Friday, 16 December 2011

Christmas Turkey

Happy Christmas to all my readers. I have almost got out of the habit of blogging, so much though that although with camera in pocket I continually forgot to use it. So you will have to be satisfied with pictures from Turkey, which 15 months after the event I have just sorted out. Blogs will be somewhat different and less frequent than the weekly issue of old, but I will still write about U3A activities but from now on it will be limited to those of personal interest.

 The Bosphorus of old


JIVE
I always declared this my favourite U3A group but I had not been for ages when I went back this last Wednesday. Never have I seen so many there (40?) about half were old friends but the rest were new faces. It has always been the best balanced group by gender but recently I am told men have been known to outnumber women, the sexes were equal in number on this occasion.  But the sense of fun and good humour remains the group's biggest attraction. It was good to see compere Gerwyn back in lively form after such a severe heart illness. He had arranged a sandwich buffet lunch and the whole downstairs area of the Monkey Cafe was full of chatter of jive weekends in Painton, New Year celebrations at the Ice House, bowling painting and Cruising. 


Unlike most groups there is no popular demand for an extended Christmas break so the next meetings are Wednesday 21 December and 4 Jan. As I have said many times before this is the best group of all in terms of its welcome and ability to welcome and integrate new members most of whom go on to join other groups.


Obviously it is a very pleasant way to keep physically fit but I find it taxing my memory as well, remembering three moves in series is not something I find as easy as I used to. So it keeps you on your toes in more ways than one! 

 Ezgi never could stop dancing in Amasra, or Joan


 Asian Turkey North Coast fishing port Amasra


POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP

Old timer Eileen Jones of the walking club set the quotations and left us to identify by whom and discus. We split into two groups to identify quotes which led us from recent past politics back to the war and over the centuries to the Bible and back. It was an enjoyable exercise.


But the meeting made me aware of the sad news from Marjorie Vanston another old timer who lost her sight in one eye following an operation for cateract which obviously went horribly wrong in Bridgend. A bitter fate for such an avid reader and continuing lively mind. Eileen had obviously tried her quiz out on in advance on a hospital visit to Marjorie, who by all accounts put the rest of us to shame.

As I was leaving office I was amazed to see her take on both the Research and the Scrabble groups as convenor in addition to her Welsh group. Another reminder of the debt we owe to our oldest members. If I survive as long I just hope to retain their mental acuity.  I send Marjorie our best wishes, no doubt someone will relay them for me for she belongs to a generation that can be forgiven for not joining the computer age.

Many many years ago returning from Manchester, then the home of  British computing, I remember discussing the proposition that it would be better for the world if they had never been invented, for we insiders were privileged to foresee what computers and automation would do to to the prospects of employment in industry. We didn't foresee what a boost they would give to the new gambling industries, producing ever more rapid, lucrative, seemingly 'risk-free', financial transactions.

GARDENING
The talk was given by Stephen Hopkins, Specialist Parks Development Officer for Swansea, who earlier on had a similar role in the Ebbw Vale Garden Festival, a site originally devoid of top soil. So massive was his target he recounted scouring the country by helicopter looking for potential sources of good soil.

Very seldom do I attend Gardening but having bought what Stephen described as a 'Redrow House', one where the builder's main objective was to clear and level the site in the preparation of good foundations, leaving the new owner with a good-for-nothing garden. I have had a nearly 50 year struggle to persuade my heavy blue clay site to grow anything at all. When the first weeds appeared after I dumped the ash from our first coal burning central heating boiler I knew I was on a winning run - trouble was it was due to last 30 years. More recently I have imported tons & tons of sharp sand, which has solved the texture and drainage problems so although friable it is now too sandy. But the down side, which I suspected all along, was the introduction of salt courtesy of 'Bideford', by which sharp sand is known in this area, a few more years of South Wales weather should put paid to that. Problems of fertility were dwarfed by problems of drainage, thanks to Stephen I now realise it is an offence to export the 'surface' water, the only approved solution being to build massive soak-aways. I now live in fear of being sued for flooding Clyne Valley and deflecting blame away from Global Warming!

Another mistake, obviously, was to hire DIY rotavators because according to him they destroy soil quality by homogenising destroying good soil and bad. Except in my case there was no good soil and an even more fundamental problem was very soon evident since the machine refused to dig more than a couple of inches. Manual digging and even double digging is OK but in my experience does nothing but keep you fit, the sort of punishment handed out to King Sisyphus.

Stephen's solution obviously was to bite the bullet, or give up - which ever way you view it - and import 6 inches of topsoil. Interestingly he said that Swansea were now making more compost than they could dispose of and in his case at least they were prepared to deliver it for free in 7 cubic metre lots, which I pictured of as seven large sling bags of the type builder's merchants use to deliver sand in bulk. That obviously is the solution employed by Swansea Parks Department, the only identified downside being the fragments of green plastic in the mix.


Having got your top soil the next stage was to find its PH level, that is find out the extent of acidity or alkalinity of the soil and then grow only things which suit your soil. Over the years I have had little help from such methods and enquired about soil sampling methods, he said to mix a few samples taken across the garden but of soil taken from 3 inches below the surface. In fact he emphasised the importance of root health and interestingly described the Water Table as being the level below which there was no free air so the roots could not breath. Once knowing the PH try to grow only suitable plant types. I need to give up trying to grow Brassicas (although Chinese Pak Choi related varieties are growing well) and root crops, except potatoes which do moderately well except for blight which appears to be inevitable in South Wales, for all these need more lime than my soil has. When I suggested making one sector of the garden soil a different PH to the other he suggested growing root vegetables in pots. I am thinking of diverting the garden to industrial scale strawberry growing, for they threaten to take over anyway! Learning to go with the flow is not easy at my age.


