Last chance for Our Town WNT

 

Get your tickets here:-

https://www.rosetheatre.org/whats-on/our-town-m74x

Cwrw'r Wythnos tri deg pump

 

Chalamet gets it right

 

"I don't want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.'," Chalamet said.

I couldn't agree more. 

There's a Fat Man on the wing!

 

What a joyous Try! That's what Rugby is all about. Chapeau Rhys Carre☝

That's why the 6 nations is such a unique spectacle - you can never really predict what will happen on the day.

Footnote:-

Scotland 50 France 40 - see above :-)

Also see above. 

Under Salt Marsh (TV review - spoilers)

REVIEW: Under Salt Marsh (S1) The Killing Times

A fair review imho. I gave it 7/10. 

Good, but dragged a bit at times. Top performance by Johnathan Price as "Old Welsh Farmer". I couldn't quite stop seeing the young Richard Burton in the guy playing the male love interest. Amazing flood scenes, filmed in Bridgend in a 50m2 tank apparently. And yes, that's her out of Yellowstone. (Oh & Timothy Spall's son)

Imdb review 6.3 (a bit harsh)

Homage to Mr Burton (Another Dry Day!)

Another Dry Day! So I combined chores with a trip up the Afan Valley to the birthplace of Richard Burton (nee Jenkins).

A sadly depressing place, now, with the mines shut, & shops & pubs boarded up. 

Then as I rode further up the valley to Cymmer, the scene got worse & worse. Croeserw seems to be a housing estate built miles from anywhere. 

Then over to Caerau, used as a backdrop for "Stella" - terraced houses climbing up the valley sides, and then down into the Metropolis of Maesteg. 

Same story here, boarded up shops, boxing clubs & vape stores. Still, the Valley Cafe on commercial street in the heart of the town was lush & cheap. 

The road back to Port Talbot via Bryn, was excellent. Newly surfaced, windey, empty & fun. All this & home before the rain! 

Blue Skies! Yet another Dry day!

Another beautiful day here in God's Country, so off to Ammanford & Moto Wales / Fu3l Stop Cafe.

Look at the blue sky! I must admit to feeling like a poor relation on my Yamaha, amongst all the BMW Beasts outside.

One of my favorite 'Close-to-home' routes, over the Mynned y Gwair mountain, between the Llew Valley & the Clydach Valley, passing Penlle'r Castell. Stunning - 10 miles alone, in the sunshine, on bone dry roads

Another Dry Day at last!

At last! A dry day! So, Chez Grum to Port Eynon, Rhosili, Llanelli, Trimsaran, Pont Ietes, Carmarthen, & back home on the M4. (Cruise control @ 74). The bike rode like a dream, comfy as heck, & more than enough performance to cope with all my needs. Van Grumsig playlist on the Helmet headset, & Garmin Street Nav to guide me home. The QuickShifter is a dream, making clutchless gear changes effortlessly . So pleased with the bike I even washed it! The paddock stand I bought today made lubing the chain easy, too 

3 hours, 90 miles. Dunno how much vertical :-))

A fun time was had!

Mi corazón sangra por Cuba

 

We took this photo on our Honeymoon in 2000

There is an excellent article in The Byline Times today (Hat-tip Kimmy) by the late Paul Conroy.

Veteran war photographer and correspondent Paul Conroy died of natural causes a day after returning from Cuba with this report of another city under siege. He never stopped bearing witness

It seems that Trumplestiltskin & his thugs are strangling the life out of ordinary Cuban's as punishment for choosing Communism as a form of government. 

Cuba is close to collapse. That appears to be the point. With Venezuelan oil cut off, Trump turns to the island’s last major supplier, Mexico, and threatens tariffs unless they turn off the taps. The message has a familiar mobster ring. Nice economy you have there. Shame if anything happened to it.

Last week, Miguel Díaz-Canel, (Cuba's president) in a two hour televised monologue, promised more sacrifice. Fuel rationing. Longer power cuts. Four day weeks for state employees. Shortened hours for schools and universities. Less of everything, for everyone.

The United Nations has described the embargo as inhumane and warned of a looming humanitarian disaster. Mexico has started sending ships loaded with aid. A NOTAM, a notice to all air missions, announces that as of Monday 10 February, José Martí International Airport has run out of jet fuel. 

