Benedict fucks up again

Via Shakesville

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Nuclear arms proliferation, environmental pollution and economic inequality are threats to world peace -- but so are abortion, birth control and same-sex marriage, Pope Benedict XVI said in a statement released by the Vatican Tuesday (Dec. 11). (Source)

What is the matter with Benedict? Threats to peace? Seriously, has he gone insane? He is a very convincing argument for dismissing the ridiculous notion of papal infallibility.

Let's run through is short but glorious time as Pope. In addition to yesterday's raving, he abolished limbo and promoted religious conflict through his 'we are right and you are wrong' doctrine. Do the PTB not see that Benedict's statements are inappropriate especially now? Does he pine for the days of the Holy Roman Empire and the discrimination that the church promoted? Perhaps he can increase the hate some more by inciting a new 'crusade'.

He is not promoting peace or goodwill. By stating that abortion, birth control and same-sex marriage and threats to world peace, he is not only showing the depth of his ignorance about the realities of living in the real world and a profound disrespect for those of us who work to establish peace, but he is also making it open season to attack women and gays. How fucking typical. We have actually emerged from the dark ages. We don't burn women at the stake any more, literally at least. Figuratively is another matter...

As far as I remember from religion class, Christ's number one commandment was 'love one another as I have loved you'. He did not say except if you are a woman, use contraception, have abortions, are gay, support gay marriage, or are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist. He said to 'love your neighbour as yourself'.

So Benny, why are you continuing to promote hate and violence. It would seem to be in direct violation of your mandate. As a Catholic, I must ask for your immediate resignation.

EDIT: The more I think about this, the angrier I get. This is the leader of the Catholic church? This is the man that I am supposed to believe in infallible? This is the man that promotes hate? I struggle enough with the church being a Catholic and a feminist and with this misogynist homophobe as leader, it may be time to cut ties. Anyone know of a church that believes in love, peace and understanding? I sure don't.

Frank Kelly's Christmas countdown

And now for some Christmas humour!



Day One

Dear Nuala,
Thank you very much for your lovely present of a partridge in a pear-tree. We’re getting the hang of feeding the partridge now, although it was difficult at first to win its confidence. It bit the mother rather badly on the hand but they’re good friends now and we’re keeping the pear-tree indoors in a bucket. Thank you again.
Yours affectionately,
Gobnait O’Lúnasa

Day Two

Dear Nuala,
I cannot tell you how surprised we were to hear from you so soon again and to receive your lovely present of two turtle doves. You really are too kind. At first the partridge was very jealous and suspicious of the doves and they had a terrible row the night the doves arrived. We had to send for the vet but the birds are okay again and the stitches are due to some out in a week or two. The vet’s bill was £8 but the mother is over her annoyance now and the doves and the partridge are watching the telly from the pear-tree as I write.
Yours ever,
Gobnait

Day Three

Dear Nuala,
We must be foremost in your thoughts. I had only posted my letter when the three French hens arrived. There was another sort-out between the hens and the doves, who sided with the partridge, and the vet had to be sent for again. The mother was raging because the bill was £16 this time but she has almost cooled down. However, the fact that the birds’ droppings keep falling down on her hair whilen she’s watching the telly, doesn’t help matters. Thanking you for your kindness.
I remain,
Your Gobnait

Day Four

Dear Nuala,
You mustn’t have received my last letter when you were sending us the four calling birds. There was pandemonium in the pear-tree again last night and the vet’s bill was £32. The mother is on sedation as I write. I know you meant no harm and remain your close friend.
Gobnait

Day Five

Nuala,
Your generosity knows no bounds. Five gold rings ! When the parcel arrived I was scared stiff that it might be more birds, because the smell in the living-room is atrocious. However, I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the beautiful rings.
Your affectionate friend,
Gobnait

Day Six

Nuala,
What are you trying to do to us? It isn’t that we don’t appreciate your generosity but the six geese have not alone nearly murdered the calling birds but they laid their eggs on top of the vet’s head from the pear-tree and his bill was £68 in cash! My mother is munching 60 grains of Valium a day and talking to herself in a most alarming way. You must keep your feelings for me in check.
Gobnait

