JKane

Bible's *much* older and yet many agree it'd be OK to out a high-ranking Catholic. In fact, the two antigay passages in the bible are pretty tame and many believe superseded (like the rest of Leviticus). Verses it being the recent basis of CoS that homosexuality is a perversion to be cured. And where it can't be cured ( ) it can be used as a means of control.

More Michigan news, also ends surprisingly positively.

I agree absolutely, but was glad to see that they may be coming around and eventually stop telling people in places like Africa that they'll go to hell if they use a condom.

I know teabaggers just discovered the constitution, but assuming you can read it like you "read" the bible (i.e. it says whatever you want it to say as long as you say so loudly enough) doesn't fly. Constitutional argument 1: Exactly where in the constitution does it say a foreigner gets to control all our media outlets? I'd suggest the section on presidential eligibility makes clear that non-native born Americans are to be restricted certain things. Constitutional argument 2: Freedom of the press... anybody reasonable looking at a list of Murdock's holdings quickly comes to the conclusion it equals the opposite of a free press. And there have been restrictions on media ownership in this country (and anti-trust laws) for a very long time. With very good reason. But those who cannot remember the past... yellow journalism and the Spanish-American war seeming very familiar to those of us who closely watched the drive to the Iraq war. Constitutional argument 3: Further, federal regulation of interstate commerce is clearly established in the constitution, and you don't get more interstate then broadcast networks (radio and TV) and satellite TV. But keep railing for this foreign Billionaire to continue plundering our society! Maybe one day one of the many like you will find a crumb he dropped as a reward!

The FCC is toothless and the things they have had power over (media ownership and the HD broadcast standard) they usually fuck up royally. But there should be some major anti-trust action against Murdock. He owns the major paper(s) in how many cities? Plus WSJ! Plus radio stations. Plus local broadcast stations and a national broadcast network. Plus several cable networks. That's very extreme in itself (and there USED to be ownership rules to prevent that). BUT THEN he also owns DirectTV, and can be clearly seen leveraging his media monopolies to benefit them! Ads on cable all the time in places about "your cable company will soon lose Fox Sports and local Fox 4, please consider switching to [DirectTV]!" How long 'till DirectTV drops MSNBC? How long 'till Murdock controls every media outlet more than 50% of Americans subscribe to--IF IT HASN'T ALREADY HAPPENED?

It's actually quite simple, states like California and New York pay far more overall and get less than 100% back. 95-98%. Massachusetts too. Then they also have high state and local taxes and provide a lot of services like healthcare. Meanwhile, the southern states have almost no locally provided services so the federal spending is more desperately needed. THEN THEY HAVE THE GALL TO BE UNGRATEFUL FOR IT! The thing that really gets me, HOW MANY CONTINUOUS YEARS OF COMPLETE REPUBLICAN RULE has Texas had now??? Yet somehow that state's budget crisis is the fault of a just-barely 2-years into his term Democratic president?? And it needs to be made up on the back of the most desperately poor and sick in the state! COULDN'T be all the unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy in the state, or the complete refusal to responsibly tax or regulate the energy industry in that state, no...

I agree with this sentiment 110% but would classify Travolta *as a pious type*. He was the first "major" celebrity to embrace Scientology and proselytized it throughout Hollywood (and the world). Even after Scientology's batshit opposition to psychiatric drugs *resulted in the death of his SON* he hasn't disavowed it. And while Scientology is no LDS when it comes to gays, I get the feeling it's not something they really approve of--more something they can use to blackmail members (hmm, two biggest celebrity advocates: Travolta and Tom Cruise...).

I was mystified by what little I heard of the statement as well. Any other examples? Why not all sex with prostitutes? Is it because the condom blocks a chance at conception? But then why not all gay sex?

I swear Feinstein is on the wrong side of everything. I'd sooner vote for a potted plant! Is she up in 2 years? Does Fiorina want to blow the rest of the money she looted from HP?

