Bratiaith

Neis bod yn Rong

2007-08-14T13:43:00.001+01:00

Rhaid imi ymddiheuro i'n hoff wleidyddion yn y Cynulliad. Codent i'r sialens wedi'r cwbl i adeiladu consensws synhwyrol. Gobeithio bydd y clymblaid yn ein arwain i ddyfodol disglair!

wel dwi ddim yn wir disgwyl cymaint a hynny. Ond edrychaf ymlaen at ddealltwriaeth cynnyddol rhwng ddwy prif canran gwleidyddol ein Gwlad fach. Mae'r clymblaid pinko a gwyrdd-olau ohonom.

The futures bright the future's beige.

Dyfnffrio

2007-07-03T12:38:00.000+01:00

Pizza, bar Mars, Terfysgwr....mae popeth yn cael eu dyfnffrio yn Glasgow!

ewwwww

Pizza, Mars bar, Terrorist.... everything gets deep fried in Glasgow.

ewwww

Democracy

2007-05-18T11:40:00.001+01:00

I recieved a Labour e-mail a few months Ago. "It would appear your membership has lapsed. Don't lose the chance to choose our new leader and Prime Minister. REJOIN NOW" Looks like I saved myself 36 quid!

What annoys me is that half of "NEW" Labour can't stand Gordon Brown but haven't got the balls to oppose him. ANd the left who didn't help McDonnell have denied members a say. The Party no longer belongs to the members. It's just a club for alleged "representatives". They seem to think of their career prospects. Prospects that are vunerable to spitefull personal grudges.

Secondly. In general the welsh have voted for Labour and Plaid. Two parties on the left with only constitutional aims that truly seperate them. Other than the independence issue there is braod agreement on basic principles. Shouldn't the Welsh electorate get what they have voted for. Namely a compromise and therefore coalition of the Red and Green? But yet again it's the "elected representatives" and their stupid personal grudges that gets in the way.

Sawl gair ar Ddemocratiaeth

2007-05-17T10:31:00.000+01:00

Mae dau peth mod i 'mo'yn dweud.

Ces i neges e-bost oddi wrth y blaid Lafur sawl mis yn ol.
" Ymddengys i'ch aelodaeth wedi dod i ben! Peidiwch a cholli'r siawns pleidleisio dros ein arweinydd a Phryf-Weinidog newydd! AIL YMUNWCH NAWR!"
Arbedais i £36 imi fy hun felly. Nid yw hanner Lafur newydd yn fodlon gyda Mr Brown. Nid oes ganddynt y cerrig i'w wrthwynebu. Nid yw'r aelodau ar y chwith yn San Steffan yn fodlon rhoi siawns i'r aelodau cyffredin dewis be' yn union bydd dyfodol y blaid. Nid ydyw Lafur yn blaid i'w aelodau erbyn hyn, Clwb yw e i'r "Cynrychiolwyr" honedig. Mae eu gyrfau sy'n bwysig iddynt. Gyrfau a allai gael eu amharu gan gynhennau sbeitlyd personol twp.

Yn ail hoffwn traethu ychydig ar y cynulliad.
Mae Pobl Cymru, yn gyffredinol, wedi pleidleisio dros "Lafur" a "Plaid". Ddwy blaid y chwith sydd gan dim ond un prif wahaniaeth. Dim ond eu cysyniadau am ddyfodol cyfansoddiadol ein gwlad fach sy'dd yn eu gwahanu'n ideolegol. Heblaw am hynny mae cytundeb bras am rhan fwyaf o egwyddorion.
Onid yw'n amlwg taw dewis pobl cymru ydy cyfaddawd a felly clymblaid y goch a'r wyrdd? Ond unwaith eto mae cynnen sbeitlyd personol a thwp sy'n rhwystro cynnydd.

Own Goal by Labour?

2007-03-16T11:10:00.000Z

Watch the You Tube film about the tory years

Ffilm lafur am y Toris sydd ar You Tube. Ond mae'r ffyrdd y mae pobl ar y ffilm yn anobeithio wrth i'r geiriau "bydded i'r heniaith barhau" ganu'n fy atgyfodaf i am agweddau ofnadw i'r iaith o fewn Lafur. Er bod Lafur yn well na'r Toris wrthynt reoli'r economi, does fawr i ganu amdano.

The film shows people being dispondent in the rain, this dispondancy goes with the words "May the old language persist". Which reminds me of the near racist attitudes within large sections of the party towards the Welsh Language.
Yes Labour is economically better than the tories but there's not much to sing about.

Prifysgolion i wbod gwybodaeth am Deuluoedd.

2007-03-16T10:45:00.000Z

Should Universities know the social background of applicants?
Too Bloody right they should.

Pwy sy'n cwyno am Hyn? - y sawl sydd gyda manteision.
"Mae rhaid i'r cae bod yn wastad i bawb" dwedodd dyn sy'n cynrychioli'r ysgolion preifat. Ond pam y mae'n annheg i wbod pwy sydd wedi dechrau yn y blaen.
Yntydi B y bachgen croenddu gyda Mam sengl sydd heb addysg prifysgol a sy'n gweithio i'r cyngor fel glanheuwres, yn syfrdanol o well na'r A sydd gan Tywysogion Siarl. wpps,sori, anghofiais aeth Siarl i Brifysgol gyda dim ond D.

Who's complaining? - the ones with advantages.
"We must have a level playing field said the man from the private schools association. But why is it unfair to know who's had a head start?
Isn't the B of a black youth with an Degree-less, council cleaner, single mother far superior to the A that Prince Charles got? - oops, sorry, I forgot that Charles got into Uni with D's.

Hen Gar Fi, My Old Car

2007-03-09T12:05:00.000Z

Mae fy hen gar ar fap Wikimapia. Wedi sgrapio fe bron pum mlynedd yn ol.
Wikimapia has a pic of my old car on it. I scrapped it nearly five years ago.

Contaminated Fuel - bird flu link

2007-03-01T11:11:00.000Z

Mae'n pur syndod imi does neb wedi cynnig taw cyswllt rhwng clefydd wedi ei mwtadu sy'n lladd yr adar a'r tanwydd sy'n lladd ceir. Ond ffan theori conspirasi dw i.

I'm surprised no-one has tried to suggest that mutated bird flu is poisoning the petrol that kills cars. But then I'm a conspiracy theory fan.

Taylorism

2006-10-16T14:32:00.000+01:00

Meddyliodd dizzy taw David Taylor sydd y tu ol i'r cofrestru o barthau wefanau yn cefnogu Alan Johnson am Feurher newydd Lafur newydd? Mae bloggerhead yn cytuno ag ef fel yr oedd y Cylgrawn Tribune.

Sgwn i taw ein Dafydd Taylor ni ydy'r un dyn?

I wonder if our own David Taylor is the guy Dizzy and Bloggerhead believe is behind the registering domain names to support Alan Johnson's Feuhrership bid for New Labour?

LabOUR

2006-10-13T11:08:00.000+01:00

Dwi newydd dileu'r eicon "LabOUR" gan ffaeliodd yr ymdrech. Mae sawl dolen yn fy mar-ochor nawr hefyd.

since the LabOUR efort failed i just removed the icon. There are a few new links in my sidebar now too.

Liberal Controlled Cardiff Council shits on Grangetown

2006-07-22T11:49:00.000+01:00

Grangetown Children and Cardiff Athletics Club are to have their sports facilities taken away so that Sam Hamman can make some more Money. The Athletics Stadium is to be demolished to make way for the bluebirds new home. Despite previous assurances the athletics Stadium will now NOT be built first.

Leighton Andrews AM is right that "Plaid Cymru's Daft idea" shows their total misunderstanding of the logistics and problems. He seems unaware however that grangetown has experienced a series of let downs and dubious goings on by councilors and business when it comes to sport and leisure facilities.

