The Pope Sees the Light...

Pope Benedict XVI has seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not Jesus. The Pope, God bless his soul, has finally worked out that abstinence, although the best solution, is not a reality that the Catholic Church can make happen. Well, not unless they start forcibly restraining unmarried or un-partnered couples.

Condoms, particularly the use of them, are not a 100% effective way of preventing the spread of STD or STI. However, they do significantly better than the option of taking a shower without a raincoat. In any event, the Pope's support is not blanket support for the idea that the Catholic Church facilitate a program of condom distribution through its parishes.

The Pope's support suggests that prostitutes, and in particular male prostitutes,would be beginning to act responsibly if they were to start using condoms. I might have to go out and get the book from which the Pope's comments are sourced: Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times. And, the news story that I pilfered for this piece was quoting from excerpts that were published in The Vatican rag, L’Osservatore Romano.

The Catholic Church has adopted a position that is anti-condom use. It has maintained this position in the face of some intense and harsh criticism. So, is this statement by the Pope indicative of a softening in the position of the Catholic Church? No, it is not. The Pope was very explicit in restricting his comments to a very narrow range of condom use. His choice of male prostitutes was undoubtedly a conscious one that was sort to deflect any concerns about condoms being used as a contraceptive device. The position of the Catholic Church with respect to the use of condoms as a form of contraception remains unchanged.

Yet, when it is all said and done, there is an argument to be made that this may in fact be a first step in recognising that the issue of HIV / AIDS and other sexually transmitted disease and infection is an issue that transcends simple arguments of morality. It is an issue that has and will continue to be a measure of the times in which we live, particularly if you live in Africa or Asia.

Progress is progress even if it is in small and scripted steps.

"The Sex Business Behind Bars"...

I was reading The Jakarta Globe earlier on. Unfortunately, this is not the post to bag the Riady clan out over the quality of their publications. But, one can always get a good little chuckle reading the agenda that rears its head between the lines. It should not be too long and they will dispense with the charade, like Rupert Murdoch has done, and just get on with the job of trying to convince people they are legitimate alternative news providers.

Anyways, "The Sex Business Behind Bars". Now SCTV has produced a documentary on the sex business as it happens in Indonesian prisons. The fact that sex happens in prison should not be a shocker to anyone, the fact that in Indonesian prisons (and a whole lot of prisons elsewhere in the world) it is possible to 'benefit' from the services of prostitutes is not really much of a revelation either. Nevertheless, the hidden camera footage of the business end of these transactions being done might have been more revealing than the act itself, particularly with respect to 'who' was facilitating this.

Yet, this is only a story because SCTV claim that the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has been onto them, and at them, non-stop to pull the show from their programming schedule. The Ministry has also made it known that it intends to investigate. So, let them investigate. There is nothing from stopping them from launching an internal investigation on the issue, even without having seen the documentary or getting a copy of it before or after it is shown on the idiot box (aka television).

Yet, it seems that all manner of groups will be joining in the investigation phase, and will be presumably investigating each other. The media have vowed to investigate the pressure the Ministry has allegedly been exerting as this is considered to be a form of censorship. And, censorship is a restriction of the freedom of speech. Ho hum...

However, the Ministry spokesperson, Martua Batubara, has gone on the record to say that the only request from the Ministry is for a copy of the tape after it is shown for the Ministry's documentation (and presumably archiving) purposes. This would not strike me as a particularly onerous request in light of the fact that SCTV would have already shown the documentary. Now, if the request was for a pre-screening and then some sort of editorial right to alter the content, then that would be an issue of interference. Yet, when it is all said and done, SCTV could still conceivably run the gauntlet and tell the Ministry to bugger off and just go ahead and screen the documentary.

What is not clear from The Jakarta Globe article is just why SCTV has apparently bowed to the Ministry demand. Is there the threat of legal action along the lines of "You show this program and we will commence immediate legal action and sue you into bankruptcy and then out of business!"? The idea that there is hidden camera footage in the documentary suggests that SCTV was not entirely up-front with prison officials as to what they were doing whilst inside prisons, or outside prison and dealing with prison officials.

So, I guess the point is I still really do not feel any the wiser with respect to why SCTV pulled the plug.

