Straights attending FOD meetings

[MattInFLL]

The cruise ship companies would love to open up Cuba... since it so close and so many long time cruisers would head back to the caribbean for a chance to visit. Costa had been going there with their euro-sourced cruises...but not sure if they still do. I think MSC tried it, too, with their euro customers.

 

I think it will depend on who comes in after Castro... but will probably take some time.

[shepp]

What is the Pope?

 

Dude, you're the Ken Jennings of CC!

[tinlizzy]

Shepp- You are a brilliant producer!

[etoile]

I love the Jeopardy game, way to go! :D

[Ephraim]

Dude, you're the Ken Jennings of CC!

 

I knew that there was a reason why I was the most hated man at trivia on our last trip.

 

They gave me the paper to fill out and while they argued over the answer at the table, I had it written down already :)

[Ephraim]

If Castro dies will United Staters be able to cruise to Cuba?

 

That's certainly OT, but that's part of US politics that I just don't understand. And it's the WEIRDEST boycott I have ever seen. People are buying Tortuga rum from the Cayman's and yet no one asks where the sugar comes from. And Americans run around like crazy getting gouged on the price of a Cohiba or a Romeo y Julieta when I can walk into the local tobacco shop and just buy one off the shelf (if I cared to, since I don't smoke).

 

The only problem at the moment is that Cuba won't allow you to bring any electronics with you when you visit. They are afraid that American agents might be trying to bring in listening devices. So you can't take your MP3 player with you.

 

Costa runs some cruises out of the Dominican for Canadians, since there are charter flights to the Domincan. But Costa is essentially American owned, I doubt it would be allowed by law to stop in Cuba. MSC should be legally allowed (and if they did, I wish I knew which ones, because Havana is a great port to visit.)

 

Top vacation spots for Canadians is Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico. They all offer all inclusive that include all the alcohol you can drink and have the same drinking age as us. Remember, we allow drinking at 18 or 19 (depending on the province). Think of how that would feel if you were allowed to drink at home and all of a sudden you are prohibited.

 

They also have local Canadian people at the resorts who speak both English and French if you need help from the support staff. Some of the resorts are entirely booked for Canadians for the whole winter.

[Ephraim]

The cruise ship companies would love to open up Cuba... since it so close and so many long time cruisers would head back to the caribbean for a chance to visit. Costa had been going there with their euro-sourced cruises...but not sure if they still do. I think MSC tried it, too, with their euro customers.

 

I think it will depend on who comes in after Castro... but will probably take some time.

 

I doubt that the Cubans would allow the cruise companies to do what they have done in Belize, Cozumel, the Turks and Caicos and soon Roatan. And they will stick to their guns about port fees. It might actually take a Canadian or a European company to negotiate. Americans are almost entirely distrusted in Cuba (with reason). I would think they are much more independent than even the people of the Virgin Islands, who turned down the cruise lines offers.

 

From what I read, Belize is essentially kicking back 4/5th of the port fees to Carnival. Who gets to call it a port fee but essentially gets to keep most of it. And Panama is actually paying the cruise ships a fee for each passenger landed.... don't see Carnival giving that back in port fees, do we?

[tinlizzy]

shhhh.......you're a stockholder.:)

[02143]

And the Daily Double: This brother of actors David, Patricia, and Rosanna played Ginger in "Killer Drag Queens on Dope"

 

I think Alexis would identify as their sister now.

[garykool81]

From what I read, Belize is essentially kicking back 4/5th of the port fees to Carnival. Who gets to call it a port fee but essentially gets to keep most of it. And Panama is actually paying the cruise ships a fee for each passenger landed.... don't see Carnival giving that back in port fees, do we?

 

 

If this is true, it just goes more into the realm of exposing the unethical, shady business practices of this industry. I don't see how a practice like that would even be legal in most countries that have some semblance of the FTC.

