David Rovics / Attila the Stockbroker / Robert Minhinnick: Cardiff 11.2.07

To raise money for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Oyster have organised an evening of music and poetry at Callaghans in Cardiff on Sunday 11th of Febuary.
An oportunity to listen to David Rovics, Attila the Stockbroker and Robert Minhinnick . Tickets £7 (£5 concessions) on the door or from Oyster.

caerdydd, cardiff, oyster clothing
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Arguments against Welsh independence

According to my stats page, I've been recieving a considerable amount of visits to this blog from people Googling for 'arguments against scottish independence' (it's probably just Gordon Brown). Unfortunately, all they get is this page.
Feeling a bit bad and not being able to help, I thought I'd better provide some arguments here in case someone is looking for arguments aginst Welsh independence. These arguments aren't mine by the way, but they're such important and vaild one's, I thought they are worth re-publishing.

Argument 1: If Wales wasn't part of the Union, Dr Who would never have been filmed in Cardiff

- Peter Hain (Secretary of State for Northen Ireland and Wales + Patron Saint of Sunbeds)

Obviously this man doesn't have a vested interest in the continuation of the Union!

Argument 2: If Wales, Scotland and England became independent states, we'd all become racists!

- Trevor Phillips (Head of CRE)

Riiight, I see what he means - haven't you noticed how racist the Irish have become over the years, all because they're no longer part of the empire?

Trevor Phillips, head of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights, raises fears that the break-up of the UK could help reduce the British people to "a collection of ethnic tribes".

If this idiot doesn't know the difference between ethnicity and nationality, then how did he get the job?

Here's some more arguments against Welsh independence.
Seren
British Nationalist Watch
The Red DragonHood
Welsh Independence
Wales World Nation

wales, welsh, scottish, independence, britain, british, unionism,
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Welsh Wide Web (what to do and where to do it)

In one of her occasional Welsh posts, Suw Charman lists 10 things to do in Welsh on the web. If you're reading this blog instead of this one, then chances are you can't read Welsh and there fore the list isn't very useful to you, but in case you're interested, here's a tranlation of Sue's list and some extra bits I've thrown in (in green):

1. Watch telly through S4C
There's now lots of programms available on S4C's website. 4 Wal, Chez Duley and Natur Anghyfreithlon are streamed, and lots of others. Unfortunately, there's no subtitles, which is a pain in the arse for me (because I can't understand anything Dudley says)

If you're into farming Sue, certain items on Ffermio.tv are shown again with subtitles.

2. Search the web with Google
Dach chi'n teimlo'n lwcus? ("Are you feeling lucky?")

3. Listen to Radio Cymru
If you like that sort of thing. [What Sue means is, not every Welsh speaker likes Radio Cymru, particulary the 'under 75's' age group].

Radio Amgen (Alt Radio) plays a lot of hip-hop, dance, etc which rarely get played on Radio Cymru (exept for when Huw Stephens presents C2 some evenings). Here's the archives of all shows.

Radio Acen only seems to play Sain's folky/counrty back catlogue, which sadly DOES get played a lot on Radio Cymru.

Who need's 'The Archers' when you can listen to Bontlwyd?. I've only just heard of this (Bontlwyd that is), it been running for years apparently with an ameteur cast on a local radio station in the south west.

4. Create a pledge with Pledgebank
As the website say's: Tell the world “I will, only if you'll help”.

5. Read blogs
There are many Welsh blogs available on the web. Nic Dafis writes Morfablog, one of the first Welsh blogs - it's excellent.

6. Watch a video on YouTube
There's some good stuff in Welsh on YouTube. I like NeilWyn's videos.

There's a group on YouTube called Sianel Amgen Cymru (Alternative Welsh Channel), which has over 250 video's

7. Write an article for Wicipedia
There's more than 5,932 articles on the Welsh version at the moment, and the want your help.

