You might have seen these already, but in case you haven't.:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368976/Transgender-...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369566/Dawn-Henders...

Angharad

A report in today's Guardian about a gay character in a Malaysian film who has a sex-change to please his/her boyfriend and then regrets it before falling in love with a girl.

See for yourselves: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/18/malaysia-first-f...

Just after I wrote tonight's episode of Bike, I phoned Gabi, who likes to hear them before I post them and frequently makes useful comments. Tonight, Gabi didn't sound very well, and said she was going to lay on the bed and would phone me back in a few minutes. I waited half and hour and she hadn't called back and when I tried calling her, no answer.

A few weeks ago, as if by premonition, she gave me her next door neighbour's number - I called them and after some confusion over key safe numbers, they managed to gain access to Gabi's house in rural Oxfordshire.

It seems a TS author who wrote a play about Jesus returning to earth as a transsexual has been awarded a literary grant for further researches of transsexualism in the Bible. As may be imagined, it's got some people frothing in their sporrans.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/341847...

Judge for yourself with the unbiased reportage expected of the Sun in Scotland.

Or the Daily Mail, which reports on Leah T bears her soul to Oprah about seeking a full sex-change op. Wow, like that's news these days.

Life would so much less colourful without the Sun and its Scottish edition, from which this story arises.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/articl...

Angharad.

It seems that a British woman has died after having a questionable medical procedure done in a hotel in the US. Given that most of us who entered 'femaleness' after puberty may be slightly lacking in the hip area, do beware of anything involving silicone - it's very dangerous stuff. I remember seeing it being done to young Brazilian trannies years ago and wonder how many are still alive now?

George Dubbya's daughter, Barbara, a leading republican, has done a video calling for legalisation of gay marriage. See link below and hopefully her video too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2011/feb/...

Angharad.

It's about James who became Lauren and the dysfunctional family around her. In short they're all barking mad but some of you might find it interesting. Sadly, they also come from my home town.

http://video.uk.msn.com/watch/video/feature-episode/1ge3pd96...

Angharad.

Had a difficult day and feel shattered, so I won't be posting tonight. Hopefully, back to normal tomorrow.

Angharad.

The Bonz sends his Yuletide greetings to all the cats out there who read his ramblings and Izzy is busy (Yes, I know Bizzy Izzy) sorting the menu for today.

It took me nearly two hours to get home tonight (8 miles) due to the snow. It looks like the ridgeway hill between Weymouth and Dorchester is blocked, so I had to do a detour on ungritted roads - not nice, nearly ran into a ditch at one point. I also seem to have done something to my ABS and have a warning light staying on, although the brakes still work, not that I use them much in snow if I can help it.

For those of you who unaware of my short story, Easy As Falling Off a Bike, according to my archivist (sounds posh dunnit) the figure above is the number of words my ramblings under one title have produced.

I think some thanks are in order (of seniority) to Erin, for allowing me to fill up her servers with my nonsense, and for providing this unique resource to the community.

To my archivists and summarisers; Holly, Ben and PS with thanks to Erin for her assistance in setting it up.

Somehow, my short story is approaching 1,200 episodes, so it's time I asked if readers want me to continue it for a bit longer - the last time was two hundred episodes ago. This is of course assuming our gracious landlady will permit accommodation for a bit longer - maybe we could all give a little more towards the rent, I know she struggles with it.

I'm still working on a Hatbox story, but it's very slow, plus I have a Gabysode in progress and I know someone would like another Bonkers for her Christmas present, plus I get asked about Snafu and Charlotte fairly regularly.

I'm grateful to Julie O for highlighting this report from the BBC in one of her stories. It's perhaps expected in a country where there are very poor and vulnerable people that some are exploited sexually, add it to a culture which is so constipated about treating women as equals to men, and a general backwardness and this happens.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11217772

Angharad.

This was the person who was pushed under the tube train last week and quite honestly, they were very active as a migration and human rights lawyer, involved with transsexual rights as well as other cases. Anyone who can get the Home Secretary found guilty of contempt of court has to be pretty clever. Such a loss to minority communities everywhere. Do read it and see.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/nov/02/david-burgess-obit...

Angharad