A British man was jailed Tuesday for raping two of his daughters and fathering nine children over 27 years, a case with echoes of Austria’s Josef Fritzl.

The two daughters were made pregnant 19 times; there were nine births, five miscarriages and five terminations. Seven of the children are alive but suffer genetic deformities.

The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons banning the identification of his victims and the surviving children, pleaded guilty Tuesday at Sheffield Crown Court, northern England, and was sentenced to serve 25 life sentences to run concurrently. - CNN.com

Incest is something not everyone of us is comfortable discussing. The impact of this crime is just so huge. It is not only physical but every aspect of a human being is affected by an incestious act. Remember that other man who also fathered several kids from his daughter that he kidnapped and jailed in their basement? No one will be normal in that brood for the rest of their lives. They can try living a normal life. But the horror of what happened will haunt them forever. The same thing will surely happen to the victims of this British man, or animal is more like it.

Let’s pray for the countless victims of incest in the world. Let’s pray that they have the courage to face their ordeals and overcome them. And let’s pray that the criminals inflicting this pain in their victims be caught once and for all.

I was looking out the window when I heard her a few hours ago, talking in her usual loud voice. She was telling another neighbor about another neighbor’s mentally handicapped kid. The kid is mentally retarded, is actually already in his late 20s, and is always naked inside their home. Our loud neighbor was telling everyone who would listen that she saw the kid playing with his penis. This she said in a vulgar way, the Tagalog word of “playing with his own penis” is really crude.

I almost turned away when something caught my attention. Her kids were in front of her listening! With all the cuss and crude words she used, I wonder if her kids even know half of what she’s saying. And if her kids are repeating the crude words she carelessly utters in front of them.

I remember my mom once uttered an indecent word in front of me. I repeated it to a classmate when a teacher overheard me. She immediately called my parents and told them about it. My mom was so ashamed and never repeated it again.

I wish parents are more careful when talking about sensitive topics in front of their kids. And careful in saying words that they don’t want their kids repeating in front of company.

I just read in a local newspaper that a college student suffering from a bipolar disorder committed suicide in front of his webcam, for all the online people he’s hooked up with to see. According to the report, the kid announced his desire to end his life by 3am and proceeded to do just that… overdosed on medicine in front of his webcam. What a waste!

Suicide is never an option. There are so many people out there not given a chance to breathe one more day and yet some people are flaunting their desire to end their lives for no apparent reason. I know depression can trigger these things. But I do wish that friends and families of these suicidal people can spot it right away and help them recover.

A family member, a friend, a relative, someone close to you or just about anyone you know might be in dire need of help to get out of a suicide plan. I got these signs and symptoms of a person planning suicide from a medical web site. This will let you know…

What are the signs and symptoms for suicide?

Warning signs that an individual is imminently planning to kill themselves may include the person making a will, getting his or her affairs in order, suddenly visiting friends or family members (one last time), buying instruments of suicide like a gun, hose, rope or medications, a sudden and significant decline or improvement in mood, or writing a suicide note. Contrary to popular belief, many people who complete suicide do not tell any mental-health professional they plan to kill themselves in the months before they do so. If they communicate their plan to anyone, it is more likely to be someone with whom they are personally close, like a friend or family member.

Life should not be wasted like that. There is more to it than what you currently have, what you are surrounded at the moment.

When someone mentions suicide, even jokes about it, treat it seriously. It may be a hint to what that person is feeling, planning, for his life. It could be a hint as to the state of his mind. We never know that they are warning us of their plans to just do that, end their lives.

Suicide is never an option. Remember that.

I am still thinking of what I want so my list is still empty.

What about you?

Thank God for this wonderful blessing!

If you know anyone who also took the board exams, you can find the results of the elementary and secondary teacher exams here.

I don’t like my dad drinking. He almost had a heart attack a couple of years ago and I don’t discount the possibility that he will suffer from one anytime soon. We are preventing it as much as possible but if he will keep on drinking, how could we? But you see, my dad stopped drinking beer and hard drinks before. For some reason, he got fond of that Red Horse beer. My uncles introduced that beer to him. Whenever there’s a family gathering, it is natural for the men in our family to drink.

I used to tolerate this because this is what you call occasional drinking. But these uncles of mine would go to our house to chat with my dad and they would buy beer. At first, I didn’t mind. My mom just passed away and maybe it would make my dad happy somewhat.

