Amy Heydenrych Can't Write About London......But She Can Write A Great Thriller

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well here's the book.

Amy Heydenrych

Let's start with the criticism.

This book is mainly set in London. But really it's a London so sketchy that you could have easily put [insert major city here] and [insert areas of major city here] and no one would've noticed any change in the plot at all. Ditto those few scenes set outside the capital.

But it does not matter.And let me make it clear how far it does not matter. This novel is the best thriller I've read in a long while.

Realism of locale in this type of thriller does not matter as long as what's written is not stupid. What's important is the combination of plot, character and the ability to make you the reader want to  turn the page.

The plot is essentially an assault on a woman by a man and the background/consequences from that. Seems to be same old,same old doesn't it? However the woman (Holly) is a successful wellness blogger (giving the story a contemporary twist) and the man (Tyler) is not serial killer of women of the month. Holly was targeted. It's that that forms part of the basis of the plot.

The book will hold your attention. Which is incredible given that Holly and Tyler are the two main characters and whilst there are a few others for the most part they're peripheral. Indeed you could argue that the third most important character in the book is actually social media.

For reasons I won't explain Ms Heydenrych is capable of playing with your loyalties as a reader until the climax. You're not sure where you stand. That she was capable of doing this through the book shows exactly how good a writer Ms Heydenrych is.

Probably too late for summer holiday reading. But if you need a book to while away the time during the boring parts of the Christmas break this will be for you.

Until the next time.

Is The Reason I'm Suddenly Into Watching Comic Book Shows The Fear Of A Hard Brexit?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yesterday. Whilst the wife was out for the evening helping a friend I and daughter spent the time watching comic book shows on the TV. And we had a good time. I'll chat about the shows we watched later on (though some of them I've chatted about before) but as we were viewing the thought entered my brain.

"Why after all these years am I into comic book heroes again?"

I had assumed as I've written about before simple nostalgia was the reason. The Flash seems to be like a comic book made flesh. Fantastic in effect and plot but done in a way that your belief as an adult is suspended.

Now though I'm wondering something completely different. I'm wondering whether in the face of Brexit, with the possibility looming of a hard Brexit (where even today the morning's headlines are of warnings from the NHS over a shortage of medicines) my subconscious is seeking some sort of rescue where impending disaster is averted at the last minute.

I've not hidden my desire that the UK should be broken up. But as I've also said no nationalist wants the UK to be broken up because of a hard Brexit (even if it turns out that it's the best thing to do and has to be done) because of the misery that the hard Brexit would have inflicted upon families across Britain (except of course for the rich Brexiteers who helped cause this and would have probably gone into foreign exile by then).

What the United Kingdom as a whole needs is a hero/heroine. What it's getting are villains and idiots.

And so to yesterday evening. Daughter and I watched:

The Flash: Having gone through series one daughter and I have moved to season two. And it works. We watched two episodes and daughter was quicker to understand the possibilities of parallel Earths than me. Episode three ended with the return of Tom Kavanagh as chief villain(?) ...we shall see.

(As a quick aside I must see if I can download Ed, a show Tom Kavanagh starred in. One of those quietly seemingly simple but effective shows not unlike the Gilmore Girls that America does produce well).

Krypton: This was the new show. Where the hero is apparently Superman's grandfather. Being in his twenties he doesn't know that yet. Instead he's doing what men in their twenties do. Drinking, fighting and having sex (thankfully not shown - my finger was hovering on the remote at that point).

Krypton is, interestingly run as a dictatorship at that time through a mysterious masked figure. It also has wealthy and poor areas. It is, essentially a futuristic Gotham city.

Everybody speaks in British or Irish accents, except an American from the future. He warns Superman's grandfather of the arrival of Brainiac (I remember him from the comic books) from the future intent of destroying Krypton and therefore destroying Superman before he's even born.

That is the clever part of the plot. The Batman prequel on TV, Gotham, suffers because whilst you may not know the route you know the destination. You know the child Bruce Wayne is going to be the Batman for example. No mystery there. So the idea that a villain from the future is coming back to change history at the very least creates some tension.

Worth moving onto episode two anyway.

Krypton: A divided society facing impending danger. That's a Brexit metaphor. As is...

Black Lightning : A society teetering just this side of social collapse. It is realism with a fantastical edge alright.

I've chatted before that Black Lightning is not just a superhero for the Afro American community but also for mature men with wife and kids everywhere. He's tired. In this episode he faints. He takes medication. He's determined but weary.

(As an aside wife came back during the middle of the episode and on a particular scene. I told her to look and see if she recognised the actor playing a newspaper editor.
"Is that Huggy Bear?" she said.
And yes it was. Huggy Bear from the seventies cop show Starsky and Hutch.
Daughter looked as if we had just had a conversation in Mandarin)

But although a prequel where the original was based on a comic book perhaps the closest metaphor to a hard Brexit is a programme I've been watching without my daughter.

Fear The Walking Dead. Where slowly but surely disaster strikes and society as we know it is gone forever.

And that is definitely a hard Brexit metaphor.

Until the next time.

The Dangers Of Emigration From Wales : Pobol Y Cwm Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Before I start I'm not talking about last week's episodes of the Welsh language soap opera Pobol Y Cwm. We will as a family be watching it hopefully today. No I'm chatting about the previous two week's (with a break for the Eisteddford) editions.

It is amazing to me writing a blog how sometimes a post can be prompted by something initially innocuous. It was an article that appeared on my timeline on Twitter by Niamh Towey about emigration from the Irish Republic from the perspective of someone who stayed in Ireland. It is worth a read (https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/i-m-sad-that-so-many-of-my-clever-talented-friends-had-to-leave-ireland-1.3592182)

Now as regular readers of the blog will know. My mind sometimes works in tangents. I've written on a purely anecdotal basis on the dangers of emigration from Wales post the EU referendum result before. But this time my mind wandered back to the previous episodes of Pobol.

In the previous two weeks editions Characters contemplated or actually left the village of Cwmderi five times. 

They were:

Sheryl: who was contemplating running away to Canada or Ireland.

Vicky: who moved to London to be with her father following his offer of a new job and accommodation.

Elfion: who wants to move to New Zealand. Partly for a new life following the loss of their farm and partly to run away from the past after a male lover reappears.

Cadno: Elfion's female partner who will move with her children to her brother's house on discovering Elfion is gay. And when I say discovering, I mean her partner and his male lover in bed together.

(And as a quick aside one of the most annoying scenes in film and TV is when a couple are in a bed after having sex. One of them gets out of the bed and they're wearing boxers/knickers! This happened here. Just get out wrapping yourself in a sheet. Equally unrealistic but less laughable)

Anyway...

If you take out the unfortunate Sheryl from that list who was going to kidnap her adoptive child and assume that Cadno's brother lives in Wales that will mean of the remaining three two of them did not consider staying in the village or even the country as an option. Two of them considered that their life would be better away from Wales.

Now of course I could be over analysing things, perhaps being overly dramatic about a soap opera. But perhaps this is a sense of things to come. People having the opportunity to leave Wales and deciding to live overseas. Of course this is not original (How Green Was My Valley) but perhaps post Brexit life gives it a push

So what can stop this? Well I don't know for certain. But I'd argue that independence could help. For whilst as in Ireland it will not stop emigration there would be that sense of purpose in building a nation which as part of the United Kingdom it currently lacks.

It is an issue anyway that Wales needs to be aware of.

Until the next time.

Another Argument In Favour Of A Boycott In Wales Of Virgin Media

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have argued in the past that people living in Wales should boycott Virgin Media following it's decision to close next year it's Swansea call centre which will make eight hundred people redundant.

It seemed another circumstance when companies seemed to be perfectly happy to cut off the Welsh option first when needed.

It was time to hit these companies where it hurt. With their profits and their reputation.

A Welsh boycott would affect very few residual jobs as they are people probably on agency work to deal with any tech issues. They could be employed with the other operators. So the (not unreasonable) argument that boycotts of companies would affect residual jobs in Wales does not really apply here.

In this sector there are other operators available so there would still be competition in the TV/Phone/Internet market.

And of course existing Virgin customers didn't have to do it immediately. They could wait until their existing contract expired before leaving.

Now though another reason has emerged. Virgin Media are reportedly in late Autumn going to be slapping an above inflation busting 4.5% on their bills.

So let's be clear. People in Wales would note that in one breath Virgin Media are happy to close down a Swansea call centre with the consequent loss of jobs and yet in another increase their charges to their customers.

Where is the morality in that?

So Wales should walk away from Virgin Media. After all in spirit it would appear Virgin Media walked away from Wales first
.
Until the next time.

If A Badge Is A Symbol Of A Nation Let's Talk Welsh National Rugby And Feathers

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I suspect a lot of non-Welsh people when talking about symbols of Wales will eventually talk about the national rugby team. It is one of those constants that represents the nation with pride. When they watch the six nations rugby they see men (and now women) battling for their country. There is no (unlike cricket) subsuming your identity within England.

But now I've noticed a debate, relatively small but growing, focusing on the badge on the Welsh rugby team. Specifically "the Prince of Wales Feathers".

The Prince of Wales feathers is the hearaldic badge of the Prince Of Wales. The Prince of Wales as a title was created by Edward I when he conquered Wales and when in those times it was used to all intents and purposes as a plaything by the heir to the monarchy. Hence a principality. Hence, the Welsh rugby team battling proudly for Wales is as is badge wearing a symbol of an occupying power.

So should it be changed? Well actually yes. The argument that it's been around for so long doesn't actually wash (chosen by the Welsh Rugby apparently to show allegiance to Britain according to Wikipedia). Poverty has been with us for centuries. Doesn't make it right.

Similarly the argument that most Welsh people don't know the history of the badge anyway so it doesn't matter is also rubbish. I suspect many people when told about it's history would change their mind and want a change.

And it's worth mentioning here that the badge of the Welsh national football team has as it's symbol a red dragon. As a symbol it does exactly what it shows on the cloth. Clearly, unambiguously,Welsh.

The Welsh Rugby Union, rather like the Principality Building Society (which I've discussed previously) are organisations that are important to Wales but seem to be surprisingly wimpish on certain issues. I've discussed in this blog for example why English Rugby Union coach Eddie Jones should be banned from attending the Wales - England Six nations game next year for calling Wales a "S****y little country". But it's unlikely to happen.

What the Welsh Rugby Union need to realise here is that it doesn't just represent Welsh rugby. There are also times when it represents Wales including those who are not interested in games with oddly shaped balls. but in this regard it appears lacking.

And as a replacement why not just copy the badge for the Welsh Football team? It would show, well, national unity.

It's an interesting issue and whilst I would suspect the changing of the badge would not be popular at the moment the tide is slowly beginning to turn.

A slow burner perhaps...but burning.

Until the next time.

Carwyn Jones' Hobson's Choice: Courtesy Of Bridgend Labour Council

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have mentioned before  with regard to blog villain Bridgend Labour Council that they are signalling massive cuts to public services (such as libraries,leisure centres and the Bridgend Town bus station because they say of the cut in monies they receive from the Welsh government. In the local paper the Bridgend Labour leader discussed this further calling for the Welsh Labour government to increase their allocation.

Now for the purposes of this post let's assume that this is no tactic of making noises about widespread cuts just to be able to make lesser cuts without any popular backlash. Let's assume they're not trying to shift blame away from themselves but to Welsh Labour government because those are the facts. Let's also assume they haven't managed taxpayer's money in the past with arrogant incompetence.

All a stretch I know but bare with me.

What is interesting about this is that despite the Welsh Labour government saying that they have to make the cuts in the monies given to councils because of the cut in their allocation from Westminster the Bridgend Welsh Labour council has completely ignored that. They say they should have more money than currently allocated from the Welsh Labour government and that's that or else the consequences will be disastrous.

They have put the blame on the Welsh Labour government.

Let's park that fact for a moment and focus on soon to be ex First Minister Carwyn Jones, or as he will be known in a few years time "Who?".

When he steps down from the post as First Minister he will still be the Member for the Bridgend area until the next Welsh Assembly area when he leaves office for good. So then as an Assembly Member what is his position about this Bridgend Council situation?

He will have one of two options:

1) He says that in the light of constraints by the UK government the Welsh government has to cut the allocation for Welsh councils including Bridgend. Thus if the council are to be believed supporting the cuts to essential services in the borough. A position which will make him hated within Bridgend.

2) He calls for a rise in the Welsh Government's allocation to Bridgend council. Thus undermining the policy of the administration under his leadership.

So in essence whether by accident or design his fellow socialists in Bridgend Labour council have given the current First Minister a political Hobson's choice.

Politicians love having a legacy when they leave office. Perhaps for Mr Jones though "Carwyn who?" might be the best route for him.

Until the next time.

Why In Britain Anyway Do Vets Bother To Write Autobiographies? Part Two : The Out Of Hours Vet

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Ok I know what you're thinking. After having read one failure to supplant the titan of the genre of veterinary autobiography that is James Herriot why have I read another in quick succession?

Well it's a fair question. The answer though admittedly slightly mad is simple enough. It was the next book on the shelf in the local library. As I've said before I intend to read every practical book in the library (when I mean practical for example if there's a book on tending goldfish, given that I don't have goldfish it will be avoided).

So anyway here was the book.

Marc Abraham - Vet On Call

Focusing on the vet being out of hours being the book's unique selling point I suppose. Well the thing is it isn't. Whether out of hours or not for the most part vet's have to deal with emergencies so it's not that different.

Wipe that away and you get tales of unwell [insert animals here] , life with others in the surgery, a bit of outside life and a touch of romance. Everything the Tolstoy of tortoises did before....and better.

It's not an awful book. It just doesn't topple Herriot.

You know if anybody ever writes a veterinary autobiography that does displace Zeus from his place in Mount Olympus, it will be a book(or a series) everybody should read. After all it would be a literary milestone. And in the unlikely event I find that book I'll tell you all about it.

Until the next time.

On Returning/New Fans For Pobol Y Cwm And A New Fan For Irish Sport

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Now before I start properly just so everyone's aware what I'm going to chat about re the Welsh language soap opera Pobol Y Cwm refers to the last two week's Sunday Omnibus versions and not this week's episodes already broadcast.

So having visited the studio set last week it was time to complete daughter's education and wife's reeducation into Pobol. Two omnibus editions to go through. The big connecting story was the death and subsequent murder of Sheryl as I've mentioned previously. I'm still of the belief that her estranged husband Hywel Llewelyn did it. But I would be lying if I said I was certain. Anita, the wife's choice, is starting to look a good each way bet.

There was no question that the best episode of the two omnibuses we watched was the first episode of the second omnibus. It went back to Sheryl's last day alive. What it did which was different was not only to set the scene for the suspects but also how her life emotionally (as well as physically) collapsed in that twenty four hours. It's probably the best individual soap opera episode I've seen in a long while (and, as an aside written by Sian Naomi, who if memory serves acted in Pobol).