I recently spent quite a bit of time in Texas, and their bullshit is really starting to piss me off. Yes, sure, RA1 and Ms. Nelson, you can cut 8 billion/year local spending to lose 12 billion a year federal funding and then somehow make up that 20 billion for less than your 8 billion! That math makes PERFECT fucking sense! But as a bonus you also lose the federal medicare/medicaid negotiating power, so it'll be really easy re-negotiate even lower amounts INDIVIDUALLY with all the providers left in the state! Well, the 3 who don't simply PACK UP AND LEAVE. Anybody with any experience with right-wingers knows the bullshit about 'we can do it more efficiently locally' is just code for 'we can CUT these services on the most desperate of the population but if we pretend different with a little luck the outcry won't be that bad when they start dieing and ERs across the state close'. Medicare is the best-run health care system IN THE COUNTRY. Ooooh, waste, blargh, fraud, blargle the right-wingnuts scream... yeah, 5% of their budget including administration. It's that fucking simple. Commercial healthcare? 20% including administration, advertising, and PROFIT. Again the MATH IS REALLY SIMPLE. And these fucking backwater states, every ad during the election was Obama-style spending this, federal gov't that. Except when I was in Texas EVERY SINGLE GOD-DAMNED HIGHWAY was under construction or being re-surfaced. Many in the south had to be rebuilt ENTIRELY because of the hurricanes. GO AHEAD, GIVE UP THE FEDERAL SPENDING IN YOUR STATE! Most southern states get back more in federal spending then they send in the first place (very similar to the Medicaid math), ooh, but we need LOCAL CONTROL. Yeah, let's put somebody like George W Bush in charge of energy regulation, or somebody like Sarah Palin in charge of education for a state! Some good-old-boy in Mississippi in charge of equal rights. Notice how Texas is in a 'dire' budget shortfall and the republicans first answer is let poor people die? MAKE NO MISTAKE, that's what "cutting payments for acute care" is, nobody pays the ER, first trauma centers then the ERs go broke, the poor and then even the middle class start dying from lack of access to emergency medicine, whether they can pay or not. IN A STATE WITH UNTOLD BILLIONS IN OIL/ENERGY WEALTH *EVERY MONTH* yet an Alaska-style tax (and god forbid Alaska-style regulation) isn't even a thought with Republicans. No, the answer is cut 20b per year out of the states medical services to 'save' 8b a year! Four years ago I wondered if there was a Republican alive who'd managed to read the constitution, now I wonder if there's one alive who can do basic math!

That board should discipline the administrator that suspended the teacher!

I like the change, but not a big deal either way.

Pretty much exactly. But he did want to be friends, just not sexually attracted. One fetish I'll probably never understand is 'gainers' and their admirers... as I understand it's somebody supporting somebody else getting as fat as possible. I was thinking, maybe I haven't had much problem because I'm a selfish top--especially when it comes to hiring. I guess if you require an escort to be rock hard and particularly to cum then their preferences might have more import... Don't get me wrong though, I enjoy when an escort is into a session and cums all over as I fuck him, but I don't expect or require it.

I don't talk on my phone that much in a month! I'm even surprised to realize I'm probably just over that 'daily' figure (per month) when I factor in web, text, and email... But I can see it. These kids today. Sheesh, I hate saying those three words, but it's true. Anybody else take a guy they've hired who's otherwise great and fully attentive to a nice restaurant and have them text the whole time? I have with several different guys. While riding with me in the car too... Now, I'm not really paying for their company while I'm driving or taking them for a meal (a difference between CL and Rentboy types of working guys?) but still feel it's a bit rude. I don't think the current crop of 18-25 year-olds think so though. And we've probably all had experiences with crappy escorts who kept going to check their phone during a session. I once had a guy massage me one-handed as he texted the whole time, thought I couldn't tell or something, even though he'd also insisted on playing music through his crappy phone's speaker for the massage and it also made a sound for every keystroke!

I've been kind of surprised how many other posters have posted they're also large (or used to be) of late. But I don't suppose I should be, when we used to have the hooville gatherings (and the later Rentboy ones) there were usually at least 2 large people, often 3 at the gatherings. Out of 6-10 clients. So it can't be that rare for escorts to encounter, and the trend is ever-increasing... Maybe some of the escorts Aces mentioned who had a problem with his size are so thin because they can't afford to eat--only taking business from guys with similar bodies to theirs! Personally I can't remember having a bad time with a guy I was paying because of my size. I don't often go the reviewed/rentboy route but when I have I don't think I made mention of my size either. I usually do mention it with craigslist-type encounters, I suppose a few have fell through but not that memorably. As for alternates to hiring, I've tried bearwww and gotten together with 5 or 6 guys over the last 3-4 years. Mixed experiences, nothing too memorable except the one that got clingy right away, seemed one more fuck from becoming a stalker (he still sends me messages through that site when we're on at the same time). But even in LA it's obviously not swimming with hot guys who can't wait to get with me, especially ones who I'm attracted to (like Lucky I'm not sexually into other guys who look like me). Often the hottest guys on there are elsewhere in California. So many in Long Beach/Orange county! Damn it! What other sites have people tried, and how well did they work? Anybody have any luck at bars or such? I specifically went to MJ's during a bears and bellies event but don't really know how to approach guys in that kind of social situation, not that I noticed anybody noticing me. One thing I've wondered, are we so used to being ignored by the WeHo clones that we can't even tell if somebody is interested? There are many good reasons to lose weight, but I don't think doing it to attract WeHo clones (or snooty escorts) is one. Then you'll have loose skin, or be too hairy, or bald, or old, or whatever... Since I've lost some weight I did have one encounter (from bearwww) where the guy showed up and wasn't attracted to me because I wasn't fat enough! I suppose as endings to encounters go that's not too bad...

