Archive for April, 2021
May Eve 2021
Posted in Holidays, tagged holidays, paganism on April 30, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Head Canon
Posted in Biography, Miscellaneous, tagged imaginative fiction, psychology on April 29, 2021| 7 Comments »
Every fictional universe has some set of stories and story-elements which are considered canonical while others are not. Generally, most of the stories produced or authorized by the copyright holders are considered canon, while fan stories are not; however, in some circumstances some stories and plot development which were once “official” are later quietly disregarded (usually because they cause too many continuity problems, like the ridiculous “Warp 5 speed limit” introduced in a latter-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and promptly ignored by every other writer). But it’s not at all unusual for fans of a sci-fi or fantasy series to also have a “head canon”, a set of stories and elements that they consider “official” in their own internal picture of that universe, which is separate from whatever the corporate owners might declare. Such mental structures allow the fan to include or exclude elements which might affect his willing suspension of disbelief or otherwise alter his appreciation of the imaginary world. For me, one of those elements is chronology; for example, I have absolutely no tolerance for the loosey-goosey sliding past of comic books, in which superheroes always stay the same age for decades and their origins keep changing to suit a contemporary framework. So whenever I read or watch a series, it’s important for me to keep a timeline (on a notepad or computer file if it’s too complex to organize in my head) so that I can keep track of the order in which things happen, how long it was from x event to y, and so on. That’s why I especially appreciate shows like Babylon 5 and novels like The Lord of the Rings, in which the creator maintains a close watch on dates and sequences of events, and characters age and change as they do in the real world; when the person or persons in charge don’t pay attention or even blatantly disregard such recordkeeping, this is what my head does. So I think we can all agree that it would just be better if everyone plotted their stories with a calendar handy, so as to save Maggie’s brain all that extra work.
In the News (#1132)
Posted in Current Events, Miscellaneous, News, Obituary, Tyranny, tagged Castle on a Cloud, China, cops, Florida, Guinea Pigs, lawheads, Missouri, Nevada, Never Call the Cops, New York, politicians, propaganda, Stalkers in Blue, stripping, surveillance, Swedish model, teachers, Texas, The Last Shall Be First, transgender, United Kingdom, Welcome to the Future on April 28, 2021| Leave a Comment »
They will still be criminalizing…our landlords, friends, drivers, and customers. – Maya Morena
Tempest Storm, the legendary burlesque star who blazed a trail for strip-tease artists for more than a half-century, has died. She was 93…Storm had been struggling after surgery on her right hip on April 8…In 1956, she became the highest-paid burlesque performer in history when she signed a 10-year contract at $100,000 a year with the Bryan-Engels burlesque production company. Soon after signing that deal, Storm married Herb Jeffries, the singer in Duke Ellington’s Orchestra known as Hollywood’s first singing black cowboy. Seen as scandalous at the time, Storm would say the marriage cost her a potentially lucrative film career…Storm first performed in Las Vegas in 1951…and as late as 1987…She was 59 at the time…
We did warn y’all that this wouldn’t stop with actual sex workers:
…it’s become increasingly clear…that the World Wide Web is…[no longer] a particularly hospitable place for…sex that deviates in any way from social norms. Polyamorous dating app #Open…was removed from the Google Play Store for allegedly violating Google’s “Sexual Content and Profanity policy”…for including the words “threesomes,” “3some,” “DTF” and “kinky dates”…[because] they “imply sexual gratification.” After removing the offending terms…the app was eventually reinstated…“without any notice…from Google,” following a nine-day suspension…[Creators Amanda] Wilson and [David] Epstein claim the suspension significantly damaged their business, costing #Open an estimated 2,000 potential new members…as well as causing the app to lose its position as the number one dating app to appear in searches for “polyamory”…
Oh noes, it damaged their business! Surely that has never happened to the millions of sex workers Wilson & Epstein don’t give a shit about, thanks to these terrible policies they never opposed until they were harmed.
