Hey. I Got a Good One. In Austria, What's the Sentence for Incest? One year. Hah.

Which is why Austrian Father of the Year Josef Fritzl plead guilty to incest and rape, don'tcha think?

But wait, there's more . . .
(warning: this story is not heart-safe:)

But the prosecutor at the packed court in St Poelten dismissed Fritzl's pleadings, saying the "real truth" was that Fritzl drugged his daughter, dragged her into the cellar and was in "complete control" of her for the next 24 years. . . .

The court was told that Fritzl imprisoned Elisabeth in a tiny pre-prepared cellar, measuring just 18 sq m (200sq ft) in August 1984, then kept her tied "on a leash" for 24 hours a day.

He eventually untied her nine months later, but only to make it easier to rape her on a daily basis. In total, he is thought to have raped Elisabeth more than 3,000 times.

Elisabeth, aged just 18 when her ordeal began, gave birth to the first of their children entirely alone, with just a self-help pregnancy book, a pair of scissors and some nappies to help her cope. Fritzl did not bother to visit her or bring supplies for the baby for 10 days after the birth.

The most disturbing part, from my point of view is this:

The details of what has been described by one state official as 'the worst criminal trial in Austria's history' are so horrific that the court is sitting for limited hours each day to avoid traumatising the jury, who are being offered counseling.

Guess I Picked the Wrong Day to Quit Thinkin' We'd Already Hit "Peak Stupid"

Yeah, I think all that "reward good behavior" stuff is um like to-tally wrongheaded.

When you find people who really suck at their jobs, the proper response is to Throw More Of Taxpayers' Money At Them!! Because -- if at first you don't succeed, try to try not succeeding AGAIN!

Because otherwise, these ruinously incompetent greedy swine would turn out to be seen as LOSERS. And then they'd default on their MORTGAGES and lose their HOUSES. And then the loudmouth wankers on MSNBC would BLAME THEM. Like LIMBAUGH.

FOR BEING STUPID.

I on the other hand feel no need to wait for MSNBC. I can blame them for being STUPID right now.

Which I, you know, just did.

; )

Torture Is As Torture Does

Voices From the Black Sites.


Hat-tip to Anonymous Source.

Georgia Grants Yoo-man Rights to Frozen Feti -- Will Creamsicles Be Next?

No, I'm not making this up. I don't have to. I never have to.


Hat-tip to bbn.

Shut UP Maureen

More crap about presidential spousal wardrobe.

Sexist. Stupid. Talibangelical. Second in a series of sexist stupid Talibangelical stories in the New York Times.

And the writers are, apparently, getting paid for this tripe?

Levi Needs a Lawyer

Hey. So they broke up.

No surprise there.

Bristol has split with boyfriend Levi Johnston and according to Levi's sister, Mercede, Bristol refuses to let him see their son Tripp.

But in most states, biodads get to visit their kids if they want to. Does he want to? Does she want him not to? Even the Governor, Levi's not-quite-ex-mother-in-law can't do that, can she?

Some say, especially the family values family kinda Bushist fascist Republicans say, that every baby needs a mommy and a daddy. Well, why didn't they just get married in the first place? Why didn't they go ahead with a covenant marriage, already? Then, they couldn't split!! Which would like fix everything! Sheesh!

Step-Dad Who Incested 9-year-old Girl NOT Excommunicated by Catholic Church

Well, why would raping and knocking up one's 9-year-old stepkid be some big deal, anyhow?

Failing to force one's 9-year-old raped child to give birth?

That'll throw ya outa the church.


------
Prior coverage here.

Our Friends the Saudis Punish 75-year-old Lady With Forty Lashes for "Mingling"

"Mingling"? Yeah, I hate it when them broads mingle. So uppity. So annoying.

Ok, so it's a day after the UN Day of Women. Enough already. Don't get your panties in a twist. Sure, we're gonna keep on trading with the Saudis. Look how much all this trade has helped their human rights situation so far! Wowee! Note the abaya in picture, left. Ring a bell, does it?

