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In the next few weeks the following features will be rolled out on the site:-
Rich Text & Media in all of your Main Page modules
Your Activity, Blog, and Forum features will support rich text and media. This means that if someone posts a video, you should be able to play it from the Activity Feed. And if someone posts a forum discussion with a photo or hyperlinks, those should appear on the Main Page as well.
It's a simple change, but making content more engaging on the Main Page is a great way to draw people deeper into your community.
Like & Comment on Status, and post a status from the Main Page
We've seen great traction of the Status feature, which lets members share updates and integrate with third party services like Twitter & Facebook. We'll continue that momentum by improving Status in 2 ways:
1) Let members post a status from the Main Page
2) Let members comment on and like status posts.
Inline Commenting
Finally, we've seen great engagement by allowing Liking inline on the Main Page. We want to take it to the next level and let members comment inline on the Main Page in the Activity Feed and Blog module.
We're just kicking off work on these initiatives, and we'll have more updates as we get closer to releasing. I just wanted to share these projects with you early, and get your initial thoughts and feedback!
Karl Jenkins at Avery Fisher Hall Monday, January 19, 2009, 8:00 PM
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center Te Deum (US premiere performance) Sarikiz, violin concerto (world premiere performance) Stabat Mater (US premiere performance)
Celticos/AmeriCymru Trail Tour - Latest News
AmeriCymru spoke to Janet Folatjar, who has recently signed up for the Celticos/AmeriCymru Trail Tour, about her background in Wales and her expectations for the forthcoming trip. We are sure that Janet will be delighted with the experience and we hope to do a follow up interview with her when she returns. Check back for part two of this feature.
AmeriCymru: Hi Janet and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. You are visiting Wales and will be experiencing the Celticos/AmeriCymru Trail Tour. Is this your first visit to Wales and what is your ancestral connection?
Janet: Yes this is my first visit to Wales. I never really knew my grandfather a mining engineer for Johnstown Coal and Coke Company. Hedied when I was 3, but I feel a connection to him having followed a similar career path. His father and mother..my great grandfather Hugh Hughes and great grandmother Annie Jones immigrated to the USA from Wales in 1886 and 1887. They landed in New York, married in 1888, started a family and settled in Ebensburg, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Recently I found some information my Aunt gave me about her trip to North Wales in the 1980's. This inspired me to visit.
AmeriCymru: Can you tell us a little about your trip and your Celticos/AmeriCymru itinerary?
Janet: We are spending a total of 5 days in North Wales. Llandudnowill be a base from which totake day trips.I chose Llandudno due to thevariety of landscapes the city has to offer such as the mountain and sea views and the proximity to nearby towns. I hope to be able to spend some time hiking Great Orme, bird watching and walking the beach.Two days will be spent enjoying the hospitality of Alwyn Griffiths of Celticos Tours on the AmeriCymru Trail tour. Alwyn has planned two days of travel and walking throughout North Wales and Anglesey.The tour will take us to places which link the USA to Wales. Coincidentally some stops are places my ancestors once lived so the tour will include a bit of information regarding their life and times Alwyn has been very attentive tomy specific interests andI think is planning something very special for us. I am also looking forward to walking component of thetour.
The remaining3 days will be spent relaxing and enjoying the beautiful sceneryin North Walesin LLandudno, Conwy and also the Conwy Valley and searching for local traditional Welsh food.
Great Orme Tramway, Llandudno
AmeriCymru: What do you most hope to get out of this trip? What are your main expectations?
Janet: Well Ceri this trip for me is primarily to see where my ancestors came from. I am a big fan of the TLC series "Who Do You Think You Are?" where a celebrity researches their family history and follows the ancestral trail wherever it takes them. I know very little about Wales so I hope that the tour will be an introduction to North Wales and will provide me information onthe hardships that forced my ancestors to leave their family to move to the USA.I hope this trip will make my family history come alive. I think that Celticos Tours will give me agood start and will expose me tosome unique places that most tourists don't see. I hope toreally experience the Welsh first hand. It would be great to see places that are off the beaten track and away from regular touristy places to make ourtrip special and unique.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Janet: It is remarkable how friendly everyone has been to me so far.Prior to discoveringCelticos Tours I wasstressing over planning our personal itinerary.When I discovered the AmeriCymru Trail tour I was so relieved becauseit eliminated the need for further planning and the need forusing pubic transportationto reachthe places I want to visit. Thesavings in planning and travel time will nowtranslated into maximized enjoyment. I would encourage anyone new to visiting Wales to consider taking a tour to simplify, relieve stress and create more enjoyment!
