deej

>All the information about me was 3 to 4 years old and way out >of date. For me, they have current data but nothing from as recent as 3 years ago. Sporadic accuracy means the data is coming from one of the 2nd tier providers.

>I can't believe that info provided to the U.S. Postal Service >is considered public information. x( The USPS sells databases of zip codes and street addresses for mailing list "cleanup" and de-duping. They also sell the quarterly NCOA database (Change of address) among other data products. Addresses are not considered personally identifiable information. Does 1515 Church Street exist? That's public record, and therefore available to anyone. The fact that someone with your name may have lived there is a little more murky, but still not personally identifiable information. Matching YOU to an address requires a huge data repository coming from many sources and there are only a few companies in the country that have that sort of repository and the resources to do the cross-matching. They control their data and its use rigidly. (Which is why this site surprised me.) They sit on the ultimate Catch-22. As one example, they have enough data (and the means to search it) to chase down "Deadbeat Dads" who have disappeared, but it's illegal for them to use it for that. As I said, I've turned it in. I'll probably never hear what comes of it. But the data is out there. And just like publishing pictures on the internet, once it's out it's always out there. The only way to fully opt-out is to resign from society.

As DelawareGuy says, this is collected from publicly available data sources. (I used to work for a company that did this. So I'm familiar with the processes and technologies involved.) You can defeat them easily by not being financially active. No credit cards. No real estate. No phone bills. No utility bills. Live like a hermit in a shack on squatted land in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise, they'll have you "in there". These days, the only thing an unlisted phone number does is make sure friends and familiy can't find you if they lose your number. :-( (I forwarded this URL to some people I know in privacy enforcement. This site breaks a few regulations. They'll probably find their data source dried up when it's discovered how badly they've violated their license agreement.)

They probably do. I gave name and birth year and I was on the list that showed up. (A list containing several hundred just in CA.)

I suspect that's what it's intended to be, kiddo. You'll understand in about 20 years. ;-)

And by the way, the preview of the forum only showed "Donna...Diana" in the subject. It got my attention because... Reznicek's "Donna Diana" overture has been a favorite for years. Old timers will remember it as the theme of "Sgt. Preston of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police" much the way some people only know "William Tell" as the Lone Ranger overture. It's a kickin' overture, and it's a bitch to play! (for the woodwinds, at least)

I stopped paying attention to popular music somewhere around 1974, but you've got to have "Last Dance" in this mix or you're not gay. ;-)

Benjamin has covered the topic of lubes very well, and his admonition about using the right condom (latex vs. poly) is bang on. Beyond that, the topic of "best condom" is HIGHLY subjective. What works best for you may not work for someone else. Many factors go into this: size, sensitivity, sensibility, etc. If the condom is too small, it can be a painful (and erection-killing) experience just putting it on. I'm on the large size, so if you're not you probably won't feel comfortable in the Magnums I prefer. Likewise, you may find a perfect fit that someone else simply can't get into, or can't keep on. Condoms should never be so large that they slip off. I've also been with bottoms over the years who had their own favorite brands across the size spectrum. I use what they ask me to use. As Benjamin said, some of the pre-lubed condoms can irritate. Sex isn't about irritating (unless you want it to be }( but that should be decided in advance). Your best bet for finding the right "fit" is to try a bunch of 'em. Use them for jerking off and find out which brands go on relatively easy, stay in place, and don't irritate you.

I just filled up today and was shocked it was so *low*. (And I'm amazed I would use exactly those words in this context.) I paid $2.29 for regular in Agoura Hills (just outside LA). I was prepared for over $3/gallon from all reports but it wasn't so.

Dude, the news today predicts $3/gallon for SoCal coming real soon. Even *I'm* thinking of putting some air in the tires of that bike that sits on my porch untouched.

RE: New Gaiety & Strip Club Forum Moderator They'll turn on you any minute. Trust me. :+

RE: Santa's Little Helper ROFL! Priceless, Franco! I was trying to do a riff on the 12 days of Christmas along the same lines (you had "Three twink hos"), but gave up when I saw your post.

