TotallyOz

(CNN) -- "Dreamgirls" received a leading eight nominations for the 79th annual Academy Awards, but was shut out of two of the biggest categories -- best picture and best director. The nominees for best picture are "The Departed," "Babel," "Letters From Iwo Jima," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Queen." The nominees for best actor are Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland"), Leonardo DiCaprio ("Blood Diamond"), Ryan Gosling ("Half Nelson"), Peter O'Toole ("Venus") and Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness"). The nominees for best actress are Helen Mirren ("The Queen"), Judi Dench ("Notes on a Scandal"), Penelope Cruz ("Volver"), Meryl Streep ("The Devil Wears Prada") and Kate Winslet ("Little Children"). The nominees for best supporting actor are Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls"), Alan Arkin ("Little Miss Sunshine"), Jackie Earle Haley ("Little Children"), Djimon Hounsou ("Blood Diamond") and Mark Wahlberg ("The Departed"). The nominees for best supporting actress are Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls"), Adriana Barraza ("Babel"), Cate Blanchett ("Notes on a Scandal"), Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine") and Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel"). The nominees for best director are Martin Scorsese ("The Departed"), Clint Eastwood ("Letters From Iwo Jima"), Stephen Frears ("The Queen"), Paul Greengrass ("United 93") and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel"). ABC will broadcast the Oscars live February 25 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Ellen DeGeneres is hosting the show. http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/...ions/index.html

>To Totally Oz-If I wanted to start a thread titled"Rich >website owner spoiling it for everybody in otherwise >affordable foreign lands"I would have done so ;-) But I >belive that was done somewher else far away in a different >time. Time goes forward and so do ideas. As I have said, I don't think I spoil anything for you or other clients. I also don't think those that charge high dollar spoils it for that group. Everyone who hires and who hires out are able to command different prices. I have been in the business a long time and I know the vast difference that guys charge and clients pay or even tip. It is to each his own. It is not a spoiling effect IMHO. But, everyone is entitled to his own opinion. In my statement above, it was not about me or tips but about how the internet changes that medium. In the same sauna I have paid one guy in Brazil 50 R for a short time, he is now in the net working for a Rio escort service. His rates are 3-4 times what he charges in the sauna. If I brougth this guy to NYC, he would be able to charge and get 3-4 times his agency rate. At any point along that line a client can say yes or no. I don't begrudge a guy for what his rates are and when they change one way or another. I guess my response to your first question in the thread should have been: Express your opinion to your friend. Let others express theirs and let him make the best decision for himself and then you decide if he will remain someone you will hire or you need to move on. It is not personal, it is often just business.

I hope all new young working boys will listen to advice from those that are successful as well as those clients that hire often. When anyone goes into a new field, they will get lots of advice from many. The smart ones listen to all and then make an intelligent decision. I hope that boys don't listen to other boys advice to their detriment. If they overprice themselves, hopefully they will realize the mistake and then readjust. Many boys come out of retirement and still get many clients. I am sure that many who adjust their prices will also get many clients. Those of us that are old and been around the block a few times realize that the guys change their mind and we need to just roll with the flow.

Scott is one of the few that can get the fees he charges. Ben and Scott take escorting to another level. I am not saying they are excellent in bed as I have not been with Ben. I am saying that they know how to get publicity and regardless of what anyone says, the more anyone talks about them, the more clients they will get. There will always be a group of men who are willing and able to pay high prices for escorts. When there is someone I want to see, I will do the same. I may not go back for seconds and third's but that is my choice. I met a lad once in Prague that was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I asked him to spend the night with me and I paid him more than most high-end escorts in the USA make. I had the time of my life with him and I did not regret the money I spent on him. I have always wanted to meet Athan from LA. I have tried on my trip to LA to see him on many occasions but he was never available. I would have paid top dollar for him as I have had him on my mind for a few years. When I am in Brazil I have always paid top dollar at the saunas. I have also never been turned down by any guy there. Most are more than eager to go with me but the prices are pretty set by the area. The Internet changes those dynamics. It gives savvy escorts the ability to shine. For those like Ben who are writers and creative, it gives them a chance to really take advantage of the medium for their main source of business income. I have always said that if the price is too much for you, just hire someone else. I hope that most escorts don't start asking for what a few of them are now asking. If they do, it gives me much more reason to visit Brazil more often. However, I don't begrudge anyone from maximizing their earning potential. Personally, I think a smarter escort would see that if he can get 10 more clients a month with a slightly less rate then it is worth it to keep the price reasonable. If the escort is only looking for a few calls a month, they really don't care about that.