Another sexual predator specifically targets traumatized women:
A [typical and representative cop] who [stalked] four vulnerable domestic abuse victims has been dismissed for “appalling” gross misconduct…Colin Noble…[of] West Midlands Police…[was] secretly recorded…[by one woman aking her for] nudes…He a[sked another to show him]…her breasts…other complainants [produced]…a “catalogue of completely inappropriate comments” [he made] between 2014 and 2017…he turned up at [one victim’s] house unannounced up to 30 times, telling her she was “too pretty” for her boyfriend…[and] asking…if she had “ever slept with a black man”…[another] lied about having moved away from the Midlands to stop his calls…
In a just world, every politician in Pasco County would be jailed & the cop shop shut down:
The U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation into…Pasco [County, Florida] school [bureaucrats’ violation of] federal law by sharing private student information with the…Sheriff’s Office…the school district shared information on student grades, discipline and attendance with [pigs, who then] used the data to compile a secret list of s[tudents] it [targeted for harassment based on claims that they] could “fall into a life of crime”…The school district has…repeated[ly lied, claiming that giving thugs information they could use to ruin young people’s lives is] a…“proper use of student information”…The Sheriff’s Office…[lied] that the program does not label kids as potential criminals, despite what its own manual says…
Putting stock in what politicians only say is like trying to build a castle on a cloud:
The Manhattan district attorney’s office announced…it would no longer prosecute prostitution and unlicensed massage…Cyrus R. Vance Jr….[claimed] his office had fully shifted its approach to prostitution [but this is a lie, because]…The office will continue to prosecute other [consensual] crimes related to prostitution, including [giving] sex workers [money] and sex [workers working together, keeping incalls, and other mundane practices demonized by prohibitionists as “trafficking”]…Vance’s move [appears to be intended to confuse voters who support his political opponent Eliza Orlins, who is calling for the actual decriminalization of sex work rather than Vance’s de facto Swedish criminalization]…
Lest you think this is strictly a Chinese pathology, follow the subtitle link:
China’s Communist government has launched a new app that encourages citizens to report [others] for expressing “mistaken opinions” on the Internet…The new platform will target anyone who criticizes the dictatorship’s ruling CCP, disputes the official version of the country’s history or engages in “misinformation…and denying Party, national and military history in an attempt to confuse people’s thinking”…China already operates an onerous social credit score system that bans people from using transportation and engaging in other basic functions of society if they commit minor [sins] like jaywalking or buying too much junk food…
The Last Shall Be First (#1128)
The mother of a transgender boy made a powerful speech [to] Texas [politicians], urging them not to pass legislation that would criminalize parents who allowed their children to receive [gender] affirming procedures…There are more than 10 [current] bills in Texas that specifically target transgender youth…Two [of them] would classify a medical practitioner helping a [legal minor] to transition as “abuse”…[another] would prevent liability insurance coverage for gender-affirming surgeries and treatments for [minors]…Several other states are considering anti-trans legislation [including]…Missouri…
Diary #565
Posted in Diary, tagged activism, politicians, Washington (state) on April 27, 2021| 1 Comment »
I had only a few days back at Sunset before heading back out again, but at least it was only an overnight to the east side of the Olympic peninsula, namely the convention of the Libertarian Party of Washington over in Port Orchard. I was on a panel on sex work decriminalization early Sunday afternoon and it’s only a two-hour drive, so I could’ve just gotten up early Sunday and driven over. But since I didn’t really know where I was going and wanted time to schmooze (such interactions are useful in building coalitions and making contacts), they covered a hotel room for me Saturday night and I drove over after dinner. I was glad I did, not only because Sunday morning was less hectic, but also because it gave me a chance to talk to some other awesome sex worker activists. The audience was really receptive to what we had to say, which is especially important now that things are finally starting to move (albeit with glacial slowness), because we’ll need all the allies we can get. Alas, I never sleep well when I know I have to get up, so I got home pretty exhausted Sunday night and then wrote this; if it’s a bit short and blah, at least I have a good excuse.
Back Issue #94
Posted in Miscellaneous, tagged blogging on April 26, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Prohibitionists simply adore pimps. – “Subtle Pimping”
- Bitching about sexual attraction is like complaining about water being wet.