Well, I might have to do a quick survey of the Indonesian language news sites and see what is trending over in Indonesian news-land. If I learn anything, then I might post it here as a postscript.

Wayne Rooney & Jenny Thompson -- Another Soccer Sex Scandal in the Making...

What is it with mega-sports stars and their sexual appetites. Tiger Woods and his mistresses is now well know fodder for the international press. It cost him his marriage, and for what? Well, it would seem that Wayne Rooney of Manchester United and England fame has decided that high-priced prostitutes is something that he needs to be involved with as well.

The obvious question, as it was in Woods' case, is: "your wife is successful and beautiful, and has borne you a child...what don't you have at home?" I am sure that there are answers to this. I am sure that each of us have our own problems, but all the same, it is a legitimate question to pose. If you are out sowing your wild oats while the missus is at home, then one really needs to be thinking whether getting hitched in the first place was the right choice.

Apparently, Ms. Thompson has a charge out rate of 1200 quid which supposedly is the one-shot rate (if you know what I mean).

I appreciate that we are all human, some of us more than others, and as such, we make mistakes and err in our judgment at times. Nevertheless, I still cannot fathom how celebrities think that they can get away with it. Sooner or later you have to luck out, the odds demand it, and score a person more interested in securing their own 15-minutes of fame and some big bucks into the bargain. The bigger the celebrity, the bigger the fame, and conceivably the bigger the rewards.

I was reading last week about Divine Brown. Yep, the one and only Divine Brown (aka Stella Marie Thompson) and the former oral sex partner of Hugh Grant. She has made millions apparently from that 'quickie' and the notoriety or infamy that brought her. Yes, a USD 60 blow job has earned her millions. If I recall, she labeled it a real "Pretty Woman" story, one that Julia Roberts could have been proud of.

Anyways, this story about Wayne Rooney seems destined to be a major player in our newspapers and splashed across our television screens for the next few weeks as the story unravels into more sordid details or as a beat-up by an over-zealous press looking for any old gossip to sensationalise to make money.

Ho hum...

Here is the delightful Ms. Thompson...

Honey...Go Turn A Trick, I Am Broke!

Seriously, desperate times call for desperate measures. As you, my loyal readers know, I am always out searching for the weird and wonderful tidbits of news from around the traps. Usually, this is either Indonesia or Australia. Here is a story out of West Sulawesi in Indonesia.

A local man in West Sulawesi thought that it would be a good idea to get into politics. He campaigned vigorously for a seat in the local West Sulawesi parliament. Unfortunately, he came up short. It did not become apparent just how unfortunate this was until some time later.

The candidate, Haerul Asri, spent all of his own money and then money that he borrowed in failing to win the parliamentary seat. It was not long before the debt collectors came knocking and calling in the markers that Asri had left all over town. Asri had owned a successful motor bike trading business prior to his failed bid for the parliament, but it would seem his motor bike business endured similar fortunes to that of his political campaign.

Unable to pay back his debts, Asri needed a quick fix, a money fix that is. For some reason Asri figured the quickest way to get the cash to pay of his debts was to force his wife to have sex for money. So, Asri started offering up his wife of 14 years, and the mother of his two children, to his friends and colleagues. The going rate was IDR 300K up to IDR 500K (depending on the service?).

Under duress, regular beatings and the threat of death, the wife reluctantly serviced some of Asri's friends. This arrangement did not last long and the wife fled back to her home village of Samarinda in East Kalimantan.

The court case is underway and Asri faces up to 15 years in the slammer for his vile debt payment plan.

Seriously, what makes a man think that he can treat women, and more specifically his wife, in such a heinous way?

(Story and photo sourced from The Jakarta Globe)

The Buddha Bar -- More Protests...

Some things come and go, and this is one of those; protests against the Buddha Bar in Jakarta. This really is making a mountain out of a molehill. The idea that it is in some way threatening interfaith relations and national unity do not bear out.

The only relationships that it seems to be threatening are those of the protesters who cannot seem to cope with the concept of a Buddha theme for a resto, cafe, and bar.

The current argument is that the name of the bar is an insult to Buddha and Buddhism. My guess is that Buddha would probably be telling the protesters to chill out and meditate a little, you know search for a little enlightenment, devote their human energies to something that is important and worthwhile.

