jrhoutex

Here is a link to Simon's rimming guide. https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/56664-rimming/page/6/#comments

On 11/22/2023 at 8:22 PM, TonyDown said:

May I ask how

Descanso 

Twin Palms

and Santiago resorts compare?

 

I see the pricing on their Websites and they have some kind of relationship.  Same owner?

What I'd be interested in hearing is any pluses and minuses for each and your recommendation.

Santiago is the oldest? They brand themselves as a luxury resort.

 

I realize rooms may not be available in some cases.  But I'd still like to know your opinion for these resorts.

 

Thank you!

I stayed at the Descanso several years ago (2015/2016) when it was East Canyon Resort.  The small classic inn was built in 1946 so it will have fairly large rooms but small baths.  Some of the rooms are 400 - 500 sq ft.  I believe it was sold in 2020 to the owners of Santiago who did an extensive restoration.  As I recall, it was a nice place back when I stayed there.  My only negative is perhaps the location gets substantially more wind than the Inns in the Warm Sands area (southern part of town). A positive note, is the location is close to downtown Palm Springs.  The pool and hot tub areas are nice and well kept.

I just returned from NYC from last weekend's trip.  I didn't see anyone using Metrocards.  The OMNY readers are now functional.  I set up one of my credit cards as a "transit" card in my iPhone, then used my iPhone to tap the OMNY reader to pay for subway fare.

The Q70-SBS bus transfer from LGA to 74th ST/Roosevelt Station (subway connections) or WoosideAve/61st (for LIRR connection) is now free.  You pay once you enter the Roosevelt Station/Woodside Station.

Advanced planning my save transit costs.  If you qualify for a reduced-Fare, you can apply for a reduce-fare metro card, then use the number assigned to active an OMNY account so you can use your phone to tap the OMNY reader for the reduced-fare.  It took under 30 days to apply and get a reduced-fare metro card.  All of the buses and subways have OMNY readers now.

Here is link on the OMNY readers. 

OMNY

OMNY.INFO

---

Homepage

Here is a link on MTA's reduced-fare MetroCard. 

Reduced Fares

NEW.MTA.INFO

---

Reduced fares are available for riders who are 65 or older or riders who have qualifying disabilities.

13 hours ago, glycine said:

so what are these about!

 

ive moved to LA, so interested for sure

The Annual Palm Springs Weekend was organized by forum member Lucky in 2005 and later organized by forum member Oliver.  It’s a social event were members of the forum meet up for a weekend of camaraderie and fellowship with other forum members.

This is Oliver’s event and not an event sponsored by the Forum, although the moderators graciously have seen fit to pin this message at the top of The Lounge.  This is an event attended by both clients and providers.  

The event typically includes three primary scheduled events: a dinner on Saturday, a Sunday afternoon pool gathering, and a Monday morning breakfast.  Additionally, another forum member, DavidSF, in prior years has hosted a pre-pool party on Friday afternoon for those who arrive on Friday. DavidSF generally announces that event a month or so prior.

Another forum member, azdr0710 organizes morning hikes for those who are interested.

Below are some excerpts and links to prior events that you may find helpful. 

Posted April 16, 2018:

A bit of history is in order here. The annual event is held in Palm Springs mainly because Lucky and I live here, and in 2005 Lucky said to me, "Why don't we organize a weekend event and invite people on the Hooboy site to come? We can arrange a dinner at a restaurant on Saturday night, then all go to a show at the Palm Canyon Theater afterwards. Then on Sunday afternoon I will host a party at my house." He made the theater arrangement, and I made the dinner reservation. A handful of people showed up (one of whom, BTW, was TomCal), all of them from California except for Oliver, who was staying here to escape the Midwest winter. It was fun, so we did it again the next year, and more people came. Then Oliver said, "Why don't we have the Sunday party at my place, because I have a pool?" Even more important, Oliver offered to pay for the increasingly large Sunday party. Then in 2009, Daddy finally responded to the invitation, and suddenly escorts started showing up in bigger numbers. After Lucky left the website, Oliver graciously agreed to take over all responsibility for organizing the entire event, with the help of Epigonos, including hosting and paying for the party on Sunday. And like Topsy, the event "has just growed."

There is no paid entertainment, and no charge for admission. Attendees are required to RSVP to Oliver's invitation in order to take part, but they are responsible for making their own arrangements for transportation and lodging. If someone wants to go to the trouble of arranging a similar event in Orlando or anywhere else, more power to them--there is no exclusive copywright on the format. But it does require a host, who is willing to assume the duty of organizing the whole event, and paying for the costs associated with it.

Below are a few links from prior years events.

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/140718-attention-20th-annual-palm-springs-weekend-2023/#comment-2094566

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/121071-2021-palm-springs-weekend/#comment-1668495

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/132796-attention-19th-annual-palm-springs-weekend-2022/#comment-1967232

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/125033-attention-18th-annual-palm-springs-weekend-2021/#comments

https://www.companyofmen.org/events/event/6-palm-springs-weekend-early-bird-pool-party-is-a-go-friday-4822/

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/137334-palm-springs-get-together/#comment-2043673

And, one of my favorite posts that sum’s it all up is by forum member purplekow, posted February 25, 2019 with a quote from Dolly Parton:

The weekend is about 4 days long. Members of the forum convene in Palm Springs. Initially it was a party thrown by Oliver to have forum members and escorts come together for a dinner and then a fun pool party. Since then, it has expanded to include those things but several other social events Last year there were about 40 forum members and friends there, of which about 15 were escorts. Men being men, what happens in Palm Springs stays in Palm Springs, although certain aspects of it are heavily commented on here in the forum. Generally it is an opportunity to meet fellow forum members whether that is for the first time or a yearly reunion. It is fun. And to quote the inimitable Miss Dolly Parton: 

 We get a nice quiet crowd, plain as it can be

It's just a piddly squatin' old time country place

Ain't nothing too high toned

Just lots of good will and maybe one small thrill

But there's nothing dirty going on.

For those of you who have not attended in the past, here is a link title "All Things Palms Springs...but mostly lodging.  It is an thorough review of the options.

I received the same page display yesterday.  I had to change the "Theme" to "Legacy M4M" to get the page to load properly.

Look for the Theme setting at the bottom of the page.

1 hour ago, robear said:

@Charlie where are you seeing this?  He does not seem to be advertising on either "RM", Men or Masseur, and I don't believe he has done so in several years.  I'm quite certain he never "claimed to be 61," I believe his last birthday he turned 57, his memoir probably has a date but I can't be bothered looking for it.

As more-or-less the original "Dad" in gay studio porn, clients are hardly looking to meet a 30-something.  And like any porn luminary of many years, there are thousands of images of him out there taken over 2+ decades.  Time has certainly passed for all of us, and he would probably be happy to provide a current pic if that's of great concern.

I've seen him many times over several years, both for massage (which he's quite good at) and play sessions.  He is invariably fit, clean, sober and fully present, a big-hearted, blue-eyed cupcake with a mischievously dirty mind.  I only regret that he has cut back on travel since the pandemic, and I might have to go to SF to see him again.

 

AllenSI: Sacred Intimate

WWW.ALLENSI.COM

---

Allen S.I. Sacred Intimate

 

 

@robear Here is a link to Allen Silver's RM profile.

Happy Birthday @sf westcoaster.  Hope you have a great day celebrating with family and friends. We are thinking about you today and sending our well wishes in celebrating a fine gentlemen!

On 3/14/2023 at 12:49 PM, SundayZip said:

My taxable income is going to explode when I turn 73. Yikes! 😵  Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)s from a tax-deferred IRA account are the biggest culprits.  When I add RMDs to existing pension income and social security, which I'll start taking at age 70, my taxable, ordinary income (excludes capital gains) will be the highest of my entire life. And, of course, Medicare part B and D premiums will go way up due to the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) adjustments. This pains me. 

I'd interested in hearing what others are doing (or have done) to mitigate or reduce their RMD driven tax bomb?  

IncomeStrategy.com is a subscription-based software tool that allows one to run different scenarios with respect to Roth Conversion and different income strategies for retirement income.  The basic subscription is $20 per month and you can cancel at any time.  The software is probably best suited for a person with a financial background as its fairly complex.  Obviously, the results are based on your input, desired investment risk levels, and your estimated inflation rates.  The tool has assisted me in determining the optimal ROTH conversions prior to age 73.  A ROTH conversion strategy is still based on an estimated future return rate and longevity.  You may not want to convert all of your tax deferred accounts (IRAs/401Ks) if you plan on future charitable donations.  Making charitable donations through a qualified charitable donation (QCD) directly from the IRA is a more tax-efficient method.

A series of ROTH conversion prior to age 73 may or may not be beneficial.  It’s all based on your own personal financial circumstances and how you plan to spend/donate your tax deferred assets.

On 3/15/2023 at 1:07 PM, Charlie said:

The RMDs do raise our annual taxable income, but my spouse and I are lucky that we have never needed the money from our separate retirement accounts (a 401(k) for him and a 403(b) for me) for annual living expenses. My spouse's financial advisor simply re-invests his RMD in another investment account. I usually take mine in cash, and use it for non-essential purchases, like travel, or for charitable donations (which are tax deductible). I used last year's RMD to pay cash for a new car, rather than take out a loan. If we live long enough (say from 90 to 110),  I'm sure we will actually need the money from the retirement accounts for essential care expenses, but for now I'm happy enough with the way things are structured.

A more tax efficient manner to donate to a charity is the use of a qualified charitable distribution (QCD).  A retiree can donate all, or a portion, of their RMD directly to a charity.  The annual limit is $100K per account owner.  With a QCD, your IRA custodian sends a check directly to the charity.  A QCD does not provide a charitable deduction for the taxpayer but it also does not add taxable income to the retiree’s tax return.

If a retiree adds the RMD to taxable income and then writes a check to the charity for a tax deduction, there is a wash.  However, by using a QCD, the retiree does not include in taxable income the contribution (up to the annual $100K limit per account owner) and then the retiree may choose the standard deduction for a more tax efficient charitable donation strategy.   
Additionally, a retiree who writes check to the charity for an itemize tax deduction is also limited to a federal tax deduction of 50% of AGI.

To illustrate the QCD strategy vs adding the RMD to taxable income and taking an itemize tax deduction, assume a retiree has $75,000 pension income and the RMD is $100K.

Here's a Forbes article about OCD's - https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinmckenna/2021/08/23/how-to-donate-your-rmd-using-qualified-charitable-distributions/?sh=6598f3663b5e

Lodging rates always increase in the April because of all of the local events.  It's a great time of year to visit.  https://inndulge.com/ is still showing availability for the weekend of April 14-18.  They generally require a 4-night stay in April.  You may have to call to see if they will book 3-nights.  Rates are around $332/night.  Also, https://canyonclubhotel.com/ has recently re-opened and rates run from $99 - $174 per night.  You may also check out https://www.elmirasol.com, I think others have comments on this property in the past.  It's a smaller property in the Warm Sands Area.

Oh No,  so sorry to hear of this sad news.  I always enjoyed visiting with @Epigonos.  While he may be direct, he always care about people and made this world a better place.  I will always remember his love for cooking and dedication to this hobby that so many of us enjoy.  We all probably have fond memories and stories that we can remind us of him.  May he RIP.  

GQ.com’s advice is that masquerades balls are dressy affairs often involving historical dress-up clothes and hopefully involving naughty décolleté dresses.  It’s not a masquerade without a mask, like the traditional Venetian mask with the big schnozzola. 

