The price of identity
SIR – Your report on the demise of the Welsh Language in the 2011 Census is alarming (“Language is in crisis, says Cymdeithas, as proportion of Welsh speakers falls to 19%”, Dec 12).
The writer pens with a certain passion, a passion that holds dear his need to protect the Welsh language, he also assigns language to culture, an integral part indeed, and finally tells the readers of Wales Online that the culture that is Wales is dependent on the Welsh language for its very survival.I was born and brought up in a Welsh speaking mining valley, couldn’t understand or speak a word of English before the London evacuees of 1940s arrived; and pretty soon we had converted them to Welsh Speakers.
Following the discovery of anthracite coal, migrants had arrived not only from many Welsh counties but from England, too, but the language sustained its position. Primary school was Welsh speaking – but as the “scholarship” paper was mostly English we had to learn it, and then all lessons (apart from Welsh!) were in English, but the language outside was Welsh.
Our forefathers built grammar schools to ensure their sons didn’t follow them down the pits, but when “children” qualified for universities, most couldn’t find professional posts in the country and had to migrate to the open arms of England. Most never to return to Wales, their parents’ homes sold – very often to migrating English.
The age of the chapels’ domination is also history; before television, the car, and Sunday opening, it was colleges, religion, entertainment, where poorly educated older people gained knowledge and language from the pulpit, Sunday School, choir singing and all in the one language Welsh.
Apart from The Western Mail, Wales on Sunday, local papers and Y Cymro, the English media really ignores Wales. The constant drip-dripping of their editions is Anglo influential as is television: Coronation Street, Emmerdale, drown out Pobol y Cwm. Similarly the English radio programmes Radio Cymru, their prolific influences controlling to a large degree an Anglicisation of news and events leaving Wales to a great measure in a poverty of Welsh/Celtic aspiration retaining it in talk and thinking and behaviour and we’re too idle to realise how our thinking to a large extent is accustomed to an Anglian perspective.
Until we awake to change and revival, this power will continue to influence our non Welsh thinking.
Destroy one’s culture and language and you destroy a nation’s pride. Too often, sadly, one doesn’t realise the value of something until it’s lost. One’s language is part of one’s culture. Lose that and how do you know who you are! You don’t destroy a nation’s pride!
The price of identity is eternal vigilance. The same must apply to one’s literature. To honour this one must understand this: Silences are the allies of enemies, detrimental to democracy.
The past can be a heavy burden to be sure, but it is heaviest of all when hindsight told you what had to be done and you did nothing.
ADRIEN JONES of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire
... and this diktat is :
... become fluent in the Welsh language, in the face of linguistic evolution that is marginalising the language year on year.
... I prefer a free society, it doesn't have to be pretty, I prefer it to be multicultural mess reflecting the reality of society in the 21st century.It doesn't matter to the "old elites" of Wales that an overwhelming majority live their lives without the Welsh language.
It doesn't matter to the "old elites" of Wales that an overwhelming majority are indifferent to the Welsh language.
It doesn't matter to the "old elites" of Wales that an overwhelming majority prefer Hollywood to the Welsh language television.
It doesn't matter to the "old elites" of Wales that an overwhelming majority do business without the Welsh language on the international stage.
to experience the hideous vision of Wales read the Welsh language group's 'manifesto' call after census
Foreign languages suffer from WelshWM linkSIR – I was dismayed by the letter from Mererid Morgan of the WJEC (“Languages are a skill our jobseekers need”, Nov 7). I am astonished that this year only 25% of Welsh GCSE pupils entered a modern foreign language. In 2004 Estyn made a study of GCSE uptake in Welsh schools: the study found that GCSE entry by 15-year-olds had fallen from 45% in 1997 to 34% in 2003. Estyn also found that uptake was lower in Welsh Medium and bilingual schools; 35% in EM schools and 30% in WM schools. In 2007 the Welsh Department of Education made a further study of Modern Foreign Language uptake; by this time only 28% of 15-year-olds entered a modern foreign language at GCSE and only 21 of those passed at A*-C. England at the same time entered 46% with 31% gaining A*-C. In England 40% of pupils took GCSE in a modern foreign language this year but the recent introduction of the “English Baccalaureate” has resulted in an increase in year 10 pupils taking languages. At advanced level Wales lags behind England in the main languages with 32% of English students gaining A*-A and Wales having 23% of students with an A*-A pass. Mererid Morgan is mistaken in thinking that bilingual Wales has an advantage in foreign language teaching, on the contrary, we have replaced foreign language study with compulsory Welsh lessons in all schools.In every survey of parents a majority say that they are against compulsory Welsh lessons and now even Simon Thomas AM for Plaid Cymru is questioning the utility of compulsory Welsh. Leighton Andrews needs to ask whether Wales is well served when we produce a workforce unable to communicate with the world outside Wales. J.Jones, Ynys Mon.
