Like so many people safe in their own homes, I was horrified by the devastation in Haiti by the recent earthquake. I was also pleasantly surprised by the way the world responded in donating money, equipment and teams of rescuers. I think the military are making a pigs ear of it, but that's what they do best. Then I read this in today's Guardian and the joy I felt at the rescue of the little kid was put into a new perspective, by the disgust I felt for what happened to this child. Read it for yourself, and ask yourself, is this a proportional response or just plain murder?

Appears to have become the most viewed story on this site, according to Popular Content, with well over 32,000 hits.

I know Karen J joked about having hit on it 28,000 times on a slow night, but as long as she read it each time - it's one of my better efforts - I don't mind.

Angharad.

An article in today's Guardian, shows a change in policy in Spain.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/12/spanish-teenager...

It seems that forced marriage is becoming an increasing issue for gay Muslims. An interesting report from the Beeb.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8446458.stm

Whereas the Guardian reported on legalisation of gay marriage in Portugal, despite it being a Roman Catholic country.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/portugal

An in China, of all places, a gay pageant.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/10/china-gay-pageant

I notice that for the past couple of days a copyright notice has appeared on my stories, and many of the others posted recently.

As it obviously takes time to do, there has to be a good reason why it's being done. Are we being plagiarised and sold for huge sums of cash - or in my case used Mars bar wrappers?

I'm not complaining - never managed to find the key for an umlaut let alone a copyright symbol, and I am happy to admit ownership of my witterings, so just curious, like Alice.

Angharad chwilfrydig.

According to the popular content counter, Gaby's Manx Tale has received over 29,000 hits. Thank you to all who've read it, to Maddy Bell for creating the characters, and to Erin for allowing me to post it here.

Totally Insane (the serial not the author) part 30 is with my editor and I hope to post it during Christmas Day (UK time). So those of you who wish to follow the adventures of Kylie and her psychopathic sibling, tune in tomorrow for the next riveting episode (actually they're not riveted, they're screwed like the rest of us).

Oh Bonzi sends Mioawy Christmas to both his readers and a Happy Mew Year.

Season's Greetings - Pax Vobiscum.

Angharad.

The attached link to the Daily Mail is about a campaign to boycott 'pink' toys for girls, they claim stereotyping has held girls and women back for generations.

Personally, I'm more concerned about sexually objectifying young women - but what do I know?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233779/Parents-urge...

According to this link on the Beeb, some of Audrey Hepburn's gowns and hats are up for auction, so if you fancy some new glad rags... Oh, I'd better warn you, the last two pieces of her stuff that were auctioned raised over a million pounds ...but then it's for a good cause. Breakfast at Tiffany's anyone?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8390749.stm

Much of the trouble has been influenced by US evangelists. God save us from zealots.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/uganda-death-sen...

British PM, Gordon Brown, was furious at the proposed legislation Uganda wants to introduce. He was volubly supported by the Canadians at the Commonwealth Heads conference. See the story here in today's Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/27/uganda-bill-prop...

The young South African woman athlete talks with Donald Mcrae in the Guardian.

A well written article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/nov/14/caster-semenya-d...

This clip from Australia shows a very exceptional child and her equally amazing family. Thanks to Gabi for spotting it.
I hope the link works.

http://www.sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/858237/my-sec...

Out of curiosity, I've done a quick count of the stuff I have posted on various sites. It's quite an indictment of how much time I must have given to playing with words, characters and situations.

Counting episodes as individual items, which are quite variable in length - bonkers, snafu and Gabysodes are longer than bike episodes - but they take me longer to write.

The grand total is 988 of which 848 appear on this site. Of those 11 are complete works or short stories and one is a poem, another is a drabble.

I obviously spend far too much time on the internet.

Angharad