Smiling under Buses

Why the Tories may have persuaded me to tactically (against them)

2010-05-05T07:26:00.005+01:00

Unlike 90% of the Welsh population, I don't hate the Tories - I just dislike them and wouldn't trust them. It's from their candidate in Cardiff West, Angela Jones-Evans, that I've received the most election material (around 6 or 7 different items), and what's pissed me off is the bull shit that's on it.

On a leaflet titled 'Our NHS' (which gives details of what David Cameron will do to the health service, despite it being a devolved matter), Angela claims she lives in Riverside, which I found strange as I know that she lives in Pontcanna. I raised this in the comments section of a post on the Cardiff Guardian blog, and the owner of the blog decided to contact the Angela to clarify where she actually lived. Her response was that Pontcanna is technically in the Riverside ward.
I could understand it if a Labour, Plaid Cymru or Lib Dem candidate had middle class guilt about living in a big house in a posh area, but I thought (and agree) with the Tory principle that if you work hard and therefore deserve getting paid lots, then you should not feel ashamed of living in a nice house in a nice area.

Another leaflet fro Angela arrived yesterday claiming that Plaid Cymru and Lib Dem voters will be voting for the Conservatives just to keep Gordon Brown form getting back in (although he's not standing in Cardiff West b.t.w.). There's even a quote on the back from 'Oliver from Llandaff' who says "I used to vote Lib Dem but want to see change in Cardiff West and Angela has won me over". By sheer coincidence, I have a Tory friend named Oliver who lives in Llandaff and as well as working for the Tories has been a Tory activist since he was in his nappy.

I'm sure this all pretty lame stuff compared to what is put in a lot of election leaflets, and for all I know all the other parties are doing the same, but this just riles me as I know it's all bull shit. Tories go on about change, but they're just carrying on the same tradition (of all parties) of trying to mislead people and treating the voting public like idiots. We want less of this, not more.

Nothing to do with Angela this time, but Quentin Langley, a Tory academic in Cardiff University is urging his party's candidate on Ynys Môn to target the second-home vote.

It is certainly a seat which the Conservatives can win from, technically, fourth place. It contains more English voters than almost any other in Wales as well as a great many native Welsh speakers.
One campaign idea which might have merit would be trying to persuade second home owners to vote in Ynys Mon rather than in their other constituency, though that might alienate other voters and might be difficult to organise in the timescale available. [taken from Plaid Wrecsam]

That is unforgivable. Again technically perfectly legitimate, but morally it is totally wrong and completely undemocratic.

Tocynnau am ddim i Faes yr Eisteddfod, dydd Sul 1 Awst 2010Free tickets to the Eisteddfod Maes on 1 August 2010

2010-03-17T18:19:00.004Z

Cynllun mynediad am ddim
Ffurflen gais am docynnau am ddim i Faes yr Eisteddfod, dydd Sul 1 Awst

Llenwch y ffurflen hon i wneud cais am docyn rhad ac am ddim i Faes yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, ddydd Sul 1 Awst. Bydd tocyn yn cael ei anfon atoch drwy’r post yn ystod yr wythnosau nesaf os ydych yn llwyddiannus.

Hoffai Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru ddiolch i Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru am ariannu’r cynllun mynediad am ddim. Rhaid cwblhau pob rhan o’r ffurflen.

Edrychwn ymlaen i'ch gweld yn Y Gweithfeydd, Glyn Ebwy ar 1 Awst!

Free entry scheme
Application form for free tickets to the Eisteddfod Maes on 1 August 2010

Complete this form to apply for a free ticket to the National Eisteddfod Maes on Sunday 1 August. Tickets will be sent through the post during the next few weeks.

Applications from Blaenau Gwent and the Heads of the Valleys will be prioritised until 1 May when applications from all over Wales will be processed.

The National Eisteddfod would like to thank the Welsh Assembly Government for funding the free entry scheme.

We look forward to seeing you at The Works on 1 August!

Minority Languages and social networks

2009-12-17T21:45:00.003Z

I'm taking part in exciting event next month called Hacio'r Iaith (Hacking the Language), a sort of BarCamp meets Hack Day with the emphasis being on looking at the use of Welsh on-line and exchanging ideas about potential future use.

There's a wiki for the event (rough translation by Google here)

Traditionally, if that's a word that can be used in this context, anyone who attends a BarCamp is encouraged to give a short presentation. I'm considering giving mine on social networking/web2.0 sites in minority languages, in particular ones that have been created from scratch as opposed to localised versions of other services. I've got e-mail address of a few Basque and Scottish Gaelic speakers that I can interrogate, but I'd like to find out whats happening in other languages, like say Irish, Galician, Breton etc. I found an useful table on the Web2.o article on the Basque Wikipeda which compares popular sites with local variations.

I'd love it if anyone could provided me with something similar for other languages, and if possible with numbers of member/users if applicable.

Related post
Welsh Wide Web

This is rather good: The 'official' unoffical Eisteddfod mash up.

2009-07-30T08:27:00.004+01:00

Stwnsh 'Steddfod is a mash up website for the 2009 National Eisteddfod in Bala.

It includes

a comprehensive GoogleMap of the town that shows the location of all events and campsites as well as permanent local amenities like cash point, petrol station and supermarket
tweets on Trydar (Twitter)
photos from Flickr - there's already some on there now taken by people working on site
and most importantly (in my opinion) a list of events. The Eisteddfod's own website does on OK ish job of listing official events that take place in the pavilion and other large stages (albeit in an awkward mix of individual PDF and Word files - see bottom right on above link), but there's no central place to advertise the many small fringe events that makes the Eisteddfod tic.

This website shows that there's valuable (ok, that's questionable) Welsh language content out there that can be re-used and brought together to provide useful information. I don't think the Eisteddfod realise that it would be in their interest to help promote more of what takes place on and outside the maes during Eisteddfod week and how it can either draw new people to the festival or encourage those who visit to stay longer. If it wasn't for work commitments, I'd have really liked to be at Gorsedd y Gîcs (Geek Meet) on Thursday, but will probably have to make do with a single visit on the last Saturday.

Stwnsh 'Steddfod was knocked together in less than a week by a small group in their spare time.
If the Eisteddfod was clever, it would create o competition for next years Eisteddfod (in Ebbw Vale) for young (and old) website creators to come up with something similar, but better.

See also:
Newbie guide to the Eisteddfod (mainly in English)

Chwarae teg to The Telegraph

2009-06-12T13:57:00.003+01:00

I'd never thought I'd say this, but fair play to The Telegraph. All too often, the (very few) stories in the London papers about Wales, particularly the Welsh language are limited to 'daft' tales about people getting their heads stuck between railings or some lazy piece about the inconvenience that bilingual signs cause to visitors from England.

In the past to days there have been two stories regarding the Welsh language, neither positive unfortunately, but that's not due to the Telegraph. It's important that these injustices are widly reported.

The first, Welsh campaigner refuses to sign prison release forms written in English was about veteran language campaigner Ffred Ffransis' latest stint in prison. He was sentanced to 5 days imprisonment for an incident that happend 8 years ago.

In Parc Prison (in Bridgend, Wales), he was not allowed to take a Welsh New testament with him as they already provide English language bibles. As a vegetarian, he would have had to sign a special form to request vegetarian meals, but as the form was in Enlgish only, he decided not to sign it and there fore ate only potatoes. He was entitled to be relased afer three days, but again was presented wiyth an Englsih only release form , which he refused to sign. Eventually the prison allwed him to be realeased early without signing the form - they probably couldn't wait to get rid of him!

The second was about a Patagonian woman who was sent back to her home country after British immigration officials refused to believe she was travelling to Wales to learn Welsh. Acording to the newspaper paper reviewer on Radio Cymru this morning, this story not only appeared on the front page of the Telegraph, they also wrote a comment piece on it (well, why pass up the change to bash the beaurocrats!).

Both stories seemed to be written in a sympathetic tone.

The second story is quite worrying as many people travel to Wales each year to learn or improve their Welsh. Each summer, Cardiff University hold a four week long intensive residential course (for all levels), which attracts around a dozen Patagonians each time, as well as North Americans, people from Europe and Japan. A similar week long summer courses are held at Coleg Gwent in Abergavenny who also attract learners from abroad. Next year, I've been asked to organise activites for Cymdeithas Madog's trip to Cardiff next year - Cymdeithas Madog are a North American Society who organise annual week long Welsh courses in various locations in the US and Canada, but come to Wales every 4/5 years. Their last visit was to Carmarthen when around 80+ members came along. These visitors spend a LOT (bearing in mind how much North Americans eat and how much Patagonians like to drink - just kidding, guys!), so let them in, for the sake of the Welsh economy.

Golwg 360 public money spent in India?

2009-05-25T12:26:00.005+01:00

[This entry is a translation of this post on Cachu 360, a blog set up following Golwg's calamitous launch. BTW, a week following it's launch, Golwg 360 has now gone into beta!]

Has £200,000 of public money from the Assembly been spent on an inferior web service from a company in India? That’s the question raised by an unforensic study of websites that is now available for all to see on-line. There is an obvious link between the Golwg 360 website and a company called IndInfoTech from Hyderabad, India, which “specialises” in developing websites. Was public money spent outside Wales – or out side Britain even? Was any money at all spent on the Golwg 360 (beta) website?

The beginning of the journey

(Very) late one evening, Cachu360 (beta) was looking if there was any news available from anyone Golwg 360 (beta).

On google, I searched for Golwg360, and off we go.

[Screenshot] First page result Google search for ‘Golwg360’

It’s quite funy that the first words Google use while presenting the information about Google 360 is “Yn anffodus” (Unfortunately). Isn’t technology great?

Cachu360 (beta) ploughed on… Went past a few interesting pages, but nothing new.

[Screenshot] Ordovicius’ comments about Golwg360

On and on through the search results until I reached pages 5:

[ Screeenshot] Page 5 o f the Google search for ‘Google 360’

There, half way down the page was a link with the words “Telerau ac Amadau” [sic]. Now then – this reminded Cachu360 of something…

Termsandconditions.aspx

One of the first things we saw on the launch day of Golwg 360 was that Golwg 360’s ‘terms and conditions’ page was empty – and also that it was named in: Termsandconditions.aspx.

With this link, “GolwgN” (Golwg Newydd/New?) was in the list of directories – the content in Welsh was obviousr – although full of errors. Cachu360 wanted to find out who and what would want to mention Golwg’s terms and conditions!

Click!

[Screenshot] Golwg 360 "Amadau" [sic] (Terms) on IndInfoTech.net’s site.

Well, well! This is rather detailed content considering it’s not even Golwg’s website. Having said that, the design reminds us of something as well. The content certainly refers to Golwg360. The web address is also very similar to what we see on Golwg360:

http://indinfotech.net/GolwgN/Termsanconditions.aspx
http://www.golwg360.com/Termsandconditions.aspx

From reading the terms, it’s fairly obvious that these were the terms that were supposed to be on Golwg360’s on the first day.

I wonder if the whole Golwg site is there?

Cachu360 shortened the web address to “http://indinfotech.net/GolwgN/” – to see if there was anything to see there:

[Screenshot] The web address that was guessed to get to the main Golwg 360 test site

[Screenshot] Golwg360 test site

Well I never! The whole Golwg 360 test site is there! Who would have thought!

Golwg 360 test site

It’s incredible for any project’s test site to be open to the public. It’s even more incredible that a test site is open to search engines. Any half pan web developer would have been able to hide such sensitive content as Golwg 360 from visitors.

But there we go, here’s Golwg 360 site on a second on-line server.

It’s possible to see the Golwg 360 more or less exactly as it was on the day of the launch. It’s possible to click on the stories, laugh at the design, mock the stretched images – all the things that’s possible to do on the real Golwg 36o site.

It’s interesting that no new articles are live after May 7^th. There’s plenty of live articles before then, but it’s obvious there is no connection with Golwg data-base after that date.

[Screenshot] Article on Golwg360, showing the date - 7/5/09

[Screenshot] Article on Golwg360, showing the date – no later than 7/5/09

This reminded me of a comment I read on maes-e:

“There’s only one ‘small’ problem that’s causing all the technical problems (and this should have been sorted by now, temporarily, at least..) – we tested the system rigorously on the development system and the live system was different.”

It’s therefore obvious that this was the test system used to develop the Golwg 360 site.

A week before the launch they moved content feeding links to a new server, leaving this as a reminder of how Golwg 360 was (at it’s zenith?).

Who hosts the test server? Indinfotech

We were told that Tinopolis, Golwg, Telesgop and TV Everywhere had all assisted in Golwg 360’s efforts – although it was asserted that non of the public money was spent on the site.

It’s obvious that the test site was driven from indinfotech.net’ domain, but there’s no website to be found by following that path.

My next step was to discover who had registered the domain name. This is possible by using he “whois” service on- which lists various links regarding those who’ve registered domain names. Personal registrations can remain private – but companies generally have o register publicly..

[Screenshot] Whois search for indinfotech.net

[Screenshot] Search result for indinfotech.net - "Administrative Contact: Indinfotech srikrishna Nakka (rani(yn)indinfotech(dotyn)com)Fax: +1.4253730689 13605 NE 8th St ,#202 Bellevue, WA 98005 US"

There’s a link between according to the search result between indinfotech.net and indinfotech.com, which isn’t rally a shock.

He interesting this is that there is a website at indinfotech.com:

[Screenshot] indinfotech.com’s website

From reading the site, it’s obvious that indinfotech is a general computing services company.

[Screenshot] A page on indinfotech.com

There’s also an option to chat ol-line! Shall we click?

[Screeenshot] indinfotech.com can’t hold a discussion on-line despite their website encouraging people to contact them this way.

O dear – the site’s broken. What a surprise.

Headquaters in Seattle, workers in India

But wait! What’s this? On the “Team” page – there’s details about the company’s structure.

[Screenshot] The "Team" page on indinfotech.net’s website – mentioning that the technical team is all based in India.

Here we’re given a description of the workers location. There’s a headquarters in Seattle, but all the technical staff are in India India. This company is therefore one of the new norms of the general business world:

Companies with a source of cheap labour in one country sets up it’s headquarters another country to win contracts in that country, and then outsource then ‘export’ work to be completed at home.