But it became every weekend that they would go here. 3 days in a row! I tried to stop it by talking to my dad about his drinking. I told him that should he suffer a heart attack, I don’t have enough money to send him to the hospital. He does not have a healthcare insurance. My uncles kept on coming here, making my dad drink. Sometimes behind my back because they saw that I kept on getting mad at my dad for drinking. When they still won’t stop, I drove them away. I was really rude to them, banging the door closed one weekend they were here. I shouted at my dad, in front of them, that should anything happen to him, I will be the one left to suffer paying for his hospitalization and medicines. I will shoulder the burden, NOT THEM! Well, that drove them away! Until a couple of weeks ago…

Because my father’s relatives were really the one who stood by us during my mom’s sickness, I am tolerant towards them. I even paid for several vacations my family had, with them in tow. In my mind, that’s a small price I had to pay. So whenever there’s a birthday celebration or a wake or anything at all that would constitute us being present, we’re there. We show our support.

One of my uncles misconstrued that support. He loves having all my other uncles and my dad with him for a drink. It doesn’t matter if it’s occasional, or like once a month. But he wants it almost every week. Sometimes 2 weeks in a row! I was really mad at this man. He does not even consider the fact that the reason why I am strict with my dad when it comes to his drinking is that aside from the fact that I don’t have enough money to send him to the hospital, I also don’t want to lose another parent! We already lost my mom 3 years ago. My dad was content before, not drinking, spending time with us. Now, he wants my dad drinking again and thinking that we don’t love him because we’re very strict with him. Nakakainis talaga! I told my dad that should anything happen to him, I will just watch these people give us money for his hospitalization. I won’t spend a penny because I kept on reminding him about his heart. My dad’s not getting any younger. And if these people will keep on tempting him with blood poison, we would lose him early just like my mom. So, either I become very, very strict with my dad about his drinking and be rude to my uncles in the process, or I just step back and let them burden me with worries!

They’re here a couple of minutes ago, asking my dad to go with them because it is my uncle’s birthday. 1 hour lang daw. But this will start that drinking sessions again that I detest a lot. So I told my uncle that I would think about letting my dad go. My dad could have told them that he does not want to go because we are still preparing for November 1. But he put me on the spot again, making me look like the jail warden! Nakakainis talaga!

There are days when it really crosses my mind that sana my mom was the one left behind, not my dad. I know it’s bad but in times like this, it makes me wish for it to happen.

You know, there are advantages and disadvantages of being in a family like mine. My siblings and I find it awkward to discuss anything remotely related to sex. When the whole family is watching tv and the scene has something to do with sex or even just passionate kissing, we change channels. Even if my dad is not watching with us, it just feels awkward to watch a scene like that at home. Somehow, we feel more comfortable if we ignore it.

I was wondering if it’s the same in your family?

It’s that time of the year again. Here in the Philippines, before you feel the holiday season in full blast, there’s the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day first. It is a big holiday here in the country. Almost everyone goes to the cemetery to visit their departed loved ones. 

Flowers, candles, incense sticks… November 1 is like a big reunion for most Filipino families, seeing each other in the cemetery. Our family goes to Bulacan to visit my brother’s and mom’s graves. We stay there the whole day. And we see relatives on my mother’s side of the family that we hardly see during the year.

Do you also go to the cemetery during this time? If not, what do you have in mind for this coming November 1 and 2?

Photo credits: ChristianRiders, Lisa’s Eyeview

Why this happens with my cousin, I don’t know. I know they are having financial problems right now. And some other issues. I would not meddle with their problems because first, I am not being asked to. Second, her mom and I are not in speaking terms right now. This cousin of mine is one of my favorite cousins because the kid is so respectful and sweet.

I just wish the kid is spared from the worries. I mean, I always have this general rule that I live by when it comes to kids… let them be kids! Spare them from the worries as much as possible and let them enjoy their youth.

You know, I will not presume to know how it is for mothers battling their ex-husbands for the custody of their kids. Or to know how kids feel who are under a custodial battle. I am lucky enough to have a whole family. My mom died a few years ago but if she hadn’t, we would be complete until now. But a relative of ours is in a custodial battle right now. He has Family Law Questions and I told him that he can visit PrinceDaddy.com as a reference. I feel for him because I know that he is a responsible man. The only problem was he neglected his wife, focusing more on providing for the family instead.

Well, if you are unfamiliar with Fathers Rights Vocabulary, go and visit PrinceDaddy.com and know more about it.