Wife/daughter finished the session as confirmed fans (my work was done). They now can't wait for the next omnibus to find out who killed Sheryl.Daughter's favourite character is Dani Monk, wife of Gary Monk (who my wife remembered when he arrived in the soap over sixteen years ago with his sister Britt and brother Brandon - the Sunday omnibus episode where the wife first suspected she was pregnant).

Mind you, Daughter did query what was going to happen next in the square.

I put her right.

You know one of the best things about Twitter is it's ability to lead you into routes that you would not have not normally taken. Last Sunday evening whilst wife and daughter were out I had nothing to do and Twitter mentioned that a Ladies Gaelic Football match was on between Galway and Mayo on the Irish Gaelic language channel TG4. Out of curiosity I went and found that it could be viewed online.

So there was I, watching a sport I barely knew in a language I didn't understand....and it was fun.Not for one second implying that if I could've watched a football game in that time I wouldn't have turned over immediately. But as something interesting to watch it did work for me. The novelty of the new I suppose.

Galway won. Despite (because?) of having a cemetery next to the ground and having one member of the opposing team being called Grace Kelly (I bet she gets film references being hurled at her at least once a week - eg when she's in trouble "It's High Noon for you Grace" - Bet she hates that too. Almost as much as when she does something well someone is bound to remark "Well that was Amazing Grace" ).

With Galway's win I immediately decided that when it came to Irish sport I would support Mayo. No glory seeker me.

I'd time to spare yesterday so with curiosity went to TG4's catch -up service and watched the other "Irish" sport hurling. It was an under 21 final game between Kerry and Derry. Again it was an interesting, enjoyable and different watch. I learnt that there was a skill in grabbing the ball one moment and hitting it with the stick the next. Also as I watched players running with the ball on the stick I realised that they must be brilliant at egg and spoon races.

Kerry won. Despite scoring an allowed goal whilst having a man sent off during the same play. I did not understand at all how that was possible.

So I'm a fan of, for want of a better phrase "Irish sport". Even though for the moment I don't know my Kerry from my Derry (although savvy enough not to enter an argument on Twitter as whether Gaelic football or Hurling is the better). So far mind you, I've only dipped my little toe into this. When I'm able to go deep end who knows?

But for now....Come on Mayo!

Until the next time.

The Near Midnight Meanderings On A Movie With A Microwave Meal Part 4: The Mountain road (1960)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So you wait for one James Stewart movie to come along on the TV and then two come in relatively quick succession.

This time he plays an army engineer in China in World war 2, charged with his group with blowing things up to delay the advancing Japanese. Personally I didn't know that the Americans were in China at that time. Doesn't matter either way in relation to this movie. Neither I suppose is the fact that the Communists and anti-communist factions in China fought against Japan. For the most part nuance does not play a part here.

It's also in black and white. Which for me for that time is surprising given that James Stewart is a star. You would have thought that for a film with obviously a lot of explosions in it colour would have been better.

Co-opted into the group is the widow of a Chinese soldier. Presumably there to play "mysterious Chinese woman" which there always seems to be in American films. She is quiet one moment only to surprise the group by speaking English!

There are moments when I wonder whether this movie is quietly racist. It definitely tries to unfurl the star spangled banner. American roads apparently are better than Chinese roads because there are no natural disasters there. What? Ask that to people who's lives were destroyed by forest fires. James Stewart says not to worry as America will come back and build roads. Really?

There is also a scene where the American soldiers are shocked by the Chinese villagers acting feral when presented with stocks of food. Well what did they expect? When you live in a place racked by starvation and war civilisation has to take a back seat.

Commercial Break: There are a series of ads for a Vanquis Credit Card. It's set in a Game of Thrones sort of  medieval world (without dragons) where some people live in castles and others live in huts.

And yet in this world some kind of mysterious knight type figure producing a Vanquis Credit Card or a tablet to illustrate how to get one. Well how exactly in this medieval world was the infrastructure for a Wi-fi and credit card network built?

Also If you live in a hut it would be interesting to see whether Vanquis would accept your application.

Back to the movie.

The biggest problem with The Mountain Road is the lack of tension. In terms of the plot only once was I taken by surprise.

Also this is the second movie I've recently watched where James Stewart (described as "young" by a Chinese general probably about the same age as him) really was unimpressive. It made me wonder whether those films where I liked his performance in were linked by having famous directors. Something I'll be looking at in the next film of his I'd happen to see.

The other surprise was the penultimate scene which gets all reflective. But to be honest it was all too late given what happened before.

Not a movie I'd be seeing again.

Until the next time.

The Worst Sentence To Ask On Netflix

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yesterday (Monday) evening the wife uttered the worst sentence on Netflix to myself and daughter.

The sentence was....wait for it...

"Let's watch a film tonight on Netflix together.

I find with Netflix that it's great when you're alone. You've made your decision. That's it. When it's two then one side relents to keep the peace but when there is more than two people involved then a UN negotiator is required.

In the olden days there might have still been arguments. But your choice would have been limited to whatever was recorded and/or whatever unwatched VHS/DVD you have. But what Netflix (other streaming services are available) have done is to widen the choice, thus by widening the choice you widen the arguments and therefore widen the length of time before you all come to a decision.

We took ten to fifteen minutes before making a decision.

The process went like this:

Wife insisted on a film. No couple of episodes of a TV series was acceptable. I and daughter would have been OK with a TV show.

Wife didn't want any superhero movies. Me and daughter would have been happy with watching them though as I said before there's surprisingly not that many)

Wife didn't want subtitled films. I/daughter would have had no problems with subtitled.

Wife suggested Jaws. Now Jaws is a movie I've never seen. Had no problems with that. Daughter wasn't interested.

Daughter (and to a lesser extent wife) was interested in various movies which had some permutation on teenage girl and possibly a high school prom. I said no. I just knew I'd get bored and fall asleep and they'd have a go at me around my snoring figure (mind you on reflection perhaps it would have cured my insomnia).

Eventually after a lot of heated words we eventually settled on a film. Central Intelligence (2016) starring Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. And once finished the family was united.

It was the worst film we'd seen in a long while.

To put it at it's most basic without spoiling what could be called a plot Hart and Johnson are an odd couple pairing caught together in stopping the bad guys.

The best scene in the movie is the first. Goes downhill from then on. Cast is accomplished and can only presume they agreed to appear as loved ones were being held in captivity.

I'll pick three things (trust me could have picked a load more) to illustrate this.

1) Johnson stays the night at Hart's house. The sofa bed is a mess in the morning. Hart is about to complain when the door rings. It's the CIA. When they go into the room where Johnson has been sleeping not only has he gone but has tidied up the room too.

2) Johnson gets hit by a motorbike. And yet not a mark is on him. He may be The Rock but come on.

3) I knew who the secret villain was going to be from the moment of introduction. So obvious the TV might as well have shown flashing lights to alert everyone.

So there you have it. Whatever your choice of film from Netflix there's at least one to avoid.

Until the next time.

UKIP In Wales. No Longer A Comedy. The Potential For Being Something A Lot More Dangerous

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well UKIP in Wales have selected a new leader. Normally I would not have cared. They are a declining force in Wales from the moment Neil Hamilton was elected leader after the last Welsh Assembly elections. Whilst there are no signs of a resurgence in their fortunes the fact that Gareth Bennett was elected leader makes you wonder and worry about what the residual rump of their members in Wales have become.

So let's go through what he has said.

Linking Immigrants To Rubbish In The Street and Poor Hygiene: This was in an article in Wales Online. It is let's face it, right wing cliché written all over it. I've said before regarding the EU Referendum that nothing fuels the right more than a perception of high immigration whatever the actual truth.

