I shall be taking a break from blogosphere as I’m spending a week in Saundersfppt with family and friends so until August 7th I leave you with this.
When I was about 11, I was visiting my Grandparents who lived in a a small cottagn in Treforest which was alongside the River Taff.
In those days their only Toilet or Ty bach was "out the back". It was made up of bricks with a corrugated tin roof..
Playing in the garden I espied the clothes prop, and having recently had a lesson on levers in my School,an idea occurred to me.
I carefully dug a small crevice under the Ty bach, and then prised one part of the clothes prop into it . Finding a pile stones, I placed them under the clothes prop to act as a fulcrum.
I then grasped the other end of the prop and with all my might pulled down..
To my delight the Ty bach rose a few inches. I pulled down more and to my then horror the Ty bach rose a few more inches and then slid , almost majestically into the Taff.
In a panic I ran of, and spent a miserable hour or two plucking up courage to return to my Grandparents cottage.
I eventually returned however and after knocking, I was greeted at the door by my Mamgu (Grandmother).
“Ah Glyn”, said, “You Tadcu (Grandfather) would like to have a word with you in the sitting room”.
My Grandfather was sitting by the fire in his dressing gown.
“Tell me Glyn,he said,”Who pushed the Ty bach into the river?”.
“I don’t know Tadcu”.
“Before I ask you again Glyn,” said my Tadcu “Let me tell you story of great American hero, George Washington. When he was a boy, he chopped down a cherry tree. His father came to him and asked, “George, did you chop down that cherry tree?' ”'I cannot tell a lie, father, I chopped down the cherry tree,' said little George. “You should not have done that, but since you told the truth, I will not punish you.”. And George Washington grew up to be President of the United States”
“Now Glyn ,“Who Pushed the Ty bach into the river?”
I swallowed "I cannot tell a lie, Tadcu I pushed the Ty bach into the river”.
My Tadcu then gave me an almighty wallop across the ear”
Through tears I wailed, “But, but you said about George Washington…”
My Tadcu rose to his full height and bellowed, George Washington’s Father wasn’t in the bloody Cheery Tree”.
National Left - Wales needs a progressive left future.
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Friday, 30 July 2010
Two good Ideas on Paper, but they are there to disguise the truth
Eric Pickles, communities secretary, has come up with a plan to force councils to hold referendums to approve or veto any excessive (as the central government sees it) council tax rises. (At present only ministers can ‘cap’ these increases).
Any council setting its increase above a set ceiling (which will be set by central government) will trigger an automatic referendum of all registered electors in its area - at the cost of tens of thousands of pounds. The cost alone (at a time of tight budgets) will prevent most local authorities from even trying to carry out big increase.
So how is this decentralising democracy? Indeed the proposals seem to have a lot in common with the infamous proposition 13 on California 1978
The proposition lowered property taxes by rolling back property values to their 1975 value and restricted annual increases in assessed value of real property to an inflation factor, not to exceed 2% per year. It also prohibited reassessment of a new base year value except upon (a) change in ownership or (b) completion of in California's new construction.
In addition to lowering property taxes, the initiative also contained language requiring a two-thirds majority in both legislative houses for future increases in all state tax rates or amounts of revenue collected, including income tax rates. It also requires a two-thirds vote majority in local elections for local governments wishing to raise special taxes.
The result proposition is that it has hamstrung the Government of California it has led to the ruin of the States finances to the extent it is almost bankrupt but it cannot raise taxes in order to square the deficit.
Pickles proposal will only strengthen central government and weaken any local attempt to seek local solutions for local problems.
The other seemingly good Idea is actualy a good idea The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is suggesting that the 51 benefits currently available to the unemployed, as well as income-related benefits for the low-paid, will be replaced with a single benefit covering all people of working age.
I am sure that no one can argue with this and of course both Peter Black and Dib Lemming are trying to say this is part of the Lib-Dem Policy.
However the main problem is not:
There is a Post Code discrimination against People in these area by employers.
