Minnesota
Long time hobbyist, occaisonal reader, old poster says:
Well folks, i've been quiet because of life management issues, but I've got a breather here, and I wanted to address some of the recent paranoia.
Who benefits most from rumor? LE to some extent and the moral majority. But also competing providers, disgruntled or mentally ill clients, lawyers, and gossip lovers.
Funny, i know a few providers and a few hobbyists and they are conducting business just fine. There is no secret STD or sting going on. Just a lot of extra fear that we don't need in our lives.
It seems that everywhere lately people are trying to get us to give up are rights and keep us from our desires in the name of fear. This whole 911 thing has made huge in-roads on internet privacy infringement. The whole MGC thing put scores of people in fear of nothing.
Business keeps going on. Wear protection and shouldn't have anything to fear (well herpes and genital warts can be spread by oral contact or through non-condom covered openings).
And think about who has the most to gain from your fear... who has the most to gain from rumor?
Take the good and the bad with a grain of salt, mellow out. Conduct business carefully. If you are in doubt, stick those people you know.
And remember, if anyone gets busted, this is what will happen to most (non-criminal types):
1. slap on the hand and minor fine, maybe community work, a sex ed class, etc
2. The person busted will most likely e-mail his buddies and post on these boards "i got busted the other day..."
Has anyone seen a post like that? Not really.
Furthermore everyone I know who has been busted has done something reasonably stupid. And believe me, I know a lot of criminals, I come from a long line of them. But maybe I am just cautious. I hear a lot of rumors about elaborate entrapment, but rarely do I hear any of it first hand, from the source. Funny. And when I do hear it first hand, I often catch a hint of the victim mentality of a person who cannot accept blame for an honest mistake or an exceptionally stupid mistake. We are taught to be shamed by our dumb behavior so we often cover it up with excuses.
Fear fear itself, and go on living life.
Now I know a few people will go off aobut this post, and here are some likely complaints:
1. i wasn't trying to spread gossip, I actually know someone who knows that blah blah.... hmm sounds like third party crap again
2. hey, I am important, and if I get busted, my life will go down the tubes. Nah, no you are not unless you are a celebrity or someone really in the public. Self-aggrandisement won't get you anywhere. You can handle a misdemeanor, and chances are you won't ever get one. So get over your exaggerated self-importance.
3. an STD is a serious matter. well, first off no one was pursued by the police because of STD issue. you are more likely to get one from a stranger in a bar. furthermore, if you don't wear a glove, you are part of the problem and you deserve your fate pal.
Bottom line is I am sick of the lame panic. Sick of lame excuses. Sick of a culture of fear. Sick of senseless gossip.
Thats my rant!
have a smurfy day... 