The CBC’s Doc Zone had an interesting show last night about the sexualization of children. At one point a group of high school girls were talking about the way porn affects boys, and they said it teaches them to treat girls with contempt and call them bitches, sluts, whores, cunts – you know the drill.
If they’re right, that seems a rather depressing sign for the future.
Radical Islamists are compiling a list of unmarried mothers in northern Mali, raising fears of cruel punishments such as stoning, amputations and executions, a senior United Nations official said. [Read more…]
It appears that she is stable.
On Friday, an international team of neurological specialists said her condition was stable, but they’re watching her closely…
Tests on Malala went well, doctors said Friday, and her care at a hospital where she was initially treated was good. She remains in critical condition, but specialists are satisfied with the situation.
“The next 36 to 48 hours are important,” Major Gen. Asim Bajwa told reporters in Rawalpindi.
People keep telling us to pray, which is understandable but still annoying. However I do spend some time saying “don’t die don’t die don’t die don’t die” at intervals. Might as well.
The German bishops have told German Catholics that if they don’t give the church money they don’t get the sacraments.
Last month, German bishops warned that if members of the Catholic Church don’t pay the country’s church tax, they’ll be denied the sacraments — including baptisms, weddings and funerals.
In increasingly secular Europe, Germany is one of the few countries where the state collects a special levy from tax-registered believers and hands it over to three organized faiths. [Read more…]
A picture Dil Nawaz shared on Facebook.
Because it’s far too good to blush unseen in the comments.
Allow me to add “FUCK YEA!” and “Fuck you” just try and do something about me and my freedom to say any damn thing I want. You loons sit here at your circle jerk and think you effect the real world? People like me who take on people face to face will be making change while you sputter amongst yourselves. Look at how much you’ve changed my behavior so far…pfft. Ophelia Benson are you needy for attention or just like to blab blab blab? No matter do not fret you will have your wish I’m happy to speak out about you to as part of the disease called A+. Poor A+ a group of idiots too dumb to know how limited their reach. You do make for great fodder I give you that much. Nothing anything any of you can or will say will harm or hurt me I am the wall you were bound to hit sooner or later. Funny thing is I am not alone we just don’t talk to hear ourselves speak, people actually listen. Now back to the banter……
A guy from Greater Manchester, Barry Thew, wore a horrible T shirt right after two police constables, Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, were killed. The T shirt said “one less pig perfect justice.” Nasty.
He was sentenced to four months in jail today. He “admitted a public order offence.”
A police spokesman said Thew, of Worsley Street, Radcliffe, had been arrested after being seen wearing the T-shirt in Radcliffe town centre “just hours” after the constables died in a gun and grenade attack in Mottram on 18 September.
Mr Williams said: “While officers on the ground were just learning of and trying to come to terms with the devastating news that two colleagues had been killed, Thew thought nothing of going out in public with a shirt daubed with appalling handwritten comments on.”
That’s very very unkind and unfeeling and rude. Barry Thew shouldn’t be like that. But – being unkind isn’t a crime. All his friends should give him a good talking-to, but he shouldn’t be convicted of a crime or sent to jail.
It’s a T shirt. With a handwritten slogan on it.
Well that’s funny. All that martyrdom stuff about stepping down was apparently just performance art. I hear that Justin Vacula hasn’t stepped down as chapter co-chair of the Pennsylvania SCA after all. Certainly he’s still listed as such.
Update October 13: now he’s not listed.
Kamila Shamsie had a great piece on Malala in the Guardian yesterday.
Today, as Malala Yousafzai remains critical but stable in hospital following an assassination attempt by the Taliban, I watched the laughing, wise, determined 11-year-old in that video and thought of the Urdu phrase, “kis mitti kay banee ho” – “from what clay were you fashioned?” [Read more…]
Never a dull moment, eh? Al Stefanelli has left FTB, and on his way out he did a podcast with his friend Reap Paden.
I listened to as much as I could stand, which wasn’t much. I transcribed a few high points.
Reap Paden: I guess I pissed some people off with my last. I guess the main thing – I called Stephanie Zvan a bitch. She was being a bitch.
They both agree it’s a good word. “I use it all the time,” says Al. “So does my wife. I can understand that it’s controversial, but everyone’s entitled to their opinion.”
They say swearing is great, they like swearing. Hooray for swearing. [Read more…]