His advice on compost making was very interesting, for every layer of green in the garden waste he suggested adding a sprinkling of soil (to populate the compost with insects, worms and insects) and a little scoopful of artificial fertiliser (Ammonium Sulphate or Ammonium Nitrate), advice perhaps not so popular with the 'organic' sector of the audience, and possibly a little slaked lime. But all composts he viewed simply as soil conditioners but not in themselves the whole secret of a good growing environment, which led him onto fertilisers.

They needed to match the needs of the season, used little and often but not in bulk which will simply be leeched away to over effect the lower layers. He was in favour of gel pellets which release chemicals slowly.

Spring: Phosphate for root growth
Summer: nitrogen for greenery, use Ammonium Sulphate
Late season: Potash for fruit/flower/seed 

Fancy living in a cave, no garden

But balloons outside the front door


But to me the most pleasing thought was that leaves made easily the best compost of all, and decomposed quicker if shredded but may take two years in black bags. That idea delighted me so I asked him to persuade my wife who considers dead leaves in the garden an evil to compare with dirt in the house and whisks them away ASAP to the council garbage collectors before I can get my hands on them. His response simple a telling 'I don't do domestics'


YOGA
Christine Bryan runs an excellent class the only one left in our U3A. She is now using the large ground floor room at Hazel Court where there is space for many more members than currently attend the Thursday morning class. Last year whilst operating in the much smaller Exercise Room she lost five regulars in quick succession, four from illness related causes and me turning my attention to my garden. The membership has not yet recovered, she deserves better.


Her current 90 min routine is perfect for anyone who like me aims to remain as flexible as possible (back, waist, shoulders), to improve posture and breathing control and to counteract loss of balance. Two members sit on chairs to ease the more severe challenges. I intend to go regularly at least until the spring sees me turn to landscape and vegetable gardening outdoors.

I would advise others to try. Jive on Wednesday and Yoga on Thursday make an excellent combination. The next class will be 10am 19th January.

 Whirling Dervishes, in Konya the heart of Turkey


SPANISH LEARNING GROUP

Goes on to challenge Jive for my support on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately we are now without a tutor as Keith Barry has taken himself off for a long stay in South America, as he always said he would. Unfortunately we don't know when or even if he will return. The small class was determined to continue and took shares in leading the class. Since convenor Christine Broomhall returned from holiday in China she has taken on that tutor role with enthusiasm. Amongst other models we are using Michel Thomas CDs to improve speaking skills and in my case badly needed improvement in pronunciation including not least accentuating the correct syllable. The next class will be 18 January.


Would any member with good command of Spanish who is willing to help tuition please contact Christine Broomhall or Alison Burns convenor for the Spanish Conversation Group.

View of Old Ankara from the Citadel


TRAVEL
There has been a marked increase in attendance since Bob Hughes took over as convenor of this group from Brian Davies. I first up and staggered at getting an audience of 60+ for my talk on two months of touring Southern India last winter, the contrasting states of Karnaktaka (large and little visited) and Goa (tiny but a mass tourist destination). I apologise for the viewing shortcomings resulting from using, as last year, the large TV set for it was not big or high enough for seven rows of audience to see. Bob arranged to use the U3A Digital projector for following Fridays, a far bigger screen and extra height also aiding visibility. 

 Selimiye Camii, architect Mimar Sinan's masterpiece in Erdine


Last month I felt totally upstaged by a talk by member Ian Smith who specialises on challenging treks and climbing expeditions in the highest mountain regions of the world. He, and his wife, obviously like the challenges of 'living on the edge' and would seem to have done everything except climb to the top of Everest or K2. Joan and I couldn't even match him on Annapurna (Nepal) for he had done the full 14-21 day 'round' when we had done only the most popular half up the Kali Gandarki to Muktinath before retracing our steps back to Pokhara in 14 days. One of the regrets I will carry to the grave is of not aiming at the whole circuit in 1989 for as it turned out we did have just enough time off work and plenty of energy. That trip to Nepal remains the one which pointed us to a new international DIY style of travelling. Today we can't even contemplate Rambling 6-7 miles with Harry Lewis's U3A Group at sea level. 


Friday 6th January at 2.15pm should be fascinating, Esther Searle and Owen Lewis sharing the billing, Esther on a visit to The Philipines and  Owen Lewis on Yellowstone Park in the USA, one of the world's great wildernesses.

BEGINNERS INTERNET

Last November I inaugurated a course for beginners on four sucessive Saturday mornings in Hazel Court. It was well received. This year Anthony Hughes and I decided to run a similar course each taking the major role for two weeks. It again went well though the attendance of 'learners' was as patchy as last year when the biggest problem was the horrific weather. In a passing comment Anthony asked me 'What are you doing next November?'

I think there will be a repeat but we perhaps need to more careful about the commitment  of  'learners', ideally so that we select 12 who will attend throughout. 

As last year the 'helpers' (giving one on one assistance) were very dedicated, my only reservation being that having broadcast 450 members looking for help I was left with almost the same set of volunteers as the year before and almost all those perform other roles in Swansea U3A. Maybe the top priority should be convenors, we first need to identify their needs, if any, which are probably outside the scope of the current course.


In the meantime members with a current interest in computing are urged to try Digital Media for Fun a group run by Anthony on alternate Friday mornings.