Welsh wiki's are really thin on the ground, I've recently started:

• Cadw Cwmni (a directory of businesses who can offer a service in Welsh) and
• Eisteddfod2007 (a guide of what to to/where to stay/eat/drink etc for the next National Eisteddfod)

8. Discuss things on Maes-E
Loads of discussions with loads of peoplel. What more could you want?

9. Download Welsh software
From Opera to OpenOffice to Linux or Ubuntu.

10. Search and use Del.icio.us in Welsh
There's loads of stuff on-line in Welsh. Crate bookmars using Del.icio.us or Furl, or trawl the links.

Maybe Flickr isn't mentioned as it's 'so last year', but there are lots of Welsh speaking users on it and tons of groups, one of the most popular must be Scymraeg, others include Classic Record Covers, Welsh House Names, and Graffiti.

Organise your books with LibraryThing's Welsh interface.

Map the world with Tagzania's Welsh interface (did I ever mention...? ok I'll shut up now)

Music is one of the areas where there's lots on offer.

• Plenty of Welsh tracks on last.fm
• Curiad lets you know where and when gigs take place
• MP3 available to buy from Traciau Cymraeg and Kimberley Records.
• Watch videos on Bandit247
• Buy CD's from Sebon
• Links to MySpace site's for Welsh bands
  

Pictiwrs has reviews of films from all over the world, and discusses the developments (if there are any!) of the film industry in Wales.

Write and share poetry at Yr Annedd.

Check out what's happening in europe's top football leagues with Sgorio.tv.

Edit:

Find a partner on Pishyn.com. I totally forgot about this site, but visit the site now and you could pull a farmer (the one holding the bottle of milk is my cousin!)

I keep remembering more!
Challenge someone to a game of chess on Gwyddbwyll.com (over 300 registered players)

welsh, blogs, wiki, youtube, flickr, tagzania, librarything, music, mp3, cymraeg, internet
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Cá Bhfuil Na Gaeilg eoirí? (Where are all the Irish speakers?)

There's an article in the Guardian by Manchán Magan, whio feature in a programme called No Béarla on TG4 in Ireland. The programme follows a similar format to Popeth yn Gymraeg, as Manchán travels around Ireland using only the Irish language. According to the article, he didn't have as godd a reaction as did Ifor ap Glyn, but as Nic says, it could be down to Manchán approach and the fact that the camera was hidden (well, it seems to be in episode 1, 2 on 3 ar YouTube - pitty the tagging is more consistent!).

Here's a selection of responses (but read the whole artice to get the context)

While trying to buy a map at the Ordnance Survey Office (a semi-public body):

"Do you speak English?" he asked in a cold, threatening tone. "Sea," I said, nodding meekly. "Well, can you speak English to me now?" I told him as simply as I could that I was trying to get by with Irish.

"I'm not talking to you any more," he said. "Go away."

Asking for directions ar the Dublin Visitor Centre:

I explained what I was trying to do. "Well, mate, I don't actually speak Irish, so ... " he paused menacingly and I tried to smile encouragingly, "so, If you speak English, I'll be able to understand what you're saying."

"Béarla only - English only," said his supervisor, standing sternly behind him, repeating it a second time in case I was slow.

There's not a lot about No Béarla on Blogger Blog Search, Technorati or Irishblogs.ie (well not in English anyway), but there may be after the series starts (this Sunday).

While searching, I came across this blogger who's been e-mailing banks in Ireland asking what their Irish language Policy is.

gaeilge, irish, language, tg4, no béarla, youtube, popeth yn gymraeg
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Google get lost in the west

A rather funny (and late) story from Ping Wales about a banner ad by Google promoting their Google Maps service. Unfortunately, considerng the nature of the site, they managed to place the village of Bethlehem in Powys rather than in Carmarthenshire. Did anyone see the ad?

Talking of Google Maps, I noticed recently that Cardiff street names appear in Welsh. This might have something to do with the language settings on my browser.

google, googlemaps, bethlehem, cardiff, wales, pingwales, welsh
Generated By Technorati Tag Generator