An example of an organization in Wales that has used such a business service (successfully and to a good standard) is the National Library – which had a similar company transfer it’s old inaccessible books into accessible electronic text files It’s headquarters was here and the work was done abroad (if Cachu360 remembers correctly, apologies if the exact facts re incorrect)

Golwg360 – Arloesi* (Pioneering) in India?

[*building up to it’s launch, Golwg were forever using the word ‘Arloesi’!]

On indinfotech.com’s site, documents show the range of their services – and shows examples of what they’ve done in the past:

[Screenshot] PDF page on indinfotech.net’s site showing the services

[Screenshot] PDF page on indinfotech.net’s site showing websites they’ve created

O dear… India 360?

As a further malicious step, I used a service that checks that different websites are complying to on-line standards… Yes, well, can I just say IndInfoTech has just the qualifications to assist in the development of …

[Screenshot] Validation report for indinfotech.com - showing 44 serious errors

As Cachu360 writes this, there are 122 serious errors on Golwg360.com’s home page…

Questions

To close, it must be asked – after seeing the “evidence” above – was the public money spent on Golwg 360 go to Seattle and India?
Why was the majority of the development done outside Wales, when the development work would have been incredibly valuable to the Welsh on-line community in Wales - Golwg 360 (beta) precise audience?
Has Golwg made a mistake by moving from publishing in print to on-line publishing?
Does the public deserve better, considering all the public money given to a private company?
Does Dylan Iorwerth know what the “internets” [sic] is?
Are Wales’ web tubes too full for us to appreciate Golwg 360?

Answers to just the first two questions would be more tan enough for Cachu360

(beta).

History of Welsh medium education

2009-03-25T13:14:00.006Z

Trip yr Ysgol (School Trip) was shown on S4C a few weeks ago (and is on-line for another 7 days). The hour long programme, presented by rugby player Nicky Robinson charts the rise of Welsh medium education in Wales, from the first privatley funded school in the 1930's to the present day where more than a quarter (if I remember correctly) of all pupils in Wales are now taught through the medium of Welsh.

The programme was quite light hearted and possibly a bit too superficial in parts, but it gave lots of important dates and statistics which were new to me. Nicky (accompanied by pupils for Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg, Barry) intervied people with links to the various school featured - they even visited my old school, Ysgol Glan Clwyd, which was the first Welsh medium secondry school in Wales.

As almost all the pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg came from homes where no Welsh is spoken, the programme inevitable touched upon the use of Welsh outside the classroom and how relevant they see it in their lives - but that's another subject for another programme (or even series!). when they talked to present day students at Ysgol Glan Clwyd, they obviously had quite different experiences of the language. Corrie from Barry complained that he knew of no Welsh rappers - Corri, if you're reading this, then check out Dybl-L, Cofi Bach a Tew Shady, Y Tystion, Y Diwygiad, Lo-Cut a Sleifar and many more on MySpace/YouTube.

I can understand why, but the programme didn't really show how hard it must have been to persuade the authorities of the need/demand for Welsh medium education, something that persists today. Obviously new schools can't be opened overnight, but as Trip yr Ysgol showed, demand has been high since the early 1980's, and demand outstips demand in many aeas, mainy due to poor planning and serious underestimating on behlf of clue-less education departments.

In 2007, a survey by Wrexham council of parents of under 3 year in olds showed that 60% wished for their children to be taught in Welsh.

According to RhAG a survey conducted by Swansea County Council showed that 28% of parents want Welsh medium education for their children. If a Welsh school were available conveniently, the percentage would rise to 38%.

In Cardiff, demand is just as high, and a bitter dispute has centred around one school in particular, Ysgol Treganna in Canton. the school is at bursting point with many children being turned away, even those with older siblings at the school. Succesive administrations have failed to come up with suitable solutions, and almost all plans involve relocating or closing English medium schools, which of course causes resentment. My local Labour councillor did little to help this when comparing Welsh medium educaiton to "ethnic cleansing". There was a programme about the school on Taro 9 (a sort of Panorama programme) last week, which I managed to miss.

The Cadogan Guide to Ignorance

2008-12-09T20:18:00.004Z

While at the library one lunch time, I went and had a quick look at the travel section and flicked through Cadogan Guides: Southwest Ireland. This is what it had to say about the Dinlge Peninsula (my emphasis):

...many local people speak Irish among themselves, though you will find that they switch to English when you are around for courtesy's sake.

It's good to know, because nothing spoils a good holiday more than hearing the locals speak amongst themselves in their native language. Sure, they may only be talking about trivial thing OR they could be planning to hit you across the head when you least expect it and steal your ice cream.

The guide's author, Catharina Day apparently comes from "a long-established Irish family," whatever that means. With that sort of world view, I'm guessing the family has been established in Ireland since the 1600's.

Welsh version of Facebook officialy completed.

2008-09-09T21:52:00.005+01:00

I had a message the other day informing me that the Welsh translation of Facebook is now complete (see screen shot). I'm not a massive Facebook fan, but I wanted to be 'down with the kids', so had to have an account. The first group I joined on Facebook was 'Facebook Cymraeg? Welsh Language Facebook?'. There's around 3,000+ members in that group, and when I heard that Welsh was one of the languages to be opened for translation, I though "I bet the fuckers think nothing of joining the group, but how may will actually help with the Welsh translation?".

Well 914 in fact, which totally surpised me.

The proses is quite drawn out. There's nearly 20,000 threads/phrase to translate for starters - some can be a word or two long, while some could be one or two sentances long. Once a certain amount of strings had suggestions for them, there was a next stage where each phrase had to be voted up or down.

Even if Facebook is a pile of shit really, it has certianly contibuted to the future of on-line collaboration of websites and software (I hope!). This will have been the first time that the vast majority have taken part in such a task, and hopefully they will have had a taste for it and will be prepared to do the same in the future things like OpenOffice or Firefox or WordPress or....... are updated.

I never thougt I'd say this, but diolch Facebook.

Pity the fools...

2008-09-09T21:36:00.002+01:00

A few weekends back, I read about a log called Speak You're Branes (sic), which records some of the many ignorant and sometimes down right racist comments that appear on the BBC's message boards.

A collection of ignorance, narcissism, stupidity, hypocrisy and bad grammar.
All the comments quoted were found on the BBC "Have Your Say" site. Yes, people really have written them. On purpose as far as I can tell.

is the description on the blog, and here's the inspiration behind the blog according to it's author in article in the Guardian:

I was addicted to clicking around the "Have Your Say" section of the BBC's website. In case you're not familiar with it, it's the bit of the site where someone at the Beeb asks a question like "Are radical Muslim clerics interfering with your wheelie bin collection schedule?" and then a gang of multi-chinned nincompoops compete to see who can get the most startlingly stupid, pompous or racist response past the moderators. Back then I was only spending a couple of hours a week sifting through the deranged mooing. Occasionally I'd pull out a particularly entertaining example and mail it to a few friends. Eventually, I think one of them asked me to stop and so I started collecting them on a website instead.

This is a great idea for a blog, listing those published in the Western Mail and the South Wales Echo. Here are two that would go straight in.

The Taffia will never shut up
Awst 9 2008, South Wales Echo

IN reply to Lyndon Rosser’s letter (Viewpoints, August 1) urging us all to shut up about Welsh speakers, like the vast majority of people in this region of the UK I don’t speak Welsh.

I, and many like me, would be delighted to shut up about Welsh but unfortunately the Taffia, who control the Welsh Assembly Government, councils and BBC Wales, to name a few, will never shut up.

It is their aim in life to shove it down people’s throats whether they like it or not. Their children will not thank them when they are older and stuck in a dead-end council or WAG job, which is only there because that’s all they were taught at school.

At the same time they will see their ex-English medium school friends in better-paid, exciting jobs working anywhere in the world. Of course that does not matter to the Taffia. Wales was good enough for them, so it’s good enough for everyone else.

I am proud to be Welsh-born, and deeply embarrassed that we cannot be more like the Scots, who speak English without an ounce of national pride being compromised.

Peter Reed, Church Road, Barry

Forcing Welsh
Awst 19 2008, Western Mail

SIR – It is not enough to provide Welsh Nationalists with Welsh-medium schools; they also insist that all state school children should be compulsorily indoctrinated in the Welsh language, even though timetable space is paramount.

If we want to attract investment into Wales to create more jobs, we need to give curricular priority to science, technology, basic English literacy and numeracy, not Welsh.

Authorised bilingual graffiti disfigures public walls, train windows, street signs and motorway gantries, confusing visitors and annoying most residents. Our ears are abused by Welsh rasped at us over electronic amplifiers in post offices, railway stations and even in supermarkets.

The objection is not that Welsh is spoken by Welsh speakers (good luck to them) but that we non-Welsh speakers are forced to hear it, to read it and, more significantly, to pay for it.

Welsh Labour Party complacency and apathy among the Anglo-Welsh population has allowed Plaid Cymru, a minority party in South Wales, championed by voters from outside the area, a disproportionate amount of power as reward for coalition in the Assembly.

Language Acts have been rushed through and fluency in Welsh has become the pre-requisite for employment and promotion in top jobs in areas of Wales which had formerly felt enlightened to be exempt from its parochial constraints.

Scottish Nationalists are realistic about their ancient language and look forward and outward, not backward and inward to their place in the real world.

There are indeed some useful tips to be learned.

Beryl Roberts
Waun Erw, Caerphilly

I'd love it if Peter a Beryl started their own blogs.

Two ex-Wales football internationals sign autobiagraphies in Cardiff next month

2008-08-27T13:12:00.001+01:00

Ian Rush
2.9.08 Watestones am 12:30

Despite finding foreign countries a little, well, foreign, Ian Rush is a role model for the footballing youth of today. This is his own story, from his school team in Flintshire, to the dizzy heights of European success with Liverpool, (and breaking a few records along the way), and is a must-have for Liverpool fans and those fervent followers of the Welsh team. Plus, he'll be signing copies in branch at Cardiff on the 2nd September 2008, so come along and meet him for yourself!

Mickey Thomas
6.8.08 Borders am 12:00

Mickey Thomas - Kickups, Hiccups, Lockups - The Autobiography 12:00 pm, Sat 6th Sep 2008
‘Maverick’ is one of the kinder words uttered about Mickey Thomas, the ‘Welsh George Best’, during a remarkable football career spanning periods at Wrexham, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton, West Brom, Brighton, Leeds, Stoke, Derby – and Kirkham Open Prison FC. Mickey will be in store from 12pm signing his autobiography and meeting fans. One of the games more exciting and controversial figures, this promises to be an event to remember. Arrive early to avoid disappointment. The book itself promises to be undoubtedly be the most exciting, enthralling and touching football autobiography of 2008.

Eisteddfod tales

2008-08-12T21:27:00.002+01:00

The National Eisteddfod of Wales was held at Cardiff this year, and for many it was their first visit. I'm 30 now, and have only been going to Eisteddfod's 'properly' for the last 6-7. What I mean by properly is venturing onto the Maes (the main field) for at least a full day.

When I was a child, my parents and I would only go if it was in the north. When I was 16 I started going with friends and camped on Maes D (the young people site) - this was when it was managed by Cymdeithas yr Iaith and before it got all commercialized and sterile. The sole purpose of the week was to get wrecked, and then as I got a little older and more interested in music, it was the gigs that were the main attracton - in fact, I'd travel the lenth and bredth of Wales to an Eisteddfod and maybe not even bother venturing on the Maes at all.

Only now do I actually know what goes on on the Maes, it's not all boring stuff like Cerdd dant or reciting, but bloody hell it's not easy finiding these things out. Not that I agree with everything Chris say's here in his critique, he's got a point when he mentions (sowhere else, in an article in Barn) that for the newcomer, the Eisteddfod is just "not very user-friendly".

There's also the language. Although the Eisteddfod now uses much more English in signage, on it's website, they offer gudied tours in English (and Mandarin, Greek, Urdu and Somali I believe) and simultaneous translations for Pavillion events, some things remain Welsh only, which can appear daunting if you don't speak Welsh or are just learning. That's why it was interesting to read, see the following by for different Eisteddfod 'virgins'. Some didn't speak any Welsh, while others are learning Welsh.

Available on i-Player for the next 6 days you can view an entertaining account of Hardeep Singh Kohli's visit to the Eisteddfod. This item was shown across the UK, on BBC2 I think, and despite showing a bit too much selebs and translations of 'hits' from musicals (ok maybe Chris is right!) , it showed the Eisteddfod in a positive light.

Hardeep Singh Kohli visits one of the largest travelling cultural festivals in Europe - the National Eisteddfod of Wales. This year it is being held in Cardiff and Hardeep explores the phenomenon with the likes of Bryn Terfel, Cerys Matthews, Connie Fisher and Matthew Rhys.

He delves into the pink pavillion and the strange rituals of the Bards of the British Isles, all in the city with one of the oldest Sikh communities in the UK.

My favourite is by Bo, who'd actually been to the Eisteddfod before, but this time he speaks Welsh and he kind of compares the two visits.

I've been following the blog of Leiafee, a learner from Swansea (I think) for a while, and her tale was interesting, if not for the following comment alone:

In any case I’d managed to fail to realise until last weekend that it was in Cardiff at all...

One thing is non-Welsh speakers not knowing when or where the event is, but it should concern the Eisteddfod organisers if it's not that well know to learners that it's being held in the capital!

And finally, a post on the Telegraph blog of all places byPolly Corrigan, under the heading: An Englishwoman at the Eisteddfod. Despite her fears that;

Will an angry mob of Welsh nationalists shake their fists at me every time I open my English mouth?

she seems to have enjoyed herself.

It's strange that 'fear' of Welsh speakers, or the inability to speak Welsh was something mentioned by others as well - or maybe it's not surprising, when the media write articles like this.

Welsh Langage Board tried to ban Duffy - or did they?

2008-06-29T12:35:00.002+01:00

I read on maes-e this morning about an article in the Western Mail, titled Welsh Board wanted English-song Duffy banned. In the article, someone named Paul Brett (probably trying to claim credit for discovering Duffy) claims that six years ago, the Welsh Language Board offered £100 towards a music talent show in Pwllheli, but withheld the offer once they found out not all the bands/individuals would be singing in Welsh. He goes on to claim that once he heard this he told the Welsh language board where to go.

