Did the Welsh ever write anything?

That's the question that aliens (from outerspace, not from Gloucestershire) will ask when they land on our planet in a few years once we've all dissapeared due to war, hunger, drowning, been scortched...

If there will be anything left of Cardiff, they might see the new library with pictures of our favourite books on it.

When I first went past it, I thougth it was an advert for Waterstones due to the large images of English langugae bestsellers. Then I realised that this is the new central library for Cardiff. I'm not sure if it's a permanent building or a temporary one, so this 'mural' may also be temporary, but what struck me (as usual) was the lack of welsh book/books in Welsh.

Yes, I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to popular culture and I'm sure that novels by Dan Brown and about Harry Potter have been the one's borrowed most offten from the capital's libraries. But would it not have been appropriate to also have included classics from Wales in the two languages as well, work by Islwyn Ffowc Elis and Alexander Cordell, or novels set in Cardiff like Dyddiadur Dyn Dwad or Cardiff Dead?

A wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and promote the rich literary history of Wales has been missed here. I'm only guessing, but I bet it was thought up by some ignorant marketing comapny who were paid thousands for it, even worse I bet a fee had o be paid for the rights to use the book's images. I wonder what Academi make of it?

Here's a blog post by someone who works in the central library.

llyfrgell, caerdydd, cardiff, library, cymraeg, welsh
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

How green are the valleys now?

Walking Wales Valleys Festival is a walking festival in Rhondda Cynon Taf. This is the festivals second year.

At last

"The [British] Nationalists of Wales have created a monster they cannot control."

So young, so twisted.

Want rid of the monarchy? I should have known better

A freind of mine left his copy of the Western Mail in the back of my car on Saturday, and as it was recycling day in our house today, I put it in the green bag. But for some silly reason, and I don't know why, but I had to look at the letter's page, something both my doctor and therapist have advised my agins on many times. I wasn't dissapointed:

Monarchy abolition would spell disaster
Sir - The people of the Principality have a right to know why Plaid Cymru's policy on the Monarchy would be such a disaster for them and for the future of Wales.

1. Places that get rid of Monarchy usually end up as economic or political basket cases. Monarchy is then quickly restored to regain sanity and peace.

2. Last year The Prince of Wales raised more than £110m for charity. Can anyone in their right mind see a Welsh politician or president doing the same?

3. Our Prince is a constant and reliable visionary. He set up The Prince's Trust to help the young. He saw the abandoned and acted - unlike politicians.

4. By not speaking Welsh regularly our Prince is more representative than many of these politicians. Seventy-five percent of people in Wales do not use the Welsh language.

5. Politicians serve factional interests. Impartial royalty unites us all by being above the political riffraff who tend to be two-faced back stabbers.

Why surrender these benefits to the untrustworthy practitioners of petty party politics in Wales?

NEIL WELTON,
Leader, Monarchy Wales

I'd like to know two things
1. What's Plaid Cymru's actual policy towards the Monarchy, does anyone know?
2. Is this man in his right mind?

By googling Monarchy Wales I found their website. I got the answers to both questions:
1. Plaid Cymru want Carlo to be the last Prince of Wales
2. No

I got this information from their Archives page, which claims, (among other things) that Plaid Cymru's policy towards the monarchy is what's responsible for their recent poor showing in the polls:

On Tuesday August 29th an opinion poll suggested that support for Plaid Cymru had fallen since they resurrected their policy of a referendum on the Monarchy. Plaid Cymru's poll ratings fell by 4% in the latest YouGov survey with the main beneficiary being the Conservatives who were up 5% overall. Labour was down 3% whilst the Liberal Democrats were also down by 4%.

This section really shows what kind of fool this man really is, as he reads the content of the Doomsday Book and notices:

The Book, seen by less than 1% of the population until now, was commissioned by the King in 1085 when he was the sole landowner within his new Kingdom. The documentation reveals that great swathes of modern Wales were under his control, including Monmouthshire and Gwent, and significant parts of Powys, Clwyd and Gwynedd. Interestingly these places are officially registered as being within England...

Really, is that so, how wierd! The idiot even celebrates the fact that a group of people were unsuccesful in their bid to buy land at Bryn Glas to remeber a battle were Owain's army beat Edmund Mortimer army. He finished with

However, the campaigners were forced to admit that they had not received any replies and that their plan, like that of Glyndwr, had ultimately failed.

What a twat

Rent Free Cronwall

Rent Free Cornwall is blog that lists holiday homes across Cornwall with the suggestion that they're ideal for squatting.

Just as property businesses make use of the law to buy and sell at a profit, working people can adhere to the law to save money, perhaps to use as a deposit on their own home, by browsing through Rent Free Cornwall and finding a comfortable, well equipped home, close to their work, family and friends.

In the past, activists in Wales have occupied holiday homes to raise awareness of second home ownership. The last one I remeber reading about was in 2002 as protestors dressinig up like monkeys at Ian Brown's hoiday home, angered that he was asking £150,000 for it. It's probably 'worth' a hell of a lot more than that now.

cernyw, cornwall
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Gwyl Macs 2.9.06

There's not much about the Gwyl Macs festival in the blogging world, so I thought I'd post about it here. It's a whole day of music on a site just outside Carmarthen. This is the first year it's held, but the organisers have a lot of experience in arranging gigs.
There's a MySpace site for the festival. Here's a map of the site (main stage is in the cow shed - how cool is that!). Two of my favourite bands are there: Euros Childs and Radio Luxembourg, but I'm also looking forward to hearing loads of bands that are new to me. Camping is included in the price of only £15 if you want it, and it's not to late if you've not got a ticket, you'll be able to pay on the gate.

gwyl macs, gwylmacs, caerfyrddin, carmarthen, music, festival
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator