Rain in Spain

Okay, I can’t tell whether this is the goods or just another “it’s-close-to-April-1^st” story, but I’ll pass it on anyhow. Last week I learned of an alleged strike by Spain’s “high-class” prostitutes, targeting bankers specifically in what might in high-tech terms be called a Denial of Service (DOS) attack. (Thanks to Roo for passing on the news.)

The UK’s Daily Mail reports that they’re, erm, cutting off the plutocrats until the banks start opening up credit lines for Spaniards who have, as you know, been really hit by the economic turmoil. So far, Snopes hasn’t debunked it, but I can’t find any corroborating report on this, so I’m reserving any serious judgment on any of the stakeholders (as it were).

Now, true or not, this reminds me of Lysistrata. That 2000-year-comedy by Aristophanes tells how the women of the various Greek city states collaborate to end the Peloponnesian War. By basically depriving their men of any what you might call home comforts. Wives, mistresses, prostitutes—they all agree to a pre-emptive DOS attack in this regard.

When the men realize the real cost of the ongoing war, they negotiate peace. Exeunt omnes, as the Bard used to say. I personally find it hysterical—some of the dialog is serious LOL stuff—although, I dunno, maybe men wouldn’t find it quite as entertaining. Sourpusses.

But where I’m really intrigued by the current state of affairs in Spain is the call girls’ targeting bankers. Because in Lysistrata the way the women of Sparta, Athens, Corinth & the other cities first grabbed the minds of their men (preparatory to grabbing their hearts) was by seizing the treasuries. They cut off funds for the fighting. When the soldiers came home to ask “WTF?” they responded, “Um, no—none of that, either.”

(As an aside, Aristophanes stole my story line. I found this out sitting in a poly sci class one summer, kind of drifting, as you do, when the professor described the basic plot. I was incensed, but I guess it’s really a universal kind of story. As another aside, Aristophanes gave us “cloud cuckoo land”, in The Birds. Really—why are they not reviving his plays?)

At any rate, if the Spain sex & money story is true, I give major props to the ladies of the night. & maybe the Occupy movement would like to take a pointer from the classics.