www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I believe that the USA views travel to Cuba as being legal, but that a license from the Treasury Department is required,
before US Dollars are spent there.

I made over 50 legal trips there, with all my expenses paid by a European company.

The company lawyer tells me that the license is rarely granted for tourism.
Travel as a journalist is exempt from the regulations.

_________________
It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

Well, at least the thread was entertaining to read this morning! Admin is right. I've seen too many friends become enemies over an outbreak of religion and politics. I think most of us here lean toward a fairly progressive view, and I enjoy that. I'd hate to see a schism on our bulletin board develop.

Interesting that they aren't going after legal prostitution here in Nevada, right in their own backyard.

Interesting the study that says the overwhelming majority of sex workers want out of the business. I believe similar statistics could be generated for fast food workers in the United States wanting out of McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell and all the others.

Ringo

It occurs to me that most of these 'sex tour' companies are obsolete anyway. Any guy with a travel agent and internet access can arrange for accomodations and flights, and get info from boards like this one, and probably be better off than the 'sex tour' guys.
Also, if their idea prevents hobbying with minors, and human trafficking / slavery, then it is todo bien.
I think they are aiming at tours / pimping rather than independent guys like the ones on this board.

but trying to prevent sex tourism is like trying to stab water.
you can try....
simple supply and demand says that if there is demand, there will be supply. And there will ALWAYS be demand. That's why they call it the world's oldest profession.

KS

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check yourself before you wreck yourself

I just caught this thread for the first time...been a busy weekend. Personally I dont think it should be deleted though I will go with whatever Admin 1 elects.

I think some of the political commentary on prostitution and personal rights are a legitimate topic and concern to many of us on this board. Sure, we have a wide range of views and persuasions among 3600 people, but a lot of this topic is legitimate. I think the problem arises in FLAMING and personal attacks based on disagreeing parties. Those are the NO NOs of this board. It looks like some self edits have taken care of some of that.

At the same time, I think it is healthy to realize and understand the diversity of opinion on these subjects. It is only through discussion and sometimes heart wrenching dialogue that we are able to be more objective about our own views and opinions. While politics and religion are not our primary point of interest on this forum, one would be very naive to think those factors dont affect each and every one of us one way or another. And it will effect our lives and activities more and more even here in CR. So...lets not be overtly political or philisophical on this board, but lets not also "throw the baby out with the bath water". There are a lot of important statements made on this thread. It's just the flames and personal attacks that should be banned or deleted. Just my opinion...

T&V I think you missed the point here. The thread started about sex tourism and my comment about legal travel was in regard to tourism. This is from the US Department of State web page,



The web site lists those who may be eligible for a license to visit and tourists are not included. New regulations allow Cuban Americans to only visit their relatives in Cuba once every three years and severely limits the amount of money they may send to them.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

For the most part this is true and readily apparent to you and me, BUT you still occasionally see guys showing up here at CRT either already booked with one of those agencies or at least asking about them. How many more are out there who haven't yet even discovered this board or others? We see guys at the HDR/BM all the time who are basically clueless about the real wealth of info available on the internet. At best for many of those guys their "knowledge" is limited to knowing how to use Travelocity and a vague awareness that the HDR is "the place to stay" and the BM "the place to hunt". They're as likely to have learned this as a result of word of mouth or one of those network TV exposes or even from seeing one of the sex tour sites as having discovered ,pre reputable sites like this. Many of those guys who have such cursory knowledge, often contemplating a visit to the "dangerous" world outside the US for the first time in their lives do not feel secure enough to do it on their own.

I also agree with those comments and particularly like your simile - like stabbing water These sex tour outfits are indeed at this point just a small part of the total industry. By their very nature they are of very loose ethics, exploitive of both the girls and their gullible customers. Who knows what else such outfits might be engaging in or at least turning a blind eye to? I say good riddance to bad rubbish, particularly if it gives the moral crusaders a a Pyrrhic victory for them to satisfy themselves with eliminating something we can all do without anyway while us independent guys continue on with our activities as strongly as ever.

Unfortunately, I don't think the moral crusaders will be content to stop there. The article said this proposed legislation is targeting tour company owners [b]and travelers[b]. A reasonable interpretation would be that they intend to prosecute the tour companies and then go after the clients in those companies' records. But who ever said these folks were reasonable? How far they will get remains highly questionable. But who ever thought they would get this far. We live in a country that gets worked into a lather over Howard Stern and Janet Jackson's breast. A country which is currently actively seeking to extend its legal authority beyond it borders in a number of areas and applying it to both US citizens and noncitizens alike. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it doesn't end with just these tour outfits.

