A linkfest post

Last night Amanda and Kelly fed me way too much food and alcohol went out to dinner with me during the beginnings of Blizzard March '09. (My car didn't have any ice to scrape off by the way.)

Somewhere during the evening of debauchery, Amanda and Kelly starting comparing notes on Netbooks. I think if I were still in school, I'd want one too. Since I'm not in school the little buggers make no sense to me. But I pointed out the rumor that Apple will release a netbook this year. Amanda and Kelly discussed the merits of such a product and were reticent, but I just want to point out, it will probably have a touch screen.

::Steps up onto soap box::
Also, for some reason Minneapolis is all of the sudden indignant about prostitution and Johns. I can identify with the story of the girl walking to the, well, for me it was always the bus stop. I've also spent a lot of time on a restorative justice panel that hears cases of men who were arrested for solicitation.

That said, when Mayor Rybak is looking for stuff to cut from the city budget, I suggest cutting the website where people can go look up Johns by picture. (Who cares?) Second, quit prosecuting everyone. Restorative justice is the better option because it takes up way fewer resources and has a lower recidivism rate than traditional prosecution. Plus, in the program I serve, Johns have to come and volunteer in the neighborhood that was "victimized" by their crime. That helps a neighborhood much more than putting someone in jail or making them pay a fine and sending them to probation.

It's prostitution. It's Lake Street. Put the money you would have spent prosecuting these men from the suburbs and actually invest in Lake Street. It's a better use of the money and will help Minneapolis more in the long run.
::Steps down from soap box now::