Have any of you ever watched pornography with a bunch of other guys?
The only times in my life that I've ever done this (the last time I remember was at a bachelor party) it was really bizarre to me. It doesn't seem like the kind of activity that is best done in a group. It is uncomfortable, actually.
Interestingly, though, if I was to go to a strip club I wouldn't want to go alone. Infact, I'd be uncomfortable unless there were friends of mine there and it was a "group" activity.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Random Notes 4/20/08
- Regarding today's date... I haven't done a 4/20 in years. I think the last time was just around the end of college... about 8.5 years ago. I miss it sometimes, but not enough to start again. Maybe I'll do a 10-year reunion celebration.
- Living in South Jersey, I've been going to Atlantic City for poker action more and more often as time has gone on. I like to find tournaments when I go. There are about 10 casinos that have poker, however. So, in my Favorites on Internet Explorer, I had a list of each casino's poker page that I could compile when I would decide to do down. I'd been doing this for months. However, recently, I realized that I could simplify my life and just go to Google and search for "Atlantic City Poker Tournaments". I quickly found something that had everything in one place (here's the link, if you're interested).
The point? Always search on Google first before you do anything else. I knew this, but just didn't think to do it.
- I used to spend time as a kid at a friend's house in Teaneck who lives on Brinkerhoff Road. Her family used to do something which I regarded as extremely quirky - they would always leave their computer's power on, even when they weren't using the computer. They would just turn the monitor off. I would question my friend and her parents about this. Their response was that it was "bad" for the computer to start up too much, and thus this was prolonging the life of their computer.
I don't know if they're right or not, but I will say that it would be convenient to not have to wait the 5 minutes or so for the computer to get started, booted, etc... each time I need to quickly do something. I've found myself leaving the power on even when I'm running out for a couple of hours.
- Finally, sports injuries really freak me out. I'm not that squeamish in general, but I can't watch injuries without being disgusted. I suppose that's natural. Anyway, if you have more balls than me, go to this link, watch some of the videos, and tell me what you think. I can't do it.
- Living in South Jersey, I've been going to Atlantic City for poker action more and more often as time has gone on. I like to find tournaments when I go. There are about 10 casinos that have poker, however. So, in my Favorites on Internet Explorer, I had a list of each casino's poker page that I could compile when I would decide to do down. I'd been doing this for months. However, recently, I realized that I could simplify my life and just go to Google and search for "Atlantic City Poker Tournaments". I quickly found something that had everything in one place (here's the link, if you're interested).
The point? Always search on Google first before you do anything else. I knew this, but just didn't think to do it.
- I used to spend time as a kid at a friend's house in Teaneck who lives on Brinkerhoff Road. Her family used to do something which I regarded as extremely quirky - they would always leave their computer's power on, even when they weren't using the computer. They would just turn the monitor off. I would question my friend and her parents about this. Their response was that it was "bad" for the computer to start up too much, and thus this was prolonging the life of their computer.
I don't know if they're right or not, but I will say that it would be convenient to not have to wait the 5 minutes or so for the computer to get started, booted, etc... each time I need to quickly do something. I've found myself leaving the power on even when I'm running out for a couple of hours.
- Finally, sports injuries really freak me out. I'm not that squeamish in general, but I can't watch injuries without being disgusted. I suppose that's natural. Anyway, if you have more balls than me, go to this link, watch some of the videos, and tell me what you think. I can't do it.
Nessun Dorma
I don't watch much reality TV at all these days. That being said, one of the more amazing moments in reality television happened some time ago on the British show "Britain's Got Talent". They tried to spin it off into an American version "America's Got Talent" Actually, I'm not sure if AGT is still on the air.
Anyway, this regular-guy cell-phone salesman Paul Potts, from Wales, sang an opera song called Nessun Dorma. The clip is posted below. I think the reactions to his singing are genuine and I think it qualifies as an amazing TV moment.
The song was not just a random opera song, either. Apparently, Pavarotti had done a version of it in the past and the song was widely used promotionally during the soccer broadcasts of the 1990 World Cup in Britain. The song became a popular hit, and so when the guy sang this version it was a widely known song in the Britain pop-culture lexicon.
Here is Pavarotti singing his version. It's surreal that the sound is coming out of a human being.