Why? So the answer must be dogma. Cuba is one of the last communist governments standing. They do not export revolution. They barely export sugar. The average Cuban has about as much chance of removing his government as the average Minnesotan has of evicting the madmen squatting in the White House.

In the end, Cubans are being crushed under the weight of Washington’s hemispheric dominance dreams, layered with a Hegsethian level of paranoia about communists in the backyard.

The oil embargo on Cuba is almost certainly illegal and unquestionably immoral. The international community needs to rummage down the back of the diplomatic sofa, find its mislaid sense of justice, and act before the crisis unfolding here slides from slow-motion emergency into full-blown catastrophe.

Good luck with that. 'The international community', 'Rule of Law' etc. are all broken. Witness Mark Carney's brilliant speech @ Davos. Goodnes help the Cubans.

Dim Cwrw'r Wythnos - Gout Stopped Play

 

Ddyd Dewi Sant

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! 

I wish I could speak Welsh - although not enough to do anything about it. 

Follow the money

France can support 14 top tier rugby sides

England 10  - Soon to be 12

Ireland 4

Wales 4 - Soon to be 3

Scotland 2

Italy 2

(The last 4 in the URC)

Where is the money going in Wales?

What Matthew did next

Fresh from promoting the Welsh National Theatre by touring his one man show "Playing Burton", (Read the Programme here) the great man is now promoting Welshness to the Yanks.

The star of "The Americans" and "The Beast In Me" chose to not buy a struggling Football League side, but to shout about Welsh Cculture from the rooftops. Hat-tip Matthew. Not bad for a Taff.

From  BBC News - You owe us for rich history, proud Welshman Matthew Rhys tells United States

Swansea Jack

Indy & I paid our respects to Swansea Jack this morning. Probably Swansea's second most famous dog, after Snoop Dogg, of course. 

We were too late to hat-tip The Snoop, unlike 20300ish rabid Swansea City FC supporters on Tuesday night. 

The cult of personality separated by a century. I know who I admire more. 

Want to know Swansea Jack's story? From Wiki:-

Swansea Jack (1930 – October 1937) was a British dog who rescued 29 people from the docks and riverbanks of Swansea, Wales. 

wiki/Swansea Jack

Want more on snoop? 

BBC News - Snoop Dogg performed private gig in our canteen

He even seems to have calmed the Swansea v Cardiff rivalry according to this TikTok account

York? On the coast? and wandering battle sites...?

York? On the coast? Well I never! 

I was surprised to see this map purporting to show these sceptred isles in 878, with the East coast looking decidedly different from the present coastline. I knew lots of East Anglia and the fels have been reclaimed, but was unaware that the coast furter north had also been. Bloody great lumps missing as they were marshes & shallow seas.

This map was included in an article about the Battle of Bruanburh, and its consequences for the political genesis of these lands. I love the mention of King Owain of Strathclyde, a Welsh kingdom at this time, which has always fascinated me. Including Edinburgh, or Dunedin to give it it's Welsh name. I wonder how many people realise that this was a Welsh realm 1200 years ago.

I'd also assumed that this battle had been near Bamburgh Castle, but it's a lot more complicated than that, with up to a potential 40 sites identified!

From Wiki:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Brunanburh

the location of the battlefield is unknown[18] and has been the subject of lively debate among historians since at least the 17th century.[49] Over forty locations have been proposed, from the southwest of England to Scotland,[50][51] although most historians agree that a location in Northern England is the most plausible.[52][53]

Wirral Archaeology, a local volunteer group, have searched for the site of the battle near Bromborough on the Wirral.[54] They found a field with a heavy concentration of artifacts which may be a result of metal working in a tenth-century army camp.[55] The location of the field is being kept secret to protect it from nighthawks. As of 2020, they are seeking funds to pursue their research further.[56] The military historian Michael Livingston argues in his 2021 book Never Greater Slaughter that Wirral Archaeology's case for Bromborough is conclusive, but this claim is criticised in a review of the book by Thomas Williams. He accepts that Bromborough is the only surviving place name which originates in Old English Brunanburh, but says that there could have been others. He comments that evidence of military metal working is unsurprising in an area of Viking activity: it is not evidence for a battle, let alone any particular battle.[57] In an article in Notes and Queries in 2022, Michael Deakin questions the philological case for Bromborough as Brunanburh, suggesting that the first element in the name is 'brown' and not 'Bruna'. Bromborough would therefore be 'the brown [stone-built] manor or fort'. The corollary of this argument being the early names of Bromborough cannot be derived from Old English Brunanburh.[58] Michael Wood, in an article in Notes and Queries in 2017, discusses the alternative spelling Brunnanburh 'the burh at the spring or stream', found in several Anglo-Saxon Chronicle manuscripts.[59]

