tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44419880625259254942024-03-13T15:00:43.673+00:00Owain BevanHen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-10985774599103063442009-04-08T16:31:00.002+00:002009-04-08T16:59:51.368+00:00Time To Say GoodbyeWell it's been a fun-filled fortnight for me. Not often does politics bring such laughter but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Glyndwr</span> managed to do just that for this old gal. But all good things must come to an end and my time writing this blog is over. As any ex-readers of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Amlwch</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Magor</span> know I am no longer living in Wales, at least not until this winter. My month back with friends and family clashed with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Glyndwr's</span> launch and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">enabled</span> me to have this bit of fun, but I'm flying back to the husband and kids for Easter and will not be able to give Owain Bevan, or the world of Welsh politics<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"></span>, the attention they need from abroad.<br /><br />My brief return to the Welsh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">blogosphere</span> has been entertaining. Many of the blogs I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">regularly</span> read just months ago have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">disappeared</span>, but the majority remains and there's even a couple of new ones showing the evolution of our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">blogosphere</span>. With only one national newspaper there is a huge gap in reporting of politics in Wales. While practically no-one reads blogs in the wider world it's still important to ensure a vibrant <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">blogoshere</span>. I hope that when I return next year I'll find all my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">favorite</span> bogs still working hard.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">amateurness</span> of the Aneurin Glyndwr project is beyond belief and I've found myself wondering on so many <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">occasions</span> just what exactly Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Hain</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Eluned</span> Morgan and co were thinking? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">How could</span> they have possibly, even for a fleeting moment, thought that this was a good idea I don't know.<br /><br />Organised attack politics is a format perfected in the USA but still relatively rare in the UK. Yes our politicians will often spend time slagging off their opponents but American-style attack politics is different. If you're going to dip your hand in such things then you have to be very careful. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">first</span> rule is to try and have some degree of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">separation</span> between party and attacker. An attack campaign openly promoted by a political party is nearly always destined to fail. People will either write it off as "politician slagging each other off" or simply highlight the hypocrisy when the attacking party are open to the exact same attack. The second rule, in the UK at least, is to tone it down. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Blatant</span> constant attacks will do nothing to convince the electorate. You need a bit of subtlety and some wit to pull off a good attack site. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Glyndwr</span> failed both these tests, and that's why it became the national joke it did.<br /><br />What's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">bizarre</span> is that Welsh Labour KNOW this. After all they have history in such matters. This is the third time Welsh Labour, or their supporters, have tried the attacking route. We all know the history of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Natwatch</span> (that's the website David Taylor had <span style="font-weight: bold;">nothing</span> to do with...) whose brief, ugly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">appearance</span> led to the sacking of two public workers. The website managed little else, it didn't win Labour any vote and didn't cost the other parties any votes. The probable reason for this is that it failed the second test, it was simply too nasty and petty to be taken seriously.<br /><br />The one <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">successful</span> attempt at attack politics made by New Labour was the Welsh Mirror. Through their puppet Paul Starling, Labour <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">successfully</span> managed to shake off their troubles of 1999 and turn Plaid's image in some parts of Wales into that of a demon. They tried, and for a while succeeded, to turn English speaking Wales against Welsh speaking Wales. It got them electoral gain in 2003 but its legacy has not been good for Labour. We all now of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Rhodri</span> Morgan's concerns about Labour being wiped out of Welsh-speaking Wales in 2007 - the reasons for that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">wipeout</span> are numerous, but it can all be traced back to the Welsh Mirror.<br /><br />Having brought <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">embarrassment</span> to their party, and having faced the wrath of their leading politicians (Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Hain</span> thankfully no longer qualifying as a leading politician) and seeing their pet project disowned by the First Minister it can't have been a good fortnight for Peter, Eluned, Alun and David. Plaid supporters in particular have seized on the moment and have had a few good laughs out of the whole thing. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Eluned</span> Morgan's chances of becoming the next First Minister are probably over, how easy would it be for any opponent (Labour or otherwise) to stick the knife in by recalling Delilah! So I guess all I can tell Peter and his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">crew</span> is "better luck next time".<br /><br />Although I won't be here to keep <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Aneurin</span> in check, I hope the rest of the Welsh blogs will continue to do the same with whatever Welsh Labour's next attempt to "seize" the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Internet</span> will be. As for me, I'll fly off happy that Labour's amateurish attempt at Internet domination has been "taken apart" by little old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Owain</span> (Thanks Martin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Shipton</span>!)<br /><br />See you soon.<br /><br />HenHen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-13124832751788742582009-04-08T11:28:00.003+00:002009-04-08T11:46:09.460+00:00Simple Maths<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneurin's</span> new Platform is off to a wonderful start, while trying to mock the Deputy First Minister for knocking the banks they claim that Banks create money - here's how apparently:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Someone - let's call them <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ieuan</span> Wyn – gets £1000. He puts it in the bank. Someone else, let's call them Plaid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Cymru</span>, wants to borrow £500, the bank lends them the £500. Plaid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Cymru</span> then give <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ieuan</span> Wyn £500 to set up his office. