Members RockHardNYC Posted March 11, 2020 Members Posted March 11, 2020 It is that time of year. However, are gays who love escorts immune to a pandemic? Considering the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament has been cancelled and Coachella Music Festival postponed to October, what on earth is Oliver and Co. thinking? Everyone else has pretty much stopped flying. So many flights have been canceled. How many more planes will eventually get grounded? Why should gays ignore the warnings and fly into Palm Springs from all over the world just to party and mingle with escorts? Is a pandemic really a good time for escorts to be socializing and getting intimate with strangers? Does the saintly host Oliver really have everyone's best interest and good health at heart? Does the tingle and temptation that the sight of a near naked man conjures trump any sanity among gays? Time will tell. Buddy2 1 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 11, 2020 Author Members Posted March 11, 2020 It's official. W.H.O. Declares Pandemic as Number of Infected Countries Grows The question remains, how careless will a certain group of hungry gays be? Is a party gathering of men who like to exchange bodily fluids just the right thing to do at this crucial time? Or will Oliver be handing out medical gloves and hazmat suits as guests throw their freshly-stripped clothes into the nearest available bedroom, thinking the plasticwear is an invitation to fisting? Will handshakes and barebacking poolside be off limits? Will guests feel forced to avoid Epigonos' deviled eggs for fear of him coughing or sneezing on the ingredients as he made them? Since Trump proclaimed COVID-19 as safe as a cold, you can't trust a Republican queen with a kitchen fantasy to heed any CDC or government authority warnings. Unless their news comes from Roger Stone, Alex Jones, or Fox News; fuhgettaboutit. Can all the out or closeted Republicans invited to the party be trusted? Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 11, 2020 Members Posted March 11, 2020 37 minutes ago, RockHardNYC said: It's official. W.H.O. Declares Pandemic as Number of Infected Countries Grows The question remains, how careless will a certain group of hungry gays be? Is a party gathering of men who like to exchange bodily fluids just the right thing to do at this crucial time? Or will Oliver be handing out medical gloves and hazmat suits as guests throw their freshly-stripped clothes into the nearest available bedroom, thinking the plasticwear is an invitation to fisting? Will handshakes and barebacking poolside be off limits? Will guests feel forced to avoid Epigonos' deviled eggs for fear of him coughing or sneezing on the ingredients as he made them? Since Trump proclaimed COVID-19 as safe as a cold, you can't trust a Republican queen with a kitchen fantasy to heed any CDC or government authority warnings. Unless their news comes from Roger Stone, Alex Jones, or Fox News; fuhgettaboutit. Can all the out or closeted Republicans invited to the party be trusted? What's your point? Just because you and I laugh about the Palm Springs event does not mean others shouldn't enjoy it. Quote
bucky13 Posted March 11, 2020 Posted March 11, 2020 (edited) Yes, oh please, please tell us why you care so much. Edited March 11, 2020 by bucky13 Quote
Members Lucky Posted March 11, 2020 Members Posted March 11, 2020 21 minutes ago, bucky13 said: Yes, oh please, please tell us why you care so much. Exactly. RockHrd doesn't care about the event, he is just stirring the shit. Another pandemic fallout! Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 11, 2020 Author Members Posted March 11, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Buddy2 said: Just because you and I laugh about the Palm Springs event does not mean others shouldn't enjoy it. Seems I remember more than a few people saying the exact same thing in the early 1980's just before the bath houses closed. The only difference this time: transmission is a lot easier. Contagion more dangerous to self and others. A simple handshake. Touching a door knob. Kissing. Walking into a sneeze. Being coughed on. Worst of all, many infected people won't know they are infected when they are contagious to others. Of course I care about other gay people risking their lives over something that could and should be avoided. For God's sake, the entire country of Italy is on lockdown. Should gays realistically feel that an escort party in Palm Springs is sacrosanct? What Does the Coronavirus Do to the Body? Angela Merkel Gives Germans a Hard Truth About the Coronavirus Edited March 12, 2020 by RockHardNYC Quote