Anyway, this regular-guy cell-phone salesman Paul Potts, from Wales, sang an opera song called Nessun Dorma. The clip is posted below. I think the reactions to his singing are genuine and I think it qualifies as an amazing TV moment.
The song was not just a random opera song, either. Apparently, Pavarotti had done a version of it in the past and the song was widely used promotionally during the soccer broadcasts of the 1990 World Cup in Britain. The song became a popular hit, and so when the guy sang this version it was a widely known song in the Britain pop-culture lexicon.
Here is Pavarotti singing his version. It's surreal that the sound is coming out of a human being.
Prostitution
The Courier-Post is South Jersey's answer to the Bergen Record. It serves the heavily populated suburban areas near Philadelphia, much as the Bergen Record does for Bergen County.
Anyway, it is my local paper and I often peruse it. In the classified section, I often notice the handful of ads underneath "personal services". There are usually more than a handful in the Bergen Record as well. They are usually things that say "massage", but they are listed in the same section with things like "adult chat lines". Therefore, I would infer that these massages would not be confined to one's back and shoulders. And, then, I wonder if prostitution is illegal, how could these ads be allowed to be published? These ads are such a thinly veiled advertisement for prostitution. It would be equivalent to an ad that said something like "Want to do what Bob Marley does? Call 555-5555 for directions and prices. Bring your own bong." This analogy is not funny, or clever, but you get the idea.
Anyway, there is an ad that shows up often in my paper which is not even listed as "massage". In a typical paper, the same phone number appears with big, boldfaced ads three or four times in a given paper, each time with something different like "Hi, I'm Daisy. I'm a cheerleader and I can't wait to bust out of my uniform and show you my 36-D pom-poms. Call xxx-xxx-xx00" -- or "I'm Kate. A long day in the office has got me tense. I can't wait to get out of this business suit..." with the same number. The number ends in two zeroes, which struck me as numbers ending in "hundred" are usually fairly big businesses. These ads / phone number have been in the paper for at least 2 and a half years, the time I've lived down here.
This is crazy, I thought. Can they just advertise escorts / prostitutes so blantantly? The Philadelphia free paper has similar ads with pictures - but that is a free, city paper and this is our suburban, family-safe paper! And, wouldn't law enforcement notice these repeated ads and decide to crack down? Could it be that this number just a police sting to arrest potential johns?
So, curiousity got the best of me and one evening I had to hear what would happen when a random person calls this number. I went to a pay-phone, put in 50 cents, and dialed the number. I reminded myself to not solicit any illegal activity, lest there be any misunderstanding and a bunch of cops drive up to the phone booth I was at to arrest me for soliciting or whatever.
Them: "Hello, can I help you?"
Me: "Yes, I saw your ad in the paper."
Them: "Ok, it's $190 cash for the hour."
Me: "Uhh..."
Them: "Are you calling from a hotel?"
Me: "No, I'm at a payphone."
Them: "Hold on..."
"..."
Them: "Ok, hon, you're going to have to call us back from either a cell phone or from a hotel. Get set up and call us back."
Me: "Ok. So what's with all the different names of women in the paper?"
Them: "Well, what kind of woman are you looking for?"
I hung up. I think I got the point, and drove home.
So, I concluded, either the people on the other end were police are searching for people to arrest (unlikely), or more likely it is an obvious thriving prostitution business.
I think it's crazy that prostitution is illegal. The reasons to keep it illegal, I suppose, are that most people think it's immoral and abusive to the women that do it. Well, what women would turn to prostitution unless they had any other choice? And if it was legal, would that be any different? Would women aspire to be prostitutes if it was a "valid" career choice? I can't imagine that they would. So, at least, it would be safe and women who do must do it would be protected both physically and financially. And plenty of guys pay for prostitution now, and they would continue to do so if it were legal.
I understand the idea that many laws are in place to protect people either from themselves or from immoral activities. And, society must weigh the financial benefits of having them be legal and what the government can make off of them, versus the suppposed moral effect these activities can have on everybody else (like casinos and cigarettes, for instance). And, sometimes government draws the line, for better or worse (like many illegal drugs).
My point is: I think we've reached the point where it's such a joke that prostitution is illegal, yet it happens so blatantly all the time. The fact that it's illegal means many women, usually immigrants, become virtual sex slaves. Make it legal. Let the government profit off of it. Give these poor exploited women some protection at least.