Day Seven

Nuala,
We are not amused by your little joke. Seven swans-a-swimming is a most romantic idea but not in the bath of a private house. We cannot use the bathroom now because they’ve gone completely savage and rush the door every time we try to enter. If things go on this way, the mother and I will smell as bad as the living-room carpet. Please lay off. It is not fair.
Gobnait

Day Eight

Nuala,
Who the hell do you think gave you the right to send eight, hefty maids-a-milking here, to eat us out of house and home? Their cattle are all over the front lawn and have trampled the hell out of the mother’s rose-beds. The swans invaded the living-room in a sneak attack and the ensuing battle between them and the calling birds, turtle doves, French hens and partridge make the Battle of the Somme seem like Wanderly Wagon. The mother is on a bottle of whiskey a day, as well as the sixty grains of Valium. I’m very annoyed with you.
Gobnait

Day Nine

Listen you louser!
There’s enough pandemonium in this place night and day without nine drummers drumming, while the eight flaming maids-a-milking are beating my poor, old alcoholic mother out of her own kitchen and gobbling everything in sight. I’m warning you, you’re making an enemy of me.
Gobnait

Day Ten

Listen manure-face,
I hope you’ll be haunted by the strains of ten pipers piping which you sent to torment us last night. They were aided in their evil work by those maniac drummers and it wasn’t a pleasant sight to look out the window and see eight hefty maids-a-milking pogo-ing around with the ensuing punk-rock uproar. My mother has just finished her third bottle of whiskey, on top of a hundred and twenty four grains of Valium. You’ll get yours!
Gobnait O’Lúnasa

Day Eleven

You have scandalised my mother, you dirty Jezebel,
It was bad enough to have eight maids-a-milking dancing to punk music on the front lawn but they’ve now been joined by your friends the eleven Lords-a-leaping and the antics of the whole lot of them would leave the most decadent days of the Roman Empire looking like “Outlook”. I’ll get you yet, you ould bag!

Day Twelve

Listen slurry head,
You have ruined our lives. The twelve maidens dancing turned up last night and beat the living daylights out of the eight maids-a-milking, ‘cos they found them carrying on with the eleven Lords-a-leaping. Meanwhile, the swans got out of the living-room, where they’d been hiding since the big battle, and savaged hell out of the Lords and all the Maids. There were eight ambulances here last night, and the local Civil Defence as well. The mother is in a home for the bewildered and I’m sitting here, up to my neck in birds’ droppings, empty whiskey and Valium bottles, birds’ blood and feathers, while the flaming cows eat the leaves off the pear-tree. I’m a broken man.
Gobnait O’Lúnasa

Another terrorist attack

I am sick of bombs. I hate the constant worry and fear that my friends might be killed or injured in the latest terrorist target. I've been waiting all day to hear from a friend in Algiers. Finally I just did. Still waiting on word from another. It was the same for New York, Madrid and London. Waiting for news, the phone lines clogged, the worry gnawing, knowing that chances are that they are ok but having to know for sure.

One of the targets of the latest Al-Qaeda slaughterhouse was the UN building. At least 11 UN staff members were killed according to BBC News

The group labelled the UN buildings an "international infidels' den" and called on Western leaders to "heed the demands of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden".

International infidels? The UN is made up for people from all countries, creeds, ethnicities and beliefs. A more international organisation does not exist. Much criticism has been levelled at the UN for bureaucratic delays but the people working there are international civil servants. They work to enhance the lives of others, to contribute to the development of other countries. They should not be referred to as international infidels such a trite buzz phrase. Disgusting.

My heart goes out to the UN workers and the citizens of Algiers.

A 10 year old child cannot consent to sex

A 10 year old child cannot consent to sex. Therefore, it is always rape. How do people not understand this?

A judge's decision not to jail nine men guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal community has triggered outrage in Australia.

The offenders were either placed on probation or given suspended sentences for the 2005 rape in the Aurukun settlement, in northern Queensland.

In her ruling, Judge Sarah Bradley told them that the victim "probably agreed to have sex with all of you". From BBC News

A 10 year old child cannot consent to sex. Therefore, it is always rape. She cannot agree to have sex with anyone. How does a judge know about basic consent?

Another instance of blaming the victim because secretly she really wanted it. She is 10 years old and a gang-rape victim and the judge says that she "probably agreed to have sex with all of you".

