Not unlike a sphere that is pulled in two different directions I too was raised between the pull of two poles. On one hand mom and granny always taught me to be forthright and polite. On the other hand, the crusty old codgers in my life (and there were many) taught me to be a straight shooter and tell it like it is even at the risk of hurting someone's feelings. In fact, from those old guys point of view hurting someone's feelings was an absolute must in order to drive home a point. Needless to say, I have spent the better part of my life walking that tight rope with a balancing pole in hand trying desperately not to fall fully into either trap. I have been blessed with the (some might call it a gift) to dog cuss someone in a polite enough manner as for it to take a few minutes to figure out just what happened. This subtlety comes from the genes of mom, or so I have been told. Mom's mouth always passed through customs before she used it and that is a family trait I appreciate. But being feisty is not a new trait on our family tree either, I should know because these days I am finding myself right on the top branch. So let me put that talent to good use today and speak on some topics that need to be treated with some frank discussion.
In the mid 30's about the time grandma graduated from high school speakeasys and boot leggers were the order of the day. Grandma lived to view life through rose colored glasses but that doesn't mean that corruption wasn't afoot. If you don't believe me, take a look at the lives of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Personally, I am sick to death of being waited on in fast food establishments by people who can barely see through the slits that were once their eyes, in other words they are stoned. However, I do see some benefits on making the devil's lettuce legal (more on that later). The truth is keeping it illegal won't stop it from happening. From felonies to lower crimes like illegal music downloads there is little incentive NOT to break the law. In other words, there is very little penalty, and these days laws are merely a suggestion. In other words, to some people a stop sign does mean stop, for others it means Spin Tires on Pavement.
Let us first study just a bit the laws that prohibited the sale of liquor on Sundays in the county I am from, this is known as a dry county. It seems to me I even had the thought as a child "a man could always buy beer on Saturday evening and drink it on Sunday morning, so what's the difference?" In the spirit of the way I was raised on Sunday a man should always be of clean mind, clean of heart, and always have his tail end in a pew with his best overalls on. This is to say that we should be wearing the ones without patches because the is a definite difference between "holey" and "holy." I remember a time when Custer County Oklahoma was so dry not only could a vendor not sell beer on Sunday, but he also even had to have it under lock and key and remover any advertisements. I mean honestly, what's more morally corrupt, a guy with a gut holding a Coors can or the Double Mint Twins in bathing suits? This is essentially THE MAN telling us that not only could we NOT buy 3.2 on Sunday, but we were not even allowed to think about it. This smells a bit like socialism and as you know I am fully against that. But not so long ago that all changed, I hope poor old granny's grave is not spinning. One never knows however just how laws will either hurt or help our causes. Correct me if I am wrong but had liquor been legal for purchase back in the 30's bootlegging would have never become a thing. For every law there will be a way around that law, this is affectionately known as the black market. In other words, hiding it would have never become a thing had it not needed to be hid. So essentially the creation of those laws just led to more corruption. Isn't it funny men create laws to offset madness but, in the process, usually makes more.
Prostitution is usually referred to as a victimless crime. Under the assumption that both people involved are consenting adults I assume that is true. It is often referred to as the world's oldest profession. And that is certainly true! If one looks at it from a "chicken ranch" point of view it is much like any other service. You plunk down the cash, and you get your service. If you take away the question of ethics and morality it is not much different than paying to get your taxes done or a root canal. Although getting your W2's filled out probably won't ever cause you to end up at a free clinic with a permanent lesion on your upper lip like you just came from Motley Crue concert. I once worked with a guy who refused to date everyday women, he would only have sex with prostitutes. In one way this worked out swimmingly for him as he never had to put a water pump on his mothers-in-law car. If you are a man who despises cuddling, and hates calling a girl the following day, then hookers ARE for you. I mean let's be honest, if you are going to take a woman to dinner and a movie you are still essentially paying for sex because women always hold the power of the word NO. Men don't know that word, we ALWAYS say yes.
And speaking of hookers and beer, that always brings me back to the subject of Vegas. When people talk about making Vegas more "kid friendly" what exactly do they have in mind? When Frank, Dino, and Sammy set Vegas up for success it was with the idea that it would be an adult only venue, and there is a reason for that. Cocaine, whisky, and lose women were never meant to coincide with things like Sesame Street. You will never see a picture of Big Bird on the lap of a half-dressed chorus girl with good reason.
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