“On the day of the show in the morning, I had a nervous and somewhat embarrassed call from Rhys to tell me that the Language Board had insisted that Duffy was taken off the show because she was singing in English. The other eight bands were singing entirely in Welsh, their choice.

“I took a deep breath, thought about it and told Rhys that it was not in our remit to dictate to young talent what they should perform, or in what language they should sing. He wholeheartedly agreed. I then spoke directly to the local guy from the Language Board who had called Rhys and he passed the buck, saying it wasn’t him but his boss in Cardiff who had insisted on Aimee being taken off the show.

Apparently this is a load of bollocks. This is what a contributor on maes-e had to say:

It was he himself [Paul Brett] that insisted that all the bands would be performing in Welsh and so wanted money from the Board. It was obvious he intended to put Aimee Duffy on from the beginning, although her set was shorter than what the others had, and if she'd performed part of her set in Welsh, which is what the Board's money should support, there'd be no problem. But you can't claim money intended to promote the Welsh language to pay artists who only sing in English.

I remember the incident as I was the officer in question. And far from telling me where to stick the money, he'd put Aimee and her English only set on in the hope that no-one would say anything. The reason I remember is that I got quite cross about it and phoned him on the Sunday (for the first time) after the event to point out to him his 'misunderstanding'. After the call, he obviously didn't dare claim the money, even though I hadn't told him that he'd no longer be eligible. That must have been his own conclusion.

Funny how people forget certain details over time. Hat's off to the Western Mail once again for their high quality journalism.

Anti-Welsh Conspiracy?

2008-04-08T10:00:00.007+01:00

There was a very disturbing story on the BBC's website recently about a horse being injured and graffiti being sprayed on the owner's building.

A horse's nose was cut and anti-English graffiti daubed on a stables owned by a Cardiff woman who had moved to a village in west Wales.
Alison Hayes, who was born in the Welsh capital, found her seven-month-old pony with a wound to its nose.
As she helped the animal at her land in Tegryn, near Crymych, Pembrokeshire, she also noticed graffiti written in slang Welsh saying "English out".

This is quite a disturbing story, but it sounds a bit strange. The graffiti message 'Cai Maes Saes' is'nt actually Welsh or Welsh slang, it's jibberish.

There's been quite a lot news stories in Wales about Welsh signs been translated by translation websites, which give out nonsense phrases. Oh, hang on, how about we type, say 'Get out Englishman' into tranexp.com and see what we get. Well well, who'd have thought, it only gives 'Ca i maes Saes'.

The respeced media of Wales can't even agree what it's supposed to actually mean as Hen Ferchetan point's out:

Clearly someone up in Trinity Mirror has realised something is wrong, they just havn't quite put their finger on it. The South Wales Echo would have us believe that it's common slang for "English Out" while icWales disagrees and tells us it's actually very old Welsh for "English Out". The Western Mail disagrees again, telling us that the writing doesn't say "English Out" but "English Out of This Field". Top prize for awful reporting must go to BBC Newyddion Arlein (Welsh BBC News) which actually quotes the graffiti as saying "Sais Mas" (English Out) even though the picture of the actual words used above comes from the BBC!

This hasn't stopped Daily Mail readers and anti-Welsh blogger wonkotsane from having a field day - 'field' day - get it? Thankfully, not all English nationalists are thick as shit.

"Hope loved being around people but now I can't get near her. She is terrified." says Hayes as she stands next to the horse. hmmm

George Galloway shows his Respect

2008-02-12T22:00:00.006Z

In a rant about the proposed new Gaelic channel by the BBC, he only managess to call the Gaelic language 'obscure' twice in the artice, which was dissapointing.

Language is a living thing or nothing at all if you ask me. And the rest of us, by a stroke of luck, are in possession of a tongue worth the weight of Ben Nevis in gold.

This is often an argument used against any money being spent on the Welsh language, that it shouldn't be supported in any way by the state and that it should be left to fight it out with other languages, which is an argument that one can understand. But then he goes on to say:

The English language is our greatest asset and the government spends far too little spreading it even wider.
The money spend [sic] on Gaels and their obscure language could be spent by the British Council teaching, for example, the people of China to speak English with infinitely more returns.

Which is a total contradiction of what he just said. A language like Gaelic shouldn't be supported financially, but the English language should. He then tries another trick favoured by the language haters, which is to use the presence of immigrants (Galloway's political career is based on this anyway).

There are more people who speak Punjabi in Scotland than have the Gaelic. Can you imagine the outcry if the government gave £50 per week per head to subsidise Lahore TV?

And more people speak Polish in Scotland than speak Gaelic but Gdansk TV could only dream of such a subsidy.

For your information Mr Galloway, the Polish government fund around 10 Polish language channels, plus one in Belarusian. TV Polonia is available worldwide, so Polish speakers in Scotland are already catered for. There are Punjabi state funded channels in both Pakistan (on PTV) and India (DD Punjabi).

I sometimes visit the Wales/Cymru section the Urban75 forum, which has it's fair share of nut jobs. Here's the latest post by (sadly) a rather noisy Respectoid:

St David's Day - COUNTER DEMO

As we know over the last few years the nationalists have stepped up their attempts to impose conformity and their bigotted ideology on our locale, they will be using St David's Day to impose the idea that Wales is a nation cosily united - rich and poor - against English oppression and waving their flags. They will be attempting to construct a 'welsh identity' that never existed and various other ideas that mystify social reality, class division and block the forming of genuine grassroots culture based on solidarity and diy principles.

Needless to say, everyone rips the piss out of him.

Cardiff Web Scene Meetup, 26.2.08

2008-02-11T12:32:00.001Z

I recently discovered a Facebook group for Cardiff Web Geeks. I liked the sound of what they were about:

Hey there. Cardiff Geeks was recently formed due to the common feeling amongst many passionate geeks in Wales that there was a lack of community between them.

We are comprised of researchers, computer scientists, web professionals and enthusiasts though are open to just about anyone who has an interest in the topics we discuss.

While there's a strong (but very small) on-line community of Welsh speakers, usually referred to as the Rhithfro, there's no obvious Welsh (i.e about Wales) on-line scene, neither social or for business, something I find quite frustrating, but I suppose it's not all that surprising. Hopefully, this will change.

I wasn't sure if Cardiff Geeks was still going, but I received a Facebook invite on the weekend (ok, so there might well be a point to the damn thing after all), to attend the Cardiff Web Scene Meetup at Cafe Floyd on Tuesday the 26th of Feb. Unfortunately I teach Welsh on Tuesday night, but I might pop in afterwards if I'm not too late and tired. Anyone else fancy it?

"World's largest love spoon" attempts, Cardiff

2007-12-16T10:18:00.000Z

The BBC news article saying it would be finished this weekend, but as I walked past yesterday the world record attempt to create the world's biggest love spoon still had a far bit to go.

Should look good when finished. While searching Flickr for an other/better photo than my own, I discovered there's already a bench in Bute Park in the style of a love spoon.

Digg me you bastards!

2007-12-03T16:04:00.001Z

A while back I blogged about the choice of books on the facade of Cardiff Central library's facade.
Now it seems a blog post containing the photo has been Digged. Sadly there's no link to my blog on the blog post, although a polite Italian did leave a comment on my Flickr photo to say she'd used the photo and asking where I'd like the link pointing too.

Not surprisingly, as my original post mentions, the reading tastes of Cardiffians are being seriously questioned.

I could have been famous :-)

Different language - same story

2007-11-30T14:11:00.001Z

Not that it's any comfort, but it's seems that it's not just the Welsh language that's attacked and be-littled by ignorant large media groups. The was recently an article in the Wall Street Journal under the title; Basque Inquisition: How Do You Say Shepherd in Euskera? (article in full copied here on Susatu - the Basque Slashdot)

The same old accusations are rolled out against the Basque language which sadly we Welsh speakers are more than familiar with: "only X amount actually speak it", "they steal words from other languages", "it's terrible that these people are forced to learn it as it's useless", "it's not a real language"...blah blah blah blah blah etc.

As you can imagine, it's pissed off a few people in the Basque blogosphere. Here are two excellent replies, which are full of brilliant arguments that can be used by Welsh speakers (if we're silly enough to get into a futile on-line debate with the many bigots out there).

Anyway if people want to wallow in their ignorance, who can stop them. In the meantime irratia.com ("a weekly broadcasted then podcasted live radio show in Basque about new technologies, music and social issues") will be celebrating their 100th podcast with a Basque Digital Shepherds' Meeting in Bilbo - here's a clip promoting the event on EuskalTube (yup - those nasty Basques even have time in between terrorizing non-Basque speakers to come up with their own YouTube clone).

As a farmers son who enjoyes the company of sheep as mush as blogging in his dead language, I wish I could be over there with my velcro gloves and laptop.

"Reading that is only going to make you angry"

2007-10-25T16:22:00.000+01:00

Those were the words of my wife as she look over my shoulder at what I was reading on the web. Sarah was right...
It was the comments section of a Comment is Free article by Hywel Griffiths, chairman of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language Society). He'd been asked to write about
Cymdeithas' proposals for an improved Welsh Language Act. It's a sensitive issue in Wales, and one that needs to be debated seriously, something that hasn't happened so far.
There's only so many remarks about "Klingon" and "more languages mean more barriers to communiation".
....so I stopped reading.

But where was Sarah this morning when I needed her?
As I turned on the car radio I caught the tail end of the Today Programme, where they were reading out e-mails commenting on the mornings subjects. They'd been discussing the Welsh language. The BBC have had a bit of a thing about the Welsh language since panelists pulled out of a show called Hecklers (the title gives it way). The reason people pulled out was because the BBC wanted to give a stage for a washed up 'playboy' and former UKIP Assembly candidate Dai Llewellyn, to spread his insults.
I've just used the 'listen again' facility to listen to the bit where the debate the Welsh language being promoted too much. Apparently, as speaking out against the Welsh language is so dangerous, they had to interview someone anonymously, in a remote layby and distort the person's voice. The guy (possibly quite delusional?), was making all sorts of claims about discrimination, and so did another person. Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM was questioned and he said it was nonsense and that the demand for Welsh medium education far outstripped demand. The presenter of the programme then starting having a go at him saying that it's only because parents didn't want there children being discriminated against in the work place in the future!
People go on about all the jobs in Wales requiring the Welsh language. Rh G T pointed out that, on any given Thursday, out of a 100+ jobs in the Western Mail only 5-6 might state that Welsh is essential or even just essential.
Some people can't get their heads round the fact that people want to speak Welsh for a variety of reasons. I teach a class of 17 adults in Ponypool (19 after half term as there's too many in the other class). We've only just started learning what people do as work. In my class there is a builder, greenkeeper, factory worker, landscaper, Quantity Surveyor, cook, a few grandparents, none of these people need Welsh for their jobs, they just want to experience Welsh life to the full.

I should be used to this sort of attitude by now, but I used to rate Radio 4, until I heard this sensationalist reporting and interviewing. What a shower of cachu.

2007-10-15T20:38:00.000+01:00

After Luistxo was greeting in Irish on Flickr, he asks "And Basque? ". Robert has been greeted in Welsh.

If you happen to log into your Flickr account and are greeted with "Ongi etorri [your name]", then take a screen capture, I'm sure it will make Luistxo's day!

Tyrfe Tawe: FREE music festival in Swansea (9-13.10.07)

2007-10-07T18:38:00.000+01:00

I've not been to this before, although it's been going since 2004 I think. I hope to catch Derwyddon Dr Gonzo on the Friday.

Full line up here.

'Word of Mouth' on Radio 4 discusses Bilingualism

2007-09-10T16:41:00.000+01:00

I've not listened to Word of Mouth before (it's on too late for me), but tonight it discusses bilingualism:

Next programme

Michael examines the language situation in Wales, Northern Ireland and Canada, and looks at the different ways in which laws can be used to protect minority languages.

Word Of Mouth this week looks at bilingualism. What exactly is meant by a bilingual society? And how do you create one?

This sound like it's going to be really interesting, although I'm not sure what kind of constructive contribution there's going to be from Wales' 'representative'!

The contributors are Rob Dunbar (Does legislation help?), Professor Dennis Baron (A bilingual USA), the Official Languages Commissioner of Canada Graham Fraser, Janet Muller (A bilingual Northern Ireland), and Chris Bryant (A bilingual Wales).

Oh well. But the question of "what is meant by a bilingual society" is one I often ask myself. Of course I have an idea in my head of what it is/could/should be, but what do others think? And do people who speak more than one language think differently about it to one's who only speak one?

Thanks to Nic (via Pat) for the link.

Welsh Blog Awards 2007

2007-09-05T10:02:00.000+01:00

Just realised I've not blogged about the Welsh Blog Awards. Sanddef has organised the competition where people vote for their favorite Blogs from or about Wales. I'm not a huge fan of such awards, but it's certainly an opportunity to introduce people to new blogs. I think anyone can vote (or maybe it's restricted to bloggers, I'm not too sure), but if you do want to vote, you must cast a vote for each category. Voting closes Saturday the 8th of September.

This is carzy stuff

2007-09-04T15:16:00.002+01:00

In Wales, when there's any suggestion by the public or campaigners that private companies should be covered by a Language Act that require them to provide some Welsh language service, we're told by politicans that we need to show there's a demand. How were supposed to do this they don't say - I assume we're all expected to write a letter to every busienss which we use or are likely to use sometime in the future. This will require a lot of pens and a lot of stamps, but it's something we have to do it seems.

I remember reading about 14 year old Èric Bertran from Lloret de Mar, who in 2004 sent an e-mail to three companies who operate in Catalonia asking them to provide bilingual (Catalan/Spanish) labeling in their stores. He made the mistake of signing his e-mails with 'Army of the Pheonix' (being a huge Harry Potter fan). The reason it made the news was because the police turned up at his home as they considered it to be a terrorist threat.

I heard no more about it, but apaprently a book about the whole affair has been published and a documentary as been made and is available on YouTube with English subtitles (in parts 1,2,3,4 and 5).

The story is quite remarkable and well worth a look.

Even though the authorities knew that the e-mail had come from a 'minor', they sent 20 members of the Spanish Civil Guard to the house in the middle of the night and questioned him and his family then took computers away. He was asked to make a statement the following day at the station. As the family explained what had happened, they thought that was the last of it.