>F3: Thanks for the story. That is consistent with >WIDESPREAD rumor (unfortunately NOT first hand info, though >I would kill for that first hand experience) that Travis >used to sell it to men in London before Calvin Klein >discovered him and brought the hot Aussie to the US. I have a friend who used to do runway modeling (among other things) for CK. Our Calvin likes his rent boys. It has been confirmed to me first-hand. From that we can infer that either CK discovered Fimmel when he was party boy of the day, or that the rumor is so obvious everyone assumes it's true when it isn't. It could truly go either way. Of course the other rumor that's been around for years is that CK won't use an underwear model who won't put out. Sorta shines a new light on those Marky Mark and Michael Bergin ad campaigns, eh? :o

I listen to mostly classical at home, but the "walking around" music in my MP3 player is usually a little lighter and usually a pretty eclectic mix -- everything from showtunes to Duke Ellington, Mel Torme to Maureen McGovern.

Maybe. Maybe not. Pornowood doesn't run like Hollywood. (Well, not quite.) There are far more petty ego clashes in porn. They matter far less, but affect the business far more. For example, there is a columnist/reviewer right now who refuses to review videos from Raging Stallion because of head honcho Chris Ward's vocal opposition to barebacking in porn. Not exactly objective journalism! Can you imagine E! or Roger Ebert refusing to review the latest blockbuster because of the producer's stand on abortion? In a lot of ways, porn is like sausage. Enjoy the end product, but don't ask too much about how it's made. :9

Tim Lowe was in jail for the death of a client during a particularly rough scene. He was eventually acquitted, if memory serves, but nobody would work with him after that. Michael Brandon did drug-related prison time (and he admits it in public) and cleaned himself up to become one of the most respected guys in porn. You'll NEVER see him in a water sports scene because he spent several years peeing in a cup in front of a parole officer. He's sensitized. I am *amazed* that AVN would run Blade's real name. I assume they don't want any interview opportunites in the future. Assuming there is a future ... can you imagine facing judge and jury on terrorist charges post-9/11?

One of the reasons gas is more expensive at inner-city stations is the cost of real-estate for the station itself. Compare the cost of apartment rentals in downtown DC with Springfield, VA and Quantico and you'll see a similar spread. Also, DC was one of the first cities to require emission control (those funky hoses around the nozzles), which also raised the price. It was fairly controversial when it happened. But it's been this way for years. I have friends who will only buy gas a gallon or two at a time while toodling around in the city. They wait until they're in the 'burbs to fill the tank, and they've been doing it for as long as I've known them. Myself, I don't buy gas. Haven't driven a car in 10 years and don't intend to start now.

>For what seemed like an eternity, he made us write sentences. When I was in high school, I had one of the most dreaded rhetoric instructors in the school. She looked, walked, talked, and acted like a Prussian army general. She began each semester with a lecture that started "Everything you've heard about me is true. Everything you've heard about this course is true." On the first day, we had an in-class assignment to write instructions for making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. She then collected the papers, pulled out loaves of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly and proceeded to follow the instructions just turned in to her: "Put peanut butter on bread" WHAM! went the jar on the unopened loaf of bread. ;-) The next set of instructions she asked us to write were much more carefully considered. By the end of the semester, everyone in the class was completely in love with her. An instructor that can get you to actually *think* rather than going through the motions is priceless.

>Is it true she curses like >a sailor? I remember watching her variety show on TV. (How gay or old does that make _me_????) On one of the last shows, they ran a series of bloopers/outtakes, with the network doing "socially appropriate" bleeping. There was a whole lot of bleeping going on. ;-)

and I forgot. It's not Mary Poppins. It's Sound of Music. (also a musical queen ;-))

It's actually Solfegge, an Italian method of teaching singers. The spellings are: DO, RE, MI, FA, SO, LA, TI .... (and for the musicians in the room) DO (never leave a leading tone unresolved) That's the major scale anyway. There are variations (ME, LE, RI etc.) to handle the minor scales. deej (who never thought this music school crap would be useful)