WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Carwyn pushing for more powerful Wales in 2010

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Carwyn pushing for more powerful Wales in 2010: "“In 2009 we faced tough economic challenges, but our core values of social justice have served us well.
“I was brought up to respect the idea of chwarae teg, fair play – and now we are able to ensure Wales’ strong sense of social responsibility and justice guide our young democracy.
“By working together in that spirit we are weathering the storm, and during the coming year we will continue the task of building the economy we need to ensure prosperity for all."


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We need new sustainable housing and jobs, not hot air and £millions being squandered on 'art', offices and shipping stuff over to the US.

Honours List: Order of the British Empire, OBE (names L-Z) - Home News, UK - The Independent

Honours List: Order of the British Empire, OBE (names L-Z) - Home News, UK - The Independent: "Edmund Caerwyn Roberts, MBE. Chairman, Snowdonia National Park Authority. For services to the community in Gwynedd. (Harlech, Gwynedd)"


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I predict that 2010 will an 'interesting' year for Caerwyn.

WalesOnline - News - World News - Wales must apply its own pressure on China over human rights, say activists

WalesOnline - News - World News - Wales must apply its own pressure on China over human rights, say activists: "It argues that the 4,030g of smuggled heroin could have resulted in 26,800 deaths. The execution by lethal injection of someone responsible for such a load is not considered an affront to human rights"


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This man was arrested two years ago, no evidence of innocence was forthcoming despite this period which we can only assume is provided for such a purpose.

This man knew the penalty for being caught was death, that is Chinese law. The death penalty also exists in the US and other countries, some people in the UK believe we need a deterrent which does actually deter rather than foster further crime.

Please move on.

Saturday, 26 December 2009 - Herald Scotland | Comment | Herald Letters

Saturday, 26 December 2009 - Herald Scotland | Comment | Herald Letters: "As the SNP, and Plaid Cymru for Wales, are significant bona-fide participants at Westminster, they are entitled to take part in the televised debates, indeed, they are duty-bound to have a presence to put forward the views of the countries they represent, which can be contrary to the Unionist parties’ views about Scotland and Wales, and they deserve to be heard also by the English."


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I am confused, you want independence but you still want to be heard by the English?

As a Welshman I find that to be an oxymoron.

North Wales Police | Our Vision "A Safer North Wales" | http://www.north-wales.police.uk

North Wales Police | Our Vision "A Safer North Wales" | http://www.north-wales.police.uk: "“Our text messaging service has been a huge success,” said PC Dewi Wynne from the Meirionnydd Neighbourhood Policing Team.
“Since the launch back in the summer, the feedback we’ve received has been very positive. We have hundreds of Farmwatch members who have all signed up to receive a text message as soon as anything suspicious has been reported to police in the area.”"


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If we text the police every time we see a farmer's son driving like a madman will anything be done about it?

Wales: Funding deal under fire as S4C sees budget rise of just 0.3%

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/tm_campaign=Wales_email_business%3A20091224%26headline=funding-deal-under-fire-as-s4c-sees-budget-rise-of-just-0-3%26method=full%26objectid=25461461%26siteid=91466-name_page.html?campaign=Wales%5Femail%5Fbusiness%3A20091224

Labour’s heritage spokesman in Wales, AM Alun Davies, said the channel was not receiving a fair funding deal from the DCMS against the back drop of the challenges of the switchover to digital and above CPI inflation television production costs.

Mr Davies, a former S4C executive, said: “S4C has been treated quite badly by the DCMS over a number of years.

“Even in the good years of funding it didn’t keep up with the increasing costs of broadcasting.

“S4C is also the only terrestrial broadcaster not to be given a digital dividend to help prepare for digital switchover. Life has been made more difficult for S4C and the DCMS should look to make sure it can help it compete effectively in a digital world.”

Mr Davies said S4C was more than just a broadcaster, but key in helping to create and develop a more dynamic creative industries sector in Wales.