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Iuean</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wyns</span> pays £200 to his mate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Elfyn</span>, who promptly puts it in the bank, and sticks the other £300 in the bank. So the bank now has now turned that initial £1000 into a £2000 balance sheet – in other words it has created £1000. Just like that.</span></blockquote>Does <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Aneurin</span> and his friends know what a balance sheet is? The answer is not-so-subtly included in the name. The clue is in the word balance. Think that paragraph through and it makes no sense.<br /><br />We start with £1,000, which <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Ieuan</span> has and puts in bank<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That gives the Bank £1,000 in assets and £1,000 in liabilities</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Ieuan</span> is owed £1,000 by bank</span><br />Bank loans £500 to Plaid<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That gives Bank £500 in assets, £1,000 in liabilities and £500 owing to them. Plaid has £500</span><br />Plaid give their £500 to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ieuan</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Ieuan</span> gives £200 to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Elfyn</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That gives Bank £500 in assets, £1,000 in liabilities, £500 owed by Plaid. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Ieuan</span> has £300, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Elfyn</span> £500</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Ieuan</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Elfyn</span> puts money into bank<br /><br />We end up with the Bank having £1,000 in assets, they owe £1,300 to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Ieuan</span> and £200 to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Elfyn</span> (plus interest). Plaid owe £500 to the bank (plus interest).<br /><br />So on the Bank's credit side they have £1,000 assets and £500 owed plus interest on the £500. On their debit side is £1,500 plus interest on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Ieuan</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Elfyn's</span> savings.<br /><br />So the bank's balance sheet is the difference between the interest owed by Plaid and owed to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Ieuan</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Elfyn</span> (i.e. pennies)<br /><br />So, um, where's this additional thousand they're supposed to have created on their balance sheet? And these people are supposed to be in charge of our economy?Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-61236062870066057772009-04-08T08:11:00.003+00:002009-04-08T08:12:52.197+00:00A Thousand And One ReasonsSo in the fortnight or so that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Glyndwr</span> has been up it has had 10,000 hits according to their latest post.<br /><br />Didn't Paul Flynn tell us they'd had 9,000 in the first day? Only a thousand more in 12 days is, well, dissapointing shall we say?Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-1705943616118698392009-04-08T08:06:00.004+00:002009-04-08T08:59:27.356+00:00Talk Is Cheap<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneurin</span> has decided to open up for some comments. Of course it's not quite that simple, the comments are only allowed on a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">separate</span> part of the site and will only be displayed after moderation.<br /><br />So let's see how much free speech Welsh Labour will allow into their world of Spin. This is the moderation "policy" as stated by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Glyndwr</span>:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote>We operate a liberal comment moderation policy and while we encourage passion and the voicing of strong opinion, if your contribution is deemed by us to be offensive, or untrue, or not fair comment, it will be removed completely.</blockquote></span> That's a pretty fair policy, but will Labour stick to it or will they delete posts that they struggle to reply to (a la Paul Flynn MP). Let's find out shall we!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-32024290889204450632009-04-07T09:12:00.003+00:002009-04-08T08:23:19.931+00:00We Can't Just Let Them Talk!What Labour say in public<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">That this House notes with concern the limited way in which new technology is used to involve members of the public in its work; notes that the use of technology in the recent American presidential campaign has significantly raised the bar; welcomes the proposals in the recent Orange Future of Politics report to improve the use of technology in the activities of this House, in hon. Members' interaction with their constituents and in engaging citizens with the process of government; and calls on all interested parties to use new technology, techniques and skills to help reverse the declining levels of public participation in the democratic process.<br /></span>Early Day Motion brought by Labour AM Andrew Miller<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></blockquote><br />What Labour say in private<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">We had a splendid, well-informed pep talk on the use of hi-tech communications by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MPs</span>. The advice was don’t blog or use twitter. Blogs provides hostages to fortune and tweeting is for idiots.<br /></span>Paul Flynn<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></blockquote><br />Who said New Labour's control <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">freakness</span> was dead?Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-2912288823528480592009-04-07T08:59:00.003+00:002009-04-07T09:06:35.101+00:00Tory Calls Plaid Too Left Wing ShockerApparently the fact that Iain Dale, a Tory, thinks Plaid is too left wing is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">surprise</span> - what a weird world <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Glyndwr</span> lives in!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-49618344899612380842009-04-03T21:34:00.003+00:002009-04-03T21:40:20.043+00:00Top Stories<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneurin</span> goes from deluded to certifiable today - attacking Plaid's conference for not being the top story on the BBC Wales Politics page he seems to believe that his website and labour "dominates the news agenda".<br /><br />Position of top Plaid related story - 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span><br />Position of top Tory related story - 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span><br />Position of top One Wales government related story - 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span><br />Position of top Labour related story - um....well.......oh no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wait</span>, I just found it, skip past the headlines and the Top Stories section and go all the way below the fold to the "More politics" section - there's two stories there about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Rhodri</span> Morgan lying to try and distance himself and the Labour party from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Aneurin</span>!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-50981275776097230572009-04-02T17:26:00.001+00:002009-04-02T17:27:31.642+00:00Selective HearingLatest Aneurin post:<br /><h3 class="entry-header"><a href="http://www.aneuringlyndwr.com/2009/04/internal-plaid-poll.html"></a></h3><blockquote><h3 class="entry-header"><a href="http://www.aneuringlyndwr.com/2009/04/internal-plaid-poll.html">Internal Plaid poll</a></h3> <div class="entry-content"> <div class="entry-body"> <p>SAYS "<a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/04/02/labour-and-plaid-both-doing-well-latest-polls-indicating-91466-23292389/">Labour's vote in Wales is holding up surprisingly well</a>".