General Info

[The Old Teaboy]

Alfafan, thanks for the link. Craiglist in Western countries is used by sex workers themselves, thus eliminating pimps. Lanka Ads is similar, but is dominated by pimps. Hopefully when university-educated women in Sri Lanka start advertising, a similar situation could result.

OTB and MikeC, You might find the following study results to be very interesting. I hope the likes of PB, Dr Atigala and others who will be calling the shots in next 5 years will come across this study report.

Opinion.

Economists studied Craigslist, which from 2002 to 2010 gradually introduced an "erotic services" section that allowed sex workers to advertise directly and anonymously on the internet. 📉The results were astounding: the expansion of Craigslist into a market led to a 10% to 17% reduction in female homicides. 📉Karl W. Smith writes that these effects have been found in other studies too -- in Rhode Island, inadvertent decriminalization of indoor sex work resulted in a 30% drop in rapes.

Smith says that economic theory offers a possible explanation to these effects: "Reducing the restrictions on sex work expands the set of available economic opportunities, especially to those at the bottom of the economic scale. This expansion shifts the overall balance of economic power toward poor women giving them more leverage in other economic relationships that expose them to violence. That, in turn, alters the behavior of the men (and women) they work and live with. Reducing the danger associated with sex work could make it easier for women to avoid unsafe situations in other areas of work. ".

It's only a theory, but the data suggest full decriminalization makes sex work less dangerous. Public officials who want to reduce violence against women should embrace it. https://bloom.bg/2P48Jlz.

[AlfaFan]

OTB and MikeC, You might find the following study results to be very interesting. I hope the likes of PB, Dr Atigala and others who will be calling the shots in next 5 years will come across this study report.

Opinion.

Economists studied Craigslist, which from 2002 to 2010 gradually introduced an "erotic services" section that allowed sex workers to advertise directly and anonymously on the internet. 📉The results were astounding: the expansion of Craigslist into a market led to a 10% to 17% reduction in female homicides. 📉Karl W. Smith writes that these effects have been found in other studies too -- in Rhode Island, inadvertent decriminalization of indoor sex work resulted in a 30% drop in rapes.

Smith says that economic theory offers a possible explanation to these effects: "Reducing the restrictions on sex work expands the set of available economic opportunities, especially to those at the bottom of the economic scale. This expansion shifts the overall balance of economic power toward poor women — giving them more leverage in other economic relationships that expose them to violence. That, in turn, alters the behavior of the men (and women) they work and live with. Reducing the danger associated with sex work could make it easier for women to avoid unsafe situations in other areas of work. ".

It's only a theory, but the data suggest full decriminalization makes sex work less dangerous. Public officials who want to reduce violence against women should embrace it. https://bloom.bg/2P48Jlz.

[MikeC002]

Good point. I have had personal experience of such infiltration. Be wary of "occasional" posters.

Keen to learn more about about the infiltration experience. Unfortunately by subscription expired which has deprived me of the PM facility and renewal is not easy as it used to be. (one reason why I started posting in public forum lately) I will get in touch with you once I reactivate PM facility.

And I guess the latter goes without saying as any experienced monger IMO should do his own due diligence.

[The Old Teaboy]

That is true about LSO. But that was like 15 years ago as I can remember. However still there is a risk of LE infiltrating this forum as Alfafan has suggested. Hence every effort should be taken to avoid that scenario.

Good point. I have had personal experience of such infiltration. Be wary of "occasional" posters.

[AlfaFan]

Alfafan, thanks for your response. I agree that they will watch the economy for 2 to 3 years before they consider taxing MP's. If the budget deficit is becoming intolerable, they may consider it. Have you seen the youtube video on spas in the Pannipitiya Road / Talawatugoda area? The reporter counted 21 MP's on a 4 mile stretch of road. It is clear that MP's have become a significant contributor to the economy. In the spas that he filmed, the girls were wearing skirts.

https://youtu.be/rbtnPsI4Gb0

The majority of girls working in spas come from very poor villages. They provide a valuable contribution to the family finances. Any crackdown on spas in the cities will hit the rural economy.

What happened to LSO cannot happen to this forum because it is sourced overseas. All they can do is to block the site, in which case we can still access it using a VPN service.

Hi OTB,

I had not seen that video before, thought came across. You are spot on about the prospective impact on rural economy taht such a crackdown will have. And the impact on the entire economy will be even more than the isolated impact on rural economy because the money going into rural economy in this channel changes hands rather quickly (high velocity of this money) and bears more stimulating impact on the overall economy. However I m doubtful whether those who call the shots will have that foresight.