[Blazerboy]

I guess, being the Alex Trebeck of this game show, I'm supposed to know all the answers, but, honestly, I knew most of them!:)

 

Final Jepardy: Movie lines and trivia-careful, it's a two parter...

 

The Actress, and the movie where she uttered this phrase; "I'm not to be had for the price of a cocktail...like a salted peanut!"

 

 

Bonus points: She went to high school in this town, known for its cookie.

 

Andrew

[Ephraim]

I guess, being the Alex Trebeck of this game show, I'm supposed to know all the answers, but, honestly, I knew most of them!:)

 

Final Jepardy: Movie lines and trivia-careful, it's a two parter...

 

The Actress, and the movie where she uttered this phrase; "I'm not to be had for the price of a cocktail...like a salted peanut!"

 

 

Bonus points: She went to high school in this town, known for its cookie.

 

Andrew

 

Who is Betty Davis in All About Eve?

 

How about this one....

 

Question: Who said that they should photograph her through Linoleum?

 

Bonus points: What was she as pure as?

[Ephraim]

If this is true, it just goes more into the realm of exposing the unethical, shady business practises of this industry. I don't see how a practise like that would even be legal in most countries that have some semblance of the FTC.

 

I can suggest a book you might want to read, but you might not be happy after you read it. (But I also don't agree with all of the book).

 

Let's not forget that these are foreign flagged ships in foreign lands and a foreign corporation. Since the government is signing the contract, I can't see that they have to worry about the "FTC". I think RCL is working on their own pier for Belize.

[newfarmers]

Wow, I'm amazed this thread is now onto page 12.

 

We saw the FOD meeting on the news letter on Infinity and had no idea what it was. I think at the time I might have said to Al that there was a gay bar in Auckland called Friends of Dorothy but didn't put two and two together.

 

We then met a gay couple - Michael and James - from Palm Springs when we were paired with them on a shore excursion in Juneau (I think it was Juneau) and the FOD invite came up in conversion.

 

So off we went to Michael's Bar and met Phillip and Karl. Phillip had called the meeting and was a fellow Aussie who it ended up lives an hour way from us. Wouldn't surprise me if someone in this thread knows Phillip and Karl - they spend half the year on cruise ships, mainly Princess (LOL) but also HAL and at least one voyage on The World.

 

Anyway... our FOD meetings on the Alaska cruise ended up being a mix of gays and Corrine who were... Friends of Dorothy. We ended up one night drinking champagne and nibbling hors deuves (bet I spelt that wrong) in the Celebrity Suite of Corrine and her husband. She was fabulous, covered in diamonds, very Sally Spectra, and her husband very handsome in a Mafia Don kind of way! She was the perfect Friend of Dorothy.

 

The Hawaii sector of the cruise brought a whole new crowd aboard and at the last FOD meeting in Michaels we had nearly 20 guys and girls turn up.

 

As many of you have said we fight so hard for acceptance and non-exclusion and these meetings are a great way of meeting both gays and others who want to show their acceptance and offer their friendship.

 

For those of you who want a gay only meeting maybe someone needs to come up with a bit more 'exclusive' group name to use on an invite, something that makes it very obvious what group the invite is aimed at, without being rude of course - friends of ? :D

[newfarmers]

and in the time it took me to type that post we've moved on to page 19

 

eeks!

[tinlizzy]

Andrew- I loved the spice story! Thank you for graciously accepting the role of host as I feel as if I'm in a total immersion foreign language course and wouldn't have a clue about the answers.

 

Which ties in with newfarmers thoughts...

 

As many of you have said we fight so hard for acceptance and non-exclusion and these meetings are a great way of meeting both gays and others who want to show their acceptance and offer their friendship.

 

There really is a majority of acceptance in the US. Sadly the minority is much louder and more vocal. Personally, I am sickened and embarrassed that the likes of me act like that and would love to have the ammunition to combat the rhetoric. That requires a working knowledge (and for a lot of folks a personal affiliation - "one of my best friends is gay") of you as people and gay lifestyles. What I'm saying is I can't fight stereotypes if stereotypes are the only thing that come to mind based on my limited exposure. My view is straights may be coming to FOD meetings because it is the one of the few times when you are cornered, so to speak, and they can ask questions, chit-chat, make a friend, without the preface "Are you gay:o ?".

