Category Archives: Confessions of a Bad German

An important seasonal message for the (self-)righteous among nations

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Ahem. Courtesy of my good friend, Brenda Lewis, on her Facebook page: In recent weeks and days, I have once again noticed that ‘tis the season to be judgmental for some folks. Both on Facebook and even seeping into my … Continue reading →

Posted in Bina's Band of Brigands, Confessions of a Bad German, If You REALLY Care, Isn't It Ironic?, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, Pissing Jesus Off | 1 Comment

Why women go back to shitty men

Posted on December 2, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Robin “Rihanna” Fenty, making the mistake of her life. Let’s hope it doesn’t actually COST her her life. Okay. So lots of people are asking why women who seem to otherwise have everything going for them keep going back to … Continue reading →

Posted in Confessions of a Bad German, Good to Know, If You REALLY Care, Isn't It Ironic?, The "Well, DUH!" Files, Uppity Wimmin | Comments Off

Prostitution in Germany: hard facts, hard debate, harder thoughts

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Sabina Becker

(Photo: EMMA.) German FEMEN demonstrators outside the largest brothel in the cathedral city of Köln. They consider prostitution a human rights abuse, and hold up human trafficking, rampant in Germany, as an example of how liberalization of laws governing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Counterpunch, Confessions of a Bad German, Cuba, Libre (de los Yanquis), Economics for Dummies, EuroPeons, Free Trade, My Ass!, Good to Know, Isn't It Ironic?, Law-Law Land, Not So Compassionate Conservatism, Scandinavian Smorgasbord, Under the Name of Spain, Uppity Wimmin | 5 Comments

Music for a Sunday: Ich mittendrin, und…

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Haben Sie eine Frage? Etwas, das Sie quält? Like, say, how this sounds in English? Here you go: Peter Gabriel had an excellent German translator; it’s almost word-for-word, which is very hard to do. (And I would know.) He sounds … Continue reading →

Posted in Confessions of a Bad German, Cool Beans, Found in Translation, Music for a Sunday | Comments Off

Festive Left Friday Blogging: Evo dines with the Queen

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Look who had a royal visitor: No, this wasn’t just some standard photo-op grip-and-grin with a beautiful Bolivian aguayo cloth. There was a greater significance to this royal visit than just pleasantries and gift exchanges. But let’s hear it from … Continue reading →

Posted in All About Evo, Confessions of a Bad German, Economics for Dummies, Ecuadorable As Can Be, EuroPeons, Festive Left Friday Blogging, Free Trade, My Ass!, Huguito Chavecito, Isn't It Ironic?, Law-Law Land, Socialism is Good for Capitalism!, Under the Name of Spain | Comments Off

You want Schadenfreude? You got it.

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Why jumping into a completely frozen pool is a Very Bad Idea. Especially if you’ve just given a ridiculous speech in goofy English and Speedos. (No, Germans are NOT always cool and rational. What made you think we were?)

Posted in Confessions of a Bad German, Good to Know, The WTF? Files | Comments Off

Dear Jonathan Kay: Define “reasonable”. And “humane”.

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Dear Jonathan Kay: So, today you penned this charming little screed for the National Pest, in which you castigated pro-choicers for being all “hysterical” and demanding that Rona Fucking Ambrose resign from a post for which she is obviously no … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Counterpunch, Confessions of a Bad German, Fascism Without Swastikas, Fetus Fetishists, Law-Law Land, Men Who Just Don't Get It, Not So Compassionate Conservatism, She Blinded Me With Science, The United States of Amnesia, Uppity Wimmin | 4 Comments

Quotable: Bertolt Brecht on political illiteracy

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Posted in Confessions of a Bad German, Quotable Notables | 1 Comment

The Translator’s Tale, or What I Learned From Lupita

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Sabina Becker

Well, today it finally became real. I have incontrovertible evidence that yes, I’m a professional translator now. And that makes me, in a sense, a published author with a byline, too. My contributor copies (ten in English, plus one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Counterpunch, Confessions of a Bad German, Economics for Dummies, Filthy Stinking Rich, Found in Translation, If You REALLY Care, Isn't It Ironic?, Law-Law Land, Mexican Standoffs, Not So Compassionate Conservatism, Teh Ghey, The United States of Amnesia, Uppity Wimmin, Writer Lady Sings the Blues | 7 Comments

Paraguay’s massacre and putsch, a month later

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Sabina Becker

One month after he was ousted in a congressional coup with only a thin veneer of “democracy” (note the quotes), President Lugo continues his fight for real democracy and justice by denouncing the perpetrators who conspired against him: Paraguay is … Continue reading →