tassojunior

yes, I guess everyone just called it day sauna and night sauna. i spent a good part of a year at the day sauna during the week and just with my lover weekends. he always took me to a nice gay bar that may have been the Amstel Tavern, Mandje or even DOK upstairs. The one thing I remember vividly was that the bar had the biggest vase of arranged flowers I had ever seen in the middle of the bar every weekend. I was amazed it was safe on a bar but later I saw a lot of European gay bars that had big vases of flowers on the bar. (and , of course, played that awful Euro-pop music constantly).

Any inhibitions I had about unnecessarily asking for help passed away several years ago when I had to walk a half mile with carry-ons and stand in immigration line at Terminal 4 JFK for 2hrs. Next time and every immigration line I now ask for a wheelchair and I get wheeled through immigration immediately, plus no walking through terminals. There's plenty available so it's not like you're taking from others. Students working as guides/helpers, even drivers (cheaply) are very good looking often and while younger people hiring one looks odd, age has it's privileges' there too.

dubbed movies always make me feel eerie that there seems to be another person in the room talking while the actors are just moving their lips.

Netflix's 'Squid Game' will generate nearly $900 million for the company - despite costing only $21 million to make Bloomberg reported that the documents said the series was watched by a record 132 million people. "Squid Game" cost around $2.4 million an episode, far less than "The Crown" and "Stranger Things." Speaking of HBO series (Sopranos), the 3rd season of Succession starts tonight, Oct 17. (so irritating the way HBO releases 1 episode at a time, what is this, 1990?)

White House says fully vaccinated foreign visitors can start entering US on November 8 Not that i expect anything from the government to make sense but the rather ineffective vaccines from China will qualify people for admission while the very effective ones from Russia and India will not (the US will use the controversial WHO list).

can't use the real name for this famous provider we all know https://www.romeo.com/hunq/JohnySweet

We may end up needing a Paris thread in Europe

A Couple of my Czech friends are still in Paris, a couple just left. Pavel: https://www.romeo.com/hunq/SteveSkarsgaard/travelling/12722217

Those of us Americans who went to school in Europe in the 70's have not-fond memories of cringing at this Euro-pop on every jukebox there and even some clubs with DJ's. European music and American 70's music were different worlds. They didn't "get" the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Beatles either.

The dubbing is so bad that I have to agree it was intentional to make it seem more Godzillaish and not a serious attempt at a "good" dub someone would actually use.

Roald and Dany left Paris early. AirBnb host had an emergency. Back in Prague. Honzeit (i always forget his Bel Ami name, he's Max Dior in straight porn and at Club Madame, is getting very anxious (desperate?). I doubt he's ever said "no"

it's a temporary visa to stay here awaiting a green card if the marriage satisfies INS as legit. Once the green card is issued I don't think it can be revoked for a split, but i could be wrong. The whole process is long and expensive as it needs lawyers. Also pre-nups are expensive and not always enforced.

Surprised there's no mention of The Squid Game. I was surprised I like it so much. Very Korean murder/comedy with a lot of soul-searching on the human condition, greed and poverty.

I'm sure the original is better, but the American remake is better than most American stuff.

Aren't some woke colleges now requiring written consent of at least the passive party for sex?

The pandemic re-tool of everything is a good opportunity for shifting the labor cost of staff to restaurant owners by raising wages and lowering tips. I think this may come about with the menu codes on tables where you can order on your cell phone. More and more people are becoming accustomed to ordering on their phone. If the labor shortage makes that possible then tips will become reasonable. Have people found tabletop QR codes that allow you to pay on your phone? Also, to confess, I use "tips" as bribes. I slip $20 upon checking in and the hotel desk clerk finds a great upgrade room, the rental car guy finds an upgrade, and a hostess gets me a great table fast. As a Vegas desk clerk schooled me, it's best to show the "tip" but not actually convey it until after the transaction where it is a "tip" for services performed, not beforehand when it is a "bribe" to get something. That's the only time I've had any trouble passing a "tip" for something I want. (I wish Congress members were even that honest). Regular good tippers in restaurants often get special additions for free.

OTOH, this.......

What really bugs me is all the iPad requests for tip amount on carry-outs. Even places that are all carry-out. You want 20% for handing me a muffin?

What I'm speaking of was the recently discussed, and bemoaned, raising of asked rates from $300ish to $400 in the US by many providers (and 150 to 200 in Europe). Things have slowed from the post-vaccination surge and asked prices are back to "normal". Many clients were concerned that with the huge number of fairly rich people now and providers making more off social media, rates would stay higher.

Several friends of mine in Europe have said the "surge pricing" is over there and rates have come back down from 200 Euro to 150. At the same time several friends in the US have remarked that the high demand has dropped back here too and rates are back down from the 300/400 range to 250/300 again. Last time I remember rates dropping back was 2008 and we all remember how that year turned out.

In fairness gasoline, a huge inflation factor, is in the stratosphere at 3.50 a gallon and the supply chain is broken in many other industries and commodities. The administration keeps saying this a temporary inflation. Maybe a silver lining will happen if anti-inflationary measures are taken just as the supply chains get fixed and gas comes down. I'm already noticing the labor shortage getting overcome with a new Amazon Go by me with no cashiers or scanners, Chipotle and Shake Shack treating me better if I order online for ready pick-up on a shelf, Pollo Campero giving me discounts to do the same, and McD's giving me a free large fries everyday to order online and pick up (I resist that one). I don't think all prices that went up during the pandemic will go back down but i am surprised at how fast the market corrects itself one way or another. Escorts have even dropped back down from 300-400 to 250-300 (the market slowed a good bit after clients spent all their lockdown saved money). Always a silver lining.

Aldi, Lidl and Wal-Mart are amazingly cheaper for groceries. My favorite at Aldi and Lidl are their big 49 cent avocados and all 3's $1.33 12-grain bread that's $5 everywhere else.

I know several mostly just chat and play video games while online and i always suspected it was members some were playing, maybe for tips. I suspect CB has found a way to make $ off this for themselves? Or maybe just realize it's way to make more tips which they get 50% of.

The Guilty came out friday and is amazingly good. #1 movie immediately.

DollarTree has bleach for $1 as well as Mr. Plumber. I go through a decent amount so I stock up on both when I'm around one. Wear double masks.