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Pathetic viewing figures and awful programmes interspersed with English language advertising, what is the point? Apart from some selective coverage of the Royal Welsh Show I fail to see why it exists. Time to kill S4C off or demand higher contributions from the minority audience?

It cannot go on because we can't afford it.

:: Snowdonia National Park

:: Snowdonia National Park: "We have made repeated requests to meet Kemble - they have refused to meet us and they will not answer letters about their intentions. They simply prefer to issue press releases attacking environmental charities. The National Park Authority is being kept in the dark too. Why won't Kemble come clean about their plans"


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Who cares? Locals need jobs and homes, not grass!!

BBC News - Welsh aid for Uganda aid despite gay death penalty plan

BBC News - Welsh aid for Uganda aid despite gay death penalty plan: "The £75,000 from the assembly government will help volunteers from the Pont project in Pontypridd, which has been linked with Mbale for three years."


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What on earth are we doing spending money abroad when our own people are so in need?

BBC News - Plaid complains over TV debates

BBC News - Plaid complains over TV debates: "But Elfyn Llwyd said it did not matter what 'might or might not be cobbled together in the future to appease us in Wales... we've been left out.'"


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Can Elfyn Llwyd name a few other minority parties which have also been left out?

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - ‘Wales must take stronger measures to cut greenhouse gases ’

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - ‘Wales must take stronger measures to cut greenhouse gases ’: "“The Assembly Government’s recent decision to set a target of cutting emissions by 40%, from 1990 levels, by 2020 is an important step in the right direction.
“To achieve it though will require stronger policies than the ones that are currently on the table.”"


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Wales is mostly rural with grass and trees all over the place, the vast majority of Welsh people can't afford to run a gas guzzler.

Realistically, what difference can Wales make? We are poor enough as it is!!

BBC News - Sprinklers in new homes proposal

BBC News - Sprinklers in new homes proposal: "A 'Welsh law' to require builders to install sprinkler systems in all new homes in Wales has won the support of MPs after a request by an AM."


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How much is this going to cost? Has a cost/benefit analysis been carried out?

What are the downsides of having your house waterlogged when a system is faulty or goes off when some moron thinks it might be fun?

Wales is fast becoming a laughing stock what with the only UK tax on plastic bags.

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Wales right up against it to meet carbon cuts target

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Wales right up against it to meet carbon cuts target: "CARBON emissions in Wales will need to come down substantially in 2010 if the Assembly Government is to meet its own target, a new report says."


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How does building offices all over the shop cut emissions?

I drive past various public body offices at night and the lights are all on.

Public sector workers travel to the same meetings in separate cars, are they unable to share a car in order to reduce fuel waste and expenses?

As the main employer in Wales is the public sector you should take a look at your own carbon footprint before waving the finger at those who pay your wages and are burdened with your unaffordable pension scheme.

BBC News - Marketing call as tourism falls

BBC News - Marketing call as tourism falls: "'It is particularly worrying that fewer people from the UK have decided to holiday in Wales.'"


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Given that there is hardly anything for visitors, children in particular, to do when it rains these figures are not newsworthy.

The problem as I see it is the myopic planners and the nationalist political will opposing any development which caters for 'incomers'.

For North Wales the future looks paticularly bleak.

Plaid MP calls for devolution of Welsh justice system - politics.co.uk

Plaid MP calls for devolution of Welsh justice system - politics.co.uk: "“A great deal of progress has been made and I am firmly of the opinion that had we a separate jurisdiction for Wales we would by now have the right to empanel a bilingual jury."


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Dim diolch!!!!

Some people get away with too many speeding convictions as it is!!

AND. In parts of Wales they would be dragging Welsh speakers into court on an almost permanent basis because there wouldn't be enough of them to make up the jury numbers.

BBC News - Unemployment in Wales rises to 125,000

BBC News - Unemployment in Wales rises to 125,000: "'People will look at these figures and judge both Labour and Plaid Cymru on their record of failure to keep Wales working. This failure is all the more relevant as we approach Christmas,' she said."


