A Black Bond?

This past week or so has seen a few firsts, and first among these is the election of Barack Hussein Obama as the first black President of the United States of America. Obama showed the world what charisma, hope, and a disciplined message can achieve.

Just the weekend before the F1 world saw Lewis Hamilton become the first black F1 Champion of the World. In Hamilton's case it was all about someone giving him a shot, a shot that he had earned coming up through the ranks, and his driving skills took care of the rest.

This has led the current James Bond, Daniel Craig to suggest that it is about time there was a colored Bond.

Actually, what Craig said was, "After Barack Obama's victory I think we might have reached the moment for a coloured 007."

A black Bond would be not outside the realm of belief. I do not recall anyone saying that MI6 or whatever it is now being an exclusively Anglo or white employer.

Is This A Sign?

Lewis Hamilton has become the youngest man and the first black man to win the F1 title.

Are we about to see another first in the US Presidential election with the first black man to assume the presidency of the US of A.

(setting aside the idea that Bill Clinton was the first black president of the US -- different post if I could be bothered -- I am sure black offends some but I have never heard the politically correct term of African-British like I have African-American so in this context I have chosen "black").

Singapore, F1, and Escorts

Escort agencies and escorts in Singapore have been doing a roaring trade over the last week or so. The F1 does not only bring the best drivers to the track, it also seems to bring out the big spenders, some of whom are looking for someone to accompany them for a short time. And here I was thinking that an Escort was a Ford motor car and an Escort Agency was a place where you could hire a car, an Escort to be precise. Oh well!

It has been reported that one escort agency took a booking on behalf of a local star for some SGD 40K. This was for only six hours work and required nothing more than a few smiles and some small talk. I am not sure how much the escort gets and how much the agency gets, but it is good money if you can get it. I do not even earn 40K in a year. I am obviously in the wrong business.

Generally, any sexual services are negotiated separately between the escort and the client. This undoubtedly adds to the overall cost. I wonder if these are being written off as "entertainment expenses"? Singapore is one of those jurisdictions where prostitution is legal but solicitation is not.

The difference by my reckoning is that if you meet the girl have a sexual encounter with the girl and then decide to pay her for that sexual encounter then this would be prostitution, or where the sex is enjoyed in a regulated brothel, then this is legal. Whereas, if the girl meets you and offers you her sexual services for a fee this would be solicitation or where you meet the girl and offer to pay for a sexual service then this would be illegal. I think I need to look up and read the relevant Singaporean law.

Now that the race is over, I guess it is a matter of waiting 12 months for the next Singapore Grand Prix and the associated spike in revenue enjoyed by the escorts and their agencies.