April 09, 2007

• Sorry, Argh, but it's none of your business. And if you want him to continue being a regular customer -- not one word.
• No. Of course not.
• Definitely not say anything! And make sure to have a funny book or something nearby to explain away your laughter.
• Anyway in the big scheme of things - I think it's pretty shitty for the Chicago Police to put up all these details on their site. These guys tried to/paid for sex. Big friggin' deal. *derails*
• As hard as it may be, I would try to forget about it. He would probably feel very uncomfortable, you would probably feel very uncomfortable, and an awkward moment would surely ensue... And what gomi said.
• I totally agree, gomichild: it's poor form, and it's at odds with their insincere disclaimer: These individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. I'd find it vindictive if they were posting photos of convicted people, but doing so before they've even been tried seems completely unjust. (Besides: 'until proven guilty'? Doesn't that prejudge the outcome?)
• unless you're providing similar services to the guy, I don't see the relevance of bringing it up...
• Every time my photo has appeared on that site, I have posted a link to it on my LavaLife page. It really helps draw in the babes.
• It's interesting to note that they "x" out a small portion of the individual's address (as if that's going to stop anyone from figuring out the entire address), but do not conceal the arrest address. In other words, they're either giving away locations for where prostitution can be had (albeit, with a risk of being caught), or where they've set up sting operations. If they did this in NYC, even if you have one or two digits of someone's address, you can figure out what block they live on. Not sure if addresses are as structured in Chicago, but this just seems wrong.
• Argh what the fuck is wrong with you? Stop checking that cluster fuck of moral masturbation. Don't you feel like a freak pursuing that vicious piece of shit weekly? Why would you admit that it's one of your favourite bookmarks - shameless showing off of your freak credentials?
• Say absolutely nothing of it to him. Also, isn't it odd that all the prostitution sting operations are going on on the south side? Only one was arrested north of downrtown. Sugarmilktea is right, if someone were tring to evade the police sting operations, this site would be an invaluable resource to them. The amount of information that can be inferred from this "shame data" to commit crimes without getting caught seems to outweigh the benefit to the city from this site. Maybe they should just bring back stocks and put them on display in Daley Plaza if they're looking to shame them.
• Looking at the mugshots, it appears that very few of them are not currently or at least recently under the influence. An' that's whay boy-ah! Ya need-uh! JEEZ-usss!-ah!
• It's a public record. He probably doesn't know it is on the internet. He probably would like to know that it is. Tell him that you saw it on the internet for one reason or another. I know I would want to know if my face was appearing somewhere on the internet in a very negative light. Even after fifteen seconds of reflection, I still don't know if I just said the above to instinctively take the other side or because I mean it.
• You know, a good way to establish a rapport with your customers is to find some common ground. This is a perfect opportunity! Next time he comes in, mention that you saw him on the mug shot site, and that you infer that he enjoys paying money for sexual favors. He will certainly appreciate the interest in his personal life, and will probably feel as though you and he now have a connection of sorts. And that, my friend, will ensure his loyal patronage for many years to come.
• I tried not to post this comment, but the more I think about it, I have to ask why is this post here? this link does not qualify, by anyone's standards as the best of the web nor is this even a valid/worthy Curious George. NO OF COURSE YOU SHOULD NOT TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT, IT'S NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS!!!! PUT YOURSELF IN HIS SHOES FOR 1/10TH OF A SECOND, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? Gomi was on to something, but I think randomaction pretty much hit the nail on the head.
• MonkeyFilter: Very few of them are not currently or at least recently under the influence
• So then why is it such a big deal to post pictures of sexual offenders. There but for a 'NO' goes an abuser.
• Ask him if he wants to go halfsies on a three-way.
• Of course you don't say anything. You have a professional relationship with him. Keep it professional.
• dxlifer-- there is a huge difference between "being arrested for" and "being guilty of" an offense. Having your photo published before you've been found guilty in a court of law is unfair in a system of "innocent until proven guilty," especially if you are actually innocent. As far as posting the photos of offenders after convictions? Have at it. Makes for interesting conversations in antique shops, apparently.
• That sire is redolent of Puritsns-in-the-stocks.
• That comment is similar to TUM in the apricot brandy. Again.
• *winks impertinently at TUM*
• PROSTITUTION - SOLICITING FOR PROSTITUTE Class A Misdemeanor PROSTITUTION - SOLICITING A PROSTITUTE/1000 FT SCHOOL Class 4 Felony The delightful desire to make everything about the protection of the children is thankfully still a curiously American phenomenon.
• Now, now, don't forget the desire to ruthlessly punish and brutalize those so accused/convicted. We got that goin' on too. I mean, it's not all about the kids. Hell, we'll punish them too.
• I don't think these fellas deserve to be up on the internet, either. The government needs to get the heck out of CONSENSUAL sex between two adults. I'll just bet they're guilty, though--guilty of being pathetic. Clean it up boys, and go out and find a lady. I'll bet our MoneyJane had better taste than this. And no randomaction, I don't want prostitutes hanging around schools. Teen boys have enough distractions, and it's hard to tell the difference with the way the girls dress sometimes.
• Gomi was on to something, but I think randomaction pretty much hit the nail on the head. And the cheese developed it to where I totally agree. And GramMa made me laugh. MonkeyFilter: guilty of being pathetic
• I doubt all of moneyjanes' clients are pathetic BlueHourse, in fact I think it's possible she may like some of them. And no randomaction, I don't want prostitutes hanging around schools. So it looks like I'm the only one resolutely in favour of street walkers congregating around schools. Of course solicitation could also happen off the street, perhaps behind closed doors in a banal looking apartment block.
• I say, more prostitutes IN the schools!
• They should publish the photos of all the people who clicked on that link. *puts jacket over head*
• Un-freakking believable. I'm with most of the others in this thread, Argh; you shouldn't say anything. That said, I'm not entirely convinced that your question was truly sincere, and was instead perhaps more of a way to provoke a discussion? Because it seems flamingly obvious to me that this is absolutely none of your business. In what way could bringing this incident up benefit your business relationship with your customer? How does his need to seek some sort of sexual release impact upon your own business's goals? The propaganda that prostitution is somehow funny, or shameful, or inherently immoral, needs to be resisted. This ridiculous modern American convention really should constantly be exposed and ridiculed for the incredible hypocrisy that it truly represents. The assumption that normal human sexual relations can only occur in the context of the one rigidly-restricted behaviour-set approved by the outside observer is a farce. The blue-nosed Grundies who would impose their their emotionally-retarded Victorian sensibilities on the more normally adjusted are a far bigger societal psychological problem than the "wicked" sinners they so vociferously decry, yet secretly envy. They are the ones who should be ashamed of themselves. Show me someone overtly concerned with the sexual mores of others, and I'll show you someone with a repressed and guilty conscience. These antiquated and puritanical views on human sexuality which denigrate anything than Calvinistic, face-averted, coupling are a far bigger cause of human sexual dysfunction than all the cat-houses of the world, combined.
• A woman walks into an accountant's office and tells him that she needs to file her taxes. "Ok" he says,"but before we begin, I'll need to ask you a few questions." He gets her legal name, home address, social security number, etc. Finally, nhe then he asks, "What is your occupation?" "I'm a whore," she says. The accountant, somewhat taken-aback, says, "No, No, No. That won't work. Let's rephrase that." The woman says, "OK ... I'm a high-end call girl." "No, that still won't work. Try again." They both think for a minute; then the woman says, "I'm an elite chicken-farmer." The accountant asks, "What does chicken farming have to do with being a prostitute?" "Well, I raised a thousand little peckers last year." "Chicken Farmer it is."
• Maybe I should have explained it better Well, I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I'm easy to read. I know when this guy walks in the door, I'm going to have one hell of a hard time even looking him in the eye without cracking up. Basically I know that he'll know something is up. When you're selling someone something... (especially antiques... lots of fakes and B.S. in this business) the persons radar is set on high.... After years in the antiques business you learn to read the other person before handing over your money. Here's how I see it going down I'm going to be standing there with a shit-eating grin. He's going to look at me and say "What?" I'll say "Nothing". He'll look at me and say "Bullshit, what's up?". It'll go downhill from there. Antique dealers have amazing radar. /freak
• More likely he's so mortified about the possibility that someone actually has seen his photo on the site that he'll pretend nothing's wrong even if you start laughing out loud.