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Aled Lewis Evans is a Welsh poet and writer in various media. Born in Machynlleth and now lives in Rhosllanerchrugog. His first volume of poetry was published by Barddas in 1989. He w
as a broadcaster on local radio (Sain y Gororau) from 19831993, then taught at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, Wrexham. He has won prizes in the National Eisteddfod three times: in 1991 for his volume of poetry for young people, in 1998 for his monologue and in 1999 for his anthology of poetry for young people 12-14. His most recent volume of poetry, Dim Angen Creu Teledu Yma, was published in 2006. AmeriCymru spoke to Aled about his new book Driftwood.
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Interview
Americymru: Hi Aled, many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. Care to tell us a little about your new book - Driftwood
Aled: Driftwood is a selection of stories from over 30 years of writing in the Welsh language which are available now in English also. They come from two Welsh collections published in 1991 and 2006. Its true to say that they are my favourites and mostly emerge from North East Wales life.
Americymru: In the course of a varied career you have taught Creative Writing, Welsh, English, French, Media and Drama. How has your teaching experience informed your writing?
Aled: Some of my poems in Welsh collections for Barddas feature a school or young people background. During the ten years teaching at a High School in Wrexham I particularly tuned into the world of young people, and wrote about it. This was good grounding for the creative work I now do in schools. Recently I have been conducting a Creative writing course in 20 schools in Denbighshire with harpist Einir Wyn Hughes, where the children were stimulated to write by music. Before the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham I will visit all 5 Welsh medium primary schools in the Wrexham area to write about parklands in the area Ty Mawr, Parc y Ponciau and Melin y Nant. Some children will then perform their work at the National Eisteddfod. Through writing now I get a chance to meet and teach all ages.
Americymru: You have also worked for BBC Radio Cymru and Marcher Sound. Can you tell us a little about your experiences as a broadcaster?
Aled: I was a Welsh and English broadcaster on the independent local radio in North East Wales when it started broadcasting in 1983. My association with Sain y Gororau / Marcher Sound continued for ten years. For 5 of those I was a full time producer and presenter of Clwyd am Chwech, Cadw Cwmni, Both Sides of the Border and Voice and Brass. These were in the good old days when local radio was local. This void has now been filled by community stations. But I enjoyed getting to know the area and its people in a very intimate way. My Welsh programmes were magazine programmes. I presented some of my interviews to the Archive Services of the time, as they were a fitting record of a particular period. Nowadays I contribute quite frequently to BBC Radio Cymru especially to Dweud ei Ddweud a Thought for the Day slot on the Breakfast programme, and also to Rhaglen Dei Tomos. With the advent of the National Eisteddfod to Wrexham it is nice that the area will receive more media coverage.
Americymru: Professor Meic Stephens has said of your writing that:- " Many of the people who appear in his work are from the north-east corner of Wales where the Welsh language culture rubs shoulders with that of Merseyside, a confrontation that he finds stimulating." Care to comment?
Aled: I agree with Meic Stephens, but I must admit that I have seen a great change in attitude and practice in North East Wales as regard to the Welsh language. There are 29,000 Welsh speakers in Wrexham County alone, and due to Welsh medium education it is on the increase. The Council and cultural events have promoted the Welsh language, and it is being normalised more in the everyday life of Wrexham. My poetry and literature actually mirror this change. Wrexham has always had its own identity, like a separate entity in borderland. Perhaps the non- Welsh speakers dont feel proper Welsh like the people of Bala, but they certainly dont associate themselves with Chester. Merseyside spills over more to Deeside and the North Wales coast perhaps, rather than Wrexham and these areas are also reflected in some poems and short stories.
I have written a great deal about Liverpool because of Liverpool in its own right. It is a very Celtic city and on the most part friendly. It is a place to escape to for a few hours from Wrexham, and over the years I have written a great deal about it especially its Cathedrals. There is a strong Welsh community in Liverpool and I have conducted services and meetings in Heathfield Road Chapel, Capel Bethel, and for the Literary Society of that church. Also I have been several times to Cymdeithas Cymry Lerpwl which meets in the city centre.
