This is where all the confiscated wildlife items go in the US, the importers of which are rarely prosecuted. It should be an item of shame in any civilised country.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/20/house-of...

Who is Philippa York? Only one of the greatest British cyclists of all time in her previous life as Robert Millar, who has announced her new identity. I attach a link from the Guardian (where else?) with a supportive article for those who want to read it. My only comment, I hope you're as successful in your new life as you were in the old.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/06/philippa-york-...

Ok, as some folks know, someone here in Oregon sued for the right to list their gender on their ID as "other". and they won.

Back in May or June it was announced that Oregon DMV was going to change the process and forms to allow anyone to do that.

I grabbed a copy of the "Change your Gender Designation" form back in June, but it hadn't been updated. eventually I'm going to upload it to my website as historical document.

It seems we haven't quite cracked it in UK schools for transgender children.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jun/27/half-of-tr...

Possibly one answer to the above.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/27/trans-...

UK boy students are literally "skirting the rules" as they wear skirts to school.

In protest against the "no shorts" policy in their school's dress code, 5 boys took it upon themselves to skirt the rules and appear in class wearing skirts borrowed from girls at the school. After being sent to isolation (detention in the US) for their legs being too hairy, they shaved their legs for the next go-around.

Next day, there were 50.

One hundred more are expected to follow suit, er, skirt, tomorrow as temperatures soar.

British guy was sent home to dress in accordance with dresscode after trying shorts in hot weather. Returns dressed in... Um... Dress.

Saw this really strange cartoon on Canadian television, and discovered it was available on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkU5KIxC3hU

Dawn

My son sent this to me this evening. I was hesitant to post this, but as it made me smile and even laugh a little on a really bad day I thought I would share it with others.

To those who might not agree with the political sentiment, I hope that you can at least see the humor in it.

D

Tomorrow, June 2nd, is NATIONAL DONUT DAY here in the United States.

Several places are giving away FREE DONUTS tomorrow: Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts, Entenmann's, and Tim Horton's to name a few. (You may need to buy a coffee or beverage, though, or mention Donut Day.)

If you're NOT a donut connoisseur, then may I suggest donating yours to a worthwhile charity, a policeman / fireman / EMT, or a homeless / battered woman's shelter? I'm SURE they'd appreciate them.

This list grabbed my attention. I'd just watched Sophia Loren (and Clark Gable) on TCM and wondered where on the list she placed. The shocking answer was, "No where." http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-glamo...

These would be my top fifteen:

The lone star state has apparently passed 'bathroom' legislation against transgender students, showing that the conservatives who control things there are still bent on bashing anyone who doesn't conform to their ideas of normality. I wish them happiness in their narrow and bitter lives.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/22/texas-bill-b...

From the Guardian, an inquest report on a young transgender woman who hanged herself at Leeds Prison in 2015. It makes quite uncomfortable reading and as with so many of these cases, these youngsters have been badly treated or abused since an early age, so it appears it was the case with Thompson, who then made things worse with drugs and alcohol and petty crime as they so often do. Surely, prison was the wrong place to send anyone with such a chaotic lifestyle without some form of rehabilitation/psychotherapy?

The following is a great surprise to me. I had known that Shia Muslims were supportive to transgender folk, however this is a surprise.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/transgender-mus...

I dont usually talk about sports here, but something so remarkable happened last night at the start of the playoff game here in Edmonton, I have to mention it.

See, due to technical difficulties, the young man who was supposed to sing the American anthem found his microphone not working.

It could have become an embarrassing moment for everyone involved, but instead, he got the crowd to sing the American anthem with him, ringing the rafters as they sang.

Super classy move by the fans, so to all in attendance thank you for representing my town in such a fantastic way.

The main story, that is --- most of the other clickable items seem to be sensationalism.

This is about an apparently successful FtM.

http://allteresting.com/popular-instagram-model-reveals-he-u...

New chapters will be posted for School for Transgendered, My Brother is My She-Male Twin. Plus four new stories.

Eddie The She-Male Lesbian, The Little Orphan Boy-Girl, Just Our Luck and The Single Father with Four Daughters

I'll be going back and fixing the main story and some links to the others.

I know it is election day here in France and where I am now (SW of Brive la Gallarde) is wonderful cycling country. The roads and even the minor 'D' ones are well surfaced if you avoid the Department of Correze yet I saw very few out on the road today. The weather is perfect as well....
Where are they all? If this was England, there would be lots out on the road on a fine Sunday Morning.
I spoke to two Australians at lunchtime. They are in the middle of cycling from Oslo to Athens and they remarked on the lack of cyclists in this area.

Samantha

It's hard to believe that real life can prove that men are stupidly competitive. Even while many BC stories stress how 'men' are over competitve and 'women' are collaborative, is that how cliches work?

Check out this vileness from last Wednesday's episode on CBS of 'Survivor' (recorded last year).

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/entertainmenttv/survi...

‘He,’ ‘She,’ ‘They’ and Us, in the New York Times.

‘He,’ ‘She,’ ‘They’ and Us

See attached video but take note of any numbers you see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ob-5eC8uw

My son's fiancé sent me a text earlier today, which although not unheard of is at least unusual enough to catch my eye.

She sent me a short note that said, "Just want you to know that you inspire me. Love you!"

I cried when I read it, and I am crying now as I type this.

She reminded me of something. Today is Transgender Day of Visibility, and although most of us just want to live our lives quietly and peacefully, attracting as little attention as possible, please help those you can to understand who you are - who we are.

There's been so much hate exhibited in the media recently that it was a pleasant surprise to read in today's New Zealand paper a respectful report on the unfortunate death of an early female to male transitioner http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objecti... . This reminded me that New Zealand was the first country to introduce votes for women and the first to have a woman who had transitioned as first a mayor and then as a member of parliament.

Was just reading that Boston Children's Hospital in Massachusetts has a special wing for transgendered children. At the moment additional staff is being added the clinic is so busy.

I'm not a computer gamer but this caught my eye.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/7daedcfe-c674-4a97-8a1f-0...

I'm not sure about viewing it from outside the UK though.

She came out as Gay but she still didn't feel right.
The Gaming Fans seem to have accepter her very well which is a refreshing change,