Sickening.

Torture

From BBC News:

A retired CIA agent has said a top al-Qaeda suspect was interrogated using a simulated drowning technique but that he believes it was justified.

John Kiriakou told US broadcaster ABC that "water-boarding" was used when his CIA team questioned suspected al-Qaeda chief recruiter Abu Zubaydah.

He said it might be torture but that it "broke" the detainee in seconds.

Oh well in that case go ahead. Does no one even consider that torture is an extremely unreliable method of obtaining information? Once a person is in that much pain they will say anything to have it stopped. The information is not information but what the victim thinks that torturer wants to hear.

Torturing is barbaric, ineffective and is in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ironically we are currently celebrating the 60th anniversary of its adoption. How can a soi-disant civilised nation do this? Commit such barbarities?

Does anyone remember?

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

...

Article 5.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6.

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

It's from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You can find the full text here. It includes the right of freedom that the possibility or threat of torture. The vast majority of the world has signed it, including the US.

Human Rights Day

was yesterday but yesterday I was too busy to blog because it was Human Rights Day. Happy Human Rights Day!

The Special Representative of the Secretary General was in town yesterday and was frank about Cambodia's human rights situation. He was in fact rather critical and although the government has not yet reacted, one can be sure that they will.

Human rights still weak, UN envoy says

UN criticises Cambodian land grabs

Cambodia to shun meetings with UN Special Human Rights envoy

UN envoy, US ambassador lead rare human rights march in Cambodia

UN envoy calls for judicial reform, donor responsibility in Cambodia

There is constant hope that things will change but the government shows on political will to change and the donors support the current regime. One would think that those who contribute over 60% of the national budget would have a vested interest in ensuring that the money is used ethically. Perhaps I am too idealistic.

Noodles

Apparently asking someone if they want Chinese noodles is a euphemism.

Anyone want to hazard a guess about what?

Bribing the police

The police were out in force this past Water Festival due, I imagine to the additional 4 million people that came to Phnom Penh. And some people were unlucky enough to be caught breaking the traffic law in bright daylight on Monivong Boulevard. My friend Z was one such unlucky person.

Z was zooming up Monivong to get supplies from Bayon supermarket. The plan was to hunker down in her place and avoid leaving the house and escape the crowds. The previous year a friend of hers had suffered sexual harassment and Z just didn't want to have to deal with the festival.

The lights were green to turn left but Z continued straight, as did many Khmers. However, she had not taken the watchful eye of the police into account. Busted she was. She wasn't too worried as she actually has a Cambodian driver's licence.

Police: Hello my friend
Z: Hello Mr Police man
Police: Where you come from?
Z: I come from X
Police: How long you in Kampuchea?
Z: Two years
Police: You speak Cambodia
Z: Tic tic
Police: You pay fine now.

Z was lucky that the policeman spoke English but was now in a bit of a dilemma. The standard bribe is $1 per cop and there were only two cops and they were asking for $5. Eventually she haggled and negotiated the bribe to $2 and everyone was happy. Well Z thought she was happy until she opened her wallet and only found a $5 note. Foiled! She ended up giving them the $5 and resuming her course to Bayon, cursing all the way for not having the foresight to expect police on the roads for Water Fest.

Well at least she went through a rite of passage for foreigners in Phnom Penh. At some point most end up bribing the police!

IV Day

Happy International Volunteers' Day 2007.

This is all

That sinking feeling

Disappointment struck party goers on Saturday night, when DJ Maia the Magnificent's set was cut short because Pontoon was sinking. The crowd was dancing, swaying and, in general, moving to the music. Only three more songs would be permitted. The crowd left for Heart, disgruntled. After all, DJ Maia is the best in the Penh and when Pontoon has good music, it's a great place to gather and party.

Many spent the night receiving text message from friends, unable to board the ill-fated vessel. Those on the shore cried to the party goers to leave and prevent disaster. Alas the music was too good. And they danced as the vessel sank lower in the water.

There are those who are sceptical, who do not believe that it was sinking at all, that it was merely a plot to overthrow DJ Maia's musical genius but this is clearly madness - no one is that arrogant surely...

Pontoon: will it ever recover?