I just got back from a month long trip, during which I ate some unhealthy food and no Optifast. Much to my surprise I weigh 10.3 pounds less than I did when I left! I did a fair amount of walking, and tried to eat healthy for the most part. Splurged occasionally, but on the other hand if I wasn't loving something I stopped eating it. Something of the Eat this, not that model (being aware of calories and especially fat/saturated fat in foods). I ate plenty of fruits/vegetables. Started each morning with cereal or oatmeal or eggs and grits and tried to eat something every 3-4 hours. Most places have some healthy options on the menu now, but they often have problems preparing it that way. One of the better 'healthy' meals I had was actually at Denny's: bacon cheeseburger on wheat bun (no mayo, with ketchup and mustard) with fruit instead of fries. Went to pick up some vegetation and water at Costco yesterday. They really do have a hell of a selection. Got a two-pack of bowls of pomegranate whorls (great taste but the piths are a bit annoying), bananas for *cheap*, little 25-calorie baggies of carrots, baggies of cut apples (am going to look for little 2oz things of caramel to dip them in occasionally at grocery), big tub of hummus. Also took a chance on some 'popcorn chips' I saw. Was worried they'd be like bland/dry rice/popcorn cakes. They're much better, and great for dipping in hummus. Chip'Ins from Popcorn Indiana, highly recommended, some sodium but very little fat (0 saturated).

It would be great to find a place a little closer than Brazil, with a more favorable exchange rate and no special visa requirements to enter! Can you give us an idea how Colombia would be for visitors who don't speak Spanish? What about safety concerns for white American tourists? Sounds like a lot has changed down there lately!

She has to fucking leave it first!!! I think it's pretty clear now she'll pull a Palin, and hang to her 15 minutes as long as she possibly can.

I was happy to vote for Newsome, sure his marriages may have been ill-timed, but bad timing hasn't stopped gay activists before. Keep in mind that while Lt. Gov is a pretty worthless position it is under the oldest guy elected Governor in California's history. So maybe he gets a promotion... I had really hoped Prop. 19 would bring out the youth vote in spades and Democrats would benefit on the side, decimating the Republican minority in the state government to the point they couldn't obstruct everything... but maybe the passage of the proposition that no longer requires 2/3rds to pass a budget will help... though it doesn't give them any way to raise much needed revenues without 2/3rds again. Maybe they can cut back the prison-industrial complex, and free up some cash that way...

I'm not familiar with SRO's, but there is a guy in North Hollywood, contacted him originally through Craig's List (now he's on Rentboy too) that works out of a one-room music studio in a building full of them. I get the feeling he's not supposed to sleep there but does--has a futon he folds down into a bed. Feels kinda odd cleaning up in a restroom afterward... But not nearly as 'low' as the $20/hr motel I used to go to with guys I'd picked up off Santa Monica BLVD. The Royal Hawaiian, on La Brea below Venice. Once found a syringe on the floor (luckily capped) that was still full of something. Still, always far preferred that to trying to do something in my car, especially around Hollywood where it's hard to find anywhere private to park.

I love Stephan Fry! Recently spent an evening watching YouTube clips of QI, his odd BBC 'quiz show'. I have a very similar build to Stephen's and have never experienced a woman who wanted me or my cock for any reason other than cash, so I can easily see his viewpoint.

Uncontained engine failure is a very serious thing. This could really hurt Airbus if what I read about them having more than 500 orders for a *single engine* passenger aircraft based of a RR engine are true (I can't imagine why the FAA would ever approve such a design!). You'd have to be as nutty as the CEO of RyanAir to even talk about that now.

I was a little underwhelmed. I'm also not that into Colbert and wasn't expecting it to mostly just be a concert. Especially the endless Roots session in the beginning. But it was an amazing accomplishment.

I've heard Brazil's economy described as 'The Flight of the Chicken', is there any sign it'll come crashing back down soon? Isn't Argentina in a recession already?

I don't think I've seen this linked anywhere before... Oops, Takei, can't edit title.