Yeah I forgot that this site is hosted from servers outside SL. But then again as someone had said, if everyone learns about the forum and LE also start to follow it regularly, the purpose will be lost.

[MikeC002]

Alfafan, thanks for your response. I agree that they will watch the economy for 2 to 3 years before they consider taxing MP's. If the budget deficit is becoming intolerable, they may consider it. Have you seen the youtube video on spas in the Pannipitiya Road / Talawatugoda area? The reporter counted 21 MP's on a 4 mile stretch of road. It is clear that MP's have become a significant contributor to the economy. In the spas that he filmed, the girls were wearing skirts.

https://youtu.be/rbtnPsI4Gb0

The majority of girls working in spas come from very poor villages. They provide a valuable contribution to the family finances. Any crackdown on spas in the cities will hit the rural economy.

What happened to LSO cannot happen to this forum because it is sourced overseas. All they can do is to block the site, in which case we can still access it using a VPN service.

That is true about LSO. But that was like 15 years ago as I can remember. However still there is a risk of LE infiltrating this forum as Alfafan has suggested. Hence every effort should be taken to avoid that scenario.

[The Old Teaboy]

Hi OTB,

I agree with you about the economic sense of bringing MPs and related services into tax regime by legalizing. However guess that its less likely to materialize at least in the first half, because such a move will directly lead to a conflict to the rhetoric they promoted based on which this victory was earned. (Despite the leaders of the govt will see the economic sense of it).

Regarding Digital IDs, I can remember that there was a public uproar on the consequences of Digital IDs in India when they tried to introduce those few years back. I didn't follow the discussion afterwards. I guess it is reasonable to assume that the 'younger brother's reign will be marked by increased surveillance of big brother and overall Orwellian kind of govt. As in 1984. What I m more keen about it whether there would be crackdown. A large scale replication of liberty plaza 2011 - eventually under the incoming govt.

What I have also noted as a long term reader of the forum despite using a new user profile, is that the forum has become more liberal in terms of sharing information, whereabouts in public forum and less worried about encoding sensitive information in a way that only clever would be able to decipher. I always enjoy solving the puzzles of the likes of Mahahora et al, to figure out the meaning and of course collect and enjoy the treasures.

I know for a fact that the readership of the forum has increased in recent past due to some publicity it received in some groups and urge you all to be more vigilant. I guess that some of you have taken note of this based on recent posts. We certainly don't want what happened to LSO sometime back happening to this forum.

Cheers!

Alfafan, thanks for your response. I agree that they will watch the economy for 2 to 3 years before they consider taxing MP's. If the budget deficit is becoming intolerable, they may consider it. Have you seen the youtube video on spas in the Pannipitiya Road / Talawatugoda area? The reporter counted 21 MP's on a 4 mile stretch of road. It is clear that MP's have become a significant contributor to the economy. In the spas that he filmed, the girls were wearing skirts.

https://youtu.be/rbtnPsI4Gb0

The majority of girls working in spas come from very poor villages. They provide a valuable contribution to the family finances. Any crackdown on spas in the cities will hit the rural economy.

What happened to LSO cannot happen to this forum because it is sourced overseas. All they can do is to block the site, in which case we can still access it using a VPN service.

[AlfaFan]

Alfafan, thanks for the question. It is difficult to predict. If the economy is given priority, MP's should be taxed, meaning that the normal activities in them will be legalized. Whether this will happen, we have to wait and see. Digitized ID cards are now a certainty, and we have to face the consequences. The purpose of these ID cards is national security, so that your every movemnet can be traced. You may need the ID card even to visit a public toilet.

Hi OTB,

I agree with you about the economic sense of bringing MPs and related services into tax regime by legalizing. However guess that its less likely to materialize at least in the first half, because such a move will directly lead to a conflict to the rhetoric they promoted based on which this victory was earned. (Despite the leaders of the govt will see the economic sense of it).

Regarding Digital IDs, I can remember that there was a public uproar on the consequences of Digital IDs in India when they tried to introduce those few years back. I didn't follow the discussion afterwards. I guess it is reasonable to assume that the 'younger brother's reign will be marked by increased surveillance of big brother and overall Orwellian kind of govt. As in 1984. What I m more keen about it whether there would be crackdown. A large scale replication of liberty plaza 2011 - eventually under the incoming govt.

