For opebo...

[J-Mann]

You certainly live in the land of the free, don't you?

Thailand tightens rules on alcohol and cigarette sales: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1508&ncid=1508&e=3&u=/afp/20041214/hl_afp/thailandhealthyouth_041214191649

[opebo]

I never claimed that Thailand was very free, though as recently as 5 years ago it was much more free than the U.S.  What you see in Thailand is the spectacle of a formerly permissive society being destroyed by a nationalist, traditionalist, 'family values' oriented government - essentially Fascism.   It has been an enlightening process for me to observe.

However I might point out that most American states place onerous and offensive restrictions on hours alcohol may be sold or bars may be open.  The fact is the whole world is being ruined by the forces of social control, with, possibly, the exception of a few enlightened European countries.

[Storebought]

I never claimed that Thailand was very free, though as recently as 5 years ago it was much more free than the U.S.  What you see in Thailand is the spectacle of a formerly permissive society being destroyed by a nationalist, traditionalist, 'family values' oriented government - essentially Fascism.   It has been an enlightening process for me to observe.

However I might point out that most American states place onerous and offensive restrictions on hours alcohol may be sold or bars may be open.  The fact is the whole world is being ruined by the forces of social control, with, possibly, the exception of a few enlightened European countries.

Ok, now I know you're just blowing smoke out your ass.

In the US, at least, the red states are the ones with the least amount of "social control." In TX, you can drive a few miles out of town to head to a local titty bar. Even the most remote highways have taverns that let you consume alcohol at odd hours. Just as well, there are Baptist churches nearby, so that you can enjoy your sin on Saturday and repent for it on Sunday all within a few steps.

In the South, and TX, you can choose whether to live like a drunken slut or a good Christian. And, no, Missouri is not a Southern state.

Now contrast that with a state you've come to admire so much: Massachusetts. Not only is it outrageously expensive, for the pleasure of living in ugly-looking towns with drab wildlife and crappy weather, it is still rigidly puritanical as well. The closest gay bars in Boston are in Rhode Island (interestingly, a state full of the Christians you would murder in cold blood). Bars in MA close at 1:00 am. Minorities have greater ease of travel in rural Mississippi than in Wellesley. And so on.

Of course, you may prefer to live in MA. But the sort of mind control that people in MA, or the other "enlightened" states, practice is far worse than anything coming from the South.

[opebo]

I never claimed that Thailand was very free, though as recently as 5 years ago it was much more free than the U.S.  What you see in Thailand is the spectacle of a formerly permissive society being destroyed by a nationalist, traditionalist, 'family values' oriented government - essentially Fascism.   It has been an enlightening process for me to observe.

However I might point out that most American states place onerous and offensive restrictions on hours alcohol may be sold or bars may be open.  The fact is the whole world is being ruined by the forces of social control, with, possibly, the exception of a few enlightened European countries.

Ok, now I know you're just blowing smoke out your ass.

In the US, at least, the red states are the ones with the least amount of "social control." In TX, you can drive a few miles out of town to head to a local titty bar. Even the most remote highways have taverns that let you consume alcohol at odd hours. Just as well, there are Baptist churches nearby, so that you can enjoy your sin on Saturday and repent for it on Sunday all within a few steps.

In the South, and TX, you can choose whether to live like a drunken slut or a good Christian. And, no, Missouri is not a Southern state.

Now contrast that with a state you've come to admire so much: Massachusetts. Not only is it outrageously expensive, for the pleasure of living in ugly-looking towns with drab wildlife and crappy weather, it is still rigidly puritanical as well. The closest gay bars in Boston are in Rhode Island (interestingly, a state full of the Christians you would murder in cold blood). Bars in MA close at 1:00 am. Minorities have greater ease of travel in rural Mississippi than in Wellesley. And so on.

Of course, you may prefer to live in MA. But the sort of mind control that people in MA, or the other "enlightened" states, practice is far worse than anything coming from the South.

I must admit I have little or no direct experiene with social controls or lack thereof in either the South or New England.  All I know is that in most places I have visited or lived in the US, there are strict limits on the hours a bar can be open, as well as near universal strict enforcement of anti-prostitution laws throughout the country.  Lastly of course the 'war against drugs' attack on our freedom is taking place in every state. 

So, I certainly don't dispute that it may be that some northern states are just as or more repressive than southern ones.. I'd just say the the whole country is a puritannical sex prison.  The scary thing is that most of the rest of the world is becoming more like the US in this respect.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I think the perfect city for opebo is Las Vegas. He'd probably like Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon too.

[opebo]

I think the perfect city for opebo is Las Vegas. He'd probably like Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon too.

You live more or less in Minneapolis/St. Paul, right?  Any.. working girls running around there?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I live about 70 miles away so I don't really live there but I do drive up fairly often. You don't see too many hookers on the streets outside of a few occaisonally in the worst neighboorhoods, but I do believe there's a large presence of call girls. The bar and clubbing scene is also very good so picking up girls if you want is fairly easy.