rain in january??? that ain't right...

 you can now ice skate all the side streets in anchorage.  the main roads are pretty clear but all the side streets are ice rinks.  should get on my kicksled out there tomorrow.  today i managed a somewhat miserable walk on the coastal trail.  wet and rainy.  no wind at least.  i'm trying to be positive.  blossom wasn't even in the mood to get out there today really.  once on the trails she livened up.  kept rio home as all this ice is tough on her joints.  above is downtown anchorage.  i debated chilling out that end and getting some night shots of the city, but i opted for errands and home to do next to nothing.  load pics on shutterfly.  tried for cabin...looks like it's eastern time and it opens at 10 am east coast time....so that means 6 am here. yikes!! made a full dinner of meatloaf and zucchini, it was tasty, but i am stuffed for sure.

 another gang rape in india.  a young woman on a bus again.  this time the bus driver and his friends wouldn't let her off the bus and took her to a remote location to gang rape her all night before finally dropping her near her village.  it's horrible.  most of them have been captured...will these men do time for their crime, will things finally begin to change for the women there.  so many women across this planet have so few rights.  they have no way to fight back when they are treated poorly or worse.  often they are killed for being raped and shaming their families by being raped. it makes no sense.  slowly it does appear that the times are begining to change and outrage is turning to action.  this girl wasn't killed, the last girl on the bus was killed.  it took her a few weeks to pass away, but it was the result of her beating and rape.

 it's so aggravating. an article in the paper today spoke of women being raped and killed over dowry disputes.  they do not know the actual numbers, but estimates are up to 100,000 women a year killed over these sort of disputes..by their husbands and their husbands families.

 the article also related how often female children get less food and protection than their male siblings.  education is now more available to females and their success often makes them targets to males who feel threatened by this success.  the articles focus was on india due to these recent rapes, but i know this sort of treatment can be found in many countries.  my heart goes out to these women as they strive to make a better world in their nations for future females.  many of them risk their lives in this quest for equality.  may they feel strong and empowered and may they have great success as they endeavor to be treated as equals.

another enlightening story comes out of mexico... a dog found in a trash can with both front legs cut off.  he's been rescued and now has prosthetic legs.  apparently, the drug traffickers like to use dogs to practice cutting off legs.  how nice.  hopefully, tomorrow is a better day for us all.  perhaps some good news will shine with the sun.  seems like a good night to toss in a movie.