With regard to "poor hygiene" well if you look at a picture of Mr Bennett you will not get a feeling that here's a man who will adorn the latest cover of GQ. But could he provide proof of this assertion? Of course not.

Ditto blaming rubbish in the streets on immigrants. After all even if we assume that the assertion of a shabby look to Cardiff is correct (and I've written about the problems of it's city centre) the possibility that it's the fault of the council for not providing adequate services and indeed cutting them does not enter Mr Bennett's head. He sees rubbish in the streets and assumes immigrants put it there without providing any evidence.

He also described Cardiff 's City Road as a melting pot of races unable to get along. Asked to provide evidence he couldn't.

Perhaps I should follow Mr Bennett's style in describing UKIP's membership in Wales as a melting pot of dangerous lumpen Neanderthals and the deluded who believed in a "golden age" of Britain based on Ealing comedies? I can't provide evidence. But it doesn't seem to have done Mr Bennett any harm.

Describing Pontcanna As A "Welsh speaking colony": Mr Bennett believes that the Welsh Assembly should be shut down and the powers reverted back to Westminster (like they have been doing such a good job). But a good example of this distaste for things Welsh is that comment. It shows a contempt for the language of the country he was born in.

Comments On the Burka: In the light on the furore surrounding Boris Johnson's remarks Mr Bennett described the Burka as "apparitions of pre-medieval culture".

Now I'd argue that Mr Bennett's comments are worse than Boris Johnson because there can be no shred of doubt that he knew exactly the effect of his words.

Those of us (and I'm one of them) who are not comfortable with Moslem women wearing the Burka would never act in the way Mr Bennett has. Why? Because unless a Moslem woman does not feel coerced into wearing one then what has to do with anyone else? Freedom of expression as long as non violent is a democratic British right.

It also needs to be noted that in his comment Mr Bennett seemingly is deprived of the classic British quality of good manners.

But perhaps the most telling comment is on transgender people who he claimed were undermining society by their "deviation from the norm". So in the head of Mr Bennett there is "a norm" and if you're in any way outside of "the norm" you are presumably "different".

So in Mr Bennett's world, based on his own comments, I would therefore presume that you "deviate from the norm" if...

You're not British by birth. Or that your background is not British
You speak Welsh
You're not a Christian
You're not heterosexual
You're not happy with your gender.

Now if I'm wrong about what Mr Bennett's view of "the norm" is then it's up to him to clarify. As far as I can tell "the norm" as I've said before is based on a black and white Ealing comedies.

But if I'm right then I've broken "the norm" (if we include my unfluent Welsh) three times from the above. Which means I'm different. And I suspect very few people could comply with "the norm".

Which is why whilst I don't believe a Gareth Bennett UKIP party would never obtain power the fact that it's there should shake us not of "the norm" but from complacency.

Until the next time.

When Science Loses To Emotion Part Three: Let's Boycott EDF

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have before in this blog chatted about the plan for radioactive mud from the nuclear power plant at Hinckley Point Somerset to be transported from there to a point between Cardiff Bay and Penarth .

Whilst you should look at my previous posts on the subject essentially I argued that despite apparently science stating that it would be safe. The consequences of the Science being wrong would be too great as that would pause a risk not just to the people in Cardiff Bay but also depending on the movement of the sea to the Penarth and Barry Island, where families go for a day out enjoying the seaside.

Well from Thursday French power giant EDF were about to start doing exactly that. This though has been postponed until sometime in September (see https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/now-nuclear-mud-dumping-off-penarth-is-postponed-until-september/ for a more detailed analysis on this. Worth a read. Won't chat about it here because as regular readers will know I won't knowingly copy another blogger's work).

It had the apparent approval first of Alun "Chucky" Cairns. (Who let's not forget is a Vale of Glamorgan MP though not of Barry Island I'm sure his constituents work/visit there as it's nearby). Secondly Carwyn Jones, soon to be ex First Minister and political man fat, who represents as a constituency AM Porthcawl which is also a day trip beach area for families and might also be affected re the tide if the science is wrong. Indeed Welsh Labour as a whole seems to have treated this entire issue with an arrogant smugness which typifies the way they run Wales.

Politically these people should be dealt with through the ballot box come election time. But for now the focus needs to be on EDF. I'm sure there are organisations planning protests against the disposal and for what it's worth they have my support. But let's just try something else as well. Let's punish EDF by boycotting them. Showing them that if they hurt the people living in Wales then the people can fight back using the greatest weapon against business....no business.

I have before suggested the same with regard to Virgin Media when they made all of the people in their Swansea Call Centre redundant and the pieces seem similar here. After all they appear to have not taken notice of the opinions of the people living in the area and are acting on something the consequences of which could be disastrous should the science be wrong.

Also a Welsh EDF boycott would damage them both financially and in terms of a company's all important image. There would be alternatives to move to (not saying any of the alternatives are great companies but at time of writing none of the others are dumping nuclear mud in Cardiff Bay) so the impact on families living in Wales would be minimal.

So a simple boycott may not stop the dumping of the radioactive mud, but it would damage EDF's consumer arm. Make them suffer for the way they might cause suffering to Wales.

Until the next time.

Eisteddford 2018: When Timing Is Everything

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well as I mentioned yesterday timing is everything. If we had gone to the Eisteddfod held in Cardiff  Bay any day of the week we would have been bathed in sunshine and heat. Instead it turned out to have been yesterday....

Yes it was yesterday....in August

Wife, daughter and I went. Two of us had the presence of mind to bring a coat. One of us said "I don't need a coat as long as I've an umbrella I'll be fine..."

Guilty.

What I hadn't taken into account was how windy it was going to be. That plus the rain which came earlier than forecast and was the sort of taunting variety which was heavy one moment, clear the next, but mainly light but persistent meant that even with an umbrella your first thought was shelter.

Though I didn't take it here

We were able to hide under large tents and listen to Welsh language music. I must say that I've no real knowledge of Welsh language music. Of those I do know about tends to be the middle of the road easy listening variety of Sian Cothi. Still it was good and. note to self, best I make more of an effort in this regard.

We also went here.

Yes a cinema in a tent

If we had gone yesterday we would have seen the world's premiere of Monday's episode of Pobol Y Cwm and have seen some of the actors (more on Pobol later). Today though was a collection of home movies set throughout Wales through the decades. All of them were interesting. But the one that probably sent an emotional tear in the wife's eye was on Cardiff in the seventies when she was a child.

You know when you're growing old when what you consider nostalgia your daughter views as history.

Daughter got a few things. Her particular favourite was a Harry Potter novel translated in Welsh. I too got a couple of books. This was the first.

Blas Yr Iaith Cwmderi - Robyn Lewis/Robyn Llyn

Now we were in a stall of a North Walian bookseller (whose name I didn't catch but I will try and find out) and we had a chat in full on no English parachute Welsh with this very kind man. At the end I felt having occupied a lot of his time I should buy a book and picked the above Pobol one.

The guy (and how kind is this) said I could have it for free!

It is the most different Pobol Y Cwm book (published in 1993) I'm aware of where from first perusal the regional dialects of various characters are analysed. So better put my A game in Welsh to action here.

The other book was:

Y Fawr A'r Fach - Sion Tomos Owen

These are stories for learners from the Rhondda Valley. The writer is the presenter of Pobol Y Rhondda, a programme I've mentioned before where he interviews people there. A programme so good I know of one non Welsh speaking couple who live up there who are ardent fans.

