Radio Cwmni is back - and you can listen online.I'll be joining Sharon and the team tomorrow afternoon.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
On Friday, the world said goodbye to Studs Terkel.Studs might not have been so well known on this side of the Atlantic but in the United States they are paying tribute to a "true American hero".Studs was a performer, a journalist, an oral historian and a "rabble-rouser".McCarthy tried to have him testify against leftist friends; he refused and never compromised on his principles. He was sacked from one job, quickly found another and never stopped working until his death at the age of 96.Oh, yes, and he picked up a Pulitzer Prize along the way.While much of his work centred on his beloved Chicago, he was very much for "ordinary" people everywhere, not just in the US.He recorded the stories of hundreds of people over the years, and was a writer of great compassion and humanity.He may be...
Who couldn’t enjoy Western Mail’s ‘Fast Growth 50’, its magazine round-up of the most successful companies in Wales?Certainly not Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, academic, Western Mail business guru, creator of the ‘Fast Growth 50’ programme and, yes, blogger.A full-page of the 34-page magazine is devoted to a celebration of this “passionate champion who is ahead of his time”.He’s a man of many talents, there is no denying. After all, who was the editor of ‘Fast Growth 50’?Why, none other than Professor Dylan...
Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones is to investigate whether The Big Issue – which recently located much of its Wales operation to Scotland – is receiving funding from the Welsh Language Board.Responding to a letter from Leanne Wood AM outlining her concerns about the company’s decision to make its Wales editor redundant, Mr Jones said he shared her concern about the future of Welsh language content in the magazine.“I am also concerned with the intention to move Big Issue Cymru jobs to Glasgow,” he said. “It is important to safeguard Welsh language content in the magazine. I will therefore ask the Welsh Language Board to investigate this issue further and will get back to you on this matter.“I understand that Big Issue Cymru has applied in the past to the Welsh Language...
It's not often initiatives we launch as Ministers get to be the subject of the Radio Four Today programme's Thought for the Day, but thanks to the Rev Roy Jenkins our Valleys Homecoming Initiative in 2010 has done so.You can read Roy's words here, or listen here.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
A clever bit of photoshopping ages a generation of Rhondda Fach footballers by 30 years instantly on the S4C's lleaethpawb siteYou are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
There used to be quite a good programme about politics on ITV Wales called Waterfront, presented by Jo Kiernan and then Lee Waters. It was replaced a year or so back by a less interesting programme called Sharp End. Now ITV Wales has pulled the plug, meaning that there is even less competition for the BBC in political reporting.This is what we have all feared.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
The last song was, of course, Space Pirates. That's totally obscure and only for people who sit around in the middle of the day trying to think up excuses not to write. I also watch a lot of Welsh-language children's television. Which kind of segues to an e-mail I got last week from someone who works on the Welsh-language programme "Hacio." It's a current-events programme targeted at younger viewers. I have never quite bought into the "news for young people" concept. Does it really work? Do kids actually care? In my years as a member of the Global Media Conspiracy people were always trying this sort of thing -- I even once auditioned to be a presenter for such a show -- but I can't think of one that's ever really worked. It's all crazy camera angles and no desks and people with hip hair,...
One of the things that is always missed in talking about the Hurricane Katrina debacle is the fact that for many of the people who live in hurricane-prone areas, these storms are, in fact, lots of fun. Take a look at this video of preparations for Hurricane Dolly near where most of my extended family lives and you'll see that people from the Gulf Coast of Texas respond to deadly storms by jumping into the ocean. I have never felt so much regional pride (a). My cousin, Josh, is in their midst. You can see him in his shirtless glory at 00:45 in the video. Is he panicking? Is he fleeing? No, he's surfing."Intense," he says. "That's the one word I got for it. You're out there, it's like a washing machine."On a side note, I hate Josh. Look at him. Strapping young fella. Bastard. Why didn't I...
An anonymous poster (why is it that I get annoyed when people post anonymously?) asked me the other day if I know Christopher Glamorganshire, a blogger in Wales who was sacked (FTYPAH: "fired") from his job in the Cynulliad because of his blog. FTYPAH: the Cynulliad is the Welsh legislative body -- a sort of toy version of British Parliament.I don't think I know Glamorganshire personally; he is one of my Facebook friends, but that means nothing -- Al Franken is one of my Facebook friends. Welsh people are obsessed with giving themselves pseudonyms, but then strangely expecting you to know who they are regardless, so it's quite possible that I hang out with Glamorganshire all the time and he just hasn't told me. I don't think so, though. According to Alwyn ap Huw (may or may not be his...
Frustratingly, my brain decided to wake me up at 2 a.m. this morning so I could lie in bed and ponder possible scenarios for this Saturday's "Doctor Who" finale. Really, of all the things I could have been doing, I had to spend an hour or so pondering Donna Noble's significance in the weakly-put-together universe of a man who enjoys 70s disaster films and a fair bit of camp. But there we are.I am theorizing that Donna turns out to be a time lordess or some such thing. This would be another one of those things where a time lord is hiding in a human form that is totally unaware of being anything else. The Doctor did this last year, as did the Master. If this were the case it would validate all the "Donna is gonna die" stuff, because effectively she does die. Remember the emotional turmoil...