When both members of the coalition admit to this, (and supporters like Peter Black and Dib Lemming)come up with proposals to deal with it then I will give them credit Until then I will still suspect that the both Parties (as Labour did before them) are trying to give the impression that the problem lies with those on benefit and not the government's failings.
Any council setting its increase above a set ceiling (which will be set by central government) will trigger an automatic referendum of all registered electors in its area - at the cost of tens of thousands of pounds. The cost alone (at a time of tight budgets) will prevent most local authorities from even trying to carry out big increase.
So how is this decentralising democracy? Indeed the proposals seem to have a lot in common with the infamous proposition 13 on California 1978
The proposition lowered property taxes by rolling back property values to their 1975 value and restricted annual increases in assessed value of real property to an inflation factor, not to exceed 2% per year. It also prohibited reassessment of a new base year value except upon (a) change in ownership or (b) completion of in California's new construction.
In addition to lowering property taxes, the initiative also contained language requiring a two-thirds majority in both legislative houses for future increases in all state tax rates or amounts of revenue collected, including income tax rates. It also requires a two-thirds vote majority in local elections for local governments wishing to raise special taxes.
The result proposition is that it has hamstrung the Government of California it has led to the ruin of the States finances to the extent it is almost bankrupt but it cannot raise taxes in order to square the deficit.
Pickles proposal will only strengthen central government and weaken any local attempt to seek local solutions for local problems.
The other seemingly good Idea is actualy a good idea The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is suggesting that the 51 benefits currently available to the unemployed, as well as income-related benefits for the low-paid, will be replaced with a single benefit covering all people of working age.
I am sure that no one can argue with this and of course both Peter Black and Dib Lemming are trying to say this is part of the Lib-Dem Policy.
However the main problem is not:
- The Number of different Benefit
- That people are better of on Benefits
- That People on Benefits do not want to work
- That there are clusters of where people have developed a culture of living on benefits
- No the main problem in these areas are.
There is a Post Code discrimination against People in these area by employers.
When both members of the coalition admit to this, (and supporters like Peter Black and Dib Lemming)come up with proposals to deal with it then I will give them credit Until then I will still suspect that the both Parties (as Labour did before them) are trying to give the impression that the problem lies with those on benefit and not the government's failings.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Are you a "Numper"?
“Can’t do that sir .You’ve got to support your team sir”
“But you just said they weren’t doing well.”
“Ah, then I expect you will want to support our tem, which will be very good indeed!”
“Can’t do that sir. You’ve got to support your tem, sit”
“But you just said they weren’t doing well”.
“He’s some one who’s all cheering when things are going well, and then runs off to another team when there’s a loosing streak. They always shouts the loudest”.
Terry Pratchett Unseen Academicals p 132 (Doubleday)”
Yesterday I entered into a discussion (some might call it a spat) with Steph Ashley on her Dib lemming Blog (A good Blog worth looking at). I must admit to being harsh with her. She does actually seem to be honestly trying to fight for the old left liberal cause.
However what she must understand that being a member of a political Party is not the same as supporting a football or rugby team. True there will allways be "Numpers” but for the real members there is a huge difference.
When you support a sports team you my disagree with the managers team selection, or tactics and still have no problem cheering them on.
You can’t do this in a political party because at some stage you have to ask yourself .
“To what extent can I carry on supporting a party that carries out policies I can’t support”.
Then you have to decide that it’s no longer your party and its time to go..
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
A new Homage to Catalonia".
News that the Catalonian government have voted to end Bull Fighting in the “Region” is most welcomed but it is a pity the BBC report of this adds
“ But while the official debate is over animal rights, many believe this process is an attempt by nationalist-minded Catalans to mark their difference from the rest of Spain by rejecting one of its best known traditions”.
The BBC of course gave tacit support to National movements if they were part of the old Soviet Union but any move by other “Regions” in Europe are treated negatively even when those regions pass progressive policies.
Although the Welsh Assembly move to abolish charging for parking in Welsh Hospitals was not on the same scale. The same snide reporting came from the BBC in London.