Pinterest has lot of ideas for Masquerade men attire - https://www.pinterest.com/toppdogg93/masquerade-men/

Since it’s a charity ball, you may consider a Tux or Dinner Jacket with a colorful vest/tie and unique face mask.  You can’t go wrong with an elegant Tux and just accessorize it for the masquerade theme event.  The mask itself can make or break the look.  Here are some ideas on face masks. https://www.ilovemasks.com/categories/men.html

You may get some ideas from Dallas Vintage Shop.com - https://dallasvintageshop.com/accessories/masquerade-masks-accessories/

Good luck and have fun!

36 minutes ago, ThroatCummer said:

Potato, potato. Show me a single instance where any person (not entity) was made to pay a settlement over any HIPAA violation, ever.

Hold that thought. Is there truly any entity (corporation) that has been made to pay any meaningful settlement over a HIPAA violation? If so, who was the recipient of the settlement and funds? 

HIPAA is all bark and no bite. Hint: There's no HIPAA police.  

Here is a link to a site that identifies HIPPA Violation Cases from 2008 - Aug 2022.  https://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-violation-cases/

Most involve entities primarily because that's how most practice medicine.  However, there are a few instances when individual doctors were sued and settled HIPPA cases with the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Civil Rights (OCR).  

Lawrence Bell, Jr. D.D.S

Lawrence Bell, Jr. D.D.S in Maryland failed to provide a patient with timely access to the requested medical records. OCR settled the case for $5,000.

Dr. Brockley

The solo dental practitioner in Butler, PA, failed to provide a patient with a copy of their medical record in a timely manner. After being notified by OCR about a proposed fine of $105,000, Dr. Brockley requested a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge, but settled out of court and agreed to a fine of $30,000.

Dr. Robert Glaser

Dr. Robert Glaser, a New Hyde Park, NY-based cardiovascular disease and internal medicine doctor, failed to provide a patient with timely access to the requested medical records after repeated requests. Dr. Glazer did not cooperate with OCR during the investigation, resulting in OCR imposing a civil monetary penalty of $100,000 for the HIPAA Right of Access violation. 

Dr. Rajendra Bhayani

OCR received a complaint from a patient of Dr. Rajendra Bhayani, a Regal Park, NY-based private practitioner specializing in otolaryngology, alleging he had not provided a patient with a copy of her medical records. OCR intervened and closed the case but received a second complaint a year later alleging the records had still not been provided. The case was settled for $15,000.

Steven A. Porter, M.D

Steven A. Porter, M.D’s gastroenterological practice in Ogden, UT reported a breach to OCR involving a medical record company that was blocking access to patients’ ePHI until a bill was paid. OCR investigated and found the EHR company had been allowed access to ePHI without signing a business associate agreement and risk analysis and risk management failures. The case was settled for $100,000. 

55 minutes ago, menaughty said:

I'll try calling them tomorrow. But I doubt they will have it. 

@BenjaminNicholas are you in Dallas area? I might have missed the post here if you have already gotten the vaccine. If yes, where did you go?

Benjamin posted on July 8 that he got his initial vaccination in Toronto. FYI

On 7/8/2022 at 10:15 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

I got mine in Toronto last week.  Damn, Canada makes it easy (and friendly).

I'm setup to get my second dose in a few weeks back in San Antonio.

Even one dose provides solid immediate protection.

On 6/10/2022 at 1:18 PM, Charlie said:

What does one do with old non-smart phones? I just discovered that I have four such phones from the period before I finally gave in and got an iPhone. They are all still in their original packaging (I know: I'm obsessive about saving that kind of thing). Do they have any value or use? How do I get rid of them responsibly?

I learned long ago the best practice is to trade my old phone for a new phone.  Once, I kept my old phone as a backup.  Technology changes so fast that the old phone quickly becomes slow and unresponsive.  If you wait too long the value of old phone diminishes and your choice is recycling.  We have a number of electronic recycling companies that accept all sort of electronic equipment for items that don't have a resale value.

