Spring arrived last week as we celebrated Easter 2009. The long sleaved shirts have been put away for another year.

Since we last spoke the Six Nations came to an interesting end. Wales lost both to France 21-16 on a Friday night in Paris in February, just how cold was that and then with the last kick of the game they lost just to Ireland who win their first Grand Slam since 1948, and their first Triple Crown since 2007 and their first Championship since 1985 and the days of Michael Kiernan, Nigel Carr and Brian Spillane. Since then we have had a round or two of the Magners, this has to be nailed on for Munster right now. The quarters of the Heineken Cup which saw wins for Munster, Leinster, Leicester and Cardiff Blues who did just for Toulouse. Yesterday the Blues beat Gloucester 50-12 to win the EDF in the last form that we know it. The English are not too happy and the Cup will now be played during the Six Nations and the Autumn Internationals. So there goes the Blues chance of retaining. Still here is a picture of the immense Paul Tito with the trophy.

Possibly I get a bit cynical and think that the boys could have scored more. Perhaps Roland might have asked his assistant to investigate Allen's push on Lee Halfpenny perhaps he could have carded Allen and Lamb for their antics. The evening saw the Ospreys win at Parc Y Scarlets it was good to see a crowd of over 11,000 at Parc y Turco makes a change from 4 fat blokes with body odour who won't sit next to each other, won't even sit in the same row!!!

American Sports in the form of NHL & NBA are now into their playoffs and yesterday Chicargo beat Boston, what has suprised me is how far and how fast Detroit Pistons have fallen to become 8th seed in the East. Whilst the Lakers continue to dominate in the West they may come across a banana skin by the name of Portland who have a good home record aginst them. We shall see.

Moving on Facebook had an application which asked for your top 5 of things. One of the more interesting ones was TOP5 Beers. So here it is

1. Brains S.A

2. Wobbly Bob

3. Kwak

4. La Morte Subite

5. Old Tom

An interesting call where the two communities in Belgium tie with the North West but Skull Attack comes out top.

Another interesting list which it requested was top 5 tv which is heavilly influenced by my current viewing habits which saw

1. Battlestar Galactica

2. Damages

3. Fringe

4. Engrenages

5. Lost

Last year we were denied Season 4 of Bsg as Virgin and Sky were engaged in their petty dispute which saw the viewers as the victims. This meant that last year Damages & Fringe tied as favourite show, this year BSG came back with a storming conclusion, the other shows are good just not that good . Engrenages has been repeated on BBC 4 and with my latest gadget I have managed to copy the episodes onto a dvd. And lost has improved and continues to gow on me. As for Dr who, easter saturday saw the first of the 4 specials in lieu of a series whilst David Tennant played Hamlet at Stratford upon Avon. And it was good, but in the words of "dead ringers" Docotr #10 is "Jarvis Cocker in space" but not for much longer. It was good and for terrestrial it was very good SF but not better than BSG, Fringe or Lost from that genre right now.

Speak to you all soon when I will look at the Politics situation both here and abroad.

See you soon

This week I have celebrated another birthday pedwar deg chewch ano .

Since the last posting, Obama has been formally inaugurated, though how many times he took the oath is moot. The stimulus package has passed a nasty racist has been outed at the New York Post. Like anybody gives a **************** what the New York Post thinks. Wales have won their opening two matches of the 2009 Six Nations, Scotland away in Murray field and England at home at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. However Ireland look good and this thing may have legs. Also looking good are the Lakers having beaten Boston away in Beantown for the second and final time in regular season. Pittsburgh beat the Cards to win the Superbowl, we shall draw a veil over any mention of the Seahawks 2008/09 season and wish them better for next season. I keep looking at Cameron's Tories and am drawn back again to the Wendy's ad, the best you can say for the Cosnervatives is that they are not the Government, which is a very bleak prospect, their is no audacity of hope here just an absence of beef. and when they do become Government we shall see, not a lot.

So to take us forward here is a picture of President Obama.

So now it is 2009 and the end of Dubya's 8 years in the White House can be measured in days.

We look back at 2008 and consider that this was the year when America had its First President of Colour, well mixed race anyhow. Senator Obama (note the Irish origins) became the first Democratic nominee since LBJ to win Viriginia and North Carolina . He also won in stacks of other more obvious places. The solid south may not be solidily GOP anymore but Arkansas is still in the GOP camp as is pretty much most of Dixie. The repellant Saxelby Chamberliss was returned as a Senator for Georgia after a run off . However Ted Stevens did lose his senate seat in Alaska thereby sparing us Senator Palin !!.