I am very excited about a new site. It is www.drag.com It will be a site that caters to the circuit party crowd with free information and listings. Having been a true admirer of drag performers for many years, I am excited about the new site. We are looking for a logo design for the main page of the site as well as for tshirts, etc. If you are an artist or know a graphic artist, tell them to play with some designs and submit them to us. They can e-mail them to: crazycalm@gmail.com We will only take one design but if that design is chosen, we will pay 500 USD for the rights to use it. As I know there are several of you that are good artists and designers, I hope you consider this as a possibility. Take care! Oz

>My own guilty confession: my favorite character is Chloe. I >would do anything to be that buckled-down. I like Chole and her boyfriend. She is loyal. I was sad at the death on the show this week. I always thought he was the hottest one on the show.

I am glad that when I travel that 24 is always available on Itunes. It makes it very easy to keep up to date.

I would love to see a Clinton Obama ticket but how about a Clinton/Gore again? I like Edwards and hope he is able to get into the race and fight.

Great news. It was my second gay bar ever. My first was Monster. I am glad it is revived.

One of my favorite shows just started the new season. 24 has always been one of my favorites and this season looks great as well. Last nights episodes were excellent. I am looking forward to a new season of this. Any more 24 fans?

My wishes are for world peace. Other than that, I think the misson statement is the place to start. And, from what I have seen GayButton is doing a great job. PS: Plus, I am having a hell of a time. hehe If EarWig could only see the boy with me this weekend. I know how he knows every boy in Pattaya with a big dick. This guy is Hot, massive muscles, 24, body like a Greek god and hung 11 inches. He has spent the last few years doing Extreme Fighting across Europe. He changed jobs and is now in charge of boxing and fitness training at a large gym on the east coast of the USA. Perhaps I'll send a pic after the weekend. Damm, life is good. While I am in the middle of a large project, he contacted me and I decided to fly him in for the weekend to spend time with me. I am hoping for an Extreme weekend myself but hope it is not the Extreme Fighting he does. He is perhaps the one guy that could break my heart or make me settle down in life or just have a hell of a weekend! Just wanted to check in and say hello Pearly. Don't forget my dreams of world peace and harmony. Tootles.

I have been given a great opportunity to do some things in life I have wanted to do for years. I have decided to take the bull by the horn and go off into the wild blue yonder. I am not able to do this and keep up the moderation of the board. Every once in a while an opportunity so amazing is offered to you that you can

Can you just take my word for it? The balls are just as amazing as the pins.

If you dream long enough and wish hard enough anything is possible. I don't have a harem. Never had and never will. I have a highly paid bowling team.

>Actually it does. OZ owns it. But that's being dictionary >correct and doesn't have any bearing on this thread. Are you sure? I didn't know that. Really, I didn't. I am not discounting your claim but I did a search for the name and don't have it in my records. Can you get me the username and password for the registrar so I can make some modifications?

>It is 99% because women did not know they could review guys. >Now that they can we will see how fast the % changes. The numbers will not start pouring in from women. If they do, we will revisit the issue. We are a gay site. >I respectfuuly but strongly disagree with your decision and >actually take offense as a gay male to it. We appreciate this view and will take it into account for the future.

Thanks for the first hand account KY. I appreciate it. I think we both saw pretty much the same things. I think part has to do with what was once a high season is now blending over to be a more medium season year round. At one point, the establishments made a great deal of their income off of the high season cash. I don't think this is now the case. In Pattaya, I saw steady business most of last year. It was often up and down and most of the owners were looking forward to high season. I didn't see it when I was there and have been told by friends that most don't see it now. I am sure the numbers are up. I am not sure what accounts for the lack o more gay tourists traveling there. BTW: This is just my opinion and not based on anything other than my observations.