</p><p>Doh!</p></div></div></blockquote><div class="entry-content"><div class="entry-body"><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Also says Plaid gain more than Labour - Doh!<br /></p> </div> </div>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-64423241218811051882009-04-02T09:44:00.005+00:002009-04-02T10:10:11.962+00:00Don't Look Back in AngerWhen you design a new website, not everything makes the cut. Some things you thought were good ideas in the planning stage seem foolish by launch time. Every <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">webpage</span> editor has a panic moment when he realises some part or other of his website is a mistake.<br /><br />Which makes it so much fun for the rest of us to find these strips of the cutting room floor and try and work out why they were dropped.<br /><br />How about <a href="http://dt.typepad.com/platform_aneuringlyndwr/2009/04/welcome-to-the-ag-platform.html">this for example.</a> It seems that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Glyndwr</span> had big plans to, wait for it, let us comment on his website! Maybe this is what they meant by "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Glyndwr</span> is a forum designed as a platform for lively debate.". Of course, even this "Platform" wasn't really a place to discuss and comment - all it was supposed to be was a way for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">website</span> to post up some fan mail. So what happened? Did the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">website</span> not get any fan mail to put up? Answers on a postcard.<br /><br />But that's not the only thing cut out before the website went live - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Aneurin</span> scrapped some posts he had written in February, one with the interesting title of "Opposition's Taste For Speeding". Having looked at the old post there's nothing of value in it - something about a Tory saying that police should be less fixated on speeding. What is interesting however is what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Aneurin's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Blogroll</span> looked like back then.<br /><br />While his current <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">blogroll</span> starts with such heavyweights as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Alistair</span> Campbell and Comment is Free (oh the irony!) the original version was much shorter. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">While</span> some (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Labourlist</span>) survived the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">pre</span>-launch cull others weren't as fortunate.<br /><br />Brother <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Tecwyn</span> was there originally, even though the blog has shut down. Same goes for Luke Young (last post December) and Nick Bradley (last post September!). More interesting is "Don't trip up". This blog is still live so why was it in the original line up and then dropped? Maybe something to do with <a href="http://donttripup.blogspot.com/2009/03/state-of-labour-party.html">this post</a> which asked the following questions:<br /><br />Why is Labour so out of touch?<br />Why is Labour so defensive?<br />Why has Labour become so conservative?<br /><br />Not quite the party line <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Aneurin</span> wants to follow then!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">One last</span> note on the old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">bloglist</span>, seems that the infamous Martin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Eaglestone</span> managed to grab a spot in the original but was dropped while Leighton will be delighted by the fact that, even though he was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">omitted</span> from the first draft, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Aneurin</span> eventually decided to be one of the few blogs that do link to him!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-48930991900919865902009-04-01T13:21:00.003+00:002009-04-01T14:43:32.068+00:00Going Slightly MadI think Leighton Andrews may be losing it. After his crazy blog post this morning Peter Black is now reporting that in a reply to a Leanne Wood e-mail asking for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">remembrance</span> of the Welsh volunteers who died fighting the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Spanish</span> Civil War and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">fascism</span> Leighton has replied:<br /><br /><em></em><blockquote><em>Leanne<br /></em><br /><em>Forgive me, but 70 years ago <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">weren</span>’t Plaid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Cymru</span>’s leaders supporting Franco?<br /></em><br /><em>Regards<br /></em><br /><em>Leighton</em></blockquote><em><br /></em>Yes Leighton, about the same time Tory Churchill called Mussolini "the greatest lawgiver among men" and Liberal Lloyd George called Hitler "the greatest living German". 70 years ago was a very long time ago Leighton.<br /><br />But tell me, wasn't George Galloway still a Labour MP when he saluted Saddam's courage, strength and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">indefatigability</span>?<br /><br />Now, who was it that derided bitchy politics this morning? Time to take your own advice maybe Leighton?Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-52916585349101979712009-04-01T11:58:00.002+00:002009-04-01T12:00:12.761+00:00Thank YouAs the video says: Thank You Peter, Thank You <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Eluned</span>, Thank You <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Alun</span>, Thank You David for providing us all with such entertainment and for boosting the support for the Tories and Plaid.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I0oeDEChaj4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I0oeDEChaj4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-54874067108969049602009-04-01T09:59:00.002+00:002009-04-01T10:08:42.997+00:00In a Parallel WorldFormer Welsh Minister John Redwood has shocked the Cardiff Bay political bubble today with the announcement that he intends to stand in the next Welsh Assembly elections. Mr Redwood will run as an Independent candidate in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ceredigion</span>.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Explaining the reasoning behind this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">shock</span> return to politics Mr <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Redwood</span> stated: <blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"To be honest I thought that my career was over, especially in Wales. After being hounded for handing back £100m to Westminster and being ridiculed for my attempts to sing the National Anthem I thought that the whole country was laughing at me. But my political agent has convinced me otherwise. According to my agent the fact that the video of me singing the anthem has 45,000 hits just goes to show how popular I am. He says that each and everyone of those 45,000 people are guaranteed to vote for me now. I'm not an expert on these technological things but according to my agent if 45,000 look at a video of me <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">embarrassing</span> myself then this means that I'm popular. Labour have fallen right into the trap of mentioning me over and over and now I am on course to be the next Welsh First Minister" </span></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Anyone willing and able to assist Mr Redwood's campaign should contact his agent:<a href="http://paulflynnmp.