Lets get the conspiracy theories out of the way first,
Despite the rantings of a few nutters in cardiff pubs there is no evidence to sugest even the posibility that the convienient closure of Cardiff City Farm due to financial problems after a series of Arson attacks was in any way connected to football hooligans support for plans to build the new stadium.
-This tragic loss of an important local facility was of course sadly inevitable.

Only a cynical lunatic could say that the "poison soil" in houses adjacent to the new site are a ploy to make compulsory purchase orders easier. -hey ho!

Having said that, this story has all the hallmarks of the way Cardiff Empire pool was demolished to build a pub and cinema complex outside the millenium Stadium. Grangetown was "given to understand" that we would soon have an Olympic size pool in ferry rd. - they haven't even laid foundations yet. If Grangetown had kept our hard working Labour Councillors I'm sure we wouldn't be in this mess. I know they were adamant that the Empire Pool would not repeat itself. Unfortunatly they were victims of Cardiff's animosity towards Russell Goodway (mayor and arch New-Labourite) 's arrogance. - something the party nationaly should learn from.

Rudyard Kipling

2006-07-14T12:50:00.000+01:00

Mae cartwn yn Tribune heddiw sy'n fy atgyfodi fi am ba mor dda ydoedd Rudyard Kipling fel Llenor. Mae'n dyfynnu y gerdd The Young British Soldier, yn nes at llun o Doni Fler mewn gwisg Capten y Fyddin Fictoriadd.

When you're wounded and left on Afganistan's plains

And the Women come out to cut up what remains

Jest roll on your rifle and blow out your brains

An go to yer Gawd like a soldier...

Fel arfer gwelwyd Kipling fel Brydeiniwr rhonc a gefnogodd yr Ymerodraeth a dim mwy. Dyna'r farn eich bod chi'n debyg o'i weld ar Maes-e. Mae cywirdeb yn y barn ond mae'n lawer mwy amwys na hynny, fel y mae erthygl yma o India yn ei ganmoli yn traethu sawl agwedd bositif yn ei ysgrifen am rinweddau India a'i phobl. Bu Rudyard yn garedig iawn i'r milwr cyffredin Megis y gerdd Danny Deever sy'n tosturi dros milwyr cyffredin mewn sefyllfa erchyll sy'n dangos eu dyniolaeth. Mae stori enwog Sahib's War yn dangos rhogoriaethau dynion o India ac Awstralia dros dirywiad y Saeson. Sydd yn destun y stori fer Mary Postgate lle mae hen fenyw chwerw yn darganfod Awerynnwr ifainc o Almaenwr wedi ei anafu'n ddifrifol. Oherwydd marw ei fab yn rhyfel y byd gyntaf gwylio ef yn marw y wnaiff, yn hytrach na cael cymorth iddo.

Mae'n ysgrifennwr gwerth ei ddarllen.

Blaenau Gwent

2006-07-01T12:09:00.000+01:00

I just posted this reply to Leighton Andrews' Blog. I disagree with his analysis of what went wrong in Blaenau.

I think the problem is much deeper than a sympathy vote for trish law. I sense a real anger in the country about Labour's direction. No-one (sensible) would go back to the days of Militant and the Bennite purism of "resolutionary Socialism" but trade unionists, and those of us who have tried to argue for policies which are centered on protecting communities feel badly let down - despite the very real gains made (near full employment, creating asbos etc)

Elected members and party employees are increasingly seen as an out of touch, arogant and uncaring bunch of middle managers. An example (sorry to harp on about one of my pet issues) is your recent "joke" about Welsh speakers driving up house prices in Pontcanna. Yes its a bit of fun to take an easy swipe at the sillier Nats, but such "jokes" belittle people facing very real hardships, and stir up bad feeling between non-welsh speakers and welsh speakers.
I have no doubt that the assembly campaign will yet again be a slanging match that sets up "Language Ethnicity" as an issue.

This however is merely the final straw. What with Iraq, Blair's renaging on the Warick agreement, Pfi, the home office, NHS, and letting Prescott (who now has as much credibility as Ron Davies -rip) hang on as a fig leaf for Blair, I've finally cancelled my Direct Debit to the Party - I'm only a member till the middle of July Now.
I still consider myself part of the Labour Movement. But I feel that a an inactive member I'm doing a greater service to the Party by being part of the "haemoraging membership".

I want to be free to say that the best thing that can happen to the Labour Party now is a disaster in the Assembly elections, which will be a spur to genuine renewal. - that's not code for Brown by the way, I want to see a proper contest that deals with the real issues.

Mae'r Byd Ar y FFordd, Welsh Language Daily Paper on it's way!

2006-06-18T14:12:00.000+01:00

Why is the BBC so Negative?

Pam? gan fod euogrwydd 'da'r dosbarth canol Cymreig am eu esgeulustod a diffyg fenter. Mae'n newyddion gwych y bydd PApur Newydd dyddiol 'da ni yn fuan. Bydd yn helpu creu diwylliant sifig a chenedlaethol go iawn. Byddwn i disgwyl i'r cenedlaetholwyr gwneud mwy o swn am greu infastructure genedlaethol.

Probably because the welsh middle class is feeling guilty about it's apathy and lack of enterprise. It's great news that we'll soon have a daily news paper. It will help create a real civic national culture. I would've expected the Nats to make more noise about thecreation of a national infrastructure.

Brysur, Busy, Brysur - resymau dros fy nawelwch

2006-03-21T12:31:00.000Z

My reasons for being quiet lately: -

Dim cyswllt band llydan 'da fi cartref ar hyn o bryd
Tri traethawd 'da fi i'w sgwennu erbyn Pasg ar gyfer y radd allanol Aberystwyth
Genedigaeth fy mab ieiaf, sef Rhydian Ianto, diwedd mis Chwefror a felly dim cwsg.

that's No braodband at home, 3 essays to write for my external degree course with Aberystwyth (a bit like the open university in Welsh but with more academic Kudos), and the birth of my youngest son Rhydian Ianto at the end of February, so i don't sleep much.

Offlein am y Nadolig Mae'n debyg.

2005-12-19T09:39:00.000Z

I'm probably going to be offline till the new Year. so

NADOLIG LLAWEN A
BLWYDDYN NEWYDD DDA

Cynllwyn Atomig. Nuclear Plot

2005-12-02T11:07:00.000Z

I started to think Nuclear Power might be ok after all, untill I read Colin Challen MP 's article in today's Tribune. The industry is mendacious and manipulative so I no longer trust so called "rational" arguments in it's favour.
(english post continues below)

Mae dadl Colin yn seiliedig ar Hysbyseb sy'n dangos llun ffug i brofi pa mor hawdd a llwyddiannus yw digymisiynugorsafoedd ynni atomig. Dyma crynodeb ei gwyn am yr orsaf Berkeley i'r Asiantiaeth Safonau Hysbysebu:

"the ASA are now saying that a fake picture – which after all can speak a
thousand words – is OK...It seems there are lower standards here than there
are
on what you show on a can of tuna fish"

Hyd at hyn mae'n debyg ti wedi clywed yr hanes. Ond Mae'n lot waeth na hynny. Ymddengys taw'r Asiantaith Safonau Hysbysebu wedi Cytuno manylion y hysbyseb o flaen llaw. Ond dwedon nhw ddim hynny pan derbynion nhw'r cwynion. Gwastraff o amser oedd mynd i'r asiantaeth. Gwastraff o amser oedd yr Ymchwil Ffug ar y Lluniau Ffug.

Dyw Cynllwyn ddim yn air rhy gadarn am y digwyddiadau.

Colin's argument is based on an advertisment using fake pictures to show how easily and succesfully Nuclear Power stations can be de-commissioned. Here's a synopsis of his argument about Berkeley Power Station to the Advertising Standards Agency:

"the ASA are now saying that a fake picture – which after all can speak a
thousand words – is OK...It seems there are lower standards here than there are
on what you show on a can of tuna fish"

So far it's likely that you've heard the story. But it gets alot worse. It appears that the ASA had pre-agreed the contents of the ad, but they did not say this when the complaints were made. It was a waste of time going to the standards agency, and a waste of time to do a fake enquiry into the fake pictures.