Americymru: Your story, 'Driftwood' focuses on a member of the 'Puget Sound Welsh Choir' whose life is in transition.. Have you visited the Pacific North West? What inspired this story?
Aled: I have very dear friends in Seattle, and have visted on three occasions first as the MC for Brymbo Male Voice Choir in a number of concerts in 1985. Then in 1994 and 2000 visiting Jennifer and Holt my friends there. The story Driftwood, orginally titled Bae y Broc Mr in Welsh, featured places we visited in the Pacific North West. Driftwood Bay was one of these and the photo on the front of Driftwood is actually one I took of the bay. The actual story is an elaboration on a real life decision that the main character had to make and the fact that she had to tell her son about it, because of the special bond between them.
Americymru: In 'The Border' you seem to take a rather pessimistic view of the Welsh language's chances of survival in this part of Wales. Would that be an accurate assessment of your opinion?
Aled: This early story was actually based on breaking down and asking for petrol at the farm. It happened as it says in the story and I hope it depicts the area near Oswestry and Arddlin where it happened. The only difference is that years later I did actually meet the lady who welcomed me that night at a service in Oswesty Welsh Chapel. So it was not a dream after all. But for years it seemed as if it was, and I still cant always locate the house!
The story of the Welsh language is in reality far more hopeful in the Wrexham area than that story suggests. In the future I think the key to making Wales a totally bilingual nation is in making every primary school in essence a Welsh school teaching Welsh and English effectively to all pupils as it should be in all schools in Wales. (Similar to current policy in Gwynedd). Two or even three windows on the world are better than one. Some of the Welsh learners in the Wrexham area are truly inspiring.
Americymru: The book closes with a dramatic adaptation of your first novel 'Y Caffi'. Care to tell us a little about the play? What unites the characters and what divides them? Are there currently any plans to stage 'The Cafe' ?
Aled: When my nofel Y Caffi was published in Welsh in 2003 it sold very well, and was somehow a mirror to the postmodern period of literature and the 80s and 90s in Wrexham. Its structure was a little disjointed, and the insular lives depicted in the book and this was deliberate.
The Cafe in the Library is the one thing that does unite these different characters. In the play the monologues present separate lives and indeed nothing much does unite them. The play was presented in 2006 in the Wrexham Festival and others have used various monologues for other presentations. However it would be great to have another production of the Cafe. Perhaps a good producer could suggest an unifying factor, something to bring them all together in the end.
Americymru: What's next for Aled Lewis Evans?
Aled: It has been a very busy two years preparing for the Natinal Eisteddfods visit to Wrexham and District. As Chairman of the Literature Committee we have devised the List of Subjects and then recently as a committee worked on filling eight days of events for the Pabell Ln (Literature Pavilion). I think we have a good mix of National and local topics in a variety of forms lined up fro visitors, and there is something for eveyone, and all ages are taking part.
At the Wrexham National Eisteddfod I publish my latest collection of Welsh language poems Amheus o Angylion (Wary of Angels). I am particularly excited about this coinciding with the Eisteddfod itself. Then after the Eisteddfod and after a break I hope to get back into my own writing in a big way. I have many projects one of which is producing a sister book to Driftwood a collection of some of my poetry from the last 30 years of writing in English.
Americymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Aled: I hope you enjoy Driftwood, and if you visit the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham come and see me in the Pabell Len on the Field. I hope to visit America again in the future, and best wishes to Americymru.
Review
" Aled Lewis Evans writes in both Welsh and English, and the pieces in this collection have all been adapted from the original Welsh, either by Martin Davis or by the author.
The collection opens with a series of stories about sad and sorry characters bored, ignored wife and mother of four, Sue, whose spirits and hair colour are temporarily lightened in response to the attentions of the local Casanova; homeless Harry, interminably snapping away with a camera that contains no film (we are pre-digital here); Gareth, the lonely radio presenter, wondering who will listen to him on Christmas day; and middle-aged Ruth throwing an attention-seeking tantrum that backfires on her. Is there anyone out there? Is anyone listening? Does anyone care? These are the questions that resound throughout, as Evanss characters convince themselves that they have either failed or been failed, and fall into the inevitable trap of anger and self-pity.
Other stories and monologues address questions of language and roots from various angles. In The Gulf, Melys Parry, exiled in Wolverhampton and married to Dave the gas-man, visits the Eisteddfod in her hometown of Mold. In Just a Few Seconds, sisters Rhiannon and Naomi are estranged because of the cultural divide that has opened up between them. And in The Border, an elderly couple expresses their pride that their sons went to prison fighting for the Welsh language, and their bewilderment that those same sons now live in England.