It seems that the establishment in London are in cahoots with the establishment in Madrid. Why am I not surprised?
“ But while the official debate is over animal rights, many believe this process is an attempt by nationalist-minded Catalans to mark their difference from the rest of Spain by rejecting one of its best known traditions”.
The BBC of course gave tacit support to National movements if they were part of the old Soviet Union but any move by other “Regions” in Europe are treated negatively even when those regions pass progressive policies.
Although the Welsh Assembly move to abolish charging for parking in Welsh Hospitals was not on the same scale. The same snide reporting came from the BBC in London.
It seems that the establishment in London are in cahoots with the establishment in Madrid. Why am I not surprised?
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Latest contender for Tory Toff Twit (TTT).
New Tory MP Rory Stewart appears to be a Throwback to 19th century Tory politicians.
His CV reads as much.
Educated at Eton and Balliol College Oxford he is reported to have flirted with the Labour Party as a teenager.
But after a brief period as an officer in the British Army on a gap year (I kid you not)commission (to the Black Watch), Stewart joined the Foreign Office where he seems to have joined the Arabist grouping that the FO is famous for).He served in the British Embassy in Indonesia from 1997 to 1999, working on issues related to East Timor independence, and as the British Representative to Montenegro in the wake of the Kosovo campaign. From 2000 to 2002 he walked across Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India and Nepal, a journey of 6000 miles, during which time he stayed in five hundred different village houses.
After the coalition invasion of Iraq, he was appointed the Coalition Provisional Authority Deputy Governor of Maysan and Senior Advisor in Dhi Qar, two provinces in southern Iraq. His responsibilities included holding elections, resolving tribal disputes and implementing development projects. He faced an incipient civil war and growing civil unrest from his base in a CIMIC compound in Al Amarah, and in May 2004 was in command of his compound in Nasiriyah when it was besieged by Sadrist militia. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his service in Iraq at the age of 31. While Stewart initially supported the Iraq War, the Coalition's inability to achieve a more humane, prosperous state led him in retrospect to believe the invasion had been a mistake.
Though this may have something to do with the plans he had for his Political future.
This I suppose is impressive but also is indicative of the Old Tory paternalism who believe they were born to govern the Empire as well as the rest of us.
In the last election he was elected to the safe Tory seat of Penrith and the Borders, "
So how does he show his true colours?
By an interview in the Scottish Sun he claimed that parts of his constituency are "primitive" and that some residents hold up their trousers with string.”
In a short sentence he has shown what the Tories really think of the rest of us and earns him a nomination of Tory Toff Twit (TTT)
Other contenders for this years TTT are Michael, Grove and Jacob Ress Mogg. I’m sure that there will be many more before I announce the winner in January.
His CV reads as much.
Educated at Eton and Balliol College Oxford he is reported to have flirted with the Labour Party as a teenager.
But after a brief period as an officer in the British Army on a gap year (I kid you not)commission (to the Black Watch), Stewart joined the Foreign Office where he seems to have joined the Arabist grouping that the FO is famous for).He served in the British Embassy in Indonesia from 1997 to 1999, working on issues related to East Timor independence, and as the British Representative to Montenegro in the wake of the Kosovo campaign. From 2000 to 2002 he walked across Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India and Nepal, a journey of 6000 miles, during which time he stayed in five hundred different village houses.
After the coalition invasion of Iraq, he was appointed the Coalition Provisional Authority Deputy Governor of Maysan and Senior Advisor in Dhi Qar, two provinces in southern Iraq. His responsibilities included holding elections, resolving tribal disputes and implementing development projects. He faced an incipient civil war and growing civil unrest from his base in a CIMIC compound in Al Amarah, and in May 2004 was in command of his compound in Nasiriyah when it was besieged by Sadrist militia. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his service in Iraq at the age of 31. While Stewart initially supported the Iraq War, the Coalition's inability to achieve a more humane, prosperous state led him in retrospect to believe the invasion had been a mistake.
Though this may have something to do with the plans he had for his Political future.