... who has intervened in the Scottish independence debate, claiming that nothing will be gained from breaking up the UK. Herman Van Rompuy, who would chair meetings to discuss if an independent Scotland could join the EU, said the move for separatism was a thing of the past.
Van Rompuy, who will still be president of the council in 2014, when the independence referendum is due to take place, was asked his views on Scottish independence during a recent Q&A session broadcast on YouTube. "Nobody has anything to gain from separatism in the world of today which, whether one likes it or not, is globalised," he said. "We have so many important challenges to take and we will only succeed if we can pool forces, join action, take common directions. The global financial crisis is hitting us hard. Climate change is threatening the planet. How can separatism help? The word of the future is union."
A source close to the president said Van Rompuy would not be campaigning against Scottish independence. "The president would never involve himself in a national dispute. However, Scotland will need to reapply for EU membership and he could chair the meetings where that is discussed," he said. Van Rompuy's term will finish at the end of 2014.
"I can imagine some nations would make that a difficult meeting – Spain, Cyprus and Belgium. His own view is that separatism is as described on that video. He voted, for example, in favour of devolution in Belgium, but not independence for Flanders."
The comments will be a blow to Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, and emerge after the UK government reiterated that an independent Scotland would have to apply to the EU to become a new member state.
Salmond has claimed that Scotland would not have to leave the EU and even erroneously claimed to have had EU legal advice on the issue. However, it has since emerged that no such advice had been sought and a former Whitehall mandarin has been asked to conduct an independent inquiry into whether Salmond misled Holyrood and so breached the ministerial code.
The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, entered the fray last week to declare that Salmond's statements on Scotland getting automatic membership of the EU "has no basis in fact".
Clegg said Scottish nationalists "don't want to face what might happen to Scotland's influence on fishing quotas or agricultural policy or the regulation of the banks. They don't want reality to bite. So they've gone into denial, preferring political assertion to legal advice."
Former foreign secretary David Miliband has dismissed SNP claims that an independent Scotland would automatically join the EU as "fantasy island". On a visit to Scotland, Miliband said leaving the UK would leave an independent Scotland "in limbo in Europe".
He claimed there would have to be "detailed and forensic negotiations" between all the current member states before Scotland could be admitted, adding that the addition of a new nation would affect the relative wealth of all other EU countries.
He also said it would have an impact on the voting weight for each country in terms of the relative influence of their MEPs – factors that would have to be reflected by an adjustment of EU rules.
"The final part is that you have to get agreement of all 27 countries, soon to be 28, of all ministers, and then it has to be ratified by each country," said Miliband. "France has said that any enlargement of the EU will require a referendum in France." (Source The Observer 4 Nov 2011.)To the SNP (Scottish Nationalist Party and its by-blow Plaid Cymru), Herman Achille Van Rompuy has given a profound judgement on the separatist agenda (Salmond and chums), Europe doesn't want separatism in its march towards a united Europe ...
A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both
'Independence is about cultural and societal transformation'... might generate a soupçon of interest from the political pundits scattered around the various halls of government, but to the little people the closure of Hall's of Broxburn meat factory in West Lothian has real interest, particularly the fact that the Scottish SNP led administration were unable to influence the decision making process of the Dutch owners Vion. Impotent in the face of international business interests.
.. absolutely zero !Scottish independence is political in the narrowest sense, it has no benefit for the little people whose life will continue as before, in a 21st century serfdom with much the same masters !
Part I: financial accountabilityIf the two parts are explored for the real Westminster intentions we can conclude that it is to strengthen the relationship between Cardiff and Westminster ...
To review the case for the devolution of fiscal powers to the National Assembly for Wales and to recommend a package of powers that would improve the financial accountability of the Assembly, which are consistent with the United Kingdom’s fiscal objectives and are likely to have a wide degree of support.Part II: powers of the National Assembly for Wales
To review the powers of the National Assembly for Wales in the light of experience and to recommend modifications to the present constitutional arrangements that would enable the United Kingdom Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales to better serve the people of Wales.
