That’s my take from the horrible story of a father throwing his five year old daughter off a bridge.  The police were called repeatedly to the home for domestic violence.  This man should have never had custody of the child.  The mother was not able to care for her, either.  Sadly, she did not get the assistance from the agencies that are set up for this.  And before you blame the people in the agencies, the Koch brothers/ ALEC legislative agenda doesn’t include protection for women and children, so those services are the first to be cut when governors want to make it appear they are being fiscally responsible….

…saving those tax dollerz…

…and sacrificing women and children to do it.

Over and over again, we see domestic violence as a predictor of future violence.  Why is it STILL treated as if it were just a spat between spouses/partners??  Repeated calls about it were huge red flags that this guy was not owning his violence and anger.  He most likely blamed the wife, the kids, the in-laws, the boss…and on.  Everyone else but himself.  And until that happens– until he acknowledges that he is responsible for his own behavior –he will continue to act out in violent ways when angry.

And this goes for rapists, too.  It is astounding that rapists who are put away for seven or so years, come out and go right back to raping women.  Even more violently.  Why are they allowed out to begin with?

Bill Cosby springs to mind.  Here we have a man whom allegedly raped women over and over again for decades.  And people ask why the victims didn’t come forward before now.  All one has to do is look at the scrutiny they are receiving:  they are doing it for financial gain; they are doing it for the attention; they are doing it to get back at Cosby for something he did.   Their motives and lives are being gone over with a fine tooth comb and any, and I do mean ANY little thing that makes them out to be less than perfect will be reason to doubt EVERYTHING they have claimed.

And Phylicia Rashad, saying to “forget those women” in reference to the accusers.  Don’t get me started.  It never ceases to amaze me how women can be just as hateful towards other women.  Women can be misogynists, too.  Rashad claimed these women were hurting the “legacy” of Cosby.

No, Phylicia, Cosby did that all by himself when he allegedly drugged and raped these women.  Forget them?  Forget you.

…because we don’t need no stinkin’ unions…we have a right to work…*snort* …

…for minimum wage that doesn’t even cover rent for a month….never mind food, utilities, gas, clothing, haircuts, savings, retirement…I could go on…

I had a treat this morning by looking out the window to see a female Cardinal eating the berries from what others would call a “weed” — Pokeweed.  The berries have dried up after a long summer’s growth and the cardinal was happily nibbling on them.

The pokeweed is not something to trifle with – it can be poisonous if it is not cooked properly.  This page states that if one wants to consume it, that it must be boiled twice with fresh water each time.  And one can eat the leaves – but only if it is new in the Spring, because poisons develop as it matures.

We also consider the dandelion to be a weed, but it is a healthy food that indicated in fighting cancer.  The Native Americans use it in the Spring as a detoxer. It’s packed with Vitamin A — more than a carrot!

I think we need to re-think the idea of “weeds” and look at the healing properties of plants instead of whether they “look pretty”.

Domestic violence and rape are known around the world, but Saudi Arabia appears to be the only country that it is legal, as in this case of a father brutalizing his daughter.  Good God.  Again, religion is used to justify what this beast did to his daughter, but no God would justify such acts.  Do Unto Others is in Islam, as well….

Or, as he puts it, “just hit the damn deer“.   WTH?

I am right in the middle of deer country.  There’s not a week that goes by that some poor deer has been struck by a vehicle.  And yet, in over thirty years of driving, I have not hit a deer.  I know, I know, it could always happen tomorrow, but I think my track record is pretty good.

The closest encounter I’ve ever had was several years ago at the beginning of deer hunting season.  I noticed a deer running towards the highway, so I slowed down.  Sure enough, the deer ran right in front of where I would have been had I not slowed down.  The poor thing had a look of terror on its face from being hunted, I presume.

Other times, I have seen deer near the road, and slowed down accordingly.  It was almost a nightly occasion that I would see them when driving home from work late at night.  I knew their favorite spots and looked for them to walk out in front of me.

There is nothing in this article about driver responsibility:  slowing down to the speed limit, not talking on the cell phone, not texting while driving.  He only gives them a little responsibility in not paying attention and tailgating.

The most deer deaths I have seen have been on a four lane highway that people now use as a race track.  It didn’t used to be that way —  the increase in speed has seen an increase in deer deaths.

And Indiana does not have the same laws as Wisconsin –a deer will lay dead by the side of the road until nature takes its course.  I suspected that the poor were making use of roadkill, and this article confirms that — at least in Wisconsin.

Edited:. The DNR does have a program where poor folks can be gifted with a deer.