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/03/commons-mole.html"> Mr Paul Flynn MP, Newport</a>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-53618234255287359272009-04-01T09:55:00.003+00:002009-04-01T09:59:21.207+00:00Nobody Likes Me And I Don't CareI considered making a lengthy comment on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">David</span> Taylor's employer Leighton Andrews' self-indulgent outburst today, but thought that there was nothing I could add that would make his post more laughable than it already is so I decided to just quote it in full - enjoy!<br /><br /><p style="font-style: italic;"></p><blockquote><p style="font-style: italic;">Since becoming a Minister nearly 2 years ago, I have pretty much stopped reading Welsh blogs - even Glyn's, which I used to enjoy for the wit, independence and honesty. There simply isn't time.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">And, let's face it, none of them matter. Most of the Welsh blogs talk to or about themselves. Particularly the ones written by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Nats</span>, which means - er - most of them.</p><p style="font-style: italic;">The hundreds of daily referrals to my own weblog rarely come from other Welsh blogs. Occasionally there are some from Peter Black's or from Glyn's. But over the last 24 hours, for example, there have been more referrals from Norman <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Geras's</span> blog than all Welsh blogs put together.</p><p style="font-style: italic;">But most visitors to my site come because they have gone through a search engine, looking for my site or for something about the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Rhondda</span>. Occasionally because they share my frustrations about Windows Vista and have found this post, or because they looking up anything on the last episode of the Sopranos and have found this post, or they are fellow City fans.</p><p style="font-style: italic;">I look at blogs and websites written by Labour colleagues when I have time, and sometimes at Vaughan's blog and those by other journalists I have time for, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">atAdam</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Higgitt's</span> site very occasionally. </p><p style="font-style: italic;">So, here's a message to Welsh Labour <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">bloggers</span>. Most of the Welsh blogs around don't matter in the slightest. None has ever influenced a voter or made a difference to politics. So, don't bother with them. Concentrate on building a strong Welsh Labour presence on the web, which speaks to the future and to real people, that sets out a debate about where our party is going and what it is doing in government at UK and Welsh levels, and sets out our dividing lines with the other parties.</p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">In particular, ignore the nasty, bitchy, irrelevant world of the self-opinionated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">nat</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">bloggers</span>. </span></p></blockquote><p>(As opposed to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">nasty</span>, bitchy and irrelevant Leighton Andrews and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Glyndwr</span>.)</p><p>By the way Leighton, the reason no-one's coming to your blog from other Welsh blog is that no-one's linking to you. Go figure.<br /></p>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-71937471097684150892009-03-31T14:58:00.003+00:002009-03-31T15:01:35.847+00:00Liar Liars<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hmm</span>.....the more one ponders <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Rhodri's</span> denunciation the more questions it raises.<br /><br />Is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Rhodri</span> telling us that the website is lying in saying that he and Paul Murphy endorsed it? If so then are we to assume that Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hain</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Eluned</span> Morgan, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Alun</span> Davies and David Taylor will admit to this lie or is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Rhodri</span> just hoping that we won't ask that question?<br /><br />On the other hand did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Rhodri</span>, as I suggested in the previous post, give his approval to this nonsense without checking what it actually was? In that case is the First Minister lying to us by saying he didn't recommend it?<br /><br />I'm struggling to find a way out of this without believing that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Rhodri</span> is lying to us or the motley <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">crew</span> have lied to us - any suggestions?Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-48663654746144308292009-03-31T14:08:00.004+00:002009-03-31T14:29:23.667+00:00Disowned DisasterSo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rhodri</span> Morgan has decided to "do a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bourne</span>" and disown Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hain</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Eluned</span> Morgan, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Alun</span> Davies, David Taylor and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Aneuringlyndwr</span> website and video. Anyone who dares suggest that he had recommended the website were being "naughty" apparently. He had not seen it and had not heard of it until the press got it.<br /><br />You know what, for one of the first times ever, I actually believe him. It was clear from the moment he refused to comment in a radio interview that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Rhodri</span> had not seen the website <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">pre</span>-release. What is not so believable however is his claim that only <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">mischievous</span> media and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">bloggers</span> would believe that he had approved of it. Clearly he had approved it - but there's a big difference between approving and actually knowing what you approve.<br /><br />As the website itself says:<br /><p><em>"This brand new political website is definitely one to watch!"</em><br /><strong>- Rt Hon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Rhodri</span> Morgan AM, First Minister for Wales</strong></p><p>You can see how it happened now:</p><p>Peter calls <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Rhodri</span> up - <span style="font-style: italic;">"<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Rhodri</span> darling, I've got a new website going up. Gonna be great, it'll make a big impact. You know how I got so pissed off with Plaid's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Walescan</span> nonsense and you said we needed to copy them, well this is it! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Eluned's</span> helped me do it, she's so excited. Between you and me now, if this thing works then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Eluned's</span> gonna be huge - could solve your lack of replacement problem in a heartbeat! We're doing an Obama here, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Rhoderz</span>, gonna be huge with the kids and all! We're going to time it's release so that it's all over the news, Dragon's Eye and everything - might even get a Mule front page out of it! OK if I put up a quote from you saying how exciting it all is?"