 

For all the posters who objected at the beginning of the thread to straights attending FOD....does this make sense? Perhaps other straight posters would agree?

 

Shepp- keep those questions coming. I'm learning so much. What are you, an over the road trucker?-disappearing for stretches of time.:D

 

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.

Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me!

Getting to know you, getting to feel free and easy.

When I am with you, getting to know what to say......

[tinlizzy]

Anita Bryant was the first anti-gay rhetoric I remember hearing. I was only 10 and didn't have a clue what gay was and remember my Dad pausing in front of the TV and saying, "Hmm, I thought she was a nice lady." Wasn't she wearing a bright yellow outfit?

[etoile]

and in the time it took me to type that post we've moved on to page 19

 

eeks!

Yeah, but we're all just gabbing now! :)

 

(I would agree that Alexis Arquette is now their sister...)

[derf5585]

(I would agree that Alexis Arquette is now their sister...)

 

On February 26, 2007, Alexis was a guest on The Adam Carolla Show. Danny Bonaduce, a co-host, asked Alexis if he had a wang.

from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_Arquette

[etoile]

On February 26, 2007, Alexis was a guest on The Adam Carolla Show. Danny Bonaduce, a co-host, asked Alexis if he had a wang.

from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_Arquette

I'm not surprised. The Adam Carolla show is not exactly trans-sensitive. It's my understanding that she has not undergone reassignment surgery, but that doesn't mean she's not a transgendered woman.

[02143]

I'm not surprised. The Adam Carolla show is not exactly trans-sensitive. It's my understanding that she has not undergone reassignment surgery, but that doesn't mean she's not a transgendered woman.

 

Yeah, Alexis Arquette was the mystery client on the first episode of Bravo's Top Design and she's clearly living and identifying as a woman.

[tinlizzy]

I saw that episode and didn't really know who Alexis was.

 

Etoile- are there any nature/nurture theories for lesbians? My aunt is a lesbian. She was my aunt through marriage so after the divorce and her move to Colorado I only saw her one more time. We are both adopted and she visited me when I was a teen to offer me help finding my biological parents when I was 18. We didn't talk about her sexual orientation.

 

Nature vs. nurture is intriguing. I have been in a study at the University of Iowa since I was 18 examining whether alcohol/drug abuse is hereditary. After 21 years they still don't have a definative answer. However, the study has had a surprising result. It seems to indicate that smoking is hereditary. Now, I also have Lupus which is auto-immune and auto-immune diseases are hereditary. So I wondered if the study wasn't actually picking up on a biological reason people smoke because smoking suppresses the immune system.

 

If the theory that auto-immune antibodies to testosterone are possibly a factor for male homosexuality I also wonder if their mothers were non-smokers?

[Blazerboy]

Just guesses here:

 

What is Driven slush? Was that perhaps her arch rival, Joan? Gee, ya' might have to take away my card...:eek:

 

Apropos of nothing: I liked when they said about Doris Day that "I knew her BEFORE she was a virgin" Apparently notorious until she started playing all those virginal roles...:rolleyes:

 

 

Oh well...

 

Andrew

[Ephraim]

Driven slush is correct, but you definitely have the wrong Gay icon....

 

Other famous quotes:

 

"Television could perform a great service in mass education, but there's no indication its sponsors have anything like this on their minds."

 

"I've tried several varieties of sex, all of which I hate. The conventional position makes me claustrophobic; the others give me a stiff neck and/or lockjaw."

 

She was supposedly the inspiration for Cruella de Ville.

[tinlizzy]

Divine? Or was she was the inspiration for Disney's Ursala the Sea Witch? She was one of the people I thought of for the jeopardy game. Didn't she play a biker in a movie?