children who have never been exposed to the resurgent Type 1 strain of the disease and thus have low resistance to it. Exposure to a single strain of the disease helps develop immunity to that particular variant, but subsequent infection by a different strain can cause the sometimes fatal hemorrhagic dengue. Symptoms of dengue include flulike conditions such as high fever, headaches, and severe muscle and joint pain. The health ministry has registered about 940,000 cases of dengue so far in 2010, nearly double last year's total. Treatment options are few, and a potential vaccine is still in testing and not available to the public. A health ministry report said the states most at risk include Rio de Janeiro, where the recent closure of a major suburban hospital and the scheduled shuttering of two more has raised concerns that there might not be enough medical resources to deal with an epidemic. "There is huge concern with the arrival of summer," Moraes said. "We could face a difficult situation in which our overburdened health care system would be stretched even further." Brazil has worked hard to fight the disease within its own borders and help neighboring countries, said Dan Epstein, a spokesman with the World Health Organization in Washington, D.C. The government is campaigning to educate the public to prevent water from pooling, but getting word to the sprawling country's remote areas is tough, Epstein said. "The weather and circumstances make for perfect breeding ground for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes," he said. The WHO estimates that more than 2.5 billion people worldwide are at risk for dengue, and at least 50 million are sickened each year. "It's a serious problem in the Americas and globally, particularly in Southeast Asia," Epstein said. "It's one of the serious neglected diseases affecting tropical countries, and one of the things we have make a priority." To Brazil's north, neighboring Venezuela has also been confronting a dengue epidemic with about 100,000 diagnosed cases so far this year compared with 40,000 during the same period last year, according to recent Health Ministry figures.

I found Unstoppable to be unimaginative and predictable. I went because I like Denzel and Chris Pine, but the train is the real star of this movie. Too much dramatic music and a hoaky storyline about being mad at your loved ones then they face a crisis that of course makes the person sorry they are mad. Guess how that works out! Friends in LA really recommend Colin Firth's new movie about The King's Speech.

Not sure if that is true, KyTop. We spend a lot of time talking about good things. The differences are what makes life interesting. I enjoy being around people who don't necessarily think like I do- it's not boring. We talk about what is bad in order to see how we can improve it. that's not a bad thing. I agree that it can all be overdone, so if that is what you are saying, then I agree with you. (See how I tried to find the common ground?!! ) (CharliePS says I frequently refer to him as CharlieSF. I didn't realize that.)

Well, yes, come to think of it, I did call her a cow, but it wasn't out of hatred! Cows are a valued resource in this country. Just think if we were in India... There was an interesting article today on this online today,, but has disappeared now into the place where stale articles online go. But essentially it said that by claiming that people hate her, she was trying to make more of herself than there is. If I find the article I will pass it on.

Epigonos, I also feel bad for the Mexican people that drugs have essentially destroyed their country. And it isn't the Mexican appetite for drugs, it's the American's. I would love to travel through Mexico as I have in the past, enjoying the small towns, the handicrafts, the beautiful scenery, and even eating some of the walking Mexican food- you know, the food with the shiny black hair and sparkling brown eyes? But can't do. It's become too dangerous. Americans want their drugs and we give the Mexicans guns to make sure the drugs get to us. We've corrupted their police and their legal system, if not their whole government. So, on the same day that many of us are stuffing turkey, other Americans are stuffing their noses. Since they don't live in the poor sections of town, our police can't touch them. If they do get caught, they get a program that almost always fails. In the meantime, Mexicans are so afraid that even their government feels the need to warn people coming into the country. I've been robbed by Mexican police, but drugs are robbing Mexico.

Hey, I could only get Charlie there by promising him a tuna-stuffed turkey! Then, minutes after I awoke this am, it dawned on me that I had written CharlieSF here instead of CharliePS. Sorry, Charlie! I had SF on my mind!

Oz, so sorry to hear that you are ill, especially with something as nasty as dengue fever. Here's wishing you a quick recovery. Don't worry about us, it's you that you need to focus on.

Too bad we can't all gather at Lucky's Place for a big Thanksgiving dinner. The bf is going all out making pies and getting a big dinner ready for the day. I guess CharlieSF will have to represent all of you at the feast. Thanks for participating with your posts and welcoming me into the group at MaleEscortReview.

Epigponos, please feel free to travel to any hot spot you wish, however dangerous. It's called adventure travel, but in this case, maybe suicide travel is more appropriate. What's the difference here? It's the MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ITSELF making the warnings. Disregard them at your peril.

I'd rather be shot in Mexico than hear that damn song "It's A Small World" over and over.

In what must have the Mexican chamber of commerce in a lather , the Mexican government has warned tourists traveling to the country for the holidays to travel in convoys to ward off bandits or drug cartels. Federal protection is available to those who register their travel: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-convoys-20101124,0,4279540.story

The bf was thrilled that Bristol finished 3d. One columnist said her finish only showed how a lack of qualifications mattered to the Palin base. But it was her remark about giving the "middle finger" to all those who hate her that got me. She presumes we hate her rather than accept that we don't think she is qualified.