Much to their surprise, Èric, and his parents were told they had to go to Madrid two month later to testify in the High Court before a juvenile prosecutor. She accused him of making terroist threats, he denied that and asked if she'd point out which part of the e-mail contained the threat. She replied she couldn't as she didn't understand Catalan, but Èric pointed out the e-mail had been sent in Spanish! This angered the prosecutor, who then went on to lecture him saying he should be proud to be Spanish. He replied by saying that he considered himself Catalan not Spanish, and the prosecutor then threatens to lock him up unless he called himself Spanish!

Afterwards he is sent to see a psychologist and a psychiatrist (part 4). After questioning him and again being given a lecture about how wonderful the Spanish constitution is, Èric replies that this was his first visit to Spain which makes them go nuts. They write a 6 page report suggesting he's a violent child and needs to attend a 'non-violence program'. The cause of this violent nature they concluded was that he spoke Catalan in the home and only watched Catalan TV! This is the attitude of profesional people in Spain towards people who wish to speak Catalan.

On top of all this, unrealated to the case, but another example of attitudes towards Catalans was when the family went out for lunch during the case. When his father tried to pay for the meal with a Caixa de Catalunya (a Catalan Bank), they restaurant initially refused saying they wouldn't accept it, although the bank has chains all over Spain, even across the street to the establishment.

So next time I write to my bank to enquiring if I can have a bilingual cheque book (and a left handed one please), I'll be sure to sign it with my own name!

Thats not funny (or true)

2007-09-04T12:01:00.000+01:00

I watched Something for the Weekend on Sunday, and Ruth Jones was on it as a guest. She's been on telly a lot recently, but my favorite will always be Linda from Nighty Night. Her character was so funny, especially the way she says 'Thank you' every time she was verbally a physically abused by Jill (don't know if it was supposed to symbolise the Welsh nation in any way!).

I know I'm going to sound over sensitive here, but I was a bit disappointed by her and one of the presenter's (Simon Rimmer) remarks.

Tim Lovejoy asked Ruth if she spoke Welsh, and she replied in Welsh that she did. He then asked her more about the language and I was pleased that it was being discussed on such a program which goes out UK wide and is aimed at a young(ish) audience. Then Ruth spoils it all by saying that the Welsh spoken in the north of Wales is a completely different language to that spoken in the south. That pissed me off as it's not true at all.

Then she goes on to say that people from the north don't consider south Walians as proper Welsh, "they call us Half-Taffs" she said. Now this is complete bollocks as well, for two reasons: Firstly, she's just regurgitating the Labour lie who like to split Wales north/south, welsh speaking/no-welsh speaking. And secondly, even if it were true these evil welsh speaking nashis certainly wouldn't refer to fellow countrymen (and women) as 'Taffs of all names - it's a derogatory term used by the English for Welsh people!

But to top this all off, Simon Rimmer goes on to say that he really enjoyes going out in Cardiff and Swansea, but "you have to be careful when going to pubs in north Wales". Careful of what exactly? He makes the place sound really sinister. I'd be interested to hear whar happened to him, or is he referring to the nasty local habit of speaking Welsh in pubs?

I've been spat at and threatened in Shrewsbury as my mate had a Wales hat (although this was on a footy match day v Wrecsam - not that it excuses the behavior) and I've had a glass bottle hurled at me in York (by a complete stranger from the other side of the street) but these are completely isolated incidents. I'd never go on national television and tell people to be careful when visiting England!

Am I over reacting?

My Eisteddfod

2007-08-27T11:52:00.001+01:00

This year I spent more time on the Maes then any other Eisteddfod. This was because jobs-cymraeg.com, along with 7 other members of the Association of Welsh Language Software (CMC) had clubbed together to have a stall. We actually shared a 3 unit stand with The Association of Welsh Language Translators and Interpreters.

Monday
First day on the stall, and got to meet up again with Dewi and Delyth who are the chair and secretary of CMC and who both work for the Language Technology Unit at the University of Wales, Bangor (see their blog). I was also introduced to Ambrose and David who work part time with the unit and part time for private companies. Ambrose works with Draig, while David works from home (in York) for a firm in the English Midlands.
David had another reason to be present at the Eisteddfod as he'd reached the final round of the Welsh Learner of the Year competition. His Welsh is impressive, even more so considering he's never lived in Wales. In addition to his work he's done a lot of work in his free time helping out with the localisation of OpenOffice into Welsh with Meddal volunteers, and he's also developed a 18,000 word English/Welsh dictionary that can be installed on a mobile phone, called Geiryn. Sarah and I promised to meet up with him when we're next up in York visiting her parents as he doesn't have anyone to practice his Welsh with up there, although he did meet someone who visited the stand that's studying a Computer Science degree now at York Uni.
I mis-read a poster and nearly sent Sarah to a flower arranging session at Maes D (Welsh learners tent) , when she thought she was going to a book launch, only a last minute intervention from my cousin saved her.
Watched Sarah's current favourite band, Brigyn perform on one of the out door stages on the Maes while eating lunch.

Tuesday
First thing was CMC's AGM, which was poorly attended. It was followed by an 'install-fest' where demonstrations were given on how to install the Welsh versions of Windows XP/Office, OpenOffice and show how easy they all are to switch from one langugae to another. One of the criticisms of the 1st Welsh Language version of XP/Office was that it was difficult to switch languages. The is now a new Language Control Centre, which not only switches Microsoft products you've installed, but also Firefox and Thunderbird. Annoyingly, it seems that a separate application called dotNETfx has to be downloaded from Microotf as well for this to work.
In the afternoon, I'd been asked to make a presentation on behalf of CMC in the Societies Tent (where may societies/organisations hold an 'annual lecture'). Mine was about 'Blogging and Social Newtowrking' (see slides/photo). I was worried as to who would turn up, but there were 20+ there, and not just my mum and fellow bloggers! At the end, a few people in the audience asked questions, mostly about Wicipedia.

Thursday
Got back from a York in time for the gig at Mold Rugby Club , where Cymdeithas yr Iaith had organised gigs all week. That night I saw Sibrydion, Genod Droog and Mr Huw.
Friday
In the morning I went to see a collection of Welsh language short films in the Theatr Tent by those busy people who run Pictiwrs.com. This meant that I missed a presentation into a study by Bangor Uni into how Basque is taught to adults in the Basque Country, but I picked up a copy of the report which was very interesting.
I then finally put pen to paper and paid for an annual subscription for Y Byd. Y Byd will be the first ever daily newspaper in Welsh. It's been a long time coming, with plans being announced years ago, with many doubting whether it would ever see a light of day especially as the lunch date kept being moved. I even paid £25 as supporter around 3 years ago (which entitled me to a £30 discount once it was launched. My and other people's reading patterns have changed completely in that period, and Y Byd will now be offered on-line. As on-line subscription is only £80, compared to £120 odd for paper copy, plus my discount and the fact it entitles you to a free add, it was silly not to go for it.
In the afternoon I went to the launch of the latest issue of Tu Chwith in the Literature Tent.

This had a Basque flavour too as Basque poets Bernardo Atxaga, Rikardo Arregi and Miren Agur Meabe read their poetry and then young Welsh poets read their Welsh translation of each one under the Literature Across Frontiers programme. As it happend, Bernardo Atxaga's poem was translated by Aneirin Karadog who also raps with Genod Droog!

Saturday
Last day, chance to buy anything I'd not yet got and chase up anyone who I intended to speak to. In the afternoon there was a blog-meet. As not many had responded to the idea of holding one this year, I hadn't made any firm arrangements, but I met with Meilyr and Rhodri at one of the bars in the afternoon where we had a good chat about the potential of getting income from blogging, plus Rhodri mentioned he was about to start on a project of creating an on-line directory of all Welsh films. We were later joined by Ray and Iestyn. The last Saturday is when the male voice choirs compete, and I must say there's nowhere better than in one of the bars afterwards when all the choir members have downed a few pints and join in together for a huge singsong - I pitied the poor bloke on the performance stage near by as he didn't stand a chance.

Are we talking about the same Eisteddfod?

2007-08-24T15:29:00.001+01:00

I've been thinking of writing a post about what I did at this year's National Eisteddfod in Mold, but haven't got round to it yet, in the meantime, there's a particularly nasty article in the highly respected South Wales Echo by Dan O'Neill titled Let’s tell these dotty druids to byrger off!.

This columnist likes to think of himself as controversial, and his article about the festivals visit to the capital next year annoyed a lot of people, and understandably so. If it was an article 'taking the mick'* out the Eisteddfod it would be fine, I find some of it a bit strange myself, but it was basically an attack on people who speak Welsh - he really goes for it and it's a shame that the echo allowed such hatred towards a language be expressed in it's pages. It starts off fairly mild:

Let’s face it, apart from a few people in Pontcanna does anybody really want it here?

He's a bit behind the times here, most young Welsh speakers live in other parts of Cardiff like Canton, Riverside, Grangetown and Splott while the older ones live in Llandaf and other northen 'burbs. The TV studios moved from Pontcanna decades ago.

in Wales there are indeed two nations: the Welsh who don’t speak the lingo (us); and the far fewer Welsh who do and decree that anyone who doesn’t is not only not Welsh but a second-class citizen as well.

This is the typical garbage that Labour have been spouting for years, and it does nothing for bring Wales together. There may be one or two idiots with such a view, but that's certainly not the attitude of Welsh speakers I know.

He takes offence (quite rightly) at a comment made 6 years ago by one person that compared the threat to the Welsh language to the destruction of Swansea during WWII, but has no qualms at using the word 'fascists' to describe Welsh speakers. hhhmm!

*Hope he doesn't find that too offensive, seeing as he's so proud of his Irish ancestry!

Edit.
The editor responds on his blog.

It's not the 'poking fun' at the Eisteddfod that's annoyed people Richard, it's his claims about ALL Welsh speakers.

Look out Facebook

2007-08-21T21:30:00.000+01:00

Someone posted a link to Lle Aeth Pawb? (Where did everyone go?) on maes-e recently. I don't think it's intended to be launched yet, particularly as the word 'test' appears in the url. Anyway, it's a website to coincide with a series that will appear on S4C next year. The idea behind the series is that long lost friends are reunited, what a great idea! Yes, this could turn out to be another lame S4C program, and it's obviously been inspired by the Facebook revolution.

Having said that, the site looks really good. I've created an account to have a bit of a nose. You then create your profile. Every primary and secondary school, college and university in Wales is listed as default. You're then encouraged to up-load old photos with keywords/tags in both Welsh and English, which other users can leave comments on. This classic photo from 1987 will do nothing to dispel the myth that all Welsh Speakers are farmers!

As you'll have noticed, the site is fully bilingual (although while browsing in Welsh, many pages direct you to English versions at the moment, I guess it's work in progress). Also, it would be useful to be able to click on your school name on your profile to see who else went there.

Even if the program will be complete pants, it at least has a decent website, the first proper social networking site available in Welsh. The only thing is, if it become popular (40+ have signed up already before it's even launched), will it still be kept live once the show is over?

The company behind the show and the website are Cwmni Da from Caernarfon. I've noticed the make use of new Web2.0 technologies to compliment the shows they're commisioned to do for S4C. During the Eisteddfod they were responsible for the Sioe Gelf (The Arts Show), and the website to coincide with the show (now taken down sadly) included blogs by different people at the Eisteddfod (competitors, judges, band members, commentators etc). Although Cwmni Da themselves don't seem to have a website of their own!

Teaching Welsh in Gwent

2007-07-28T08:05:00.000+01:00

I've been wanting to teach Welsh for Adults for some years, but have always been put off by the fear that my knowledge of grammar (Welsh or English) is virtually nil. In recent years, Coleg Gwent, who are the main providers of of 'Welsh for Adults' in the south east have been very short of tutors, so I've been attending training sessions to become a tutor, with the hope of being given a class in September, ideally in the county of Caerphilly.

As normal classes have now finished for the summer, there's no opportunity for me to sit in a class observing, but fortunately there was a summer school at The Hill. I had the chance to sit in two classes, one for complete beginners and one for students who'd already completed one ear of study

There were classes for 7 different levels, and the Summer Schools and Saturday schools run by Coleg Gwent are extremely popular, so much so that some people are regularly turned away. this year the summer school was full up with 164 people attending - I later found out that a further 140 had been turned away, which is a big shame. Next year they hope to offer two weeks of Summer School to accommodate everyone. You often hear people say that the people of Gwent have no interest in the Welsh language, but apart from a young woman from Holland on her second year and a lady from France in the beginners class, the rest were local people.

During our training sessions, the organisers of the various courses:

normal weekly classes in community centresl
Welsh for Parents
Welsh in the Workplace
WLPAN

have been trying to persuade us to teach in their classes when we'll be trained. At the moment I'd like to teach the Wlpan, but there's not as many of these classes being held. The reasons I'd prefer Wlpan are:

I feel that it's the most determined students who'll take this course as they've commited themselves to attend classes many times in a week (between 2 and 5)
Students are more likely to pick up more vocab in a short period of time and less likely to feel that they're not progressing as I've seen with a few students in the past
more emphasis on speaking, less on grammar

We'll see what happens in September

dotCYM Forum, July 19 in Bangor

2007-07-12T17:10:00.000+01:00

Taken from Murmur blog:

On Thursday, July 19th a special dotCYM forum has been organised and sponsored by ITWales and CMC. The event will be held in the evening at the Technium CAST on Parc Menai, Bangor.

The following members of CMC are kindly sponsoring the location and buffet. ReadSpeaker.com, Draig Technologies, Language Technologies Unit (Canolfan Bedwyr) and Meddal.

The forum will be an opportunity to learn more about the dotCYM bid, to hear of the success of the first successful year of puntCAT and how and why software developers from CMC are supporting the bid.

The event is FREE to attend, however advance booking is required.

To book your place e-mail ITWales@informatics.bangor.ac.uk or go online to www.itwales.com/events. Alternatively you can contact Rob or Judith at ITWales Bangor on 01248 388245

1730 : Registration and buffet

1800 : Presentations

(i) Sion Jobbins from dotCYM

dotCYM is a grass-roots initiative to gain .cym as a sponsored Top Level Domain (TLD) for the Welsh linguistic and cultural community of interest.