Conspiracy is not too harsh a word for what happened.

Social Experiment or Entertainment?

2005-11-30T09:20:00.000Z

Popeth yn Gymraeg or "everything in Welsh" is a new programme where Ifor ap Glyn travels Wales as a monoglot Welsh speaker, pretending not to speak English. It's funny but also informative. I especcially like the conversations where an English Speaker obviously understands far more Welsh than s/he is aware of. This is from Ifor's Blog:

-‘Are you going back to your van?’
- ‘Sori?’- ‘I saw you earlier.’
- ‘Dwi'm yn meddwl’
- ‘Can I ask you one question then?’
- ‘Iawn.’
- ‘You know presenters, when they're filming, do they put on a false
personality, or is that how they really are?’

Nic Dafis has blogged bi-lingually about this. I agree with him that the "Welshless" Welsh should watch this programme and that it needs to be re-broadcast in a format they can easily follow. If more Welsh (and English) people were to watch this they would realise what it is like to be treated as a Foreigner in your own country - a daily experience for Welsh speakers. This would put an end to the Paranoid fantasies of people who follow the paranoid fantasist example of the late George Thomas who seemed to believe that if we so much as mention Devolution and positive promotion of the Welsh Language, hoards of uncircumcised philistine Gogs (southern slang word for Welsh speaking northerners) will decend on the Valleys and M4 corridor to force every welshman, at spear-point, to speak only Welsh.

However Nic is wrong to beieve Welsh speakers are all hunkydory. A tragic aspect of welsh society is the tendency of Welsh-speakers to switch to English when a learner doesn't quiet understand their dialect or turn of phrase. I have been banging on for years that S4C should help to educate Welsh speakers to simplify their Welsh for learners, not huff and take pity on the "poor dab" and turn to English out of misplaced courtesy. Ifor's programme is a long awaited answer to these calls.

Dwi'n rhy brysur i dweud hyn oll yn Gymraeg rwy'n ofni. Sori am y diffyg cyfieithu.

Welsh Blogs Take Off!

2005-11-23T12:14:00.000Z

Aran's Blogiadur which aggragates all blogs entirely written in welsh is having problems. So many Welsh blogs now exist that the server can't take it and Aran is going to pay for more Bandwidth.

Does Prawf nagoes? - In Denial

2005-11-18T09:00:00.000Z

Dwi ddim yn credu bod David Irving yn y Carchar.
Can anyone prove that David Irving is in Jail in Austria?

Tribune Group of Labour MP's

2005-11-18T08:27:00.000Z

A big CROESO! to the Tribune group of Labour Mp's. As far as I can tell No-one else has blogged about this; probably because of a dearth of internet activity or news on the topic.

I link to the Campaign Group in my side bar. Though I'm a supporter of the group I'm a bit sceptical of the "right on" eighties style of socialism. But we ain't got nothin better at the moment so "Red Ken for President !" it is. I, for one, hope that the renewed "New" Tribune group will be the antibiotic against "New" Labour.

Any plans for a website boys and girls? it could only help in this day and age - a blog would do if you're low on funds.

Citizenship Test

2005-11-08T10:08:00.000Z

I just passed the new uk citizenship test. Gramarians will note that I used 2 meanings of just; I did it two minutes ago and nearly failed. If my three guesses had been different, and I was not bornandbread here I would be on my way Back to whatever hell hole I was trying to escape from.
(english continues at bottom of post)

Mae Al-Jazeerah gan erthygl syml am y prawf yma, sy'n atgoffa Cymro o "Frad y Llyfrau Gleision". Roedd y Cymry'n teimlo rhaid iddyn nhw sefyll prawf eu Prydeindod (diolch Nic am hynny) yn ystod y bedwaredd Ganrif ar Bymtheg.
Dwedodd Nic "Mae llywodraeth Prydain wedi datgan yr wythnos yma, mwy neu lai, y bydd mewnfudwyr sy’n gwrthod dysgu Saesneg (neu’r “British language” mewn un fersiwn dorgalonus o eironig) yn cael eu trin fel dinasyddion ail-radd." a bod hynny'n adlewyrchu'r sefyllfa lle "Mae pob siaradwr Cymraeg yn gallu siarad Saesneg (i ryw raddau) achos nad oes ganddo/ganddi’r hawl sylfaenol i fyw eu bywyd yn eu hiaith eu hunain yn eu gwlad eu hunain."

Sydd imi yn gnewyllyn y fater. Mae rhaid i bobl sy'n byw mewn Gwlad cymryd rhan ym Mhywyd y Wlad. Mae rhaid felly i fewnfydwyr dysgu'r Iaith eu Bro. Ond pryd mae Cymuned yn dweud pethau debyg, fe Alwyd "hilgwn" arnyn nhw am y rheswm bod "hawl" gan Brydeinwyr gwrthod siarad ieithoedd eraill. Er mwyn cydbwysedd mae rhaid mynnu bod y sawl sy'n mewnfudo i'r Fro Gymraeg, Ardaloedd Gaeleg ayyb ac yn Gwrthod cymryd rhan yn y cymdeithas ac yn gwrthod Saesneg ar y brodorion yn ymddwyn fel Coloneiddiwyr. Dyw Aelodau Llafur ddim yn hoffi clywed y gair hyn yn cael ei defnyddio am Brydeinwyr sy'n byw ym Mhrydain, ond mewn gwlad aml-ddiwylliannol does dim osgoi Cywirdeb safbwynt Cymuned

Al-Jazeerah has a simple article about this which reminds a Welshman of "The Treacheray of the Blue Books". (1847 education report that blamed Welshpeakers' lack of English for the poverty ignorance and therefore social unrest and alleged immorality.) As a result of Which the Welsh felt they needed to prove their Britishness. As Nic has reminded me, "The British Government has more or less stated that Immigrants who refuse to learn English (or "British Language" in one heartbreakingly Ironic version) are treated as second class citizens), and that this reflects the situation whereby "every Welsh Speaker (more or less) speaks English because s/he has no basic rights to live their lives through the medium of their own language in their own country."

This to me is the grain of the mater. Everyone, of course, who lives in a country must play their part in the life of that country. Immigrants/incommers/ migrants (whichever name you consider to be polite) must therefore learn the language of the area in which they live. But when Cymuned say similar things they are branded as Racists, since Britons have the fundamental right to refuse to learn non-English Languages. For the sake of balance we must insist that those who re-locate to Welsh speaking Wales, Gaelic areas etc, who refuse to learn the languages and who refuse to take a full part in the life of those communities are behaving as Colonizers. Labour members don't like to use that word about Britons living in Britain, but in a truly Multi-Cultural country we cannot deny the truth behind Cymuned 's position.

Prydeindod

Most of the English (and Scots) are Welsh

2005-11-02T13:20:00.000Z

Seperatist Nationalists love to talk about Saxon ethnic cleansing of the British isles. But the truth is far more fascinating.
Mae map yma o Wales ger Rotherham yn dangos y modd wnaeth yr hen Gymru (brythoniaid) yn goroesi dyfodiad y Saeson yn sawl achos. Galwyd Wales ar y pentref hwn am yr un rheswm y mae Cymru. "Pobl estron" ydy ystyr Wales yn yr hen Saesoneg. Mae enwau lleoedd megis Wales ger Rotherham, Walcot (tai'r pobl estron) ac yn y blaen yn dangos taw cymhathu wnaeth y Frythoniaid yn hytrach na chael eu lladd. Eglwys ydy Eccles, Cambria ydy Cumbria, YStrad Clud ydy Strathclyde, Glas Coed ydy Glasgow....ac ati.
Mae hanes yr ynysoedd yma'n llawn goresgyniad gan Pendefigion milwrol yn disodli Elitau gwreiddiol a symudiadau poblogaeth heddychlon hefyd. Cenedl Cymysgryw gwir.