</span></p><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Rhodri</span>: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Yeah sure Peter, whatever, go for it. Got to go now, having supper with with my autobiography's ghostwriter"</span></p><p>So now that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Rhodri</span> has denounced this laughable own goal, will he ask Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Hain</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Eluned</span> Morgan, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Alun</span> Davies and David Taylor to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">apologise</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Bourne</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Ieuan</span> - just like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Bourne</span> apologised to him? A Labour politician apologising - yeah, right!<br /></p>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-4993526503964335232009-03-31T10:42:00.008+00:002009-03-31T11:50:59.077+00:00Vandalism!I can't believe it - the Hen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ferchetan</span> is gutted! I didn't realise on the first reading of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Aneuringlyndwr's</span> retraction of the Delilah video but when I read it again it became so obvious!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Aneurin</span> has cut out my very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">favorite</span> part of the song! Remember the beautiful sentence: <blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"we need to stop <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">them making</span> the people more poor"?</blockquote> This is what I had to say about it previously: <blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"The highlight of the lyrics for me! Ever heard of the word "poorer" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Eluned</span></span>? It means "more poor" but is, well, grammatically correct! Ah but you needed something to rhyme with "more" right? And clearly "poorer" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">doesn</span></span>'t rhyme with "more", but "poor" does, doesn't it?"</blockquote> The transcript of the song <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Aneurin</span> has so helpfully put up on his website (no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">copyright</span> issues in just putting up the transcript see!) has a different sentence though! It now reads: <blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"we need to stop them making the people poor"</blockquote> That just takes away the fun! The original, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">grammatically</span> stupid, version was much better! Of course the new version has lost a word and therefore doesn't fit the music at all (and still doesn't rhyme with "more"!), but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Aneurin</span> doesn't have to care about that because he isn't allowed to sing it out loud anymore!<br /><br />Don't worry though, I've preserved the original for you - such poetic brilliance needs to be saved for the appraisal of history!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch-o8TTFvCa93r6S0Uud7hamaNHwrD8YvRccTHCT5JYGGMFIgY4TMmbAwMCY5mAuLa_GPV25X2WmLVign_aTXeDSggyRIbHnnriPVXBsjFIwYdKgksmKu1OVE8LfrOS6QpmJ3E5jo78eP/s1600-h/More+Poor.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch-o8TTFvCa93r6S0Uud7hamaNHwrD8YvRccTHCT5JYGGMFIgY4TMmbAwMCY5mAuLa_GPV25X2WmLVign_aTXeDSggyRIbHnnriPVXBsjFIwYdKgksmKu1OVE8LfrOS6QpmJ3E5jo78eP/s400/More+Poor.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319301816495748882" border="0" /></a>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-43432452894749856672009-03-31T10:31:00.006+00:002009-03-31T11:51:17.893+00:00Kids in Glass Houses<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><br />Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Glyndwr</span> - 28<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> March</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">2009</span><br /><br />BREAKING NEWS: Top Tory donor defects to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">UKIP</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Telegraph - 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> February 2009 </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/4526688/Labour-financial-backer-defects-to-Tories.html">Labour's financial backer defects to Tories</a>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-13859148724593827922009-03-31T08:55:00.005+00:002009-03-31T11:51:30.403+00:00Bye Bye Bye LabiSo after a grand total of four days <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Eluned's</span> masterpiece has been taken down. The video is no longer on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">YouTube</span> - how sad!<br /><br />Why Why Why I hear you ask? (OK, must stop with these Delilah lines now!). Well according to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Aneuringlyndwr</span> it's because "some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Nats</span> and Tories had complained". Makes it sound like Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Hain</span> and his friends had received bags of mail from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Plaidis</span> (it WILL catch on, let's do it for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Eluned</span>!) and Tories crying and begging the video to be taken down. As we all know though that's not what's happened - any tears streaming down the face of the Conservatives and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pleidwyr</span> have been tears of laughter.<br /><br />No, the video has been taken down for two reasons. Firstly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Aneurin</span> and Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hain</span> did receive a lot of complaints and demands that it be taken down - not from their political opponents but from Labour members horrified at the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">embarrassment</span> caused to their party. More importantly perhaps was the fact that the video used copyrighted material that Labour hadn't obtained permission for - i.e. copyright theft!<br /><br />It's an interesting case because the vast majority of viral videos use copyrighted material without permission. These are the videos made by regular people which spread around the world. I remember one with Bush and Blair singing love songs to each other a few years back as a good example. But the reason this video has suffered for the crime many others commit is that, as much as Labour originally tried to deny it, this was a video made by them - i.e. an official body, a political party even. While mere <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">bloggers</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">geeks</span> can get away with the odd copyrighted image or song, official bodies should have a bit of common sense and know better - but then we are talking about Welsh Labour aren't we!<br /><br />Now if Plaid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Cymru</span> and the Tories had any sense they will apply for permission to use the copyright of the song and images so that they can broadcast the video over and over! Don't worry though, where Labour fails, Welsh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">bloggers</span> deliver - the video can still be seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfceNOinE6o">here</a><br /><br />Anytime the world gets you down - go have a look at the video, it will improve your mood tenfold!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-87382854377469477492009-03-30T18:42:00.005+00:002009-03-31T11:51:48.183+00:00Mr Defence Bores Us All Over AgainPaul Flynn has a historical habit of going to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bizarre</span> lengths to defend Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Hain</span>. During Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hain's</span> illegal failure to register £100,000 of donations Paul Flynn was one of the only people in the country defending the then cabinet minister. And, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">shock</span> horror, he's at it again.