AdamSmith Posted March 12, 2020 Posted March 12, 2020 35 minutes ago, RockHardNYC said: Seems I remember more than a few people saying the exact same thing in the early 1980's just before the bath houses closed. The only difference this time: transmission is a lot easier. Contagion more dangerous to self and others. A simple handshake. Touching a door knob. Kissing. Walking into a sneeze. Being coughed on. Worst of all, many infected people won't know they are infected when they are contagious to others. Of course I care about other gay people risking their lives over something that could and should be avoided. For God's sake, the entire country of Italy is on lockdown. Should gays realistically feel that an escort party in Palm Springs is sacrosanct? What Does the Coronavirus Do to the Body? Angela Merkel Gives Germans a Hard Truth About the Coronavirus This merits verbatim transcript. Merkel Gives Germans a Hard Truth About the Coronavirus The famously no-nonsense chancellor, keeping to form, braced Germany for an epidemic that may reach extraordinary scale. “We have to understand that many people will be infected,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday.Credit...Omer Messinger/EPA, via Shutterstock By Katrin Bennhold and Melissa Eddy March 11, 2020Updated 7:46 p.m. ET BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel is on her way out and her power is waning, but in her typically low-key, no-nonsense manner, the German leader on Wednesday laid out some cold, hard facts on the coronavirus in a way that few other leaders have. Two in three Germans may become infected, Ms. Merkel said at a news conference that reverberated far beyond her country. There is no immunity now against the virus and no vaccine yet. It spreads exponentially, and the world now faces a pandemic. The most important thing, the chancellor said, is to slow down the spread of the coronavirus to win time for people to develop immunity, and to prevent the health care system from becoming overwhelmed. “We have to understand that many people will be infected,” Ms. Merkel said. “The consensus among experts is that 60 to 70 percent of the population will be infected as long as this remains the situation.” ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Ms. Merkel’s estimates were probably a worst-case scenario, though not wildly out of line with those of experts outside Germany. But her warning provided a stark contrast to the crimped pronouncements of many other world leaders, among them President Trump, who has mostly played down the contagion. “The risk to the American people remains very low,” he said recently. Unlock more free articles. Create an account or log in Mr. Trump has staged photo-ops with scientists at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but with this crisis, as with others, he has seemed to pride himself on following his own advice. “I like this stuff, I really get it,” Mr. Trump said at the C.D.C. “People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.” Ms. Merkel, by contrast, did in fact spend time studying science before becoming a politician: she is a trained physicist. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story On Wednesday, when she addressed her fellow Germans, flanked by the health minister and the head of the public health institute, she took pains to say that the information she was sharing had come from the experts. And that information, she said, informed the public health decisions being made by the authorities. Image A drive-in for testing for coronavirus in Nuertingen, Germany.Credit...Ronald Wittek/EPA, via Shutterstock Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute for public health, said that while health experts currently believe that two-thirds of the population may become infected with the coronavirus, “we don’t know how fast that will happen.” “But every one of us can figure out that the longer this takes, the better it is,” Dr. Weiler said. “On the one hand, because then the chance that a vaccine will become available increases, and on the other hand, because there is a chance that treatments will be available.” Get an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirus newsletter. One of the country’s top virologists recently said that it could take a year or two, or even longer, for that many people to become infected. At the news conference on Wednesday, Ms. Merkel did not make big promises. Her announcement, sober in tone, was more a call to arms. The chancellor urged Germans to observe restrictions and stand in solidarity with one another, for the common good. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Soccer games will play to empty stadiums. Big events will be canceled. If need be, Germany will even suspend its cherished balanced budget and borrow more. “We must take all necessary measures,” Ms. Merkel. “That is true for the government and everyone in a position of political responsibility. But it is also true for all citizens, the 83 million people who live in our country. It is about protecting older people, those with previous illnesses and vulnerable groups.” “This is putting our solidarity, our common sense and our openheartedness for one another to the test,” she said. “I hope that we will pass it.” The chancellor has been in regular consultation with her health minister and with German scientists who have been tracking the virus since it first appeared in Bavaria in January. As the number of infections rose in recent days — they hit 1,600, with three fatalities, on Wednesday — the chancellor came under criticism in the media and from the opposition for not addressing the public about the health crisis. Image Neustadt , Germany, where people quarantined themselves after the coronavirus was found at an elementary school.Credit...Sean Gallup/Getty Images When Ms. Merkel did so on Wednesday, it was a reminder of the woman who for much of the past 14 years has been the rock in European politics. She is the leader who reassured savings account holders during the financial crisis; who held the euro area together in the sovereign debt crisis; and who was celebrated, at least in many quarters, as the defender of liberal values after her decision to welcome over a million migrants in 2015. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story “It was vintage Merkel,” said Andrea Roemmele, a professor of political science at the Hertie School in Berlin. “She showed leadership in a crisis. She reassured people. And she talked facts. Many, including Ms. Merkel herself, drew parallels to 2008, when markets plummeted following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and a run on banks became a distinctive possibility. At the time, Ms. Merkel stepped before her country and sought to calm frayed nerves. “We are telling savers that your savings are safe,” she had said at the time. People believed her. There was no run on the banks. “What she managed to do is reassure people, avoid a panic, without playing down the crisis,” Ms. Roemmele said. That appeared to be her aim again on Wednesday. Ms. Merkel told reporters that she wanted to help people understand the breadth of the challenge posed by the rapidly spreading, still largely unknown virus. And she wanted to make clear that “we are not yet able to offer solutions in all areas.” The message, she said, was: “We will do what is necessary, together and in a European context.” Experts on disease modeling said on Wednesday that predicting overall infection rates across a country was an uncertain business, but that estimates in the 60 to 70 percent range were realistic, if perhaps on the high end, for some areas of the world. “People in my field have been saying for well over a month that 30 to 60 percent of the world’s population will get infected,” said Dr. Elizabeth Halloran, a biostatistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story But she and other experts said that Ms. Merkel’s estimates were most likely at the high end of the range. The real infection rate will depend on whether measures like social distancing and quarantines reduce the spread of the virus, they said. Image Empty shelves at a store in Berlin.Credit...Sean Gallup/Getty Images Alessandro Vespignani, a professor of computer and health sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, has been modeling the social dynamics of infectious disease spread for years and is currently consulting with health official around the world. He believes the two-thirds number is a worst-case scenario. “I would say it could be closer to 30 to 50 percent attack rate, meaning the fraction of the population infected,” he said. “This is the number you get from looking at when the disease has infected enough people to burn out spontaneously.” Dr. Vespignani did not, however, rule out a two-thirds rate in some parts of the world, depending on how much time the virus circulates before being somewhat contained. “Long story short, these are numbers that are part of the possible scenarios,” he said. Benedict Carey contributed reporting from New York. As Merkel Eyes Exit, Nervous E.U. Wonders Who’ll Take the Stage Oct. 30, 2018 For Trump, Coronavirus Proves to Be an Enemy He Can’t Tweet Away March 8, 2020 Katrin Bennhold is The New York Times's Berlin bureau chief. Previously she reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. @kbennhold • Facebook https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/world/europe/coronavirus-merkel-germany.html lookin 1 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 12, 2020 Author Members Posted March 12, 2020 Dr. Anthony Fauci testified today before a House Oversight Committee hearing. His testimony laid out a stark, sobering picture of what the United States faces in the coming weeks and months. 8 key exchanges from the testimony of the nation's top infectious disease expert who warned the US outbreak is going to 'get worse.' Fauci said the US is still a long way off from deploying a vaccine. Fauci said the worst of the virus is still yet to come. Fauci said the novel coronavirus is 'ten times more lethal than the seasonal flu.' I suppose Dr. Anthony Fauci is simply "stirring the pot." Ignorance is bliss, except it doesn't save lives. AdamSmith and flguy 1 1 Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 The NBA has cancelled the rest of the season. A player has contracted the virus. Tom Hanks and his wife also have the coronavirus. They were diagnosed in Australia. Quote