This map shows how the old Welsh (Britons) survived the arrival of Saxons Jutes and Angles. The village is called Wales for the Same reason my country has that name. Wales means "foreign" in Anglo Saxon. Place names like Wales near Rotherham, Walcott (houses of the foreigners) etc show that the Britons were assimilated rather than ethnically cleansed. Eccles is "Eglwys" (churchin Welsh), Cumbria is "Cambria", Strathclyde is "Ystrad Clud", Glasgow is "Glas Coed" (green wood)...etc.
These islands have a History of Invasion by Aristocratic Warrior classes which diplace indiginous Elites, and more peacefull population movements too. We really are a Mongrel Nation.

Reasons to stay with Labour

2005-11-01T10:13:00.000Z

I found this excellent article by Paul Flynn MP. (english continues after the Welsh)
Hen ddadl yw e ond yn fwyfwy berthnasol fel y mae Cymuned yn ein atgoffa ni, taw prisiau Tai yn warthus o ddrud ac yn dinistrio cymunedau. Aelod Cymuned ydw i o hyd (yn dechnegol) er fy mod i'n fwyfwy anghyforddus a'r tueddiadau Cenedlaetholgar yn y fudiad. Dwi'n dechrau cyd-weld a'r angen arnom am integreiddio yn hytrach na Gymhathu - wnes i boeni ddim am y gysyniad ideolegol yma i ddechrau, roedd cefnogi'r ymgyrch dros tai ffordadwy a dros Haliau Iaith yn rhy bwysig yn o^l yn 2001.

Beth Bynag ein barn am Tony a'i Gronis, hyd y mae Pobl fel Paul Flynn yn gallu aros o fewn Lafur mae'n beth dda inni aros hefyd er mwyn i'w helpu nhw.

It's an old argument but increasingly relevant, as CYMUNED remind us, Housing costs are shamefully expensive and are destroying communities. I'm (technically) still a member of Cymuned though I'm getting more and more uncomfortable with the Nationalistic tendencies within the movement. I'm starting to agree with the idea that we need to"integrate" people rather than assimilate them. I didn't worry about this ideological point back in 2001 - the campaign for affordable housing and language rights was too important.

Whatever we think of Tony and his Cronies, as long as people like Paul Flynn are willing to fight the good fight, we need to stay in and support them

2005-10-31T10:01:00.000Z

arbrofi

Costa del Caithness

2005-10-21T12:50:00.000+01:00

More bad news for sustainable communities.

Catherine Macleod writes eloquently in Tribune today about the attempts of the Scottish parliament to undo Victorian legislation that protects the Crofting Way of Life. I agree with her

Mae tyddyniaeth yn bodoli fel modd cadw cymunedau yn fyw ac yn dda i'r amgylchedd. Ond mae aelodau canol dosbarth yn senedd yr Alban yn amlwg eisiau prynu tai haf ger y lli. Fydd Llew Smith yn gweiddi "hilgwn" ar albanwyr sy'n moyn cadw eu ffordd o fyw yn fuan? Sut mor hir cyn Sioned Stryd Porthor yn dechrau sgrechian am Hilgwn sinsir mewn tartan yn hela eu da dros y byrynoedd am geiniog?

Crofting has existed as a means of keeping communities alive and of protecting the environment. But obviously the middle class members of the Scottish Parliament have their eyes on some nice holiday homes on the coast. Will Llew Smith be calling the Scots who want to protect their way of life racists? How long will Janet Street Porter take to start screaming about Ginger Tartanclad Racists chasing their livestock over the hills for a shilling?

Paucity of Welsh Political Discourse

2005-10-21T09:41:00.000+01:00

Their are signs that David Taylor has learnt some lessons, and has stopped misusing the word "Racism". I would agree with his assesment that petty minded bigotted chauvinisitic nationalism is at the root of Plaid Cymru Councillor Alan Speake's complaints about "English Oglers".

However Speake's comments probably have some resonance with people in his constituency. There have been accusations in the past that a number of English Councils (maybe this is true in Scotland Ulster and Wales) "facilitate relocation", of people on their housing waiting lists, to Welsh towns and villages. Housing waiting lists these days are comprised of those who have the "greatest need" - this of course means "problems". The lack of social housing in people's own communities is leading to isolation and so social exclusion and so increased anti-social behaviour. But it is nonsense to blame anti-social behaviour on people who only speak english - Caernarfon has thugs that prefer Welsh (that's not a disparagemement of Cofis in general gyda llaw, ia cont! ;-) )

Councilor Bob Piper's Blog has a link to councillor Zoe Hopkin's blog, where we see how dimwitted housing policy can be.

I agree with Plaid Cymru members who complain that too many English migrants to Welsh speaking districts have a contemptous attitude towards our Culture and way of life (ie daring to speak our own language in our own culture). However I part company with anyone who uses reductive argumements that use xenophobic attitudes to Party advantage.
How can those of us who respect Welsh speaking culture fight against the Bigotry of some Labour Members when Plaid Cymru members keep making stupid comments like the one above.

The housing Problem is a BRITISH problem. By seeking to make it a partisan SEPERATIST NATIONALIST issue, the likes of Alan Speake destroy the posibility of cross party consensus.

Sign the pledge!

2005-10-21T09:04:00.000+01:00

Dwi wedi arwyddo y gwystl hwn.
I've signed the make labOUR party pledge. Though I already know why party membership is in free-fall - its DEMOCRACY DEMOCRACY DEMOCRACY stupid! I never joined the party as a youngster because of Hidebound Ideology, block votes and Resolutionary Politics, I didn't join under Kinnock because of his Centralist British Nationalism.

All Labour members who believe in democracy must join us in this campaign. If we don't ensure that Politics is about a real public discourse about ideas and policies, it becomes nothing more than an ugly scrabble for personal power, influence, patronage and wealth. Joining Labour used to be about wanting to change the world for the sake of the workers. It's becoming a career choice for ambitious, soul-less yuppies.

I joined when John Smith led the party to one member one vote, devolution, and a common sense approach. The Blairites are trampling this legacy underfoot. They have reintroduced Militant's bullying tactics, they are totally centralist in deeds if not rhetoric, and worst of all they parachute their own placemen into "awkward" constituencies far more efficiently than any Union leftist block voting.

Blogistan

2005-10-19T10:03:00.000+01:00

Fatha Blogiadur yw Blogistan, neu debyg i BlogCymru. Sef ymgasgliad o bostiau "Cymhedrol" (nid yw'r Moslemiaid yn hoffi rhoi derfyn ar eu ffydd) gan Foslemiaid.
"Moderate" Islam is represented by Blogistan though few Moslems will accept that their faith can be limited by the word "Moderate". One either is or is not a Moslem. It puts Blogs by Moslems together in a similar way to the BlogCymru site which agregates Welsh based Englishlanguage/bilingual Blogs, or Blogiadur which agregates Blogs entirely in Welsh.

Gwyliau Tadolaeth

2005-10-19T09:15:00.000+01:00

Daily Mail readers have an interesting cross section of viewpoints....sorry I'll rephrase that.

There is an interesting cross section of viewpoints on the comments page of the Daily Mail regarding the proposed new rules for parternity leave.
(english continues below)

Fy ffefryn i ydy'r dyn sy'n byw yn Ffrainc ac (wedi darllen y Daily Mail yn amlwg)yn credu y mae pob teulu Prydeinig yn deulu un rhiant.

O blaid yn syniad yn llwyr ydw i. Yn arbennig tasai'r rheolau newydd yn dod i mewn yn fuan, gan fydd Cymro newydd yn nhy^'r Cestyll erbyn diwedd Mis Mawrth. Ie dyn ni'n disgwyl. Wel mae Julie yn disgwyl. Ymddiried mewn dyn i gymryd y diolchiadau!

My favourite is the French resident who (after reading the Mail) is convinced that all British families are single parent ones anyway so doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.

