The Irreverent Boar

Citizen Kane is Citizen Hain

2011-11-15T19:44:00.001-08:00

Citizen Hain Citizen Kane

Are they related?

Roger Lewis, Jasper Rees, and Welsh Twrcu!

2011-08-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

I want to thank Roger Lewis (who in my invincible ignorance had not heard of) for his review of Jasper Lewis’s (who I have heard of) “Bred of Heaven”. Incidentally I do not read the Daily “We love Mussles”Mail, if I can help it, and had not read Uncl Roger’s review of Iaspr’s book, only the assorted blogposts associated with it. However I have got Jasper’s book and it is a very good read. Is this the theory of unintended consequences? A guy not only writes a scathing review of a work but demonises a whole language, so that people go out and get the book?

There are those who defend Lewis’s attack under the guise of the freedom of speech.

You could not call Roger Lewis a racist, because he is Welsh, and identifies with the nation (I think).

You could call him a “Cymraegthrope”? Surely language is a part of Being rather like skin color?

Surely a Welsh speaker who grew up speaking the language from infancy (rather like Richard Burton) to be told that something that is part of their being is like something that is strangled and dying, is inappropriate as Willy Rushton (dead) describing German as sounding like “someone being sick on a 747” or P J O’Rourke’s comment about French being a “wimpy language”. these 2 are (were) humorists, whilst Lewis is something more serious.

when Welsh joins the Dodo in extinction only history can tell (along with English), certainly not Roger Lewis, jasper Rees, or even me.

You cannot hide this type of bigotry under the freedom of speech like the case where it is ok for the KKK to burn a cross on a African American’s lawn! just aint right.

I Am quite surprised to find that many of my customers know about Wales and even the “beautiful language” a far cry from a “turkey being strangled”. One of my older customers who asked where I was from, and said “Cardiff” told me that the Welsh language was a precious thing “and must be saved” brought tears to this monolingual Welshman. If we can save rare animals so we can save languages.

My daughter is learning Welsh, and when we were last in Wales when to Urdd camp at Llangrannog. What Welsh needs is LLangrannog’s all over Wales. Just as much in Monmouth as in Cardigan.

That is the challenge.

National Pilgrimage to St David's 2012

2011-08-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

Image by bookish in north park via Flickr

In the Middle Ages people rarely travelled outside the confines of their own communities , the exceptions were for war, trade and pilgrimage. In Britain there were a numbers of places that were popular for pilgrimages. Canterbury (the tomb of St Thomas A Becket), Walsingham (a shrine dedicated to Our Lady and her home in Nazareth, and finally St David’s in Wales. And its St David’s shrine that I am interested in. in the 12th Century Pope Callistus proclaimed that “2 pilgrimages to St David’s equal one to Rome, and 3 equaled one to Jerusalem’. This made St David’s one of the most popular places of pilgrimage and the least known. possibly because of the damage from the Reformation and the removal of the bishop’s residence to Camarthen, and the continuous protestantisation of Wales and its culture.

However that sad situation was reversed with the arrival of the Oxford Movement and the Catholic revival in the Church in Wales, and folk started to go on pilgrimage again. In Wales Anglicans go to Walsingham and Penrhys to honour Our Lady, whilst Roman Catholics add Our Lady of the Taper (sic) in Cardigan. Yet I have not heard of a formal pilgrimage to St David’s one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Europe in the Middle Ages.

What I would like to do next year is to see a walking pilgrimage to St David’s next year very similar to those ones that go to Santiago De Compostella and Walsingham. I cannot see why this could not happen. It would be a great experience for all involved.

All we need is for it to happen.

If anyone would like to participate please contact me at michael.cridland@live.com or 00 620 339 1507. (mobile)

St Mary (Caerau) lives AKA Fr Victor Jones Heritage Center?

2011-06-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Some years ago my uncle purchased a redundant church from the Church in Wales (the former Parish church of Leckwith, Cardiff, St James) , he converted it into a house (quite common I understand)

In fact he converted it into 2 homes quite successfully. My thought about the former St Mary’s church, Caerau to save it for posterity, since Restoration by either Cardiff council, the Church in Wales or even in Dr Oliver Davis’s proposals (whatever they might be now).

I think the only chance to restore St Mary’s is for a private individual to purchase it, convert the bell tower into a private residence, and the nave back to its original state rather like St Teilo’s Church at the Museum of Welsh Life

This would take a bit of an effort, but I think it is feasible, and will save a rare church within the Cardiff area.

My uncle in fact had shown an interest in St Mary’s before he opted for Leckwith. Can this be done? A lot of ground work will be needed. However it is quite possible that a church with someone living in it might help with the anti social activity that haunts the area.

I would dedicate it the memory of Fr Victor Jones the giant inspiration in saving St Mary’s, and a great community leader of Caerau.

Any contributions would be welcome.

CCFC, Swans. Welsh or Wenglish Teams

2011-06-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

My family have been Cardiff City fans forever, and I am quite sure that 2 of my uncles were probably present when they won the cup in 1927, and recently my cousin named his son with the the initials as CCFC. However my own parents who used to take me as a kid in the 1970s stopped going at the end of that decade. Why? Well my dad’s view that 2 things killed football in his eyes “money and violence”, and he transferred his allegiance to Snooker, Rugby, and Cricket. For him it ceased to be sport anymore. I wish the Swans good luck and still remember them as being the top team in Wales when City was dropping like that Whale in “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” to the 4th division (if memory serves me right). I think that true Cardiff fans would wish Swansea luck whilst only the fanatics (like all fanatics) would curse them. Its real time for those goof balls to grow up, its only a game. Personally speaking I think its time (and I am no frothy mouth nationalist) to make something of the FAW and create our own premier league and cut out this crappy big money that destroying the sport both here and in the US. (or maybe I should say “Wales and the US” since its where I am at the present).

and talking of the state of sport in the US my favourite commemorator MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan did a piece on it on his show some time ago on how it has become big just another way of making big money for big business and is why many hard core fans do not go to watch the sport because they cannot afford the tickets, its sad but true. Its time that sport went back into the hands of fans and players and out of the hands of big money and so called celebrity players. Just like the LA Dodgers who are owned by the people who go to watch them and not by some foreign tycoon.

The Welsh National party should take lessons from the SNP

2011-05-08T06:03:00.001-07:00

It would be better (in my opinion) to go into the wilderness and meditate begin the business of rebuilding the party by growing your membership through ALL OF Wales. By making your presence as strong i the chip shop in Chepstow as well as the one in Bangor. Going into coalition is akin to marrying a Black Widow Spider it has already happened to Liberals who are paying the price for their black marriage. The WNP needs to learn from the SNP who are the only majority government in the UK. They have had no history of coalitions.

The wistful meanderings of an irrelevent bore

2011-05-07T04:38:00.000-07:00

Looking at the state of my former country I sometimes despair. This last election most people could not even be bothered to vote, just like a US mid term election. So how Labour could claim they have a mandate to rule should baffle me, yet it does not, they still had the largest share of the votes. what I think should happen is instead of a coalition which consists of people who only work together because the have to and have no popular mandate, this should provide a great opportunity to have a proper system of checks and balances. i think it is right and proper for Labour to form the Executive, (they did win the largest share of the votes even though it was low) whilst the opposition parties provide proper scrutiny over governance as well as legislation. To be supportive when the Welsh Labour Government is right and to be corrective when they are wrong. it also means that the opposition parties have to work together and bury their differences on unimportant issues. to borrow a analogy from my former theological days there has to be a certain amount of ecumenism in Welsh politics.This could be a chance for Wales to be a trail blazer in a new type of cooperative politics that could lead the world. Or it could just be the same old crap. Yet who am I? Mr Darren Hill of referendum campaign fame called be a “irrelenvent bore” perhaps I am, but I am someone and there are quite a few someones in Wales who feel the same, its time for those someones to stand up!

Jesus is a socialist

2011-04-30T11:41:00.001-07:00

Many years ago I worked as a verger at Llandaf Catheral. There I engage in a interesting political discussion with one of the Stewards, John Davies. John was a dedicated Tory.
However he made this extraordinary comment. "you know Jesus was a true socialist~ i thought to myself maybe there is not such a wide gap and that Jesus was the bridge.

Test

2011-04-30T10:45:00.001-07:00

A Stations of the Cross commemorating both the Merthyr Riots and Dic Pendryn's "crucifixion

2011-04-24T07:36:00.001-07:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Reading pieces about Michael Sheen’s spectacular Live Stations of the Cross. I thought what about a updated live stations commemorating the Merthyr Riots beginning in Merthyr and ending in Cardiff with the “crucifixion’ of that innocent “Dic Penderyn” next year.

