I have heard stories from Mexican girls in East LA about being sold back and forth between gang members for thousands of dollars. They don't even try and report it to the police because they think no one will believe them.
Probably because prostitution is illegal in California so they risk incriminating themselves? Where I live it is legal, a girl can easily walk into a police station to get help. And because it is legal, a girl has no need for a pimp, since she can be self-employed and skip the middle man.
Check this out: http://sydney.locanto.com.au/W... most girls are self-employed or work for female run agencies. Only through legalisation can the industry be a safer environment for workers and customers.
Here are some references. The US State Department estimates about 21 million human trafficking victims, of which about 20% are forced into the sex trade.
That is globally, most of which is in the poor countries, not the US. I'm a regular customer because where I live it is legal and regulated. Because of this, the shops are mostly well run, safety and health is paramount, and the girls can easily go to the police if there are problems. In fact, because of the regulations, each business is registered, and police can turn up at any time for visa checks and questioning, making it extremely difficult to run any sort of slavery business (although there is the odd case from time to time). You don't get those checks and balances when prohibition pushes it all underground.
You can provide some references beyond hysterical news stories? My guess that there is some of this, but far more is drug addiction related. As well, if you read Dan Savage, you probably know that there are willing "sex workers" as well.
I live in a place where prostitution is legal. I'm a regular customer (it's quite normal here) and you'd be surprised how normal a lot of these women are. Uni students paying their way through school, Divorcees paying the mortgage, young girls earning extra money for a big holiday overseas etc.
See, I used to think the same as you and was supportive of legalised prostitution in my country (Australia). Which they have done. The problem is that it doesn't work.
There is still sexual slavery, and indeed it's much worse than before
There are just as many unfortunate, desperate men and women in prostitution to support a drug addiction
Often these people can't work in a legal brothel due to the regulations, and are hence just as vulnerable and exploited as they ever were.
Meanwhile the price has gone down
and brothels continue to be centres of organised crime. Nothing good has come of it unfortunately.
I'm sure you have citations for all these bold claims?
I'm Australian, and I've seen it work first hand. I've also heard the same old tired arguments from the wowsers that never stack up to any credible evidence. Prohibition doesn't work as well as regulation.
Odd. I own guns and I carry a gun. Can't say I want power over anyone, unless we're counting myself. I've always found it odd that the people who are most afraid of non-state actors carrying are usually the ones who also want more and more State and centralized power and authority. Thoughts?
Ooh, ooh, an open invitation for my opinion!
I wouldn't say I'm 'afraid of non-state actors carrying', hell that is a mouthful right there, I just think the current US guns laws are stupid.
I'm also not in favour of 'more and more State and centrailized power and authority', but I do think a certain amount of state power gives the greatest net gain to society overall (it certainly beats no state power, which we get to see every now again in third world countries - hint, it ain't pretty).
So we know guns can be owned privately without issue, and we know regulations at some level produce beneficial results. So where do we land?
As someone else eloquently quote the other day, guns are force multiplier for crazy people. In the right hands they can do good, in the wrong hands they can do bad.
If you have an interest in reducing harm, then I can't see how you can accept the current gun laws in the US (especially when compared with every other similar Western democracy).
I swear Slashdot should change it's name to 'Unlock Apple iPhone'. At least half the content on Slashdot seesm to be devoted to this one topic, in which the entire comments section tells us how fucked up it is. Ok we get it, it's fucked up, can we hold off any more comments until someone has anything new to say?
Which is fine because that is how the law is designed to work. The headline could've easily read "Feds use the Law to enforce their interpretation of the Law", but that wouldn't sell as many clicks...
Guns in private hands don't ruin everything, and they don't really statistically save that many people either, they just multiply the effect of the crazy people that exist in every society
I've read a lot on the gun debate, and this is one of the best summaries I've seen on the subject.
Attention is a currency. Right now Facebook, Google and co are making fortunes by converting our attention to cash through advertising. All we get in exchange is being tolerated on their properties as long as we are willing to be fed crappy adverts. We're not even consumers, we're like serfs of the medieval ages.
Except that Serfs had no choice which is a monumental difference. I don't use Facebook, nor anything Google other than Search and Maps. You always have the choice of not using them too.
For example Warren Buffet, while saying his taxes should be raised in political venues, in real life dodges taxes.
They are two different things. Paying more tax as a individual achieves very little. People are all willing to give more if they know everyone else is doing it too.
Do you remember this African country, Zimbabwe? Its paper money became useless, so useless they had trillion dollar bills printed. So it is not a good idea to keep cash forever.
Because the US economy and financial system is exactly like Zimbabwe's...
Few living people are able to remember the days when a wheelbarrow of cash was needed to buy a week's groceries.
Just out of interest, when was this? It begs the obvious question, how much money did you need to buy a wheelbarrow, and how did you get it to the wheelbarrow store?
You don't need a can opener, just a rough surface like (relatively smooth) concrete, or even a smooth stone. Rub the top of the can on it until you wear through the outer layer of crimped over metal and the lid pops right off. Just sayin'...