Have I ever told you about my utterly strange job interview in which the interviewer walked out on me? I was applying to work for an internet company that would go belly-up about a month later. This was in the final throes of the internet boom, when people were still being paid to do fuck all. Indeed, the job I would eventually land paid me to do so very little that I started learning Welsh just to keep my mind active. And we all know how that turned out. The internet company in question was one of those that believed in the catch-all website concept and was trying to build one targeted at college students. There persists to this day the ridiculous idea of the portal website, a site from which a user embarks on his or her internet journey, or which encompasses the whole of his or her...
Yesterday's Guardian leader claimed there is now a Tory councillor in the Rhondda.No, there isn't.There is a Tory on RCT, representing Llantwit Fardre.The Guardian's journalists should get out more.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Maybe some of the messages we have been giving the BBC hierarchy about the UK network'sfailure to get to grips with Britain post-devolution have hit home.Today on Breakfast News they had Colette Hume from Cardiff explaining the Wales and England teachers' strike, and on two occasions Bill Turnbull was heard to talk about elections for all the Welsh and some of the English councils. In that order. Then they had a report on the Northern Irish economy with Declan.Of course, it could just be a flash in the pan: sustaining it will be the test.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Last September, I told the story of how the Rhondda Lives project had come about.Today Rhondda Lives has gone live and you can see the output here on the BBC Wales website.The project was launched at Valleys Kids who have run the project in collaboration with BBC Wales's digital story-telling team and the National Library's National Screen and Sound Archive, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. I was delighted to see the wonderful films generated by the story-tellers, and also to welcome the National Librarian, Andrew Green and BBC Wales Head of Strategy Cath Allen to the Rhondda.We also opened the refurbished vestry in the Soar Ffrwdamos complex and the writer Elaine Morgan did the honours along with Mrs Parry from the Soar Ffrwdamos congregation.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed...
Like most of Wales, we awoke this morning to find a 1cm covering of snow outside - which was totally unexpected as the forecast had been for 'light snow showers'.Having been up since around 7am DDWT Junior and I got to see most of the snow and the snow showers, as by the time Mrs DDWT surfaced from bed (around 9am) most of it had started to melt away in the warm 'ish spring sunshine. Come mid-morning and you'd never have said it had snowed at all!With the afternoon sunshine, I decided to take the family down to Swansea's new central library - which they hadn't yet seen. Having been before I was in little doubt that they'd be impressed and I was proved correct as we spent the best part of an hour and a half in the children's area alone!It really is a super library and if you are ever in...
No this isn't an explanation as to why people from Swansea are referred to as 'Jacks', it's about a book I've just finished reading.The book was called 'The Swansea Jacks - From Skinheads to Stone Island' and was as the title might suggest about football hooliganism or terrace culture as it is often referred to nowadays. Now you're probably wondering why the hell I'd want to read a book of this nature.Well there are several reasons to be quite frank... I'm a Swansea fan and am intrigued by our 'hooligan element' and their literary skills, I was curious if I knew/recognised any of the 'faces' (which I did) but most of all it was because I have an interest in the world of football hooliganism - purely from a psychology perspective I can assure you!As an ex-semi professional rugby player...
Penrhys based community radio station, Rhys Radio, takes to the air for another month from Monday March 3rd. It follows a successful first broadcast last September. You can find the interview I did last time round here.Rhys Radio is part of the RCT Community Radio Project (along with Radio CwmNi in Treherbert and Dapper FM in Penywaun) which aims to make Rhondda Cynon Taff the centre of excellence for Community Radio here in Wales. It follows the award of more than £270k funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Communities@one programme to fund the project.Communities @One aims to help people in Communities First areas make the most of new technology. The programme is jointly funded through the European Union’s Objective 1 & 2 programme and the Welsh Assembly Government....
Aberdare Blog started as an experiment in communicating views of Aberdare and views from Aberdare. It remains an experiment in communication open to participation. Jane from Mountain Ash blogged the lead story on the Mountain Ash Opencast plans this week. Why not blog your own story from Aberdare today ?
Here is a list of the Top 100 tags used to describe posts on Aberdare Blog… if we haven’t blogged on a subject close to your heart, you can fix that yourself. If you prefer to blog a story with photos or video, that’ll do nicely thank you, send them today.
abercynon aberdare Aberdare Town aberdare_park Ann Clwyd Baptists bbc bbc_wales Books Caerphilly capitalism cardiff Ceredigion Chapels charity christine_chapman christmas christmas_2005 Church coal comedy...