FW: Breaking News: Radiation levels at Japanese nuclear plant 100,000 times above normal

2011-03-27T16:42:00.001-07:00

Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:32:26 -0400
From: newsletters@email.washingtonpost.com
To: michael.cridland@live.com
Subject: Breaking News: Radiation levels at Japanese nuclear plant 100,000 times above normal

----------------------------------------
Breaking News Alert: Radiation levels at Japanese nuclear plant 100,000 times above normal
March 27, 2011 7:27:23 PM
----------------------------------------

Leaked water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant showed the highest radiation readings yet, compounding the risks for the hundreds of workers trying to repair the facility's cooling system. Seventeen workers have been exposed to high levels of radiation, and airborne radioactivity in the unit 2 building remained so high that a worker there would reach his yearly occupational exposure limit in 15 minutes.

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/F490YD/YHOF1F/Y6VK69/0EK37B/T5F5O/82/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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James Garner on Charlie Rose

2011-03-25T17:16:00.001-07:00

Test

2011-03-22T17:35:00.001-07:00

Fire in Western Kansas

2011-03-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Print Story

Published: 3:12 pm

ShareThis

Updated: 5:11 pm

STANTON COUNTY, Ka

Lyn Hudson

2011-03-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

I had written a post on a letter that was published in the South Wales Echo by Cllr Lyn Hudson, and though she did not equate belly dancing with lap dancing, I do wonder whter it is fair to equate it with striptease??

Lap-dance club is not needed

I WAS surprised to read that there is a lap-dancing venue planned for the basement of Gios restaurant in The Hayes, Cardiff (“Firm plans to open new lap-dancing club in city”, March 7).

I don’t want to be a killjoy, but why do we need them? Why do we have to have them? We will be complicit in accepting a cut in the moral standards of our city if we are complacent in granting licences for venues such as these.

We are already tolerant of pole dancing, striptease, burlesque and belly dancing, all of which require a degree of expertise and skill, but I place lap-dancing firmly in another league.

I am not convinced that we should pander to all tastes and I hope that Giovanni will reconsider allowing the premises to be used in this way. Knowing him and his family personally, I can’t believe they would approve of this action.

I sincerely hope that the application does not succeed.

Lyn Hudson

Welsh Conservative councillor, Cardiff

Could Obama be impeached over the US attack on Libya?

2011-03-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

Yes he could said Rep Kucinich.

Dennis Kucinich: Libya Air Strikes Could Be 'Impeachable Offense'

The Strange Rebirth of Welsh Liberalism

2011-03-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

The Welsh Liberals will have a option when they are hammered at the next election. They can break with the Federal party and stand up for that Welsh Liberalism that gave birth both to Wales as a modern Nation and the modern welfare state in the UK, or they can lose Cardiff in 2012. They are a autonomous party.

Welsh Liberals need to be the party of Lloyd George and T E Ellis again!

Why I am voting Yes, and why I should vote no

2011-03-02T19:22:00.001-08:00

Today the Welsh people will finally deride whether they are a nation with real sovereignty, or just a region with nothing more than a glorified county council a glorified county council. However with out the framework of a written Constitution with separation of powers even with a vote in favor, the sovereignty will still be illusionary as a future UK government could destroy devolved government in the UK with a simple vote at Westminster. This could not happen to an US state or a Swiss canton because of the constitutional guarantees it is impossible, however it happened to Northern Ireland with its 50-year-old parliament in Stormont in 1973.

I will vote Yes, except I cannot, because I live abroad, so I hope my friends and family will vote Yes, because despite everything I believe it to be the right thing to do.

On the other hand the strongest argument against giving it the power to legisalte is its lamentable performance. It has done good things (free bus travel for pensioners etc) but it has not done great things ( the promised economic miracle from Objective one funding which would had living like our then filthy rich cousins the Irish) the dreadful state of Welsh schools and education.

However I leave it to my friend Denis Campbell editor of UK Progressive and Huffington Post contributor and resident of the lovely village of Monknash in God's beautiful Glamorgan (I envy Denis's house and would rent a room in it just to live there) .

Cap'n Denis Campbell Marrrch 2 roundabouts 7:47 in the mornin' Denounce this misdeed

OK, could not resist....

MARCH 2, 2011 AT 1:45 PM
I loathe the BNP and everything it stands for and I am voting NO.
There is far too much wheeling and dealing and piggy noses in the taxpayer trough as it is.
This crop of pols had 10-years prove themselves deserving. To now blindly give them more powers when the economy is in such disastrous shape is unwise. They are guilty of fiddling whilst Cardiff burns spending months on assuring they have more powers than fixing the economy.
The numbers do not lie:
-70K manufacturing jobs lost,
-economic development stifled and under government control,
-the High Street looks like Beirut,
-uncompetitive bid after uncompetitive bid,
-boondoggles like the Smithsonian folk-life festival and Ryder Cup without a penny’s worth of ROI (not to mention a lack of constituent demand)
and
-no one cares.
Where oh where is the outrage when something like 11% will decide this important question?
Nicky, you need only to look at Wisconsin in the US to see what governmental hubris and over-reach looks like and what an enraged constituency with a measured, appropriate response can do.
Plus ‘We Are All Egyptians’ is a stronger slogan.

Quite accurate, sadly.

Then my friend Gary Lewis from Maesteg. Gary is a highly qualified professional who has been unemployed for quite a while. what has the Assembly done for him and thousands of others? sweet FA.

Disappointing I say yes to democracy, but vote the bastards out in May!

No Choice for Welsh Voters in may?

2011-02-15T04:25:00.000-08:00

Is Andrew Neil right?

Egypt’s Supreme Military Council Dissolves Parliament Places PM in Caretaker Role | UK Progressive

2011-02-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Egypt’s Supreme Military Council Dissolves Parliament Places PM in Caretaker Role | UK Progressive

Lets hope that it is a temporary move!??

Thousands Turn Out For Anti-Govt Protests In Algeria : NPR

2011-02-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Thousands Turn Out For Anti-Govt Protests In Algeria : NPR

Mubarak's out,looks like Algeria's turn!

Welsh Consulates??

2011-02-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

Some wonders from the True Wales web site.

"Let the people decide on independence, says Rachel Banner
Last week in a highly polemical essay, Oxford academic Patrick McGuinness argued that the campaign for a referendum on further powers for the National Assembly is being hampered by misinformation spread by those who fear a Yes vote. Rachel Banner, of True Wales, a grassroots movement formed to oppose the devolution of full law-making powers, replies
PATRICK McGuinness argues that it is an extraordinary claim to say that full law-making powers for the National Assembly would lead to independence.
In reality, the greater the legislative rift between England and Wales becomes, the more likely is separation from the United Kingdom. It is certainly not difficult to find evidence that the Welsh Assembly is set on independence. The Senedd's enthusiasm for a new Welsh honours system, a £13,000 investment into research as to the viability of a Welsh stock market, and initiatives to set up Welsh consulates abroad all demonstrate that the Assembly Government is doing its utmost to prepare for an independent Wales.
A further indication is Dafydd Elis-Thomas latest pronouncement concerning the devolution of control over S4C. Is this not the clearest sign yet that Plaid Cymru government politicians are gearing up for independence? Will the Assembly Government ultimately want control over the whole of Welsh broadcasting? The truth is that full law-making powers for the Assembly are the penultimate piece of the Independent Wales jigsaw."

What is a Welsh consulate, and where are they? I think they must be referring to those WDA offices that were set up in Chicago some time ago.

In fact I remember writing to Mike German in 2000 after a visit to the new Consulate general's office in Denver. My concern was that seemed to be very little attempt to promote Wales, and that WAG should set up offices to promote Wales.

When they were set up I recall that the were refered to in the Welsh media as "Welsh embassies" which is obviously hyperbole.

Reagan Mythology Rewritten . Reagan's real legacy

2011-02-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

Ask not what Wales can do for you,rather asked what you can do for Wales

2011-01-21T05:51:00.001-08:00

Ask not what Wales can do for you, as what you can do for Wales

“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

It is fifty years since these famous and epic making words were uttered by President John F Kennedy at his inauguration, They followed the farewell address of President Dwight D Eisenhower who warned of the dangers of the “Military Industrial Complex”. Though I would like to spend time on Ike’s unheeded warning with which we are now living with the consequences, I am going to meditate on JFK’s epic prose.

The beginning of the 1960s heralding the age where those who fought in WWII were taking charge from those who led it. Symbolised by JFK (who fought) from Ike (who led). Kennedy was a man with a vision and a man with a mission to transcend the Cold War with a new war of hope. He wanted peace and liberty, yes he was a Cold War warrior who saw the Soviets as the epitome of evil, but even he as a Catholic saw the possibility of redemption. He avoided getting the US involved in wars (even though his generals pressured him to nuke Cuba).

There is a great tendency to focus so much on his personal failings, his affairs etc. These are sins of commission, the serious sin is that of omission which is hate and indifference. There was substance to his speech. One thinks of the Civil Rights legislation which he inaugurated and the Peace Corp which did so much around the world, and finally the Test Ban which marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

People see the 1960s as the decade of permissiveness. I think it was a decade of Maturity when Humanity began to grow up, even in the Roman Catholic Church with Pope John XXIII and Vatican II. It was also the decade of martyrdom. With JFK and ending with Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. This new hope was built on the blood of the martyrs.