I always wondered why in the age of big data someone doesn't just create a work with every combination or every note, letter, timing etc and copyright all written works for the rest of time? You don't even need a full song, script, book, etc only enough of a pattern to prevent anyone else from claiming that they invented it before you.
The masses got to choose between freedom and easy, and they picked easy.
They always pick easy, this is never been not the case. All that has changed is that the Internet used to be an environment for enthusiasts whereas now everyone is there. Enthusiasts still have more choice today than they did previously.
but when we compare the behavior of our oldest daughter with friends' kids who are raised purely at home (and based on research that looks at high quality day care vs SAHM), we ultimately have chosen to stay in day care.
Ok this is just stupid. I earn more money than you but still don't put my kids in daycare. You may have hit it lucky with you eldest child's behaviour, or your friends' may have got unlucky, but I'd be interested to see what research you have that claims outsourcing parenthood is a healthier option for any child.
That said, I may buy an iPad. My daughter had hers with her last visit, and it takes REALLY sharp photos.
If you're only after really sharp photos, you'd be better off with a recent model compact camera. They're a lot cheaper, and will take much better photos.
Actually, tablet and phone cameras are getting up to par with compacts these days. If you want good REALLY sharp photos, you need a real lens. Something like the Sony Alpha is a good entry point (and still cheaper than an iPad)
That's kind of funny... because I bought my MBP nearly 3 years ago, and it has outlasted every wintel laptop I have ever owned in both longevity and staying power.
You consider 2 and 1/2 years a long time? I have a couple of Dell laptops kicking around, one is 7 years old, the other is about 11. Both still do the job but are restricted to home use now because I'm too tight to buy new batteries for them (and I have work provided laptop or tablet if I need to go portable).
It would be nice to see the same investment in nuclear power in the USA.
Let's face it, we're all going to be speaking Chinese soon. The rate of growth is insane, and they now make everything, so I'm really wondering how we remain competitive in the next 10-20 years?
Slashdot Mirror
I have heard stories from Mexican girls in East LA about being sold back and forth between gang members for thousands of dollars. They don't even try and report it to the police because they think no one will believe them.
Probably because prostitution is illegal in California so they risk incriminating themselves? Where I live it is legal, a girl can easily walk into a police station to get help. And because it is legal, a girl has no need for a pimp, since she can be self-employed and skip the middle man.
Check this out: http://sydney.locanto.com.au/W... most girls are self-employed or work for female run agencies. Only through legalisation can the industry be a safer environment for workers and customers.
Here are some references. The US State Department estimates about 21 million human trafficking victims, of which about 20% are forced into the sex trade.
That is globally, most of which is in the poor countries, not the US. I'm a regular customer because where I live it is legal and regulated. Because of this, the shops are mostly well run, safety and health is paramount, and the girls can easily go to the police if there are problems. In fact, because of the regulations, each business is registered, and police can turn up at any time for visa checks and questioning, making it extremely difficult to run any sort of slavery business (although there is the odd case from time to time). You don't get those checks and balances when prohibition pushes it all underground.
You can provide some references beyond hysterical news stories? My guess that there is some of this, but far more is drug addiction related. As well, if you read Dan Savage, you probably know that there are willing "sex workers" as well.
I live in a place where prostitution is legal. I'm a regular customer (it's quite normal here) and you'd be surprised how normal a lot of these women are. Uni students paying their way through school, Divorcees paying the mortgage, young girls earning extra money for a big holiday overseas etc.
See, I used to think the same as you and was supportive of legalised prostitution in my country (Australia). Which they have done. The problem is that it doesn't work.
I disagree
There is still sexual slavery, and indeed it's much worse than before
There are just as many unfortunate, desperate men and women in prostitution to support a drug addiction
Often these people can't work in a legal brothel due to the regulations, and are hence just as vulnerable and exploited as they ever were.
Meanwhile the price has gone down
and brothels continue to be centres of organised crime. Nothing good has come of it unfortunately.
I'm sure you have citations for all these bold claims? I'm Australian, and I've seen it work first hand. I've also heard the same old tired arguments from the wowsers that never stack up to any credible evidence. Prohibition doesn't work as well as regulation.
Your ID# indicates you haven't been here long enough to learn how to read the articles
It'd be extremely naive to think that some people don't have more than one account...
Odd. I own guns and I carry a gun. Can't say I want power over anyone, unless we're counting myself. I've always found it odd that the people who are most afraid of non-state actors carrying are usually the ones who also want more and more State and centralized power and authority. Thoughts?
Ooh, ooh, an open invitation for my opinion!
I wouldn't say I'm 'afraid of non-state actors carrying', hell that is a mouthful right there, I just think the current US guns laws are stupid.
I'm also not in favour of 'more and more State and centrailized power and authority', but I do think a certain amount of state power gives the greatest net gain to society overall (it certainly beats no state power, which we get to see every now again in third world countries - hint, it ain't pretty).
So we know guns can be owned privately without issue, and we know regulations at some level produce beneficial results. So where do we land?