But since we're expecting (trust a man to say WE here) I am a bit biased.

Blog un Pwnc?

2005-10-18T10:13:00.000+01:00

I've been a bit too much of a "single issue" blog since starting here. Welsh language rights are obviously one of my hobby-horses, but that is because I see the issue as a barometer for Labour successes and weaknesses in Wales
(English article continues after this message from our sponsor)

Mae erthygl Dewi Prysor yn enghraifft o hynny. Mae'n debyg na fyddai Dewi'n cael ei ystyried o ddifri y tu fas o gylchoedd Cenedlaetholgar o achos y modd y cafodd ei gysylltu a'r Free Wales Army a'u hymgyrch treisiol. Ond mae fe'n gwneud pwyntiau da iawn sydd yr un mor berthnasol y tu fas o'r Fro Gymraeg a thu fas o Gymru. Mae'n dangos sut y mae marchnad "skewed" yn difetha hawliau Tai trigolion yr ardal wedi'r Landlords yn gwerthu tai i bobl o'r tu fas.

Pan dechreuodd Cymuned ymoswyd arnynt am "hiliaeth" er mwyn ymosod ar genedlaetholdeb. Nonsens llywr yw hyn. Er gwaethaf y siofinistiaeth gul sy'n perthyn i sawl aelod y fudiad genedlaetholgar nid yw hynny yn gyfartal a hiliaeth a chasineb at leiafrifoedd. Mae gwrthseisnigrwydd yn ddiflasu dyn, ond mae'n dod mas o broblemau go-iawn Cymry.

Dewi Prysor's article Is a good example of this. It's likely that Dewi will not be taken seriously outside of Nationalist circles because of the way he was linked (unjusltly)to the Free Wales Army ANd their violent campains. But he makes important points which are just as relevent beoynd welsh speaking Wales. He shows how a skewed housing market destroys the rights of local residents when Landlords sell to people from outside the area.

When Cymuned started their campaign, they were attacked for "racism" in order to attack Nationalism. That is nonsense. Despite the narrow chauvinism of some Nationalists, this is not in the same league as RAcism and Hatred towards Minorities.
Anti-English attitudes are distateful but they come out of real problems faced by Welsh people.

No Right to speak Welsh?

2005-10-14T10:03:00.000+01:00

David Taylor the author of Natwatch and researcher to Leighton Andrews , accuses Welsh speakers of racism. If he still believes this he must show it to be true. Let's look at the evidence he gives:

1
People walked out of a talk at last year's eisteddfod because the "language rule" was being broken.
Whilst I think they were wrong under the circumstances, they have a point. The Welsh language is largely ignored and devalued in Wales. (our own Labour Party can't even live up to Iaith Pawb and give us a Welsh Website - excuse? -not enough money!
too many inept researchers and spin quacks to pay obviously).

2
Children are given litter duty in Glantaf for speaking English and this is as bad as beating children (in living memory) for speaking Welsh in school.
That may sound bad to an outsider, but why should a child be allowed to deny the rights of his/her fellows to be educated in a Welsh speaking environment. Children who use English in Welsh schools are effectivley BULLYING those who want to speak Welsh.
An equivelent activity would be to preach Atheism from a soapbox in the Yard of a Catholic School.

We in the Labour Party have to get a grip on this serious issue of the Welsh Language Rights. Buffoons like David Taylor must be shown for the intolerant fools that they really are. No ammount of "Positivity" from Leighton Andrews, Alan Pugh etc. can undo the Visceral Hatred towards Welsh as a Communal and Public Language that exists in sections of our Party.

Even Rhodri Morgan, despite his late found enthusiasm for "things Welsh", and despite being a Welsh speaker from a highly cultured welsh speaking background, denied his children their right to be brought up as Welsh speakers.

The Welsh Language is not a "Handy Job Skill", it is a barometer of success for our alleged Multiculturism, and our success in building and maintaining sustainable communities.

Afresymol Crefydd

2005-10-11T08:50:00.000+01:00

Mae pobl ofergoelus yn wastad yn edrych am "Brawf" o'u crefyddau. Mae engrhaifft gwych yn y Times (diolch i Leighton Andrews am y ddolen), lle mae nhw'n son am "enynau crefyddol".

Mae'n son am enynnau crefyddol gan fod bodion dynol yn debyg i dueddu goroesi os ydynt yn credu mewn "rwpeth uchod" - bolycs! Gwrthod gweld esboniadau eraill yw hyn fel mae gwefan logical fallacies yn esbonio.

Enghreifftiau -

1 Mae Dogfael yn cael ei amgylchu gan Braidd o Lewod, mae fe'n gweddio i'w dduw wrth rhedeg a neidio'n wyllt i'w osgoi. Se'n credu yn llwyr wedyn taw gwyrth oedd ei ddianc.

2 Mae Bratiaith yn cael ei amgylchu gan Braidd o Lewod, mae fe'n meddwl ei fod e'n ry bwysig i farw fel hyn wrth rhedeg a neidio'n wyllt i'w osgoi. Se'n credu yn llwyr wedyn taw gwyrth oedd ei ddianc.

Nid Genyn Crefyddol yw'r Genyn - Genyn Afresymoldeb yw e!

Credwch y Pab!

2005-10-07T09:38:00.000+01:00

Mae'r Beibl yn llawn celwyddau - credwch y Pab; pe credech chi ddim fi.

Gwynedd Imperialism

2005-10-06T08:23:00.000+01:00

Whilst I consider Llew Smith and his "peoples republic of the valleys" butties (please note Labour MP Paul Flynn's excellent interjection if you folllow that link) to be paranoid Unionists; sometimes you can't help but understand where their fantasies come from.

Just incase anyone thinks I'm going Nat with all the anti-natwatch stuff, this is a message I left on the British Nats Watch blog:

"[when I attack Welsh Nationalism as xenophobic and insular...]I oppose British Nationalism too. There is xenophobia and a metropolitan form of insularity within New Labour against the Welsh, Scots, Brummies, WestCountrymen, Northerners etc. My point is that the debate is carried on by a series of accusations counter-acusations and name-calling.
If Plaid Cymru was serious about Nation-Building instead of "Gwynedd Imperialism" they could do much to further Welsh Democracy and help get a Real Parliament. But their "no compromise on idependence stance" (which has been our Nation's bug-bear since the days of the Llywelyns.) just makes it nigh on impossible for people like me to persuade my Non-Welshspeaking Devolution-sceptic freinds.
Natwatch crossed the lines of Decency Honesty and Taste, but much of what he wrote had a real point to it. His "New Banner for Plaid" competion winner was spot on. "

Talwrn y Siwmperau

2005-10-04T08:53:00.000+01:00

This is a bad taste jumpers when we were younger competition

Roedd y ffliw arnaf fi yn 1985.
Mae fy siwmper fi yn Waeth na siwmper Nic

Paucity of Welsh Political Discourse

2005-10-03T08:36:00.000+01:00

Walter Wolfgang was ejected from conference at behest of a Welsh spin-quack. That is the allegation on the deeply unpleasant Brit-Nat watch website.

"Friday, September 30, 2005Brit Nat AM's Researcher - David Taylor - orders the removal of Walter Wolfgang
We've received reports, that David Taylor - Labour AM Leighton Andrews' researcher - was the Labour party official who instructed the stewards to remove 88 year old Walter Wolfgang from the British Nationalist Labour Party conference.
Apparently Taylor was watching the speech live on Sky News outside the conference hall, and shouted in to his radio:
"You can hear the f***ing heckling on Sky News. Shut them up, or take them out."
We have been given this information by a very reliable media source, who also said that David Taylor returned to the Welsh Assembly today, but wouldn't talk to anyone about the incident. It is rumoured that Taylor's actions could mean that he loses his job as Andrews' researcher. Maybe this will allow him the necessary time to improve his blog?

posted by Nicholas Michael Morgan @ 9:00 PM 3 comments"

Mr David Taylors behaviour is not the sort of thing one expects from a Labour assembly Member's researcher. It is the sort of thing one would expect from the author of NatWatch

There too we see the total disregard for humanity, decency, fairplay, and reasoned debate.

http://british-nats-watch.blogspot.com/2005/09/brit-nat-ams-researcher-david-taylor.html
http://british-nats-watch.blogspot.com/2005/09/who-are-you-calling-extremists-mr.html
10:39 AM

Two Wellsh four ewe?