- Stupidly endangering oneself is not a political statement; it’s just stupid.
- Raising pullets was like having a box of tiny clowns in my laundry room.
- Women do not always have the luxury of obeying stupid, arbitrary laws.
- Both halves of the U.S. Big Government Party are against sexual rights.
- Valeria Messalina, the Roman empress who enjoyed playing the whore.
- Female escorts paid to pretend to be clients of imaginary male escorts.
- “The purpose of FOSTA is to punish anyone who engages in sex work.“
- Using a well-known study to cross-check my whore census estimate.
- “Stormy is not speaking out because it’s fun or a great career move.“
- Is porn in which women beat up men still “violence against women”?
- The idiocy of tribalism has increased with the waxing of this century.
- My feeings about cop fans, with help from the late, great Ted Geisel.
- Imaginative sex law ideas proposed by politicians in Alaska & Texas.
- “Government confuses the public by using scary but vapid words.“
- Do you advocate that escorts adhere strictly to a referral system?
- Either my strangest column ever, or not. Or both simultaneously.
- Girl Scouts taught propaganda belief rather than critical thinking.
- The real origin of that claim about “300,000 trafficked children”.
- Those who call themselves “anti-porn” are in reality pro-rape.
- “Government attacks on sex workers undermine their safety.“
- Is New Orleans serious about giving up on harassing whores?
- An extreme example of how anti-whore laws hurt all women.
- Are the negative effects of underage sex as bad as claimed?
- Sex workers refute the claims of neofeminist prohibitionists.
- Jezebel compares use of sexual metaphors to forcible rape.
- Those who define sex work as criminality just don’t get it.
- Is it just me, or are you less patient than you used to be?
- Cops try to blame the Long Island murders on hobbyists.
- Breaking news: President Obama has a human friend!
- How can I make sure that a lady doesn’t have a pimp?
- “Women who dress like sluts are asking to be raped.”
- Helpful dating advice from government. Yes, really.
- “Bodily autonomy should not be subject to debate.“
- Do you mind editing or deleting reader comments?
- Witch-hunting is still a popular pastime in Salem.
- Who gets to define what the “collective good” is?
- How prohibitionists take statistics out of context.
- A sex worker-friendly offshore hosting company.
- What’s the legal definition of prostitution again?
- 23 “sex trafficking” idiocies in one short article.
- The ludicrous “real men don’t buy girls” fiasco.
- An influx of web traffic and my first milestone.
- On the arrests of Michael Lacey & Jim Larkin.
- Jezebel’s weird ambivalence about sex work.
- “If you really care about us, just listen to us.”
- How can I deal with work-related anxiety?
- It’s time to stop the ruinous Gender War.
- “Our political class believes in myths.”
- Prohibitionists are the biggest pimps.
- The Long Island Killer may be a cop.
- Real men support sex worker rights.
- Getting to meet one of my heroines.
- Getting worse before it gets better.
- A call to action by Stacey Swimme.
- Why “safe harbor” laws don’t work.
- The Swedish rot reaches France.
- Reminiscing about lost friends.
- The “house rules” of this blog.
- The destruction of Backpage.
- A cartoon version of myself.
- Judd not, lest ye be Judded.
- What would Orrin Hatch do?
- A hooker coffee klatsch.
- A faerie tale.
Links #564
Posted in Current Events, History, Links, Miscellaneous, Music, Obituary, Tyranny, tagged Australia, Colorado, cops, Egypt, imaginative fiction, Oregon, racism, United Kingdom, video, Virginia, Washington DC on April 25, 2021| 1 Comment »
You’re fixin’ to ride the lightning. – “Officer” Joe Gutierrez
If Western culture emphasized composer over performer in popular music as it does with orchestral music, Jim Steinman would be recognized as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. In honor of his passing, here’s a video of the one hit he had as a performer; compare and contrast with Meat Loaf performing the same song a little over a decade later. The links above the video were provided by Lucy Steigerwald, Franklin Harris, Tim Cushing, Jesse Walker, Cop Crisis, Radley Balko, and Nun Ya, in that order.