• I second gomi's suggestion of having an excuse ready in case you have trouble keeping cool. Maybe you could fake a cold - rub your eyes a little red and be constantly blowing your nose. I don't envy you, though - people can always tell when I'm hiding something. It's like living in a world full of Counselor Trois. *adds another quart of brandy to the bathtub*
• Yeah, seriously, do your best not to embarrass the guy. An antique dealer with a shit eating grin who might know something is less embarrassing than an antique dealer who wants to make small talk about your vice arrest.
• Toss your hair back. Tell him you're oh, so glad to see him again you just can't stop smiling. Let your eyes go misty. Run your hand over his coatsleeve. Ask him up to look at your antique etchings sometime. He probably will be so distracted he won't notice a thing.
• MonkeyFilter: The blue-nosed Grundies who would impose their their emotionally-retarded Victorian sensibilities on the more normally adjusted GramMa! How did you miss that one?
• Oh Argh, all I can say is; HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Dumbshit shouldn't have gotten caught. Let's hope he spends lot's of money with you to make up for being a less-than discreet idiot. I can one-up you on this; My daughter's school sent out a link to the local police's list of sexual predators in our area, you know, child molestors. Imagine my shock when I recognized one of them. Up until that day, I had seen this person at a weekly meeting I attended......weekly. I quit. I later found out that he re-offended and was in jail. It was a horrifying moment to see that picture. Fortunately, my children had never been around this person. But it was an absolute confirmation that you NEVER really know anyone. It is often those you least expect that can do some of the worst things.
• Darshon presumably the list iterated details of convicted sexual offenders. Convicted is a pretty significant word here. The dumbshit has had his privacy violated; and you've just compared him to child molester. I commend your quiting the weekly meeting, very brave. If Argh can't put aside his obsessive and prurient seeming interest in the sexual activities of others, perhaps he should grow up or masturbate more. Laughing at the guy is so damn dumb it's funny. [Incidentally, Argh is there a good public transit link near 4710 S KEATING AVE? Just asking out of curiosity you understand.]
• *puts beer cooler down, unfolds lawnchair*
• *sneaks up behind lawnchair and quietly opens beer cooler*
• *peeks over roryk's shoulder and notices that there's nothing but near beer in there*
• Looks like a classy place to buy nookie; is that a limo I see parked there?
• Although I'm against the idea of unleashing the sex police on people whose only so-called crime is that they want to have sex, I'm tempted to say that any guy that's stupid enough to get caught picking up hookers when it's so ridiculously easy not to get caught deserves to be publicly embarrassed. Also I came across a similar page for the city of Minneapolis. They, however, make the distinction of posting images of people who were convicted of soliciting prostitution. [my bolding]
• *is reminded of this thread by parts of this discussion*
• Just want to add this to the flames: why laugh at the guy, Argh? In that situation, maybe I'd be disturbed, conversation would be quite awkward, but laugh? I recall some old (tibetan?) parable about how criminals in some village were made to wear at all times a sign, hanging from their necks. What was written? 'Everybody commits crimes, I had the bad fortune of getting caught'.
• This morning I opened the paper and my picture was in it for arrested development. *hangs head in shame
• Ha! Ha!
• I LOVE that show, GramMa, which Lucille were you?
• I'd love to hear moneyjane's take on this.
• Perhaps reading this story will make you FINALLY realize that there is nothing inherently funny about prostitution, per sé, Aargh.
• Who was claiming that there was something "inherently funny about prostitution"? I'm not sure we need any help in finding news stories about tragedy and insanity. Thanks for patronizing, though, I can never get enough.
• Aw, that's cute, Ralphie!
• There really should be some pimp faces page so parents would know who to steer their kids away from.