Gelibolu South Coast of European Turkey


POLITICS

I have rarely felt less optimistic about the outlook for the world economy. I take no pleasure from having long predicted that the way things were headed with country after country opting for austerity there would be a worldwide absence of demand and that we would pull each other down. Austerity as practised first by this government might have worked in tandem if the 25% devaluation of our currency had allowed us to export our way out of debt, but there is now a serious risk that not only has Greece never had a chance of paying its debt off but Italy Spain and even the UK could be doomed to see national debt actually increase thanks to ever lower tax take coupled with higher spending on benefits.

 


Two Japanese friends persuaded us to to Syria this summer!!





Meanwhile top pay soars, greed was never was going to be limited to investment bankers. But we are all supposed to be in this together, if you believe that you'll believe anything. No consolation if you are at the bottom of the pile and without hope let alone material well being, the young, the unemployed, those on short time, those trapped on benefits, or those simply stressed out fearing worse to come.


But to me the most depressing thought of all is the lack of political leadership ranging from deadlock in the USA to all the European Countries of which the UK is one, like it or not. At least no-one still blames it all on Gordon, maybe we will remember him one day for World Leadership which galvanised a successful reaction at the time of the collapse of Lehman Brothers in the USA. Why he made such a poor showing as PM is an unexplained mystery to me.

All European countries are fighting for their own nationalistic interests and we are now lined up against even those who are trying to find a common way out. Across Europe, the Arab world and the Middle East (where they are already taking to the streets) there is a great danger of the breakdown of society. We all know who sprang out of youth despair last time and his message was not one of austerity but one of rebuilding and expansion. This taboo subject is well worth re-visiting, Hitler was a truly evil leader but he must have had political skill and foresight to turn Germany around from the most extreme basket case in the world to its urge for territorial domination in just one decade 1929-39. 

A much happier reflection and one more appropriate to this piece is to consider the political changes in Turkey started in the same period. The Ottoman Empire in tatters Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) credited with the game changing military victory over the allies at Gallipoli went on to be political leader in1928 and in the War of Independence drove the British, French. Italians and Greeks out of Turkey before modernising their out of date failing culture. He convert Islamic Ottoman Turkey into modern secular republic, changing the laws, banning the wearing of head-scarves in school and other government employment, and even realigning the unique Turkish alphabet with those of Europe. Anyone interested in the political heritage he built and left should spend one or two days at the picture book tribute to his life in his mausoleum, the Anit Kabir in Ankara.

Our lasting impression of Turkey was one of the universal welcome from the people, rapid progress in building infrastructure - not to be compared with the rate of development of China but entirely beyond the rest of Europe.


Invited to break fast of Ramadam in Istanbul park


No tables left we'll odge up, Bergama (Pergamum) Central Turkey


For any interested there is a blog of the 5 week trip round western Turkey at     http://www.istanbul-and-turkey.blogspot.com/

Monday, 24 October 2011

OPEN DAY 2011

OPEN DAY 2011
This is the very first time since retiring from the committee this spring that I have found the space to relax from dealing with a huge backlog at home. How pleasant it was to be able to go around late in the day chatting on the various tables. We the U3A activists are a friendly lively lot. Rather than concerns about support and organisation for the day I was able simply to reflect on what a good impression the event must have given to a newcomer. 

I am told it was another success in attracting new members for now we have well over 50 groups to offer with increased diversity. Too late in the day to catch the throng at its height I remembered the camera in my pocket and recorded the closing moments.


Anthea enthuses to Gillian about her British Film Studies


Joy and Hon Sec Angela at the membership table

FEEDING A GROWING WORLD POPULATION
I take it that's the theme of the lecture this Wednesday 26 October by agriculturist Ian Howie with whom we made contact last year on the outing to Llangorse Sailing Club. His title speaks of a world population headed from today's 7 billion towards the 9 billion predicted by the UN for 2050. But the front page of today's Guardian talks of a revised estimate for 2100 perhaps as high as 16 billion. These are frightening figures especially when you take into account the potential demand for meat production and fuel as the world's populous poor countries, like India, Indonesia, and China, who will surely  aspire to 'Western' standards of living.


It will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

 Judy asks, Anyone for Short Tennis?


RISKS in BANKING
Asked to lead the Politics and Citizenship group's or last session on the current proposals for 'Ring Fencing Retail Banking' in 2019, I opted instead to investigate the risks in across the banking/financial services sector.

Within days the urgency was underlined by the news of the third major 'rogue trader' event in recent history had threatened the huge Swiss bank UBS. Kweku Adoboli had lost the massive sum of 2.3billion euros in what is termed Delta Trading, trading high volumes for low price differences in order to make money for the bank and its clients. Jerome Kerviel had lost 4.9billion euros for the French Bank Societe General in 2008. With sums of this order think of UK pounds as being equal to euros - it makes little difference, but do note we are talking of billions not millions. 

To put these figures into some sort of perspective think back to the exploits of Nick Leeson in 1995 who lost £827million (under 1 billion) but that caused the failure of the UK's oldest Investment bank Barings, which ceased to exist.

I am tempted to think non of these three were criminals exceeding their authorisation but rather that their seniors had turned a blind eye to their risk taking because hitherto since they were making lots of money for the bank and the funds owned by clients like us. There is much talk of the failures of government sponsored supervision, but these look like failures of the internal bank supervision.  