The 1960s was also a period of maturity for Wales, surely the truth of our modern nation symbolised by Gwynfor Evan’s epic victory at Camathern succeeded Lady Megan Lloyd George the daughter of David Lloyd George surely that is symbolism that cannot be missed. Both Gwynfor and Lloyd George are founders of our modern Wales. 1966 signified the march of Wales to nationhood which makes the upcoming referendum even more important. Wales is standing up, but it needs to stand up for itself and not rely on others to bankroll it.

I am saddened that the “No” side has to rely on such negativity and lies to promote itself, and its not lost on me that one of its leading spokesman is a devout Baptist. I am not sure whether he is a fundamentalist seeing the World and black and white. He does to me with the Assembly and those who support it as being the forces of “darkness” whilst he and his supporters being the forces of “light and truth: and the voice of the “Common Man”. To me its more the voice of bigotry and ignorance which is why they taken the stand of campaigning money, they would prefer people not to be informed and to remain in the dark.

To end Kennedy’s speech was to do with service both to America and the World. Thsi is what should;d motivate Wales. Service both to our country and the world. Preserving what is good and unique our language, and securing prosperity.

Google Docs makes it easy to create, store and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

Bale for Wales wins

2011-01-16T17:17:00.001-08:00

Haverford West born Christian Bale wins a Golden Globe! Hooray for Wales! So nickers to wales online! I GOTTIT AS IT HAPPENED. Does Chris care? Right from my TV

FWD: FWD: On your bike Fido!

2011-01-15T11:30:00.001-08:00

we were having coffee in our favorite coffee shop in Dodge City "Cup o Jo ones". A man and his dog biking!

Kansas new order

2011-01-14T10:07:00.001-08:00

This is a picture of the Dodge City Daily Globe's January 13th's edition front page. This particular copy was on a table of our breakroom as I came into work. I am not sure if you can see the horns that some one had drawn on the picture of our new Republican governor and his wife?

Who did it? A angry Democrat? Or one of my Hispanic co workers angry at his Tea party rhetoric, or even a angry right winger who thinks he is not hard enough.

I was amused by the remark of a coworker sitting there who remarked on "the lack of maturity amongst our coworkers", to me it said more about her own outlook, when she did not respond to the "N" word that I had seen written on a picture of President Obama previously.

All indicated how right the president was right about the type of discourse that is seen these days.

President Obama's speech in Tuscon

2011-01-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

2011-01-13T11:55:00.001-08:00

Test

Will a Yes Vote mean That Wales Will Stand up?

2011-01-12T19:05:00.001-08:00

Soon the great day will be upon us. March 3 ^rd , referendum day. The day when the Welsh people will be given the opportunity to vote on whether they wish their National Assembly to be able to pass laws without reference to the UK Parliament. If its yes then it will be the first Welsh legislature since Owain Glyndwr's Senedd in the early 15 ^th Century. If no then The assembly will still be able to pass laws indirectly using the cumbersome LCO process.

Though because I am living in the US this ex pat will not be able to vote. However many of my friends and family will, and how they will vote I cannot say. What I do know is that is these people that will decide this, and not the lobbyists, the Cardiff Bay Bubble clique that figured so much in the Yes launch. I am just a humble supermarket worker, I am not a lobbyist or political hack that spends his life obsessing on what happens in the Bay. No I am just an ordinary Joe who wants to see the best for his country. Its Joe and Jo who will decide, and they better understand what is going down, as I was talking someone today who believes that this about independence. She did not get this from Len Gibbs or the No campaign, but the Yes campaign need to go door to door to be sure that folk know, or they will vote No.

My first feeling was that it would be a big yes for me. To me it seemed logical, that if the Assembly could pass laws through the cumbersome process where legislation had to pass through the UK Parliament, then why not directly?

The “No” campaign seems to use scare tactics as illustrated on its web site (before they changed it at my suggestion, I think ;) ). They seemed to imply that those who were in favor of legislative powers for the Assembly were racists (opposed to English speakers). It's a shame because they could have made a good case with their criticism of the assembly's poor performance, and the infamous “ Cardiff Bay Bubble” and being out of touch with the ordinary masses.

I agree that the Assembly has not done great things (economy, education and healthcare) however it has done good things, for example free bus travel for OAPs and disabled people, free prescriptions, free breakfasts etc. These are good things in itself and probably would not have happen.

I also think it has lifted Wales's profile in the World, and that must be good.

Perhaps Wales will finally Stand up!

A Change of Personnel: A potent sign of Wales lack of economic clout and ...

2011-01-10T05:56:00.000-08:00

A Change of Personnel: A potent sign of Wales lack of economic clout and ...: "There couldn’t have been a more powerful image of Wales lack of economic importance or its underperformance over the years compared to our S..."

Hat Tip to A Change of Personnel this something we should be concerned about.

What is Wales and where do we stand in the World. Or maybe its time for Wales "to Stand up"?

Why I would vote yes in the Welsh Assembly's referendum in March!

2011-01-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

I thought this comment that I left on Wales Home.org was good enough for its own post.

Complements of the season to my fellow compatriots from across the “pond”. Watching this thread (I can hardly call it reading as some of the comments have been hard to read) is like watching a game of tennis at Wimbledon with poor old Len trying to beat John McEnroe’s and Bjorn Borg’s serves (at the same time). I think the problem with the internet is the fact that it is in its infancy (and that goes for social networks too). It was the telly what won it for Obama and it was the seem medium that brought him down (and not the cable news relatively speaking more people watch Songs of Praise than Fox News), and Palin’s tweets make her look a positive twit. I have looked at TW’s web site, and to be honest I think they could put the “follow the money section” as their home page instead of looking for it. People who are rabidly opposed to devolution would find comfort with that than reading the pap on the front page.

In fact talking of the front page does the talk of discrimination imply that supporters of devolution are on the whole frothy mouthed BNP style racists? Is that fair? Or is it just the type of rhetoric that will encourage those who have moved to Wales come out and vote against what could turn out in the end to be a “Welsh Republic”? I was not here in 1997, but as a 14 year old growing up on a working class area of Cardiff I remember the 1979 campaign very well. When the No campaign played the separatist card all the time, with stunts like putting mock immigration officers on one train. I also recall a friend who went to work at the Welsh Office telling me that there were stories of a “secret campaign” being run out of the Welsh Office which operated on a “divide and conquer” mode. Which wanted to frighten those in the north with the fear of a Assembly dominated by Cardiff and south Wales, and frighten those in the south with idea that it would be dominated by Welsh speakers from the north. In fact it worked.

I was not here for the referendum in 1997 my parents were and they voted, and I would have voted for it. However after that they accepted its establishment. I moved back to Wales in 2002 until 2005, and I was not happy with its lack of achievement., to the point that I even contemplated voting no in this forthcoming referendum. Then I recalled how bad things were in the old days. Welsh hospitals suffered from budget problems just as much in the 1970s as now, or my grandmother would not have been sent home early die in her cold house, which was because the council took so long to replace the window that was broken. Or the shoddily maintained schools with cold class rooms with asbestos hanging just a couple feet above you, with teachers who were so inept it would have better if we left alone and taught ourselves. If there PISA scores in 1979 I am sure they would have been far lower then. And talked to me of the 1980s, it's why I left Wales in 1990. No hope.

TW talks of “True Devolution”. What does that mean? I live in the US where we have true devolution with local control and referendums (voter initiatives and propositions). I have witnessed referendums in both Colorado and California that have shown the “People’s Will” like proposition 8 in California which banned gay marriage and TABOR in Colorado which restricted tax increases and later destroyed education in the state. I am not a fan, in fact I sure if they had been held in the South we probably would still have had Segregation. In fact there is another word for true devolution we call it federalism. So is TW advocating that, which would mean that Wales would have real sovereignty, which can only be guaranteed with a written constitution? Or is it just an empty phrase devoid of meaning?

Len also mentioned the possibility of a low turn out. Does that mean that TW will not accept a yes vote? Because of the low turnout. I have heard the same argument t prove its abolishment. However that’s a double edge sword as turnout for local elections are usually lower, should we then abolish Cardiff Council? Certainly not.

Again I shall not be in Wales for this referendum (unless we move back in February). Yet I have a large family and lots of friends who I keep in touch with that will. And talking of family I can say that with my mother is still in good health because of that she can travel free on the bus, and the good treatment from her GP. My grandmother died because things failed under the old system ,but my mother is still with me thanks to the new.

My daughter’s education in her early years in Cardiff helped her to succeed now, whilst it failed me.

I admit the achievements were not great in the last 10 years, but I thank God for the small ones, which have had a positive effect. I admit this is all rather personal and subjective, but they are the stories that matter both for and against. Not the endless stats that you read

Valleys Mam there was no golden age in school!