• What are you, functinally illiterate, or just incrdedfibly stuoid Ralph? The poster stated not once, but three times that he thinks there is something funny about prostitution. Since you seem unable to glean this , let me point you to the relevant words... "The mugshots crack me up." He sees humour, and laughs at people who have been charged, yet not convicted. Knowing that a customer of his was charged, he finds this so funny that he feels he will be unable to control his mirth, even though this immature and unprofessional reaction will potentially be awkward and embarrassing ... "I'm know going to have a hard time keeping a straight face when he walks in the door." "I'm going to be standing there with a shit-eating grin." Given these statement from the poster, please explain to us how it's even remotely possible that you've failed to discern that the poster finds this funny. As for your unwarranted personal attack upon me, one those women skinned alive and fed to pigs was a fucking friend of mine, so take your condescending hipster attitude, and jam it up your fucking ass.
• The logical connection between the Pickton case and how one feels about putting Johns' pitures in the paper (and recognizing one of them) is tenuous at best. Besides, weren't you the one who posted the prostitute joke upthread?
• It go's to society's attitudes to these marginalized individuals, and the idea that there is something shameful about sex. This prudich and hypocritiocal attitude is what exactly allows the Willie Pickton's of this world to prey on those women with such impunity. The cavalier attitude of the Vancouver Police toward the disappearance of those women, and the subsequent firing of the Officer who develioped a profile and raised the alarm about the serial killer in Vancouver's Downtown eastside is one of the most shameful incidents in Canadian law enforcement history. It is precisely this despicable attitude which needs to ebe liminated, and the joke I posted was mocking this attitude, not condoning it.
• As one can see from all the typos, I am pretty pissed about this. My apologies to the community for my outburst of language, I think I'll leave this subject alone from now on. I doubt that the hypocrites who find prostitution a suitable subject for scorn and ridicule will ever mature enough to see the error of their ways, or change their tiny little minds.
• PareidoliaticBoy are you fictionally literate? Personally I think Argh was worried about keeping a straight face when dealing with this particular customer, rather than the obvious hilarity intrinsic to prostitution. I don't see Ralph attacking you, I just see him wielding the word 'patronizing' like a sword he can't even carry. The idea that he's capable of hipster level irony or condescension is amusing, but pure fantasy I'm afraid. Sorry for your loss.
• I would suggest, in the future, that you could avoid this sort of situation by minding your own business and, um, *not* visiting websites specifically intended to shame people that have done nothing to you. (But, yeah, it's fun to be better than other people, huh?) Just a thought...
• *Wheels easy chair out onto porch, parks it next to rocket. Takes beer out of cooler, kicks feet up on porch railing.*
• I composed a longish commen and deleted it. The long and short of it is that the OP is no doubt chuckling at the "gotcha" aspect here, and there is no reason to castigate him for that.
• t
• HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you suck, you forgo your 't'!!!!!!!one1!!!one!
• oh, crap.
• I really don't understand why this guys situation is funny. Bordellos exist in numerous places. Escort services are somewhat legal around these parts. What is so funny about paying for sex? Not that I ever have, technically, I do have a girlfriend, if that counts. But I probably would, if it was ever economically feasible (and I didn't have a external sexual outlet). It's far better than rape. I think its sad that people have such a hang up about sex. And sadder that some people have this machismo attitude that paying for sex lessens you as an individual. Maybe I'm reading too much into the situation. Whats worse is that puritan societies try to backburner these physical needs and then bait people based on these urges to slap them with social ostracism. As for the "gotcha" factor, fishtick, I think that that is the entire problem. It's not like it's a pic of a guys face after he had some sort of practical joke played on him - it's more like he was told that his nature is a joke and the rest of society is nothing like him - asexual and callous. But, again, maybe I'm reading way too much into this. I just thought the original post was short-sighted and sophmoric. Not that I've been much better in the past on this website.
• Whats worse is that puritan societies try to backburner these physical needs and then bait people based on these urges to slap them with social ostracism. And yet sexualize everything but sex, I should add.
