SouthOfTheBorder

18 minutes ago, José Soplanucas said:

We are making assumptions and creating a story that fits our favorite narrative.

correct.  
the true narrative tho is Rio is dangerous.  This last tragedy involved a foreign tourist.  The previous one was a garoto murdering a Carioca - who knew what to look for & even he wasn’t safe.  The “Boa Noite Cinderella” home robberies in November 2022 was a gang of garotos robbing & drugging Cariocas.  
The point is that if Cariocas are getting murdered, drugged & robbed - then foreign tourists are even easier/more vulnerable targets.

I’ve been to Rio many times & love the city.  I wouldn’t go now tho.  When I get the Brasil itch, I’ll go to São Paulo - totally different ballgame.. 

the homeless industrial complex does indeed use private contractors with sky-high costs for property acquisition, exorbitant legal costs (everyone fights it - nimby), insane requirements to build, impossible permitting, scarce labor, etc.  The list goes on and all adds to final price-tag.

In 2022, costs approaching $600,000 in California for each new housing unit designed for homeless people.

No easy solutions for this long festering problem. Other rich counties do not have this same problem - why only here ?

Column: Spending $800,000 for a single unit of homeless housing is a red flag for L.A.

WWW.LATIMES.COM

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Spending $800,000 for a single unit of homeless housing? L.A. has to do better

19 hours ago, kingsley88 said:

Now that fiber optic internet is available in FI Pines

interesting & hard to believe - I’m not saying you’re wrong tho

Internet service in the Pines is owned/controlled by the people that own Pines Pantry.  It’s a racquet & they always seemed hesitant to spend money to upgrade.  Yes, my experience pre-Covid is it was awful and not wfh appropriate.

now is a good time for dick pics - if anyone is so inclined 

sidenote: did you know your cock contains biometric data and you can be identified by your cock alone ?  

15 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

I don't know where I'd be holding a tape measure that it would add up to eight inches.

from the butthole 

On 5/31/2023 at 2:50 AM, BSR said:

Look, while I am utterly baffled that anyone would watch The Kardashians (or any reality TV for that matter), I'm not going to launch into diatribes or berate people for doing so.

Let me fix this for you 

the correct comparison in this context would be; someone who watches the Kardashians, professes to intensely dislike them ad nauseam, then devoting significant time/attention & energy to detailing that intense dislike while consuming lots of adjacent media about the Kardashians to fully confirm that the reason for the intense dislike is justified.

Your comparison implies that someone just watches Kardashians and isn’t triggered by them. If the person is extremely triggered by watching Kardashians - then the question becomes, why watch ?

btw - when you continue to consume media about celebrities or other public figures whom you dislike, you’re just strengthening their brand & name recognition so they will make more money on their next projects.  So just keep talking about whomever you dislike.  As they say - there is no bad press.  Remember Kim’s sex tape ??
Like it or not - our capitalist system thrives on people who have widespread name recognition (good or bad) and absolutely nothing will change it.  

Sometimes, celebrities with huge name recognition will go into politics - you gotta love America 🇺🇸

and then - there’s SHADE !
 

5 hours ago, augustus said:

Not the right to be whatever you want to say or believe that you are that trounces the rights of others.

People often conflate personal choices that have no impact on others (gender identity) vs choices that affect (and can damage) the greater society and individuals. They are not the same.
A driver without a license has the capacity to kill or injure another person and/or damage property.  A person determining their own gender identity has no impact whatsoever on others - if the others are minding their own business. 

As for tropes like the “bathroom” issue - anyone who travels knows that unisex bathrooms are standard in many parts of the world without issues. The bathroom thing is another hysterical talking point far removed from reality.

For those fragile people who are uncomfortable with anyone different than themselves - perhaps staying in the basement & trolling chatroom forums is a less triggering experience

and there’s a lot more to a hot dick besides length - girth, shape, curve (or not), hardness, head, cut/uncut, etc  

lots of variables - that’s why I’d rather guys emphasize what they have, rather embellish elsewhere 

1 hour ago, samhexum said:

Kill him slowly and painfully

it's not about whether or not they're hung - it's lying about it, photoshopping, using someone's pics & the list goes on 

ever notice the default gay cock size seems to be 8” ?  

Rentmen is full of 8” dicks when the average hard dick is 6” or less ?  Yet, statistically only 1% of the male population has 8” or more

I operate under the assumption everyone adds 2” (except me)

And, what do you do when someone shows up (paid or otherwise) that doesn’t quite measure up ?? 

x

1 hour ago, pubic_assistance said:

but not as much in recent years.

key words - not in recent years.  Pines lives off the image created its glory days, that is not relevant today.  The image lives on in memories, photographs and an occasional travel article, but it’s just not close to reality. 

the number of Pines multi-million dollar homes that are architectural digest worthy are less than 15 total now.  It’s not hard to see - just walk down the beach and look at oceanfront homes - 1/3 are in a state of visible disrepair- pools collapsed, decks falling in, etc.  Most look poorly maintained like they ran out of money. 
Ironically the very few really fabulous non-rental houses are rarely used as the owners have multiple homes in more desirable locations.  Everyone knows this. 
As for the “tours” of architecturally worthy houses - it’s all smoke & mirrors for a few days.

Homeowners in Pines who do not rent their houses as summer shares are a tiny fraction of the population.  They exist but that’s not how it works.

The Pines looks good (and glamorous) from a distance - get up close and it’s a very different picture. 

1 hour ago, pubic_assistance said:

You never see anybody attractive in the Grove

ridiculous & out-of-touch
and a matter of taste I suppose for those who only place value on attractiveness/availability of stereotyped potential sex partners, which encapsulates the Pines mentality perfectly.  Predictable, boring & cliche.

23 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Less pretentious" to the point of feeling trashy. Which isn't "interesting" to some.