- The Crate Escape.
- R.I.P. Jim Steinman and Felix Silla.
- As an OCD person, I totallly get this.
- Lost cities appeal to my adolescent self.
- Cop beats up old woman for being demented.
- Cops repeatedly show you what they are. Believe them.
- Cop rewarded with paid vacation for murdering innocent couple.
From the Archives
- Cops raping whores is so ubiquitous, others pose as cops to facilitate rape.
- Sex work businesses are ineligible for loans; individuals still get the check.
- “With faggots out of the way…we can focus on helping their child victims”.
- Declaring things “non-essential” is a versatile excuse for authoritarianism.
- “A brief period of time”, when DHS is building a giant biometric database.
- As long as our work is marginalized, whores will be targeted for violence.
- Do I really have to add, “Not because you saw your neighbors outdoors”?
- Puritanical language is an intrinsic part of any massage parlor raid story.
- The state cages women to force their participation in its morality plays.
- Irish prohibitionists celebrated this increase in violence vs sex workers.
- Notice how fanatics like to focus on demonizing one website at a time?
- Could this racist attempt to deter black migrants be more transparent?
- At last, the psychiatric community takes aim at “porn addiction” myth.
- Massage parlors are now taking the brunt of “sex trafficking” hysteria.
- Americans will believe basically any scaremongering about teenagers.
- UK cops keep pretending they want to “help” the women they harass.
- Tyranny starts with despised minorities, but never stops with them.
- Sometimes they don’t even hide the hysteria’s religious foundation.
- Another complete shitshow involving a sleazy review board owner.
- Abrogating freedom of religion and freedom of assembly at once.
- Sex workers are always among the first targeted for deportation.
- “Sex trafficking” means whatever “authorities” want it to mean.
- Cops, pets, bullshit, Mr. Electrico, song covers and much more.
- I’m pleased so many reporters recognized Harris’ sociopathy.
- It’s good to see the “sex addiction” myth slowly falling apart.
- Cam work isn’t just a stopgap measure; it’s a specialization.
- Wealth and power do not create evil; they merely enable it.
- Because they care so very much about “trafficking victims”.
- And guess who gets to declare that an “emergency” exists?
- The right way to cancel an appointment with a sex worker.
- Maya Morena on yet another gang of prohibitionist nitwits.
- Kaytlin Bailey presents a “whore’s eye view” of US history.
- Documenting my progress toward crazy cat lady status.
- Prohibitionists just can’t stop beating this dead horse.
- Cops, politicians, millipedes, Nilsson and much more.
- Indian sex workers are tired of politicians’ bullshit.
- Compare to the ugly behavior of France & the US.
- People sometimes ask why I’m not on Facebook.
- No, this sociopath isn’t pro-decriminalization.
- Dealing with an overstimulated pineal gland.
- Another example of sex worker ingenuity.
- It’s just going to keep getting worse.
- The “Swedish model” helps women!
- Far beyond mere spooge-throwing.
- April 2016 and 2017 in retrospect.
- All prohibitionism is the same.
- Rapist cops of the week.
- A classic case of NHI.