The medieval texts employ a plethora of alternative names for the site of the battle, which historians have attempted to link to known places.[60][61][62] The earliest relevant document is the “Battle of Brunanburh” poem in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (version A), written within two decades of the battle, which names the battlefield location as “ymbe Brunanburh” (around Brunanburh).[63] Many other medieval sources contain variations on the name Brunanburh, such as Brune,[64][65] Brunandune,[66] Et Brunnanwerc,[33] Bruneford,[67] Cad Dybrunawc[68] Duinbrunde[69] and Brounnyngfelde.[70]

It is thought that the recurring element Brun- could be a personal name, a river name, or the Old English or Old Norse word for a spring or stream.[71][13] Less mystery surrounds the suffixes –burh/–werc, -dun, -ford and –feld, which are the Old English words for a fortification, low hill, ford, and open land respectively.[71]

Ancient artesian spring at Barton-upon-Humber

Not all the place-names contain the Brun- element, however. Symeon of Durham (early 12th C) gives the alternative name Weondune (or Wendune) for the battle site,[33][72] while the Annals of Clonmacnoise say the battle took place on the “plaines of othlyn”[73] Egil's Saga names the locations Vínheiðr and Vínuskóga.[74]

Few medieval texts refer to a known place, although the Humber estuary is mentioned by several sources. John of Worcester's Chronicon (early 12th C),[35] Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum (mid-12th C),[72] the Chronicle of Melrose (late 12th C)[75] and Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle (1338)[76] all state that Olaf's fleet entered the mouth of the Humber, while Robert of Gloucester's Metrical Chronicle (late 13th C)[77] says the invading army arrived "south of the Humber". Peter of Langtoft's Chronique (ca. 1300)[78] states the armies met at “Bruneburgh on the Humber”, while Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle (1338)[76] claims the battle was fought at “Brunesburgh on Humber”. Pseudo-Ingulf (ca. 1400)[79] says that as Æthelstan led his army into Northumbria (i.e. north of the Humber) he met on his way many pilgrims coming home from Beverley. Hector Boece's Historia (1527)[80] claims that the battle was fought by the River Ouse, which flows into the Humber estuary.

Few other geographical hints are contained in the medieval sources. The poem in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that the invaders fled over deep water on Dingesmere, perhaps meaning an area of the Irish Sea or an unidentified lake or river.[81] Deakin noted that the term ding had been used in the Old English Andreas (poem) where it is suggested to have been used metaphorically for a grave and/or Hell. His analysis of the context of lines 53–56 of the Brunanburh poem suggest to him that dingesmere is a poetic and figurative term for the sea.[58]

Egil's Saga contains more detailed topographical information than any of the other medieval texts, although its usefulness as historical evidence is disputed.[41] According to this account, Olaf's army occupied an unnamed fortified town north of a heath, with large inhabited areas nearby. Æthelstan's camp was pitched to the south of Olaf, between a river on one side and a forest on raised ground on the other, to the north of another unnamed town at several hours' ride from Olaf's camp.[74]

Many sites have been suggested, including:

Bromborough on the Wirral[b]

Barnsdale, South Yorkshire[c]

Brinsworth, South Yorkshire[d]

Bromswold[e]

Burnley[f]

Burnswark, situated near Lockerbie in southern Scotland[g]

Lanchester, County Durham[h]

Hunwick in County Durham[i]

Londesborough and Nunburnholme, East Riding of Yorkshire[101]

Heysham, Lancashire[102]

Barton-upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire[j]

Little Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire.[103]

Bourn in South Cambridgeshire[k]

Who's Land(rover)

Good old British Land Rover, Sponsor of the Six Nations, as British as fish & Chips?

Think again.  Owned by Indian Tata Motors, built in Slovakia.

Try Grenadier? 

Owned by Ineos, used to be ICI until the racist Jim Radcliffe took his lily arse & £4bn tax bill off to Monaco, Located his manufacturing site in an old Mercedes plant in France, in a joint venture with some Austrians.

