History Meet History

The River Thames 2012


The Thames and the City by Canaletto, 1847


Thames Jubilee pageant 2012

Sunday 3rd June, 2012 and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (only the second one in history). To celebrate, the famous Thames flotilla scene painted by Canaletto all those years ago has been recreated and Dai Jakes thinks that whoever had this idea deserves a few drinks. We're all part of history today dear readers, this won't ever happen again. Wonderful scenes!

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Time for an ale yet?

For the next four days Great Britain is celebrating Queen Elizabeth II 60 years reign, and being as this is only the second Diamond Jubilee in the United Kingdoms history it is a pretty historic event whatever your feelings on the Royal family.
"Gawd bless yer Ma'am!" Is what I imagine some over zealous cockneye is shouting from under a Union Jack flag and cap decorated with pin badges of the St George Cross and The Who. And good luck to them, I hope those celebrating have a good day and everything runs according to plan.
Dai Jakes however is not a big fan of the monarchy so instead of filling a blog with the usual photographs of regal pomp and ceremony (there are hundreds of other bloggers doing that) here there will be more 'man-on-the-street- type photos to show you all what it looks like in our towns, away from London and the glare and pizzazz of newsrooms and glossy magazines.


I love corgies. And Special Brew.

I flicked stations at halftime during the Wales v Barbarians rugby game (Wales won by the way) to see what sort of coverage the Diamond Jubilee was getting in the United States, and sure enough CNN have caught the bug too. So much so that the weather forecast for tomorrow was the top story. In case you are wondering dear reader, tomorrow is when a thousand ships and boats sail down the Thames with Her Majesty and Prince Philip on a throne on the main ship. Mr Jakes is looking forward to that. One thousand ships of all sizes. The mind doeth boggle.


It rains here. A lot.

But for now lets have some music from Johnny and chums! Apologies for the obvious choice but its still a great tune all these years on. And I was never a Sex Pistols fan when I first started listening to metal/punk. Ithought they were thick yobs with nothing to say or offer. God Save the Changes.


Rowdy louts or visionaries?


Patriotic tissue

This is interesting (albeit in a gory sort of way). Last saturday I cut myself shaving (not the famous beard, just experimenting with a bald top lip) and as everyone is aware I have a camera always at the ready like a photo obssessed Billy the Kid. Prepared for any ghost or alien that decides to pay a visit or in case of clumsy accidents like above.
It bled like a ripe tangerine and naturally I happily snapped away, hoping for a decent shot of a rich, crimson swab of pretty mulch that I could use in some post or other. Hey Presto! A week on and I have it. The colours fit: red, white and blue and its kinda heart shaped which denotes passion. More passion for Wales but you get the picture. And so did Mr Jakes.


Cool Brittania!


Pets At Home in Carmarthen

Even the animals in Pets At Home have the Jubilee bug, as you can see from the Union Jack above the guinea pig and rabbits enclosure.

Dai's Top Ten iPhone Games

I am an avid videogamer and with eight working consoles set up at home one could say without fear of exaggeration that I can't get enough of gaming. But for the life of me, I never imagined I would take smartphone games seriously. They seemed so throw away, with less content than a budgie's leg and graphically I always though more Snakes than Bioshock, so you can imagine the suprise I had when I played my first iPhone game (Rat On A Skateboard) a few weeks ago. On previous mobile phones I largely ignored the games but on getting a smartphone I figured the games would have stepped up their er....game. And you know what? I was right!
Rat On A Skateboard was fun, funky, addictive and in glorious colour (black & white Nokia games anyone?) indeed everything a good game should be. *Adopts Yoda Voice* Excited was I.
The iPhone 3GS and 4S have brilliant games on offer, hell they even have (and this gave me the Bioshock of shocks) Playstation 2 titles to play. Fancy playing Grand Theft Auto 3 and Chinatown Wars? You can! There are even murmurs of San Andreas coming too! My flabber is truly gasted. Mobile gaming has arrived at long last. And here are some Must Haves.


1. Angry Birds (free and to buy)

If you've not heard of Angry Birds yet, you are either (A) dead or (B) struggling so much with technology that you still own a pager and play albums on cassette. The concept is simple: fire (angry) birds at green pigs from slingshots in order to wreck whatever wooden/concrete/glass fortress the pesky swines have taken refuge in. There are different types of bird to do this, from those who cannonball through the air to others which explode. Its fabulously addictive and is brimming with One-More-Go goodness. And with Rio, Seasons and Space to go along with the original Angry Birds game you can rest assure the feathered ones will keep you going for quite a while yet.