The .cym TLD is the only viable and credible bid to represent the Welsh community. It will be available for websites in Welsh, partly in Welsh or of Welsh interest but in English or another language.

dotCYM promises an excellent way to promote the use of Welsh language online and of branding Welsh services and products in a readily, easy recognisabile identifier for the Welsh IT sector .

Siôn Jobbins, is a co-founder and Chairman of the dotCYM, Siôn works in the Marketing and Access department at The National Library of Wales. He writes a regular media column for Cambria and Barn magazines and was founder and editor of Ffocws Welsh media magazine. Siôn has worked both as a freelance journalist and television researcher and also in various capacities as a press officer. Siôn graduated in History at Aberstywyth in 1989 and was Mayor of the town in 1999.

For more information : www.dotcym.org

(ii) Dewi Bryn Jones from CMC

The Association of Welsh Language Software (CMC) has been created following exciting developments in the field of information technology and the Welsh language. It brings together those involved in Welsh language information technology from the private, public and voluntary sectors, in both open and closed source technologies

It encourages :

· the use of the Welsh language in every sphere of information technology.
· the development of original Welsh language software and language technologies
· the translation and adaptation of high quality software into Welsh
· the creation of high quality content in the Welsh language
· the creation of training material and courses in information technology through the medium of Welsh

CMC was launched officially by Councillor Dafydd Iwan at the National Eisteddfod (Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Eryri a’r Cyffiniau), 2005. CMC wishes to thank Gwynedd Council for initially sponsoring CMC.

Dewi Bryn Jones, is the current chairperson of CMC and works at the Language Technologies Unit in Canolfan Bedwyr. He is also a member of Meddal.com, a team of volunteers who localise Firefox, Thunderbird, Opera, Mandriva Linux, OpenOffice.org and other popular software into Welsh. Dewi has worked for a number of years in Finland with Nokia where he first encountered popular IT use in a non-English speaking environment and thought why not for Welsh as well. Dewi graduated in Computer Science from the University of York in 1994.

For more information : www.meddalweddcymraeg.org

1900 : Discussion

2000 : End

Prion on Nestoria

2007-07-12T15:54:00.000+01:00

While searching unsuccessfully on Google a Flickr for photo's of my old school (Ysgol Pantpastynog, Prion), I came across Houses for sale in Prion on Nestoria. Nestoria is an on-line service for advertising houses for sale/rent, which uses a 'mashup' of information from various sources which might be of interest to potential purchasers/tenants. I'm familiar with the name Nestoria as it's a company called CodeSyntax (creators of Tagzania) that's responsible for the mapping side. You can make selections so that the map shows:

nearest train stations
local schools
the local MP (but not the local AM, possibly as they're not covered by TheyWorkForYou)
pictures of the area
the local council tax band (compared to the English! average)

I really like the way it works and looks, although it has some way to go to be fully relevant to Wales. Maybe I'll e-mail them with suggestions, or they might read this post after receiving 1000's of hits (maybe not).

I think it started concentrating on London, and if you search for the postcode SW11, there's even more info like:

nearest police station (because it's such a dangerous place to live!)
and more importantly where's the nearest pub (from Beer in the Evening)

But if I search via the post code LL16 rather than the name 'Prion', it then also shows pubs in the area - not that I need any introduction.

Nestoria are also responsible for the first Facebook application to be in a language other than English. Hopefully this will encourage Facebook to get their shit together regarding internationalisation/localisation.

and... you can also get RSS feed or e-mail notification for any search (place name or postcode)

Prion - property for sale

Nestoria DropIn Map

Pob lwc Mick

2007-07-01T22:03:00.001+01:00

My friend Mick and his mate Sean are going to be taking part in Le Tour Challenge to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust a Latch. The race follows the route of the Tour de France, an takes place two days prior o the big race itself. Mick has been training hard for the race, spending most evenings and all weekends cycling all over the south east - he's lucky he lives in Wales where there are plenty of hills to replicate cycling in the Pyrenees!

They've been give a camera by BBC Wales to record their experiences, and you can keep track of them via their blog. If you can spare a quid or two, please consider donating, what they're doing is a bit more challenging than sitting in a bath of beans.

No Welsh please we're British

2007-06-12T20:33:00.000+01:00

While visiting my parents for a few days I received a phone call from a colleauge saying that John from the Courts Service in londan had rang, wanting me to call back urgently. I've been called to do jury service next weekDwi wedi cael fy nghalw i fod ar reithgor yn yr wythnosau nesaf. The bilingual letter came informing me, and I naturally completed the Welsh side and returned the form. I then received an info pack which was mainly in Welsh, apart from a bilingual leaflet and a loss-of-earnings form in English only. As I work in a work place where Welsh is the normal language, I e-mailed (in Welsh) asking if I could have the Welsh version of the form. Anyway I rang john back and this is our discussion:

Me: It's Rhys Wynne here, I understand you called my work wanting to speak to me
John: Yes, you've sent us an e-mail but it's in Welsh and we don't understand Welsh
Me: I was under the impression that I'm allowed to contact the Courts Service in Welsh if I prefer to.
John: But then we have to send it to be translated and it takes time. What does the e-mail say?
Me: You've sent me a loss of earnings form in English, I work for organisation that operates through the medium of Welsh and I'd like a form in Welsh for my employer.
John: I don't think we've got one in Welsh
Me: Oh (I wasn't in an arguin mood)
John: I'll see what I can do
Fi: Thank you very much

Typical me, and typical of most Welsh speakers - I phone them, get told to translate my own e-mail, then hear it's unlikely that I'll get a form in Welsh and then I THANK the guy!

Anyway, by the time I get back to Cardiff, a Welsh form was waiting for me on the mat (sent from their Cardiff office). Ok, so everything worked out fine in the end, but again one has to go through some hoops just to get something really simple in Welsh.

Eisteddfod 2007 gigs announced

2007-06-05T22:19:00.001+01:00

Cymdeithas yr Iaith's gigs (scroll down for line-ups) are going to be held at Mold Rugby Club

Maes-B gigs will be held at Maes B (obviously!), the youth site which will be situated near the main Maes on Wrexham Road.

Thinking of going along?
It depends what you like of course, but I'd recommend trying to see the following:

Radio Luxemourg (physycadelic/pop/rock)
Euros Childs (pop/rock/alt-folk)
Sibrydion (indie/electro rock)
Cofi Bach a Tew Shady (hip hop) - check out the 'Gobzilla' video
Fflur Dafydd (acoustic/blues, also jazz when with band)
Mattoidz (indie/rock)
Cowbois Rhos Botwnog (pshyco-billy)
Derwyddon Dr Gonzo (funk/ska/FUN!)

Some video's from the above on my YouTube favourites.

If you're thinking of going to some of the gigs, or to the Eisteddfod itself in the daytime, feel free to leave any questions in the comments.

..to create the holiday home by the sea you have always sought

2007-05-15T17:48:00.000+01:00

Neil took a photo of flats being advertised in an estate agents window in West Kirby.

They were for £250,000, and not actually on the Wirral in north west England itself (as you'd expect), but 98 miles away in Pwllheli, north Wales.

Here's how they're described on the website:

A visit to 'Tywod Arian' will be enough to convince you ; not only will you discover apartments of distinction and quality, you'll find surroundings which will irresistibly invite you to create the holiday home by the sea you have always sought.

Now, you'll always have properties in any area that are going to be more expensive than others, which inevitably means that only certain people will be able to afford them, but it seems this development was built solely for the second home market. I think it's quite sad. How must young families in the area feel when something like this is built, and they can't afford their own first home?

Chris Cope on the box tonight

2007-05-15T14:22:00.000+01:00

That's all - well you might catch a glimps of me on it somewhere (either at the Eisteddfod or in a pub)

2007-05-04T12:20:00.000+01:00

Going to this in Clwb Ifor Bach tonight. I really enjoyed Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog when I saw them in Pontypridd at the beginning of the year.

Yee Hah!

This week I'll be mainly appearing on.....

2007-04-26T12:20:00.000+01:00

Last week I appeared on Siaradog.tv, an internet only 'chat-show' of sorts (aimed at 16 year olds judging by the set and the 'humour') to talk about blogging in Welsh and my little internet business jobs-cymraeg.com.

Sanddef has invited me to be a part of a another online show called Blogger TV on 18 Doughty Street, a political website by Iain Dale. I'm aware of both websites, but I must admit I don't visit them very often as it mainly concentrates on Uk politics, but as Iain's doing a "special Welsh elections programme", then I should make the effort to blog about it and include something political on this blog to justify taking any part!

One of the main talking points about this election is the expected turnout. Of course, turnout is low for elections at any level throughout the Uk, but as this is only the 3rd election ever for the National Assembly, it's going to be pretty embarassing for the politicians from all the parties. It's widely held that one of the reasons that turnout is so low at the Assembly elections is that it's given so little coverage in the London based press. As the fast majority of Wales' population only read newspapers from outside Wales (the only so-called National newspaper of Wales also belongs to Trinity Mirror), it only leaves the BBC and ITV as the main source of information about the institution. BUT, many people in north east and south east Wales turn their masts to England.

Many people in Wales still don't know what powers the Assembly have (maybe this explaines why the BNP leaflet I received yesterday states they want to curb immigration into Wales!)

Plaid Cymru tend to get a larger percentage of the vote in the Assembly elections than Westminster ones, not because people vote differently, but as a Welsh party they find it easier to mobilize and motivate their supporters to vote. Once again Labour are worried that a no-show from their voters is going to harm them more than people choosing to vote for a different party (although I hope plenty do exchange votes).

A lot has been written on blogs and message boards recently about the absence of posters and signs in people's gardens etc as an indicator of another poor turnout. I must admit that I've seen very little, a few Labour, Tories and Lib Dem ones' in Cardiff North, some Pliad Cymru and Tories in Cardiff West, and the very few I've seen in Caerffili have all been Labour, where there are usually quite a bit of Plaid ones (and I don't think that's down to the organised vandalism of over 30 Plaid signs in Ceredigion). I have seen a couple of Plaid and Labour ones in Islwyn - Maybe everyones campaigning through blogs these days!

Brigyn &the Pilgrims: Caerffili, 27.4.07

2007-04-25T09:42:00.000+01:00

I've organised the following gig

Brigyn
Pilgrims
at the Goodrich Hotel, Caerffili
27.4.07
8:00pm
£4

2nd response from Amazon

2007-04-12T10:12:00.001+01:00

On the same day as an article appears in Golwg re my little tiff with Amazon, the company finally send me positive response, following their previous not so positive one:

     Dear Rhys Wynne,
Firstly please accept our apologies for the delay in resolving this issue for you
and thank you for your patience.

Having advised our Management team of the issue you have encountered, we have
reviewed our policy regarding the receipt of cheque's written in Cymraeg, and are
pleased to advise you we are more than happy to accept cheque's from our customers
written in Cymraeg.

We do sincerely apologise for your original cheque being returned to you and would
ask you to resend the cheque to us and we will fulfill your order.

Due to this inconvenience we will certainly refund you for any postage costs
incurred for returning the cheque to us.

Your cheque should be made payable to Amazon EU S.A.R.L and sent to the following
address:

Amazon.co.uk
Customer Accounts
1-9 The Grove
Slough
Berkshire SL1 1QP
United Kingdom

Please contact us on the below link to advise us of any postage costs incurred.

Thank you for choosing Amazon.co.uk and we look forward to your future custom.

Warmest regards

Paul S.
Customer Service
Amazon.co.uk

I'd have thought they'd offer me a bit more than the price of a stamp for my distress, but hey you don't make $100' s millions by being generous. I'm not sure whether I'll use them again though.

Update 13.4.07

God knows if Amazon read this blog, but following posting the above comments yesterday, I've now received this e-mail. Fair play to them.

Dear Rhys Wynne,

Further to my previous correspondence with regards to
the processing of order  by cheque payment, our
Management team have concluded their review of your issue and they
have agreed to provide a good will gesture to the value of GBP22.93.
This goodwill gesture will be in the form of a promotional
certificate which can be redeemed towards your next purchase with
Amazon.co.uk.

Please accept this goodwill gesture as an apology for
the inconvenience of having to forward us the cheque
payment again, and thus delaying the dispatch of the item to you.

Thank you for your understanding and patience with
regards to this matter.

A message from Amazon to Wales

2007-04-05T10:51:00.000+01:00

On the same weekend that I received the good news that Amazon is bringing 1,200 jobs to Wales (is there any sense in giving £9 million 'grant' to a company that made between $370 and $510 million profit?), I was sent back a cheque from the company with the following (very polite) message:

Dear Customer,

Please find enclosed your cheque for £22.93 as the words are written in Welsh. Sorry to ask but could you please amend and return to us so we may proceed with your order, as the bank may not be able to read it.

Kind regards
Billing Dept.

A very odd and old fashioned attitude I must say. I've been posting cheques in Welsh to BT for years without any problems. I've e-mailed my local AM (Rhodri Morgan), Alun Pugh and Andrew Davies ac well as the company itself, which has responded, just to confirm that yes, cheques have to be in English only. Not a very good way to endear themselves to the Welsh public!

amazon, abertawe, cymru, swansea, wales, cymraeg, welsh, grant
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Seminar - The Multilingual Enterprise: Cardiff 28.4.07

2007-03-26T17:08:00.000+01:00

I've been invited by Draig Technology to a seminar they're holding to promote their new bi/multilingual software. Ok, maybe not everyone likes Microsoft, but it's still the most popular software provider at the moment, and I think Draig should be congratulated for investing in producing bilingual software. I hope that many companies and public agencies in Wales take advantage of the opportunity to contact/communicate with their customers in their language of choice.

The Multilingual Enterprise

Communicating Effectively & Managing Information in a Multilingual Environment

A Draig Technology & Microsoft seminar

Quality Hotel, Cardiff

Wednesday 28 March 2007
9.30 – 10.00am Registration, tea and coffee
10.00 – 10.45am New World of Work a presentation by Microsoft

Showing how Microsoft Office and SharePoint 2007 provide increased productivity, efficiency, web content management, seamless document management and enhanced security for managed communication in a busy enterprise environment.

11.00 – 11.30am Microsoft Dynamics CRM a presentation by Draig Technology Ltd

A product overview of CRM 3.0 enhanced with Draig multilingual capabilities - a comprehensive and flexible Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution. Built to fit the needs of your organisation; it works the way you do and works the way your organisation does.