<br /><br />Apparently the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">cringworthy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">embarrassment</span> of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">aneuringlyndwr</span> and the video was not a stunning gaffe by Peter and his friends but a wonderful bit of PR. The video apparently was a "loss-leader" with Labour taking the hit of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">embarrassment</span> to get more people to look at their video...<br /><br />Hm...really? I could just about nearly believe such nonsense if the website was of any use to Labour - but it's not, it's just as bad as the video. As I mentioned before it has no mention of Labour, no mention of Labour's policies, no mention of Labour politicians, no mention of Labour ideology. All it has is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">hypocritic</span> attacks on the Tories and Plaid (more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">hypocricies</span> coming soon!), and they are presented in such an immature way they pander only to the die-hard Labour voter. I doubt a single swing voter will turn Labour's way because of it.<br /><br />On the other hand I can see, and have spoken to, many swing voters turning away from Labour because of it. Now as we all know the general public don't pay much (any?) attention to the world of Welsh political blogging, so even a website as laughable as this would have little effect if pretty much no-one saw it. But thankfully the press, the Tories and Plaid have had a field day highlighting it to make sure as many people as possible get a look.<br /><br />So when Paul <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">smugly</span> tells us that <span style="line-height: normal;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:14;" ><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"The new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Glyndwr</span> website is off to a triumphant start with 9,000 hits in the first day.</span>" </blockquote> </span>he is trying to convince us that it's a good thing for Labour. Firstly Paul I can assure you that about 2,000 of those hits are from me (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">everytime</span> I feel a bit down I pop over for a little pick me up!), secondly the other 7,000 are now having a right old laugh, and it's at Labour's expense.Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-28553565869901603592009-03-29T17:15:00.004+00:002009-03-31T11:52:02.549+00:00Money Money Money<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">But then he (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bourne</span>) did spend over £5000 of tax payers money on 'essential work' to his bathroom.</span></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">But the Plaid spokesmen for all and sundry repaid £1,500 to the House of Commons after sending out post that broke parliamentary rules.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Aneuringlyndwr</span> - March 2009<br /></span></blockquote>Good start, dodgy and improper use of expenses! Bad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bourne</span> with his bathroom and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">iPod</span> and bad Plaid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">MP's</span> with their (originally approved) use of expenses to advertise during election times.<br /><br />Thank God we have Labour eh, they would never waste our public money with dodgy expenses would they!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Brian Gibbons AM </span>- didn't want to spend his own cash on a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Remembrance</span> Sunday wreath so claimed our money instead (bet he nicks the pennies from the Penny In Penny Out boxes in petrol stations too!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Jaqui</span> Smith, Home <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Secretary</span></span> - claimed for two pornographic films watched by her husband<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Lesley Griffiths AM</span>- £2,000 on a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sofa</span> (didn't she know <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">DFS</span> had a sale on?)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Margaret Moran MP</span> claiming nearly £90,000 in expenses while a fellow MP living on the same street in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Luton</span> has claimed less than £9,000<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Lynne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Neagle</span> AM</span> - Couldn't bare parting with £2 for a Pyrex bowl so decided to use our cash - same as she did for her £4 salt and pepper shake and her £400 curtains and her £317.57 book shelves (Never heard of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Ikea</span> love?)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Tony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">McNulty</span> MP</span> - £60k to pay for his parents' house<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Huw</span> Lewis and Lynne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Neagle</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">AM's</span></span> - £22,298 including mortgage for a second home - now where exactly is their first home? I'm sure it's miles and miles from Cardiff right?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Jaqui</span> Smith, Home Secretary </span>- £116,000 for her "second home" in the West Midlands, claiming that her "first home" was her sister's property in London<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Leighton Andrews AM </span>- charging us to pay for his second home in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Rhondda</span> - although he already lived in Cardiff before he even got elected<br /><br />Now, what's that saying about glass houses?Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-88993879552304739902009-03-29T17:12:00.003+00:002009-03-31T11:52:12.957+00:00The (Many) Hypocrisies of AneurinOK, so there's more to poor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneurin</span> than that video, he also has a whole host of posts to peruse and enjoy. He also has a whole pile of endorsements and defensive remarks by top Labour politicians. I was going to look at a few in this post but there's so many of them to highlight and giggle at I might as well do them one by one, so here goes...!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-9480189835927307862009-03-29T17:11:00.002+00:002009-03-31T11:52:21.685+00:00Aneurin Tells The Truth!Brand new posting for us to enjoy on aneuringlyndwr: <blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"A mainstream political party in Wales has never made such a fool of itself with an ill-thought out video."</blockquote> I think they're talking about some video the Tories showed yesterday, but the joke is so obvious I won't waste my time or your time in making it!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-66696222562704074592009-03-28T17:18:00.002+00:002009-03-31T11:52:38.781+00:00Love In Debate!So according to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Alun</span> Davies, Labour AM and one of the brilliant four behind <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">aneuringlyndwr</span>, the website is: <blockquote>"<em>an opportunity to create a positive and constructive debate about the future of Wales"</em></blockquote> Skipping past the fact that the website doesn't allow comments and the YouTube video moderates comments (good way to create a debate that!) I guess we'd better check out his claim. Is this an attempt to create a debate? Is it positive instead of negative and attacking?