The back cover description of the short stories and monologues as driftwood from three decades of writing is apt: an assortment of treasures and trivia, of curiosities to enjoy or pass by, of pieces that have dated with the passing of the years and others that are very much of the now."
Suzy Ceulan Hughes A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.
The top ten hardest Welshmen poll has been revamped and relaunched. Eight new nominees have been included in the list. Unfortunately it was not possible to preserve votes already cast in the old poll so we apologize for making people vote twice. This time around voting will close on December 14th in order to allow a full month for people to make their final decisions. Also the number of votes cast as well as the percentage will be visible in the "View Results" panel. Below is a list of all the candidates together with a link to their Wikipedia pages in case anyone wants to do some research. Ladies and gentlemen we leave you to your deliberations....Let the people speak!!! VOTE HERE ( just below photos in the center column )
Sir Tasker Watkins VC Charles Bronson Joe Calzaghe Owain Gwynedd Owain Glyndwr Simon Weston JPR Williams Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd Queen Boudicca Gwynfor Evans Jimmy Wilde Ray Gravell Jim Driscoll Henry Tudor Vinnie Jones Tommy Farr Johnny Owen Henry Morgan Black Bart - Talmai: Ailgymysgu am ddim a gig lansio - MPFree Remix & Launch gig
- Bel and the Hangdogs
- Mr Phormula Album
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Newyddion Talmai (English below)
Yn dilyn perfformiadau pwerys er mwyn lansio eu EP Dim ond Ni gan gynnwys yng nghanolfan Cymry Llundain, fe fydd yr Anghenfilod Roc Talmai yn parhau r hyrwyddo wrth iddynt ymddangos yng ngwestyr Llangollen, Bethesda nos Wener yma Mehefin 28 2013.
I ddathlu hyn, gallwch lawrlwytho ailgymysgiad dubstepaidd o Dim Ond Ni gan Talmai trwy law y cynhyrchydd ddawnus Radical Academy band YN RHAD AC AM DDIM o:
http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=d022b4a359&e=0192b3b492 ....mwynhewch!!!
Gallwch glywed yr EP ar cyfrif soundcloud y band: http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=a9ebbb1161&e=0192b3b492 neu ar sianel You Tube Recordiau Rheidol: www.youtube.com/rheidolrecords a gallwch brynur EP trwyr dolenni isod. Am rhagor o wybodaeth gwelwch: www.talmai.co.uk / www.rheidolrecords.co.uk
Talmai...fel Power Shower yn y bore Caryl Parry Jones, BBC Radio Cymru
Casgliad pwerys...plesion arw - cylchgrawn Y Selar
Gallwch glywed yr EP ar gyfrif Soundcloud y band: http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=f203944148&e=0192b3b492 ac am rhagor o wybodaeth gwelwch www.talmai.co.uk / www.rheidolrecords.co.uk .
Dilynwch! www.twitter.com/talmaiband //www. facebook.com/talmaiband
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Talmai News
Following some storming launch performances including at the London Welsh Centre, Rock Monsters Talmai continue to head out gigging in support of their recently released EP, Dim ond Ni and will appear at the Llangollen Hotel in Bethesda this Friday night 28 June 2013.
To celebrate you can download a very special FREE dubstep remix by the renowned producer Radical Academy right here: http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=e0174586dd&e=0192b3b492 ...Enjoy!
Talmai...like a power shower in the morning Caryl Parry Jones, BBC Radio Cymru
a powerful collection of songs...most pleasing Y Selar Magazine
You can hear the EP on the bands soundcloud account: http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=80ed0c9e3a&e=0192b3b492 For more information see www.talmai.co.uk / www.rheidolrecords.co.uk .
Follow! www.twitter.com/talmaiband // www.facebook.com/talmaiband
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Bel & The Hangdogs
Rheidol Records is proud to present Bel and The Hangdogs as the latest addition to our stable.