The Seahawks went from bad to worse in their worst season since 1992 but the Detroit Lions finished 0-16 which makes them the worst NFL team ever !!. Meanwhile the Lakers are astride the NBA rankings. Why ? because they win at home and don't lose to poor teams take note Boston Celtics. Back here Man Utd came back from Japan as World Champions and County despite losing 2 on the bounce are still 7th. As for the Magners League let us draw a veil, the Ospreys are top and The Blues are 9th and facing a play off in Italy if they are lucky .

Moving on a New Doctor Who actor has been cast in the form of Matt Smith, aged 26 he has managed to annoy a few of the blogerati and those who see him as Tennant Lite. I would hope he gets a fair chance. To date he hasn't been saddled with Colin Baker's costume or Sylvester McCoy's scripts or schedulling time. His quirkyness hints at early Tom Baker and we know how good that got was due in part to the acting but also the writing, directing and production. There are those that will whine about a female Doctor. Well I'm sorry you are stupid and desrve my contempt for your lack of knowledge of the basic premise of the programme. As for the Doctor being black, well there were no black Vulcans before Tuvok and no Black Romulans before Sirol, so never say never. But i think the first Black time lord we saw was in "The Sound of Drums" and not before that. So Happy New Year to all and may we get what we desire and want this year.

Hywl

December Thoughts



Due to structural changes at my workplace this blog went MIA for a few months but we are now back to muse on items.



The election, well I'm very pleased by Obama's win and the scope of his win, the first Democrat to win in Virginia since LBJ. the first Democrat to win North Carolina for an age. However unlike Bill Clinton he did not win Arkansas. The state that brought you Brown vs Board of Education Topeka, a major civil rights Supreme Court Case.



On a sporting note the Seahawks are having their worst season since 1992, but the Lakers currently 24-3 are having one of their best and its Boston not Santa who is coming to town on Christmas Day. As for Traditonal European Sports. County are now up to 5th in Division 1 which is quite an acheivement. The Blues won in Biarittz last Saturday and are played 4 won 4 this season in Europe , their magners form is awful and tonights performance against the Scarlets was pretty wrteched.



So here are some pictures from the stuff we missed and I'll be back to round up the year before its gone.



Merry Christmas / Nadolig Llawern.

Lyndon Johnson - Daisy

Plan B, the clown Palin wants to put Nato Forces in Georgia

Classic Political Ad: Daisy Girl (1964)

Plan B.

Where's the Beef

I thought of Sarah Palin and remembered this gem from 1984 and hopefully this should still work. If it doesn't there is always plan B.

The summer Olympics of 2008 are nearly over, I doubt we shall see their like again until the next time they go to China and who knows what the People's Republic will look like by then. These have been britain's most successful games since 1908 which shows that if you have a good model, good coaches and some hard work and throw a shed load of money then you will succeed so hats off to sailing, rowing, swimming and cycling with a cheer for boxing, taikwando and canoing but Athletics you need to take a long hard look at yourself. The Tri Nations Rugby is gearing up today Australia won in South Africa for the first time since 2000. The World Champions need to take a long hard look at themselves. I am still not so sure about Australia and think they had the benefit of the ref.



Coming up on September 1st my wife starts a new teaching job and I know she will look forward to it. As for me that day I'm off to the dentist for an extraction at 2.15 actually, the old jokes being the best.



Speak to you all soon

Sex, Lies and Conservative Politics

One of my local councillors published an article in our local paper "The Stockport Times" which was a poor attempt at the art of obfuscation. Yes he condemned corruption by all parties but does this go far enough of course not. Giles Chichester resigned from his post when it emerged that he had transferred more than £400,000 of staff expenses into a family company. This is not a small amount unless you are a professional footballer like Rio Ferdinand. This is equal to 42 years worth of allowances that Councillor O' Neill would get from Stockport Council. Mr Chichester wasn't any old Tory hack, he was the head of the Conservative Party in the European Parliament. The chief whip of the Conservatives in Europe, Den Dover, was repalced after paying his wife and daughter £758,000 over nine years through a company for secretarial services. The second part of the Councillor's article deals with expenses incurred by Speaker Michael Martin and Tony Blair, John Prescott and Gordon Brown, the aim is to drown you in trivia so you ignore or forget to ask about Caroline Spelman who is responsible for the probity of the Conservatives in the House of Commons. Obviously she is n't very good at this as not only is she being investigated bu t so are Ann & Nicholas Winterton the MP's for Congleton and Macclesfield, for claiming £130,000 in rent allowances for a flat they already own. The question is who watches the watchers.

Next time we'll catch up with sports and media.