We actually enjoyed our visit. Though obviously it would have been better if the weather had held up for that day. Memo to self. Next time the Eisteddfod is in South Wales, go on the earliest day possible so that if the weather's bad you've got another chance to enjoy it more.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post:I'm Going At Last To The Eisteddford Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As I write this it's 4:25am on a Saturday. Later than I've woken up in the past couple of days but still of course too early.

Today then, after unforeseen and unwelcome delays I'm going to the Eisteddford. On a day which will apparently worsen in the afternoon. Timing is everything. Still I am going which is the important point.

Anyway for the moment it's dark out there. Premiership football season is about to start. It's one of those signs that the high point of summer is beginning to turn. You know what? I think because I've spent the first two months of this year looking after my mother when she was unwell I think my brain is still in June mode.

I actually have, weather permitting a plan for tomorrow. To see the Welsh Rugby League Cup Final in Sardis Road Pontypridd. One of the teams competing will be the Valley Cougars who kindly offered to take round their ground but work issues eventually prevented me from doing so. What it does mean though is that there's a team I can support.

5:31am. Daylight peeking through. Electric light switched off.

6:02am. Breakfast. I'm in a porridge state of mind (with a dollop of jam of course). Meanwhile very sunny out there now. Not fooled though. The weather forecaster said this was going to be like this early on.

Just found out that McDonald's are opening their first "luxury restaurant" with knives and forks and a string quartet with the meal. Baring in mind I don't eat McDonald's anymore my first thoughts were:

1) Just like a Wimpey's used to do.

2) This will be every McDonald's if there is a hard Brexit

Friends is apparently the most popular streamed show in Britain this year (not Black Lightning? A disgrace).I've written about Literary Switzerland when you're neutral about a writer. Ditto Cinematic Switzerland re films. Now comes Televisual Switzerland with Friends. I don't dislike it. Just don't understand the passion for it. Wife/daughter love it. Must be me. Have the exact same view of The Simpsons.

Anyway time to get ready for the Maes.

Until the next time.

Why Comics, Particularly American Ones,Started My Love Of Reading

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Sometimes posts start by accident. This one is one of them. I was reading a Penguin paperback readers group where the question was posed "Which book started your love for reading?"

And this seems to be a common thing. This idea that a child despite all the distractions the outside world can provide will pick up a book that will change him/her.

But, especially now as it seems to be Superhero Summer let me suggest another route to a love of books. Comics.

We're talking the seventies here. No internet and just three TV channels. British comics also were taken as a whole dull and boring. The American comics were simply different. Not just better (though obviously they were that) but also every page was in colour. The stories were more exciting. It made you want to turn the page.

And, and this is the point regarding reading, these comics made you want to know what those letters inside those bubbles meant. So the plots and the characters and the colour and the writing made you want to read.

And they were capable in the seventies of going beyond the fantastic and even the Fantastic Four. One of my favourite comics of the time was The Defenders (a sort of alternative Avengers) which was mainly written by Steve Gerber (incidentally also creator of the legendary Howard The Duck). He could write for example about them facing the Sons Of The Serpent, an out and out racist organisation but in a way that comic book fans could relate to.

The point is that a love of comics nurtured a love of reading which led to novels etc.

So if people try to mock the love of reading that a comic could ignite. Don't bother to argue.

You know better.

Until the next time.

Geraint Thomas 0 Pobol Y Cwm 1

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well yesterday Tour De France winner Geraint Thomas was cheered by crowds along the streets of Cardiff celebrating his classic win. I, wife and daughter were not amongst them. Not because we're not really cycling people. It would have been an interesting experience to have been there. We just had a prior appointment.

(And as a quick aside whilst all this deserved attention is put on Mr Thomas spare a thought for Nicole Cooke. Welsh former Olympic and World Champion cyclist. She reached the peak in her sport and all this attention didn't come her way).

But I digress. We had a prior appointment. Tickets were obtained months in advance. Not my fault Geraint Thomas then won the Tour De France. Not my fault the Cardiffian celebrations occur on the date of the appointment. I mean he could have changed things, I couldn't last minute change the date of the appointment now could I?

I suspect you'd have guessed the appointment was to have a tour of the sets of the Welsh language soap opera Pobol Y Cwm. Something that BBC Wales arranges every year and just so you know is free. As regular readers know I'm a fan, wife flits in and out and daughter does what teenage daughters do. But all of us were at BBC Wales studios yesterday afternoon, along with other fans (rough count twenty - thirty).

After a quick introduction we were led to the studio sets for the interior scenes. I won't bore you with every one. But this was notably nostalgic.

The Farmhouse At Penrhewl Farm

I first watched Pobol with my wife when we courting. We took turns seeing each other for weekends between London and Cardiff. When I visited Cardiff we would watch the Sunday Omnibus edition before going to bed early as I needed to catch the first train back to London. At the time Eileen and Denzil were running the farm. Now it's Eileen and Jim (through a soap opera journey too complicated to explain here).

Apologies for the blurring but here's the local pub. The Deri Arms .

And yes even though I don't drink I pulled A Pretend Pint

This is the flat where Britt Monk lives with her partner Colin. I have mentioned before I think that I've a soft spot for that character because oh those many years ago when she gave birth to Chester that (based on the Sunday omnibus programmes) was when my wife suspected she was pregnant. The other character being Sheryl, who gave birth to her son when our daughter was born.

No TV in the flat though

We went to set of the high street afterwards. Britt works in the local Chippy.

Made me want to have a jumbo sausage and chips afterwards

Which of course allowed me (and you have permission) to pretend with theatrical battered fish etc.

As I said. Wanted to have the real thing afterwards

Now I mentioned the soft spot I had for Sheryl as well. Well this is the hairdressing salon where she worked.

Seemingly Quiet Unassuming Place But....

It's where she got murdered (How could that happen?) The current major storyline in the programme is who killed Sheryl? My money is on her husband Hywel Llywelyn who I reckon couldn't take it that she was had an affair (which of course is ironic given when I started watching Pobol he was the Cwmderi Casanova).

The scene of the crime

I had a great time. So though did wife and daughter (who now want to watch it). So sorry Geraint. Cycling's loss is soap opera's gain.

Thankyou Pobol Y Cwm.

It was fun

Until the next time.

That's It. We're Definitely A Townie Family

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yesterday we went tp the Vale of Glamorgan show near Fonmon Castle. I say near because though on the grounds the castle itself was apparently closed, or perhaps it's not open at all yo the public. No matter the point is that it kept itself well hidden whilst the show was on.

We'd been to the equivalent Bridgend show some years back and decided to go to see if there was anything different. The signs were good. It had been slightly raining which meant that though not cold by any means it was less oppressively hot than it had been for a few days.

After parking and walking through the small fairground I'd realised that the first bit of the show proper we entered was a mistake. For it was the dog grounds where it was just mini Crufts. For a persom afraid of those domesticated wolves it would have been hell for me if I wasn't an atheist. Indeed if I wasn't an atheist the massive pair of Irish wolfhounds which suddenly came to my side appeared to be hounds from hell entered by the Son of Satan as best in breed....or else.

Avoiding one dog made me step back to find another one nuzzling my ankles. The leads seemed unable to restrain the beasts from eyeing me up as their latest meal. Enter one tent. Full of dogs. Enter a craft tent and I notice a writer selling her books. All the covers had a dog on them.

Eventually we moved on. And I must admit the show of glossed up unmucked vintage tractors did have a nostalgic feel.

If You Like Your Tractors Glossy

Though This Seemed More Keeping It Real

So to the vegetable tent where grown people (I'm assuming mainly men judging by the winners) proudly display their award winning big veggies in a socially acceptable "mine are bigger than yours" manner.