This I suppose is impressive but also is indicative of the Old Tory paternalism who believe they were born to govern the Empire as well as the rest of us.
In the last election he was elected to the safe Tory seat of Penrith and the Borders, "
So how does he show his true colours?
By an interview in the Scottish Sun he claimed that parts of his constituency are "primitive" and that some residents hold up their trousers with string.”
In a short sentence he has shown what the Tories really think of the rest of us and earns him a nomination of Tory Toff Twit (TTT)
Other contenders for this years TTT are Michael, Grove and Jacob Ress Mogg. I’m sure that there will be many more before I announce the winner in January.
Monday, 26 July 2010
We're neck deep in the Big Muddy and the damn fools keep yelling to push on!.
Knee deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
Waist deep! Neck deep! we'll be drowning before too long
We're neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on!
This is the last verse of the Pete Seeger song (full verses here) which was considered symbolic of the Vietnam War and President Lyndon Johnson's policy of escalation, then widely seen as pushing the United States deeper into the increasingly unpopular war. Seeger often performed the song at concerts and rallies,
I was reminded of this from the report Today that secret US files have revealed
That coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, Taliban attacks have soared and Nato commanders fear neighbouring Pakistan and Iran are fuelling the insurgency.
The war logs also detail:
• How a secret "black" unit of special forces hunts down Taliban leaders for "kill or capture" without trial.
• How the US covered up evidence that the Taliban have acquired deadly surface-to-air missiles.
• How the coalition is increasingly using deadly Reaper drones to hunt and kill Taliban targets by remote control from a base in Nevada.
• How the Taliban have caused growing carnage with a massive escalation of their roadside bombing campaign, which has killed more than 2,000 civilians to date..
What the US military learned from Vietnam was the management of information to reflect themselves in the best possible light is important in order to prevent opposition to the war growing at home. The UK has followed suite and it appears the Military Press Officers are very media aware these days to the extent the civilian press simply goes along with their statements without question.
And yet perhaps the strange thing is how the media seem to be surprised at these disclosures? True the policy of embedding reporters with the military has restricted press freedom, but are they really that blind to the reality around them?
If you listen to the BBC you often get the impression that we are close to defeating the Taliban such propaganda was all well during the second World.War to keep up morale but to deceive the people in this conflict is inexcusable.
What ever happen in Afghanistan whether the Coalition forces leave now, in 5 years or 20 years, the country will probably be at civil war immediately after , but our continuing presence is making the situation worse because it is increasing Anti-US/UK .support through the middle east.
There are no "Green Shoots of Democracy " in Afghanistan or Iraq for that matter the latter too will engafe in civil war after the "coalition leave". What we have is a monumental mess which both politicians and media in both the USA and UK haven’t the courage to admit to it.
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
Waist deep! Neck deep! we'll be drowning before too long
We're neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on!
This is the last verse of the Pete Seeger song (full verses here) which was considered symbolic of the Vietnam War and President Lyndon Johnson's policy of escalation, then widely seen as pushing the United States deeper into the increasingly unpopular war. Seeger often performed the song at concerts and rallies,
I was reminded of this from the report Today that secret US files have revealed
That coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, Taliban attacks have soared and Nato commanders fear neighbouring Pakistan and Iran are fuelling the insurgency.
The war logs also detail:
• How a secret "black" unit of special forces hunts down Taliban leaders for "kill or capture" without trial.
• How the US covered up evidence that the Taliban have acquired deadly surface-to-air missiles.
• How the coalition is increasingly using deadly Reaper drones to hunt and kill Taliban targets by remote control from a base in Nevada.
• How the Taliban have caused growing carnage with a massive escalation of their roadside bombing campaign, which has killed more than 2,000 civilians to date..
What the US military learned from Vietnam was the management of information to reflect themselves in the best possible light is important in order to prevent opposition to the war growing at home. The UK has followed suite and it appears the Military Press Officers are very media aware these days to the extent the civilian press simply goes along with their statements without question.
