Comments by jablake (page 4)

I'd say Player11 is a player. But, if he wasn't not a big deal or even a little deal.

"The Overseas Private Investment Corporation ("OPIC") is inviting proposals from qualified private equity fund managers for the formation and management of one or more investment funds (“funds”) that plan to invest in a wide variety of companies or projects that provide access to technologies in the OPIC-eligible countries. OPIC will provide financing ranging between $25 million and $150 million in total capital for each selected fund." http://www.opic.gov/investment-funds/calls-for-proposals/global-technology-innovation-fund First, it may be a lot more than a $150 million dollar giveaway; a thousand funds may be selected. Second, it probably gives a much greater bang for the buck to be shipping these dollars overseas instead of spending 'em here in the U.S.----gotta get those 3rd worlders loving dollars. And, the dollars are essentially free----sir, how many computer credits would you like to today? $150 million? Not a problem. A win/win for imperialists and holy warriors. Besides, don't our kids have enough grief without hiring 3,000 more government teachers? The Wall Street Journal did an excellent piece showing more money for teachers didn't seem to help the children and may have actually hurt 'em as far as getting a quality education. Low salaries and fewer teachers might mean better education.

"Don't mean to hijack the thread," As if hijacking is bad. :)

"This girl (woman) really knows the art of fantasy. Isn't tha the reason we go to the clubs? For extra's - escorts are the better and most positive alternative." Escorts are generally more expensive in my area and my budget is miniscule. Of utmost importance to me is looks. An escort, even with online photos, is a pig in a poke. I don't care or want extras from a woman that I'm not attracted to. Until escorts can show me the goods before I spend money they aren't a real alternative for anything. FONDL used to repeatedly yelp that customers who desire extras must go to an escort----he didn't care about looks and felt all customers should feel the same.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/214989/page/1 "When the kids turned 3, Katz showed them photographs of other children and asked them to choose whom they'd like to have as friends. Of the white children, 86 percent picked children of their own race. When the kids were 5 and 6, Katz gave these children a small deck of cards, with drawings of people on them. Katz told the children to sort the cards into two piles any way they wanted. Only 16 percent of the kids used gender to split the piles." http://www.newsweek.com/id/214989/page/3 So maybe these white babies need to get aborted for the wrong answer? :) As far as the attack----the dancer using the weapon might have been 100% in the right.

"You will immediately be labeled a racist! Oh wait, I forgot, according to 'Newsweek' white people are BORN racist!" Could be. In fact, I think there was some interesting science to support that conclusion. To say the races are equal seems ignorant or dishonest, imo. Of course, there is the argument that race doesn't exist.

"to generalize anyone else as hypocritical is wrong (unless they themselves go around telling people to stay away from clubbing and drinking and then they go out to clubs themselves)." It isn't hypocritical to go around telling people to refrain from "bad" activities that one engages in. For example, a smoker may scream from the mountain tops that smoking is evil, filthy, and stupid----doesn't mean they can or would wish to stop smoking even when they sincerely believe it is evil, filthy, and stupid. hypocrite 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. 2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

"The law, and enforcement of the law are two different things." The interpretation of the law can also be a very different thing.

"I've heard a number of reviewers, bloggers, discussion posters, etc. on this site refer to the dancers as "employees". In my experience, however, the dancers are always independent contractors who actually have to PAY to work in the club" Yes, all the dancer that I know have to PAY to be allowed to work in a club. Said dancers are also, imo, much more like wage slaves/employees than independent contractors. The independent contractor angle is mere convenience to circumnavigate the the laws.

"You can only dodge your responsibilities as a citizen of the USA for so long IMHO." Those "responsibilities" could include paying taxes or evading taxes, joining the U.S. military or regarding it is as trivial, obeying the law or not obeying the law, serving on a jury or avoiding jury service, voting or not voting, etc. I think the main "responsibility" of a citizen of the USA is to feel shame and disgust over the U.S. policy of endless wars. Another person may feel the "responsibility" of a citizen of the USA is to wave a flag. BTW, even if President Obama decides to continue the U.S. policy of endless war, he is the greatest given what he has to work with and what a mess awaited him upon taking office. All President Obama needs to do, imo, to reach Supreme Being status is to produce the long form or his birth certificate----not the BS short form meant for the ignorant or easily led or uncaring supporter.