Lord Turner head of the Financial Services Authority, the regulator created by the last Labour Government in 2000, frequently talks of much banking as being of no value to society. Frequent trading for small differences just to make money seems to fall into that category. The fact 70% of our GNP is now accounted for by financial services indicates how successful and dominant that sector has become for London and the UK and why we are so reluctant to follow practices which could damage our position in banking. Hence the current reluctance to consider a Tobin tax on each trading transaction as proposed by major European countries but opposed by the financial service interests of The UK and the USA as ways of throwing away our competitive position. I read recent description of the Tobin tax as being a way of 'throwing sand in the wheels' of pointless trading - putting a break on the heart of the problem sounds much more appropriate to me than talk of ring fencing in 2019.


The Dragon on Swansea U3A Open Day



More Open Day


ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Ever thought of over wintering and touring in India for £38 a day for two all in, comfortable beds and eating especially well - of tasty Indian vegetarian food and freshly caught sea fish. Then come and hear about Joan and Brian's experiences last winter in the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Goa. See what South India offers, down stairs in Hazel Court Friday 4 November at 2.15pm.

STEVE JOHNSON'S 80th
He invited us to his birthday celebration with the family in Norton House just last Saturday. It was such a happy gathering and Steve looked well again and very smart in his Royal Engineers blazer (sorry Steve but I forgot the camera or I'd do the honours).


Steve you may remember was the person I met on Open Day 2008 when starting my stint as Groups' Coordinator. He, returning to the UK after 30 years in Paris, offered to take over the French Group which was then on the point of failing. He soon had to relinquish that task due to ill health but not before securing the future for an important group. For some considerable time NHS surgeons backed away from taking the risk of the heart operation he needed so desperately but eventually it was successfully done. Having too much exposure to health care in France and NHS Swansea he always has spoken far better of health care in the NHS than that available in France, exactly the reverse of what one expects. I just hope the currently proposed changes will not upset our applecart.

The second person I met in the closing minutes of that day in Open Day in 2008 was Gerwyn Thomas and that led to the immediate formation of the Jive and the MOTO groups. I was well and truly on my way to making a success of expanding the group. Then he too was struck down with heart problems but happily recovered from a near death experience at the Liberty Stadium. Makes me wonder what lies ahead and contemplate on how suddenly good health can be lost.

SWANSEA JAZZLAND
Very recently I learnt that in this year of severe cuts to the Arts Council grants particularly outside London, the grant for this club actually went up. The Arts Council were reported as saying they were to take a fresh look at the allocation of grants with a view prioritising those most deserving. This aligns with the view I expressed on the previous posting that Jazzland was the jewel in Swansea's crown. Coupled with the fact that the theatre I am always recommending, The Tobacco Factory in Bristol, this year received their first ever grant, I feel encouraged in the quality of my advice. The Tobacco Factory stages plays virtually every day of the year with a scope far beyond the February/March Shakespeare season, they have recently opened a second theatre (The Brewery) over the road in another old factory.


Alan Barnes - this coming Wednesday
The quality of the performers seems yet again to be peaking at this time of the year. This Wednesday 26 October the great English reed player Alan Barnes is to play clarinet and saxes with the resident Dave Cottle Trio. If you only come to the club once then make this the night, it is held in St James's Social Club in St James Crescent Uplands, from 8pm if you want a good seat, £10 reduced to £7 for members.

Jure Pukl
Two weeks ago Jure Pukl and his quartet played a superb set. Jure is from Slovenia and a fine young tenor saxophonist who played a high proportion of his own composition. The string bass player Michael Janisch from the USA was exceptional, arguably the finest bassist I have ever heard, far away from the normal timekeeping function into creating exquisite melody. He had a strong understanding with the multi-award winning young British vibraphone player Jim Hart, who has appeared frequently at the club and at the Taliesin with young Welsh eclectic pianist Gwilym Simcock. The drummer too had a very interesting original style.


I came away with a CD 'Purpose Built', recorded in New York mainly of compositions by Michael Janisch played by his own quartet also featuring Jim Hart but a different saxophonist and drummer. I recommend that without hesitation.


Steve Waterman
Last week was equally good as Steve Waterman brought his own quintet to play numbers from his latest CD 'Buddy Bolden Blew It!' It is as fine a statement of the beautiful melodies of 13 Trumpet greats from Louis Armstrong, to modernists like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. The CD is particularly easy listening, to a degree which reminded me of what Stan Getz did to popularise Jazz via Bossa Nova recordings like The Girl from Ipanema and Desafinado. Since Buddy Bolden, although generally acknowledged as the first jazz great playing from late 1890's, did not leave written music Steve wrote a number for him the for in memory of his normal apparel 'Red Vest Man'.

The average time of the CD tracks is around 6 mins whereas in the club he took twice that time, therefore with a great deal more scope for improvisation. Steve generally plays with a vibrato free bell like tone. He is Professor of Jazz Trumpet at both the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College both in London, and visiting professor at Northern and Welsh schools of music.

Once again it was an all-star band with Alec Dankworth on string bass, Anthony Kerr on vibraphone - rather more direct less intricate than Jim Hart and non the worse for that, Chris Allard on guitar and last but my no means least Dave Barry on drums - the only old-timer on view. A balance of sounds quite a refreshing contrast to the usual trumpet and sax.





Saturday, 17 September 2011

SLAPSTICK

One Man Two Guvnors
Having thoroughly enjoyed the previous National Theatre Live film performance of The Cherry Orchard I vowed to go the Welfare in Ystradgynlais for the next performance. I almost didn't make it and was rewarded last Thursday by the most hilariously funny performance I have ever seen.  