<br /><br />Let's have a look..<br /><br />- Mentions of "Toff Dave", pics of Cameron in a top hat or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">calling</span> Tories "chums"= 10<br /><br />- Words used to describe Tories: juvenile, vacuous, ugly, embarrassment, cronies, nasty, gaffe-prone, disastrous<br /><br />- Words used to describe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Plaidis</span> (hey, it's catching on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Eluned</span>!): hopeless, self-serving, arrogant, navel-gazing, brittle, wrong, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">stalinist</span>, unthinking<br /><br />- Number of times Labour is mentioned = 3 (none of which mentioned Labour policies, initiatives or actions)<br /><br />What a wonderfully positive website <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Alun</span>!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Extra: A wonderful old quote from David Taylor himself, showing how committed he is to promoting positive debate in Welsh politics:</span><br /><p></p><blockquote style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><p>"I hate Liberal Democrats more and more every day.</p><p>I used to be slightly sympathetic towards them. I used to think they meant well and that the Tories where the real enemy.</p> <p>But their recent campaign tactics, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">materminded</span> by "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">wizz</span> kid" Lord <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Rennard</span> means I now hate them just as much as the Tories, which as almost as much as the Nationalists."</p></blockquote><p></p>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-86844883463500141782009-03-28T11:21:00.003+00:002009-03-31T11:52:54.222+00:00Give Us a Song!Viral videos have been all the rage for a while now. Anyone seen those farmers and sheepdogs making a giant sheep on the Welsh hillside, brilliant wasn't it! And who else failed to see that man in a gorilla suit between the ball game?<br /><br />And who doesn't like a song parody? BBC Radio 1 seems to play a new one everyday on their breakfast show!<br /><br />So congratulations to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Aneuringlyndwr</span> for leading the way (or is that jumping on the bandwagon?) with their wonderful rendition of Delilah! With lyrics written by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Eluned</span> Morgan, tipped as Labour's next Welsh leader, and the best special effects this side of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Waterworld</span> it is work of art. Hopefully <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Eluned will</span> see constructive criticism instead of mock when an old lady tries to give some advice on the next big video:<br /><br />1. Get a singer to sing it. I can't stress this point enough - a catchy election song and viral parody needs to be, well, in tune!<br />2. Get permission before you use (murder?) use someone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">else's</span> tune<br />3. You're not allowed to make up words just to get that elusive rhyme (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Plaidi</span>?)<br />4. Using schoolchildren to sing in songs is very risky, it can ruin a song as often as it completes it. But if you choose to use schoolchildren to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">make</span> the cut and paste video to your song then aim for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">secondary</span> school pupils next time instead of nursery school.<br /><br />So let's go through this wonderful song bit by bit shall we?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"I saw the wastelands the Tories they shoved on the valleys"</span> - OK, not the best start <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Eluned</span> dear. That's not even a proper sentence. I know you have to make sure the sentence fits the rhythm but if the sentence you wanted doesn't fit you're not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">allowed</span> to just add in a random word in a random place ("they!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"I saw the end of the coalmines, the steel and the farm" </span>- OK, better grammar this time - well done. Word of warning though, when you use examples to attack a government we had 15 years ago <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">make</span> sure the exact same attacks can't be made against your government. More coal mines closed under a Labour government than a Tory one and you'll struggle to find a farmer who believes their industry has gotten better under Labour!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Thaaaaaaaaatcher</span> was the woman" </span>- Oh my god, the flatness of the singer on this line sends shivers down my back!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Then she sent Redwood - she thought he could do no harm"</span> - ah yes, Thatcher's most famous appointment in Wales, John Redwood, who she sent to torture Wales between 1993-1995. Amazing woman that Thatcher, being able to appoint Redwood as Welsh Minister a full three years after John Major became Prime Minister!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Why, why, why Vote Tory" - </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">accompanied</span> by a picture of David Cameron looking like a toff and Nick <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Bourne</span> as Dracula flanked by a huge mansion. OK, first of all <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Eluned</span>, Michael Howard was the vampire not Nick <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Bourne</span>, remember? Secondly haven't Labour tried this Tory Toff thing before only to see it backfire dramatically? Remember Edward <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Timpson</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Crewe</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Nantwich</span>? Finally showing a huge house is a risky attack tactic when we all have such fresh memories of a certain Labour AM couple's second home claims!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"We cried cried cried oh Tory, I could see that Maggie was no good for me" </span>- Maggie Thatcher was last Prime Minister in 1990. Nearly twenty years ago now. Time to move on Welsh Labour?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Labour came in and set the Welsh people free"</span> - Illustrated by a picture of Tony Blair walking into Downing Street - just the man to make us Welsh giddy with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">excitement</span> right! And "set people free?" Aren't Labour the people who are now spying on our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Facebook</span>, listening to our phone calls, detaining us without charge, using terrorist laws to check our rubbish bins and want to force us all to carry ID cards?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"oh what a mess we needed to rebuild our nation" </span>- so the first thing they did was spend our money on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Millennium</span> Dome. And now the Olympics. Oh and Trident, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Iraq</span> of course - way to go!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"lets go to Brussels and ask for a little donation" </span>- Great idea. All that Objective One funding, let's leave it in the capable hands of Welsh Labour Leader <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Alun</span> Michael...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Jill stood there shouting" </span>- A very brave move showing a clip of Plaid's Jill Evans saying "Wales lost a.." - notice how they've cut the video just before we get to hear exactly how much European money Wales have lost out on because of Labour.