The protesters have decided that if the governments of Jakarta and Indonesia are not going to revoke the business permits of the franchise holder, then the next best course of action is to congregate outside the French Embassy and demand that the French government do something about it because the trademark name is owned by a French company.

The biggest beef of the protesters is that using the name and image of the Buddha is an insult. This insult is further exacerbated by the fact that prostitutes hang out their. Now, for them to know that the bar is either frequented by prostitutes or overrun by them would require the protesters to have some intimate knowledge of the joint. Perhaps they are disgruntled customers?

One of the protesters even went so far as to suggest, "What's next? Christ Bar, Islam Bar, Hindu Bar?" Now, there is an idea. I would probably go for Jesus Bar myself. Let's face it, Jesus supposedly turned water into wine. Not just a little bit of wine but a lot of wine. So, the "Jesus Wine Bar" would seem to be aptly named. Now, for the Islam Bar. Why not? Not all bars have to serve alcohol. It could be a coffee bar. Maybe it could serve up coffees from places like Turkey and pastries from the Middle East. A Hindu Bar might need a little more thought...

There are so many important issues that need the dedicated attention of Indonesian citizens, this is not one of them.

Ho hum...

Breach of Contract -- A Prostitute and Her Baby...

This is an interesting case and a novel legal argument. However, it was ultimately futile as common sense prevailed in light of the circumstances of this particular case.

A married man who fathered a child with a prostitute, and who had been paying child support for the child, took action in the Federal Magistrates Court with the intent of having the need for the payments legally terminated.

The circumstances were pretty simple; client visits prostitute, client pays prostitute, prostitute gets pregnant and then gives birth to a child, client pays support based on informal agreement, client loses big paying job and decides he does not want to honour the informal agreement, then the prostitute sues for the support.

The legal argument was that the child was in fact a breach of the Trade Practices Act as there was an implied contract between the client and the sex worker that the sex worker would take the necessary measures required to protect themselves, in this case from pregnancy.

In determining the case the magistrate, Grant Riethmuller held that the circumstances of the child's conception makes absolutely no difference to any rights that child has to entitlements under the Child Support Scheme. Therefore, the client was ordered to continue paying child support.

A Humorous Hoax...

This is not real but it is very funny, particularly if you have a sense of humor like mine. Originally, this interview was based on a supposed interview conducted in Wales. It then moved to the US. And it seems it has finally ended up in Australia.

It is a portion of an ABC interview between a female broadcaster and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military headquarters.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL COSGROVE: We’re going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Shooting! That’s a bit irresponsible, isn’t it?

GENERAL COSGROVE: I don’t see why, they’ll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: Don’t you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL COSGROVE: I don’t see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER: But you’re equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL COSGROVE: Well, Ma’am, you’re equipped to be a prostitute, but you’re not one, are you?

The radio went silent and the interview ended.

Another good one is this:

A couple went on a fishing vacation at a lake resort. The husband liked to fish and generally did so at first light in the morning. The wife liked to idle away her days reading.

One morning after a good couple of hours fishing the husband returned home and decided to catch a few zzzzzzzs. Although the wife was not familiar with the lake she decided to take the boat out and do some reading while rocking gently with the motion of the water.

So, the wife takes the boat out a short distance and drops anchor. She then proceeds to read her book in peace. After a very short while, up comes the local water coppers and they demand to know what she is doing in this part of the lake as it is a restricted fishing zone.

Somewhat incredulously she states what to her seems the obvious' "I am reading my book!"

Sensing his opportunity the water copper decides to press his advantage and repeat that this is a restricted fishing zone and he would have to write her a ticket because the boat contained all the necessary equipment for fishing. In spite of her protestations that she was not fishing the officer persisted in that the only way was to ticket her.

However, when the water copper insisted on a ticket and without missing a beat the woman suggested to the water copper that if he was to issue the ticket then she would have to charge rape. At this point the water copper starts to protest and says but I have not touched you! But alas responds the woman "yes, but you have all the equipment to do so!"

Moral of the story -- never under estimate a woman, never under estimate her intellect, and under no circumstances engage in an argument with a woman!