Pros do it safer

Comment on Disease risk higher for swingers than prostitutes | Reuters.com at 6/24/2010 3:40PM EST

binethere222 is absolutely right (and hilarious) to point out the PR win for the Amsterdam red light district. Try this study in any other country, and you will not find these results (shame on the headline writer; if one were not educated about the situation in the Netherlands, one could draw the wrong conclusion about swingers, and prostitutes).

Of course if you go where prostitutes have really high rates of STI, and scientists will never get access to the sex workers. But even here in the US where violence against sex workers is relatively moderate, I'd wager that 45+ y.o. swingers have lower rates than rookie year hookers even. One simply does not sell sex illegally if one is long-term minded.

Short of having only one or no partners - it seems legal prostitution is the safest way to plan your sex life.

Strippers make great pedagogues

Comment on Once a Sex Worker, Always a Sex Worker | Good.is at 6/22/2010 3:37 PM EST

I wish that we lived in a world where sex work did not carry the same stigma, but such a world would probably not serve the workers as it does today. Ms. Petro made lots of money in the trade because of the stigma, and it's hard to imagine jobs and wages as good as they are without the majority of sexy youths shunning the industry.

I cannot however say that I would ever allow my own children to be taught by a teacher who has worked as a stripper or prostitute. Former pro athletes and models would also be simply unacceptable. Like others in rich nations who fall into sex work, Petro describes herself as "a product of a broken, working-class household." I don't stand for undue elitism, but that's not the kind of person who should be in a teaching position. Let's admit, the middle class is gone, and people today grow up rich or poor. Thousands of years of academic progress simply cannot be well introduced by someone without economic opportunities early on. That is not the same person who chooses (or is victimized) by the sex industry.

Before you go ape, please think a moment on the context of my opinion. Teaching builds on social psychology, human development, and expert knowledge in their subject areas. We are talking about a rare and cultured individual. Plato ring a bell?

My point is that many people in the teaching profession (and most in elementary education) are glorified baby sitters. Children can learn from them, but don't expect anything more than any literate parent could provide themselves. Nothing short of violent crime should bar a good-willed person from that kind of job. But I would be irresponsible in ignoring an indicator like sex work if I were hiring a real teacher. Standards for our intellectual leaders should be high, and a candidate like Ms. Petro (through no fault of her own) would never qualify.

Book Day!

Who says news is only in the news media?

Amazon customer, Robert "Rob" Richards from San Antonio, Texas was one of many frustratingly dangerous half-apes who loved the book, A Jealous God. His review on Amazon drew my response. You have it here:

Fella, the fuss is generated by people who don't understand the science and never will, like you and your author.

I grew up surrounded by many religions and cultures - and was offended by this book's characterization. If you need to demonize the only positive social force in the last 200 years to justify your religious beliefs, then they probably weren't based on the most solid ground.

"Finally, a book filled with fact and measured analysis, not empty rhetoric."

Yes... I'd hate to make a religious argument based on empty rhetoric and ritual symbolism.

People can be bad, yes. And with science they can certainly take advantage of naive people, yes. But if you can't understand the difference between science and religion, you'd be forgiven for mistaking a weapon for a soldier. One is a tool - the other is a self-righteous person who would kill anyone who is not on their 'side'. Clear things up?

Religion is under attack - from within. For centuries, this con was run by the most cutthroat, ambitious leaders in the world - and it held up. Now that there are greater profits in business and the non-denominational public world, is it really such a surprise that the business of organized religions is crumbling under it's own incompetence?

PS. Why do this book's author, and all its readers insist on labeling everything a crusade? Is is to sell tickets for the big fight?

Download A Jealous God on the kindle today for $14.29.
Or have it shipped for $2.98 new, and $0.14 used.