As someone else eloquently quote the other day, guns are force multiplier for crazy people. In the right hands they can do good, in the wrong hands they can do bad.
If you have an interest in reducing harm, then I can't see how you can accept the current gun laws in the US (especially when compared with every other similar Western democracy).
I swear Slashdot should change it's name to 'Unlock Apple iPhone'. At least half the content on Slashdot seesm to be devoted to this one topic, in which the entire comments section tells us how fucked up it is. Ok we get it, it's fucked up, can we hold off any more comments until someone has anything new to say?
Which is fine because that is how the law is designed to work. The headline could've easily read "Feds use the Law to enforce their interpretation of the Law", but that wouldn't sell as many clicks...
Guns in private hands don't ruin everything, and they don't really statistically save that many people either, they just multiply the effect of the crazy people that exist in every society
I've read a lot on the gun debate, and this is one of the best summaries I've seen on the subject.
That is just rationalizing the hypocrisy, explaining it. That the actions are legal, rational, etc does not alter the fact they are hypocritical.
No, they are two different things. Just because you don't understand something, doesn't make it untrue
Your argument has a tragedy of the common problem.
You don't seem to understand what that is either...
Attention is a currency. Right now Facebook, Google and co are making fortunes by converting our attention to cash through advertising. All we get in exchange is being tolerated on their properties as long as we are willing to be fed crappy adverts. We're not even consumers, we're like serfs of the medieval ages.
Except that Serfs had no choice which is a monumental difference. I don't use Facebook, nor anything Google other than Search and Maps. You always have the choice of not using them too.
For example Warren Buffet, while saying his taxes should be raised in political venues, in real life dodges taxes.
They are two different things. Paying more tax as a individual achieves very little. People are all willing to give more if they know everyone else is doing it too.
Anyone who has deposited an out of town check
A check? what is this 1990?
I still have my last cheque (that's how we spell it here) book here, and the last cheque I used was in the 90's.
Do you remember this African country, Zimbabwe? Its paper money became useless, so useless they had trillion dollar bills printed. So it is not a good idea to keep cash forever.
Because the US economy and financial system is exactly like Zimbabwe's...
Few living people are able to remember the days when a wheelbarrow of cash was needed to buy a week's groceries.
Just out of interest, when was this? It begs the obvious question, how much money did you need to buy a wheelbarrow, and how did you get it to the wheelbarrow store?
You don't need a can opener, just a rough surface like (relatively smooth) concrete, or even a smooth stone. Rub the top of the can on it until you wear through the outer layer of crimped over metal and the lid pops right off. Just sayin'...
So the market will be in smooth concrete then?
What's wrong with cash?
I always wondered why in the age of big data someone doesn't just create a work with every combination or every note, letter, timing etc and copyright all written works for the rest of time? You don't even need a full song, script, book, etc only enough of a pattern to prevent anyone else from claiming that they invented it before you.
The moral of the story is: you have to be corporate big, or you have to self-host. Otherwise, you are always at risk.
Or just use any one of the services that isn't the most popular on the planet.
The masses got to choose between freedom and easy, and they picked easy.
They always pick easy, this is never been not the case. All that has changed is that the Internet used to be an environment for enthusiasts whereas now everyone is there. Enthusiasts still have more choice today than they did previously.
A lot of it boils down to the rise of heavily asymmetric connectivity combined with "no servers" clauses in many ISP contracts.
That kind of killed the whole distributed nature of things...
Only for a few years until the likes of AWS were invented.
There's no reason you can't host your own content and live like the old days.
but when we compare the behavior of our oldest daughter with friends' kids who are raised purely at home (and based on research that looks at high quality day care vs SAHM), we ultimately have chosen to stay in day care.
Ok this is just stupid. I earn more money than you but still don't put my kids in daycare. You may have hit it lucky with you eldest child's behaviour, or your friends' may have got unlucky, but I'd be interested to see what research you have that claims outsourcing parenthood is a healthier option for any child.
That said, I may buy an iPad. My daughter had hers with her last visit, and it takes REALLY sharp photos.
If you're only after really sharp photos, you'd be better off with a recent model compact camera. They're a lot cheaper, and will take much better photos.
Actually, tablet and phone cameras are getting up to par with compacts these days. If you want good REALLY sharp photos, you need a real lens. Something like the Sony Alpha is a good entry point (and still cheaper than an iPad)
That's kind of funny... because I bought my MBP nearly 3 years ago, and it has outlasted every wintel laptop I have ever owned in both longevity and staying power.
You consider 2 and 1/2 years a long time? I have a couple of Dell laptops kicking around, one is 7 years old, the other is about 11. Both still do the job but are restricted to home use now because I'm too tight to buy new batteries for them (and I have work provided laptop or tablet if I need to go portable).
It would be nice to see the same investment in nuclear power in the USA.
Let's face it, we're all going to be speaking Chinese soon. The rate of growth is insane, and they now make everything, so I'm really wondering how we remain competitive in the next 10-20 years?