11.30 – 12.00pm The Multilingual Enterprise a presentation by Draig Technology Ltd

Demonstrating how bilingual CRM capabilities and a multilingual SharePoint solution can give you a totally integrated Welsh language solution for customer / client relationship management, document and web content management and information and record management … all as a natural extension of Microsoft Office.

There may be places left if you're interested in attending. Contact Draig on 0870 2200512

bilingual, software, welsh, draig technology
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Smoking Ban: 11 days to ga (and counting)

2007-03-22T15:20:00.000Z

I can't wait for the ban. I've had enough of coming home from the pub stinking of smoke. For some reason I've become less and less tolerant of it, and am more and more aware of the smell and smoke. I've estimated that I'll be visiting the pub (not necessarily the same one) four time before the ban comes into force. For those of you reading this post via a newsreader, I've got a counter on the top of the right column counting down the days.

Anyone going to join me for a pint to celebrate on the 2nd of April?

cymru, wales,
smoking ban, smoking
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ialgi hadi (a Basque Scymraeg)

2007-03-16T12:50:00.000Z

You may already be aware of the Scymraeg group on Flickr which is a collection of badly translated signs/posters in Welsh. Sadly, there are already 256 examples on it already and the numbers are growing.

There's a similar group on Flickr for Basque examples called ialgi hadi.

Here's a funny example on an anti-drugs poster by the government:

The Spanish version says 'Great activity without drugs'
and the Basque version says 'No rest without drugs'

funny, basque, flickr, euskara, euskadi
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St David's Day Parade: Cardiff 1.3.07

2007-02-27T15:22:00.000Z

Don't forget about theparade that leaves the Mochyn Du around 2:00ish on Thursday. The spineless gits down the Bay won't give a day off (despite Lord Governor Hain stating that St Patricks should be a holiday in Ireland!), but I'm taking a day's leave regardless. SUpport the parade's kind sponsors. Anyone going to join me for a pint?

Great banner by Wynne Jones (The Photoshop King)

You gotta Love Thy Nighbour

2007-02-22T13:59:00.000Z

Back in the olden days (1999), when I first had web access, the were no blogs or maes-e to waste my time on, in fact I can't think of any websites I'd actually visit regularly, appart from one by the author Mike Parker which had lots of interesting articles which I liked. I can't find it now though. I also own the Rough Guide to Wales by him which is very good.

Anyway, he's just launched a book called Neighbours from Hell?. The sub-heading 'English attitudes to the Welsh' explains what the book is about. Now, I haven't read the book, so I'm in no position to judge it. According the BBC, Mike Parker got the idea for the book after hearing one comment too many about the Welsh (by English folk)

The idea for the book came when I was reading some snide aside about the Welsh language in one of the London Sunday broadsheet newspapers, something along the lines of: "Welsh has no vowels and sounds like someone spitting".
It dawned on me that I'd read such comments many times before, when researching Welsh history, and that the same tired old cliches were passed down from generation to generation, like a particularly tiresome game of Chinese whispers.

I know exactly what he means, but I hardly want to read a whole book of these examples. The idea of the book has upset people on the Campaign for and English Parliament blog. I can see why they are annoyed, as it appears to paint generalise a whole nation based on the attitudes of a few. BUT the comments just seem to enforce the type of attitudes that are probably contained in the book.
Ok, it took until the 17th comment (out of 97), but soon the old "I walked into a pub and they all suddenly turn to Welsh" line is mentioned. Now I speak Welsh and have been frequenting pubs (legally) in Wales for the last 11 years and never come across this.

Surely if someone has such a problem with English people or the English language (and no doubt there are some), then surely they wouldn't be conversing in the language in the first place if they could also converse in Welsh? Maybe it's not possible for them to get their heads round the idea that there are people in Britain that don't use English as their first language, that somehow Welsh isn't a real language, just something people use to upset and unsettle visitors from England.

Or maybe they do realise that Welsh is still a living day-to-day language, but just don't like the fact. The following comment is quite is quite disturbing:

A long time ago our family visited Ireland. In the depths of the country we entered a restaurant where there were two other customers. Both ladies, both speaking Irish or Erse [Erse! wtf?], if that is the right term. As we entered, an obviously English family, they switched to English. We have always remembered their civility and politeness

Therefore speaking Welsh (or Erse!) is uncivilised!

Two Welsh speakers posted comments in response, one being the author of this article Talking your language, but they were just accused of being bigots and racists themselves!

cymraeg, welsh, english, wales, language
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Welsh language Firefox extensions goodness

2007-02-20T16:32:00.000Z

I've recently downloaded Firefox version 2 (2.0.0.1 to be precise) which now lets me do the following:

Switch languages
Using this Locale Switcher 2.0. The Welsh language pack is here. Meddal.com, who did the translation work give detailed instructions (in Welsh only sorry) here.

There's a few decent on-line Welsh dictionaries, which are handy to bookmark, and which can be implemented into the browser.

Spellchecker
Marmanel has adapted the spellchecker from OpenOffice.org to work with Firefox (see below). Download here (scroll down for Welsh).

Dictionary for your browser.
Mei has used a bit of javascript wizardry and combined it with the Geiriadur.net on-line dictionary, to give you niffty bookmarklets. From this page, 'highlight' and then 'drag and drop' En>Cy (English to Welsh) and Cy>En (Welsh to English) into your browser. You then have two options, either:

highlight a word on the page you're reading and click on the relevant bookmarklet for a translation
or if you're looking for a word which isn't on the page, click on a bookmaklet first to open up a small dialogue box, in which you can type in the word you need translated.

firefox, welsh, cymraeg, localisation, dictioanry, geiriadur
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'Iraq for Sale': Cardiff, 15.2.07

2007-02-15T13:39:00.000Z

The film 'Iraq for Sale' is on at Chapter Arts Centre tonight (15.2.07) at 8:30pm. Evening organised by Oyster Clothing.

iraq, irac, iraq for sale, ffilm, film, caerydd, cardiff, oyster clothing, chapter
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David Rovics / Attila the Stockbroker / Robert Minhinnick: Cardiff 11.2.07

2007-01-29T14:53:00.000Z

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
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Arguments against Welsh independence

2007-01-17T11:18:00.000Z

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

2007-01-08T16:54:00.000Z

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

2007-01-05T13:16:00.000Z

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
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Google get lost in the west

2007-01-03T12:24:00.000Z

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
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Radio Luxembourg + others, near Mold: 22.12.06

2006-12-18T11:00:00.000Z

Bvilliant

Welsh (language) gigs don't happen very often in north east Wales, and when they do, I'm either not there, or Bryn Fôn features in the line-up.

This time, it's my favourite band Radio Luxembourg that'll be performing (along with Derwyddon Dr Gonzo, Mr Huw and Llan Clan). The gig is at the Mercia Inn pub, Mynydd Isa, near Mold, and I'll be there.

welsh, music, mold
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Cilmeri 2006

2006-11-30T17:19:00.000Z

I've never been to Cilmeri myself, maybe this year will be the first time. Here's a translated message from maes-e.

REMEMBER LLYWELYN - SATURDAY 9th OF 2006 AT CILMERI

10.30 Meet outside the Prince Llywelyn pub and travel by car to Llanynys Church for Memorial Service (11.15)

12.30 Return to the pub for lunch

2.30 Llywelyn March and Rally at the Memorial Stone

5.00 Noson Lawen at the pub with traditional session music and then to the Church Hall.

(£5 each if you want to kip over in Cilmeri Village Hall - bring your sleeping bags)

10/12/06

10.00 Builth Wells Golf Club. Place a wreath in memory of Llywelyn and his army, who were dis-armed and then killed at the exact spot in 1282.

11.00 Aberedw Castle - a guided walk and talk around the castle

1.00 Cwm Hir Abbey. Service at Abbey; lecture and refreshments at Phillips Hall afterwards.

Come with friends, with families, with pride. Wear ivy and don't forget waterproof shoes! If yoiu've not been in the past, now is your chance.

Edit.
I didn't go again this year, but there's some great photo's here.

cilmeri, wales, llywelyn
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Two Language Technology blogs from Wales

2006-11-30T14:08:00.000Z

The first, called Datblogu (a play on words of the welsh word for 'Develop', Datblygu). This is the blog of Daniel Cunliffe from the University of Glamorgan, which has been going for a while now and gets comments from people in the web designing world. Here's the blurb:

Daniel Cunliffe muses about minority languages online, IT and language planning, the Welsh language and technology, interaction design, blogging and wikis – among other things.

The second blog is called Murmur, and is by staff of the Language Technology Unit at Canolfan Bedwyr, of the University of Wales Bangor.

We’ll use the blog, hopefully, to tell the world what’s happening in our Unit, and to give sneak previews of some things before they’re officially announced

Both these blogs are important in discussing software that's available in Welsh, and it being discussed in English. The majority of posts on Murmur are in Welsh, but some are bilingual and some are in English - I think they're tweaking with the blog's structure to make it easier to view posts in the language of your choice.

welsh, language, technology, software, localisation, localization, l10, l18, l11, bangor, university, wales, canolfan bedwyr
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Is there an argument against Scottish Independence?

2006-11-27T13:57:00.000Z

If there is, Labour can't actually think of one, instead they try and hide the fact by inventing odd scenarios.

Thanks Jeff for linking to the following statements by Tony Blair taken from The Scotsman (check out the telling comments)

"Two and a half million Scots have relatives in England. Hundreds of thousands work there, some, as you know, in quite important positions."
Mr Blair then turned on the SNP's defence policy, deriding Nationalist claims that Scotland would be a "nuclear-free zone". "So, if England's attacked, the fall-out will stop at Carter Bar?" he asked.
"The Union to me is not a constitution. It's a message to the world."

Also Rhys is feeling a bit un-Christian towards the party after reading Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander's comments on the BBC website

"The Nationalists just don't get it. "While children throughout Europe are learning Cantonese, they (the SNP) want to re-enact Culloden."

If you ask me, it's these Labour British Nationalists who are stuck in the 1700's.

As for Scottish people having family in England, I'm not sure what this has to do with anything and how this would change following independence. My girlfriend's brother has moved to New Zealand (who are no longer bart of the the emipre) to live and work and married a Kiwi. He plans go back home to England this christmas with his new wife, and hoped to visit us in Wales as well. I hope they're still talking to me following the Rugby Union's latest PR blunder this weekend.

scotland, independence, snp, labour, culloden
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Christmas Fair, llancaiach Fawr - 25.11.06

2006-11-20T17:01:00.000Z

I've been busy organising Menter Iaith Caerffili's second Christmas Fair, which will again be held at Llancaiach Fawr, near Nelson on Saturday the 25th of November, 10am - 4pm.

Wales v Liechtenstein (at Wrexham 14.11.06)

2006-11-13T13:36:00.000Z

It was a bad start to my journey up north with the car not starting this morning, but after pushing it to a local garage, it turns out that all that's needed is to replace a few plugs (phew!)

Although it's only a friendly against not very glamorous opppostion, I'm really looking forward to watching Wales and being able to stand on the Kop. The deathly atmospher at the Millstad is enough to put someone off watching football for life.

Tickets have been priced very reasonably, and I belive you can pay on the gate (but check in advance). I'm meeting a few people at the Lager Club beforehand, say helo (to the one with his arms crossed) if you're about .

(Hope I've got the right venue and don't believe everything you read in the Sunday Times - what a cheek, the Racecourse is far from dilapidated!)

Don't you know who I am?

2006-11-10T11:39:00.000Z

Luistxo think's I've become a local celebrity following my translation of Tagzania into Welsh (even if i did manage to completly miss-type his name), but little does he know that I'm already a celeb (of sorts).

According to my English girfriend's aunty, her Canadian daughter's Irish husband saw me on TV in Ireland recently, taking part in a pub quiz. Around two years ago Acen invited me to take part in a Welsh pub quiz, as a camera crew from Globe Trekker wanted to see something 'unique'. It was a good opportunity for me to promote Dysgwyr De Ddwyrain which I'd only just started.
I don't remember much about the quiz, only that Geraint was on my team, that we had free drinks and that the quiz-mistress Jenny Ogwen was rather pissed.

Also a few weeks ago, there was an answerphone message on my mobile from a researcher for Eye on Wales, wanting to talk to me about this blog. I phoned her back, thinking that this was going to be my big break..only to find that all she wanted was another blogger's phone number - I feel used! :-)

(according to Chris, the programme about blogging is on Radio Wales tonight)

Edit.
A well, who want's to be on Radio Wales on a show about 'What is a blog?', I much prefer being mentioned (I think) on a serious techie programme on Gaeilge radio.

The Guardian uncover more evidence that Welsh speakers are bastards

2006-11-02T15:03:00.000Z

You don't speak Welsh? Well, that'll be double the price

A car-park attendant at the town's Royal Victoria Hotel, known only as Pete, was reportedly caught offering a 50% discount to Welsh speakers: if you asked how much it was to park in the local tongue ("Faint mae'n gostio i barcio yma?"), it was £2, whereas those who inquired in English paid double.

As the spokesperson for Cymuned points out, this has been happening for years. And not just in Wales but all over the world, where locals are given a discount. It's the author's tough luck that he lives in London where everyone's out to cash in on everyone else, regardless if they're locals or not!

Edit.
The story also appears in The Daily Mail. It's enlightened readers are also given the opportunity to comment. Enjoy

This has to be my favourite:

We went to Wales ONCE on holiday. We`will never go back.

People were speaking English in one shop we went into. BUT, as soon as they heard us speaking English, they resorted to speaking Welsh, and wouldn't help us with our purchases. I put the goods down, and said, 'Manners maketh man'. I will do my shopping elsewhere.

We cut our holiday in Wales short and went over to France, had a superb time, so good in fact, we bought a`home there. 16 years later, still very happy with our choice.

- Val, London, UK

Another lucky escape there!

Review of Wales' political parties' websites in the Western Mail

2006-11-02T14:26:00.000Z

To coincide with the launch of Plaid Cymru's new website, the Western Mail have asked Jon Ingram, manager of University of Wales Newport's website to review the website of Wales' four main parties. Here are the results in table format (I like tables) :

	L D	P C	Labur	C
Appearnace	2	6	8	9
Usability	4	8	9	7
Speed	6	9	7	10
Special Features	2	0	3	7
Finding education policy	7	8	6	0
Finding local AM	7	3	5	10
Cool factor	1	2	5	9
Total (out of 70)	29	34	43	43

Although it's a light hearted survey, I disagree with some of the scores and scoring method.