Despite what they say. Size Is Everything

There many stalls in the show. Some I understood (Jodphurs R Us) but a number I didn't. In reverse order.

At number 3: All the stalls selling cars. Do people really buy cars from these sales?

At number 2: (And this was very close) a coffin maker. I mean I can see the conversation.

"What did you do in the show today?"

"I bought a coffin. Spur of the moment thing".

But at number 1:

And the question is....why?

We went to the main local food section. I knew Farmers Markets were more expensive than their supermarket versions but was stunned by the cost of a jar of jam being three times the cost in LIDL's. Did think though that I was looking at a vision for us all post hard Brexit of queueing up for a limited but dearer range of foods.

Finally we went to see the show jumping. But to be honest the more I watched it the more it reminded me how much I've grown to dislike the idea of a sport where horses have to risk themselves jumping over fences for fun. Almost gave the horse that dismounted it's rider (who was fine) a round of applause.

It was, we all agreed, time to go.

As we drove off noticed a fat guy riding in full hunting gear with hounds around him. If impressions are any judge I hated him.

Glad I visited the show. Glad to say I won't be going again.

Until the next time.

The Superhero Summer Continues Where I Accidentally Discover The Comic Book Hero For The Weary Mature Man

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

One of life's quiet pleasures is when you discover something you like completely by accident. That happened to me yesterday evening.

As a family we had done some shopping (which included Morrissons in Barry - Never again - Wish my phone hadn't run out of power so I could go into detail) and returned home. We'd agreed that we'd watch a superhero movie on Netflix which we bought for the next few months to cover those moments in every school summer holiday when things are, well, dull.

Whilst considering which superhero film to choose (and the choice was surprisingly small) the phone rang. It was a friend of the wife's.

Now there is a rule I've found with the wife (and I'm sure I'm not alone here that every third conversation turns out to be a marathon and not a sprint.

This turned out to be one of them.

So instead we looked at TV superhero series. Which is where Black Lightning comes in. Based on the DC comic.

Black Lightning is a retired superhero (Jefferson Pierce) and current school principal who is forced to return to crime fighting when his daughters are threatened (now obviously there's a lot more to the plot than that.But regular readers know that I make every effort not to spoil things).

 Daughter and I watched three episodes. We were hooked.

Now the focus has been (rightly) that this is an African American family. But for fifty four year old man like me I noticed something else. For whilst the hero is younger than me. He's older than most super heroes (not obviously including those cryogenically  out of storage Captain America style).

He has an ex wife he still loves, teenage daughters, a job. He has problems. Problems that being able to attack  villains with electricity can't help.There is a weariness to him which we can relate to. The TV series has made him the hero for the older guy. Other than his powers and the effect on his family he lives in a world you recognise

The cast is perfect. One person stood out though. Was looking at the youngest daughter and thinking "I know her from somewhere". Even the wife stopped her conversation and said the same thing.

It was daughter who provided the answer. She was a star of a Disney channel sitcom. The sort of sitcom that daughter begged you to watch with her when she was too young for you to say "Sorry. I'd rather watch the football" .

And you know you're getting old when you remember such a star in a Disney Sitcom when now in Black Lightning she's drinking, smoking and talking about sex!

So older guys. A superhero for you and me has arrived. Enjoy it.

Until the next time

The Price Is Wrong : Why Plaid Cymru Should Not Change It's Name

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Regular readers will know that I have made my position on the forthcoming leadership election in Plaid Cymru clear in that I support current leader Leanne Wood. I won't bore you by going over the reasons why again here.

However I am now going to make one prediction, purely on gut instinct, about the election now.

Leadership contender Adam Price is not going to win it.

Why do I say that? Well it's following a series of proposals he's put forward with regard to Plaid Cymru that makes no sense whatsoever.

First (as I've discussed in a previous post) that Plaid Cymru should have a joint leadership. This has apparently died a death and seems to be quietly forgotten.

And now that Plaid Cymru would gain more voters by calling itself the New Wales Party.

It is, as an idea, mad. And here are some of the reasons why.

As a name Plaid Cymru is a brand that everyone understands, even those who do not speak Welsh know that it is the Party of Wales. As a name it's distinctive and it's that distinction that makes it an asset and not a liability.

The name that's being proposed to replace it, New Wales Party, has the connotations with Blair and New Labour. That makes it damaging. Voters do not like one party blatantly copying another. It smacks of desperation which whilst I'm not going to say Plaid does not have it's problems would not be a fair reflection of it's position with the Welsh voter.

It is also a very lazy political name. Bet that took under a minute for Mr Price or a person on his team to think of it before going off to have a coffee.

Finally the whole notion that somehow Plaid's problems in reaching power can be partly resolved by running away from it's Welsh name is actually quite stunning especially coming from Mr Price. After all Sinn Fein don't do badly in either parts of Ireland thankyou very much.

So the idea is bonkers. Indeed I'd argue damaging to Plaid, and I suspect to Mr Price's leadership ambitions as well.

Until the next time.

Reviewing A Library Book And the Unexpected Peril Of Moving A Library (Yes We're Talking Bridgend Again)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Been a while since I've chatted about a book I've read, which was remiss of me. Yesterday though finished The Restless Dead by Simon Beckett.

To be honest I've mixed views of this crime novel. I constantly felt as if I'd read similar things before. Did not feel that reader sensation of "Oh this is different".

Perhaps I can explain that more clearly by summarising the plot as follows:

Troubled medical guy investigates a series of murders.

Enough said re the storyline.

And the other thing is this: I've learnt as a reader that when the blurb (not any included reviews) compares the author to another writer then the book, though not necessarily bad, is not one you'd remember till the end of your days either. In this case the line is: "With forensic detail to rival Kathy Reichs".

To be fair though it is readable. And I particularly liked the way Mr Beckett was able to end most chapters with a twist. As if these chapters in the audiobook would have " Dah Dah Daah" for emphasis.

Regular readers will know how I've illustrated the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town thanks to the incompetence that is the Welsh Labour council there. You might remember one of my oldest bugbears revolves around the town centre library, which the council moved (with EU funding!) to a place nine minutes away from the town centre. Thus making Bridgend probably the only town in Britain where the town centre library is away from the town centre.

Well I was speaking to someone recently and the subject of Bridgend Town came up. I mentioned in passing the library moving away from the town centre. The person was surprised. The person thought that the library had closed altogether after fancying after a break to borrow some books (months after the move) only to find that that the doors were shut (It's now. It needs to be said an Arts centre)

Now you might ask why the person just left it that. The answer is simple. Given the swathes of empty outlets in the town the assumption was made that it was a library closure. That was not then unreasonable particularly given the closed down premises in that street (Wyndham Street) alone.

Of course, and I acknowledge this, that this story is anecdotal. But I would guess that it's not exceptional. You have to wonder how many people stopped going to a library on this mistaken belief of closure brought on by the atmosphere of urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town.

The Welsh Labour Council should really apologise.

But you know they won't .

Until the next time.

Could A Backlash Against English Immigration Be Approaching In South Wales? The Focus Being Newport?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As a person who moved in 1997 I've never experienced any issues coming from the fact that I'm an Englishman I've met and know of a few people who do (they would tend to be the sort of person who would moan about the Welsh actually having the temerity to put their own language on signage across the country).

Similarly on a general level I've not really heard that many people within Wales complain about English immigration (aside from the issue of elderly English immigration which I've chatted about in a previous post). Where there has been resentment it's been towards those who bought property as a second holiday home rather than those who moved permanently.

But soon there might be two issues which added together might change all that.