The National Theatre Live is a video of a performance at the National Theatre in London on a prearranged night which is beamed by satellite across the world and shown simultaneously at cinemas across the globe. It attempts to give the impression that you are actually at the theatre and certainly it is far removed to a contrived film version of the play and the next best thing to being in the theatre. The nearest venues for us are in Cardiff, Milford Haven and Ystradgynlais, not much of a recommendation for Swansea. The charge is £10 per person, many times less than the cost of seeing it in the London theatre. By my count they were showing at 129 venues in the UK last Thursday, one of which was an outdoor showing next to the south Bank theatre itself,where the cast were seen taking a bow in person shortly after the performance, rather like viewing the tennis action at Wimbledon from the Hill or the PROMS on a large screen. I think they claimed 400 venues worldwide. 

As to the show itself it was five star rated by almost all the quality newspapers and its success is demonstrated that when its season is completed at the National and following touring England and Edinburgh the production will transfer to the Adelphi in November. But for the difficulty of finding actors able to carry out the parts I could see it outliving the Mousetrap. There was lots of very funny sheer slapstick, lots of clever quips and something between a Shakespearean comic plot and a scat on a gangster scene from The Lavender Hill Mob. A skiffle group complete with washboard player, though the T-chest looked very much like a genuine double base, amused the live audience whilst it took its seats, and then slowly modernised to emerge in different forms each time the curtains closed for a change of scenery, even transforming into the Beverley Sisters at one stage.

Shakespearean, for Roscoe mysteriously appears in flesh having apparently risen from the dead two days after his murder, 'thus having broken the previous world record by a day' only to turn out to be his 'identical twin' sister Rachel in disguise who ends up marrying the very gangster Stanley who murdered her brother. This couple, both men at the time, are the two guvnors whom Francis Henshall milks and panics for all he is worth. Francis is played by the star of the show comic actor James Corden.

An east-end criminal, with a daughter 'so dumb they can't make bricks thick enough' to compare is kept out of nick by a fat cat lawyer with an unworldly actor son who ends up with the actor, and Dolly a real life Dolly Parton is paired off with Francis in the finale. The play on which it is based was written in Italian in 1743 though in this adaption it is Brighton and 1963, just 'before intercourse was invented'. See if Shakespeare had lived another 100 years he might have pinched the plot.


The next National Theatre Live event is The Kitchen 6.30 (beware- the early start almost fooled us) on 6 October. These performances now include performances of ballet by the Bolshoi in Russia the first being Esmeralda (based on Victor Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris) on the 9 October at 4pm. I read on my previous visit the scheme hoped to include performances of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, so Opera lovers watch this space. 


One more memory of the evening was a woman smiling and saying she found it difficult to recognise me without a grass skirt. I have only twice trod the boards this pantomime was one and the other was an all night carnival at college when I and seven other rugby playing savages helped give a woman an excuse to perform the dance of the seven vales - well we were nearly naked as well.


One more comment the couple sitting next to us told us they were from Gower and kept up a habit of going to theatre in London. Nice to know we aren't the only theatre enthusiasts in Swansea.



U3A GROUP NEWS

I have been following the fortunes of two of the most recent new groups.


RAMBLING
Talking to Harry I find him happy with the progress of this new group which he tells me he now has core support from 9-15 members, an ideal size for a rambling group. He is clearly throwing a great deal of thought and energy into group leading which is obvious from the information and photo records in his regular email feed to the group, including me. Hence the use of a few of his photographs.

 Battling the breeze
 Lindsay concentrates
 Facing the gale
After lunch

SPANISH LEARNING
Another group which has gelled extremely well as currently obvious due to the absence of their excellent tutor Keith Barry because of sickness. None of us have further information at the moment, but I have just sent a handwritten note on behalf of the group to his home address hoping it will be forwarded. (Keith is one of the few members with an aversion to computers and delights in receiving handwritten letters. (I could name some other prominent members sharing this view - but won't.)

Christine Broomhall the convenor is determined to drive the group on and there is a strong response from the others who will share in leading future sessions. I like the emphasis on verbal communication, so far without mention of grammar, and that will continue in self led sessions with the help of recordings.

What started a few months ago as a Course of genuine near beginners is of course moving on and the group will have to wary of too much addition in the near future whilst the new teaching approach is bedded in. I must say it is refreshing to see a group responding via shared self help.


SAVE the HISTORY GROUP

This course has had good attendance and is attempting to reorganise now that Margaret Winter has retired from the role as convenor after 11 successful years. Their September meeting is traditionally the time the group agree the programme for the following year (2011/12). It will be this Friday 23 September at 2.30 in the first floor meeting room of the Environment Centre, Pier Street which runs beside the Evening Post Offices.

Rob James, who organises the Annual Outing, has agreed to act as contact and convenor providing some other member(s) agree to be fully responsible for the monthly lecture programme.

Please attend if at all interested in the future of this group which will fold immediately after the meeting in the absence of the support to take it forward. 

GARDENING 
Just a few shots I took when the group visited our garden. Last year rain kept us all penned indoors, this year it seemed like a fine day but the heavens opened just as the first visitors arrived with their umbrellas on high. Luckily it turned out to be just a short a sharp shower and the Gazebo had its first outing in a miserable summer. Thinking to make further use we left it up only for the tail end of a hurricane to finally destroy it. The steel frame lives on so we plan to use as a cage for soft fruit next year. 'Waste not want not' is our usual message to the grand children - if anyone can translate that into French please let me know, my attempts brought increasingly increasingly strong guffaws from my Franco-Anglo grandchildren.