2005-09-29T19:27:00.000+01:00

You may wonder what Welsh roadsigns say! Well we sometimes wonder too. My favourite is the one that tells you to beware of explosions, in English, but informs you in welsh that it's the "exploding workers" you should beware of. There is also the invition to "shit out" of the emergency exit.

Here are a few selections that some of us have collected for you at the behest of Mr Dafis

Natwatch

2005-09-29T09:34:00.000+01:00

The "TRibute" site has disapeared so I have removed this post

Nationalist "outs" Natwatch?

2005-09-29T08:42:00.000+01:00

The "TRibute" site has disapeared so I have removed this post

Labour Still fails Welsh Speakers

2005-09-27T09:39:00.000+01:00

WELSH SPEAKERS ONLY VOTE NATIONALIST BECAUSE THE OTHER PARTIES FAIL THEM! Labour treats Welsh speakers as an inconvenient Public Relations neccesity. But always gets it's PR wrong.

Labour Office holders are very quick to shout RACISM! if English spekers are "excluded" by Welsh speakers. But fail to adress real problems - a bit like the way they write off BNP voters as Racist when the truth is the just want decent housing and jobs and voting Fascist gets them noticed by the jumped up popinjays in the political classes. I repeat what I said previously. WELSH SPEAKERS ONLY VOTE NATIONALIST BECAUSE THE OTHER PARTIES FAIL THEM!

I recieved a slightly shirty "PR" reply from Party HQ to my complaint about the lack of Welsh Language content on Welsh Labour's website. Some Welsh "Translations" are available on some pages it would appear; however,The translations are scarce, they are incomplete and links are to English pages.

Yet again Labour treats the Welsh language as an inconvenient hinderance. And then expects us to be grateful.

Gyda llaw. Dwi'n Blogio yn Sisneg pan dwi'n lladd ar Lafur gan fod pob post yn ymddangos mewn ffenest ar Blogging for Labour tan i dri pobl arall yn postio. Felly mae SISNEG YN ESSENTIAL! :-(

Labour Fails again

2005-09-23T15:11:00.000+01:00

If it wasn't for this sort of stupid oversight, there would be absolutely NO nationalist successes in Wales.
Just as The Assembly starts to get its arse in gear about linguistic issues byfinally producing the long awaited "Guidlines for people coming to live in Wales", and after Alan Pughe's excellent statement that it is "perfectly reasonable to expect that those people who go to live in a country should make a serious effort to learn that country's language" (he meant English speaking people should learn Welsh if they move to Welsh speaking areas), the party decides to exise all Welsh language content from its website.

And Llew Smith STILL thinks that Welsh speakers all vote plaid cymru because of some sympathy with the national chauvinisms of Saunders Lewis.

Llyfr newydd

2005-09-23T11:47:00.000+01:00

Llyfr newydd

English at Bottom in italics

Dwi newydd brynu llyfr. Nid bod hynny’n swrpreis wrth gwrs. Ond llyfr yw hwn dwi wedi bod yn chwilio amdano am flynyddoedd,
sef Hen Benillion gol T H Parry Williams. Sbardunodd fy niddordeb ynddo gan ddarlith oddi wrth Twm Morys mewn ysgol haf y radd allanol yn Aberystwyth. Mae’n mas o brint ond mae fersiwn gyda Saesneg o’i mewn hi erbyn hyn.

I’ve bought a second hand Welsh book you might like this English version

Paid a Chredu

2005-09-18T14:39:00.000+01:00

Er dwi heb ei ddarllen yn llawn mae'r national secular society’n swnio fel y pethau dwi’n cytuno â fe.

He's a Nat Basher - burn him!

2005-09-16T16:26:00.000+01:00

Bydd pric4president yn y cwps heno.

Gobeithio bydd e'n cofio ei pitchfork proof jacket

Follow the links and make up your own mind. My Paucity of Welsh political discourse, below, will tell you my opinion.

Paucity of Welsh Political Discourse

2005-09-16T08:31:00.000+01:00

3 Maybe things can improve.

Labour Assembly Member Leighton Andrews has distanced himself from the nasty little Natwatch site.
Which is only to be commended. Especially by me, as I had been hinting that he was top of my "usual suspects" list. Maybe Paul Starling has been reincarnated from his happy clapping retirement nirvana.
Diolch i DOGFAEL am y cyngor testun co^d i loywi arddull y flog hon. Er fe welais i broblemau cyn rhoddi align="left" jyst wedi dyfynodau'r URL.

Codi'r Cynulliad

2005-09-13T16:07:00.000+01:00

Dros y blynyddoedd diweddar dwi wedi tynnu sawl llun oddi ar yr un lle (braidd). Dyma'r canlyniadau hyd at hyn.

Cymreigiwyd

2005-09-13T11:07:00.000+01:00

Diolch i Nic a'r Maeswyr, mae Bratiaith yn Gymraeg erbyn hyn. Onibai am y tudalen sylw af i yn o^l at hyn.

Blogger for Word

2005-09-12T09:52:00.000+01:00

“Blogger for Word”

Newydd lawr lwytho “Blogger for Word” ac yn ei thrio hi mas. Dylai fy sillafu fod yn well erbyn hyn ymlaen. Ond does dim tsieciwr gramadeg ar gael am y Gymraeg hyd y gwn i.

Llafur Go Iawn - Real LAbour

2005-09-12T09:09:00.000+01:00

The Article below is a fuller version of one which appeared in the Welsh language magazine Barn (the word means ‘opinion’ or ‘judgement’). It mourns the death of Robin Cook, and considers the Cultured Democratic and Egalitarian principles he represented. Principles enshrined in the Warwick Agreements which are presently the subject of fierce manoeuvring, skirmishing and debate within the Labour Party. It goes on to list successes by the Labour Welsh Assembly Government, but regrets the difficulties of obtaining a Real Parliament for Wales, and the Government’s lack of commitment to the Welsh Language.

Byddai darllenwyr Barn yn gallu gweld sawl gwahaniaeth - er fy mod i wedi derbyn sawl cywirad iaith/chwaeth, wnaeth Simon torri ma's gwpl o bethau dwi wedi rhoi yn o^l.

Gyda marwolaeth Robin Cook fe gollon ni yn y blaid Llafur un o’n mawrion, ac fe’n atgofiwyd am farwolaeth Albanwr a sylfaenwr datganoli arall, sef John Smith. Fel yn achos John Smith, bydd y golled yn effeithio ar ddatblygiad y blaid yn y dyfodol. Disgwyliai nifer helaeth ohonom y byddai ef yn chwarae rôl bwysig wrth ddiwygio ein plaid wedi i Tony Blair ymddeol. Disgwyliwyd y byddai’n dychwelyd i’r cabinet ac - os y mae sawl gohebydd yn iawn- bod yn is Prif Weinidog o dan Gordon Brown, er mwyn ail adeiladu ymddiried yn Lafur a dechrau ei harwain yn ôl i fod yn blaid radical ac yn fwy adain chwith.

Democratiaid gonest roedd y Cook a Smith a gredai mewn cydraddoldeb, dynion a gynrychiolai bopeth am “Lafur go iawn” oherwydd y/r gwerthoedd hyn, yminodd nifer helaeth (gan gynnwys finnau) â’r blaid. Buont popeth nad yw Tony Blair a’i griw “Lafur Newydd” o ymyrwyr. Dynion a garai eu plaid a’i neges oeddynt, yn hytrach na chwennych mantais a phŵer personol. Roedd y ddau am gael eu “lle o fewn hanes” ond nid ar draul eu hegwyddorion sylfaenol. Roedd eisiau arnynt am bŵer i gyflenwi cyfiawnder.