The tolls for the Severn Bridge (aka the Prince of Wales Bridge or as I will call it for this post The Geraint Thomas Bridge) will soon be abolished. House prices in Bristol are very expensive so people are looking very seriously about moving across The Geraint Thomas Bridge to buy cheaper homes/new builds in areas such as Newport and then commuting across The Geraint Thomas to and from work in Bristol and the surrounding area.

Now let's pause on the above and look at the other fact.

There is a shortage of affordable housing in Wales. In fact in the lifetime of the current Welsh Assembly the Labour administration plan to build twenty thousand houses....for the whole country.

Now let's put those two facts together.

English families moving to South East Wales buying houses whilst Welsh families are priced out of the market.

That is a scenario for possible social unrest.

Who is to blame for this? Well some fingers point to blog villain Secretary of State for Wales and microdot of humanity Alun "Chucky" Cairns. The feeling basically is that it's part of a maniacal plan to merge Wales with England so that independence becomes harder.

Well perhaps. But the problem with that argument is that tolls on the Geraint Thomas bridge were always resented within Wales. The lifting of the tolls is a popular move. Even if some of the consequences might not be.

So could it be that a lot of the blame for this possible social scenario falls on soon to be ex First Minister and blog slug Carwyn Jones and Welsh Labour? After all twenty thousand affordable houses for the whole of Wales seems like an astonishingly small figure. Also I would bet that Labour have done no/little/or just about the economic planning about the consequences of an influx of English families to South East Wales once the tolls are lifted. It would not be the first time that the Welsh Labour administration are reactive rather than being proactive to events.

Now like I've said the above is a hypothetical situation, but I'd argue not an impossible one. Cairns and Jones need to discuss this. For potentially the consequences of inaction could be very bad indeed.

Until the next time.

Today Is "Socialist Sunday" Or In Wales "Simpering Socialist Sunday". Example : Virgin Media

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

In my new found position in Twitter of "Tory Shill" for suggesting that given their rule in Wales of arrogant incompetence Plaid Cymru was a better party for people to join than Welsh Labour I should perhaps back off talking about them now.

Well.....no

Today is apparently "Socialist Sunday" on Twitter where Labour people join together. Now let's for the moment leave what defines a "Socialist". After all you could be a socialist and be a member of Plaid Cymru because you believe in independence for Wales rather than stay in  the Union. For the purposes of this post "Socialist" will mean Labour.

But in Wales Welsh Labour is the government in the devolved administration and many local government councils. It is "the establishment" and, as I've documented as best as I can, has, in the present day anyway, made a rubbish job at it.

The classic image of "a socialist" is a person using everything they have in their disposal to fight for Working families. In Wales they apparently fight for their political position first. Any other benefit is an added bonus.

In Wales Labour does not fight for working families. It simpers and makes soothing words but rarely actually fights (in fact the one exception I think of was Tata Steel and that was probably because of the UK wide publicity it engendered as well as the protests by the Trade Union movement. The trade Unions were the ones who really led this here. Welsh Labour just followed).

More typical of a Welsh Labour response is that of the closure of the Virgin Media call Centre in Swansea which on Thursday the media giant confirmed will take place. Where was the fight from Welsh Labour and the local MP beyond warm words for the 800 people who will lost their jobs?

The Welsh government's response was that the decision to close the call centre was "disappointing". Disappointing!! 800 people will lose their jobs and that's the best the Welsh Government can say? (Well to be fair it also says it will try to support the families affected. And so it should. But that is it).

Socialists of the past would have fought the decision. including organising a boycott of Virgin Media in Wales (as I've suggested in this blog before. Can be done. They wouldn't be missed. There are alternatives).

No such action. Welsh Labour have just simpered to Virgin Media. What is especially worrying is this. Let's assume that the Dark Hard Brexit of the Soul Happens with all the consequent job losses What will Welsh Labour do then? Chances are their relative inaction re Virgin Media is a precursor of must worse to come for people and their families.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post: Tory Shill Edition....Apparently

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well it's as I write this 5:51am on a Sunday morning. Though I've actually woken up an hour before. Slowly the weather is turning. Summer now but daylight is showing it's head later than normal.

Tell you what I've been called various things on Twitter but never a Tory Shill before. It was from a Labour party supporter saying that Plaid Cymru and not them was the party for me given my experience and knowledge of the arrogant incompetence of Welsh Labour.

So to put it another way. I must be the only person to be accused of being Tory for supporting Plaid.

My first thought was "Well he hasn't read my blog" (yes I know vain). But then it occurred to me that it personified Labour arrogance. As if only Labour can help the poor and downtrodden in society. Yet in Wales as we've previously discussed they're part of the establishment. They're also therefore part of the problem.

And here's a question. Anuerin Bevan, founder of the NHS rejected Welsh Nationalism as a backward and reactionary movement. But in the light of Britain of today, where the Westminster elite (even a Corbyn one) rule Wales as a colony and given the bloated and uncaring state to their voters of Welsh Labour. Is there a possibility that he would consider Plaid now? Worth a thought.

I've seen a number of tweets from people who say they want to immediately get out of the United Kingdom for an independent Scotland/Wales. I myself have said that in the scenario of a dark hard Brexit of the soul it might be the best option for Wales if the consequences of staying in the UK are worse.

What's interesting is that I'd predict now that the very people who would argue against Scotland/Wales crashing out of the UK are the same who'd wet themselves at Britain crashing out of the EU.

And now soft drink news:

Coca Cola have brought out new flavoured colas. There's "Feisty Cherry" (which doesn't seem to taste that different to normal cherry cola), "Peach" (which tastes nice in the beginning but gets flat after a while) and "Exotic Mango".

Now Exotic Mango for some reason gets to me. After all in Britain surely all mangoes are exotic? Marketing gone to level stupid.

Sunny out there. Not sure what I'm going to do. There is a 10KG fun run in Barry island today. But to be honest the words "fun run" don't seem to make sense in English.

Right wife awake. Time to go for now.

Until the next time.

In Which Superhero Summer Continues As I Watch Ant Man And The Wasp, Buy A Comic Book For The First Time In Decades And Get Interrogated By Daughter Over My Comic Book Choices

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well as I mentioned in the previous post yesterday I took Daughter to the cinema to watch Ant Man and the Wasp as promised given her sudden and unexpected interest in comics. To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect, I could barely remember Ant Man in my comic reading past and I definitely didn't recall The Wasp.

Anyway on the drive to the cinema Daughter decided to interrogate me on my comic book tastes. Bare in mind here folks that these opinions are based on when I was her age so what these titles are like now I've no idea.

"DC or Marvel?"

Now this has the important caveat that either comic book publisher had many titles. Some I liked some I didn't. But with that proviso there was really only one answer.

"Marvel".

They were just, taken as a whole, better.

"Spiderman or Superman?"

Easy question. Given that I was not from the Planet Krypton I had more chance of being bitten by a radioactive spider. So with the schoolboy logic, and that the stories were better.

"Spiderman"

"Spiderman or The Hulk?"

Never really was into The Hulk.

"Spiderman"

"Spiderman and The Flash?"

As I said previously much as I've liked the current TV series I didn't like the original comic.

"Spiderman"

"Spiderman and Batman?"

"A tie"

Leaving aside the schoolboy logic that if I was a billionaire I too could be like Bruce Wayne the dark foreboding tales from Gotham worked for me. You know even viewed from the prism of aged and cynical adult eyes Batman has always stood the test of time.

The cinema was in the out of town outlet place that was Macarthur Glen just outside Bridgend. Whilst daughter got something to eat I quickly went to The Works shop there that sells books. Including large paperbacks and hardbacks of comics. I got daughter a Justice League of America paperback given it had a lot of the DC superheroes in there.