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"You won't get the money that's what she was hoping" </span>- so Jill didn't want Wales to have European money? Really, if that's true then we need to vote her out! Vote Jill out now, vote Jill out now! Oh wait a sec, shouldn't we check that you're telling the truth first, when did Jill tell us this...?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Why why why vote <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Plaidi</span>?" </span>- Is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Plaidi</span> a word now? I've heard of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Welshie</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Nashie</span> but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Plaidi</span>? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Eluned</span>, you can't make up words just to get that rhyme right. I know <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Pheobe</span> does it on Friends but the whole point of her character doing that is to show how bad she is at writing songs!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"They seem very shoddy"</span> - unlike this song and video you mean?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"so before they break the Union up more"</span> - Devolution, brought to you by Labour. English regional parliaments brought to you (or not since you didn't want them!) by Labour. The Government of Wales Act 2006 brought to you by Labour. Sorry I forgot - Devolution was supposed to "strengthen the Union" right? (copyright Labour 1997)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"we need to stop them making the people more poor" </span>- The highlight of the lyrics for me! Ever heard of the word "poorer" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Eluned</span>? It means "more poor" but is, well, grammatically correct! Ah but you needed something to rhyme with "more" right? And clearly "poorer" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">doesn</span>'t rhyme with "more", but "poor" does, doesn't it?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"over to Brussels we went with a map and a bucket"</span> - Would that be the map of Europe the EU statistics company uses? You know, the one they deleted Wales off?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"We got the cash and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Plaidis</span> they said oh **** it" </span>- great! We got the cash! Now let's mismanage it, fail to get match funding for it and send a ton of it back! Oh and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Eluned</span>, no matter how often you use the word "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Plaidi</span>" it's still a made up word that no-one has ever used!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"we stood there laughing"</span> - glad to see you're taking our economy so seriously, some of us are crying instead of laughing but you have your giggle.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"to rebuild our land the EU gave us a hand"</span> - cue <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Alun</span> Michael<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"why why why vote Tory, why why why vote <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Plaidi</span>" - </span>even your made up word doesn't rhyme with Tory <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Eluned</span>!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"get out to vote in the Euros or we'll all be sore"</span> - notice the "we'll" all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">be</span> sore not "you'll" all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">be</span> sore. So she wants us to vote Labour so Labour doesn't feel sore? How about what's best for Wales, or is just what's best for Labour that's important (again!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"we all know that Labour delivers much more</span>...comedy value"<br /><br />Good luck on the Pop career love!Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441988062525925494.post-90282104223037026632009-03-28T11:08:00.002+00:002009-03-31T11:53:12.007+00:00Exciting Young Team!So as we've now worked out <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">aneuringlyndwr</span> is the brainchild of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">everyone's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">favorite</span> researcher David Taylor. Apparently he was asked to do so by Mr <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Permatan</span> himself. But wait a sec....<br /><br />1. Who was this student <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Eluned</span> Morgan credited the project to? Or the exiting young team <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hain</span> told us was behind it? Was he talking about himself and David Taylor? You may be many things Peter, but exiting and young are hardly the words I'd use!<br /><br />2. The website itself says that <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><em style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">"Aneurin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Glyndwr</span> </em><span style="font-style: italic;">is published by: D. C. Phillips, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cwmllynfell</span> SA9 2GP."</span> </blockquote>Whoa there! Who's Mr Phillips now? Is he a new part of this exiting young team of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Hain</span> and Taylor? Or just a stooge who agreed to have his name used to hide the real creators of the website (not that Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Hain</span> would ever use a random person's name to hide the true identity of the person behind it....oh no, wait, damn!).<br /><br />3. The website also states that<span style="font-style: italic;">:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"We receive no money from the Labour party, or any political party, and are funded by advertising, sponsorship and donations from private individuals." </span></blockquote>But isn't David Taylor a Labour employee and therefore, by very definition, paid for by Labour? Oh no they'll say, he was just doing this in his own time, the fact that he is a Labour employee and did this project at the behest of a Labour politician is mere coincidence.<br />But those posts on the website: Monday 15:46, Tuesday 13:06, Wednesday 15:42, Thursday 15:34 and 16:00 and Friday 11:01 - sound like office hours to me right (unless Mr Taylor was Nick <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Bourne's</span> researcher of course, because as we all know thanks to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Aneuringlyndwr</span> Mr <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Bourne</span> only comes out at night).<br />So what's up? Does David <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Taylor</span> work on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Aneuringlyndwr</span> as part of his work, and therefore paid for by Labour? Or has Leighton Andrews just discovered that his top man is bunking off work to play around on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Internet</span>? Maybe Leighton will now sack David for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">waisting</span> time at work, just like those <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Natwatch</span> victims were sacked (purely a comparison of course, no direct link!)<br /><br />4. David Taylor is Leighton Andrews lackey. In the cabinet Leighton Andrews is Ieuan Wyn Jones' lackey. Tip to Mr Taylor, dressing up your boss' boss in a clown outfit is not a great career move!<br /><br />Interesting times!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Hen Ferchetanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824537681698480500noreply@blogger.com0