Lucky

Off into August, indeed. Since several guys jumped the gun, our August Challenge has gotten off to a good start. The real deal will be sticking with it. Remember to respond to the posts your fellow posters put up, unless what they have to say leaves you speechless!

As I age,my memory fades, but I think it was lookin that actually posted the first Ralph Woods pic, and lurker speaks carried it further. We can always count on both of them to get the great pics. And, both are really trying to get the August challenge rolling even before the stroke of midnight!

Barack Obama was born on August 4th, Tom Brady on the 13th, Spencer Pratt on the 14th, Joe Jonas and Ben Affleck on August 15th, Christian Slater and the late Patrick Swayze on the 18th, John Stamos on the 19th, Brody Jenner on the 21st, the late River Phoenix on August 23d, Sean Connery on August 25th, Chris Pine on the 26th, the late Michael Jackson on the 29th, Andy Roddick on the 30th Richard Gere on August 31st, and, humbly mentioned is Lucky on August 17th! Any MER birthdays in August?

If you are soliciting new members, remind them that here they can post and see pix like the one that lurker speaks provided with Ralph Woods. Not all sites let you see this stuff!

(Why can I still not insert an image even though I am using the insert image box with a jpg)

Welcome, CharliePS. He is Charlie from the old Hooboy site, but that name was taken by one of Oz's other members. And when he says he has nothing to say, well, give him some time. I see him often and know that we is not short on words! He is an expert on Opera, and has written his memoirs which he could share some of with us...hot, hot, hot stories on all of the celebrities he fucked! Plus, he likes dogs...where can he go wrong here?

So, as the hours tick away to the glorious moment when our team challenge begins, let me say this: Bleep … bleep bleep bleep … Message Center… bleep … bleep … bleeeeeeeeep … successful message center – bleep bleep bleepbleepbleep!” And, finally: We can do it!

The article is not only about security, it is about the new and devious ways that your information is now being parceled out and sold. There are ways to avoid this, and they are spelled out in the articles.

I have asked a few guys to register here at MER since the fun is about to start. August is upon us. Two of them have reported back with registration problems. If anyone you referred has problems registering or logging in, please call it to the attention of management IMMEDIATELY. We want new membeers to feel welcome from the very first! So let's make their first day a breeze! TY- Please correct the spelling of Members in the tile!

These days hitchhikers are so rare, the opportunity rarely presents itself. But yes, I have been tempted to offer a ride to a cute guy walking, especially here in the desert. But I don't!

The Wall Street Journal today has extensive articles showing how our privacy is shredded when you visit the web. Companies have learned how to do new and many things with your cookies. The article is hard to summarize (Be Afraid?) so I will provide the link, and hope it works as the WSJ is a paid site which often allows looks at articles of interest: "he largest U.S. websites are installing new and intrusive consumer-tracking technologies on the computers of people visiting their sites—in some cases, more than 100 tracking tools at a time." http://online.wsj.com/home-page http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-lifestyle-arts-entertainment.html

...and now Kara has reportedly been fired. She is one judge I never warmed up to... From NY Post: Kara DioGuardi has been fired from "American Idol," sources tell TMZ, continuing a show shakeup that began this afternoon when Ellen DeGeneres resigned from her job as a judge on the popular singing contest. DioGuardi is not under contract for next season and Fox has yet to announce whether she'll return. But, TMZ claims the show is returning to a three-judge format consisting of Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, who is reportedly close to a deal, and Steven Tyler, who's rumored to take Simon Cowell's spot. According to TMZ, the only way DioGuardi could stay with the show is if the J.Lo deal falls apart, which is unlikely. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/kara_dioguardi_out_at_american_idol_NkNsAJCf6YbZZLHQBE7MCJ#ixzz0vDUoUl5y

Hmmm, a cunning individual who was aware that the show he put on drew people in...you don't suppose that young escorts learned that too , do you? Nice to see you posting, Benjamin!

I have read the first book in the series, and although I liked it, I can't see how it has become such an international hit. There are plenty of books equally good.

Sad news, but it appears to be true that they are again split. Bristol and Levi are reportedly communicating by text message only as Levi is hanging out with another girl. (And here I am, a grown man, following this?)

tomcal, I would have loved to see the Broadway Bares show live, but it was not to be. Maybe Totally Oz can get those Tight End dancers to do a special show for MER members? It sure isn't going to happen at the Old Globe!

Geez...it is not even August yet and I am already happy! Very nice pix, tomcal.

You make a good point. When one is back to the days of Shakespeare and a plane flies overhead, well, it's a reminder that the fourth wall isn't real. But, if we can suspend belief in other matters we can do it here as well, can't we? In Manhattan sirens often intrude upon the theater, so it is just modern life, take it or leave it!

The greatest hits would likely be those with the most views. Yet some of those were threads bitching about another internet site, and we don't want to go there again and again. My thinking is that if we have a group of people such as we appear to have who are committed to a month of intense posting, with the purpose to start and keep conversations going, why bring up stuff that has already been worn out? What new ideas would we add to those old threads? New material brings new interest, and hopefully new participants, so I'd recommend a cautious approach to giving people more of the same.

So, Romann, does your presence in this thread indicate that you have accepted the August Challenge?

I hope that Lady Lucky is good to you in Chicago.

Lesbian star Ellen deGeneres, the newest judge on the popular show American Idol resigned today, with 4 years left on her contract. The resignation, effective immediately, had apparently been known to Fox for several weeks as DeGeneres did not like hurting the feelings of the young singers appearing on the show. Ms. DeGeneres said in a statement that she informed Fox “a couple months ago” that the show “didn’t feel like the right fit for me.” The idea of a person resigning a job shortly after they took it because they learned that it wasn't a right fit for them is a shocking novelty. Should Fox have forced her to stay on the show? Should they have banned her from the show for this resignation before her contract expired? Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/arts/television/30ellen.html?hp

Two Neil Simon plays will be shown in repertoire to start off the fall season at San Diego's Old Globe theater. Broadway Bound and Brighton Beach Memoirs were supposed to have kicked off the New york fall season last year, with "it" director David Cromer directing, but low ticket sales caused an early demise of Brighton and a full closure of Broadway Bound. Cromer does not direct the San Diego productions, so I assume that they will be the traditional productions, rather than the ones he had revised to suit his directing skills. Also playing is Death of A Salesman, the Henry Miller classic. Since tickets for individual shows do not go on sale until about 4 weeks before the show starts, I was able to get seats now by buying a package of four shows. To the above 3, I added Life of Riley, an Alan Ayckbourn comedy a dying man plotting his farewells to his 4 best friends, and in turn, they each deal with his impending death in surprising ways. Also on the bill, for any West Coast posters who might like to go, are: Emma, Rafta, Rafta, Dr. Seuss and the Grinch, August:Osage County, and The Winter's Tale.

I have no problem with bringing back greatest hits threads, but a) how do you determine that it was a great hit, and how do we avoid just posting those instead of new and challenging threads that will get the August Challenge off to a good start...and hopefully bring new members into the discussions?

Well, guys, this is a pretty good response, and shows a good commitment to getting the message center thriving with conversations. So, August begins on Sunday and I will look forward to all of the posts!