And....well...let's say my schoolboy years came flooding back and I couldn't resist buying one for myself..

Aquaman then - Better be good - Let's say the wife wasn't impressed

After we had a quick bite to eat we went to see the film. First there came the ads and the trailers. Won't bother saying much about them. Except perhaps you'll be surprised to learn that DFS has a sale on.

What did I think of the movie? Well not awful. A sort of light summer treat from all the heavily promoted Avengers stuff. Amiably acted (the daughter of Ant man - as my daughter noted - steals every scene she's in).

Also (and this is an important test in my dotage) I didn't sleep through part of it.

Not perfect though. Too many comedy moments for a superhero film and it could have done with a more interesting villain.

Still daughter liked it and that's the main thing.

Until the next time.

Meanderings Whilst Waiting For A Washing Machine...And It's Installer

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

You may remember a few posts back I chatted about waiting for the washing repair man? Well after a few trips the machine was pronounced finally dead early this week. And today (Friday) a day I'm not at work will be partly spent waiting for the machine to be delivered then installed. Another waiting for moment begins. Nothing I can really do until this is done.

So it's 7:45am. And the wait begins.

I do know what I'll be doing once daughter has woken up and gotten herself together. I'll have to watch more episodes of series one of Supergirl now she seems to have entered a comic book kick. Judged on the first episode it's not The Flash. Thing is The Flash took me back to when I was a child and enjoying the wonder that comic books (I refuse to call them "graphic novels") provided. Supergirl doesn't do that. I look at it through the weary eyes of a fifty four year old man.

I'm not saying that Supergirl is bad, and obviously I'm not the target audience. It's just not for me.

And further to this Superhero/heroine summer that it has apparently become will be going with daughter to see the Antman and the Wasp movie later today. Of course I say "intention" a lot of things are going to depend on the Washing Machine delivery today.

9:04am. Machine delivered. Hurrah. Now have to wait for the installer.

In the meantime mail has come. Swansea Grand Theatre's shows for Autumn/winter. Apart from an evening with John Hartson (the only ex Arsenal player whose performance for West Ham was just as good) it's of no interest to me. For the wife there's a dance show by ex-Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole. Email her. Ask if she's interested.

You know one of the best things about Twitter is it's ability to remind you of things. Just seen a clip of Terry Jones interviewing the writer Angela Carter in an eighties programme called Paperbacks. It reminded me that not only was Jones an actor (of course in Monty Python) but also a writer and skilled presenter. He had intelligence, knowledge and wit. The Stephen Fry of his day. It makes the fact that he's currently suffering from Alzheimer's even more of a tragedy.

10:45am. I get a call. It's my mother. Much as I love to chat about life, the universe and everything to her. Much as she has many considerable talents. She's doesn't install washing machines (though to be fair neither do I).

11:50am. Daughter still not awake. Had a very late night yesterday so unworried. Will wake her up at one. Meanwhile no installer and I'm hungry. Salami sandwich time nearly and a cup of tea.

12:33am Daughter awake. After she has a shower and dressed will be watching Supergirl Series One whilst hoping the installers will come and relieve me of this wait.

Until the next time

The Eisteddfod : Another Reason Why S4C Needs A Second Channel

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have mentioned before in this blog that the Welsh language TV channel S4C's biggest problem is not the language but the fact that it is limited to one channel stream. Thus the soap opera Pobol Y Cwm (Sheryl is dead....how could they!) could be followed by a gardening programme which I wouldn't watch.

My view was that even if it was for limited hours, say 7pm to 1am, S4C needed a second channel to provide an alternative to the viewer which other broadcasters are able to do.

Well coming up is another reason why S4C needs that second channel. The annual festival of music, literature (mainly poetry) and performing arts in the Welsh language that is the National Eisteddfod.

Now I've been to an Eisteddfod before, about eight years ago. I and my daughter enjoyed it.  There were various reasons why I haven't been to one since but we're planning to go this one in Cardiff next Friday and we're both looking forward to it (in fact to a sort of twilight zone person like me re Welsh,not fluent but far better than the cat sat on the mat, a place for the most part where Welsh is spoken without a safety parachute adds to the excitement).

As a TV viewer though my view is slightly different. For me then the Eisteddfod is exactly like my opinion of chocolate. Enjoyable in small doses but something I cannot gorge myself on.

And there's the problem. S4C provides blanket coverage of the festival. And when I say blanket if we take next Wednesday for example it broadcasts from 6am to 12:45am the following day. That's eighteen and three quarter hours. Of that time (including news and weather headlines) fourteen hours will be spent on the Eisteddfod. And remember, that's for one day.

(There are other similar festivals/shows that S4C provides similar coverage for. But as this is the next one coming up this is the one I'm using as the example)

Let me stress here. I'm not saying that S4C should not provide blanket coverage of the festival. It's in it's DNA it has to do it. But the lack of a second Welsh Language channel means that there is no option for the fluent Welsh speaker, learner or Twilight zone intermediate like me in case we'd rather watch something else. In terms of TV (as I know there is an S4C catch-up service) it might actually mean that the viewer turns to an English language channel. Irony of ironies.

So in an age when TV channels emerge for no obvious reason whatsoever. A second Welsh channel would perform a public service for the Welsh language and would provide choice. Even if it was full of repeats..

Until the next time.

No Ms Morgan There Is No North/South Divide In Wales....Welsh Labour Has Failed EVERYWHERE

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

The thing about leadership competitions for political parties where that party is also running the country is that candidates to be noticed don't really say "Let's keep things as they are. We're doing such good a job" but instead advocate even to the slightest level change.

So the contest to succeed Carwyn Jones as leader of Welsh Labour and therefore the next First Minister of Wales is no different in this regard. Already we have the current favourite and Corbyn disciple Mark "Red Cairns" Drakeford strongly suggest that Wales will become a lapdog of a London Labour government (as opposed to the Jones administration that basically worshipped on the altar of Blair).

Now another candidate Eluned Morgan has stated that should she win the contest that she'd create a minister for North Wales. Stating that there had been "a failure to connect" with parts of the North compared to other regions.

Let us for this post ignore the question of how administratively speaking she would be capable of doing this. After all surely that would involve stepping on the toes of other minister's responsibilities? Or is she actually proposing a devolution from a devolved assembly? It does for the moment seem like an idea that sounds good but is not thought through.

What it does reveal is that Carwyn Jones' "steady as she goes" policy of running Wales has been a failure and is now revealing itself to the nation as such. I've said before but I feel it's worth repeating that the First Minister's one real skill was as a politician and that left him after the death of Carl Sargeant.

What Ms Morgan is essentially saying is that Welsh Labour does not have a coordinated plan for North Wales. I'd argue that Welsh Labour does not have a coordinated plan for Wales as a whole.

I have never been to North Wales. But I live in South Wales and have regularly visited the West of the country. And what I can tell you is that areas of affluence are surpassed by areas of poverty or by areas that can be described as JAM (Just About Managing). Port Talbot, Bridgend, Ebbw Vale, The South Wales Valleys will all fall into these categories.

So indeed (taken as a whole) would Cardiff. Yes Cardiff. Relatively recently in this blog I've chatted about the decline of the city centre

These JAM areas would be venerable to an economic downturn. Like say a long dark hard Brexit of the soul. The sort of scenario that Welsh Labour has not planned for.

So you see Ms Morgan's idea fails because everywhere in Wales needs attention. Welsh Labour has failed everybody everywhere because of their arrogant incompetence. What Wales needs is a proper government for all of the people all of the time.

And currently it hasn't got it.

Until the next time.