Part I:The first part subordinates the Assembly to the UK's fiscal objectives and part two establishes Parliament as the superior body in the service of the electorate.
... financial accountability of the Assembly, which are consistent with the United Kingdom’s fiscal objectivesPart II:
... United Kingdom Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales to better serve the people of Wales.
I think what we have to stress is we are talking about modifications. We are not talking about a wholesale rewriting of the Government of Wales Act. What we are talking about, if you like, is tweaks to the devolution settlement to see if there are ways in which it can be made to work better.
Time for delivery
SIR – The Party of Wales wants to ensure better outcomes when it comes to literacy and numeracy (“Minister demands 15% rise in GSCE grades”, Oct 11 ).
However, it is clear from the draft Welsh Government budget that there is to be no increase in the resources dedicated to literacy and numeracy.
In addition, the much vaunted regional consortia, which were supposed to support poorly performing schools in Bands 4 and 5, are not yet fully operational. How will the Welsh Government deliver on their plans for literacy and numeracy on a standstill budget and with no progress on the ground?
This is yet another ambitious target with no resources or plan of how to get there. The Welsh Government has been wringing its hands about poor attainment by Welsh pupils for too long; it’s time for delivery and measurable improvements.
"We understand and support the overall aim of the consultation to increase the opportunity for Welsh people to use their language in their own country.
"We are also fully aware and accepting of the fact that we would have to change how we operate in Wales in order to promote the Welsh language.
"Our concern lies in both the cost and complexity of the proposals set out in the consultation.
"We believe that the lack of flexibility in the proposed standards means that the cost of compliance will be high."
"In addition, we are concerned that the standards could make the acquisition of new customers in Wales less financially attractive to energy suppliers and therefore reduce customer choice.
"These increased costs could be reduced if energy suppliers were able to match the activities provided in Welsh to demand from their customers.
"We feel an incremental approach to providing Welsh language services would be more efficient and offer greater incentive to develop Welsh language provision further."
"We will have to take more money out of welfare"
We will have to squeeze the Janitor !
The Scottish government said it remained committed to the council tax freeze, free prescriptions, free bus travel and its public service reforms.... neatly sidestepping the question with a predictable sound-bite, but ignoring issues surrounding the big ticket items on societies agenda, items such as ...
Free personal nursing care.When those schemes were set up in Scotland there was no hint given that the costs of those would be rising as quickly as they are now.
... projections relating to the seemingly minor concessionary travel scheme show costs could reach half a billion pounds by 2020s.The Auditor asks the question ...
"... were the Members of the Scottish Parliament aware of that when they launched the policy?"... and provides a frightening answer ...
"I suspect the frank answer is not. So to that extent I think I am on safe ground by saying the affordability of some this has to be questioned, we do need to revisit it. Every pound that goes on bus passes for well off older people is a pound that is not available for other things."
"MSPs have become too cut off from the way services are delivered in local communities. He argued they should spend less time on passing unnecessary laws, to free up more time for budget scrutiny."Robert Black believes that ...
"... political and media focus on the independence issue is leaving little space or opportunity to address the great challenges which we are facing.
There is clear leadership on the independence debate, but on many of the other big issues, it can feel as if the politics of Scotland hasn't fully come to terms with the challenges we are now facing.
No one party or leader is prepared to take the risk of being the first mover in re-thinking policies, whether it be penal reform (or) reshaping the health service.Consider the growth in police numbers from 6,900 in 1949 to more than 17,000 now, despite the use of technology for policing, and without any politician asking why the higher numbers are necessary.
He said scrutiny of public services is "episodic and patchy" and mostly conducted at Holyrood, remote from the localities where the services are delivered".
repent or go to jail... this is extreme bullshit, the word should have been :
I'll see each and every scumbag in jail !... he did mouth a few words of truth :
"... truth is that if our supermarkets in this country, if John Lewis, operated in a way that banks do, they wouldn't have any customers," he said.Martin Wheatley, head of the new Financial Conduct Authority, has the right pedigree to clean up the dogs mess called the City of London, but how many politicians will stand with him, how many will cave into pressure from bankers and others who need to be able to cheat the little people of the UK and those other countries that rely on our financial institutions, and will he have sufficient staff to police the labyrinth of our financial and dealing services.