Members Lucky Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 Well, I certainly won't attend any escort parties in Germany! But the fact is that quite a few guys have non-cancellation agreements with their reservations and will come to Palm Springs whether or not Oliver cancels the event. The weather this time of year is the best. Given that many will be here, they will decide for themselves how close they want to get with their fellow posters. They are all intelligent men and I have no doubt that they will act appropriately to the situation. azdr0710 1 Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 46 minutes ago, Lucky said: Well, I certainly won't attend any escort parties in Germany! But the fact is that quite a few guys have non-cancellation agreements with their reservations and will come to Palm Springs whether or not Oliver cancels the event. The weather this time of year is the best. Given that many will be here, they will decide for themselves how close they want to get with their fellow posters. They are all intelligent men and I have no doubt that they will act appropriately to the situation. I understand the weekend is very popular for many people. But, why would non refundable reservations get in the way? It is major crisis, like few people have every seen except during wars. Consider staying home. Quote
Members averagejoe Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 Trump just essentially put a travel ban for all of Europe except Britain. Since this virus seems to affect the elderly -it might affect the client side of the equation-more than the escort. Quote
Members azdr0710 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 gee, I think RockHard misses the other site..... Latbear4blk and Lucky 2 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 12, 2020 Author Members Posted March 12, 2020 (edited) 8 hours ago, Buddy2 said: why would non refundable reservations get in the way? With the W.H.O.'s official pandemic announcement, I doubt any airline would or could enforce their normal penalties for cancelling a pre-paid plane ticket. 8 hours ago, averagejoe said: Since this virus seems to affect the elderly -it might affect the client side of the equation-more than the escort. The effect for people over sixty is very serious because it threatens life. They are the most vulnerable because their immune systems are older and possibly compromised, ie: high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, etc. While the risk to the younger, healthier (assuming he doesn't have HIV) escort is not life threatening, he can become a carrier without revealing any symptoms, easily infecting others. He would also be subjected to quarantine when his illness was revealed. On CNN last evening, after the NBA suspended their season and Tom Hanks posted his Tweet, numerous health leaders insist "NO GATHERING." It's a catchphrase they are hoping will become a meme, but one that should be taken seriously. Tom Hanks and his wife were lucky. They are in Australia, where testing is free and abundantly available. Tom Hanks Got Sick in Australia, Where Coronavirus Testing Is a Snap 6 hours ago, azdr0710 said: I think RockHard misses the other site..... What is there to miss? The site is here, Cum to Daddy, and readily readable. When Coachella announced it was postponing, it sparked my memory of the PS Event. I went to Daddy's to see what the boys were doing about their annual party. Not a peep. Not one person came forward expressing any concern, for himself or anyone else. I realize many horny gay men cling to denial, especially when their opportunity to see, touch, and suck dick is threatened. "Intelligent" people make bad and selfish decisions all the time. But let's get real. The decision to gather affects others in a pandemic. When health officials and society's leaders are advising NO GATHERING, someone needs to kick a few brain cells loose. Edited March 12, 2020 by RockHardNYC Quote
Members Lucky Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 The Governor of California has joined other officials in stating that gatherings of 250 or more people should be canceled. I don't know how they come up with this figure. But the fact is that people will likely gather no matter what. We can only take care of ourselves. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-11/coronavirus-outbreak-large-gatherings-canceled-governor-gavin-newsom-california Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 Why would anyone risk flying to Palm Springs for a weekend when it could be postponed? A bit easier to understand those who live in Palm Springs or Rancho Mirage. Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 Just now, Buddy2 said: Why would anyone risk flying to Palm Springs for a weekend when it could be postponed? A bit easier to understand those who live in Palm Springs or Rancho Mirage. Prime Minister Trudeau is in self quarantine while his wife is being tested. Just now, Buddy2 said: Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 Major League Baseball is about to suspend operations today. Quote