 Rear view of Joan with Marnie, Margaret Cross and Vicky
 My Gazebo on its last legs
 Sun at Last
 Old timers corner

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Just little publicity I am down for a travel presentation on Friday 4 November on our last trip to the state of Karnataka in southern India. I have just reissued the blog of our two months of travel with a myriad of photographs. Anyone interested can view it at
http://karnataka2011.blogspot.com/


GRAND THEATRE
In what is for me a promising new departure they have circulated a DRAMA Newsletter for Autumn 2011 featuring the genuine drama offerings. We are sorry to have missed Bred in Heaven with a well respected director Michael Bogdanov, from the Royal Shakespeare and Wales Theatre companies.


I fully thoroughly recommend Cymbeline by Shakespeare which will played presumably with minimal scenery 'in the round' (square), by and here is the important point the local professional Fluellen Theatre Company Tues 4 to Thurs 6 October in the Arts wing of the Grand Theatre.

Others to have caught my eye include Of Mice and Men in the main theatre on Friday 14 October, a wonderful short story by John Steinbeck, the Lord of the Flies on 20 to Sat 22 October in the Arts Wing.

FLUELLEN at the DYLAN THOMAS CENTRE
Peter Richards, wife and son Hugh, who played Hamlet so well last year in the Arts Wing of the Grand, run a monthly Saturday 1 am presentation of a different playwright, and script in hand perform a section of his work, ideally a one act play. A week ago the subject was George Bernard Shaw and the play was O'Flaherty VC a young Irishman recruiting soldiers for England. Anyone familiar with the history will realise how the Irish hate the English, with good reason So O'Flaherty's line is not that he is recruiting soldiers to fight with the English against Germans (an unrealistic proposition) but that he is recruiting soldiers to fight with Belgians and the French who everyone knows are sworn enemies of the English. His mother has to be kept in the dark or she would explode with anger but she is also two faced in dealings with an English lord (O'Flaherty's boss) to his face and behind his back. Add a second young actress playing the money grabbing girlfriend who is happy for O'Flaherty to bring home the wages, by the only way open to him to earn a living in impoverished Ireland, and you have a scene full of comic possibilities. 

Well worth the £5 and well attended again including by a quite different set of U3A members than for the last time I reported. It is a delight to see that Peter, with worldwide experience of directing plays, and Fluellen Theatre are beginning to get the following they deserve. He was also the one doing whole day presentations on Shakespeare plays last winter at the Dylan Thomas Centre which Joan and I enjoyed so much for the humour and demonstrative depth of his insight, but which were embarrassingly poorly attended.

Next lunchtime session Saturday 15 October 'A Celebration of Ibsen' with excerpts from several of his most famous plays. See you there ? 

SWANSEA JAZZLAND
This club has to be one of the jewels in Swansea's crown. A weekly stream of one night stands from the best jazz musicians in Britain, at well below London prices where they are mostly based.

I'm returning to one of my first loves after not having the energy to attend for some time, a result of months of intensive modification to house, garden and contents. No we are not about to sell!

This Wednesday 21 September at 8 for 8.30 be sure not to miss guitarist Luis d'Agostino & the Argentinian Connection. Pete Oxley - no less - as a second guitar, an ace trumpeter John Hoare and a British rhythm section make a unique line up.  £10 entry reduced to £7 for members. 

They will play Jazz of the 50's and 60's. The era of the invention in New York of 'Beebop' by Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker and pianists galore, followed soon after by invention of the 'Cool' in California by Miles Davies, Gerry Mulligan and others. A high point, perhaps the high point, in the development of jazz, my preferred period anyway, it should be a great night.








Wednesday, 20 July 2011

25 YEARS NOT OUT


CELEBRATION


It was a joyous day my contacts clearly showed the day exceeded everyone's expectation. When put together on stage you realise what is being achieved collectively, what fun it is, what satisfaction, what friendliness, and not a little talent. I wouldn't dare to summarise. I didn't come prepared to Blog with not even a pen and paper to take a few notes, but luckily Joan had had brought a camera which I promptly seized, so when I add photographs they may help point up my memories and yours, but they won't be of my normal quality, because of the lack of light coupled with the need to zoom from the rear of the hall, though I hope they capture the emphasis.





The last and only previous time I had seen or heard Jean Goodeve was at the rather tedious U3A National AGM at Swansea a couple of years back, and I formed and filed an impression to match. But how well she set off this day with her vision and enthusiasm. Two themes remained with me the first was the clear distinction she drew between Learning, which by almost by definition everyone enjoys, and Education which we all suffer until released better prepared for life. Personally I enjoyed school immensely but when the time came I was ready to leave, I enjoyed university rather too much and all but failed except on the sports field, but how impatient I was to leave and move on to productive work.


I was taught engineering but virtually all I know now I learned on the job. Computers and binary and digital techniques never figured in my degree, yet by the time I retired in 1996 almost all industrial automatic measurement and control was digital. The earliest (arguably the world's first) Digital Computers did exist in locked rooms at Manchester and Cambridge, but at Imperial we were told, by one enthusiastic lecturer with a key, the future was Analogue Computers - they couldn't produce precise answers to simple arithmetic but were excellent at solving differential equations and modelling motion, things like the swinging of pendulums.


But digressing further, the real lesson was learned after I retired. I expected like so many to miss the challenges, the satisfaction which comes from earning your way through life, the personal interaction, even the routine of work - but I didn't. Joan and I decided to start anew. We turned our attention to slow cheap travel across the globe, to learn how quite different (much poorer) peoples live. Our first model was two Austrians met in Sumatra within weeks of retiring, older than us, who returned home for Christmas each year only for an annual health check and to renew their camper-van driving licences as a safeguard against less fortunate days.


