Top 40 pop pickers - is this a crisis?

Yes after another break I am using other prolific bloggers to catch up on news in blog land. Ordovicius helps point out that that my mi spelt ramblings is ranked in some top 40 for Wales. I feel like that act who make the fringes of the 'pop' chart - before disappearing forever!

I somehow feel this is a bit of a crisis for blogging. We need to increase our activity rates in Wales as there is no feasable way the blabberings I post should be in a top 40 for Wales.

Point on the board!

Alistair may be predicting ongoing economic challenges but as its Saturday then its time to welcome a point in the Premiership at Bolton.

I am still concerned that we need to put chances away if our points total is going to creep near safety. But here is one, away from home.

But I suspect Alistair's words might still be the matters under discussion next week not our point at Bolton.

Is it just me who feels that while these are clearly more challenging economic times that it does not feel like the worst conditions for 60 years?

Prison debate underway

I recently had the chance to show David Hanson MP, Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, the 'Ferodo' site and to consider the implications of the being on the Ministry of Justice shortlist. As a result my press release said :

JOBS BOOST FROM NEW PRISON COULD BE GOOD NEWS SAYS LABOUR CANDIDIATE

"The impact of new jobs from constructing and then running a new prison needs careful consideration" says Martin Eaglestone Labour's Parliamentary candiidate in Arfon. Mr Eaglestone said this as the Ministry of Justice announced that the site of the former Ferodo factory outside Caernarfon is on a shortlist of potential sites for new prisons in Wales".

"This would be a significant investment and create a significant number of relatively well paid jobs in the Caernarfon area. That needs careful consideration in the current consultation process and I would urge people to make thier views known".

"The former Ferodo site is well placed and if we can see further improvements in public transport then it is strategically located near to the new courts complex in Caernarfon. This gives the site a number of advantages".

http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease060808.htm

The local people, The Caernarfon Herald, is now engaging well with this debate and it not surprising to see the pros and cons being aired. The more debate the better.

Weather doing my head in!

This "summer" weather can get you down. Or alternatively, for Lord opf the Ring fans, it is a model of an ork from Leeds Royal Armouries Museum.

Fishy story

Good to see expertise from Bangor University helping to provide for a sustainable fish industry by linking up with a supermarket. Many choose to criticise supermarkets (if not so much the more ethical Co op) but applying research and academic expertise from our Universities can only help influence, and change, for the better what will remain predominant lifestyles for years to come.

"Does a civilized society allow citizens to starve and die?"

I continue to catch up with post holiday blog postings and see that Cangen Bontnewydd of Plaid Cymru have posted a less than balanced piece on the debate around welfare reform, including the less than rational comment with which I lead this post. The fact that this question follows on from an admission that many questions remain unanswered, perhaps points us to the need for more realistic debate, not empty rhetoric.

There are a number of issues that must be teased out of Ministers as the proposals move from the initial debate to formal legislation, but hot air won't achieve that.

How we move from reasoned debate about welfare reform to citizens who "starve and die" I'm not sure, but the Party of Wales seem to want to make a noise. I think this debate needs sharp minds, and the shining of clear daylight to test out Ministers thinking and intentions. More precision- less heat.

Urban renewal - up north!

Yes, the gap in postings was due to a family holiday and I took note of my friends advice from last year not to announce an absence from home on the internet (security mad fools!). Anyway it seems the Tory inspired Policy Exchange decided to provide a Tebbit style blast from the past. Huw Lewis is one of many tp pick up the story I note.

Quite ironic as a UK based holiday included visits to regeneration sites in Liverpool, Salford and Leeds. The Leeds visit including the "No such thing as a society" exhibition. None of these visits made me feel I should be heading south, and via the Tate in Liverpool, Lowry in Salford and Royal Armaments in Leeds these north west/northern cities seem to be doing quite well.

Even simple public art like banana lambs can create mass excitement!

It also makes me me wonder why we call for investment, and then have a panic at a project like Victoria Dock. Investment brings change - my leisure time around north/north west made this clear.

A platform

So after a traumatic opening five minutes, the afternoon at the Emirates was not quite as bad as feared. Teams will come off far worse than 1-0 here, and there is a platform on which to build (so I tell myself).

Aresenal away is not the place for vital points.

Olympic smile!

Well done.

Mallorcs'a quite close really!

In fact it was just off the M5 junction today and created a reasonably entertaining 1-1 draw - it is pre season!.

The Baggies showed off the Championship trophy and, at half time, it was presented to a 100 year old fan who attended his first game in 1918. (Not me, or Dad, shown above). However this beautifully summarises the madness of football supporters as written about by Adrian Chiles in his entertaining book "We don't know what we're doing - adventures with the extraordinary fans of an ordinary team". Chiles of course being far away in Beejing.

