Why I hate banks

At the end of 1997, I left the world of banking, where I'd spent more than 10 years learning about consumer credit and then enforcing federal banking laws. I learned that the average banker is a drone with delusions of power and the average bank teller has the I.Q. of pocket lint.

This article from the San Francisco Chronicle is a shining example of how truly stupid and unthinking banks and bankers are.

Bottom line: banks assume everyone except their wealthiest customers are criminals. If you don't believe me, read this article.

At least in the erotica world, we just assume everyone is a sex fiend, which has a lot more potential for fun.

Parlez-vous Biz Speak?

Little known fact: I have a day job! And increasingly, at work I find myself surrounded by people speaking a foreign tongue -- everything from "monetizing the content space" to "shifting the paradigm" (although I understand any mention of "paradigm" brands one as a throwback to the Gordon Gekko's era).

Anyway, when I saw this Biz Speak generator, I exclaimed "Eureka!" Maybe now I can run with the big dogs....

Update: one of my favorite podcast listeners, who shall remain anonymous for his own protection, saw this post and turned me on to Bullshit Bingo, which I think has great potential, too!

Please take my survey

In April 2007, my first nonfiction book, YOUR EROTIC PERSONALITY, is due to be released by Berkley Books. Yes, it's exciting! But that's not the reason for my post.

I am interested in creating a club in conjunction with the book but want it to offer real value to the people who read the book. That's where you come in. I would love to hear what you'd expect to get from such a club.

Please take the survey.

It should only take about five minutes of your time (seven if you're especially thoughtful in your responses!). Your thoughts will be highly valuable to me.

The survey closes on September 8. I appreciate your input very much.

Another Stephen Colbert gem

For me, there's no better way to digest the day's news than with Jon Stewart's The Daily Show at 11:00 pm, followed by The Colbert Report at 11:30 on Comedy Central. These guys are voices of sanity amid a world of what often feels like fools, crooks, and spin doctors.

Today, I discovered this funny link to Stephen Colbert's clever little game, You're on Notice! Enjoy -- and put the bastards on notice!

Sex -- Then and Now

This morning, I received a link from a friend who knew I'd find it amusing. It's a film from 1965 produced by the Citizens for Decent Literature and it's called "Perversion for Profit." What a hoot! The film warns of the dangers of obscenity, linking it to everything from communism to homosexuality to the fall of Rome. It's among those films that's been parodied so much, you can almost guess the next words out of the presenter's mouth before he says them. (The introductory credit says the man's name is George Putnam, "outstanding news reporter," which is pretty hilarious in and of itself.)

So, I had a good chuckle over it (as I hope you will) and thought to myself, "How far we've come in 40 years."

And then, this evening, an individual by the name of "Real Diehl" wrote me (and several others, I soon learned) to share his original song, which he calls "Circle Jerk for Humanity." Well, folks, this is yet another hoot (although frankly, I was more entertained by the 1965 film).

I may not want to run out and buy this guy's song, but you know, it's pretty cool that he can not only create it but get people to hear it without fear of getting arrested. What would ol' George Putnam have said about Real Diehl, I wonder?

The song made me think yet again that we'd come a long way in 40 years, but I wasn't sure it was necessarily progress...

Which leads me to a final discovery today, mostly thanks to my wonderful man, Chris, who is a huge fan of writer Alan Moore. The Onion did a serious interview with Moore and I was completely floored by this guy's vision and outlook about sex. Read the interview and tell me you don't want to crawl into his brain and learn how it works. I highly recommend the interview, and plan to read his work ASAP. (Luckily, Chris has everything Moore has ever written!)

Alan Moore gives me hope that yes, indeed, maybe we have come a long way in 40 years.

Upcoming Public Appearance

Anybody in the San Francisco bay area on August 12 is invited to attend a monthly event called Writers With Drinks, where I'll be reading and talking about being a custom erotica writer. This event is hosted by local writers Charlie Anders and Annalee Newitz, and combines erotica with literature, stand-up comedy with science fiction and poetry with essays.

Here's the lineup:
Daisy Zamora (The Violent Foam)
Noria Jablonski (Human Oddities)
Sage Vivant (Custom Erotica Source)
Julia Jackson (Sistahs, RooftopComedy)
Cynthia Heimel (Sex Tips For Girls)
Ellen Klages (Time Gypsy)

Writers With Drinks happens at The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd. St., San Francisco CA, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Doors open at 7 PM. Admission is $3 - $5 (sliding scale). Hope to see you there!