2010-12-30T06:17:00.000-08:00

First I agree that this is appalling and needs to be addressed. But before I go on lets get real about how things were in the so called “golden age” when a teacher taught 50 kids without the aid of a paraprofessional and never took breaks, and kids were allowed to be thrashed. Not that it did do me any harm (as I was one of those who never was) . No, I was just one of those who was publicly humiliated for being slow (ADD was not known about then). However let me tell you about my school in the good old days of the 1970s.

First the head teacher (who had survived Colditz) died of a heart attack in his office, then there was the art teacher was put in gaol for being naughty. Our music teacher taught us by showing us kids programs on TV. The RE teacher was often reduced to gibbering and in the end and in fact ended up breaking the skull of one of my class mates. The math teacher was known as the “happy wanderer” and the geography teacher was often intoxicated. Now that this myth of the good old days has been truly kicked in the subjective cojones lets address the issue.

I will be brutally honest. If teachers cannot take the strain of the class room then they should not be there. Buts lets be even more honest. There are parents who cannot take the stress of being parents and they should not be parents. They do not teach their children the basics (that I know is true because my wife who is a special education teacher told me that they would have to teach them how to use a tooth brush etc). Parents take no interest instead let them go to their rooms to play on their computers, where they exposed to all sorts of dangers, which includes the sexual variety. But the biggest problem is that that there is no communication between kids and parents, no interest in home work or what goes on in school.

The world has changed. Its pointless to look at successful countries like Finland, Japan or even China, until you address the real reason. The break down of community and the family.

My wife taught all over south Wales and all the teachers she worked with were caring and hard working professionals who cared about the kids they taught, and that is the key. She now leaves for work at 630am and never gets back before 630pm. She has not taken day (either personal or sick) in years. Many of her colleagues have not either but some are on anti depressants. There are more rules and regulations than in my day (thank God) so what I put up with does not happen. My wife does not have time for a break during the day, she cannot speak for others.

I think the answer is to repair the family, and provide the proper training for teachers that is needed, and smaller schools.

But let me hand over to someone who has some ideas. Robert Reich.

Sorry Valleys mam, there was no golden age in school!

2010-12-30T06:15:00.000-08:00

The world has changed. Its pointless to look at successful countries like Finland, Japan or even China, until you address the real reason. The break down of community and the family.

I think the answer is to repair the family, and provide the proper training for teachers that is needed, and smaller schools.

But let me hand over to someone who has some ideas. Robert Reich.

Teachers are stressed in south Wales

2010-12-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

This article (Teachers stress, December 27^th) on the curse of stress in teaching makes for depressing reading, however it does not come as a shock to me, as a spouse of an educator who has taught both in south Wales and the US in the last 10 years, I know how it is. She worked for a agency and taught mostly in the Valleys. She was always impressed with the high caliber and hard working nature that she found with all the teachers and paraprofessionals that she worked with. This makes nonsense of the comments made on the online edition of the article. These people are totally ignorant of how hard teaching actually is, and contributes to why education in both Wales and the US is in the mess it is. My wife finished her teaching at Ysgol Ty Coch special school in Tonteg, and it was the great experience and working with a great team of caring professionals that enabled her to be a successful teacher in one of the best elementary schools in Kansas (with a population smaller than Wales). She was nominated in 2007 for “Special Education Teacher of America”. This would not have happened but for her teaching in Ysgol Ty Coch. Teachers cannot be blamed if they are not properly prepared, and teachers cannot be blamed when they are not properly supported. I have read those comments from people who talk about their own experience years ago. I would remind them that this 2011 and not 1911, we are living in a totally different world where parents leave their kids on automatic pilot (in their rooms texting or playing on the computer). Also we were not competing with China, Japan, and Korea, who value both education and teachers more than we do, which is why they are light years ahead of us in test scores. I leave it to Robert Reich on how education can be improved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBqQibkCXE

Welsh Liberals at 6 %

2010-12-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

The Welsh Labour party must be absoluty besides themselves at the latest poll figures from YouGov putting Liberal support at 6%.

They probably looking forward to running Wales on their own, you wave bipartisanship goodbye.

Good for Wales? I don't think so.

here it is ITV Wales

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fitvwales.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F22%2Ffor-whom-the-poll-tolls%2F&h=e7307

Has Vince cable come to his senses?

2010-12-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

Vince Cable: I could bring down the Government - Telegraph

Cardiff get the hell outta of Wales says Mr Gall Stone

2010-12-15T06:44:00.000-08:00

This letter caught my eye in the Western Mail today. Mr Gall stone was obviously responding to one of those nasty letters describing the Welsh language as dead and useless. And though I certainly do subscribe to such a view. I think that his letter should make English speakers nervous.

I am sure that most Welsh speakers believe that their English speaking Welsh are truly members of the Welsh nation, I know that Mr Gouldstone is not alone in that extreme view.

in fact he should also add most of Pembrokeshire and eastern Powys.

Its stupid assed letters like this that is a gift to the “no’ team.

Re-draw Wales

SIR – Mr C E Lambert of Barry is mistaken when he states that the population of Wales has chosen to join the English speaking world (Letters, Dec 9).

The two counties of Glamorgan and Gwent alone have chosen to join the English only speaking world and the Welsh language thrives in everyday use alongside English in the rest of Wales.

Also, why shouldn’t our native language have equal status in law as the English language? It is not a question of whether one speaks Welsh but more of a question whether there is more to Welsh culture than putting on a red shirt and shouting racial obscenities at sporting events.

All the objections to support of our native language comes from the above two counties who make it clear they have no regard (or possibly knowledge) of our history and perhaps it is time to re-define our borders.

Why not transfer Glamorgan and Gwent to the West of England and move the capital to either Aberystwyth or Caernarfon?

Cardiff is a nice place to live in but it is not a Welsh city and it would transfer easily to England. Wales and the true Welsh would be better served through relocation of the capital to either of the two towns. The benefits to both communities are obvious.

The rest of Wales can enthusiastically support all of our culture without the constant whingeing of the two Wenglish counties and people like Mr Lambert will have no fear of their children being brought up in a bilingual country.

He and his like-minded souls can immerse themselves in the Anglo culture they hold in such high regard, although I doubt whether most of them could tell the difference between Shakespeare and the Simpsons.

I see only one problem. Would the English want such people? I doubt it.

PETER Gallstone

Roath Park, Cardiff

Gordon Brown on American Telly this morning

2010-12-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I watched Gordon this morning freezing to death. he's selling a book too!

Teachers (mostly) are responsible for poor education in Wales, says Leighton Andrews!

2010-12-07T18:37:00.001-08:00

Teachers (mostly) are responsible for poor education in Wales, says Leighton Andrews!

According to the BBC’s Ciaran Jenkins teachers need to take responsibility for the poor state of Welsh education.

Wrong Mr. Andrews you are in charge you are responsible, fess up or resign!

“While he did say the assembly government shared some of the responsibility, the education minister did go on the attack and say that teachers were guilty of complacency in the classroom and schools weren't delivering.

What he didn't really tell us was where the assembly government was going wrong. It's been 10 years since devolution and his government and previous governments have been driving education policy in that time.

He sits around a cabinet table with three previous education ministers. The question people will be asking is where they have gone wrong, and what policies must now be reviewed.

Was the decision to abolish school league tables the correct one?

Could schools benefit from more freedom?

Are the facilities and in some cases the teachers up to the job?

The minister has asked the profession some searching questions.

But with an assembly election in six months, the electorate could well be asking ministers why our schools, by the government's own admission, are failing.”

random thoughts on Welsh education

2010-12-07T15:33:00.001-08:00

It does not surprise me (I would suppose being the spouse of a educator and in-law of a senior school administrator). There have always been these little stories that appear on page 3 of the papers about how bad things actually were. And I guess that all we will here from those in charge is excuses. It’s the LEA or the schools or even Westminster, but no word or taking responsibility. "The buck stop here" and getting together and seeing what can be done. No thinking outside the box, when the UK is 5 places behind the US with all its problems with its public school system, you know that something is seriously wrong. What can be done. First I think there should be Welsh version of “No Child Left Behind”, that focus on pupils in deprived areas and their needs, and would facilitate communication between school and parents. Finally I think that politicians should stay out of education. Kids should not be used as footballs by different political parties. If there’s failure, then there is plenty of blame to go around.

Devolution should not stop at Cardiff Bay!

2010-11-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

This article by Stuart Weir illustrates the problem over democracy, and the only way that we will have true democracy is to have a constitution which guarantees democracy to the lowest level.

In other words democracy. It bothers me that the main bloggers seemed to leave local government alone.

All I can say is thank God for the Druid, Jaxx, VM, etc. We need more local bloggers looking at their own localities. Blogging Localism. If that makes any sense.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/stuart-weir/talk-of-localism-is-sham-without-real-constitutional-power-to-local-government

BBC - Soutik Biswas's India: How Churchill 'starved' India

2010-10-29T06:09:00.001-07:00

A very interesting story. Appalling truth.