When Joan's health (rheumatic arthritis and knee replacements) turned our lives turned upside down, we should have immediately turned to the U3A like many recently bereaved now do - but we didn't. When the clouds lifted we were able to resume our life of slow travel on artificial joints though less intensively than before, and in between trips drifted into U3A membership but only by attending the Wednesday lectures. The more we got involved, the more enthusiastic we became and the more we enjoyed life. That is not to say that having retired as Groups' Coordinator it won't be a nice change to get involved in the Groups I want to, rather than those I think I ought to.


The second point highlighted by Jean was the inclusiveness of learning. When a child learns to walk it's a challenge, when oldies like me learn Jive steps or Tai-Chi sequences they are greater memory and physical control challenges than they would have been earlier in life and much better for that. Learning to paint, to discuss or argue, to write better, to get more out of reading, to recount and present better, to develop presence and act - there were a lot of surprisingly good examples on the stage today. These are not the first thing that comes into mind as learning. A mind ever open to continued learning and new points of view is perhaps the first requirement of a fulfilled life.


Having said that I still regard my biggest achievement as Groups' Coordinator is to have overseen the creation of active weekly language learning groups in European languages (not my forte) of French. Italian, Spanish and most recently German because they are exceptionally demanding by U3A standards for tutors and pupils. As Jean suggested maybe Mandarin next, I once boasted 200 words of survival Chinese and a similar amount of Thai and Indonesian - long forgotten soon recovered. 



If Jean Goodeve got us off to a sparkling start then Dr Edwin Lewis, the very first Chairman of Swansea U3A, was a revelation in the closing address. Helped onto the stage, he enthused the audience with the stories and tribulations of the homeless early days whilst amazing us with his humour. No-one could better it as a demonstration that being active in the U3A example is the best way to delay ageing. 


Jamie Owen gave the Keynote lecture after lunch summarising the history of and contemplating the future for TV. He kept most of the audience amused with what at times was more like a polished after dinner speech.


For me the revelations were the presentations on the stage in the morning and the amount of effort and enthusiasm had gone into them.


I started this posting the evening of the event as you may observe from the date but rapidly ran out of steam, so now (7 Aug) I am taxing my memory more than is wise, though pictures help.

STAGE PERFORMANCES


Creative Writing Groups
Jill Govier kicked off with a suitably lively, seemingly limitless, recitation of' nothing but '-ations' (celebration for example). Any Music-Hall compere would have been proud of the introduction to the performance by the Creative Writing Groups. Her enthusiasm is catching and the whole group performed well.

Sorry but this first performance, and perhaps others, preceded my gumption to use the camera, though there is a shot of Jill at work with Dylan Thomas later. 


French Group


Keith Roberts links a sketch of friendly rivalry between French and Welsh Rugby Fans. I can't help noticing that husband and wife Jan and Ifor were on opposite sides. On the far left Nesta, another excellent French speaker, whose soprano voice shone through later with the choir.


In an earlier sketch Keith translated into English what reserve tutor Jean Cunliffe (3rd from left) was saying in her excellent French.


Tai Chi Group
Tutor Mike Hart was out in front doing his own spectacular things, even with a sword at times - too fast for my camera. The rest of the Corps de Ballet impressed by their precise moment and synchronism. It was very effective visually and showed off the excellent control of movement which results from practising Tai Chi.




Cecily's Under Milkwood Sketch

Chairman Anthony Hughes by introduced singing with his guitar unfortunately his speed on the keyboard defeated my camera which only recorded blurs. He sang a tribute to Dylan by Ralph (Streets of London) McTell

Ten performers and a narrator John Oats on a well thought out series of episodes with impeccable South Wales accents! They stood forward in ones and two to recite their lines script in hand.



Cecily shows emotion in exchange with Stephen


? and Rosemary do their bit





Jill gets her chance, and her photo!


Italian Group
Rather than use an on stage translator they used the screen, particularly successful for the gusty sing-along. Tutor Carolina used her skill as a creative writer to write some sketches.  Patricia Morgan, group convenor, displayed her acting skill as well as impeccable spoken Italian. 

A Court Scene



Eleanor and Patricia, with translation above


The Italian Sing -along with Eleanor at the piano and Carolina hurrying her along!


MOTO
Rosemary Brangwyn, convenor with her script but insufficient involvement of the rest of the group.




The Welsh Group - White Haired Stars of the Show
Five old timers with an aggregate age of 430 (average age 86) some had to be helped onto the stage where they outshone the rest of us with their vitality as they led the audience in Welsh songs and hymns - well remembered from my Rugby playing days, we English responded with clean play and 'dirty' limericks. 

Marjorie Vanston, convenor, introduces the program whilst Marjorie Knight, Josceline Edwards, Nancy Thomas and Margarete Wilkinnson look onf



Imaginative use of the screen


Welsh Sing-along with guest pianist Ann Looker and words on the screen 


BACK ON STAGE after lunch

Singing for Pleasure Group
Margaret Collier led her popular choir with Ann Looker as pianist. I can only offer apologies for not taking photographs - no slight intended. It applies also to Jamie Owen.


They presented a full program the second half was a sing-along which like the previous ones went down particularly well.


