What about a Gay goat ?

When I started this little blog, the whole idea was to let everyone and anyone who stumbled across it , discover my thoughts on life in Riga, and my day to day experiences, as seen through my eyes. It then somehow developed into a little place where the current and past village people could keep updated on the happenings.

Well this last week has seen absolutely nothing happen - the week has passed by, likewise the weekend - and as ever, apart from the weekly invasion of cretins, nothing of outstanding note to comment on.

So with not lot going on in Riga, I have turned my thoughts on to the International stage, to see what is making the news. As always I will ignore all the political, war and religious stories, but two stories has caught my eye, and in there own way reflects what a strange world we live in.

Story is taken from the BBC web site :

Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat

A Sudanese man has been forced to take a goat as his "wife", after he was caught having sex with the animal.

The goat's owner, Mr Alifi, said he surprised the man with his goat and took him to a council of elders.

They ordered the man, Mr Tombe, to pay a dowry of 15,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) to Mr Alifi.

"We have given him the goat, and as far as we know they are still together," Mr Alifi said.

Mr Alifi, Hai Malakal in Upper Nile State, told the Juba Post newspaper that he heard a loud noise around midnight on 13 February and immediately rushed outside to find Mr Tombe with his goat.

"When I asked him: 'What are you doing there?', he fell off the back of the goat, so I captured and tied him up".

Mr Alifi then called elders to decide how to deal with the case.

"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife," Mr Alifi told the newspaper.

Definitely one of those Strange but True stories - So to those who live in Australia and New Zealand (Wales ?) - be warned, if this philosophy catches on.

Speaking of Australians, finally found V..... ( Australian builder) - but no J...... ( Australian - gate maker) , appears the latter is housebound !! with restricted passes.

But in these enlightened times it is not just guys in the Sudan who are having a problem with their sexual habits - remember the Riga Gay Pride Parade ( or lack of it) well read on -

Latvia avoids gay media ban

08-September-2006
PinkNews.co.uk writer

Latvia’s gay community has narrowly avoided a law which would have banned all mention of homosexuality in the mass media.

The Latvian Parliament yesterday rejected a bill proposed by the Latvia First Party aiming to protect the “family institution.”

A party statement said the law should ensure the media do “not weaken the role of the family institution, do not split society, and do not create a misconception about a group of individuals claiming special treatment due to their beliefs."

The rejection comes after gay groups urged the country to uphold its commitment to human rights after the Riga Gay Pride march was banned on public order grounds last July.

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, called the decision to ban Latvia’s Gay Pride “an unacceptable attack on human rights.“

His words have been echoed by gay rights group Outrage, Amnesty International and the Latvian President, Vike-Freiberga.

Last June, the European Union passed a resolution to combat homophobia on the continent which would see sentences handed down for homophobic, anti Semitic, and Islamophobic offences.

So there we have it - Sudan - Goats - YES - Latvia - Gays - NO


Now on the positive side I have today received my Freeview decoder (all being well will allow me to watch all the Freeview channels, including BBC etc) - thats the good news, depending on where you read the info I need a 120-cm - 240- cm satellite dish, if it is the latter then I am in serious trouble - If anybody knows how big a dish you need to get the Astra 2D satellite here in Riga - let me know.

Will try harder this week, to focus on the goings on in Riga