In the past, I’ve purchased business class tickets from Expedia are a lower price than the airlines website’s price.  I just recently priced a ticket from IAH to TLV for October.  United’s best prices business class ticket is $5,892.  IAH-FRA-TVL/ TLV-EWR-IAH

When I search on Kayak, I found a business class ticket on United for $3,960 – operated by Lufthansa.  When you click on the link, you are directed back to the United website for purchase. IAH-FRA-TVL/TLV-FRA-IAH

On Expedia I found a business class ticket for $3,466 on Air France. IAH-CDG-TLV/TLV-AMS-IAH

In the past, I’ve found United business class tickets cheaper on Expedia for the exact same flights.  And, I’ve earned United miles on those tickets as well.  When I’ve purchased airline tickets from tour operators, I don’t earn miles because those tickets are sold to the tour operators at a bulk rate.  Always check your fare class code before purchasing so you understand if you will or will not earn miles.

5 hours ago, JoeMendoza said:

This. I went to the same local orthotic provider that made my current custom orthotic inserts, which for the first time in 2019, I paid around $200, but yesterday I got a quote for $600 for a pair, hence I was looking for a potentially cheaper yet good alternative.

Ah, don't blame you, I'd probably be looking elsewhere too.  My suggestion is to get a friend to help you with the foot impression.  I started putting too much pressure on my heal and starting to rock my foot when the ortho guy stopped me and placed pressure on my knee while holding my ankle.  He wanted the impression as the whole foot entered the impression material.  No heal first.  FYI.

On 4/9/2022 at 12:26 PM, boinllanview said:

Bump

Check your messages.

1 hour ago, JoeMendoza said:

Any of yall get custom orthotic shoe inserts? Looks like this upstep website looks pretty legit, but was wondering if yall have other good recommendations.

https://www.upstep.com/products/normal-everyday-activity-custom-orthotics

My Orthopedic surgeon suggested I get custom orthotic inserts.  He sent me to a local Orthotic and Prosthetic provider for a custom fitting.  They use the same type of impression kit as shown on the Upstep webpage.  The key is making sure you make the foot impression correctly.  You need to know that how to place your foot and how much pressure you use in making the impression. If you put too much pressure on the heal you won’t get a good impression. I paid $300 for my custom inserts and had them back in a week.  They were made locally.  Yeah, I know I paid a little extra over an online purchase, but I got services from a specialist that knows how to make a correct foot impression.  And, medicare nor my supplement provided any benefit for the inserts.

2 hours ago, RadioRob said:

This is in place through Saturday as part of the memorial for Daddy. If you want to switch back to the default theme, click the “theme” button down below and change it. 

FYI as I noted earlier… the new Company of Men theme will be our new default theme starting Sunday. 

While, I don't necessarily like the white text on black background, I appreciate Rob's instructions on how to change it.  I think it is a nice gesture in remembrance of Daddy.  He dedicated a lot of his time in running the forum.

I like 9, 14 and 16. I think you need some color in the logo but not necessarily a rainbow.

16 hours ago, azdr0710 said:

gee, I must be on a Palm Springs e-mailing list or something......😁

got an email today from a new men's hotel called Descanso.....no dedicated website yet, I guess, but there's this:  https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/listing/descanso-resort/24411/ 

don't know if this place may've been discussed earlier in this thread and I don't know anything about it, but it might be an option for some if other places are booked.....the location is several blocks north of downtown and the Canyon Club, which many of you know the location of......just north of the hospital, if that helps.....to be honest, not a really convenient location.....not walkable to the popular Warm Springs gayborhood and barely walkable to downtown....but it's refurbished and "reimagined"......

I received the same email a few days ago - probably because I've stayed in prior years at the former "East Canyon Hotel & Spa".  Looks like they have refurbished the resort and rebranded it.  It was a nice resort when I last stayed a few years ago (2016).  No really walkable but they had plenty of parking and was generally quiet. However, they are currently sold out on April 8 and 9.  I found the resort seems to get more high winds from those resorts in the Warm Springs area.

@RadioRob What happened to my profile pic?  It was showing this morning and now I only see a ?

9 minutes ago, Benjamin_Nicholas said:

I don't have a domain name suggestion, but I always suggest KISS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle

I agree with the KISS principle!

Here's my suggestion - "M4M Social Connection"