"the dominant economic interests in capitalist society can normally count on the active good will and support of those in whose hands state power lies."... and that from a politician !
NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised (to dispossess or to deprive) of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.[1]... unfortunately in the 21st century Justice is sold, it is denied, it is deferred, all to the highest bidder.
Sophie Lancaster, her mothers "Black Rose", not ethnicity but a cultural choice, she was Gothic as was her boyfriend Rob Maltby.
"... both were kicked and beaten so badly that ambulance staff could not tell which was the man and which the woman when they arrived on the scene."
We sold justice to the drinks and distribution industries by dropping the age that people are able to purchase alcoholic drinks.
We denied life to Sophie by creating a society that is intolerant to "difference".
We deferred morality, politicians chose to set aside qualities that accompany's tolerance .
- reading,
- writing,
- arithmetic,
"The problem with Alex Salmond is that he wants to destroy Scotland with his ridiculous ................ everybody knows he's a disaster.,"
... he was of course referring to the Salmond windmills, not the Salmond and the Edinburgh sideshow this weekend.
After two men were hanged on Aug. 3, Minister of Justice Makoto Taki claimed that he has a duty to authorize executions. "As minister of justice", he explained, "I must carry out my role to respect courts and court decisions."The two people executed had been found guilty at trials:
03 Aug 2012
Junya Hattori, 40, was executed in Tokyo. Kyozo Matsumura, 31 in Osaka. They were the first killings under the administration of new Justice Minister Mokoto Taki, the fifth during Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda`s time in office.
Hattori was convicted of attacking and raping a 19-year-old student who was cycling home from college in January 2002. He set her on fire while she was still conscious, killing her. Hattori was on parole after being sentenced for a violent robbery.
Matsumura killed his 57-year-old aunt and his 72-year-old grand uncle in separate attacks in January 2007 and stole their money.
Professor Johnson references French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre who regarded duty-based views as "bad faith," which he defined as "pretending that something is necessary when in fact it is voluntary."
....................
... it was at the point of reading Professor Johnson where he writes of "... nod at a teacher's unpersuasive explanation" that I understood the very persuasive arguments that Jean-Paul Sartre had made.People who say they "have no choice" are often engaged in bad faith, and most acts of bad faith are mundane. Every day we say "I had to do it" — laugh at the boss' bad joke, or nod at a teacher's unpersuasive explanation — and what we imply is that we have placed higher priority on the expectations of a role than on our own freedom to choose how to act.
Searching for a better life than the impoverished one he had in his native Mexico, Martin Cervantes moved to Chicago and took a job at a car-wash on the West Side.
But after a year and a half there, and fed up with work conditions, he quit and took a job in a factory.
Cervantes said he was never paid an hourly rate at the car-wash and was compensated only through tips. He said he worked long, gruelling hours — sometimes without a break — but never received overtime pay. Once, in order to pay rent and buy groceries, he had to sell his TV set.
"This is supposed to be the country of opportunities, but I can assure you the American dream is hard to fulfil," Cervantes, 29, said through a translator. "We want society to open their eyes — this job is poorly paid and hard work."
Cervantes gathered with other car-wash workers Thursday at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum for the release of a report detailing a bevy of negative labour conditions and abuses in the city's car-wash industry. The report was issued by the Labour Education Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Titled "Clean Cars, Dirty Work," the report, funded partially by United Steelworkers, found that a majority of Chicago car-wash employees, who are mostly men and Latino, earn less than the state's hourly minimum wage of $8.25 and work more than 40 hours every week.
The study also states that most do not receive safety equipment, such as gloves and goggles, while on the job, even though they use harsh chemicals when cleaning.
Meanwhile, Arise Chicago, an interfaith workers rights group, has launched a campaign to improve work conditions for the "carwasheros," a Spanglish term for car-wash workers.
Along with hearing the complaints of local car-wash employees, the organization was inspired by car-wash workers in New York and Los Angeles who have either unionised or boycotted work to fight for better health and safety rights.
"We won't stand for that kind of treatment, and we're willing to help (employers) change their ways," said Adam Kader of Arise Chicago.
Though he had not read the study, Eric Wulf, chief executive officer of the Chicago-based International Carwash Association, said his national organization's 12,000 members treat their employees fairly. But not all carwashes are part of his association, and he said variations of work conditions exist in nearly every industry, including his own.