Sometimes the reviews in newspapers determine if I am going to see a movie, but what to make of these two items from the NY Daily News? a) Chemistry makes 'Love & Other Drugs' Eureka! Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway make winning combo for the sexy flick 'Love & Other Drugs': A lot of nudity, litte (sic)else 3 STARS. Anne Hathaway & Jake Gyllenhaal have OK chemistry. And great bodies. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/index.html#ixzz16DFTa9c6 So, I think I will go with the NY Times, which concludes its review: "And it is to Mr. Zwick’s credit that “Love & Other Drugs” almost works, sustaining its blend of melodrama, low comedy and graceful wit for a good hour or so, but then succumbing to treacle, evasion and maudlin convention at the end. Unfortunately the effects of the movie, therapeutic and intoxicating though they are, wear off before it is over." But then, there is Jake almost nude...

Thanks. I have watched some youtube vids already, and am getting the hang of it. Surprising myself with how quickly I am learning where to hit that touch screen. Still not great at it... As for the trackball, I googled the subject of how to clean it myself. So I will give that a try. I've already changed the ATT account down too. Maybe I can get good at this cellphone stuff...at my age too!

I'd like to be in Derek's bed tonight! Whoo hoo!

Not me!

The bigger the bill, the bigger the thrill. Oops, that's what they say at strip clubs. Here I mean to say the bigger the market, the lower the price as volume discounts make it more affordable. It does scare me that guys are going to get so complacent about HIV that they will walk right into another epidemic, perhaps with a new virus we haven't heard of yet. But with all these guys jacking off in front of their webcams, they may not have to worry about STDs!

The right of privacy seems to be a relic these days, especially in light of the thread on laptop and cellphone seizures at the airport without probable cause, explanation, or sometimes even return. Travolta has taken no stands against gays and deserves to live his life as he sees fit, but more and more people like him and Anderson Cooper are not hiding who they are so much as they are simply not talking about it. And that's their right too.

Today my Blackberry scroll ball froze and I could not use my phone. I went to ATT, and after a horrendous wait, the creep who waited on my said they could not fix that in the store. It would have to be sent in. Well, I have only one month left on my contract, so I told him to forget it and went to Costco, where I bought the Droid X. Yes, it is a touchscreen and I am already learning the various mistakes I can make on it. But, just as I learned to type with my thumbs on the Blackberry, I will learn this one too. One thing they don't tell you: with that 4.3" screen, there is that much more to try to keep clean!

Surprised that this astounding news is not on the boards. HIV negative men who take the HIV drug Truvada faithfully have a 90% chance of avoiding HIV infection. Throw a condom in with that and HIV worries can be gone forever. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/health/research/24aids.html?_r=1&hp

Libertarian tend to favor gay rights as well. The government out of the bedroom and all that. Now that we will be going to war in Korea, I might volunteer. I liked lookin's pix of the gay soldiers. Can you imagine a straight soldier wearing that supertight t-shirt? hehe, the answer is yes- muscle guys all like to show off. Otherwise, why bother?

I thought Mr. Hough looked so sexy tonight with his shirtless vest and sexy dance moves. He dances with a woman, I can't remember her name. It's not Bristol though. What did Levi ever see in her? I am actually going to vote for the first time tonight to keep that cow from winning!

The boy appeared on the Ellen show and tells about literally coming out of the closet to his friends: (You can see the original video here as well) http://www.towleroad.com/2010/11/graeme.html

If DADT gets repealed, it will probably be because of Senators, not the president. I don't see Obama as willing to use up any political capital for us, despite his campaign pledge to be a "fierce advocate for gay rights."

47 years ago today the President of the United States was assassinated. In retrospect, I think the country was killed as well. Perhaps all of the changes we have seen since then that have destroyed the politics that governed us would have happened anyway, but our innocence was lost that day, and never again have Americans had the same level of faith in their government. Nowadays we have 24 hour cable news, and every mole, blot, ink stain, or whatever is revealed and repeated over and over. Kennedy's romps with Marilyn Monroe and associations with the mob would never be kept so secret now. The country may have been as corrupt then as is it is now, maybe, but we just didn't know it. Or, is that the day when Americans started to question their government? Wonder arose about the effectiveness of the revered Secret Service, starting conspiracy thinking that took life and is a topic of the day even now. The grief of the country gave life to a political unity that allowed LBJ to obtain congressional victories that Kennedy had not been able to make. But after 9-11, the grief of the country was harnessed into two wars that continue today. Debt and greed are the hallmarks of our financial system. Even Kennedy's beloved Ireland is asking for billions in bailouts. Liberal columnist Paul Krugman today argues that we face more government gridlock as the Republicans refuse to allow Obama and the Democrats the right to rule the country as the elected leaders. The START Treaty with Russia is in danger. Nuclear weapons are more abundant than ever if you add in Iran and North Korea. And, of course, massive deficits handicap the country and future generations even as we face very high unemployment. But the rich need their tax cuts and the Republicans will force them upon us- those same Republicans who didn't have the guts to make them permanent in the first place. So it does make me miss the Kennedy days, days which for me were full of hope for the future. Maybe it was a false hope as I was unaware of so many things, from the Kennedys and the mob to parish priests and their children. Either way, November 22d remains a sad day as it reminds us that evil lurks in corners we are unaware of.