Doesn’t sound like you’ve actually spent much time out there.  

Pines has more “million dollar” homes on the ocean & bay for sure.  Once you’re off those two waterfronts, Pines has lots of shacks & dumps albeit with better landscaping.   And very few of those million dollar homes are anything more than a nice facade - inside typically worn & “partied out” from the extreme use because they are rentals. Usually mismatched furniture stained with lube & smells like poppers. And that’s the point - Pines is a facade to something very dark & seedy.  It’s not luxury or even close. It might look different during the day if you’re oblivious or a day-tripper.

Grove is trashy - just the better of the two towns imo.  It’s not pretending to be something different. And you’ll find more restaurants in Grove with better overall quality.  Restaurants in Pines (one sit down, one cafeteria and one pizza to go) are an abomination.
 

19 hours ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

That said, it's life in the gay bubble, which many enjoy and want.

Pines & Cherry Grove are absolutely gay bubbles.  
In Pines tho I’m not sure that’s the primary attraction anymore - it’s more about unlimited availability of sex, drugs (crystal & coke)& parties for majority of the weekend crowd.  it’s really impossible to overstate how that dominates everything out there.  It’s fun the first few visits even if you’re not in that scene - after that it’s just tedious & boring.  I think the Pines crowd would go anywhere they could find a similar party scene.  Only a major circuit party or an Atlantis cruise would have more sex & drugs than a typical Pines weekend. 

Grove is very different in that sense where it’s a more friendly relaxed bohemian vibe not centered on drugs & sex.  Drugs & sex still there but not overwhelming.  Pines people go to Grove to party in clubs depending on event (underwear party) and go right back when it’s over.  While not as manicured & imposing as Pines, I’d pick Grove every time if had to choose between the two. Less pretentious & more interesting.

20 minutes ago, Xavitv said:

also believe that this new anti-trans trend is also affecting the whole acronym. It’s naive to believe that being anti-trans means they wont have any bigotry against lgb

correct - the attack on trans people now is because they are perceived as the most vulnerable among our larger community.  It’s the beginning of an attack on established gay rights.  Just like Roe/abortion was not settled law, don’t for one minute think the Obergefell (required states to license and recognize same sex marriage) decision is also settled law.

In the fight for equal rights, there are no passive observers.  We are either allies & support, or you are against.  Peoples lives are in the balance

3 minutes ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

Although loaded with sugar, I'm a fan of Hong Kong milk tea.

I like mine ethically sourced (most of the time) & piping hot ! 

did anyone notice the very annoying Roy speech pattern of saying “yeah” at the end of many statements/questions ?
There’s something more to it because it’s clearly intentional.  

Feels like an entitled persons way to ask for immediate agreement on just about anything.  Yeah ? 

14 minutes ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

but 'T' as in 'the truth.'  It's not always just about gossip

correct - not always about gossip, but mostly about gossip in current usage 

i just think it’s a funny Americanism - how do you like your tea ?

15 minutes ago, azdr0710 said:

Probably not a Deli-ish topic,

you’re right - should have been Lounge 

incidentally- “Spilling the tea” entered mainstream lexicon with book “Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil”  Lady Chablis 1994

8 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

There are multiple mini ferries going from town to town,

ferries to other towns (from Pines or Grove) are unreliable with limited hours. when they work I suppose it’s an option.  I’ve seen more people stuck in grove from other “towns” than I can count tho.  

yes - of course other towns on fire island.  this thread originally referenced the Grove, thus my specificity.

my overall point remains that Fire Island (all towns) are primarily for New Yorkers getting away for weekends - and that it’s super expensive with mediocre weather and lack of services/amenities.  Upstate towns way more interesting as a weekend NYC getaway without the attitude, drugs & drama. 

if you’ve got time - just go to europe instead 

10 minutes ago, mike carey said:

Why would anyone take a weekend trip to, say the Caribbean, when Fire Island is on offer?

good question - mainly the draw to Fire Island is proximity to NYC.  It usually a 3 hour trip door-to-door to FI if you’re in a car and if you arrive just before a ferry departure. So, for gay New Yorkers it’s a go to weekend destination if you can afford it.

Flying to Caribbean from nyc would be 3-4 hours & that’s flight time only.  Factor in airport wait time & transfers and it’s just not an easy alternative.  Plus, Fire island is a summer destination whereas Caribbean is mainly winter. 

I quit going to Fire Island when I retired and could get away for extended periods of time. I do not miss it at all. 

On 5/29/2023 at 2:38 PM, kingsley88 said:

think Fire Island is really what you make of it

this is the oldest cliche about Fire Island there is.  

In both Pines & Cherry Grove, vast majority of houses are dumps (expect for some that are owner occupied), everything is obscenely overpriced compared to Manhattan, no decent restaurants and RAMPANT/visible drug use.  It’s not uncommon to see guys doing powder bumps on the ferry and in the bars. Who knows what kind of powder - there are so many.  There are frequent overdoses that require medical evacuation - it’s super common.  There is an unmistakeable energy that goes along with the crystal meth crowd (agitated, bitchy & aggressive) & it’s pervasive. Drug use seems more of thing in Pines than Grove 

The weather is generally very unpredictable - it’s about 50/50 chance you get sunny weather with little humidity.

I spent many summers wondering why I was paying astronomical sums of money in an isolated place with bad weather surrounded by drug addicts at every turn.  I can only see Fire Island as a destination for New Yorkers that can’t really get away for anything beyond a long weekend and then only if you can somehow tune out all the bad behavior at every turn. 

There are some people that hibernate in their house with a small group of friends only - but if that’s the case, why go to Fire Island at all ?

Also - getting there by public transport is a ridiculous schlep. Take a car from Manhattan to the ferry dock and save your sanity.