"What a night mare this would be for them.And then the girls would have to pay taxes. Do they really want that?" It isn't what the girls or clubs want most likely. At Angels the dancers would probably love the setup----but, they are exceptional. The law says jump and the appropriate response is how high? Besides the original plaintiffs may have received a pretty penny for bringing suit and the lawyers probably got a super nice take as well. The clubs, customers, and non-complaining dancers mean jack to the law. It is a game for lawyers and social engineers.

It'd be interesting to read a legal beagal's interpretation of the law as not treating strippers as employees----if halfway decent in reasoning it'd be educational---- and a bargain for the client paying $600 or more per hour. Fighting the filth of law takes $$$. OK, shadowcat, time for you to show how you'd attempt to reason with a judge when your client is facing the teeth of such a law. Uh, your Honor the law is stupid . . . just might cut it. :) A little secret----judges can and do ignore the law.

Well, the law may be "all fucked up," but decidely necessary to balance the scales. The clubs get to charge jacked up fees to dancers because there isn't a free market. At Angels a dancer might get charged $125 to work a short shift----free market ends that nonsense real quick, but ain't going to happen so the law needs to step in and dictate everything.

"But fucking farm animals is 100% NOT ok." Really? Did you grow up on a farm? Perhaps I just knew very crazy men from rural areas, but dang the opinion seemed to be a universal pork the pig. Doesn't sound too appealing, but otoh some of the farm animals are decidely more attractive than some strippers. Those who didn't grow up on a farm seemed to be totally disgusted by the idea. Seems like judging people without walking in their shoes.

I read rarely and I think Playboy's articles are excellent. In fact, I'm thinking about subscribing again.

"(d) Whoever fails to properly classify an individual as an employee according to this section and in so doing fails to comply, in any respect, with chapter 149, or section 1, 1A, 1B, 2B, 15 or 19 of chapter 151, or chapter 62B, shall be punished and shall be subject to all of the criminal and civil remedies, including debarment, as provided in section 27C of this chapter." www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/149-148b.htm Sweet as failing to comply can result in criminal . . . remedies. :) Give these criminals who failed to properly classify an individual as an employee, 20 years to life in government prison. Everywhere you look there is a crime wave going on----we need more prisons.

Here is a link to a court decision that attempts to explain why a dancer would be an employee instead of an independent contractor: www.llrlaw.com/pdfs/king_arthur_decision.pdf Here is a link outlining exceptions within the law: www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/149-148b.htm

Here is the "ABC" test explained: "As before the 2004 amendments, the MICL creates a presumption that 'an individual performing any service' is an *employee* [emphasis supplied]. To overcome this presumption, the party receiving services must now establish: (1) that the worker is free from its control and direction in performing the service, both under a contract and in fact; (2) that the service provided by the worker is outside the employer’s usual course of business; and (3) that the worker is customarily engaged in an independent trade, occupation, profession or business of the same type." http://www.mbbp.com/resources/employment/independent_contractor.html

Hi chandler, The Massachuetts law is apparently tougher and simpler than the IRS law with the burden being on the employer.

"Massachusetts is one of those states and has gone even further; it has enacted an independent contractor law that creates a 'presumption' of employee status for purposes of the Commonwealth’s wage laws and requires businesses to meet a strict three-part test to overcome this presumption. Recent amendments to the Massachusetts law make the test essentially impossible to meet for a company with workers providing services that are within the company’s usual course of business. . . . (2) that the service provided by the worker is outside the employer’s usual course of business . . ." http://www.mbbp.com/resources/employment/independent_contractor.html Yes, shadowcat, I know you don't like reading and that is a real shame not only for you, but for others as well. You want the courts to strike down the law or ignore it? You still think the "ruling is totally fucked up"? Please explain---you get extra credit for verbosity----trust me I can read thousands and thousands and thousands of pages; part of owning a tiny bookstore in my case. Seems like a tough ass law to circumvent if you're a business. Please don't misunderstand in a free country I'd be a opposed to this law, but given the current game the solution is more laws with the government mandating pretty much everything.

