Cheap entertainment?

Heard this one on the radio - apparently this is a real, serious news story:

with the economic downturn, Britons are turning to cheap forms of entertainment. The favorite one listed?


Sex.


Yup. The Nasty. The Beast with Two Backs. Wink-wink-nudge-nudge.

Two observations:

First: that's great if you're married or in an otherwise highly committed relationship, but there ARE those of us out there who aren't. (I guess we're the ones checking books out from the libraries or going on hikes. Except going on hikes by yourself kind of sucks and can be dangerous depending on where you are).

Second: the news announcer pointed out that this news came out on World AIDS Day. The point being, I guess, you can have fun having sex but be sure it's with someone who's been monogamous with you for a long long time, or else (as one of my friends says), "wrap that rascal." And it strikes me that that message is not at all unlike the Hallowe'en/Thanksgiving/Christmas food messages that come out: "Oh, the food is so good! And it tastes so wonderful! But don't you DARE enjoy it very much because it's BAD for you!" Once again, the nanny-ers are talking about something that is fun (or, ahem, so I've heard) and using it as a platform for reminding us how very, very screwed we are, because everything that is even allegedly enjoyable carries Serious Dangers and we probably really shouldn't do it anyway.

(And before anyone flames: Yes, HIV is extremely serious and people DO need to be aware of it. But I think this story is perhaps the wrong way to go about it.)

I wonder how soon they start talking about the dangers of reading library books? They could carry germs, I suppose...