Blogs

Read the WalesOnline article here:- $10m deal puts singer Katherine in record books Katherine sings Bryan Adams and makes it sound like Verdi:-

ISSUED BY WelshArtNow publishing.WelshArtNow - ISSN 977-1757 56900-3

"We are pleased to announce the publication of issue 1 of WelshArtNow (WAN). WAN is the new quarterly art magazine that discusses art with a Welsh connection. Wales can now claim to have its own dedicated art magazine. WAN is A4 sized and contains 48 pages, printed in full colour on high quality art paper. WAN will ride on the crest of positive change and the sense of optimism that defines modern Wales; there would not seem a better time to launch a new and dynamic cultural arts magazine. Welsh art, now has its own platform and can take centre stage. A wide range of art is featured, ranging from cartoons to gallery art; there will even be an art centre fold each issue! As far as we are concerned its all art and is interesting in its own way. It would seem to make perfect sense to feature different types of art side by side. Although about now the magazine is interested in the rich and varied history of Wales and its people. Apart from talking about art the magazine will feature lots of original art specific to a magazine format (think of it as a gallery within a magazine)

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WAN is a friendly lively read, our ambition is to open up art to a much wider range of people. We believe that the key to this is quite simply the need to talk about art. WAN is a talk shop for art; many voices expressing a range of opinions. Traditionally art magazines are seen as being hard going/ inaccessible, intended only for those already familiar with the discourse of art. Why should it be that way? We would like to see people talking about art in the same way as they might of a TV program or a piece of music.

So in summary an art magazine containing a good varied mix of art that is concerned with the here and now and is delivered with a bit of kick. The magazine has already generated an enormous amount of interest here in Wales and is already stocked in over 30 outlets and growing. This week is our grand launch, this Wednesday we will be in conversation with Nicola Hayward Thomas of BBC radio details of this broad cast will be published on our website at www.welshartnow.co.uk . WAN is pleased to announce that Borders Bookshops will be a supplier of the magazine. So out with the old and in with new- WAN - a new bold experiment in arts publishing."

For further details contactJackie Allmaneditor@welshartnow.co.uk01633 675029

(19th October 2008 Half time tag rugby game during Cardiff Blues v Gloucester Heineken Cup Match. Attendance 25,500+)"Coming from a small community in Mid Wales, the Builth Wells Under 8's had much to take in on their trip to Cardiff last week, but no matter how long these boys play the game, I doubt they will ever forget playing in front of the biggest ever Cardiff home crowd under the closed roof in our magnificent Millennium Stadium.The result was largely immaterial, losing by a single score touched down by a Builth player loaned to Llandaff to even up playing numbers, will just be a footnote, the experience of walking down that most famous of tunnels, will I'm sure live with these formative players forever. Well done Builth Under 8's, and well done Cardiff Blues for giving us the opportunity, we all hope many more teams right across our region will get to experience this fabulous day!"Richard Arnold proud Dad, and Coach of Builth Under 8's.

Bryan Sykes, founder of Oxford Ancestors is also author of The Seven Daughters of Eve , on branches of mitochondrial DNA in Europe and Adam's Curse: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Destiny , on his studies of the Y chromosome in European men.

In Blood of the Isles ( Saxons, Vikings, and Celts: The Genetic Roots of Britain and Ireland in the US and Canada), Dr. Sykes examines the Y chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA of Britain. Some of the incredible findings he discusses in this book include:

• the genetic makeup of Britain and Ireland included mainly DNA that has been there since sometime during the Mesolithic period, and which predates the appearance of western European Celts by about 10,000 years;
• the Picts were not genetically a separate people from the other peoples of Britain;
• Anglo-Saxons and Normans made a contribution of less than a quarter of the DNA of Britain, that it is mostly DNA that has been there since the Mesolithic period, mainly from Iberia (today Spain and Portugal).

This book was a pleasure to read, both the descriptions of the modern-day hunt for DNA and Dr. Sykes' discussion of where it came from. He tells you about the worlds people lived in, their day-to-day activities, their history, their artifacts and living spaces, the changes in their surroundings as Britain changed. The book also describes the changing views of "race" and culture in Britain, including the rise of the Saxon ideal, the disparagement of what was perceived as "the Celt" and the rise of anti-Celtic racism during the Victorian era.

I recommend this book to anyone, I really liked it. It was easy to read and very entertaining and presents the subject of DNA and genetics in a way that seemed easy to understand and puts it into workable context in life.

This is up on a feature page but I wanted to blog it into the feed to bring it to people's attention because I think it's a really cool idea:here's the interview ; Nia's press release: ;and her youtube channel , all Welsh all the time.

Maybe one day they can be persuaded to export as well! Brains Pours North to buy Two Historic Pubs

On 2 November 2008 Iwan Williams from Llandysul, Wales, will take part in the New York Marathon for the benefit of T Hafan, the Children's Hospice in South Wales, and the Welsh football supporters Gol! Appeal (offline donations to Gol! only). T Hafan helps children who suffer from serious medical conditions, and provides respite and support for their families. These children are not expected to live past their teenage years. Please visit the Ty Hafan website for further information.If you would like to sponsor Iwan, please visit www.justgiving.com/iwanwilliams - if possible, please give generously; it costs 2.5 million to run T Hafan every year, so every penny counts!! Thank you!Ar 2 Tachwedd 2008 fe fydd Iwan Williams o Landysul, Cymru, yn rhedeg Marathon Efrog Newydd er budd T Hafan, Hosbis i blant yn Ne Cymru, a Apel Gol! , elusen cefnogwyr pel droed Cymru (rhodd 'offline' i Gol! yn unig). Mae T Hafan yn helpu plant sy'n dioddef o salwch difrifol, ac yn rhoi seibiant a chymorth i'w teuluoedd. Nid oes disgwyl i'r plant yma fyw tu hwnt i'w harddegau. Ewch i wefan Ty Hafan am fwy o wybodaeth.Os hoffech noddi Iwan, yna ewch i www.justgiving.com/iwanwilliams os gwelwch yn dda - rhoddwch yn hael os fedrwch; mae T Hafan yn costio 2.5 miliwn i'w redeg yn flynyddol, felly mae pob ceiniog yn helpu!! Diolch yn fawr!

Anyone who cares to should head on over to the main Americymru blog which can be found HERE and let us know what you they think of the new look You can comment there or here. We welcome constructive comments and suggestions or derision and scorn. Basically the Americymru blog has been much more closely integrated with the Social site both in terms of its appearance and the links on the navbar.We are also in the process of joining the excellent BlogCatalog community which we hope will extend the range of both our main blog and members blogs too. Anyone who blogs regularly on Americymru ( or elsewhere ) might find it worthwhile to check them out.Anyone who didn't see it on the old Americymru static site might be interested in reading our interview with John Shaffer whose excellent book on St. Winifred is featured in our first post on the redesigned blog template.

Go to the url below for our exclusive interview with Russell Sheppard - the Llanbradach Maestro.

Russell Sheppard Interview