Er fy mod i’n aelod frwd o Undeb Lafur, ac yn coleddu syniadau adain chwith, ni ymunais â Lafur tan i’r blaid fabwysiadu polisi “un aelod un bleidlais”. Nid oedd y polisi hwn wrth modd sawl un ar y chwith sy’n credu bod ennill pleidleisiau i weithredu rhaglen radical ydy’r unig fater o bwys yng ngwleidyddiaeth. Undebwr ydw i gan fy mod i’n Ddemocrat, ac yn cefnogi datganoli am yr un rheswm. Sathru ar etifeddiaeth John Smith felly y mae arweinwyr Lafur ar hyn o bryd wrth barasiwtio eu cefnogwyr i mewn i bob rhestr ymgeiswyr am swyddi etholedig. Jacobiniaid, neu Bolsieficiaid adain dde yw Lafur Newydd, yn defnyddio dulliau’r hen chwith filwrol i ddisodli polisïau’r chwith.

Gyda’i MA mewn Llenyddiaeth, cynrychiolodd Robin Cook ffrwd arall o fewn Lafur go iawn sef egwyddorion diwylliedig. Mae hynny’n tanseilio’r agwedd Philistaidd sy’n nodweddu’r Blaid Lafur yn rhy aml. Dylid cofio y daeth sosialaeth o gri’r gweithwyr am “wyth awr o waith, wyth awr o ddysgu, ac wyth awr o orffwys. “Addysg, Addysg, Addysg!” yw cri Lafur go iawn. Ond nid mewn ysgol Gradgrind sy’n hyfforddi gweithwyr ufudd, ofnus a llawn ffeithiau “ymarferol” ond sydd heb fodd na feddwl nag awydd ei herio trefn sy’n sylfaenol anghyfiawn. Ac ar hyn o bryd, anghenion y gweithwyr a fydd yn penderfynu dyfodol y blaid Lafur.

Mae brwydr dawel ond ffyrnig o fewn Lafur a hyn o bryd dros “Gytundebau Warwick”. Cyfres o bolisïau yw rhain, yr oedd arweinwyr y Llywodraeth wedi derbyn er mwyn sicrhau cefnogaeth gan yr undebau yn ystod yr etholiad diweddar. Mae’r frwydr yn dawel rhag rhoi cymorth i elynion Lafur ond yn ffyrnig gan ei bod hi’n frwydr dros enaid y Lafur. Mae Cytundebau Warwick yn addo diwygio cyfraith pensiynau a gwaith, polisi economaidd, a sawl maes arall. Yn ôl “Warick”, byddai’r undebau’n ennill hawl i fargeinio dros pensiynau eu haelodau. Byddai 50% o ymddiriedolwyr y cynlluniau pensiwn yn aelodau o’r cynlluniau, gyda hyfforddiant ar gael i ymddiriedolwyr newydd; hefyd byddai partneriaid o’r un rhyw yn ennill hawliau cyfartal dros pensiynau. Byddai deddfwriaeth i erlid cwmnïau sydd ar fai am ddynladdiad corfforaethol. Byddai cymorth i weithwyr gyda phlant, a hawliau gwell i’r sawl sydd gan cyflog isel. Byddai streicwyr yn cael eu hamddiffyn am hyd at ddeuddeg wythnos yn hytrach nag wyth rhag cael eu diswyddo, a byddai gweithwyr ail eu statws oherwydd gweithio’n rhan amser neu sy’n cael eu cyflogi, yn honedig ysbeidiol, trwy asiantaeth, yn cael eu hamddiffyn hefyd. Byddai rhaid i Fanc Lloegr ystyried lles i’r rhanbarthau wrth benderfynu cyfraddau llog, a byddai mwy o bwyslais ar ddiwydiannau cynhyrchu gyda mwy o hyfforddi a phrentisiaethau. Byddai cymorth i’r ifainc a’r hŷn wrth iddynt geisio dod o hyd i waith. Byddai hefyd ymrwymiad i beidio â phreifateiddio’r Post Brenhinol, a phwyslais ar sicrhau bod gwasanaethau wedi eu preifateiddio’n gweithio’n effeithiol ac yn amddiffyn hawliau eu gweithwyr. Nid yw’r rhain yn syniadau radical iawn. Rhaglen ydyw a fyddai sawl un wedi disgwyl i Lywodraeth Lafur wedi hen gyflenwi.

Mae sïon na fyddai Tony Blair yn eu mabwysiadau yn llawn “dros ei grogi”. Byddai sawl yn ddigon fodlon i weld hyn wrth gwrs, ond mae agwedd Blair yn dangos y her i Lafurwyr sydd am weld y blaid yn mynd yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn, gan gadw at ddiwygiadau democratiaid Kinnock a Smith ond gydag arweinwyr sydd gan barch go iawn at aelodau cyffredin a chydraddoldeb. Bydd dyfodol Cytundebau Warwick yn setlo dyfodol y blaid Lafur ym Mhrydain.

Fel y Llywodraeth Lafur yn San Steffan, mae Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yn gweithredu rhaglen “fesul cam”. Mae problemau amlwg i’r llywodraeth. Ond mae llwyddiannau hefyd sy’n cael eu hanwybyddu. Er gwaetha newyddion ddrwg mae diweithdra yng Nghymru’n wedi disgyn. Mae chwyddiant yn is. Mae mesurau i greu tai fforddiadwy yn dechrau cael eu cyflwyno. Mae isafswm cyflog a chredydau treth i deuluoedd wedi rhoi cymorth i lawer o’n pobl. Mae gwellhad ym maes addysg a hefyd mae mwy o feddygon a nyrsys. Er yn araf disgwyliaf y bydd y gwellha yn parhau.

Er hynny, mae’r Llywodraeth yn cael trafferth ar hyn o bryd ydy’r ymdrech i adfer Cymreictod. Mae gelynion datganoli’n gwneud pethau anodd i Rhodri Morgan ennill mwy o bwerau i’r Cynulliad. Mae hefyd yn anodd i wella statws y Gymraeg. Er fy mod i’n deall yn iawn ac yn cytuno a’m cyd pleidwyr nad oes modd ddweud “mae rhaid i mewnfudwyr i’r fro Gymraeg dysgu a defnyddio’r iaith frodorol hon”, wn i ddim pam nad ydynt yn fodlon dweud “Dylai pawb dysgu a defnyddio Cymraeg mewn ardaloedd Cymraeg”. Credaf y mae lle i genedlaetholwyr yma ail adeiladu rhyw fath o gonsensws adeiladol.
Pam y mae angen cyfeirio at siaradwyr Cymraeg a fagwyd yng Nghymru megis Martin Eaglestone fel “Saeson Gwrth Gymraeg”? Er nid yw’n ddigon gefnogol i fesurau i wella statws y Gymraeg ym marn sawl ohonom, nid yw e’n elyn i’r iaith. Mae’r un beth yn wir am Alan Pugh. Hoffwn i weld deddf iaith newydd a Bro Gymraeg. Ond polisi Lafur ar hyn o bryd yw defnyddio’r adnoddau sydd ar gael i greu cynnydd yn yr iaith trwy codi ewyllys dda y Cymuned di-Gymraeg. Mater i’r Cymuned yw eu hiaith. Mae Iaith Pawb yn caniatáu’r cymuned i sicrhau cymhathu neu integreiddio ieithyddol y mewnfudwyr. Fel ym meysydd eraill, mae Lafur heddiw am ganiatáu cynnydd araf ond pendant. Petai’n rhy araf inni, mae rhaid inni wneud pethau ein hunain i’w cyflymu o fewn ein cymunedau.