Anyway, it is my local paper and I often peruse it. In the classified section, I often notice the handful of ads underneath "personal services". There are usually more than a handful in the Bergen Record as well. They are usually things that say "massage", but they are listed in the same section with things like "adult chat lines". Therefore, I would infer that these massages would not be confined to one's back and shoulders. And, then, I wonder if prostitution is illegal, how could these ads be allowed to be published? These ads are such a thinly veiled advertisement for prostitution. It would be equivalent to an ad that said something like "Want to do what Bob Marley does? Call 555-5555 for directions and prices. Bring your own bong." This analogy is not funny, or clever, but you get the idea.
Anyway, there is an ad that shows up often in my paper which is not even listed as "massage". In a typical paper, the same phone number appears with big, boldfaced ads three or four times in a given paper, each time with something different like "Hi, I'm Daisy. I'm a cheerleader and I can't wait to bust out of my uniform and show you my 36-D pom-poms. Call xxx-xxx-xx00" -- or "I'm Kate. A long day in the office has got me tense. I can't wait to get out of this business suit..." with the same number. The number ends in two zeroes, which struck me as numbers ending in "hundred" are usually fairly big businesses. These ads / phone number have been in the paper for at least 2 and a half years, the time I've lived down here.
This is crazy, I thought. Can they just advertise escorts / prostitutes so blantantly? The Philadelphia free paper has similar ads with pictures - but that is a free, city paper and this is our suburban, family-safe paper! And, wouldn't law enforcement notice these repeated ads and decide to crack down? Could it be that this number just a police sting to arrest potential johns?
So, curiousity got the best of me and one evening I had to hear what would happen when a random person calls this number. I went to a pay-phone, put in 50 cents, and dialed the number. I reminded myself to not solicit any illegal activity, lest there be any misunderstanding and a bunch of cops drive up to the phone booth I was at to arrest me for soliciting or whatever.
Them: "Hello, can I help you?"
Me: "Yes, I saw your ad in the paper."
Them: "Ok, it's $190 cash for the hour."
Me: "Uhh..."
Them: "Are you calling from a hotel?"
Me: "No, I'm at a payphone."
Them: "Hold on..."
"..."
Them: "Ok, hon, you're going to have to call us back from either a cell phone or from a hotel. Get set up and call us back."
Me: "Ok. So what's with all the different names of women in the paper?"
Them: "Well, what kind of woman are you looking for?"
I hung up. I think I got the point, and drove home.
So, I concluded, either the people on the other end were police are searching for people to arrest (unlikely), or more likely it is an obvious thriving prostitution business.
I think it's crazy that prostitution is illegal. The reasons to keep it illegal, I suppose, are that most people think it's immoral and abusive to the women that do it. Well, what women would turn to prostitution unless they had any other choice? And if it was legal, would that be any different? Would women aspire to be prostitutes if it was a "valid" career choice? I can't imagine that they would. So, at least, it would be safe and women who do must do it would be protected both physically and financially. And plenty of guys pay for prostitution now, and they would continue to do so if it were legal.
I understand the idea that many laws are in place to protect people either from themselves or from immoral activities. And, society must weigh the financial benefits of having them be legal and what the government can make off of them, versus the suppposed moral effect these activities can have on everybody else (like casinos and cigarettes, for instance). And, sometimes government draws the line, for better or worse (like many illegal drugs).
My point is: I think we've reached the point where it's such a joke that prostitution is illegal, yet it happens so blatantly all the time. The fact that it's illegal means many women, usually immigrants, become virtual sex slaves. Make it legal. Let the government profit off of it. Give these poor exploited women some protection at least.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
New York Knicks
Read this title, then read the article: http://nymag.com/news/sports/45787
It's becoming easier and easier to be a Sixers fan these days...
It's becoming easier and easier to be a Sixers fan these days...
Chi Ali...
... of "Age Ain't Nuthin' But A #" fame, of appearances on Black Sheep's "Pass the 40" fame, killed somebody and is serving a 14 year sentence for murder.
At least, according to his Wikipedia page, which are never inaccurate.
At least, according to his Wikipedia page, which are never inaccurate.
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