Jesse, I hate I never got the chance to meet you. You always held yourself out there with head high and a strong spirit. I wish you the best in all your future endeavors! Oz

The site has no intention of becoming a site for lady reviews. However, we have two of them that came in and discussed it and decided to post them. My rational was simple. The guys that were reviewed were listed as willing to see both men and women. If someone places himself into a market, then it is no surprise that they get clients. I want to know if someone is also seeing women as well as men. For me, this makes me less likely to hire them. I am usually looking for only gay guys and the ones that see the girls as well are usually not someone I would hire. I often find reviews are often a double-edged sword. When I attended the Gaiety years ago, there would be women show up and hoot and scream. When this happened and the guy on stage gave them more attention than he would a guy, which just made my decision not to hire him easier. I know a lot of gay men do not like ladies in bars and clubs. But, I enjoy it. I much prefer an open mixed environment than only a group of gay men. I like that sometimes as well, but I don't like excluding women just because they are women. The decision to post the 2 reviews we received was tough ones. It came down to the decision that there was information to be gained from the reviews. In my mind, it was not a big deal. The site was established to become a male for male site. And while 99 percent of all reviews will be from men, I think good information can be obtained from that other percent from time to time.

I wonder how many of those were actually planning on going? I have spoken to 4 friends who are headed to Thailand in the next 2 weeks and all are planning on going. None have cancelled and none had reservations about going. However, I think it all will depend on if these attacks continue.

I agree. Tom is very nice and Manhattans is a real treat. When I was there he was doing pretty good business especially on the buffet nights. The food is great and the price is reasonable. I ate there many times and enjoyed each meal.

There was a thread here about the bombings and it was deleted. I apologize for that as I hit the wrong button. I had posted about the bombings and said that I thought tourism was down and this may negatively effect tourism. Icon posted that actually tourism was up 20 percent. I was trying to post that when I was there, the streets of Pattaya were not as full as the same time last year. Also, I didn't see the same numbers in the gay bars in Bangkok or the hotels I stay at. When I was in Thailand, I had no problem with reservations for friends during high season this year. I had problems the year before. Perhaps their are just more families going to Thailand and less gay tourists. Perhaps I am just getting old and blind. I don't know. It just didn't feel like the same to me. My first trip to Thailand several years ago I had problems with hotels as many were booked. I have not had this problem at all in 2006. As much of a pain in the ass as that is, I hope that 2007 that all the places I try to stay are booked and I have to pick something different. I enjoy Thailand and hope they keep the tourists coming.

Well, I hope to be there. I was making my final reservations today and the HustlaBall is not the same week as the Internext Expo. In previous years, that had been together but they are not this year. I always attend the Expo and not sure if I will be that long in Vegas but we shall see. http://www.internext-expo.com/

That was fast. I am not sure how this will play out. I am against the death penalty but I do think this may have bad reprecussions for America down the road. We were not the ones behind the noose but it happened during our watch.

Looks like it is still going to be around for a while. http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/29Dec2006_biz31.php Phornsiri named TAT chief, Elite Card saved CHATRUDEE THEPARAT Phornsiri Manoharn, a deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) was selected as its new governor yesterday. Mrs Phornsiri, 57, has been working for the TAT for 36 years and currently oversees domestic markets. She was one of 16 applicants to succeed Juthamas Siriwan who retired at the end of September. Three hopefuls were shortlisted by the selection committee headed by Kriangsak Lohachala. Besides Mrs Phornsiri they were Praphan Assawa-aree, a former managing director of NCC Management; and Pimol Srivikorn, a Thai Rak Thai Party member and a former member of Parliament. Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani, who also serves as the chairman of the TAT board, said that Mrs Phornsiri had received the highest votes from eight of the 10 members of the state agency's board. ''She has impressive qualifications with strong experience in the tourism industry and good intentions for development of the sector,'' Mr Suvit said following the selection. Anake Srichivachart, former president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, welcomed the result, saying that the tourism industry wanted TAT insiders to run the agency as they knew the ins and outs of the business and how to disburse the tourism budget. In another development, the TAT board yesterday decided to continue operating the Elite Card, a project of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra launched to attract affluent tourists. The board suggested, however, that state-owned Thailand Privilege Card Co, set up to market the Elite Card, improve its management and produce clearer financial plans. The board came to the decision after studying options proposed by an evaluation committee chaired by Seri Wangpaichitr, a former TAT governor. The decision to continue the card will avoid huge costs to the state of at least 10 billion baht, including fee returns and estimated future losses.