"It's like restaurants," Wulf said. "There are lots of wonderful restaurants, and then there are some you might not go to, some that might not follow every rule."
Disgusted with his work conditions after 14 years, Angel Nava, 56, left his job at a carwash on the Near Northwest Side in 2011. There, his employer kept the tips, overtime was never paid and health insurance didn't exist, he said.
Nava, who still works in the industry, said he hopes the government and other agencies take control of the situation, though he doesn't know what to expect.
"But we are here and we are fighting to improve our working conditions," Nava said. "This is not only me talking; this is carwash workers in all of Chicago."
... No man or woman should be reduced to serfdom to survive.jmdelgado@tribune.com
... assess the likelihood of each risk ..., assess the impact ..., and have counter-measures in place should a risk become reality...Carwyn Jones [the first minister] personally turned down a BBC Wales request under the Freedom of Information Act to see the government's corporate risk register.
... he said its disclosure would cause "substantial harm".The registers are a list of all risks an organisation faces, here it is our Cardiff Bay administration.
The risks assessed include financial, security and IT, though not restricted to the three important considerations.The chair of the assembly's public accounts committee, said...
"It smacks of double standards".
"Publishing risk registers may also appear to legitimise possible but unlikely risks"
"This could prejudice and distort informed public debate about important issues which in turn could have an impact on the conduct of public affairs"Now myself, I have a need to see the truth, to see the difficult decisions governance deals with each day, I don't have a problem with political warts, I particularly have a need to judge the decision makers by their real actions not the spin.
... a user Reviews by OttoVonB of the film "Untouchable" includes the following ...
... Israel has to act whilst it can, and "whilst it can" is rapidly running out of time."... just last week Mr Netanyahu signalled that time for a negotiated settlement was running out when he said:
"The world tells Israel "Wait, there’s still time."
And I say, "Wait for what?" "Wait until when?"
A year ago, almost three-quarters of visitors to this blog used Internet Explorer, almost a quarter used Firefox, whilst the remaining percentages were a variety of lessor known browsers.
This week 62% of visitors used Chrome, 19% used Internet Explorer, 11% used Firefox, the remaining percentage a variety.
... vision of a standard national exam system will ensure that qualifications are only awarded to students with appropriate levels of literacy and numeracy. This change can deliver fairness and transparency, which is what our education system desperately needs.
The first from the separatist agenda of Plaid Cymru the second in support of the Conservatives at Westminster ....... should be a test of the ability of pupils rather than of their teachers, assessing independence of thought and response rather than be a regurgitation of prepared answers, and that it should develop scholarship and curiosity.
............................. anything you want ...............................
You get the idea, the facts are exactly how you need them to support your position.............................. anything you want ...............................
There are two imperatives ...M. bovis can be transmitted by the inhalation of aerosols. by ingestion. or through breaks in the skin. The importance of these routes varies between species. Bovine tuberculosis is usually maintained in cattle populations, but a few other species can become reservoir hosts. Most species are considered to be spillover hosts. Populations of spillover hosts do not maintain M. bovis indefinitely in the absence of maintenance hosts, but may transmit the infection between their members (or to other species) for a time. Some spillover hosts can become maintenance hosts if their population density is high.
reservoir hosts and spillover hosts
... this weekend Plaid-speak is of:Wales will be independent within a generation and part of a British "neighbourhood of nations".
Maybe Plaid-speak should be replaced by Politico-speak, because the words lack the virtue that honesty brings to a conversation.
- A new mutual[s] bringing together the best of the skills of the public and private sectors to push forward a Welsh New Deal in order to kick-start the economy.
- Establish a home grown series of new finance institutions to fill the void left by the London-based banks’ reluctance to lend to fledging businesses.
- Seek to create tax breaks for pension funds investing in Wales.
I've experienced disablism for most of my life and feel obliged to challenge it whenever possible.I would also challenge any form of bigotry.
As a native of Wales I have also experienced ignorant anti-Welsh racism in recent years. This has inclined me to support nationalism especially since Leanne Wood became leader of Plaid Cymru. She is in favour of socialism, women's rights, anti-racist policies and impliedly disability rights as well.
Jac o' the North attended a rally I was at, and I can confidently state that he is a total idiot. On a blog put up by Alwyn ap Huw, Jac o' the North referred to Pussy Riot as "slapper's", expressed delight that they were in jail and said he would like to live in an independent Welsh state based on Putin's Russia.