DD; I think we are saying the same thing here.
Yes, you can go to Cuba, but not by spending US Dollars as a tourist.

And, yes, I acknowledge it is far from the original thread.
In response to your post I was just commenting that I have been to Cuba many times, legally.

_________________
It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

Prolijo wrote...

I respectfully disagree with you on this point Prolijo on a couple grounds. One is, give them an inch they will take a mile. I blanketly dont condone government interference on businesses of this or any nature if it is not hurting anyone physically, and if all parties are participating concensually. I dont particularly like the concept of Sexual tour companies, but for many consenting adults, some of them provide a viable service. You really think the "moral crusaders" will stop at tour companies?

Two, calling these services "exploitive of both providers and customers" is a bit harsh in my mind. I know many customers AND providers who would love to be off the streets and in some organized business of this kind. Sure, there are many exploiters in this industry...just like there are in regular travel companies, airlines, food and beverage...you name it.

A question that has never been answered clearly to me is why these promoters are immoral in representing these services...especially where prostitution is legal? How is that any different than our sharing and introducing between each other various providers here in CR? Just receiving money for that is immoral...but doing it for free isnt? I just dont buy the ethics. Sure, we dont want to pay middlemen when we dont have to...but its almost like saying all Industrial independent reps are immoral for getting paid to intermediate product exchange.

OK...you get my point. But it truly goes back to the old argument of whether Playboy type orgs are a good or bad thing. I think most of us have no real problem with them as long as they are not trafficing minors or slaves...

The USA is a (mostly) Democracy.
In practice that means that the squeaky wheel with a lot of votes gets the right to dictate to the rest.

With enough votes I can make green shirts, short hair or anything else illegal.

If you don't like the trend, vote or otherwise get active,
to keep the Bible Thumpers from dictating to you.

_________________
It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

I had the experience of being in the middle of a 17 day journey in CR during the last presidential election. While staying at a B&B in Orosi, the German owners asked me:

"If the USA is a democracy, why is not Mr. Gore the president?"

I had no answer, but it made me think. It especially makes me think when I see my tax dollars spent to "bring democracy to the Middle East."

The best answer I eventually could come up with is: We are NOT a democracy. We are a republic of 50 somewhat independent states, with a fairly archaic old system of election based on a 200 year old political compromise.

I think the principle of democracy is fairly simple. He/she/it with the most votes wins.

LOL wait till you see a picture of the gringa professor Donna Hughes supporting the bill!

http://pic2.picturetrail.com/VOL977/363 ... 159967.jpg

Thanks Goal.

Think that picture is indeed worth a 1000 words.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

First of all, I'm assuming Goal's photo link to our heroine is genuine. Second, based on her attire and pointed / loaded finger, handsome solid black coat, wire rimmed glasses, and sensible, unisex doo, I'm assuming she's lesbian. Maybe I'm wrong. If so, right now give me the chastisement, political correction / enlightenment my male brain so desperately requires.

Ditto Ding Dong's post immediately above. As a male in a traditionally female health care profession, I've been at the muzzle end of women who have been mistreated by some men in their collective environments, who are only too happy to take it out on surrogate males (me, and other men I work with). Oops. Sorry, I'm wrong. Women in the US are universally kind, supportive and nurturing. Oprah told us so. Did I mention they are nurturing?

Yes, nurturing. Ever see how nurturing they are to their workplace females who are more attractive than they are? It's positively lovey-dovey. Women are superior beings. Just watch "Everybody Loves Raymond." You'll see. Women are SO much SMARTER and SAVVIER than men!

For more than the last ten years man-bashing has been "IN," and apparently is what the public wants to see, ever since about the time the movie "Thelma and Louise" was released (more than ten years ago) where only one of ten men in the film wasn't a total, male-stereotyped, jerk. We men forced Thelma, or was it Louise (?) to drive off the edge of the Grand Canyon in the final scene. We gave them no choice. I'm so ashamed to have a weenie and my male chromosome. I think I'm going to cry!

Right or left wing, angry bull women or male thumpers, they want control over sex. 'Nuff said.

Ringo

Screw 'em, the operative phrase is "For the purpose of..." If anybody wants to know, I'm just going fishing .
If it just happens some chick approaches me, how could I refuse, since I feel sorry for her poor abused and exploited self ?
When I book my trip I have no idea something like that could ever happen.

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"You only live ONCE but it does help if you get to be young TWICE"
¨You cannot love life until you live the life you Love