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What percentage of the total jobless speak Welsh? What prospect is there of the English speakers getting a job in a local authority or other public body?

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Welsh Brussels chief sacked for false expenses claims

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Welsh Brussels chief sacked for false expenses claims: "“It’s not a massive amount of money, but obviously they took the view that he could no longer be trusted and had to go.”"


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Anything to do with the fact that he wasn't a Welsh speaker?

Why is it that MPs, AMs and MEPs can get away with far more serious fraud?

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Welsh Brussels chief sacked for false expenses claims

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Welsh Brussels chief sacked for false expenses claims: "A Brussels insider said: “An organisation like the WLGA maintains an office here because a range of European issues has a direct impact on local authorities."


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Yet more mouths to feed!

BBC News - MPs back assembly Welsh language powers

BBC News - MPs back assembly Welsh language powers: "But he warned: 'No-one would like to see the private sector prevented from investing in Wales because of burdensome Welsh language duties being inappropriately imposed on business. 'What is right in respect of a large public authority need not be necessary be right for a smaller private sector company.'"


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We must ensure that this view is held in perpetuity.

But why should a public authority use Welsh exclusively to the detriment of prospective employees who are not fluent in Welsh?

BBC News - Plaid AM defects to Conservatives

BBC News - Plaid AM defects to Conservatives: "Mr Asghar, the assembly's only ethnic minority AM, said he felt 'out of tune' with Plaid policies, in particular its desire for an independent Wales."


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As a supposed 'minority' first language English Welshman I can see his point.

BBC News - Jones warning over Tory victory

BBC News - Jones warning over Tory victory: "Asked about the impact of a Tory win on Wales, he said: 'I don't think a Conservative government would hold Wales' best interests at heart. I know that a Labour government in Westminster would."


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Was this the same party headed by Tony Blair who said "bloody Welsh", or something like that.

We need a referendum on whether we keep devolution...

Dr Lewis would have struggled as a letter writer under the Nazis - Caernarfon Herald

Dr Lewis would have struggled as a letter writer under the Nazis - Caernarfon Herald: "When people like Dr Lewis write about militarism and wars I can assure him that as far as Wales was concerned, Hitler would not have stopped at Offa’s Dyke"


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Rumour has it that the Welsh Nationalists were Nazi sympathyzers and did a fair bit of spying...

Robyn Lewis couldn't have picked a worse time to insult the RAF - Caernarfon Herald

Robyn Lewis couldn't have picked a worse time to insult the RAF - Caernarfon Herald: "Clearly a man devoid of dignity."


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Clearly a man devoid....

Robyn Lewis is at his best yet again - Caernarfon Herald

Robyn Lewis is at his best yet again - Caernarfon Herald: "Our Robyn does not need Batman on his side, as erudition is its own reward"


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Erudition? More like erasion...

Dr Lewis should go to Korea and test his freedom of speech - Caernarfon Herald

Dr Lewis should go to Korea and test his freedom of speech - Caernarfon Herald: "I suggest he go to North Korea or Iran and proclaim his views outside their seats of government, he could then understand what freedom and democracy is all about whilst sitting in a cold, dark North Korean jail with his life on the line."


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I was told to leave him alone because he is a 'nutter'.

BBC News - Fall deaths 'were accidents'

BBC News - Fall deaths 'were accidents': "Addressing the family, the coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones added: 'The only comment I would make is that the presence of alcohol and cocaine may have affected his ability to cope with an emergency.'
But he said that, sadly, slipping and falling was all too common on Snowdonia footpaths."


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Of course it is the only comment he would make...

BBC News - Experts' climate policy warning

BBC News - Experts' climate policy warning: "Ms Davidson defended the assembly government's record on existing targets and said the new proposals were not unrealistic."


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Policymakers in denial will do us no favours, a tax on plastic bags will not save the planet, it will simply damage the 'Welsh' economy, whatever that is.