It's not like it's Cuba. Heck, we sure don't wanna trade with them Cubans. Saudi? Si! Cuba? No!

It's not like its apartheid or something, is it?

Trading for profit with a vile oppressor of the basic rights of half the Saudi population? I mean, why not? We trade with China, don't we?




Saudi Arabia sexism theocracy women's rights Islamist wahabi torture

Catholic Church Wants Forced Maternity for 9 -Year-Old Rape Victim

Isn't that so very compassionate?

Suffer the little children to -- oh, you know, suffer!

A senior Vatican cleric has defended the excommunication of the mother and doctors of a nine-year-old girl who had an abortion in Brazil after being raped.

Not to mention protecting a rapist's right to breed.

Oh, and on that happy note, happy International Women's Day. Which, although I belong to multiple US liberal groups, somehow had escaped my notice. Checking Kos, I don't see it in the top 10. And as of this writing 3:50, I don't see any article about it -- at all. I don't see anything at Americablog -- though I do see mention of what clothes John thinks the First Lady OUGHT to be wearing. And not wearing.


rape government-forced maternity Roman Catholic Church

a-Q Lite Lashkar-eTaiba "Spinoff" Blamed in Pakistan Terror Attacks

Main LET leaders claim they'd never do any such thing.

No really.

Lashkar-e-Taiba has an extensive network in southern and Southeast Asia. A senior US military intelligence official described the group as "al Qaeda junior," as it has vast resources, an extensive network, and is able to carry out complex attacks throughout its area of operations. "If by some stroke of luck al Qaeda collapsed, LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) could step in and essentially take its place," the official told The Long War Journal in November 2008.

The relationship between al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba is complex, the official noted. "While Lashkar-e-Taiba is definitely subordinate to al Qaeda in many ways, it runs its own network and has its own command structure. The groups often train in each others' camps, and fight side by side in Afghanistan."

So -- now do we get to give credit to Lashkar-al-Zil?

Lashkar-e-Taiba Pakistan cricket attack al-Qaeda Lashkar-al-Zil

Red Chinese Celebrate 50 Years of Successful Genocide in Tibet

My favorite part of this recent picture of Tibet under Chinese rule is that while there are lots of imperialist riot police protecting all-important Han capitalist ventures, the shop signs are Tibetan-language free; the streets of Tibet have no Tibetans.

50 Years After Revolt, China Clamps Down on Tibet.

Red China celebrates decades of imposing racist serfdom in Tibet by closing Tibet to foreign tourists.

More here.

Tibet 1959 uprising Han oppression Tibet genocide PRC

Lahore Attack: "A Savage Blow to the Pakistan State"

Five die in Sri Lankan cricket team attack; kidnap attempt foiled.

The Australian dubs the Lahore attack a savage blow to Pakistan, "second only to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto." It don't take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows when it comes to destabilizing a country, a region, isolating it from the west, promoting internal division, terrifying the populace.

Lashkar-e-Taiba's faring very well, thank you.

Bhutto, then Mumbai, now Lahore.

Lashkar-e-Taiba: Low-tech/high performance M.O. moving toward big-time victories: destabilization, Pakistani civil war, regional war, fully operational nukes with a Caliphate at the end of every fundamentalist's rainbow.

Thanks a lot, Bush, Cheney, Rummy, whose ignorance and hubris made out of a molehill a mountain.

Lahore attack Pakistan cricket Lashkar-e-Taiba

Better Living Through Chemistry Via Monsanto GMOseeds Which Bankrupt Illiterate Farmers Who Can Then Commit Suicide w/ Monsanto Pesticides

Hey. Must be the Circle of Life.


[hat-tip to SeattleTammy]

Porn-Again Christians Ante Up for Porn In the USA

Yes, well, what a surprise.