Members Lucky Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 Would you rather avoid the virus in warm, sunny weather, or cold rainy weather? Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 12, 2020 Members Posted March 12, 2020 I don't know about everyone else, but considering just today (colleges and Broadway show closing), I would rather be close to home in Pennsylvania. Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 13, 2020 Author Members Posted March 13, 2020 2 hours ago, Buddy2 said: I would rather be close to home in Pennsylvania. Mayor De Blasio filed today for State of Emergency status. Groups of 500 or more are now officially banned, but every leader is highly recommending "no gatherings." March Madness is closed, which is absolutely amazing (my son can't believe it). And Broadway theaters have shut down for the next month. I can't imagine what producers plan to do with all those tickets that can't be easily replaced. Dr. Anthony Fauci said this is just the beginning. It's not even the beginning of the middle. Trump's government is so fucked up. He never stops lying to the public.They have no clue when testing will be ready and available. China is doing a better job with testing. Trump is a loser incompetent, and unfortunately people will have to die for that to be proven and vindicated. In the meantime, friends and co-workers have stopped shaking hands, hugging, and most of all kissing. We are told to keep our distance from strangers. We are wearing gloves no matter where we go outside the house. We carry alcohol swipes with us everywhere. For the moment, it's a strange world. But we're not listening to Trump. Reliable sources only! AdamSmith, Buddy2 and SexyAsianStud 2 1 Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 13, 2020 Author Members Posted March 13, 2020 (edited) Last night on CNN, Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Dr. Anthony Fauci took questions on COVID-19 from viewers around the country. It was an interesting exchange. At one point, Anderson asked Fauci if he would travel by plane. The question did not seem easy or comfortable for anyone. It was live TV and there was noticeable hesitation. I'm sure Fauci was keenly aware that Trump might be watching, and if Fauci said anything negative that could affect the economy, Fauci's head might end up on the chopping block. Eventually, with careful wording, Fauci came around to say, "If the travel was for pleasure, I would not do it. I absolutely would not travel for pleasure." I am sure the moment was devastating for many people watching, especially workers in the airline and hospitality industries. Equally devastating was Katie Porter's shake down of Trump appointee, Dr. Robert Redfield, who is the current head of the CDC. Apparently, the video went viral. Trump can only get incompetent people to work for his administration, and the flagrant incompetence was on stage for all to see yesterday. This video is a MUST-SEE. Later in the evening, Rep. Katie Porter appeared on Lawrence O'Donnell's show to talk about the exchange, This video is also MUST-SEE: Katie Porter could probably run for president and win. Edited March 13, 2020 by RockHardNYC Buddy2, Latbear4blk and SexyAsianStud 2 1 Quote
Members Buddy2 Posted March 13, 2020 Members Posted March 13, 2020 To be fair, the Palm Springs Weekend is more than a month away. Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 13, 2020 Author Members Posted March 13, 2020 3 hours ago, Buddy2 said: To be fair, the Palm Springs Weekend is more than a month away. What's your point? Does anyone believe the world goes back to normal in thirty days? Quote
Members RockHardNYC Posted March 13, 2020 Author Members Posted March 13, 2020 I've been inundated with COVID-19 emails from travel companies that store my registration. They want me to know they care about my health, and to assure me that they're doing everything possible to protect me when I return to using their products or services. I can't help but envisioning all CEOs getting on the phone and saying, "Hey, it's time to contact our customers and let them know we still exist, even though the markets are saying otherwise." First it was the airlines, then it was the hotels, now it's the car rentals. With every letter I smelled rubbing alcohol, as they promised me a germ-free environment next time I book with them. This can't be any easy time for any service business. I wonder how long it will take to recoup all this damage? And who might not survive? For those that do survive, will any of these businesses attempt to show an improvement in customer appreciation? Service has been sorely lacking in the past few years, especially in the airline industry. Absence has a way of making the heart grow fonder. Quote