Hywl


Jez

So subsequently what happened was Ospreys smashed Saracens in the Edf in Cardiff and then lost to the same opponents in Watford in the Heineken. Cardiff Blues naively gave Toulouse 10 points start and lost 41-17. Then admist claims of Lyn Jones being sacked the O's roused themselves to beat a rather toothless Leicester Tigers team in the EDF Final at Twickenham. As the papers have said you wait 20 years to win in London and then two come along like that.

Elsewhere Damages came to an interesting end of its first series "Because I know Patty" also Gavin & Stacey came to the end of its second series and has put welsh slang like "tidy" and "what's occurring" at the front of British consciousness. Doctor Who is back for its 4 series under Russell T Davies and any rumours that David Tennant being shot by a xxxxx in episode 13 are fatal were rebutted by hints of filming in a Newport cemetry with the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Give the closeness of said cemetry to Duffryn School you would n't fancy the xxxxxxxxx's chances .

You knows it ..................

As for the Pol, Hillary keeps winning despite being out spent by 3:1, I just can't help but think that all McCain has to do is turn up, but he is a senior senior and there is plenty to exploit over the age angle. Unlike Reagan I'm sure he won't be able to laugh it off.

Grand Slam 2008

So it has come to pass that three years later a team has arisen from the bitter ashes of Nantes to conquer Europe once more. Gatland, Edwards and Howley have won a Grand Slam by breaking three of the long running ducks.

1. First win at Twickenham since 1988.

2. First win in Dublin since 2000.

3. First Championship win vs France in Cardiff since 1996.

Though interestingly enough the current series at Stade De France is 3-3.

Here are the pictures. This is only the first step on a long road.

Time flies and next sunday it will be my birthday........

The football season moves on and this week sees the return of the European games. This week saw the 50th Anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster which claimed the lives of Manchester Utd players, journalists, officials and one unfortunate fan plus the air staff. Utd played City in retro kit and there was a retro result City won 2-1 their first win at Old Trafford since 1974. Wales beat Scotland 30-15 on Saturday following up their escape from London the previous week Both France and England had narrow squeaks and perhaps the Italians might feel hard done to.

On the Politicial front from the GOP view point there are now just two McCain and Logan, Sorry Huckerbee.... As for the Democrats Obama seems to have the momentum and Hillary has today sacked her campaign manager ..... its not just Obama its Oprah !!!

I'll post soon with a note of tv and film but right now you can't say better than Damages and Ashes to Ashes... The Pictures reflect on Welsh Rugby's new found form due in no small part to Messrs Gatland, Edwards and Howley

Hywl

Happy New Year / Yn Fleddyn Newydd Dda !!!


Much has taken place since I last wrote. Pete, Sara's boy friend whisked her away at the end of term and now they are engaged.

We celebrated New Year in South Wales with Family and saw the Ospreys beat a very poor Blues team 22-3.

The primary season has started in the US and Obama and Huckerbee won in Iowa.

So here is to 2008 and all it brings


Cheers

November has arrived ..............................

With it we have the sad news of the passing of Ray Gravell. A man, a Welsh speaking man from West Wales who played 25 times for his country starting with the 25-10 win in Paris and ending with the 18-34 defeat to Scotland, the first defeat to a team other than New Zealand for 14 years. Grav also played in all 4 tests vs the Bokke in 1980 and would have made the team in 1977 had he not been injured. After retiring from Rugby he had a acting career, a wondeful film about thai brides and a small role in Damage. He was a leading broadcaster for S4C and BBC Wales as well as Radio Wales and Radio Cymru. He was the president of Llanelli and acheived many great things with them. He was a devoted husband and father. Lastly like myself he was diabetic and it was this nasty illness which killed him. Forget that the death certificate says heart attack it was this illness which took him away. Let us all renew our struggle and it encourages me and gives me heart.

This being November we remember all those who died in World War One so that Belgium might be free but at what cost ..................

So following from last time England roused themselves after a 0-36 beating by the Bokke and beat/were assisted by the officials/cheated/skillfully defeated Samoa, Tonga, Australia and France to find themselves up against the Bokke who beat them 6-15 the second time around. Which means the Sais will not be going on and on and on about the Rugby World Cup for another 4 years. France had their own mini final in beating New Zealand in Cardiff.

So my choice of team of the Coupe Du Monde.

15 Percy Montgomery - South Africa

14 Delasau - Fiji

13 Jacques Fourie - South Africa

12 Yannick Jauzion - France

11 Bryan Habana - South Africa

10 Juan Martin Hernandez - Argentina

9 Fourie Du Preez - South Africa

8 Isotalo Mika - Tonga

7 Thierry Dusatoir - France

6 Schalke Burger - South Africa

5. Victor Matfield - South Africa

4. Simon Shaw - England

3. CJ Van der Linde - South Africa

2 John Smit - South Africa

1 Pablo Roncero - Argentina

Meanwhile in the US the final did make the NYT but the World Series is underway and Boston lead 1-0 we shall see

Time has moved on and we went back to Llandysul for Uncle Walter's memorial at St Tysul's church which included a fundraiser for the organ. We saw and heard from the organist at the Royal Chelsea and Prince Charles Harpist and the local waffle manufacturer Kuys Huysman who is fluent in Welsh, English and Dutch.

