BSR

Thanks, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Iguazú. I won’t be able to enjoy the Brazilian side because I couldn’t figure out the online visa application to save my life. Plus it’s supposed to rain the whole time I’m there. Oh well, even in less than ideal weather, I’m sure the waterfalls are still beautiful.

Yeah, gotta say, I never liked the crosswalk idea. Of course the victims deserve a proper memorial. The Pulse tragedy was more than 9 years ago, wtf?? When the memorial does finally get built, I pray they get it right. Their families deserve at least that much.

I am sitting in the plaza south of el Obelisco, just after attending the performance. I don’t know if I loved it, nor did I cry like a baby, but I very much enjoyed it. Yes, the cast was fantastic, especially the daughter, the nurse, and of course the lead. There were a lot of empty seats in the theater, unfortunately. You wish that more people would make the effort because the script and the cast’s talent should be shared with as many as possible. The play was a terrific way to spend my last real night in Buenos Aires. I’m still here tomorrow but have laundry, cleaning, and packing to do before a crack o’dawn flight Saturday for Iguazú. Thank you for the recommendation!

The biggest livability factor for many is the ratio of median income to median home price. As a general rule, median home price 3x median income is considered affordable. In Canada the ratio is a whopping 9x! It’s lousy in the US as well, 5.8x, but not quite as backbreaking as our northern neighbor. I got ratios only for Vancouver 12.7x, Toronto 10.7x, and Montreal & Calgary 6x. To compare: LA 10x, San Francisco 8.5x, New York 6.8x, Boston 6x. But cities in the Midwest are much more affordable: Oklahoma City 3.1x, Cleveland 2.7x, Detroit 1.9x. Many millennials are frustrated they can’t afford to buy, and many Gen Z are still living with their parents. If home ownership matters to you and you’re not making a high finance or tech bro salary, do your due diligence before making the move.

I was reviewing this thread because I was thinking about my experiences in Buenos Aires and Madrid. Anyway, Castellano (Spanish) is the only official national language in Spain. Catalan (plus its dialect Valenciano), Gallego (yes, it’s “Galician” in English, but that word makes my brain short-circuit), and Basque are co-official languages only in their respective autonomous communities. Also, the Basque language is Euskera, but the Basque Country is Euskadi. As for the original topic, now that I’ve been studying Spanish in Buenos Aires for almost 3 months, I can say from first-hand experience that it absolutely does not matter where you study Spanish because the grammar is the same the whole world ‘round. Yes, tons of differences in vocabulary and colloquialisms, but the rules and structure of Spanish grammar are remarkably consistent no matter what country. My classmates who have studied all over say the same thing. One spot that might have been overlooked in this thread is Montevideo. The BA language school I attend has a branch in Uruguay, and a classmate who spent a month in the Montevideo academy said it was a great experience, both in and outside the classroom. So go to whatever country that tickles your fancy (well, maybe not Venezuela, for now at least), find a good language school, and have the time of your life! PS: I met a Cuban in Madrid who had recently emigrated from Cuba. Apparently conditions have gotten a lot worse there, alarming because they were already pretty damn bad. He told me blackouts occur almost daily. They last 2-4 hours in Havana, and out in some provinces, blackouts are the rule not the exception, i.e., they have electricity only 2-4 hours a day. Cuba is the most fascinating place I’ve ever visited, but I wouldn’t go right now.

@caliguy and @Lazarus made me take a second look at the mugshot. I agree, with a shave & haircut, mugshot Jamie would look pretty good. I think what struck me was the stark contrast between his beautiful smile during his SC heyday and the sad (empty?) look in the latter photo.