Welsk Language (what, you thought I'd miss that?)
There's no mention of the Welsh langugae, appart from Plaid Cymru's website which is 100% bilingual, the other parties would have had very low scores - the Lib Dem site is the second best with almost everything translated, appart from the news, but the 'Cymraeg' link is hidden right at the bottom. Labout have some Welsh pages on their site, but there's no link to them from the home page*. There are some random Welsh pages on the Conservative's site (which isn't really a site, but a sub-site from the British one).

*When Dewi Snelson from Cymdeithas yr Iaith phoned Labout to ask where the Welsh was on their website, the man just said "Look, it's there, alright!" and just hung up! You gotta love 'em.

Appearance
I doubt if the Conservatives deserve 9/10 for the appearance of their site.

Special features
The Conservatives get high marks for using blogs and podcasts (even if they are by members outside Wales) . The Lib Dems get 2 marks for having RSS (for British news) but PC don't get any points even though they have RSS for theri news. The Conservatives also have RSS, but it's very difficult to find. I think it's only fair to point out that UoW Newport's website doesn't have RSS feed.

I was surprised that UKIP (unlike the Tories) have a seperate site for Wales. I wasn't surprised however to find that it was shit and had no Welsh on it.

I knew that the Green Party have a seperate site for Wales, which looks quite nice, but has very little information concerning Wales only and i was dissapointed that there was no Welsh on it.

Oyster's 1st birthday

2006-10-31T11:12:00.000Z

My favourite shop in Cardiff, Oyster is celebrating it's 1st birthday. Why not pop over for a glass of wine (organic of course) and a 10% discount. Here's an e-mail from the shop:

Hi all,

We are excited to announce that Oyster has passed its first year of trading. The enthusiasm and support of you, our customers, has been fantastic, and for that we would like to thank you.

On Sunday 5^th November we are starting Sunday trading for the run up to Christmas. We will be trading from 12.00 to 4.00. Please come and join us for a glass of organic wine and a browse through our winter stock. As a thank you for your support through the year, we will be offering 10% off all purchases on that day only.

We look forward to seeing you.

Jenny and Ceri

www.oysterclothing.co.uk

So if you're in the city centre on Sunday, remember to call into the shop in the Castle Arcade.

cardiff, greencardiff, caerdydd. caerdyddgwyrdd, organic, organig, masnachdeg, fairtrade
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Wynne2.0

2006-10-27T16:53:00.000+01:00

An article titled Welsh Web2.0 by Robert Andrews has appeared on Ping Wales. The title is a little misleading as it's about Web2.0 sites that have been localised into Welsh rather than Web2.0 sites created in Wales. (Can anyone think of a Web2.0 website from Wales apart from curiad.org in Welsh or English?)

Strangely enough, the day after I contributed info towards the article, I read about a Welsh localisation of LibraryThing by Dogfael.

web2.0, cymraeg, welsh, lleoleiddio, localisation, localization, librarything, pingwales
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Having a bit of a Legofest

2006-10-24T18:03:00.000+01:00

In case you're missing out, I'm having a bit of a Lego fest over at my Welsh language blog. This all stemmed from seeing a Lego model at friends' house recently and wanting to re-create the exact model myself - which I know is stored away somewhere at my parents house.

1st post is about wonderfull (and strange) Lego inspired groups on Fickr and some links to fan sites. (I also found a link to builing instructions for the exact model mentioned pictured in the post)

2nd post is a YouTube video of a Lego rave (that's just silly, I know)

3rd post is a link to a Lego fan from Cardiff who's built a really cool replica of the Tannery from Sain Ffagan (where I used to work years ago).

lego, cardiff, caerdydd, youtube, flickr
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Wales - World Nation blog

2006-10-21T22:57:00.000+01:00

I recieved an e-mail from Jeff Rees, asking how to get (rather than if he could have) a link from this blog to his. He certainly went about it the right way, refering to me as ..as you are a leading figure in blogging in Wales ..!

Once I'd stopped laughing, I went to visit Wales - World Nation, and found it to be a good 'un. On it, there are numerous posts about things happening in Wales politically, but also Jeff links to stories about political and linguistic matters from other countries that could be relevant to our situation here in Wales.

A good example is the post about the setting up of Elebide in the Basque Country. The main purpose of Elebide is to protect and promote the lingustic rights of the citizens of the Basque Country, particularly when dealing with the public sector. A good model for Wales?

Back to Jeff's blog. It's part of the Western Mail blog network. Does anyone read any of these? The paper is following the example of other newspapers, but I'm of the opinion that WM readers are less likely to be blog readers compared to people who read the Guardian. Not that this is a reason not to have blogs, but are these bloggers in danger of not blogging and there not being an audience for them?

Mattoidz acoustic gig, Caerffili - 27.10.06

2006-10-20T15:16:00.002+01:00

It's me that's organised this. This'll be the second Welsh language gig we've held in Caerphilly. Around 20-25 came to the last one, which isn't great, but considering it was the first Welsh gig in the county it was ok and as it was in a small upstairs room the atmosphere was really nice. Also, what pleased me was the age of the audience - normally it's older folk who come to our events but the majority were under 30. Hopefully will get even more this time.

Here's Mattoidz' website and myspace, plus videos on Bandit

Goodrich Hotel on curiad.org

Welsh not British

2006-10-19T17:08:00.000+01:00

I took the above photo before Wales' game against Slovakia in Cardiff. In the background you can see a banner with WelshNotBritish.com on it which is one of Cymuned's websites. The organisation uses occasions like internationals to highlight their campaigns. Here's Cymuned's Flickr group which has a lot of striking photo's!

Strangley enough, Eric posted a stori on his blog under the heading Welsh not British this week, which tells a story and gives his view of the way that the BBC Sport treat 'us all' (everyone in Britain that is) as English, and explains how this leads to a certain disliking (to put it mildly) by the Welsh (and Scottish, and Irish and .....) towards English national teams. It would do this 'Welsh' woman no harm to have a read.

(llongyfarchiadau Eric for being named Blog of the Month for November in the When Saturday Comes magazine)

cymuned, cymru, wales, pêl-droed, football, british, britain, england, english, scottish, irish, bbc
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4 arrested at Language Act protest

2006-10-16T13:33:00.000+01:00

Four members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith (Welsh Langugae Society) were arrested on Saturday, at a protest on a new retail park that's opened in the town where many of the new stores had no Welsh at all in them.
Detail's form the society's
More photo's on Flickr here and loads of good one's here.

Naff Nation

2006-10-09T15:06:00.000+01:00

Being Welsh I'm used to seeing my side lose at football (and many other sports come to that), although the scoreline of 1-5 at home to Slovakia was a bit dissapointing. Paul Jones was to blame for a few of the goals, but it really pissed me off when 'fans' gave him ironc cheers each ime he touched the ball towards the end of the match. There was no chanting during the match and to turn on your own team/country is unforgivable and certainly counter productive.

The atmosphere at the 2/3 empty stadium is appaling, but the 28,000+ crowd wouldn't have fitted into any other stadium in Wales, and on the plus side who would have imagined a crowd of 28,000 for a match against Slovakia 10 years ago.

As it happens, the second highest attendance for an international match this weekend after the England v Macedonia match was 56,000 that watched the friendly between Catalunya and Euskadi, despite judges in Spain banning a TV advert promoting the game because it contained the slogan 'One nation, one team'.

Let's hope that Cyprus don't put five goals past us on Wednesday as they did againt Eire on Saturday.

Tyrfe Tawe (free music festival), Swansea 11-14/10/06

2006-10-09T14:46:00.000+01:00

Tyrfe Tawe is a free music festival held at various locations around Swansea. This will be the festival's third year and it's aim is to bring Welsh speaking artists to the second city. The fesival's cheeky logo is "Rhy cŵl i Gaerdydd" (Too cool for Cardiff).
This page has links to all the different venues and artists.

Did the Welsh ever write anything?

2006-09-15T15:29:00.000+01:00

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
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How green are the valleys now?

2006-09-14T09:54:00.000+01:00

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

At last

2006-09-10T08:58:00.000+01:00

"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

2006-09-06T14:52:00.000+01:00

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

2006-09-06T11:49:00.000+01:00

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
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Gwyl Macs 2.9.06

2006-09-01T11:26:00.000+01:00

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
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Welsh for a week eating challenge!

2006-08-16T17:03:00.000+01:00

Nothing to do with Welsh in a Week or The Big Welsh Challenge, but a week long series on BBC Wales called Eat Welsh for a Week means the reporter Hywel Griffiths and a young family from the Vale of Glamorgan can only eat food from Wales for a week.

It's a good idea for a series in my opinion, if I'd known about it earlier it could have been fun joining in and doing the same - of course I could do this any time, just that you need to prepare for it a little in advance. I think that the folowing will become obvious:

We'll have to do without certain things as they can't be grown/produced in Wales (mainly due to climate)
That a surprising amount of food is available from Wales with a little effort put in looking for it

There's a link to Hywel Griffiths' diary, and Day 1 starts badly as Hywel likes a banana and a cup of coffee for breakfast!

local, food, wales, welsh, green, bbc
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Debenhams v Iestyn ap Rhobert

2006-08-04T09:27:00.000+01:00

It's one thing painting slogans, but it appears that Cymdeithas yr Iaith have change tactict this time: English only new Debenhams development sign at Carmarthen removed by Cymdeithas yr Iaith.

The court case Debenhams v Iestyn ap Rhobert will take place on 30th of August

In June Iestyn ap Rhobert of Llangadog was arrested and accused of criminal damage for taking down a large English only sign that marked the location of Debenhams new development in the town of Carmarthen.

Finding your way around the Eisteddfod

2006-08-02T13:00:00.000+01:00

It's sometimes difficult to find out what's going on on the Maes, even if you're fluent. To help welsh learners, Elwa (do they still exist?) have put a booklet together called: Eisteddfod Handbook for Learners and Non - Welsh Speakers (PDF), whichis usefull for those who've not been to the Eisteddfod before.

Two thing I'd recomend that you look out for during the week on the Maes (but this is my personl taste) are:
Performance Stage (if you can't make it to the gigs in the evenings)
Pictiwrs yn y 'Steddfod (a chance to see welsh language short films)

Lots of things about the Eisteddfod have been tagged at deli.icio.us and technorati

eisteddfod2006, eisteddfod, cymraeg, welsh
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What goes on on an Wlpan?

2006-08-02T12:59:00.000+01:00

What goes on on an Wlpan? I don't know but I'm damn sure going to find out.

Wlpan Diary, a blog in English by Tarten Afal (Apple Tart) who's just started the August Wlpan at Aberystwyth.

blog, bloging, wlpan, aberystwyth, ceredigion, cymraeg, welsh
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Blog-gwrdd at the 2006 Eisteddfod

2006-08-01T12:09:00.000+01:00

There's going to be a Blog-gwrdd (Blogmeet) during the Eisteddfod at Cymdeithas Meddalwedd Cymraeg's tent, on Saturday the 12th of August. There's a thread on maes-e about it.

Diolch Rhys Llwyd for the poster

blog-gwrdd, blogio, rhithfro, eisteddfod2006, eisteddfod, blogging, cymraeg, welsh
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The future of Welsh language technology

2006-07-28T13:49:00.000+01:00

There's a new article on Ping Wales called The future of Welsh language technology where there's an interview with Dewi Bryn Jones of Canolfan Bedwyr's Language Technology Unit.

technoleg, technology, canolfan bedwyr, ping wales, cymraeg, welsh
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Not on my (la)neli

2006-07-26T16:42:00.000+01:00

If you want to know how not to pronounce Llanelli, call the town's Focus DIY store on 0844 8001504, listen to the lady on the automated message miss-pronounce the name and then laugh/cry.

If only they'd consulted the how do I say....? website

Has anynoe heard of Schmap?

2006-07-24T15:27:00.000+01:00

I've recieved an e-mail from Schmap.com.

Hi Rhys,

I am writing to let you know that two of your photos have been short-listed for inclusion in our Schmap Bilbao Guide,to be published mid-August 2006.

Clicking this link will take you to a page where you can:
i) See which of your photos have been short-listed.
ii) Submit or withdraw your photos from our final selection phase.
iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides.
iv) Download one of our recently released Schmap Guides.

While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap guides are FREE to download and give their work recognition and wide exposure. Photos are published at a maximum width of 150 pixels, are clearly attributed, and link to high-resolution originals at Flickr.

Our submission deadline is Friday, July 28. If you happen to be reading this message after this date, please still click on the link above (our Schmap destination guides are updated frequently - photos submitted after this deadline will be considered for later releases).

Best regards,

Ali Moss,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

As I'm at Sarah's parents house right now I can't surf the web that much. I don't have any problems with people using my Flickr photo's as long as I get credited, and I'm not exactly an experienced photographer who can command fee's for a photo. I have until friday to decide if I should say yes or no. Can anyone think of a reason why I shouldn't let them use my photo's?

The photo's in question are:
Arriaga antzokixa
Plaza Nueva

Cardiffpedia (wiki)

2006-07-21T12:42:00.000+01:00

I've contributed two articles for Cardiffpedia, which is a new Wiki similar to wicipedia, but with more interesting stuff like lists of pubs ;-), but still has 'proper' information on it as well!
There's not a lot on it at the moment, but as with all Wiki's, anyone can contibute. The interface is slightly easier than wikipedia in my opinion, although I have'nt spent much time on that to be honest, I really should as it's a wonderful concept.

cardiffpedia, cardiff, caerdydd, wiki
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The Chris Cope effect

2006-07-18T09:50:00.000+01:00

Last night, Sarah and I went to the Mochyn Du to meet Chris Cope [.en] and his wife Rachel. I'd already met Chris last October when he was over for an interview with the university, and now he and his wife have moved here so that he can start his degree in Welsh in September. Geraint, Mair and Sara (who I'd not met before) were also there.

Soon after we arrived a woman came up to our table and asked "are you Chris Cope?". Now this sort of thing is no good for Mr Cope's ego, I get the impression he loves this sort of attention. At first I thought she was a welsh learner herself who reads his blog, but she was a reporter from the BBC.