The Conservative-iest "family values" [coughchokecough] folks turn out to be fueling the billion-dollar porn industry.

"Residents of 27 states that passed laws banning gay marriages boasted 11% more porn subscribers than states that don't explicitly restrict gay marriage."

"States where a majority of residents agreed with the statement "I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage," bought 3.6 more [online porn] subscriptions per thousand people than states where a majority disagreed."

Technorati Tags: porn, conservatives, gay marriage, hypocrisy

Freeper Fascists Hold "Teabagging" Parties -- No I'm Not Making This Up

Sydney-sider cricket enthusiast Mr. NBFH is always accusing me of being unfairly contemptuous of Republicans.

(As in -- He-- "Dear, there must be one good Republican." Me, after long pause -- "Uh -- there used to be John Lindsay?")

Perhaps this story is why. Or this one. Or you can join the tea-bagging yourself.

Sure, the forces of bushist fascism are lookin' to spread around some new kinda tea-bag-meme propaganda, just like they usta get away with, but it looks like they've swallowed more than they can chew.

No, really the tea bag theme sucks for them, no? I mean, as is said: hilarity ensues. It's really really so getting rubbed in their mugs.

Egg all over their faces? Is that what that is?

Technorati Tags: GOP, tea party, Republicans,

Oh Golly Not That Again

Yeah, sorry, it's that again.

PINE BLUFF - Edward Robinson, accused of strangling his 6-month-old daughter, stood before a judge Friday morning and listened as a prosecutor outlined evidence against him.

His baby girl, Rihanna, was crying Tuesday night, and Robinson choked her to get her to stop, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter said.

For a moment, Rihanna stopped crying, then started up again, Hunter said.

The choking continued, Hunter said, and the crying stopped - this time for good.

But wait! There's more!

After the court hearing, Rihanna's grandmother, Lisa Williams, said she informed state officials four months ago that child abuse was occurring in the home.

Lisa Williams said she called the state abuse hot line and the Children and Family Services Division about 25 times before Rihanna's death.

Department of Continuing Sexist Stupidity From the New York Times

Gee, girlie. What's your problem? What's so sexist about this New York Times article that it gets one's panties in a twist?

"Michele Obama Goes Sleeveless -- AGAIN!!"

(Replies gratefully received below.)







3.08.09 Update from Americablog:

"NOTE FROM JOHN: Let me first say, David Brooks is an idiot. Not always. But certainly today. Having said that, I have to admit, I too saw the First Lady on TV that night and thought "woah, a sleeveless dress?" The issue isn't her biceps (her biceps?) The issue is sensuality. That was a sexy dress, and she looked gorgeous in it. I'm just not sure Americans want their First Lady looking too sexy. And before anyone jumps down my throat, I'm talking about my perceptions of what the public wants. I think being President and First Lady is a bit like running a big company. While the employees, and the public, want you to look your best, want you to look classy, want you to look put-together all the time, they don't want to see you looking sexy, unless it's understated. As I said, I'm sure some of our readers will go ballistic over this analysis, but as I always try to point out, it's not always relevant what "you" think - what's relevant is what the American people think. Obama needs the support of the public, and every little thing counts, whether you or I like it or not. The dress, while stunning, gave me pause. Brooks, in his heavy-handed (and somewhat sexist) Republican way, took an interesting observation and perverted it to his own political purposes." Female = sex object, much, John?

Happy Tibetan New Year

Celebrations muted in Tibet due to recent brutalities by genocidal Red Chinese; Han are pissed, try to bribe Tibetans into Disney-World festivities, but foolish Tibetans resist.

Han propaganists complain about naughty naughty Tibetan un-Han point of view and evil splittist Dalai Lama, but plan to bar foreign tourists from Tibet during 50-year anniversary of the 1959 people's uprising, because they know how happy Tibetans are as Serfs of Han, want to give them lotsa space to demonstrate their feeeeeelings without the inconvenient eyes of furrin' witnesses.