"yoda, you know that ruling is totally fucked up.All dancers pay the house something to work there." So you have some knowledge about the law? I doubt the test is whether a dancer pays to work. It is probably a 5 or 7 point test that is applied----just guessing. Haven't read the filth as to how an employee differs from and independant contractor. I'd bet (and could be wrong) that whether they pay to work isn't even considered relevant under the law. I've always thought the court created sexual harrassment laws should be applied to strippers.

Most of the dancers I know go to church. Not all people are prudes. Gambling dancer is crazy about reading her Bible and wanted to take me the church; repeatedly. She can't comprehend that a person wouldn't eagerly want to go to church; it's God's house. The Haitians locally were on a church building spree. Neighbor next door goes to 4 different churchs more than once a week. Neighbor in back's children were saying how lucky I was that I would be going to sleep. They related how they had church all the way from suppertime THRU to the morning (they want sleep; their father says God is much more important---they don't play when it comes to this God nonsense). He goes to 5 different churches regulary----the adults think this is Heaven i.e. going to church. Oh, they love giving money to the church-----better than sex it seems. Young lady non-stripper wannabe has gone with her dad to the stripclubs. She says the dancers are so beautiful she'd be afraid to compete, but wishes she could. Yes, another Bible lover. Says she needs to read the Bible at least twice a day. I said isn't strip clubbing evil? She gave me this look. I said isn't it against the Bible? Then explained that some Bible lovers told me the clubbing was a sin. She shook her head and said she needed to see the passage, but couldn't imagine it being a sin. The women were making money and having a good time and the men were spending money having a good time----and that is good. All of this anti-sex BS definitely seems like a mental illness to me. Oh, the famous question: How would you feel if you're daughter did it? Gee, if she isn't being forced directly or *indirectly* then more power to her; the more fun or orgasms the better. Career? Sounds dreadful for men or women.

Many years back a buddy bartered his car for full service from a stripper. Despite losing his car, he said she was worth every penny and more. A memory of a lifetime in his words. No, he said it wasn't fun at all being without a car. He also said he do it again in a heartbeat for the right woman. I doubt I'd have given the woman $5----just not my type at all from his description. Yes, I guess it is wholly classless to barter when we've got these dandy Federal Reserve Notes that we are supposed to use---shows a lack of gratitude and breeding.

TUSCL_Brother's dump of city and dump or a home sounds worthy of true bragging rights. Visiting a club once month is depressing----it means I'm broke or very weak. Those "appealing" areas are usually totally unappealing to me. Don't need a low crime rate and don't need clean streets or good schools. I do need plenty of hookers and strippers. Preferably these hookers and strippers aren't rich or middle class----rich is better between the 2, but best is dirt poor----it's all about the culture. The Hood rocks except for the horrible loud music. The old Honeys since bulldozed down was heaven as far as the dancers---seemed like everyone was recently released from a government "correctional" facility. Hardly ever went to this oasis becaused it seemed to always be ringed by no nonsense police officers eager to enforce the law.

The strangest item that I tried to barter a dance for was for the use of an Office Depot glue stick. The young dancer needed my fax and to talk to me or someone for hours. Same routine in that I'm not going to be able to buy a dance from her. She just wants to talk and as is the norm she mistakes my interest in her conversation for a lack of interest in steamy contact with her in her B-day suit. So she is amused and offended at the same time by the attempted barter. She says the glue stick is worthless and she hands it back to me. I said you've already used it. She says big deal you're not getting a dance for a glue stick. I say for USE of the glue stick----you don't get to keep it! She rolls her eyes. Well, if she'd accept cash like a dancer is supposed there be no need to try bartering. I even try saying the use of the fax was worth a dance. Bottom line: No dances. Ungrateful, stuck-up, whore! :) As fun as the dancer visits are I would rather do with out if $5 dances aren't part of the deal.