She appologised for interepting but Chris was more than happy to be interviewed. Chris explained that he'd started learning Welsh using the BBC's Learn Welsh website, but also how discovering welsh langugae blogs has been a great help to him as he can show his Welsh to others (written on his blog and orally via podcast) and recieve feedback from welsh speakers.

When I was learning I used to make faces. I would look a bit freaky

I'm not sure how much the reporter understood about blogging, but I made sure she had Geraint's name and mine and our blog addresses to be included in the article (Mair and Sara hadn't arrived by then). Here's the article on the web, Geraint and I are mentioned, but there's no link to our blogs unfortunately (sob sob).

Of course I'm an old hand at appearing on the BBC ;-)

blog, bloging, cymraeg, welsh, bbc, rhithfro
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Welsh football blog

2006-07-12T18:43:00.000+01:00

Thanks Mei for blogging about Eric the Red's Welsh Football, which is a blog dedicated to Welsh football. If the first posts are anything to go by this is going to be a great blog about a subject which isn't blogged about widely at the moment. Eric discusses all sorts of things from serious incidents like recent trouble betweem Fflint Utd and FC United fans at a friendly to Panini stickers shortage in Gwynedd :-) .

pêl-droed, cymru, welsh, football, wales
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Not in Cheshire

2006-07-05T12:43:00.000+01:00

Original size
The above article appeared in the Flintshire edtition of the Evening Leader on the 29/6/06.
It mentions Balchder Cymru, nationalist group from the north east who've begun a 'Not in Chshire' campaing to get companies in the area who advertise themselves as businesses based in Chester, to state that they're actually based in Fflintshire and Wales.
I've also noticed this trend while driving along the A55, one example being the Holiday Inn, Chester West, which is about 9 miles from border with England and about 12 miles from Chester.

Here's Balchder Cymru's blog, how about subscribing to it?

balchder, balchder cymru, balchdercymru, siryfflint, caer, chester, cheshire, flintshire, wales, welsh, pride, not in cheshire
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Shearing

2006-07-03T09:40:00.001+01:00

On Saturday I helped with the shearing at Hafodty. Hafodty is where my dad lived when he was a boy, and when my parents moved back to the Vale of Clwyd just before I was born, the land at Hafodty happened to come up for sale.
Although I was also raised on a farm, I'm not really a farm boy at all, and would hate shearing day. I never thought I would, but I'm now missing the area I was brought up in and as my parents are nearing retirement, I'm thinking more and more about the future of the farm, and how I'll miss events like shearing and harvesting.
I not cut out to be a farmer (I'm not that good with animals), and my parents never pushed my into the industry, but I'm ready to leave Cardiff and move back to my roots. My girfriend and I are both keen on the move, but we're worried about work. We're trying to think of things we could do, possibly using the farm land - things we've been thinking about are alternative crops or cultural tourism centred around the Welsh language. We've got lots to think about!

If the above photo gives you the urge, there's more sheep picture's at the Flickr group Obsessive sheep photographers.

shearing, sheep, farm, farming, wales, cymru, llannefydd, denbigh, vale of clwyd
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Is it just me?

2006-06-08T13:29:00.000+01:00

I don't care what you say, I've had it up to here (points to chest) with all the England flags in stores and pubs in Wales and billboard adverts telling us to get behind 'our' team. I'm all for the English flying their in England and am surprised at the snobby remarks aimed at patriotic English fans by certian parts of the (English based) media, but why do firms insist on treating customers in Wales as though we're also English?

I'm not suggestig an out right ban on English merchandise as Matalan have imposed on their stores in Scotland, but just treating England gear the same as they would with any other country's stuff. Here's a picture of a sport's shop in Aberystwyth
Anyway, there's now a Flickr Group called Lloegr yng Nghymru 2006 (England in Wales 2006) where you can add your photos of English flags/adverts in Wales.

I get the impression this doesn't happen in Scotland, as one Digbeth takes exceptin to the Mars 'Believe' campaign also being run in Scotland. But Digbeth points out "The Mars thing is notable because it's a clumsy exception". You lucky, lucky bastards! ;-)

Drink and help save Wrexham FC

2006-06-02T12:09:00.000+01:00

Despite the good news regarding a new owner for the club, Wrexham Supporters Trust are still keen to raise more money to help the club out with running costs and also to invest in the club to secure influnece as shareholders in the future. Here's a contribution that anyone (over the age of 18 of course!) can make, which is having a drink for the club.

From a press release:

Wrexham Supporters Trust and the Jolly Brewer Microbrewery have combined to produce 2 new beers, one is names "Benno" after the 90's goal machine and the other is names "Tommy" after Wrexhams greatest centre forward Tommy Bamford.

How about asking your local landlord/lady to see if he/she will take a keg or twelve?

The lagers will go on sale around the [Wrexham] area on June 17th. Any pubs wishing to stock them should contact Peni Coles on 01978 261884.

wst, wrecsam, wrexham, pêl-droed, football, codi arian, fundraising, cymru, wales, cymraeg
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10 years of shame: Queen's visit to Aberystwyth remebered

2006-05-30T20:58:00.000+01:00

Outrage as Lee Trundle opens extension at Cardiff leisure centre

Imagine a leisure centre in Cardiff has had a bit of a facelift and for the opening they'd like a high profile personality. For some strange reason the manager happens to be a Jack and his mate has Lee Trundle's mobile number. What the hell, this is his big chance to be bezzy mates with the squeaky one, so he invites him along even though he knows damn well this will probaly piss off a lot of the staff at the leisure centre who are Cardiff City fans, not to mention the Cardiff public.

Of course this wouldn't happen, but ten years ago today, Derec Llwyd Morgan, the modern day Dic Siôn Dafydd decided to invite the Queen of England to open a new extension at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. Of all the national institutions in Wales, the Library is probably the Welshest (if there's such a word), and it also happens to be located next to Neuadd Pantycelyn, the university halls of residence. This hall is probably the most radical and nationalist of all Welsh students halls - only one thing could happen!

The above are the back and front of a t-shirt produced by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg to celebrate the day. The back has a montage of the headlines taken from different newspapers across the UK the following day. The protestors were condemed, but for the first time in decades the true views of the Welsh people were made public and aired around the world.

As there wasn't much happening on the web in those days, I can find very little bout it, apart from this from the BBC programme catalogue.

I missed all the fun as I'd just finished my two year course at Coleg Llandrillo and had just started my summer job working for in a local hotel for a bunch of royalists from south east England, but I was glued to the radio all day awaiting the revolution so to speak as my couisn was a first year student at Aber at the time and had been telling me for weeks what was planned. Another blogger called Rhys remembers being kept home for the day as a choir from his school was to perform for the Queen, but his and two other families kept their children at home.

Edit.

Dogfael, another Aber resident mentions how he spent the day at an alternative event in the town's famous Coop's pub, where a drag Queen was presented with flowers by a special young lady (see link below 'From posies to protests').

I've come across links to two articles, both from the Torygraph, so they will have a slighly different slant to this blog!
Protest halts Queen's visit
From posies to protests

aberystwyth, queen, 1996, welsh, wales, protest, nationalism, republicanism, eggs, twlltinircwin, cymru,
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Euskal Herria Part 1: Another 5 minutes of fame

2006-05-29T21:51:00.000+01:00

My Basque adventure began before I even left Wales. To coincide with Basque side Biarittz reaching the Heiniken Cup final in Cardiff and the Welsh football team visiting the Basque Country for a friendly, Luistxo Fernandez of Code Syntax wrote an article called Teknofilo euskaldunak eta galestarrak ('Basque and Welsh Technofile' - I think) on Sustatu.com, a kind of Basqe language version of Slashdot (it's all about scale as Luistxo keeps reminding me!).

The article compares the development of the Rhithfro (the Welsh speaking internet world - literally means 'Virtual vale/valley') with whats happening in Basque. Among other things such as Cymuned's visit to the Basque Country, the article mentions my Welsh blog and that I helped translate Tagzania into Welsh.

Don't ask me to translate any of it as I don't understand much Basque apart from 'Eskerrik asko', 'Bai' and 'Non daude komunak?' ('Thank you', 'Yes' and 'Where's the toilet?' - thanks BBC), but my ego was nicely massaged and seeing my rather uninspiring Anglicized surname appearing as something exotic like Wynnek cheered me up.

Kaixo, I'm back

2006-05-25T15:01:00.000+01:00

I've been back from the Basque country for 2 days now, but I've somehow managed to catch a cold and I'm feeling very sorry for myself, so much so I've not blogged about it yet - I have'nt even downloaded my photo's off the camera yet! Info about the trip and some photo's will be here soon I promise. In the meantime here's a photo of me and a few other Welsh fans taken from the Deia newspaper.

Copied from the Madarch Eithafol (Extreme Mushrooms) blog.

galestarrakgara, basg, basque, bilbo, bilbao, cymru, wales, football, euskalherria, euskal her
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You can't eat menus

2006-05-12T13:24:00.000+01:00

When is a bilingual website not a bilingual website?
Well there are two main types:

Static sites that have Welsh/English options (or any other two languages) on pages but in reality most pages are only available in one language.
Dynamic sites which can be viewed in either language, but where the search facility can only be used in one language.

This post is inspired by a recent comment left on this blog by Bronkichat who was surprised that when using Traveline Cymru’s website for planning a visit to Wales, it didn’t recognise the Welsh placenames she was inputting. I’d noticed this myself while using that site in the past and also Arriva Train Wales’ site (looking for Caerdydd (Cardiff) to Abertawe (Swansea) on the Welsh interface give's this result). Dafydd, who works in the IT industry and knows more about what's possible and what isn't has highlighted many similar examples on his blog, a recent one being BT’s new Welsh version of it’s on-line directory. If you look for a pub (tafarn) in Cardiff (Caerdydd), you’re presented with a list of agricultural contacts – it’s a good job I already know my way around the capital’s drinking establishments!
Yes, they’ve made an effort, but a half-arsed one which isn’t good enough. I’m not that knowledgeable about technical stuff, but I do know that it’s possible to have database driven sites in more than one language. With regards to placenames in more than one language, there’s an on-line ‘open’ project called Geonames which provides data, and there are numerous companies in Wales and beyond who provide off-the-shelf Content Management Software (CMS).

Static websites are even more common and less excuseable, the main culprits being Welsh local authorities (LA’s). Talking about the ‘legal’ obligation for a moment, the websites I’ve mention earlier belong to the public transport and utilities sector, both of which have been privatised since the last Welsh Language Act of 1993 and there’s a lot of confusion as to whether or not they fall under the Act. The 22 LA’s in Wales on the other hand all came into existence after 1993, and with the changes in IT over that period are now on their 2nd or 3rd re-vamp, yet Welsh language provision is still seen as an annoying afterthought. Many of these offer Welsh or English options on front pages or menu’s but within one or two clicks on the Welsh option you either find yourself looking at English content or at a depressingly familiar message:

WELSH - This site is currently being developed.

Newport still hasn't even managed to add a Cymraeg button yet though, just some kind of appology at the bottom of the home page.

welsh, cymraeg, internet, translation, websites, bilingual, welsh language act, localisation, geonames, placenames
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Welsh Language Act Rally, Aberystwyth: 10/6/06

2006-05-11T10:21:00.000+01:00

Simultaneous translation available during main speeches. If you'd like to place a banner similar to the one at the top of this blog (in English or Welsh) on yours, you can get the code form this thread on maes-e.

To book a place on a bus to the event, contact Angharad for buses from the south and Dewi for buses from the north.

Share photo's and stories from the trip to the Basque Country

2006-05-04T11:45:00.000+01:00

There's uncertainty again over whether the basque Country v Wales match will take place on May the 20th as the Spanish leauge has appealed to FIFA to hold all the last fixtures on the same day. But in the meantime I've had an idea!

(Yawn!) Ok Rhys, what is it?
I recently set up a group on Flickr for fans on teh trip to share photos. I'd have liked to go a step further and have a website that concentrated on the trip where people could post their blog posts onto. The idea behind this was a mashup website called SpyBlogak, which was devised by a Basque as it happens to follow a web event at Biblao last month. Sadly I wouldn't know where to start creating such a thing, so I forgot about the idea.

But...
Yesterday, Deiniol blogged about SuprGlu, a DIY mashup site, where you can add feed from your blog, Flick account, del.icio.us bookmarks etc to all appear in one place. It's a bit like BlogCymru in a way as an aggregator, but instead of reading contents from different Welsh blogs, a SuprGlu account displays content from your own sites or selected feeds.

I don't think I'll use this service for use with my blog and Flickr account as I prefer people to visit them individually, but I can see potential for sharing photo's and blog posts about either specific issues or better still about a particular event that a few people would blog about?

Everyone still awake?
I've just set up a Suprglu account for the trip to the Basque Country, which can be seen here:

Galestarrak gara

How does it work exactly?
I'm not the best person to ask, but it uses tags and feed
At the moment, what will appear will be:

Any blog post which discusses the trip (for this to work, the blogger must use the tag or term 'galestarrakgara' which will then be picked up by a Technorati search)
Photo's placed in the Galestarrak gara group on Flickr
Locations tagged with galestarrakgara on Tagzania
Bookmarks tagged with galestarrakgara on del.icio.us
Anything else you'd like to suggest

Why choose the tag 'galestarrakgara'?
Well it means 'We're Welsh'/'We're from Wales' in Basqu. I admit it's an unfamiliar word, but it's worth choosing an unique word as choosing tags like 'Welsh', 'Cymru' 'Football' or 'I love Robbie Savage' would pick up loads of irrelevant links.

I don't know how to tag/can't be arsed tagging.
Fair enough, but if you can just include the word 'galestarrakgara' somewhere within your blog post when discussing the trip (at the end maybe), then it should still work. Also another Rhys Wynne has devised a handy little programme called the Technorati Tag Generator which makes tagging much easier.

galestarrakgara, basg, pêl-droed, suprglu, blogging, taging
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Things to do and perv at this weekend

2006-04-28T11:50:00.000+01:00

According to the Western Mail, if you're looking for something to do over the Bank Holiday weekend, how about a trip to the Botanic Gardens?

I must point out that it was my girfriend who pointed this out to me, which can only be a good thing!