I had always heard that Winston Churchill was a fan of the eugenics movement. An insane form of Darwinism.

BBC - Soutik Biswas's India: How Churchill 'starved' India

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Leighton Andrews Minister of Education and LieLong Learning!

2010-10-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

If I was the Assembly Minister of Education I would check my facebook page for mistakes!

This one’s a cracker!

http://www.facebook.com/LeightonAndrews

I think if one of Leighton's staffers is reading this, he/she should make the relevant changes, this is public you know!

Education and Work

Employers	Welsh Assembly GovernmentDecember 2009 to present Welsh Assembly GovernmentDecember 2009 to present Minister for Children, Education and Lielong Learning The people of the RhonddaMay 2003 to present Assembly Member for the Rhondda

College	UCNW Bangor '78 University of Sussex '80

Likes and Interests

Saunders Lewis was not a fascist!

2010-10-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

“no question Saunders Lewis is an interesting and important historical welsh figure but i do feel bound to ask what this narrow minded bigot has to offer the modern multi-lingual multi-racial and secular wales that exists at the end of the first decade of the 21st century?”

I must confess that my knowledge of Saunders Lewis (like most Welsh) is very little, mores the pity. However leigh I think we should celebrate Saunders because he did have a vision of Wales (somewhat flawed) of that did exist both in reality and as a ideal. I think it is fair to challenge him over the charge of anti Semiticism. However even that was quite common in between the wars spread across the political spectrum (which included ironically enough Leon Trotsky). It was usually directed against the perceived Jewish plutocracy. As for SL alleged Fascism, people just loved Mussolini, and even Lloyd George said nice things about Hitler (its all on tape). The war and the holocaust put an end to the love affair with Fascism and anti semiticism (except it seems amongst the extremes of right and left).

For SL the Welsh language was the one thing that represented the core of the Welsh identity (something I disagree with vigorously). For him industrialism spelt its doom, which was his dark vision. His polemic was more borne out of frustration over the fate of Wales and its native language, than as plain hated for the English and its nation, that Jon Manchip White (Cardiff born author and Professor in Tennessee) testified to in his book “journeying Boy, A Welsh Childhood” who was his good friend who recalled him proposing a toast to the Queen, hardly an act of a rabid Anglophobe. RS Thomas was certainly a Anglophobe (ironically my favourite poet). He probably had more in common with Thomas Jefferson who’s vision of America was that of small communities and not of large cities which he despised, in other words an Agrarian Republic. SL saw the salvation of Wales and its language surviving in the small communities of the west and north. It is a tribute to him that he did not spend his final years in the west but in Penarth, which must puzzle those who accuse him of his alleged rabid anti English, it could be said he was more pro Cymraeg than the former.

Also as a dedicated Catholic he would have paid heed to Pope Pius XI condemnation of both racism in Mit brennender Sorge . believe as a English speaking Welsh that SL should be celebrated for his vision of Wales and not for the calumny leveled against him. He was a pacifist who served in WWI and saw what war could do, he was wrong about WWII as was many.

Chilean miners out!

2010-10-13T08:03:00.001-07:00

I think the whole World must have been with the miners during their own ordeal. How many people could spend 2 months in a small hole, I know I could not.

What surprises me that the Welsh blogosphere had not played closer attention to this whole episode, considering the mining traditions we share with these miners. along with the mining tragedies that Wales has had.

Thank God they are out!

Mayors, why we cant be bothered!

2010-10-11T17:05:00.001-07:00

You have to ask yourself what happened to the “hot debate” on Cardiff having an elected mayor. Truth is there was no real debate city wide about it. I realize living 3000 miles way how would I know? Its simple it’s Facebook and Twitter, as well as talking to family. My mother (who is a dedicated voter) had not heard about this “hot topic”. The reason why, to paraphrase James Carville “It’s the media stupid”. There is no city wide “conversation” about this, its all in the heads of the bloggers, and the wider media has chosen not to run with it, because it doesn’t sell papers! I read a tweet from Cllr Cerys Furlong that said that public was not interesting in changing Cardiff’s city government based on poll of 101 people on Wales online, hardly a large or scientific sample of opinion, so why would Cllr Furlong dismiss it based not only on a really ridiculous poll, and a lack of a wider debate. You could take it at face value, because she thinks that an elected mayor concentrates power in the hands of one person. Any different from the current cabinet system, and the old committee system was just the same.

However still the people of Cardiff should have a right to debate how their frontline services are run. Jonathan Morgan began this debate, and he seems to be “missing in action” over it. According his blog post Cardiff needed this urgently. Yet even he has lost interest in the project with the speculation that he had only brought it up because he might lose his seat to a very strong Julie Morgan.

Cardiff I believe it would be more like 24000 ( I have seen smaller, however I think that they thought it was based on 5% and not 10% which after discovering that the hard work may have put them off)

I do think it’s a shame that people in wales get more bent out of shape over fields, parks, and having their kids attend Victorian asbestos ridden schools, than looking forward. Its true that in America we vote in small numbers (though I think turn out here is about the same as in the UK now) for every office, however there is not the apathy here that one finds at home, and along with a local newspaper Dodge City that is more widely read than the Echo, and radio and TV stations that at least have nearly 21/2 hours of local news a day, people know what is going on, especially in the schools.

I think that people at home (Wales) are not really apathetic, they are just resigned to fact that politicians really in general look after their selves, and nobody else , and that they will do what they like anyhow.

But maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel

Can Wales compete? Learning from Ethan Allen

2010-10-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I have just caught an episode of the Dylan Ratigan show and Dylan was speaking to Farooq Kathwari CEO of Ethan Allen Furniture in the United States. Ethan Allen is an American success story, and proof that American manufacturing can compete with low cost countries like China and India. At the moment Ethan Allen produces most of its furniture (65%) in the US with the goal being 70% in the near future. Ethan Allen has shops in China selling its US made furniture..

Mr Kathwari made a interesting point that Germany cost is very high yet Germany is still on of the World’s largest exporter. Surely that Wales could compete with high quality products, a matter of quality over quantity.

However we need a well trained and well educated work force and the question is? Is the Welsh education system up to the challenge?

Americans conducted tests on Guatemalans. Infecting them with syphilis

2010-10-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

A rather disturbing story has just come out of the US. Apparently the americans were conducting tests on Guatemalans by deliberately infected them with Syphilis between 1946-48. The full story can be found here.

Not that sort of thing that would endear Americans to Latin America.

Hugo Chavez must be having a field day!

The despicable state of Welsh schools!

2010-09-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

This did not come as a surprise to me. I had always had known that Welsh schools were in a poor state of repair, by personal observation over a number of years , observation by my own children who attended Cardiff schools (usually comparing it to the good condition of their US High schools), reports that appeared in the Echo and Western Mail that were usually forgotten. And a former assistant director of education I knew in Cardiff who told me that Cardiff and South Glamorgan County Council had neglected repairs on schools for over 20 years (and that was in 2004). So I was not surprised when I had read this report from the BBC today by Ciaran Jenkins (the blogger formerly known as Blamerball)

It just illustrates how politicians in Wales will talk about education but will do nothing. This is the backlog of repairs that need to be done.

Swansea

£147m

Caerphilly

£130.9m

Rhondda Cynon Taf

£63m

Carmarthenshire

£48m

Bridgend

£37.5m

Flintshire

£35.5m

Neath Port Talbot

£27m

Anglesey

£16.5m

Conwy

£12m

Blaenau Gwent

£10m

Merthyr

£9.7m

Ceredigion

£7.2m

That I believe is probably the tip of the iceberg. An estimated One Billion Pounds. This is a disgrace. How can you talk about schools fit for the 21^st Century, when some of them were not fit for the 19^th.

Unfortunately everyone has to take responsibility for this. Politicians, Parents, and educators. We do have responsibility to do something for this before we bankrupt the next generation with the repairs. This has to be done now, and the government should borrow beg and steal to pay for this.

Wales wake up, before it is too late!

"Mr Ed" Milliband, Labour's New Leader

2010-09-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

My answer to Richard Dawkins!

2010-09-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hey, Mark Zuckerberg could you spare Welsh schools a 100 Million quid?

2010-09-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

I was impressed when heard that FaceBook’s Mark Zuckerberg had donated 100 Million Dollars to Newark schools on CNN.. I understand that Bill and Melinda Gates have donated half a billion Dollars to American education for teacher training.

This is a great example of what philaphropy can do for education.

I think it would be great if Wales own billionaires and millionaires could work together and invest in Wales crumbling schools and teacher education.. Even better what about business’s operating in Wales? They complain rightfully about inadequately trained our kids are. How better than for then to work with the schools and educating our kids for the 21st century.

So Sir Terry Matthews, Howard Stringer etal what do you think? Tesco?

Welsh kids do not need to be educated in schools that look and sound like something out of Charles Dickens.

