At 11 08am Central Time. on 4/28/.BBC says top word story is "Austrian admits daughter abuse"...Why

[Stuart G]

is that more important than 70 killed in China train wreck? Is the BBC going Fox? Is that really the most important, or top story in the world (it is according to my feed from BBC...do they change it for U.S.consumption?) I don't know. But some sick asshole in Austria, is not more important than 70 killed or more killed in Iraq.Or more important than certain economies going to hell, or more violence in Gaza??
...I don't know, but am I losing my judgment in my old age, or is it the BBC has gone nuts?

[eleny]

1. Because he kept her in a basement with 3 kids for 24 years

The 3 kids were ones he fathered. And they had 3 more kids together who he and his wife raised upstairs in the house.

No, not as important as the other issues you raise. Of course. But this story is so crazy that people are focusing on it right now since it just came to light.

It's a no-brainer, really.

[Stuart G]

2. sure it is of interst, and kinda important..but..

more important than 70 killed? And we are talking about BBC? Not FOX.. On any given day there are sick assholes in this world doing unprintable things with their daughters..sorry..it isn't the top story in the world as far as I am concerned. I guess I am just angry today. I am going to calm down..

this story..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3217219&mesg_id=3217219

has made me angry too.....sorry.

[eleny]

4. I never said it was more important than 70 people killed

Being a woman I was horrified when I heard the news of the captivity. I imagined how it would be if I were the one held for over 2 decades. If you can't wrap your mind around that and want to keep at it, it will be without me from here on out.

Bye.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. How is the "top" news story determined?

By clicks on a news story? If so, it could be that it wasn't the BBC but rather people in general who determined this.

[juno jones]

3. They got FLDS there too?

:sarcasm:

[LSK]

5. "am I losing my judgment in my old age"

Yes

[Stuart G]

9. Perhaps not......

Sorry if my attitude offends.. I don't mean to harm.
.. Sure I am outraged, and the asshole cannot get enough punishment.

But is it the top story in the world?..Does everyone need to know the details? He this asshole the only one? How many get away? just raise the question. Should that question about relative importance in world news be raised here?

[notesdev]

6. If you want real news these days

... it's all in the economics section. "Headline" news is sensationalism for profit, aimed at the couch potato crowd.

[Quantess]

7. I think it's an important story.

Four humans held imprisoned, one held as a sex slave for several years --20 or more years, unknown to anyone.

[eleny]

10. Stuart, thanks for your note in PM

I was going to send this to you in reply to your PM but thought it best to expand on all this here.

I've been thinking about this in a wider context these past few minutes. There's a correlation between what I felt and how you feel about the many deaths not being at the top of the news.

The fact that the Austrian family lived on a suburban street with 3 children appearing almost out of nowhere one at a time, as the news reports, and the neighbors aren't asking questions or wondering out loud, says something about western culture. And the fact that this story will dominate over 70 deaths - well, I haven't sorted it out to be able to articulate it well enough. But each of these stories and their dominance or lack of it in the news illustrates our alienation.

We've developed such isolation and thick skins over the pain of others. It scares me because this is how we can easily be divided and controlled. One man controls a family with an iron fist while a small group has been dominating our country with a keen manipulation.

So I think there's a strong reason why people are attracted to events that just may be a microcosm of the larger experience. Like a novel or a movie where characters portray society. I think this is why it hit me so hard.

Thanks for your note, Stuart. I do appreciate it.

Eleny