Family Planning Saves Billions: Government-Forced Maternity Crowd Wants Unwantedness

Birth control funding saves billions, preventing 2 million unintended pregnancies and 800K abortions every year.

But why would we want that, eh?

Why not listen to government-forced maternity advocate Troy Newman of Operation Rescue, who smears family planning as a "shameful population control program that target[s] low-income families." Or why not start a racist smear-meme by calling family planning "womb lynching"? That's sure sounds purty crappy, no?

Who needs forethought? Let's just lynch women and children instead by pretending that having another kid is just like picking up an extra bottle of milk at Seven-Eleven. No biggie. Really. Don't get your panties in a twist.

What, like there's something inherently un-American about child maltreatment?

Nah. It's as American as apple pie and Abu Ghraib.



(hat-tip re the w-l frame to BillyBobNeck.)

Gitmo Torture Victim Cut Loose at Last

So, Binyam Mohamed's been subjected to "medieval" tortures -- once again, our tax dollars at work.

Some say Binyam's brutalization continued past the end of the Bush regime.

Into, you know, the next one.

In any case, I'm not hearing a whotta lotta outrage from Obama and Holder as yet.

Is anyone else? Am I missing something? Or does their silence give consent?

Update: Statement of torturee Binyam Mohamed upon release from Gitmo.

You Say Depression, I Say Recession - - - Oh Wait, No I Don't

No wonder I've been feeling irrationally depressed all day. (Sigh.)

On Domestic Violence in the Muslim Community

Not a "not simply domestic violence" kinda take.

Friday Khutbah.

We must teach our children, especially our young men, that to be a "man" does not mean beating one's wife into submission. That is not a measure of strength, but rather profound and pathetic weakness. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "The strong man is not one who can wrestle someone to the ground. Rather, the strong man is the one who can control himself when he gets angry." We all must heed this Prophetic wisdom.

If we know that a man is an abuser, he must not be allowed to marry again and continue the cycle of abuse. Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali of the ADAMS center in Virginia first made that call, and I echo it. Sister Aasiya was the third wife of her accused killer, and the two other women filed for divorce because of spousal abuse. How could this be? It does not matter who the man is; if he is a abuser, and does not want to change, then he should not be allowed to marry. Period.

My heart bleeds for the family of sister Aasiya. My heart bleeds for this terrible tragedy. My heart bleeds for the countless other women - Muslim and otherwise - who endure terror at home at the hands of those who should be their best and closest companions.

And my heart burns with rage at those who think that beating their wives is sanctioned by our beautiful faith. They are terribly mistaken. Islam does nothing of the sort, and God does not accept this terrible behavior. Neither should the Muslim community.

Wake up, Muslim community! Wake up! There must never be another Aasiya Zubair. There must never be another instance of an "honor killing." Nay, from this day forward, there must never be another spouse who goes home to a place where she does not feel safe. As Muslims, who are accountable before God on the Day of Judgment, we must eradicate the stain that is domestic violence from our community, once and for all.

TV Exec Hubby Beheads Wife

Of course honor killings count as domestic violence. Duh.

Look at this stupid frame: "Are honor killings simply domestic violence?"

"Simply domestic violence?"

[coughchokechough]

<--- spits.

Go look at the US stats for DV murder, why don'tcha?

Then stick your vile misogynist minimizing where the sun don't shine.

Child Abuse Du Jour: Kid Starves to Death, World Media Whores Frame Death as Kid's Fault

Yes, please don't forget to blame the victim. Then, wash your hands.

EIGHT-YEAR OLD STARVES HERSELF TO DEATH.


Hands up, boys and girls if you, too, wonder why this starving child was not taken by its parents to the ER, a place where human who don't want to eat by mouth are fed intrvenously. And then wonder why the media pushes this total utter crap.

Object Lesson in Why Buddha Taught the Importance of Non-Attachment

Person at Hong Kong airport expressing disappointment at arriving too late to catch flight.