In
Books,
Cymraeg,
People,
Environment,
Humour,
Entertainment,
fun,
Labour,
cardiff,
Iraq,
Events,
Christmas,
comedy,
caerphilly,
ceredigion,
capitalism,
leisure,
Corporations,
Leighton Andrews,
Journalism,
Ann Clwyd,
Aberdare Town,
energy,
aberdare,
economics,
hirwaun,
charity,
llwydcoed,
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consumerism,
Church,
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chapels,
Baptists,
aberdare_park,
Fishguard,
cynon_valley_leader,
elvis_preseli,
geraint_benney,
coal,
Leanne_Wood,
labour_party,
bbc_wales,
Cynon-Valley,
aberdare blog,
christine_chapman,
christmas_2005,
groups,
Blogging,
History,
BBC,
Media
WORLD AGAINST WAR
Cardiff Peace Conference
Monday 3 March at 7.30 pm
Law Building
Cardiff University
Park Place
Hosted by CARDIFF STOP THE WAR COALITION
WITH SPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE INCLUDING:
HASSAN JUMAA, Leader of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (Iraq)
ROSE GENTLE, Military Families against the War (Scotland)
IBRAHIM MOUSAWI, Editor of Al-Intiqad, Hezbollah Newspaper (Lebanon)
ANNE GREAGSBY, Co-ordinator, No2MilitaryAcademy Campaign (Wales)
PROFESSOR JUSTIN LEWIS, Head of Cardiff School of Journalism (Wales)
Chaired by LEANNE WOOD AM
FREE ENTRY! ALL WELCOME!
Artwork by Carlos Latuff...
In
Politics,
Unions,
Leanne Wood,
cardiff school of journalism,
carlos latuff,
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military spending,
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stop the war,
cardiff,
Iraq,
Corporations,
Journalism,
Wales,
Media
I was born in Texas. You might have picked that up. And in Texas, from the moment we take that first earthly breath it is drilled into us that our state is the best place, with the best people, ever. Indeed, the indoctrination may begin sooner -- it is not at all hard for me to imagine a cowboy standing and screaming Lone Star patriotism at my mother's stomach. That famous scene in "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" is factually based.I'm more mature now, I've seen a little of the world; I realise that Texas is not actually better than every place else. There are some places that, in their own sort of way, are as good as Texas -- for example, Minnesota and Wales. But having said that, it's important to remember that no place is better than Texas. Any persons having the audacity to claim otherwise...
A warm welcome back to Treherbert's Radio Cwmni, the Rhondda's first dedicated community radio station, which goes back on air today for 4 weeks. The station broadcasts on 87.8FM in the Upper Rhondda Fawr and will also stream live on the internet. The broadcasts are funded by the Assembly Government's Communities@one programme.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
I spoke at the OFCOM/NIACE Dysgu Cymru E-Democracy conference yesterday, with a significant focus on the Welsh Assembly Government-supported Communities At One programme. My theme was You can't have e-democracy without e-inclusion.Mediasnackers has a write-up. I will post more on this in due course.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
I explained in December why I had finally succumbed and gone on Facebook.The South Wales Echo has now done an article about some of the AMs on Facebook (though the headline calls us MPs), written by Ben Glaze, who is, er, on Facebook.Like a few other Trinity Mirror journalists I could name!We're watching you too guys....You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
My introductory video for the Commuities@one website has now been posted up. Communities@One is the Assembly-supported scheme to tackle digital exclusion.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
A few weeks ago, I came up with the brilliant money-making scheme of trying to set myself up as a Welsh-language pundit for the upcoming U.S. election. At first I thought to pitch the idea to Barn, but I already write for them, so I know they haven't got any money. Then I thought I might take back the mean things I've said about Y Byd's total and embarrassing incompetence, and try to work myself into their good graces in time for their March launch date. But then they "revised" their launch date again -- because they are totally and embarrassingly incompetent. (a)The BBC might throw me on the radio in a pinch, I thought, but my strange fanatical devotion to the Beeb means I would want to actually prepare. I don't have the time or energy to be a legitimate pundit. Especially considering...
Today wearing my Ministerial hat I launched the new Communities@One website.Communities@one is the Assembly's scheme that helps people use technology in the communities that need it most in Wales. The project provides support to community groups and voluntary sector organizations to engage with technologies in ways relevant to their lives. It includes a grant fund to help groups access technologies. The project is managed for us by the Wales Co-op. It is one of our approaches to tackling digital exclusion.The Communities@one website also has a blog written by the Assembly-funded community brokers who work for the scheme.You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
I felt too many politicians were joining Facebook so I refrained from doing so. However, there is now a Cardiff City Fans Facebook group so I have finally joined.Also Chris Bryant MP has a useful Transform the Rhondda discussion group there too.By the way, is it rude to poke?You are subscribed to an RSS Feed from Leighton Andrews. You can send your views direct to Leighton via...
Calling all cyclists - don't forget to vote for Sustrans' Connect2 in the People’s £50 Million Lottery Giveaway. Connect2 is a UK-wide project that aims to improve local travel in 79 communities by creating new walking and cycling routes for those everyday journeys. In terms of south west Wales, this would mean valuable funding for improving the cycle link at Afon Tawe bridge, Clydach and Gowerton, Penclawdd and Crofty. There are many similar projects throughout Wales.So PLEASE vote now and help improve the already amazing cycle paths and routes in Wales.I had a pleasant surprise today to see that this very blog had been given a mention on the British Heart Foundation blog - as a result of my ramblings about the Swansea Santa jog.You can read the article for yourself here, but...
