Tokyo bound!

In a slightly surreal start to 2009 I found myself Tokyo bound to talk to the Japanese Institute of Architects about town planning. Some may know that in addition to my union and political activities I have been in 'town planning' for some 25 years. My experience, and ability to present ideas, seems to mean I have knowledge/ skills to help "enlighten" (thats what the polite leter says) others about planning.

Fingers crossed that I can blog you some stories about the coming weeks experiences. Remarkable.

Of linked interest - will I be delayed by Heathrow protests?
My carbon offset costs £41.90 - I intend to find out how BA use this money.

Intermintent!

Like West Brom premier league wins my blogging is intermittent at the moment - some might say moribund! As matters settle down in the New Year then a return to blogging will take place. Not only football survival, but Welsh Labour's leadership debate, the euro elections - let alone the sad state of affairs in Gaza.

Moral questions

The season of goodwill and some Church people decide to lash out on moral questions. This one caught my eye as clearly those women are a subversive bunch and I am not sure on what moral basis people seek to wreck the unity of a Church based on gender. But that is their business not mine. The musings over the work of the Labour Government are worth a reflection, but perhaps they should worry more about the work of the Church. Any criticism on our work around poverty is I feel deserving of considered reflection - but the Bishops took on the feel of a Christmas rant.

Cyfarchion y tymor - Season's Greetings

Well with some form of sahopping lunacy overcoming the nation can I wish you all the best for the Season.

Of course three points off the Spurs tomorrow would help lighten the footballing mood. And not long before all the transfer window speculation kicks in.

Will 2009 be the year when the 'credit crunch' bursts the bubble of Premiership football finances???

Helo!! - Olympic football team

Yes I'm still alive if a little slack on the blogging front. However today I ended up on Radio Cymru debating a British team for the 2012 Olympics. Why I'l never know, I assume they were short of contributors!!

Seems like a bit of harmless fun to me - but there is big football politics in the background it seems.

Oh well better let Tony Mowbray he is not lined as Olympic manager yet, and Scott Carson that he is not yet the Olympic number one.

But would it really be such a bad thing for the 2012 Olympics .......

Point off Pompey

That's okay and nothing to complain about but we must now take three of Sunderland to keep hope alive for New Year. But new manager syndrome... ???

Exploring political ideas

Huw Lewis AM has posted some interesting thoughts based on his speech to the Institute for Political Affairs. See here.

Wide ranging measures

I suppose it is a fact of life that Alistair Darling has a rhetorical style that alllows him to deliver such a significant financial statement in a calm delibeate manner. By all accounts this package is significant and even commentators like Wil Hutton acknowledge the issues involved.

So the pattern is clear the scale of the issues enveloping us all are seen to be so large that some old fashioned recipes are required including spend now, tax later and raising a few more quid off those (2% of tax payers it seems) earning more. Some shortt erm money for low earners, child allowance and pensioners and a VAT reduction all round.

The last measure (VAT) leaves me a little cold but I suppose it is meant to be effective as spending is stimulated. I wait to see.

Anyway in the classic battles of modern politics the "lines" are drawn and Labour is committed to investing/spending out of the crisis, while I remain alittle unclear what the Tories will do - apart from disagree with Labour.

BNP

There is clear disintegration in the extreme right and the leaking of membership names is the latest chapter in tensions that will see some rearranging of power - it has happened before and will happen again.

However the response made by Hazel Blear's is interesting as it comes from a person who has been influencing policies at the centre for some years and therefore bears some responsibility for the problem she describes. Those who have been active in the trade union wing of the Labour movement have not ignored the issues around the far right. For example UNISON have been vigilant and invested significant sums in campaigns against the far right.

So yes Hazel let us bring our Party, our representatives and our movement back in to concerted effort in taking a message and the ideological battle to the BNP and their like.

Oh dear

I must reject a suggestion that the low number of postings reflects the lowly position of my football team! but in reality just a bit busy, and less frequent access to my on line laptop.

But a few stories to pick up over the weekend, after recovering from this bottom of the pile feeling.

Tesco loyalty card - that's alright then!

I understand that George Osborne is a wealthy man but as the Tories shadow Chancellor he clearly wants to stress his common touch. So forget the Bullingdon club this is the man who tells the Times "I have a Tesco loyalty card in my wallet"!!.

Well done George, that makes you as normal as the rest of us then.

I suppose an inquisitive journalist would ask to see the record of transactions on the card and see how often George shops at Tesco's and for what products?

So George how about going on tv and opening up our Tesco purchasing records to the nation. Mine includes too much wine for my own good, CDs, socks pants and food. George's card?