What I have also noted as a long term reader of the forum despite using a new user profile, is that the forum has become more liberal in terms of sharing information, whereabouts in public forum and less worried about encoding sensitive information in a way that only clever would be able to decipher. I always enjoy solving the puzzles of the likes of Mahahora et al, to figure out the meaning and of course collect and enjoy the treasures.

I know for a fact that the readership of the forum has increased in recent past due to some publicity it received in some groups and urge you all to be more vigilant. I guess that some of you have taken note of this based on recent posts. We certainly don't want what happened to LSO sometime back happening to this forum.

Cheers!

[The Old Teaboy]

This is a list of countries which use electronic ID cards:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_identification

Electronic cards have in fact been developed in Sri Lanka since 2016, but have not as yet been made compulsory.

USA, UK, Australia, and Canada have so far rejected these cards because of privacy issues. Thailand still does not use electronic cards, but I am not sure of the reason.

[The Old Teaboy]

I noted the wisdom you had shared few weeks ago and was pondering upon the same though didn't bother to comment. Now since we are in the post 2018 would you care to share the new assessment of the new state of affairs or rather what would be the new status quo.

Alfafan, thanks for the question. It is difficult to predict. If the economy is given priority, MP's should be taxed, meaning that the normal activities in them will be legalized. Whether this will happen, we have to wait and see. Digitized ID cards are now a certainty, and we have to face the consequences. The purpose of these ID cards is national security, so that your every movemnet can be traced. You may need the ID card even to visit a public toilet.

[AlfaFan]

Members who visited MP's in Colombo 5 to 6 years ago would remember that most girls insisted that you wear disposable underpants for the massage. That practice has now almost completely disappeared. Even wearing a towel is optional in some places. There has been a a "change of culture". I wonder whether there will be another change of culture after November 17th?

It is interesting to remember the raid on the Liberty Plaza brothel in 2011. This was one of the most active brothels in Colombo, with at least 20 girls:

"Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday re-remanded, till January 18, the six women suspects including two foreigners of Eastern European origin, who were arrested from an alleged up-market brothel on the eight-storey the Liberty Plaza shopping complex in Kollupitiya. The Magistrate refused an application filed on behalf of the sixth suspect Rosemarie Perera ( Gina) by Attorneys-at-Law Kalinga Indatissa and Jayantha Weerasinghe. The Magistrate allowed an application filed by the Walana AntiVice Squad to obtain both incoming and outgoing telephone call details of the sixth suspect."]

I noted the wisdom you had shared few weeks ago and was pondering upon the same though didn't bother to comment. Now since we are in the post 2018 would you care to share the new assessment of the new state of affairs or rather what would be the new status quo.

[Member #4650]

Any good pills from stopping you cum fast. Seeking advise for a friend.

[The Old Teaboy]

Members who visited MP's in Colombo 5 to 6 years ago would remember that most girls insisted that you wear disposable underpants for the massage. That practice has now almost completely disappeared. Even wearing a towel is optional in some places. There has been a a "change of culture". I wonder whether there will be another change of culture after November 17th?

It is interesting to remember the raid on the Liberty Plaza brothel in 2011. This was one of the most active brothels in Colombo, with at least 20 girls:

"Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday re-remanded, till January 18, the six women suspects including two foreigners of Eastern European origin, who were arrested from an alleged up-market brothel on the eight-storey the Liberty Plaza shopping complex in Kollupitiya. The Magistrate refused an application filed on behalf of the sixth suspect Rosemarie Perera ( Gina) by Attorneys-at-Law Kalinga Indatissa and Jayantha Weerasinghe. The Magistrate allowed an application filed by the Walana AntiVice Squad to obtain both incoming and outgoing telephone call details of the sixth suspect."

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_...de_title=15078

http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/...824_space.html

[FunBoy76]

Someone told me that a visit to the spa was 250 in 2002. Is this true? Now even 1500 is not enough.

Not exactly, It was Rs 500 entrance and Rs 500 tip for full access.

[Gonas]

Hi, thanks for your memories. Mongering in Colombo used to be rather good 15 years ago. There was a hotel on Marine Drive, Bambalapitiya, which had some good SP's. The scene has become much more commercialized now and prices have been jacked up. I think a small bunch of pimps is controlling the market.

Someone told me that a visit to the spa was 250 in 2002. Is this true? Now even 1500 is not enough.