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In the actual case you're probably thinking of it was a fairly elaborate mixing operation, utilizing bottles of very good wine mixed with a variety of wines to match the flavor profile, and based on an experienced oenophile's knowledge of the expensive wines. Most of the cheap mixing wines were still wines I would consider very expensive to drink at my own table!
But regardless, marketing is part of the good from a supply and demand perspective, for both the wine and the gash. Sure, it all feels the same in the dark, but actually making the sale for that kind of money requires a sales effort. And if the kind of marketing in the pornography/escort space that Aella achieves were easy for many thousands of women in the pornography space to do, we wouldn't know who Aella was and be discussing and referencing her constantly on this website.
Yes it’s the case.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but I still probably place more emphasis on regulatory frictions limiting arbitrage than you. I would say in many ways it’s like the old floor traders at the NYSE or CBOT that made a lot of money but were sometimes like Iowa St or Fordham grads when now markets are ran by like some Chinese dude who won a math Olympiad. Each takes advantage of knowing flow to profit but the Chinese dude couldn’t just show up to the exchange back in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. Prostitution is basically not prosecuted unless it’s associated with other social disorder while even high end pimping is. The average hoe doesn’t know she should be reading AI doomerism and then throw a few quotes on a website to increase her rate 4-8x. There is only a few that fall into the niche which is kind of like a Fordham grad who had a cousin at the NYSE so started showing up there when he realized their was money.
In a parallel universe where the CIA decided they wanted intel on AI bros and lesser tech bros thru a prostitution ring in San Francisco and tasked me with setting it up with like a million in start-up capital and immunity from prosecution I think I could do it. And cause hoe deflation in San Francisco. I would hire some web guy to make me a bunch of websites; have some training academy where the girls read like SSC, some sci-fi, a few AI-doomer books; rent a bunch of apartments; spend some money prepping them at fancy restaurants. So yes I think you could just counterfeit a bunch of Aella’s crew. So to me the main barrier is regulatory that management is illegal. There are few girls who naturally: 1. Know to live in SF 2. Have a natural inclination to tech bro stuff 3. Have a physical attraction 7.5-8.5 4. Want to be whores. (3) is common enough. (4) common enough if the money is good. (1) and (2) are rare but I think could be taught.
Sure if you had an infinite budget and ability to recruit, you could counterfeit Aella.
But I think the (5) on your list that is being underemphasized in most discussions of prostitution is: Able to mentally and physically endure and survive the ordeal of sex work while maintaining (2) and (3). Most strippers, porn stars, prostitutes flame out on drugs or alcohol or other self destructive behaviors; both because that kind of impulsivity is what lead them to the trade, and because of the pressures and traumas thereof. They have a short shelf life because of that.
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As demonstrated by Bernard Black?
Death, Taxes, @HereAndGone2 hopping in to tell us that it's totally inexplicable that people value things she doesn't personally like. Said with all love and affection.
All we are is dust in the wind, my friend. Dust and ashes!
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