General Chat

RR said
"I don't think it particularly matters where one is born....allegiance to a country is often chosen later, rather than due to birthplace"

My neighbours would agree - born in India, he says that he sees himself as English more than anything else.

Similarly friends living in Cornwall for the last 40 years have more loyalty to that county than the one they were born in.

I just don't understand this whole thing really...If a Welsh couple moved in next to me....spoke Welsh....flew the welsh flag...I wouldn't bat an eyelid..their house their business...as long as they don't expect me to do the same then that's fine as far as I'm concerned...each to their own.

Yet it seems if I were to do the same in Wales...I'd be run out of town???? Blimey.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2256403/Taxpayers-England-spend-millions-pounds-Welsh-books--sell-handful-copies.html

Thought of this just now when I noticed this online.hmmmmmmmm.

As a Union, we’ve been encouraged by Central Government to accept our mutli-ethnic ‘incomers’ and respect their traditions. However, we expect/encourage them to learn to communicate with the wider community.

In England, Scotland and N Ireland, the common language is English. Wales is officially bilingual. The Welsh speakers are doing themselves no favours by shunning or otherwise discriminating against English speakers. What happened to accepting the diversity that makes up the UK? It does work both ways!

(Strikes Wales off the holiday destination list)

Firstly, Diane no need for apologies :-D

Muffy, I read the article but more importantly the comments. It's no wonder that we still struggle to find middle ground.

I am thinking about allegiance prompted by Rose's post. I want to add to that but need time to give my answer rationally.

There has been a change in the law regarding birth registering,,,,,,,2000/1

now if your child is born outside of the county where you live you can register at your local office....the BC will of course all be correct where the birth took place...

Its always been possible to register a birth at another office than one local to the birth ,-- ***as per declaration***,,,,but not in another country,of which Wales is classed as,,,,,,but saying that this thread isnt about birth rights,,,,,,

Its about an arrogant man who subjected a person to conform to his cause.......a meglamaniac in the true sense of the word.

Welsh born people should hold on to their heritage,no point in having a Welsh lanuage if its not going to be used,,,,,,,,,but used by those who wish to converse in it with someone of the same mindset,


Anyone taking up residence in another country is encouraged to learn the lingo,,,,,we've seen it on here many times....

Muffy - read that article - could not believe that Millions of Grants given to print books in welsh and only a handful bought.

So much for the enthusiasm of the welsh speakers - they evidently can only read in english!

JohnLovesCocoa Report 3 Jan 2013 10:10

It is very worrying to me that some have been researching me. I have no real secrets, but have never thought to go digging into anybody's tree on her

Yes well John it was very worrying for me when you put up a thread asking GR members for info on me ... your details are all over the internet , your choice ... mine are not .

Wales is a beautiful country-I have had some great times there (when I was younger!) & I've also experienced the people talking in Welsh when you walk in a Pub thing-here the nearer the border you get (I'm near the border) they just stop talking & stare at you & if the landlords are happy to lose trade cause the locals think its their Pub...so be it, a lot of the Pubs are now closed. Basically like Wales we rely heavily on Tourists the young people have gone to the Cities for work & the town I live in has the second highest OAP population in the UK-quite bizarre really there's nothing here for them. The Undertaker is a busy man!

John-I read your posts & have to smile, you're so like my late Father in many ways. Particularily the "I know I'm right because I'm always right" method of attention seeking. He to was inclined to demand attention in shops, the GP's most everywhere...I used to follow him 'round apologising, in the end most places felt sorry for the "old man" as he was obviously ill.

I don't know why people act in this way, is it the way you're brought up? Some alpha male thing? I am interested.

Your Druid is just a rude old man-that's all,end of. Surely you cannot really defend an older male bullying a younger female for any reason?

Venom,vitriol etc- maybe have a look at how you speak "AT" people, its not about you being Welsh or where you're born its about how you treat people & you have an unfortunate tone that gets peoples backs up, just like my Dad did for 91years.

Just thought I would put this on. :-D todays Daily Mail has an interesting story on Page 19,the right hand column. :-D :-D

Merlin, could you please C & P it if it's online? :-D

OK allegiance.

I have NO allegiance apart from supporting the English rugby team :-D :-D

I feel comfortable to different degrees in different areas, I guess that's my allegiance because as I have said many times the UK isn't my top place to live.

I feel uncomfortable in London as I no longer recognise the place I grew up in.

As we drive towards Kent, I relax slightly.

As we drive towards the Cambridgeshire fens I relax slightly.

As we drive beyond Epping Forest I relax a lot.

As we drive from the West coast towards the valley's house I relax a lot.

As we arrive near the north Herts/Essex border I relax completely. Plop me in anywhere further north than Saffron Walden and I am at 'home'.

So I guess I am saying that we all can find areas that we feel 'at home' in even if we don't currently live there. It's all down to personal experiences.

I would suppose though that if I returned to live in Great Chesterford or Birdbrook nothing would be the same. So it's rose tinted specs.

For me having lived in so many UK locations plus Spain and Germany I am rootless. I don't think I could raise a passion about anywhere TBH let alone an allegiance.

That's why people expressing fierce views about anywhere leaves me cold especially if that view looks backwards and not forwards. Times change and so must we.

No idea if that makes sense but it does to me ;-)

" "The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."
;-)

Makes sense to me...

I do know that when I've been away & when I'm coming "home" my heart sinks & it is a known phenomena that people who leave this place always come back...

the conclusion is "It sucks" :-(

Perhaps it's just me, I have had several moves and home is not a place. For me my home is where my heart is <3 <3

Well if they want to throw money at people I have distant Welsh descent :-D

I could do some poetry...

I got drunk in Towyn

Sunburn in Barmouth

Dinas Mawdyy you make me Dizzy

Rhyll the Concrete City

What it means to be Welsh (tongue placed in cheek, in advance :-D)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9uMJovuA_Y

Sri, Sue, but you can skip the rugby bit ;-) :-D :-D :-D

I see they paid Owen Money...lololol he used to be our entertainer for some private events at the hotel.

It's not like he needed the loot with what he charges for appearances.

One of our friends Julie Rainsbury was given a grant in order to write her first book. That I can understand but not celebs!

Edit: at least you did have the decency to acknowledge my distain at the rubgy part MrDaff :-P :-P

Owen Money...Owing Money lol
Like being called Robin Banks :-D

Maybe the Welsh ought to pay for their prescriptions like we do in England (until 60), then they could spend the money on some cots

England is the only place in the UK still charging for prescriptions. This will remain the case in Wales until at least 2016.

Why not cut overseas handouts? That'll pay for a lot more than cots :-P