The economics of prostitution

The Economist has gathered statistics that I didn't know exist to determine the value of prostitution in various cities, and also considering other variables. The illegality of the trade in most places would make the gathering of statistics difficult, it would seem. I suspect that many of these attributes correspond to variables that draw attention on dating sites, at least the attributes that can be gleaned from looking at a photo (to determine body type, race, length of hair).

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Book Project: God is like an abusive boyfriend

Hemant Mehta, the editor of FriendlyAtheist.com, is launching this book project on Kickstarter. It is a book making the argument that the relationship many have with "God" is like a relationship with an abusive boyfriend.

Our goal is to get people to reconsider their relationship with God. We all know people who feel like they need Him, but we are both atheists who enjoy happy, fulfilling lives without religious faith. We know it's possible! So this is our way of offering a different perspective on God than the one people usually hear in church. If you're religious, we hope it nudges you to think differently. If you're not religious, we hope you find it entertaining and informative.

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Civil Rights Organizations Sell Out

The Nation reports that venerable civil rights organizations are selling out on the issue of Net Neutrality. Literally.

[T]elecoms are desperate for third-party approval, and have even resorted to fabricating community support for their anti–net neutrality lobbying campaign. Perhaps the bigger picture here is how so many of the old civil rights establishments have become comfortable with trading endorsements for cash. Verizon, Comcast, AT&T and other telecom companies have donated, either directly or through a company foundation, to nearly every group listed on the anti–net neutrality letters filed last week. We saw a similar dynamic play out with Walmart when the retailer handed out cash to civil rights groups in order to buy support for opening stores in urban areas. Times have changed. Just as Martin Luther King Jr.’s children have embarrassingly descended into fighting bitterly over what’s left of his estate, the civil rights groups formed to advance Dr. King’s legacy seem willing to sell out their own members for a buck.

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