We want Wales to to a prosperous place that people do not feel the need to leave. We want Wales to a Celtic Tiger like Ireland was until recently. And not like the Ireland of the Great Famine, except the this a famine of opportunity!

Maybe next year its time for the people of Wales to say good bye to the outmoded ideology of yesterday that has kept us poor and unknown.

Edwina Hart's new brief. Minister for outer space.

2010-09-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Is This The Age Of the Train for Cardiff?

2010-09-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

When we were living at a unnamed theological college in Llandaff in 2008 , we often used the Radyr to Coryton line to travel around Cardiff , (especially after our car had been stolen and wrecked) . Trains run twice an hour Mondays to Fridays, I dont think they ran on Sundays. Most of the time the service was not that well used. That was a shame as it is the fastest and most painless way to get into town, and then catching trains to Barry or the valleys.

I believe this line was reopened as a imitative between BR and the old South Glamorgan County Council.

It struck me that with the fact that the Swansea mainline not going to be electrified in the foreseeable future. Why can they not electrify the local lines. Surely this is something that could be worked with the cooperation of the WAG, Cardiff, Vale, and valleys councils.

They should integrate the bus and train services like they do in the US, rather like the RTD in Denver.

If this was properly planned out with some vision, then Cardiff could see a solution to its problem with congestion.

Just needs someone with vision!

Are Cardiff Councillors Value For Money?

2010-09-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

I have noticed when visiting the Wales Online site that this “Quick Vote” poll has been on the main page for a couple of months.

I am curious why Media Wales has chosen Cardiff in particualr? It does not seem to be aimed at the Executive in particular.

Does this indicated that Media Wales has a low view of Cardiff Council, or the current batch of councillors.

Also you can vote multiple times!!

Is there an agenda?

Curious said Alice!

Are Cardiff councillors value for money?

Yes

The Pope supports devolution in the UK

2010-09-16T07:44:00.001-07:00

I read with interest Pope Benedict’s first address on British soil and noted his support for devolution.

“"As I begin my visit to the United Kingdom in Scotland’s historic capital city, I greet in a special way First Minister Salmond and the representatives of the Scottish Parliament.

"Just like the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies, may the Scottish Parliament grow to be an expression of the fine traditions and distinct culture of the Scots and strive to serve their best interests in a spirit of solidarity and concern for the common good.”

This is good and positive, and will certainly be a help in the referendum in Wales for the Assembly to gain legislative powers. For the large population of Catholics in south Wales who still respect the pope (even the ones that may not agree with the Magisterium’s teachings in matters of sexuality)

Its a shame that his visit has been greeted by the stupid and inane “Basil Fawlty” type racism. I don't recall the last Papal visit receiving this much negative feedback (except from Ian Paisley). This pope has been more proactive than his predecessor in dealing with the issues of child abuse than his predecessor.

Roald Dahl Day. Cardiff? Theme Park

2010-09-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

Theme parks have been around longer than most of us think. Unfortunately when we think "Theme Park" we think Disney land or its Florida cousin Disney world, or worse Universe Studios, and fair enough that is what they are. They take us out of our dull reality into a new world filled with wonderment and colour.

As I said Theme Parks are not new, and the best example closer to home (Cardiff) would be Cardiff Castle

This Victorian folly built by William Burgess for the Marquess of Bute in the 19th Century along with Castell Coch.

These are 2 great examples of 19th Century "theme parks", with their splendid gardens and architecture, with a typical medieval theme which was a manifestation of the Romantic Movement that was popular in the 19th Century. However they were private and built for the entertainment of the "idle rich".

Since I have been living in the US, wife and I have visited what would be called "Living Museums". I would think of then as a type of "theme park" Usually they tend to be frontier forts like Fort Laramie

A important part of American Western history. In the summer they usually have programs, and you feel like you are there. Its both entertaining and most importantly it is educational.

This to me is how a theme park should be.

I have always wondered why Cardiff has never celebrated her famous sons. For example the great writer, Roald Dahl grew up in Llandaff/Fairwater. Yet I have not even seen any indication that he was ever there. Also that he attended the Cathedral School, and that some of his experiences appear in his books.

What I think would be a good idea and quite possible. Is to build a theme park with Roald Dahl and his works as the subject matter. It would be great addition to what already exists. I would envision it as being based on one of his work “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. It would have to be large enough.

I thought a possible location would be where the Bosch plant is near Miskin

It would be great for business, the location would help create jobs in the Valleys, Cardiff and the Vale.

The first thing you should do is consult Roald Dahl’s estate to get there approval and support. Then set up company to chase up investment to get this project of the ground.

I believe his could happen with the right sort of people with the vision to carry it through.

so you want to be mayor of Cardiff?

2010-09-09T14:29:00.001-07:00

So oh hum the great non debate on whether Cardiff's wants a mayors forges on. The fury of the nondebate is absolutely shattering. The truth is most people know what a mayor is. They have seen both Ken Livingstone and now Boris Johnson running London (and on episodes of East Enders). What people really want to know is what will a mayor do for Cardiff. Lets look at the potential cadidates.

Cllr Russell Goodway (Former Labour leader of Cardiff Council)

Cllr Rodney Berman (LibDem leader of Cardiff Council and opponent of an elected mayor)

Jonathan Morgan AM (Conbservative AM who is the only Tory in Cardiff that strongly advocates a mayor)

Cllr Neil McEvoy (Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council)

Cllr Jane Cowan (Leader of the independent group on Cardiff Council

Mystery Candidate ( any able bodied citizen of Cardiff)

What people really want to know is what will he/she do for

1. Law and order/anti social behaviour

2. Education (good schools for all)

3. Jobs and the economy in general

4. Environment rubbish collection, clean streets

5. Transport

6. Housing

7. democracy (will a mayor be subject to scrutiny)

8. Open space, parkland.

Never mind the bullshit just a simple manifesto that those who want to be mayor will do once elected..

New Yorkers Strongly Back Shorter Term Limits - NYTimes.com

2010-09-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

New Yorkers Strongly Back Shorter Term Limits - NYTimes.com

God is redundant?

2010-09-07T19:22:00.001-07:00

So says Professor Stephen Hawking, world famous cosmologist and author of "A Brief History of time" who had once said

" "If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason: for then we should know the mind of God."

So why has a scientist like Hawkin suddenly join the ranks of militant atheists such as Dawkings,Hitchens, Harris and the famous Frederick Nietzsche who proclaimed "The Death of God", and went mad.

Mr Nietzsche in a contemplative mood

However he has not gone that far. He feels that you cannot disprove the existence of God, but you can prove that he was not necessary for creation.

The case against a Cardiff mayor

2010-09-07T03:22:00.001-07:00

In fact page 41 of Capital Cardiff (Morgan and Hooper) Makes for depressing reading for those in the last Labour administration detailing its failures from the cock up in the social services department. Then the whole problem of the allowances taken when the council had a shortfall of 2 Million pounds along with redundancies in the council work force. On top of it illegal payments that were made using "Emergency Powers" avoiding approval in full council. It also says quite clearly in the Lyon report that Cllr Goodway "decided to assume both the roll of leader and Lord Mayor himself" Your description is nothing more than a "legal fiction" if any Labour councillor had dissented you would have disciplined them as you where the "whip" (I believe) at the time. It would seem that this makes for an strong argument against Cardiff opting for a directly elected mayor if there is no strong scrutiny (another criticism of the scrutiny powers under the current system that apparently is evident in some authorities that have elected mayors).

If this was not addressed with the introduction of an elected mayor, then I would oppose its introduction (strongly), along with having election nonpartisan (as one finds in most US cities).

There is no reason for local government to be run in the same way as national government, and as you can see that cardiff has suffered from it.

This was written in response to Cllr Ralph Cook's on Cardiff Online's "Debate" on an elected mayor for Cardiff.