MILLY DOWLER and NEWS of the WORLD
I have been so long putting off writing this blog posting that big events have come and gone. I was in France when the affair of Dominique Strauss Kahn was still hot and very interested in a piece in Telerama (a rough equivalent to the Radio Times) 'Menaces sur la Justice' by a French lawyer a theme later taken up by Timothy Garton Ash in the Guardian. I guess this is a theme which got away, but I cannot resist the scandal of phone hacking.

The hold Murdoch has had for two decades on the political scene in Britain was widely known, starting with help for the like-minded Margaret Thatcher it continued through Tony Blair's belief he would only get elected once he had secured the backing of the Murdoch empire to Cameron's out blairing of Blair. The latter was so nearly followed by pay back time, 100% Murdoch ownership of Sky TV now by common consent deemed totally unacceptable.

The British public seemed quite relaxed about phone hacking by the press so long as it was used to publicise the private lives of film stars and footballers which made good reading. Only when it impinged on the Royal Family did the politicians get upset. Only when it was shown to impinge on personal grief did the public become convinced of the illegality let alone morality of most phone hacking, even though that too was aimed was aimed at press scoops. 

But what a can of worms that totally indefensible intrusion opened up, corruption at the highest level in the police and ruthless undermining of the democratic system. Democracy we tell the less developed world is the answer to all their problems, what has been going on here should make us reflect on where power really lies. 

In the US it was likened to Watergate, a New York Times columnist thought 'a kind of British Spring is under way' in clear reference to the presumed 'outbreak' of democracy in Egypt and the Middle East, and then again 'Democracy, aided by sunlight, has broken out in Britain'. Exaggerated rhetoric for sure but here it is still merely regarded a phone hacking scandal. In all these countries we will have to wait and see whether power eventually resides in freely elected democratic parliaments.

Why do I see it in much larger dimensions, because control of politicians and other public figures resides in the FEAR of Adverse Publicity, a form of blackmail. One has only to listen as universally liked figures like Paddy Ashdown recount their experiences to see how 'fear' results when ruthless media tycoons, with blind eyed police on the payroll, are intent on holding representatives such as him to heel, backed by private investigators, criminals, and illegal phone hacking.

LIBYA
No doubt about it now we, the West, are intent on regime change - anybody but Gadafi will do. Are we unthinkingly inviting chaos?


SYRIA
During last years six week travel to western Turkey we got to know two Japanese girl students who raved about how well they had been received by the people and how easy it was to travel around. Joan and I resolved to go there this autumn. Another project bites the dust!


DOUBLE DIP RECESSION

I remember Peter Black, Liberal Democrat AM, boasting to the Politics group several months ago that a double dip had been avoided. I also remember commenting in this blog that it was unwise to draw any conclusions before the end of the financial year in April 2012, re the effects of severe cut backs. Today's stock market panic emphasises the risks are not behind us, though currently I couldn't blame the sharp deficit reduction strategy of this government. So simply observe that all countries seem to be at it now, increasing the likelihood they will pull each other down for want of the global employment and earnings to create sufficient demand from the populace.


NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE
Returning to a happier topic I remember highlighting the single day worldwide satellite transmission of performances of the National Theatre in London, which now apparently will soon extend to performances the Metropolitan Opera in New York.


Previously the nearest cinema offering these transmisions was in Cardiff but I highlighted that that Joan and I intended to go to the now refurbished (Miners) Welfare Centre in Ystradglynlais. We went to their first such showing to see Zoe Wanamaker in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard which we really enjoyed and intend to go to the next quite different performance of One Man, Two Guvnors on the 15 September a very successful slapstick comedy starring James Corden.

FLUELLEN THEATRE
We can recommend the monthly Saturday lunchtime peformances, script-in-hand, in the Dylan Thomas Centre. To our surprise there were no less than seven U3A members in the front row of the last performance of a one act play by Thornton Wilder. Next Saturday 13 August at 1 pm (£5) they will discuss French playwright Jean Genet and then perform The Maids.
Fluellen also gives Theatre-in-the-Round performances in the Arts Wing of the Grand Theatre, recently Hamlet and then Checkhov's Uncle Vanya, look out for Cymberline this autumn.


SWANSEA JAZZLAND at 8.30 this Wednesday 10 August  feature Lee Gibson (one of Britain's best jazz singers) with the Dave Cottle Trio. 



GROUP NEWS


We attended two a early 25th birthday celebrations firstly by the combined book reading groups who hosted a talk by Swansea University's novellist Stevie Davies.

Second was a special Open Day in the Singleton's Botanic Gardens by the Gardening Group.

Both were well attended and both offered tea and cakes and a celebratory atmosphere. Only at the second did I carry a camera hence the shots below.



Margaret Cross centre number1 leader withcommittee members Joan Powell and Lyn Phillips



Vicky Woods number 2 leader of the committee member who also runs Reading 5







Me and Margaret Massey, both on Early Retirement from Swansea U3A main Committee



FAILING GROUPS
It is just a year ago that the Gardening Group was facing failure in spite of being well attended when Margaret Massey retired after 17 years as convenor. 

Exactly the same problem is now being experienced by the hitherto successful History Group (although Margaret Winter can boast of only 11 years at the helm!). It is on the edge of failure because no one person is prepared to take it forward. The solution at Gardening was to form a small committee and that is working well but only because it is headed up by two committed energetic leaders. The best solution would be to find someone younger willing to breathe new life into the History Group, help should plentiful.

GET WELL SOON
To Chris Gilson, the main committee's minutes secretary and an active  member of many groups including Yoga, CreativeWriting and Family History.  He apparently needed an operation to insert stents but is now recovering at home.