• short-sighted and sophmoric I'm not exactly clear what "short-sighted" means in this context, but I would certainly never deny being sophomoric, myself. In a parallel (to my mind) situation, many decades ago I saw a relative's name in the local paper's list of those caught speeding. Yep, I snickered a great deal at that, and honestly wondered how I should react in her presence, due to the fact that I didn't know if she knew that I knew. That's all I see going on in this situation, too: somebody's had his virtual knuckles rapped for something that's illegal. No need to go off on a tangent about whether that activity should be illegal, that's not the point of the post. And to hint that rape is an alternative to prostitution is blatant fishing.
• If we're derailing into "why people think it's funny when others fall down", then I dunno. I never got it in school and figured it'd be great when I grew up and everybody wasn't such a jerk. Then I grew up. *snif* I never understood the P.O.V., but have read just recently that ancient Romans pretty well took the "you're screwed, ha ha" position as the default. Watching animals tear the s**t out of each other on the street corner was a good time, or something. I just don't get it, but I don't think I have to. So Argh's customer got busted and he thinks it's funny - meh. The sun also rises. Er, or some other pithy phrase meant to convey that t'was always thus. As for prostitution itself, the illegality fosters the systemic bullying and violence that goes along with it. Sexually repressed societies such as the ones we're soaking in have a problem dealing with it. In other news, I'm not getting enough. Hop to, people! *buys PB a beer, puts it on Ralph's tab*
• Man. I spend a lousy 12 hours away from here doing my usual hipster stuff, and come back to find out there's a flame war going on. I'd make a further comment, but I just printed out a definition of civil discourse and I now need to jam it up my fucking ass.
• In my own pathetic defence, I'd like to point out that the speeding relative in question was generally a Mean and Nasty Person who would've spared no expense in teasing others over such a thing. Dished it out, couldn't take it.
• *Buys Ralph a beer, puts it on Ralph's tab*
• I just printed out a definition of civil discourse and I now need to jam it up my fucking ass No, no...it's your hipster attitude you're supposed to shove up your ass. What are you, functinally illiterate or something?
• Me, I'm dysfunctionally literate. I refer to Joy of Cooking to fix my printer, a Chick tract to make scalloped potatoes, and my Brother HL-1650 manual for spiritual guidance.
• Somebody needs a good functin'.
• ...but not TUM, necessarily.
• This is what this thread has taught me: People become sensitive to issues, yes. Whether they wanted to or not... People are often reminded of such issues, yes. Often tangentially... People often lash out in response to this sensitivity, yes. Emotions generally override rational thought... Argh, like everyone else, likes to entertain his peculiar interests on occasion... The posting of individuals' images on teh internets prior to conviction is questionable... If this were a meet-up, Ralph's tab would be astronmoical and there would be much monkey love... *Grabs a high-end ale and puts it on Ralph's tab*
• I'm functinally astronmoical!
• You're explicitly caninical! Pejorical and indefinable!
• Expialidocious!
• i just woke up, but in the spirit of sharing... *puts another couple cool ones on Ralphie's tab*.
• What are all you babies crying about now? And where's my beer?
• Monkeyfilter: I'm not getting enough
• *Buys Ralph a beere, shuvs it up hiz ass. Posts a piksher of Ralph with beere up hiz ass on the inturnets, starts laffing.*
• And to hint that rape is an alternative to prostitution is blatant fishing. Yeah, I suppose it is. Although, that wasn't my intentions, just my foolishness. I think what I was trying to say was that I can't see why this arrest is funny. I think men getting hit in the crotch with footballs is tho'. I think I read too much into it and suspected the particular reasons for arrest were the reason for the humor. After I'll, I doubt Argh would be laughing if his customer had a mugshot on the site because of a rape or murder charge. I don't find that arrests are funny for other reasons, like speeding, fishtick, unless there are particulars involved: for example if your friend was speeding to get to get somewhere on time and the arrest made her late, that's sorta funny. I didn't see any of those particulars, so that may be why I've been writing with a heavy hand, but it wasn't my intent. I apologize for misrepresenting you, Argh. It would be particularly funny if he was soliciting in a clown suit, however. I must remember what smt and petebest posted - and purchase a clown suit.