Rule Britannia indeed. The rot started by the princess of darkness herself, Maggie (the rat in the kitchen) Thatcher, decimator of British manufacturing, the mines, and seller off of the countries assets to 'free enterprise'. 

How did that go for Thames Water? A fudiciary duty to make money for shareholders, & huge salaries to "attract & retain the best management" Fuck off.

Dim Cwrw'r Wythnos

 

Dim Cwrw'r Wythnos - cymalwst

Waaaaaales!

A wholeheartedly better performance by our boys yesterday against the Jocks. Lake played a captain's role, Costelow was solid, Wainwright won the loose, James played well. We have hope again. 

It reminded me of the days in the 70's & 80's , when matches were close, we competed, but the difference being we usually won. 

Remember Cardiff 1986? Wales leading 16 - 15, against the Jocks? A 23 year old Paul Thorburn kicked a 70 yard monster to seal a win? 

Watch the video here (BBC). Still the longest recorded international goal. Chapeau indeed.

Or here (you tube):-

 

Gout! By Jingo!

 You may now call me "Uncle Podger" 

Off to buy a yellow waistcoat. 

I will never tire

 The beauty never ceases to take my breath away. Do they have this on other worlds? Other planets?

Are there oceans of Methane? Carbon Dioxide? Mercury? where other life forms have evolved to admire their beauty? 

It's Right Royal Knockout

 

£132.1m/ 69.3m = £1.90

£500m/ 69.3m = £7.21

Per person, any age, any income in the UK.

Granted to them because they are our masters. Anointed by God. The likes of Prince formally known as Randy Andy.

What bullshit.

What could £500 million be spent on instead? Or just cut taxes to the people.

The cost of exercise

Following on from my post, it turns out that I have torn my ligaments on top and underneath my left foot. I guess that it was too much to go from hero to zero in one go. So now I'm looking at 2/3 weeks recovery. Dagnabbit 

Update:

Could this be Gout?

When you have nothing to say

 See above

Surfside to Surfside

Today's dog walk allez et retour. Some of the best views on the Gower, and a change to my usual route.

Wild & windy, but dry.  Rewarded with a bacon butty & a flat white. 

Smoother coffee than in Surfside Rotherslade, who use Gower Coffee Company. I think Caswell uses Segafredo. 

Cwrw'r Wythnos tri deg pedwar

 Hat Tip Berto for this one.

What have the Romans done for us?

Following on from yesterday's post, I thought I'd find out what have the Romans Labour party done for us? 

According to https://whathaskeirdone.co.uk/results

They have:-

NHS
Secured £400m investment to boost clinical trials, improving NHS services and driving growth.
Announced that over 1,000 more GPs will be recruited this year, supporting NHS services.
Set out his long-term plan to rebuild our NHS for good and transform services over the next 10 years.

Transport
Ended train strikes, delivering for passengers.
Launched new legislation to bring the UK's railways back into public ownership which will improve rail services.
Given communities more power over their local bus services.

Housing
Banned no-fault evictions and introduced new protections for renters.
Delivered planning reform to build the homes we need.
Announced ‘Homes for Heroes’ - a programme to ensure all UK Armed Forces Veterans as well as domestic abuse survivors and care leavers have a roof over their head.

Crime and Border Security
Kickstarted a plan to restore neighbourhood policing.
Scrapped the wasteful Rwanda scheme and launched a Border Security Command to smash the criminal smuggling gangs and improve the UK's border security.

Education
Launched a Curriculum and Assessment Review to help improve schools.
Started the drive to recruit 6,500 teachers nationally, improving the education system.
Launched Skills England to transform opportunities and drive growth.
Scrapped single headline Ofsted grades in schools in landmark school reform.
Overhauled apprenticeships through a new Growth and Skills Levy.
Supported parents by announcing the first stage of the government's plan to deliver 3,000 school-based nurseries.
Announced the Children's Wellbeing bill which will remove barriers to opportunity and make sure the school system is fair for every child.
Kickstarted the rollout of free breakfast clubs for all primary school children through an early adopters scheme.

