On air: Should we try to understand Josef Fritzl?

It’s the second day of the trial of Josef Fritzl in Austria. He’s been labeled a monster but his lawyer says he’s a human being, and Fritzl blames his mother for bullying him.

Does Josef Fritzl deserve some understanding? Can there be any justification for what he did or is he simply evil?

Apologise – or commit suicide ?

Iowa senator Charles Grassley has ATOW jumped to the top of the “most read” charts with his suggestion that disgraced AIG executives should resign – or kill themselves.

“I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they’d follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I’m sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide.”And in the case of the Japanese, they usually commit suicide before they make any apology.”

Talking Points: 17 March

Selling sex legally works according to results in New Zealand. Prostitution has been de-criminalised there for six years. According to one of the women working as a prostitute, conditions have improved and the image of sex workers as poor and vulnerable has been destroyed.  It’s an age old argument, but do the benefits of legalising the sale of sex outweigh the negatives?