No, sorry. It’s a video of a drop-dead sexy 20ish Latino and his dad getting into an ice bath. The X account is worth following: @the_daily_candy

Carlos Cuevas is more twunk than twink, nonetheless, his ass is spectacular … https://x.com/celebtease/status/1957127031121907797?s=61

This young man is killin’ it in these boxers … https://x.com/the_daily_candy/status/1956849927784419343?s=61

If my local priest looked and dressed like this, I’d make it to mass every Sunday. Talk about impure thoughts, wow! https://x.com/the_daily_candy/status/1956732775693947052?s=61

If it’s any consolation, it’s the same everywhere. Argentina’s inflation rate for June & July were just 1.6% & 1.9%, but the prices at my local supermarkets have increased a helluva lot more than that. And I’m referring to basic items, like a dozen eggs, not a particular brand of coffee.

I think we all hope that our favorite stars “graduate” from porn and go on to finish college, start a successful business, settle down with a wife & kids … but it rarely turns out that way. R.I.P. Jamie.

I love this description of Pennsylvania: “Philadelphia on one side, Pittsburgh on the other, with Alabama in the middle.”

A former co-worker shared one of her favorite things to do when traveling: go to the bar of the fanciest hotel in town, walk in like you own the place, order a drink, and soak up the atmosphere. So my nomination (so far, still have 2 weeks here) for most underrated spot in Buenos Aires is the bar of the Four Seasons, fantastic ambience and people-watching, plus the fringe benefit of a smokin’ hot bartender. Most overrated: La Boca. I found the tour interesting, the story behind the multicolored houses and all the different immigrant communities. But the neighborhood is super-touristy. I’ve enjoyed myself in plenty of super-touristy places (the entire city of Venice, for example), just something about the vibe of La Boca rubbed me the wrong way. A bit overrated: The Flower, only because it’s taking them a long time to repair it. A couple of petals fell off, which makes it photo-worthy from only one angle. Dunno why but I simply love the sculpture, and for that reason really want to see it restored to its full splendor.

He looks super-hot, but kinda hard to be sure since all his photos were taken in light dimmer than your average coal mine.

Oh, come on … to quote the late great Joan Rivers, “I’ll name names if you will!”

@imbentz • Instagram reel WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 3,767 likes, 76 comments - imbentz on July 26, 2025

Maybe the scene makes sense in the context of movie, which I haven’t seen, obviously. Regardless, thanks for posting the clip, @poolboy48220. The nude guy is hot AF.

Asking for a friend … who went a little nutty at the Louis Vuitton Madrid and bought a couple of items, combined value about $10,000. Any advice about how to get the items past Customs? My friend is a cheap bastard and really doesn’t want to pay the duties/taxes. Should he brazenly claim “nothing to declare”? How thoroughly does Customs search luggage? Should he just say he bought them in the US? He’ll be flying from Bogotá into Las Vegas, if points of origin and entry make a difference.

You’re comparing apples & oranges, or maybe even apples & drywall. I don’t have children either, but it is pretty much a unanimous belief that all of us as a society benefit by educating children, therefore, schooling is provided to each and every child regardless of parents’ ability to pay. In stark contrast, support for taxpayer funding for PBS and NPR is nowhere near unanimous. We could debate item-for-item on the federal budget on another forum, but not here because that discussion would be far too political. Back on topic … I heard a great line about Stephen Colbert’s cancellation: “The Late Show” was losing $40 million a year. Its cancellation isn’t censorship; it’s capitalism.

I admit my eyes widened when I read $500/hour until I considered the difference in cost of living. Just googled it, the average rent for a 700sf 1-bed in Las Vegas is $1100-1350 whereas a comparable apartment in Manhattan would rent for $4500-5300. This working guy’s got bills to pay just like everybody else. From what I can gather on this forum, $400/hr is getting to be the norm in Manhattan, which makes $500 a bit high but far from crazy. But hey, don’t listen to me. I’m such a cheap bastard that the next time I visit NYC, my big splurge is gonna be Grey’s Papaya hot dogs.

Wow, did my eyes pop when I saw the size difference between a Boeing 737 and an Airbus A380. The A380 looks like some radioactive mutation!

https://x.com/the_daily_candy/status/1952064342922281130?s=61

#3 has to be made up but funny nonetheless …