Economy and employment
Unveiled new measures to support small businesses impacted by late payments.
Scrapped the ban on onshore wind and unblocked solar schemes to deliver lower bills and good jobs.
Announced improved employment rights for workers, with a package of reforms that will Make Work Pay - including ending exploitative zero hour contracts, providing statutory sick pay from day one, and ending fire and rehire.
Secured a record 131 new green infrastructure projects which will create jobs and drive growth.
Announced a new National Wealth Fund to unlock private investment.
Introduced a new Fiscal Lock Law to deliver economic stability and protect family finances.
Announced new Covid Corruption Commissioner to get back what is owed to people.
Launched landmark pensions review to support pensioners.

Environment
Launched a new Floods Resilience Taskforce to turbocharged flood preparedness and support delivery of flood defences.
Delivered new measures to penalise water bosses who pollute waters.
Announced a new deal for farmers, which will go further to support farmers, boosting rural economic growth and strengthening Britain's food security.

Cost of living
Launched the Warm Homes Plan to deliver lower energy bills and lift over one million households out of fuel poverty.
Established the Child Poverty Taskforce, working across government departments to tackle child poverty.
Working to drive up Pension Credit applications.
Extended the Household Support Fund to support struggling households with bills and essential costs over winter.

Defence
Launched a new Armed Forces Commissioner who will be a strong, independent champion to improve life for UK service personnel and their families.
Awarded our armed forces the largest pay increase in decades which will renew the nation's contract with those who serve.

The Tories presided over 14 years of decline, undermined our public services, and wrecked our economy.

Turns out quite a bit, then. 

Don't Read All About It!

I have wondered recently what the Labour Party was actually doing, until my lovely wife pointed out 3 pieces of legislation going through parliament at present:-

1. Lowering the voting age to 16 in General Elections 

2. Making it illegal for MP's to have 2nd jobs

3. Banning foreign funding of UK political parties. 

All good news imho, and yet the 'i' leads with:-

Not a mention about these 3 changes by any of the mainstream newspapers:-

Today's papers

PS, Kim pointed me to this one, too:-

A 'Don't lie to the public' bill

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)

They don't write lyrics like this any more:-

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)

She stayed with me until she moved to Notting Hill
She said it was the place she needs to be
Where the cocaine is fair trade, and frequently displayed
Is the Buena Vista Social Club CD

I thought she’d be back in three weeks and we’d go wandering the Peaks
Sojourn in my Uncle Joe’s ashram
For when you’re in Matlock Bath you don’t need Sylvia Plath
Not while they’ve got Mrs. Gibson’s Jam

Alas I’m brooding alone by the runnel
While she’s in Capri with her swain
And the light at the end of the tunnel
Is the light of an oncoming train

Well we both grew up in Eyam and strange as it may seem
Neither of us thought we’d ever leave
But the beak in Leek is weak
And she’s moved in so to speak
With featureless TV producer Steve

And now it’s all Eva Cassidy and aphids in Picardy
And so I can only ascertain
That the light at the end of the tunnel
Is the light of an oncoming train

No frills, handy for the hills, that’s the way you spell New Mills
Brooding alone by the runnel
While she’s in Capri with her swain

And the light at the end of the tunnel
Is the light of an oncoming train
Is the light of an oncoming train
Is the light of an oncoming
Old time religion
Gimme that old time religion
Gimme that old time religion
It’s good enough for me.

I didn't know this:- swain/sweɪn/  noun 

literary

a young lover or suitor.

State of the Nation(al Rugby Team) ii

Over £1,000,000 in salaries for top 3 executives in WRU. 

£500,000 spent on consultants

£5,000,000 lost ticket sales

Balance that, Abi, you uncivil servant

What on earth are these people doing to Welsh Rugby?

UPDATE:-

:-(

Play Misty for me

 Misty moody walk today, pre-trip to BOA for El Grupo Libros 2.19

 

Robin wasn't impressed 

Its life, gym

6th session in 3 weeks now. Perhaps this is becoming a habit.

https://www.swanseabaysportspark.wales/

State of the Nation(al Rugby Team)

Just had a screenshot from a mate highlighting the attendance for the home Wales matches. HatTip StevieG. 

I've heard there are 50,000 unsold tickets @ £100 average = £5,000,000 lost income.

Corroborated on WRU website today. Green shows unsold seats, in all 3 matches:-

It used to be that you would have to call in favours to get a ticket for home internationals....

We need a reset now. Clear out all the WRU management, and get in a new set. Please.