2. Pac Man (£2.99p)

No introduction needed, everyone (even the guy with a pager) knows Pac Man. And he has been faithfully recreated for the iPhone, right down to the nifty little red joystick which you control via touch screen. I love it! Oh and if you don't fancy paying £2.99, there is a free Lite version available.

3. Highway Rider (free)

I only discovered this game a few hours ago and already ive clocked up many miles on its speedy (not to mention dangerous) roads. I am stunned this was FREE because I would gladly pay a few quid for this little cracker. Grab a motorbike (which you can customize) and guide your rider (also customizable) along highways at ridiculously quick speeds while avoiding cars and lorries. The more dangerous your riding, the faster you go and players are rewarded for overtaking vehicles as closely as possible. In short, ride like a suicidal maniac with total disreguard for physical well being and safety. If you crash (and you WILL) the camera slows down to capture all that painful breakage of bones, which actually get listed on screen together with an estimation of what your medical bill would cost. (What? No NHS?) Brilliant fun!

4. Golden Axe (69p)

Remember this on the Sega Megadrive console? You can now own it on iPhone. Be warned though! The controls can be fiddly at first but practice makes perfect and you will be glad when you nail them because Golden Axe is a classic.


Slinging great!

5. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2012 (69p)

Fancy a knock on the greens? There's a whole console game here including the PGA Tour, Multiplayer, Closest To Pin Challenge, Tiger Challenge and quite frankly im amazed its so cheap. Under 70p for all this? I am IN sir! This was my first game purchase and at that price you'd be mad not to get it (uless you hate golf). Buy equipment and upgrades in the Pro shop, customize your golfer, its the same as my Xbox 360 version for crying out loud! Controls are simple and responsive, just pull back your finger to swing and bring it down to smack the ball. Graphics are great and you can link the game to Facebook and post your best results on your wall. It even has your Facebook profile pic on the greens to mark your closest shot to the flag. Quite brilliant!

6. Temple Run (free)

A longtime favourite for iPhone users and I curse all those wasted hours that I missed (I only got it yesterday). Run away from Demon Monkeys along crumbling walls, wooden paths while jumping over tree stumps and diving under low hurdles, all with one swipe of the finger. It works like a dream and when you come a cropper its down to you, no blaming the fluid like control system. How some of these games are FREE I'll never understand because you wouldn't feel ripped off even paying a couple of pounds for them.

7. Downhill Xtreme Skateboarding (free)

Another stunning title for nowt. Speed skate down various hills and slopes worldwide, starting in sun drenched California as punk (includes bands like The Clench and We Outspoken) bleeds from the iPhone speakers, pumping you up to get that first place. You can do solo runs or race against other players and when you first see this in action, you will understand (if you haven't already) that phone games have finally arrived. Some of them, this title included, look flipping amazing.

8. Paperboy SD (69p)

Okay RetroHeads, get downloading this classic game from the golden era of videogames, the 1980s! Yes its Paperboy Special Delivery! Tilt the screen back and forward to speed up/slow down and touch left/right on screen arrows to steer and avoid obstacles like drunks, fireworks and tornados. Its even kept that oh so familiar soundtrack. Bonus!

9. Slingshot Racing (69p)

Now this game is my current favourite out of them all. Its a top down racer (think Micro Machines V4) and you guide your car around tracks by using a slingshot. Its a novel way of racing and it works well. As with the others, it looks like polished knees on happy bees too.

10. Hambo (free but upgrades are paid)

Rambo is a pig. Literally! Work out the best ricochet shot to shoot other pigs from platforms, this is nearly as addictive as Temple Run and definately worth a download. You can check out Highway Rider in the video below.

* Prices were correct at time of publishing.

