Imagine Jesus is standing at the altar in a sparkly gold dress and heels.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-41913720

This is what is portraid in Brazil in a monologue called "The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven"

Brought a smile to my face this cold Sunday.
Samantha

Today was a special day in Australia. The same-sex marriage debate has been going on for years. Despite the fact that our Federal Parliament has to pass legislation to allow it, they insisted on a $120million voluntary postal vote of everyone on the electoral roll, and today the results were announced. 80% of eligible people voted, 61.6% voted 'Yes' and 38.4% voted 'No'. The Prime Minister has promised that legislation will be passed through parliament before Christmas. Finally, we have caught up with the rest of the Western world.

A mainstream SF writer is releasing a book in early December that's very much down our alley. Sample chapters are available at the same link location.

http://www.baen.com/princess-holy-aura.html

It will be available at Amazon, too. Make sure you use the link from BCTS to support your favorite website!

I was so pleased to read that 17 year old Georgie Stone has just been announced as the State of Victoria's nominee for 'Young Australian of the Year'. At less than eleven years old she was granted permission by an Australian Family Court to take hormone blockers. As a result, and her subsequent appeals for people like her, young transgender Australians no longer have to go through the expensive court process to take blockers, although they still need to do so to get hormone treatment.

I know most readers here see me as a nature nut and always harping on about some crisis or other in the weather or the environment, but this latest report, upon which this very readable article is based is frightening. I suspect the worldwide picture is that insects are declining at an increasing rate due to the over use and abuse of pesticides primarily, and then loss of habitat. One cause human activity, especially industrial farming.

Don't think I'll be moving to Colombia anytime soon.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/oct/08/t...

Some of the comments were interesting, some the usual trollfest.

Rolling Stone did a feature article about teen trans. http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/trans-teen-homeless...

It hurts me to think they're accurate.

Jill

Watching the news out of a quarter-eye, as TS Harvey drenched the city, I saw several discussions of a rotating system at the southwest part of the Gulf of Mexico. The consensus was that nothing would come of it, but they were monitoring it just in case.

A couple weeks later: Hurricane Katia had formed from that system, and hit Mexico. Its remnants emerged into the Pacific Ocean and reformed into Pacific Hurricane Otis.

I came across an article today about a discovery made while examining the remains of a Viking warrior. It seems DNA testing proves the warrior, buried with all the trappings due a warrior of note, was a female.

It seems the character Jennifer Ellis and I created in 'The Legend of Alfhildr' and the part of the story of how she was discovered is closer to the mark than even Jenny and I suspected.

a link to the piece is below;

Such a Christian reaction, I don't think.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/christian-parents-to-su...

Its been a bad year (or two) for disasters. Locally, last year we had a massive fire in Fort McMurry, and this year its British Colombia's turn to have terrible fires. In the states, California is also fighting fires, while Texas is just beginning the cleanup from hurricane Harvey, and apparently there is another hurricane building that is expected to hit Florida.

That's not even counting disasters elsewhere in the world.

Well, it's been a while since I've managed to write anything, even on the Whateley site - because we got a bit flooded. As in water in the house. We had co-workers swarm in to get carpet and drywall out - now it's sorting lots of stuff to see what's ruined and what can possibly be saved. I haven't looked at national news in over a week - and it seems like it's been a month! And I haven't felt like writing in over a week, even though I have 2 really interesting stories bopping about in my brain.

Sorry, all, I did not mean to say "square miles" when I said 200 square miles; rather I meant the entire radius of the circle which brings it a lot closer to over 125, 000+ miles.
A close friend of my youngest son figured out the 9 TRILLION feet of rain water thus far, that if laid out "flat', would cover the entire US at a depth of 1.7" of water.

These critters are affected by this terrible flooding from Hurricane Harvey also. I've heard on the news that Alligators, snakes and other bayou critters have been flooded out of their normal haunts and are swimming around in the city STREETS. Yet another danger to those attempting to help and those fleeing from the floodwaters. I did hear that an alligator preserve was nearly flooded out and workers there were very much concerned that the flood waters would breach the wire fences that keep the gators penned in. Just one more reason not to drive or walk in flooded areas.

...is nowhere near as mad as this one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-41078876

With the current administration’s aggressive anti-trans activities is it time for BC to reconsider its ban on political discussion?

https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/legal-docs/20170825_tra...

Today, at the very last minute I noticed how dark it was outside, so grabbing my ISO Eclipse glasses went outside, but had to return back inside to grab my tablet. Back outside again, I noticed a girl in a cute dress, with very nice hair that was slightly longer than a pixie a few of us were talking about it when I stepped over to the girl I had noticed and asked her if she had Eclipse glasses. She turned to me, responding with a baritone voice that she did and said, "now go harass someone else woman".

...then media manipulation in the US is worse than I thought.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/aug/17/sinclair-news-...

Article from the Guardian with photo by Annie Liebovitz.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/aug/11/chelsea-mann...

An excellent read about following your dreams and working hard to be you. "A five-time amateur boxing champion whose biggest tournament ended in surrender, Manuel is just months away from his pro debut. - “I still have split seconds of not recognizing myself. But for the most part, I feel more comfortable than I ever have in my body,” says Manuel, who underwent gender-reassignment surgery, becoming the first boxer in U.S. history to fight first as a woman and later as a man.

"Dear Diary:

I was sitting next to a middle-aged man wearing a skirt in the waiting area at the doctor’s office.

June Foray, the voice of many cartoon characters including The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, has passed away at the age of 99, just two months short of her 100th Birthday.

She brought a lot of laughs and fun to a lot of people, adults and kids alike and will truly be missed.

God Bless and keep you, June Foray. You will be missed and thank you for all you gave us.

Catherine Linda Michel

Anyone living in the UK who wishes to take part in the UK government survey on LGBT issues and attitudes can use the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-lgbt-su...