In the Abstract
Posted in Favorites, Philosophy, tagged BDSM, bisexuality, drugs, psychology on April 23, 2021| 1 Comment »
The other day I saw a tweet in which someone expressed incredulity that others might not like something he likes. Now, beyond this statement I’m not going to comment on the obvious silliness of the idea that everyone should like the same things, because I think normal people who aren’t cases of arrested development learn that sometime around the age of four or five. Nor am I going to mention what specific thing he was tweeting about, because it really isn’t important to the point I want to make. And that point is, there are lots of reasons a person might desire something in the abstract, yet never partake of it in reality. No substance, object, activity, or other thing a person might like exists as a Platonic ideal; regardless of what pleasure or benefit someone might derive from a thing, there are always costs, drawbacks, side effects, complications or other negatives which tend to counteract the benefits. And so every responsible adult decision to indulge in a pleasure requires consideration of the give and take: Can I afford this? Can I handle the negative health effects? Do I have time today? Will it somehow harm those I care about? Obviously, immature, irresponsible, or foolish people often skip this consideration, with predictable consequences; so do those suffering addiction or mental health issues around the desired thing. And puritans (or, again, people suffering from certain psychological or emotional disorders) often do exactly the opposite by denying themselves a pleasure whose negative effects are trifling, imaginary, or both. But well-balanced individuals may very well refuse themselves things they would very much like to enjoy because in their judgment, the negative factors outweigh the positive. I can’t help looking at the wide variety of delicious candies on display every time I go shopping, but I never buy them because I want to maintain my figure; I don’t drink nearly as much liquor as I’d like for exactly the same reason. At this exact moment I’d prefer to be stoned, but I’m delaying that gratification so as to finish this essay; there are other drugs I haven’t partaken of for a while because I prefer to enjoy them with companions who have been isolating for the past year due to their own health concerns. Pretty girls are nice to look at, but experience has taught me that doing more than looking is always more trouble than it’s worth, and as I wrote in “Out of the Dark“,
…there are some things I’ve found very hot my entire life yet have never acted on, and probably never will. And there are other things I’ve tried, enjoyed and still find hot as hell, but will probably never act on again because they either come with too much baggage or it’s much too difficult to find the right person or persons to do them with.
And this, I think, is the main reason the tweet I spoke of at the beginning annoyed me so much: if someone doesn’t share your likes it may simply be a matter of different strokes, or it may be that they do share them, but are less fortunate than you in being able to afford their economic, social, practical, or emotional costs.
A Bee in Their Bonnets
Posted in Current Events, Miscellaneous, tagged internet, yellow journalism on April 22, 2021| 4 Comments »
I find it more than a little bit amusing that so many people get so bent out of shape by the Babylon Bee. For those who aren’t familiar with it, it’s a satirical news site like The Onion, but with a conservative Christian bent, not-unlike the way Reductress has a feminist bent. A lot of the Bee‘s articles have too pronounced a Christian bias to be funny IMHO, and some of them are flat-out offensive (especially the ones springing from anti-abortion or pro-cop propaganda), but a lot of the time they’re quite funny; furthermore, similar caveats apply to The Onion, Clickhole, Reductress, National Lampoon, and even MAD. Satire isn’t easy, which is why there aren’t half a dozen “Weird Al” Yankovics out there; one has to be able to gauge which topics deserve to be lampooned and then do so in a manner that is both smart and funny while not alienating one’s core readership. Sometimes a parody works and sometimes it doesn’t, and if there were a sure-fire formula for predicting a hit every creator in every creative genre would be a smashing success. But while there are a lot of legitimate criticisms of satirical news sites (including some I’ve made myself) in general, and no site can possibly amuse all of the people all of the time, there seems to be a very peculiar animus against the Babylon Bee in particular despite the fact that it’s not unfunny, offensive or just plain dumb any more often than any of the others. Once-reliable fact-checking site Snopes has repeatedly “fact checked” obviously-absurd Bee stories, despite admitting that they are clearly labeled as satire, justifying the practice with inane statements like “Some readers didn’t see much humor in the post” (a claim that could be made about every joke in every satirical poem, book, magazine, TV show, or website ever created since at least the time of Petronius). And The New York Times actually “reported the site publishes false information ‘under the guise of satire’ when the site openly admits that it’s satire.” I mean, here’s the top thing on their “about” page:
There’s nothing wrong with just saying a humorous website, show, magazine, or whatever doesn’t appeal to you; I haven’t watched Saturday Night Live since the original cast left, and there were some Kids in the Hall sketches that I found revolting. And sooner or later the Bee will probably print some dumb anti-whore thing that’ll piss me off enough that I’ll be done with them, too. But even then I won’t repeatedly expend effort criticizing them as though they were Michael Moore presenting propaganda as fact, and doing so makes the Times, Snopes, et all look like clueless puritans with a stick so far up their arses it’s coming out from between their teeth. Which, come to think of it, they basically are.