Here are some photo's otherwise life moves on apace. We visited Aberaeron on the way home.

Now there is a place for when I win the lotto or not as the case may be.

The Rugby World Cup and Wales and less suprisingly Ireland were eliminated but more on this next time.

sEx Lies & nORTHEN rOCK

David Cameron has done himself few favours with his attacks on the P.M over Northern Rock especially when you consider what his friends in the Press were saying:

January 2007 - The Times "a new era of bigger returns for shareholders"

April 2007 - The Telegraph " discovered the most virtous of cycles"

June 2007 despite a profits warning, The Times gave the launch of its "silver savings online account" for the over 50's "an unequivocal thumbs up"

The slide in share prices according to the Telegraph offered "a buying opportunity" and "a risk investors should take"

August 2007 "are customers safe ?" " yes" said the Telegraph.

This comes to you care of Peter Wilby of Media Guardian.

The Rugby World Cup started with a bang as Argentina won 17-12 at Stade De France.

We have been lucky enough to see 2 games Wales 20 - 32 Australia and Fiji 29- 16 Canada.

Attached are photo's from those games. So far New Zealand and South Africa are clever favourites with Australia coming up on the rails. So far France, Ireland and England have failed to shine whilst Italy have been poor. Scotland continue to defy their 6 Nations form and could be the Northern Hemisphere team to go the furthest .Though the odds on a Southern final 4 can not be discounted.

Of course there is the latest addition to the family in Elin Cerys who is 1 inNovember.

Tomorrow my wife and elder step daughter go back to work as teachers. Summer has truely ended. It is raining in Stockport what more can I add.

I missed on the end of Tony Blair's reign, well it came to an end and he was gone quicker than you could say Idaho senator in a Minnapolois toilet.

As the B-52's song goes "You're living in your own private Idaho"

The All Blacks won the Tri Nations and must be favourites for the 6th World Cup which starts Friday. More of which over the next months as we go to games in Cardiff and Marseille.

Here is a list of the games I have been to across the last 20 years of Rugby World Cups.

1987 - 0 games

1991- 2 games Italy vs Usa and Wales vs Argentina.

1995 - 0 games

1999 - 2 games Samoa vs Japan & New Zealand vs Italy plus watched the q/f in a Cardiff pub.

2003 - 0 games

2007 - 3 games more to follow.

Rome came to a glorious if expected end, for what happens next see I Clavidivs.

We signed up to Lovefilm and are enjoying it hugely. The picture shown above is from Bonbon El Perro a wonderful Argentine Film.

More later this month.

Lets not talk about the weather .....


June after such a hot start turned out to be the wettest June for 50 years. I think that I may have developed gills. Work has moved offices as the transport system in Greater Manchester goes to Hell.

1. The Tram replacement buses. Anyone travelling on these buses into Manchester on an evening can see the best arguement one can ever have for a congestion charge. The bus gets caught up with lots of single user little boxes.

2. Demolition and restructure of Belmont Bridge

This needed to be demolished and rebuilt so that the bridge could take heavier EU lorries. Naturally the EU sceptics had a field day with this. But they are too stupid and shortsighted to ignore the fact that the lorries will come and if you ban them then our companies will lose the business.
The knock on effect has seen more traffic than ususal and we do get a fair bit using our little road as a cut through. We intend to bring this to the notice of the Council and see how far we get.

Probably not that far but who knows.

Moving on to a lighter note the Tri Nations approaches its conclusion with Australia facing up to New Zealand in two weeks in what should be the decisive game. However Australia's win over New Zealand and their failure to beat a weak Bokke team by only 8 points will give good heart to the teams of France, Argentina, Ireland, England and Wales assuming the latter two do not fall foul of Samoa and Fiji.

As for TV Dr who finished with Mr Saxon (Master No 6), where that leaves the actor who preceded Eric Roberts, being defeated and dying to obtain his final victory of the Doctor. Where the laugh from the funeral pyre and the woman with red nails picking up the ring will lead us who knows.

For two more weeks we have Heroes and then the run of series 1 starts on BBC2.

We also have series 2 of Rome being shown fairly quickly 2 episodes a week will get through 10 epsiodes very quickly. The show desrves better.