Obama has a plan from the Daily Politico

2010-09-06T17:02:00.001-07:00


Obama unveils $50B road, rail plan By: Mike Allen and Abby Phillip September 6, 2010 07:12 AM EDT
Seeking to bolster the sluggish economy, President Barack Obama used a Labor Day appearance in Milwaukee to announce he will ask Congress for $50 billion to kick off a new infrastructure plan designed to expand and renew the nation’s roads, railways and runways. Using tough tones, he assailed Republicans as the party of “No, we can’t” – a play off his campaign slogan “Yes we can” – and accused his critics of talking about him like a “dog.” But he said he’d keep fighting “every single day, every single hour, every single minute” to turn the economy around. But those same Republicans said they had no interest in Obama’s new plan – a sign that it would face an uphill battle in Congress. In his speech to the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, Obama laid out the goals of his new program: Rebuild 150,000 miles of roads; construct and maintain 4,000 miles of rail, enough to go coast to coast; and restore 150 miles of runways, while putting in a next-generation air traffic control system to reduce travel time and delays. The president announced the establishment of an Infrastructure Bank to leverage federal dollars and focus on national and regional investments that often fall through the cracks and a plan to integrate high-speed rail on an equal footing in the surface transportation program. The idea is that to jump-start job creation; the policy front-loads — through the $50 billion upfront investment — a significant share of the new infrastructure resources, the White House said. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has been pushing an infrastructure plan in West Wing meetings for weeks. But with the November midterms looming, officials were having trouble finding a way for the effects to be felt immediately. Obama and Democrats are under pressure to show voters they are trying to do something about the sluggish economy, with unemployment still hovering around 10 percent. Their options are limited, but some economists have said that another infrastructure plan — along the lines of the first stimulus package of more than $800 billion — would be a way to infuse cash into the economy to stimulate hiring. The White House describes the plan as a two-part proposal that would include both an initial $50 billion investment in projects and the renewal of the six-year surface transportation infrastructure bill that has been overdue for reauthorization for a year. Both parts would require finding significant sources of revenue to pay for the funding increases, though Obama told the Milwaukee crowd that the plan will be fully paid for and will not add to the deficit over time. So far, the administration is proposing to close more corporate tax loopholes that would specifically target tax breaks for oil and gas companies. But the prospects of rapid congressional action on such a proposal seem dim, given that even some Democrats to any additional government spending in the face of voters worried about the growing federal deficit and critical of Obama's original stimulus plan. Senior administration officials, in a conference call with reporters Monday morning, would not say whether they would push Congress to pass a bill before the end of 2010. “These types of reauthorizations have always been a substantial undertaking,” one official said. “This one is particularly ambitious because of the front loading and the set of reforms.” Under the best-case scenario, however, jobs would be created in 2011, the official said. “This is not an ... immediate jobs plan. This is a six-year reauthorization that’s front-loaded,” according to the senior administration official. “We’re not trying to put out an idea today that in October 2010 will be creating jobs.” House Republican leader John Boehner criticized the plan as "more of the same failed 'stimulus' spending" and said Obama's earlier effort didn't bring down unemployment. "If we've learned anything from the past 18 months, it's that we can't spend our way to prosperity. We don't need more government 'stimulus' spending — we need to end Washington Democrats' out-of-control spending spree, stop their tax hikes and create jobs by eliminating the job-killing uncertainty that is hampering our small businesses," Ohio's Boehner said in a statement. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky added: "A last-minute, cobbled-together stimulus bill with more than $50 billion in new tax hikes will not reverse the complete lack of confidence Americans have in Washington Democrats' ability to help this economy.” In his remarks in Milwaukee, Obama took aim at the Republicans, saying they had opposed all of his efforts to shore up the economy by hewing to the same philosophy that got the country in trouble in the first place. “"That philosophy didn't work out so well for middle-class families all across America," Obama said. "It didn't work out so well for our country. All it did was rack up record deficits and result in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression." Obama travels to Cleveland Wednesday and holds a news conference on Friday. In addition to proposing the funding of a slew of road, rail and air transportation infrastructure projects that are typically funded by the surface transportation bill, the president is also proposing a set of reforms to the way transportation funding is allocated. According to the president’s plan, high-speed-rail funding would be integrated into the surface transportation bill for the first time. The bill also calls for the creation of an infrastructure “bank” that would leverage private and government funding for infrastructure projects. And it includes a “Race to the Top”-style program that would inject competition into the process of allocating money for nearly 100 “boutique” projects across the country. The Education Department’s Race to the Top program involves having states compete for funding by producing specific plans about how they would spend the money. Here is a White House fact sheet on the plan, “Renewing and Expanding America’s Roads, Railways and Runways”: The President today laid out a bold vision for renewing and expanding our transportation infrastructure — in a plan that combines a long-term vision for the future with new investments. A significant portion of the new investments would be front-loaded in the first year. This plan would build on the investments we have already made under the Recovery Act, create jobs for American workers to strengthen our economy now, and increase our nation’s growth and productivity in the future. At the same time, the plan would reform the way America currently invests in transportation, changing our focus to enhancing competition, innovation, performance, and real analysis that gets taxpayers the best bang for the buck, while moving away from the earmarks and formula debates of the past. In prior years, transportation infrastructure was an issue that both parties worked on together, and the Administration hopes the same can be true now. Some of the main provisions of the President’s plan over the next six years include: • ROADS: Rebuild 150,000 miles of roads — renewing our commitment to the backbone of our transportation system; • RAILWAYS: Construct and maintain 4,000 miles of rail — enough to go coast-to-coast; • RUNWAYS: Rehabilitate or reconstruct 150 miles of runway — while putting in place a NextGen system that will reduce travel time and delays. The President’s plan would accomplish this through: • An up-front investment. The President will work with Congress to enact a new up-front investment in our nation’s infrastructure — an investment that would help jump-start additional job creation, while also laying the foundation for future growth. This initial investment would fund improvements in the nation’s surface transportation, as well as our airports and air traffic control system. • A vision for the future. The President proposes to pair this with a long-term framework to reform and expand our nation’s investment in transportation infrastructure. Since the end of last year, when the last long-term surface transportation legislation expired, these investments have been continued on a temporary basis, even as the trust fund to finance them has fallen into insolvency. If we are to enjoy the benefits that come from a world-class transportation system, Congress must enact a long-term reauthorization that expands and reforms our infrastructure investments and returns the transportation trust fund to solvency. To jumpstart job creation, this long-run policy front-loads – through a $50 billion up-front investment — a significant share of the new infrastructure resources. As with other long-run policies, the Administration is committed to working with Congress to fully pay for the plan. The long-term framework includes meaningful reforms: • The establishment of an Infrastructure Bank to leverage federal dollars and focus on investments of national and regional significance that often fall through the cracks in the current siloed transportation programs; • The integration of high-speed rail on an equal footing into the surface transportation program to ensure a sustained and effective commitment to a national high speed rail system over the next generation; • Streamlining, modernizing, and prioritizing surface transportation investments, consolidating more than 100 different programs and focusing on using performance measurement and “race-to-the-top” style competitive pressures to drive investment toward better policy outcomes. • Expanding investments in areas like safety, environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, and livability — helping to build communities where people have choices about how to travel, including options that reduce oil consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and expand access to job opportunities and housing that’s affordable. Specifically, the President proposes to make the initial up-front investment in the following areas: • Roads. The nation’s highways serve as the backbone of our transportation system. Many roads and bridges are in need of repair and expansion and many of the Americans who want to do this work face high unemployment right now. Our investments would be focused on modernizing the highway system’s critical assets while providing much-needed jobs. • Rail. Many parts of transit systems have been allowed to fall into a state of ill-repair. The President’s plan would help address this by making a major new investment in the nation’s bus and rail transit system. The Administration is also committed to expanding public transit systems and would dedicate significant new funding to the “New Starts” program — which supports locally planned, implemented, and operated major transit projects. In addition, the Administration is committed to building on its investments so far in high-speed rail — constructing a system that will increase convenience and productivity, while also reducing our nation’s dependence on oil and cutting down on pollution. The President’s plan would also invest in a long-overdue overhaul of Amtrak’s fleet. • Runways & NextGen. The Administration proposes to invest in our nation’s airports by improving their runways and other equipment and facilities. We also propose a robust investment in our effort to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system (NextGen). This investment will help both the FAA and airlines to install new technologies and, among other improvements, move from a national ground-based radar surveillance system to a more accurate satellite-based surveillance system — the backbone of a broader effort to reduce delays for passengers, increase fuel efficiency for carriers, and cut airport noise for those who live and work near airports. • Infrastructure Bank. The President proposes to fund a permanent infrastructure bank. This bank would leverage private and state and local capital to invest in projects that are most critical to our economic progress. This marks an important departure from the federal government’s traditional way of spending on infrastructure through earmarks and formula-based grants that are allocated more by geography and politics than demonstrated value. Instead, the Bank will base its investment decisions on clear analytical measures of performance, competing projects against each other to determine which will produce the greatest return for American taxpayers. Glenn Thrush contributed to this report.
© 2010 Capitol News Company, LLC

Cardiff c'est Moi, Jonathan Morgan

2010-09-02T06:42:00.001-07:00

Jonathan Morgan AM General Charles De Gaulle

Sometimes the "Viewpoints" page of the South Wales Echo can be source of unintentional and ironic response to the council's chair of planning Ed "Every Little helps" Bridges about education, where Cardiff's would be elected mayor, Jonathan Morgan AM quotes from Charles De Gaulle " “A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.” which was aimed at the Council Leader, Rodney Berman.

However was there a more deeper meaning to that quote.

Remember that besides liberating France single handily. He also overthrew the semi defunct Third Republic which was a parliamentary democracy replaced with a strong executive presdident and weak legislature, becoming France's savior with his famous diktat "France c'Moi" (I am France).

Was this letter to viewpoints just a demonstration to Cllr Berman that he will overthrew Cllr Berman's inept "Directory"

Just realised maybe its Napoleon hes emulating as his own version of the "18th Brumaire"coup? Cllr Berman must be quaking in his shoes when they erect that guillotine in front of City Hall!

