by In Wales
Sun May 3rd, 2015 at 06:22:04 AM EST
Two friends of mine are doing a sponsored rollerskate across the Netherlands starting on May 21st and are looking out for supporters along the way and potentially people with a spare bed/sofa to sleep on too.
Theirs is a great story of adventure and human spirit.
by In Wales
Thu Aug 15th, 2013 at 12:03:38 PM EST
Cyberbullying: Cameron Writes To Victim's Dad
David Cameron has written a letter to the father of a teenage girl who killed herself after she was bulled on the controversial website Ask.fm.
Mr Cameron sent the personal letter to David Smith after his 14-year-old daughter Hannah was found dead two weeks ago at her home in Lutterworth.
The Prime Minister insisted legislation exists to deal with online trolls, the Daily Mirror reported.
Mr Cameron said he was grateful "as a parent" to David Smith for highlighting the problem of bullying on social sites.
Who is responsible, Government or the online communities themselves?
by In Wales
Sun Apr 21st, 2013 at 03:12:49 AM EST
by In Wales
Mon Aug 27th, 2012 at 10:19:56 AM EST
I'm a little late on the scene given that this all broke back in 2005 or thereabouts but I'm currently trying to find out more about the so-called "Bosnian Pyramids". Truth or fiction, they have an interesting story to them.

by In Wales
Thu Mar 15th, 2012 at 07:39:27 AM EST
In time the inevitable happens.
We are in an odd environment as far as I can see. Tools/products of socialism (National Health Service, welfare state) are being picked apart and those most needing just a little bit of respite in this environment are being tied to the end of the battering ram.
I have many professional hats and the UK Government's announcements about the upcoming closure of Remploy factories has been snapping at my heels for the last few days.
BBC News - Remploy plans factory closures with 1,700 job losses
Remploy - which provides work for people with disabilities - is planning to close 36 of its 54 factories, putting more than 1,700 jobs at risk.
Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller said the sites could be closed by the end of the year as they were not financially viable.
by In Wales
Thu Apr 28th, 2011 at 07:07:08 PM EST
I'm slightly out of time getting this diary up (IWMD was the 28th) - cross posted from my personal blog.
Today is International Workers' Memorial Day, honouring all the people who have lost their lives due to workplace accidents and industrial disease.
by In Wales
Tue Mar 15th, 2011 at 04:59:29 AM EST
I'm helping out with a trade union women's development weekend and we want to get reps thinking about more effective ways of getting their messages across to workers and union members.
I'm compiling a slideshow showing a range of ways of getting messages across, tapping into effective advertising campaigns, viral videos, songs, images, the Cameron airbrushed poster templates and so on.
by In Wales
Thu Jan 20th, 2011 at 07:43:56 AM EST
It is all well and good letting off steam and ranting about the unfairness of the world, but it doesn't create change. The ConDem coalition attacks on disabled people are horrific and for those of us affected, incredibly frightening. To target and demonise the very people who are most in need of support in difficult economic times says a great deal about the values of the UK Government right now.
It is good to see plenty of disabled people rising up against the cuts and the damaging rhetoric, with blogs, websites, campaigning, lobbying and petitions but we have nowhere near the scale of influence, support or media attention that we really need to mount an effective challenge.
by In Wales
Wed Jan 5th, 2011 at 04:14:23 PM EST
I'm long overdue a diary about the Yes campaign, calling for the legislative process to be made quicker and more effective, removing the necessity for Wales to get permission from Westminster to pass legislation that only affects Wales. I've been involved as a photographer, working on the campaign and website images and covering events. I'm really proud to be able to make such an important contribution to such an important campaign.
by In Wales
Sun Jan 2nd, 2011 at 07:49:23 AM EST
by In Wales
Sun Dec 19th, 2010 at 04:33:55 AM EST
A night in with the wine and two good friends created all sorts of conversations but one in particular was about role models - in the context of the gender balance in the Assembly and why that is important. Having a gender balance in the Assembly has helped to create a very distinct Welsh (and socialist) brand of policies in Wales. Research shows that women are more likely to instigate discussions on equality, children, older people, welfare. The issues are being put on the table, debated and policies formed.
by In Wales
Sat Dec 11th, 2010 at 03:43:26 AM EST
by In Wales
Tue Dec 7th, 2010 at 06:48:17 AM EST
The rumblings of the ConDem steamroller are nearing with remarkable pace. I've already commented on tuition fees, and as TBG puts it:
ThatBritGuy:
punching the poor in the face away from political and economic power.
by In Wales
Mon Dec 6th, 2010 at 10:27:46 AM EST
Articles like this one always worry me...
Ministers will not be required to seek the advice of scientists when making drug classification policy in future, under new government proposals.
The police reform and social responsibility bill, published last week, contains an amendment to the constitution of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) that would remove the requirement on the home secretary to appoint at least six scientists to the committee.
A further amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 would allow the home secretary to place temporary controls on substances for a year by statutory instrument.
by In Wales
Mon Dec 6th, 2010 at 07:04:32 AM EST
It's been a busy week but still it is remiss of me to have not commented on the protests against Government proposals to increase the cap on University tuition fees.
Back in the day(!) when I was studying for my undergraduate degree at Cardiff, I was lucky enough to start in 1997, the last year where grants were still available (albeit minimal) and no tuition fees were charged. Student loans saw me through on my living expenses and I worked each summer to make up the rest of the money I needed. Doing a chemistry degree involved most days being full of lectures and lab sessions, and being deaf meant that I had to use all of my time outside lectures to catch up on what I missed from not hearing the lectures. The additional reading involved for me was huge. I just didn't have time to work whilst studying.
frontpaged - Nomad
by In Wales
Wed Nov 24th, 2010 at 04:06:17 PM EST
I'm an appointed (unpaid) Director for Disability Wales - the national association of disabled people's organisations, striving to achieve the rights, equality and independence of disabled people in Wales.
by In Wales
Wed Nov 24th, 2010 at 06:24:00 AM EST
My flatmate's birthday present for me was a ticket to see Earthfall in their new production - The Factory - at the Wales Millennium Centre.
by In Wales
Sun Nov 21st, 2010 at 08:00:30 AM EST
by In Wales
Sun Nov 7th, 2010 at 03:17:56 AM EST
by In Wales
Mon Oct 25th, 2010 at 11:48:01 AM EST
Every time I come across Iain Duncan Smith, he gives me another reason to dislike him. In my whole life, I have been in the House of Commons twice and both times IDS has pushed me out of his way. Not a teeny nudge in a crowded area, trying to squeeze through. An almighty proper 'don't you know who I am' shove when I wasn't even in his way.
So, Reasons Why I Don't Like Iain Duncan Smith:
1 - He is rude
2 - He is a Tory
3 - He's telling the people of Merthyr to 'get on a bus' and go and find a job in Cardiff.