I was not surprised then that on his own blog he said something like 'I'm always glad to see little cripples getting out in the fresh air but how can we call them athletes? My impression of an athlete is someone who is physically perfect.' I groaned mentally and read no more. I hope it didn't get worse.
I don't want to defend him but you must remember that Jac o' the North is a moron.He's honestly oblivious to the offence he's causing. I'd like to think that he doesn't speak for anyone but himself.
I don't believe he is representative of Welsh nationalists but if he was, I'd have to revise my views. I'm happy for the UK to split up if the successor states provide liberty, justice and respect for all. But would it be worth preserving our separate cultures, languages and identities at the cost of living in a fascist state? Of course not.
Please don't judge the rest of us by him. I'd like to say 'Don't let this idiot upset you. He's not worth it'. But then, like all idiots, he's dangerous.
Marianne Hancock, Abergavenny
... there is no open door.
... yet another lie by the separatist agenda debunked."Catalonia: a new European state".
But a European Union spokesman in Brussels pointed out that, were Catalonia to secede from Spain, it would have to leave the EU and could rejoin only if it met the economic criteria and if other member states voted unanimously in favour of its membership. (The Guardian, 10 Sep 2011).
"… inheritance will eventually matter a lot pretty much everywhere - as it did in ancient societies. Past wealth will tend to dominate new wealth, and successors will tend to dominate labour earners." (1)
"the dominant economic interests in capitalist society can normally count on the active good will and support of those in whose hands state power lies." (2)
Too few Scots want independence, less than 40%, so ...
Increase the voting population, the young are easily influenced, voting age reduced to 16 for the referendum.
Ignite an underlying conflict ...
Scottish sporting celebrations that will be dominated by the old enemy, the Commonwealth games will precede the referendum, good timing.
An option that cannot be given without UK wide approval ...
... devo-max, fiscal federalism, the UK wide electorate will not underwrite a constitutional change that gives preferential treatment to one part of the Union.
Westminster says "No", the votes go to Salmond, game over ...
Salmond wins,
the party begins !
... what value to the unelected civil servants and other string pullers being able to profile political puppets of the future ?
Jimmy "the High Plains Drifter" Wales wins the argument for me, but I'm afraid with politics so full of career politicians, who care for their personal future before the future of the electorate, the future is a future that will travel back in time to serfdom.... the United Kingdom's (government) "snooper's charter" is a blackmailers dream, in 20 years the British public could be reduced to servitude because few politicians will be cast in the mould of Joan of Arc, where will be the activist when secrets are published.
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, remember the mayonnaise jar & the 2 Beers.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded a unanimous 'yes. ‘The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passion, if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else, the small stuff. ‘If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. There will always be time for the small stuff. Take care of the golf balls first the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked. 'The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
Siemens executives talk about public investments, the state-funded rail spur that runs through their facility,the city’s international airport, which recently added a fourth runway using $132 million in federal funds.
They talk about the Export-Import Bank, an independent federal agency that in January approved a $638 million loan to finance the sale of turbines to Saudi Arabia, helping Siemens beat bids from companies in Germany, South Korea and Japan.
So could our politicians do the same, of course they could, unfortunately in Wales our politicians lack a certain vision, politicians have become accountants rather than visionaries, and that's all the political parties ............And they talk about the quality of the workforce in Charlotte, where local leaders are retooling the public education system to churn out the engineers and skilled technicians needed to operate one of the most efficient gas-turbine plants in the world.
... are not these 140,000,000 people stakeholders in the USA ?
... the 400 have a combined wealth of $7.5 trillion, whilst the 140,000,000 share an equal amount !
... people must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 with related health problems, such as diabetes or sleep apnoea, or 40 without.
... yet the peoples of Wales pay the same taxes as their cousins to the east of Offa's Dyke.... people must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 50 with related health problems. This means patients can only be operated on once they are in poor health
46 per cent of respondents thought that attitudes towards them had worsened in the previous year;13 per cent thought they’d improved;76 per cent had direct experience of other people refusing to make adjustments to allow for their circumstances;73 per cent said that the assumption had been made that they didn’t work.64 per cent had some experience of hostility or aggression.
...... much like the Third Reich I expect.
I have this feeling that our politicians are not being particularly honest with the electorate.... beware of "driving away" the UK's "wealth creators"