Paucity of Welsh Political Discourse

2005-09-10T14:14:00.000+01:00

2 The Mendacity and Xenophobia of Natwatch.

Price4president’s xenophobic humour:

1)
A brief Google search for “Tom Nairn Wales Political Future"yields a profile of an internationally well respected academic who does research into Nationalism and ethnicity. As Natwatch itself accepts, these are important issues. But Natwatch is only interested in him as a Scot who lives in Australia. If Scots have no business with Wales, what is price4president’s business with Scotland? to

2)
Dafydd "all these pakistanis and indians” Iwan only has himself to blame for price4presidents misquoting his ham-fisted rhetoric. A political leader must be aware of every nuance his statements will have. But what is to be gained from stating the phrase over and over? Does price4president get a vicarious kick from being sanctioned to make racist comments against Asian people? Unlike Dafydd Iwan, Natwatch truly is aware of how offensive this phrase is and he is using the phrase in a considered way, not just as a throwaway comment. Natwatch can only attack Iwan here because he is FULLY AWARE of the phrase’s Racist Nuance.
Dafydd Iwan’s denouncement of bigots who detest the indigenous Welsh culture of Wales was ill considered in its phrasing; but Price4president ignores those Black and Asian Welsh speakers who have defended Iwan on the basis that they have DIRECT EXPERIENCE of the “double jeopardy” of racism and anti-welsh language bigotry of many monoglot English incomers.

3)
“Nic Dafis Hypocrite?”
Pots and kettles, Pots and Kettles...
What is the difference between a smallholder who converts his unused barn for ramblers to spend the night so he can earn some sorely needed revenue, and a wealthy couple with a weekend retreat?
Don’t ask price4president!

4)
Cottlegate
Bratiaith notes that price4presidents posts of Aled Cottle’s e-mails have disappeared from his archives. As have the nasty little posts which provoked the stupid and offensive (if drunken) outbursts.

5)
Janet Ryder is a plaid politician and a Geordie. Much to price4presidents glee. Wouldn’t you agree that the epithet “Janet way aye man Ryder” amounts to ethnic abuse?
6)
Eisteddfod
Here the genius truly shows his colours:
“Tomorrow Nat Watch will be gate-crashing Seimon Glyn's annual family holiday. Yes, you've guessed it. We're sending a correspondent to the Eisteddfod (lucky her!). We will bring you a series of special reports from the maes, at the biggest Welsh nat festival of the year.”

Maybe councillor Glyn does spend his annual holiday at the Eisteddfod. If so he is far more cultured than I would have expected. Far from being a “Nat Festival” of course, the eisteddfod is a celebration of Welsh speaking Culture. Price4president obviously follows the lumpen George Thomas school of thought (if one can call it thought) that any one speaking writing singing or thinking in Welsh must be a closet Fascist. I would have loved to go the eisteddfod, I think Natwatch’s “correspondent was lucky. WHY DOESN’T PRICE4PRESIDENT?

Paucity of Welsh Political Discourse

2005-09-08T11:24:00.000+01:00

1 Saunders Lewis

Tynged y Llaeth

I’m all for a bit of Nash Bashing, a knockabout row livens up debate, inflammatory overstating one’s argument is just part of the game, it agitates and so gives oportunities for education and organisation; but sometimes such knockabout fun and games act like MRSA. It poisons debate. It prevents rational discourse. It eats away at any meaningful discourse. Worse still it silences opposition to unjust Government policies, and prevents co-operation between progressives in different parties.

Siôn Jobbins (Plaid Cymru activist and former Mayor of Aberystwyth) once wrote that “Saunders Lewis would have been Pol Pot.” ;-) That is silly nonsense of course. Saunders’ desire to de-industrialise Wales to re-create a Peasant Christian culture under the benign control of the Enlightened Nationalist Elite is merely reminiscent of some aspects of Pol Pot’s political philosophy. Whilst Sunders held many deeply unpleasant views he was not a fascist, nor an out and out racist. As Siôn Jobbins points out he was an interesting man of his times, and an outstanding man of letters.

How unpleasant was Saunders Lewis?

His novel and poems contain many stereotypical descriptions of Jews and “Negroes”. He held racialist views (believing that different races have inbuilt tendencies towards certain types of behaviour and abilities – today this is considered racist but at the time was considered to be scientifically based in fact). In a forward to a republished text of Tynged yr Iaith, 6 years after Enoch Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech, Saunders lauded an article by Powell for it’s analysis of a Nation as an ethnic/linguistic entity. This is unpleasant and offensive but not of itself racist. It does however show that Saunders maintained his myopia about race and ethnicity.

When he called for “revolutionary methods”, in this 1962 BBC radio speech, to secure the Fate of the Welsh Language he sparked the formation of the Cymdeithas yr Iaith, (Welsh Language Society), a non violent direct action pressure group consisting mainly of students in Aberystwyth University, whom he consistently criticised. He remained true to his idea that Welsh Nationalists should engage in (unarmed) military style training. Contrary to his criticisms of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, he described the Free Wales Army as “Harmless Lads”. No doubt he would have used his military experience (serving bravely as an officer in the trenches during the Great War) to engage in something akin to the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin had there been more support for his early thinking. This throws into doubt his “pacifism” as it is celebrated by Welsh Nationalists. Welsh speaking (self) educated culture since the eighteenth century has tended towards Pacifism for religious reasons. (Protestant Nonconformity struck deep roots in Wales).

Saunders like many of his generation held racialist views eg George Bernard Shaw, the Webbs and H.G.Wells who were members/suporters of the Labour Party and believed in racial characteristics and eugenics. However the issue is not one of Nationalist support, albeit passive, for Britain’s enemies ( Plaid Cymru of the 1940’s can be criticised for myopic ignorance here). The burning of the bombing school in Penyberth being a case in point.
Natwatch characterises this as giving succour to nazi Germany, but fails to remind us that a number of English Mountains were the RAF’s first choice. These areas of natural beauty were the subject of protests by walkers and birdwatchers. Clergymen wrote letters to the Times saying that it was a sacred duty to protect these areas and that aerial bombing, with its concomitant civilian casualties is a sacrilege. When Saunders tried to use these letters in his defence, he was screamed at by the Judge who stated that Saunders was Blaspheming and that blasphemy was not permitted in his courtroom. One of the oldest Christian cultures in Europe, its Welsh speaking communities and its livelihoods are therefore less sacred to the British State than a few patches of Yorkshire Mooreland.

Saunders was also at best patronising and at worst bigoted towards the industrial welsh working class, especially those who spoke English or Anglicised Welsh. One of his masterful poems “Y Dilyw 1939” (the Deluge) he describes the nightmare conditions of industrial Dowlais and Merthyr, in a manner reminiscent of Eliot’s “The Wasteland”. It shows Saunders’ outrage at the injustice of Capitalism’s mistreatment of ordinary people, and the horrors of “marching thugs” throughout once civilised Europe. It shows the complexities and contradictions of his Philosphy. However, the section which causes most outrage, and also caused the Plaid Cymru activist and Marxist Historian Gwyn Alf Williams to threaten to shoot Saunders next time he saw him, uses complex imagery to describe the industrial Proletariat as a flood of effluent forcing it’s way up the valley from Cardiff Docks to pollute the greenery of what “once was Wales” like a giant slimy turd.

In many ways it is entirely legitimate to remind the Welsh of what Simon Brooks (founder of Cymuned, Writer, Academic and Editor of Barn) has called the Darker side of Welsh nationalism and it’s enlightenment…ideas which in Europe led to the evils of totalitarianism. Those of us who oppose Nationalism are right to show that internationalism, justice and freedom cannot be built on “Nationhood”. However, we must not stoop to misrepresenting Nations or ethnic/linguistic groups such as Welsh speakers who are insufficiently wealthy, numerous, and politically powerful to defend themselves from very real bigotry which exists towards them.

Shwmae

2005-09-07T11:58:00.000+01:00

Eisiau ail ddechrau blogio ydw i. Dechrau ffres.