Just glad that no one reads my stuff!!

Gwynfor who?

2010-09-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

I understand from another blog that today would be Gwynfor Evans birthday. the self styled "Tad y genedl".

However his success (if one could call it that as he lost Carmarthen a number of times) was probably what marginalized Plaid as being more a party of Welsh speakers than of Wales in general, this further illustrated by his threat to fast to the death to establish S4C (which I personally did more harm to Welsh by putting in a ghetto). Did he offer to fast to the death for the thousands of Welsh who where thrown on to the scrapheap of Thatcher's Britain

I would have had more respect for Gwynfor if he had returned to Barry (place of his birth) and promoted the case for Welsh nationalism there, instead moving to the west as if to escape the contamination of those he referred to as "Di Cymraeg" in one of his books, non Welsh speaking.

This I believe has been detrimental to creating an authentic and inclusive form of Welsh nationalism.

Plaid has certainly not emulated the SNP in Scotland, and their fanaticism over the issue of WM education in Cardiff will damage its chances in Cardiff West next year. A shame I think. To see Rhodri's heir apparent do the cake walk to the Assembly next year.

And before you dear reader see this as a anti Gwynfor, Cymraeg, or even Plaid post. I respected Gwynfor for his honesty and integrity. I believe in supporting the Welsh language and seeing it prosper, I just don’t believe it in shoving it into a ghetto, and Plaid it could be the future of Wales, but English speakers do not feel comfortable.

I would support erecting a statue In Barry, instead of a bust in the library.

Whilst teachers in LA get "canned"

2010-08-31T05:34:00.000-07:00

Living Wage A Just Wage

2010-08-23T11:27:00.003-07:00

An interesting debate is going on at Alwyn Ap Huw famous blog Miserable old Fart concerning Plaid Cymru's policy of a "living wage". This of course is a concept that is not rooted in Socialist doctrine. The Catholic Church has the "Just Wage" as part of its social theology. It first made an appearance in Pope Leo XIII "Rerum Novarum" which says quite clearly.

"If a worker receives a wage sufficiently large to enable him to provide comfortably for himself, his wife and his children, he will, if prudent, gladly strive to practice thrift; and the result will be, as nature itself seems to counsel, that after expenditures are deducted there will remain something over and above through which he can come into the possession of a little wealth. We have seen, in fact, that the whole question under consideration cannot be settled effectually unless it is assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought to favor this right and, so far as it can, see that the largest possible number among the masses of the population prefer to own property." (#65)

"Wealthy owners of the means of production and employers must never forget that both divine and human law forbid them to squeeze the poor and wretched for the sake of gain or to profit from the helplessness of others." (#17)

"As regards protection of this world’s good, the first task is to save the wretched workers from the brutality of those who make use of human beings as mere instruments for the unrestrained acquisition of wealth." (#43)

"Care must be taken, therefore, not to lengthen the working day beyond a man’s capacity. How much time there must be for rest depends upon the type of work, the circumstances of time and place and, particularly, the health of the workers." (#43)

This quite clearly indicates that businesses have a divine duty to pay their workers a wage that is just and adequate.

This is expanded by Pope Pius XI encyclical Quadragesimo Anno (1931) which defends the right of private property, however it must be used for the common good.

""...(T)he wealthy class violates (the common good) no less, when, as if free from care on account of its wealth, it thinks it the right order of things for it to get everything and the worker nothing, than does the...working class when, angered deeply at outraged justice and too ready to assert wrongly the one right it is conscious of, it demands for itself everything as if produced by its own hands, and attacks and seeks to abolish, therefore, all property and returns or incomes, of whatever kind they are or whatever the function they perform in human society, that have not been obtained by labor, and for no other reason save that they are of such a nature." (#57)

In the debate on MOF the issue of Tesco's low pay comes up.

I started to work for them in 2002, and I remmeber quite clearly the section manager telling me how much better Tesco paid compared to ASDA (4.85 an hour then). This spiel must have been part of his 2 day management training. when I told him that I made 15 Bucks an hour working at a "Unionised" Safeway store in the States he asked me how much that was in Pounds I told him then it was about 9 quid an hour. His jaw dropped. this was because of the union (UFCW) who negotiated with the grocery stores. Also it is worth noticing when Tesco opened their stores on the West Coast they excluded this union, I wonder why?

Its unfortunate that USDAW is such a weak union that is unable to represent its membership.

Living Wage A Just Wage

2010-08-23T11:27:00.001-07:00

"If a worker receives a wage sufficiently large to enable him to provide comfortably for himself, his wife and his children, he will, if prudent, gladly strive to practice thrift; and the result will be, as nature itself seems to counsel, that after expenditures are deducted there will remain something over and above through which he can come into the possession of a little wealth. We have seen, in fact, that the whole question under consideration cannot be settled effectually unless it is assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought to favor this right and, so far as it can, see that the largest possible number among the masses of the population prefer to own property." (#65)

"Wealthy owners of the means of production and employers must never forget that both divine and human law forbid them to squeeze the poor and wretched for the sake of gain or to profit from the helplessness of others." (#17)

"As regards protection of this world’s good, the first task is to save the wretched workers from the brutality of those who make use of human beings as mere instruments for the unrestrained acquisition of wealth." (#43)

"Care must be taken, therefore, not to lengthen the working day beyond a man’s capacity. How much time there must be for rest depends upon the type of work, the circumstances of time and place and, particularly, the health of the workers." (#43)

America's Shame: The Sand Creek Massacre

2010-08-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we decided to take a family trip (trying to escape Kansas triple digit weather) to Colorado. The wife being interested in Western history had wanted to visit the site of the Sand Creek Massacre in Colorado. This infamous act of barbarism was committed towards the end of the American Civil War (November 9th 1864), and ignited a war amongst the Plain's Indians that culminated in the battle of the Little Big Horn, where Col. George C Custer and elements of the 7th Calvary were wiped out. It began when Colorado's hard line territorial governor, John Evans (of Welsh descent) ordered Col John Chivington to deal with the Cheyenne and Arapaho who had been stealing cattle. He commanded 800 troops (Calvary and artillery)

John Chivington

Meanwhile a group of Cheyenne Indians led by Black Kettle and White Antelope where camped near the Sand Creek with 70 lodges and about 800 men, women and children. They were told to camp there by the authorities, and were to be regarded as "friendly Indians". That did not stop vegetate Indian hater and Methodist preacher, Chivington from killing them, in fact he said.

“

Damn any man who sympathizes with Indians! ... I have come to kill Indians, and believe it is right and honorable to use any means under God's heaven to kill Indians.

”

Genocide was in his mind, and he and his soldiers attacked. Only 2 officiars refused to (Captain Soule and Lt Cramer).

This was from a testmony by John Smith

I saw the bodies of those lying there cut all to pieces, worse mutilated than any I ever saw before; the women cut all to pieces ... With knives; scalped; their brains knocked out; children two or three months old; all ages lying there, from sucking infants up to warriors ... By whom were they mutilated? By the United States troops ...

”

—- John S. Smith, Congressional Testimony of Mr. John S. Smith, 1865^[17]

“

Fingers and ears were cut off the bodies for the jewelry they carried. The body of White Antelope, lying solitarily in the creek bed, was a prime target. Besides scalping him the soldiers cut off his nose, ears, and testicles-the last for a tobacco pouch ...

Chief Black Kettle

Another eyewitness reported.

"Jis to think of that dog Chivington and his dirty hounds, up thar at Sand Creek. His men shot down squaws, and blew the brains out of little innocent children. You call sich soldiers Christians, do ye? And Indians savages? What der yer 'spose our Heavenly Father, who made both them and us, thinks of these things? I tell you what, I don't like a hostile red skin any more than you do. And when they are hostile, I've fought 'em, hard as any man. But I never yet drew a bead on a squaw or papoose, and I despise the man who would."

The famous scout and pathfinder, Kit Carson.

Unfortunately Carson's enlightened attitude was rare and the old saying "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" was commonly held by those who even abhorred Slavery. The native American was either to be absorbed and become white (which was Thomas Jefferson's view) or be wiped out. It was estimated that 133 men women and children were killed.

Chivington was condemned by a court of enquiry, but disgraced with nothing but the memory on his self righteous and sociopathic mind.

It took us about 3 hours of driving through dusty western towns, named for such enlightened folk as Horace Greeley and his anti slavery newspaper “Tribune”. After driving for 30 minutes along a dusty county road, we arrived at the site of America’s shame on open plain, where there is one marker.

We stood by the site in silence with nothing by the wind blowing and moaning. It was like the cry of a baby. Just like the ghost of those innocents who were butchered there.

Also those who believe in “American Exceptionalism” and a “City built on a hill” should come here and ask, what is “exceptionable” about this. We are as guilty now as we were then.

And with the Immigration law in Arizona which encourages racial profiling, we are a long way from fulfilling the American dream. They should come here and ask why?

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