Sky high - help the cause please

For a reason that is beyond me (probably youth and excitement) my son Gareth and his mate Barry are going to sky dive and raise a few quid for a good cause.

If you want to help them reach their target then see here :

and give these young men a few quid for their chosen cause.

Setting the States alight!

Its not just Obama making the headlines in the States this week but the great progress being made by Shan Jones of Y Felinheli, Gwynedd. This week's great news includes her recognition as "Freshman" (??) of the year and recognition for a record setting pace in the goal scoring section.

To quote:

"Jones was honored as the conference freshman of the year as well as being named to the Sun Belt All-First Team. The talented forward ranks 55th in the nation in goals per game and 96th in points per game. Jones leads the Blue Raiders in goals scored, points, shooting percentage, shots on goal, shots-on-goal percentage and game-winning goals.

Despite being in just her first season of collegiate soccer, the Gwynedd, Wales native sits in eighth place in school history for most goals scored in a season and already finds herself in fifth place in school history for most game-winning goals in a career".


Da iawn Shan ymlaen a ti.

Is Tosh watching .........................

Scottish satisfaction

After another break I return with a strange sense of smugness. Not the fact that Obama won (well) and has given one of those occasional, and much neeeded, lifts to the tone of poltics but events in Scotland.

For some strange reason Salmond is one of those politicians who riles me. He projects a smugness that, combined with his nationalist politics, makes me pleased to see some better perspective on the cause of Scottish independence. I supect some focus on day to day challenges may now occupy his mind more than a drive to areferendums.

Then again perhaps now is the time to renew the call once made by Wendy Alexander and demand the independence referendum. As I have said before we live in inter-dependent times, not independent times.

Obama dreaming

Experience of 1997 tells me that not too much faith should be placed in one political figure but it is hard not to get the same feeling of excitement watching and reading the US election coverage. The sight of people queueing for hours to use their vote, many to overcome previous democratic travesties, is a sign to warm the heart. Obama dreaming.

This could indeed be one of those genuine 'historic' moments should the prevailing impression of the media prove true when the votes are counted.

Perverted priorities

The world is facing more events of "catastrophic proportions" and yet, judging by the breakfast news and most newspapers, such suffering is nothing compared to two rude DJs on Radio 2. Through a sleepy blur I think I saw Breakfast news manage a few seconds on the Congo, after several minutes on the DJ issue.

It is a perfect summary of the perverted priorities that have overtaken our media obsessed age. I am sure history will find this perversion of priorities perplexing. It was unwise of my Prime Minister to even get involved in commenting on what has become a self obsessed debate at the BBC.

Let us hope we can focus our efforts on real and catastrophic events in the years to come.

Downturn blues ?

The economic transition which is in progress will have a range of impacts. The squeeze on house prices is something many will welcome as "affordability" and entry prices become easier for more people. Yet for those facing negative equity the squeeze is less welcome. The problems of house builders are one other example of the impacts of the down turn and are likely to test the robustness of many companies financial models and assumptions.

There is no escaping this adjustment and the political consequences are unclear. Gordon seems to have responded well to a "crisis" while Cameron, having promised much as a new face, seems to have an empty pantry.

And yet, out and about over half term, the shops still seem to be in good business. Perhaps the impact on such activity will be a third phase. Phase one - financial sector/liquidity, phase two - employers and builders etc, phase three (Jan onwards?) - increasing employment problems?

Strange goings on in Conwy

I found the story about the recruitment of a new Chief Executive at Conwy County Borough Council bemusing, especially with the added dimension of Plaid Cymru influence over the authority. Clearly each employer must make their own recruitment decisions but the lack clarity about the language proficiency required of the candidate seems strange. Of course there can be the argument that the council wishes to consider as open a field as possible with language proficiency being one consideration for a Chief Executive.

So what have the council in mind and are they open to challenge if they fail to meet their own statutory language scheme - this could run for some time given the politics which can surround language politics.

What goes around..comes around

Given the somewhat blurry 'facts' we have about this Russian-Corfu party, except that Osborne was present, what the hell was Osborne doing launching his attack on Mandelson. Bizzare politics of the big own goal variety.

Did he feel that he was safe, as the host was I understand a Bullingdon member, and that has spectacularly backfired with Mr Rothschild clearly peeved by George's blubbering. The smell of blood ........

Men of a certain age.....

Men (perhaps we should be called boys) of a certain age are very happy this week as the new AC/DC album flies off the shelves of our local supermarkets. The band's first "new" album in years - Black Ice - and anyone using the word "new" in this context needs a healthy supply of "-" !

You know what your getting, the X Factor it ain't but men of a certain age will smile all the way to their CD players.

It doesn't disappoint.