And yet perhaps the strange thing is how the media seem to be surprised at these disclosures? True the policy of embedding reporters with the military has restricted press freedom, but are they really that blind to the reality around them?
If you listen to the BBC you often get the impression that we are close to defeating the Taliban such propaganda was all well during the second World.War to keep up morale but to deceive the people in this conflict is inexcusable.
What ever happen in Afghanistan whether the Coalition forces leave now, in 5 years or 20 years, the country will probably be at civil war immediately after , but our continuing presence is making the situation worse because it is increasing Anti-US/UK .support through the middle east.
There are no "Green Shoots of Democracy " in Afghanistan or Iraq for that matter the latter too will engafe in civil war after the "coalition leave". What we have is a monumental mess which both politicians and media in both the USA and UK haven’t the courage to admit to it.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
S4C: Death by Cuts?
This is my 100th Blog so it seems appropriate I cover old themes.
The reports that S4C will be seeing an overall cut of its budget over the next 4 years is of great concern. but it is interesting to see the reaction of both the Tories and Lib-Dems.
Glyn Davies seems to be denying (a la Peter Black over Rail Electrification)) the media reports: but puts a case for shifting the responsibility to the Assembly thereby placing any negative reaction to cuts soley with the Welsh assembly government and not his own.Meanwhile at Subordinate Central Eleanor (Who) Burnahm makes the plea that:
While this is just speculation at the moment, if these cut have to be made, S4C must ensure that the quality and standard of Welsh language programming are not affected. S4C need to make efficiencies in backroom functions to limit cuts in what we, the viewers, see on the channel. S4C must look at cuts in management and senior staff salaries as some of the pay in the higher echelons are out of touch with people living in the real world.
More Tory speak from the Lib-Dems.
Both attempt to tie S4C to Plaid Cymru. I suspect that they hope we monoglot English speakers, who support or vote Plaid will take umbrage if the Welsh language does not suffer from the savage cuts and respond by abandoning Plaid.
The problem is that they can’t see that S4C could not survive a 25% cut in its budget over 4 years it will lose viewers and this will lead to calls to end all financial support from either government.
What we need is for S4C to expand to bring English speakers by buying Foreign Language films as I argued in one of my first ever blogs. These can then be seen using subtitles. The popular series Wallander it its original (and to my mind superior) Swedish Language version is being repeated on the BBC4 . There must be other such series worth seeing and S4C could be the vehicle for this.
Perhaps readers of this Blog can make suggestions in the comments section?
The reports that S4C will be seeing an overall cut of its budget over the next 4 years is of great concern. but it is interesting to see the reaction of both the Tories and Lib-Dems.
Glyn Davies seems to be denying (a la Peter Black over Rail Electrification)) the media reports: but puts a case for shifting the responsibility to the Assembly thereby placing any negative reaction to cuts soley with the Welsh assembly government and not his own.Meanwhile at Subordinate Central Eleanor (Who) Burnahm makes the plea that:
While this is just speculation at the moment, if these cut have to be made, S4C must ensure that the quality and standard of Welsh language programming are not affected. S4C need to make efficiencies in backroom functions to limit cuts in what we, the viewers, see on the channel. S4C must look at cuts in management and senior staff salaries as some of the pay in the higher echelons are out of touch with people living in the real world.
More Tory speak from the Lib-Dems.
Both attempt to tie S4C to Plaid Cymru. I suspect that they hope we monoglot English speakers, who support or vote Plaid will take umbrage if the Welsh language does not suffer from the savage cuts and respond by abandoning Plaid.
The problem is that they can’t see that S4C could not survive a 25% cut in its budget over 4 years it will lose viewers and this will lead to calls to end all financial support from either government.
What we need is for S4C to expand to bring English speakers by buying Foreign Language films as I argued in one of my first ever blogs. These can then be seen using subtitles. The popular series Wallander it its original (and to my mind superior) Swedish Language version is being repeated on the BBC4 . There must be other such series worth seeing and S4C could be the vehicle for this.
Perhaps readers of this Blog can make suggestions in the comments section?
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