Vocalist Bel sings wear your heart on your sleeve songs, beautifully delivered by The Hangdogs in this Indie Folk Trio. Sensitively dressed down guitar and percussion arrangements, a perfect fit for Bels heartfelt vocals...learn more about these cool cats at http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=fbf90fc6b3&e=0192b3b492 . Expect their first release soon on Rheidol Records, and they will be playing live on Radio Cardiff on Soulful Saturday Morning Show , 31st August 2013, at 9.30am, with Jeremy Rees as part of their single launch. Keep your eye on www.rheidolrecords.co.uk for more information... in the meantime catch them live at:
Saturday 6th July - The Forge & Hammer, Machen
Friday August 9th -Riverfront Arts Centre, Newport
They are; Bel - Vocals/Guitar; Ian James- Guitar; Andy Constable- Percussion
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Mae Recordiau Rheidol yn falch o gyhoeddi Bel & the Hangdogs fel newydd ddyfodiaid ir label.
Maer gantores Bel yn canu or galon wedi eu fynegin wyrthiol gan yr Hangdogs yn y triawd Indie gwerin yma. Dysgwch mwy amdanynt yn http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=033cdbddd5&e=0192b3b492 a disgwylwch eu cynnyrch cyntaf allan ar Recordiau Rheidol cyn bo hir. Mi fyddent yn chwaraen fyw ar Radio Caerdydd ar Awst 31 fel rhan o lansiou sengl. Cadwch golwg ar www.rheidolrecords.co.uk am ragor o wybodaeth...yn y cyfamser gwelwch hwy yn fyw yma:
Sadwrn Gorffennaf 6ed Forge & Hammer, Machen, Sir Caerffili
Gwener Awst 9fed Canolfan Celfyddydau Glan yr Afon, Casnewydd
Y band yw : Bel Llais/Gitr; Ian James Gitr; Andy Constable Offer Taro
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Album Mr Phormula
Yo! Yo! Fe fydd Recordiau Rheidol yn anhygoel o falch rhyddhau album newydd Mr Phormula AKA Ed Holden cyn bo hir - y btbocsiwr o fri sy newydd cymryd rhan yng nghystadlaethau btbocsior D.U. Parch! Gwelwch mwy am Mr Phormula yma: www.mrphormula.com neu www.twitter.com/mrphormula a gwyliwch y gofod yma am rhagor o wybodaeth yn fuan....dyma fe yn styc yn y traffig yn y cyfamser... http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=3c93018bc3&e=0192b3b492
Mr Phormulas Album
Yo! Yo! Rheidol Records will be bursting with pride to release Mr Phormula AKA Ed Holdens new album in the near future, hes just competed in the UK beatboxing championships! Respect! See www.mrphormula.com or www.twitter.com/mrphormula and watch this space for more info as it gets to us...meanwhile here he is stuck in a traffic jam.... http://rheidolrecords.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=73364a1e49a9dc0b96cef3a3c&id=c15b365104&e=0192b3b492
Rheidol Records: www.rheidolrecords.co.uk / www.twitter.com/rheidolrecords / www.facebook.com/rheidolrecords
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Follow the whole nine yards here (a 95 part series) :- Half Marathon Blog
Why I am running:- West Coast Eisteddfod Bryn Seion Church
For details of how to sponsor see this post
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Actually there is nothing wrong with my back....just thought I'd humor SJ who seems to be of the opinion that I am have been turning this blog into a catalog of ailments lately.
Actually I am pleased to report that my knees have stopped hurting and I was able to sprint for a block earlier today to catch a bus without being out of breath. All in all my health is good and I feel positively radiant. Evidently all this shambling round the turnips is doing me some good. The only dark cloud is that I have not yet succeeded in running for more than 15 minutes. Of course that will change but I'm starting to get a little impatient.
On that note I would like to refer to an email I received today from David Western. He wrote thusly:-
I suggest you check out the Galloway method of walk/running long distance....he's an exceptional trainer and his books are well worth the $$!!
I checked out his website and it appears that he is the inventor of the run-walk-run method of training which it is claimed will increase endurance and reduce the risk of injury. I haven't had time to do much further research yet but his recommendations seem quite sensible at first sight. Clearly I would prefer to run the whole distance without a break, dance a victory jig and go to the pub to celebrate. BUT if I have to pace myself a little : punctuate my running with short walking breaks, then so be it. Certainly there is no shame in that during training and even on the day the sole objective is to complete the course. If there must be breaks then breaks there must be but no broken bones or torn ligaments.
I will investigate the Galloway method further and report back at a later date.
Meanwhile the new sponsorship arrangements ( discussed yesterday ) will be up on the site by Tuesday. I will explain , at length, how it all works then.
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