So having seen two pre season games what are my predictions for the season ahead : we still need a decent centre half and 'leader' at the back. Ishmael Miller can be exciting but seems to need that extra second the Premiership often fails to give. Ronan Bednar may prove a surprise package, but we willl need to play two forwards to help each other. We will also need some luck!

Survival will be hard work - fingers crossed.

(of course Philips scores late in Brum debut to make a point!).

Off to Mallorca

Yes that's Real Mallorca in the pre-season game at the Hawthorns tomorrow.

Little doubt it will be feast of football in glorious August weather!!!!!

Of course old foes like Wolves are kicking off in the lowly Championship the same day but is Premiership big boys are still warming up for our kick off

Useful blog service

I occasionally exchange a cross word with Ordovicius (and often spell the blog name with various random spellings!) but will always acknowledge his useful contribution to Welsh blogging with views, analysis and translations of Welsh language articles like this one here. This helps take the debate beyond the immediate Welsh speaking target audience, and is vital to a bilingual country.

What is interesting to me now is the change of tune in nationalism, reflected in this article and other signals.

For example Deputy First Minister Ieaun Wyn Jones wrote in the Daily Post this week under the banner headline "We must see bigger picture". It was an article worthy of a Minister but just strikes me that only a short time ago Mr Jones would have been writing a very different article, in the same circumstances, from the opposition benches!!

Welcome to the hard world of government.

Prison needs fair consideration

Rt Hon David Hanson MP and Martin Eaglestone on site of the former Ferodo factory outside Caernarfon.

JOBS BOOST FROM NEW PRISON COULD BE GOOD NEWS SAYS LABOUR CANDIDATE

"The impact of new jobs from constructing and then running a new prison needs careful consideration" says Martin Eaglestone Labour's Parliamentary candiidate in Arfon. Mr Eaglestone said this as the Ministry of Justice announced that the site of the former Ferodo factory outside Caernarfon is on a shortlist of potential sites for new prisons in Wales".

"This would be a significant investment and create a significant number of relatively well paid jobs in the Caernarfon area. That needs careful consideration in the current consultation process and I would urge people to make thier views known".

"The former Ferodo site is well placed and if we can see further improvements in public transport then it is strategically located near to the new courts complex in Caernarfon. This gives the site a number of advantages".

Information from the Ministry of Justice web site.

Independence - let the case be made

I find it somewhat reassuring that Helen Mary Jones has returned to the theme of "independence" for Wales. I think it is a case that needs to be argued, explored and I feel will then be flattened by the people of Wales. Perhaps the Party of Wales see the need to reassure those people who have peeled off to people like Llais Gwynedd in the council elections. This is the age of inter dependence not independence, and the debate over issues like neuro surgery made this point in a more telling way than any politician could manage.

Meanwhile the Constitutional Convention will get on with testing the water as to whether a referendum should be held on greater powers for the Assembly. ( I still predict 'not yet' will be a concensus response).

So with the credit crunch, energy and food price increases, Euro elections looming in 2009 let us welcome the distraction of "independence" for Wales.

£12 million pound investment in Caernarfon

It was great to welcome Rt Hon David Hanson MP to Caernarfon and Bangor today. The main purpose being to see the progress being made on the new court facilities on Llanberis Road, Caernarfon. This is a £12 million pound investment by Her Majesty's Court Service (HMCS)

and a major vote of confidence in the town of Caernarfon.

It is investments of this type tking on the renewal of our civil infrastructure that have become important under the Labour Government.

Scones on Bangor Pier

Well the weather was kind today and the constituency "Sunday lunch club" met in Bangor, with a post meal stroll to the delights of Bangor pier. While the picture is not very busy there were plenty of people strolling, and fishing, with a number of visitors amongst them.

In spite of the substantial Sunday lunch served by 'The Nelson' several of the group could not resist the splendid scones served in the tea room at the end of the pier.

So there you are next time you visit Bangor stick the pier on your list, and have a splendid scone.

It's not all hard work this politics........

Batman

So in a desperate attempt to be in touch with modern culture it was a visit to Batman on Friday evening. I am no great film critic and the film was reasonably good escapism for a few hours - quite a long film it seemed. Well worth a visit although, like other films I have seen, I am not sure the hype is justified. Part of it seems like the rock band who loose a singer (think AC/DC etc) and it seems to generate even more interest.

So a 6.5/7 out of 10 , worth the evening out, but no I don't think it was the future of film - just good distraction from life. Job done.

The sun shone and the flowesr were in fine bloom at the Bangor Festival. It is good to see a spirit which maintains such community events and the opportunity to fund raise for a variety of good causes.

More reading

It seems this blog has been around for a while but I have been slow off the mark. However it is another blogging voice about Wales so a link will follow.

There, lazy posting done for today. Time for the Bangor Festival.

and the Baggies won last night .......... (2-1 at the mighty Hereford)