Fists Over the Mirage

I Can See You

People over on Twitter are getting excited over some television show being aired for the first time in the UK tonight. I find this ever so sad. We used to be inspired by Shakespeare, Everest, the Oceans and the flight of birds. Now it is television that gets the people off. The death of Mankind. You think Dai Jakes overly dramatic? Not when one considers we shall never see the likes of Da Vinci ever again. Yes we still have brilliant inventors and innovators but by and large our (or rather yours as I dont watch) imaginations have been cut to the quick by the relentless tide of rubbish television, made worse by countless channels and the need to fill them. Anything can get on TV these days.
I won't belabour the fact because my views about television are quite clear and well known but after witnessing such blind fever over a mere television show, I can only reiterate my feelings on the subject. And despair at the hopelessness of it all. Talk about putting a gun to your head, the majority of people are willingly stupefying themselves without seeming to care one jot. Still I mustn't be too harsh on them because perhaps its their way of numbing the senses and they use television in the same way as others use alcohol and drugs.
Still, I find it very sad to think hardly anyone reads the classic novels anymore and prefer iPods and the like. True the great books are available to download from places like iBooks but who is it (apart from yours truly) that is reading them? Not many I would wager.
Do thyselves a big favour and bin the dreadful television (or watch less), your mind and imagination will thank you. It doesn't like to be spoonfed ideas you know.

***** ***** ***** *****

No doubt amazed a person could ever live without television (when most seem hoplessly addicted), a few folks have asked me if I miss it. Three words: dear God no! Why on earth would I? I switched off a while ago now, and feel much better for having pulled the plug. More free, less cluttered in ideas and this is what people don't realise, the sense of liberation one gets when not glued to a TV timetable/guide is fantastic, like a dense fog suddenly lifted from the spirit. I doubt I will ever go back to watching lobotovision, the bland programes and series on offer are just not worth it and I prefer fresh air and books. Hell I would even take another episode of alcohol cold turkey over it!
Life for me now is less than 1% television. I do watch the news once a day (but its more often radio I hear it) and I enjoy Sons Of Anarchy (although ive never watched it on the tube, DVD boxsets only). And regardless of what other people think (to be honest I doubt theyre still capable of honest thought), I am NOT missing a darned thing. Whatever silly show or drama series you could suggest to me, I could offer you a thousand times more in the works of Shakespeare for example, or simply by walking the countryside and gazing at red kites. Life is never made richer by flicking the remote control but try a book, a good book, and you will be amazed and perhaps even inspired (but small steps first).
Also never get it in your head and believe thay I am missing out on anything by my television abstinence. That is delusion at its finest and proving how good a job TV does of mashing your mind. It is the people who ignore the works of the immortal and great who are missing out but alas for around 75% they are forever lost, doomed to digital purgatory in a hell I would fear more than Dante's vision. Over the top? Yes I am prone to being OTT when I witness such wilful ignorance being displayed without shame and in such abundance. Unlike most I feel with my soul, not my skin therefore the stings from mortal folly burn me to my chore.
Of course now it sounds like I am lambasting television as the death of orignal ideas and I am but also from discovering my freedom and even after what Ive written here, everyone is free to follow whatever brings them pleasure and certainly I hold no malice or grudges againt anyone because I have no right (nor wish) to take away anyones entertainment. Each to their own. Stripped of all this wordy mass, I guess this is an appeal from a humble poet and writer to people to give literature another chance because from where I sit I only watch words being drowned by the deafening volume of television and its heartbreaking.

Olympic Fever in Carmarthen

Jail Hill gets in the mood

The Olympic Torch passed through Carmarthen yesterday and of course the Dai Jake's Book was there to see this fairly historic event. (Its a kind of a once in a lifetime deal). As you can see from the photographs and videos here, the weather was fabulous and the same can be said of the folks who turned up to cheer the torch on its way (Pembrokeshire and Aberystwyth after us).
Carmarthen Athletics ground and park (where we were) was buzzing with excitement and thanks to the brass band playing old classics, it all felt awfully British. Especially when the vintage cars rolled up, both Welsh and Union Jack flags flapping lazily from their bonnets.


Vintage British cars on show


And the band played on

The torch began its journey in Swansea and passed through (among others) Llanelli, Burry Port, Kidwelly, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Aberystwyth in order to spread a little Olympic fever around west Wales. Whatever you think of the forthcoming games in London (im not a big fan myself), there was no denying the 'feel good' factor in town yesterday.
Many thanks to my friend Hannah for that great close up shot of the torch (below).


Photo courtesy of Hannah Sian Griffiths Harries

I probably won't be watching much of London Olympics when it starts but I must admit that Dai Jakes enjoyed that community spirit yesterday. Our Wales fach did us proud and seeing the torch photographed against the equally historic old gaol is something very special indeed. Da Iawn pawb!


Mind the minor grumble

Only Fools Lose Tongues

Readers should know that I am extremely passionate about anything Welsh and belonging to Wales, and I am opposed to anything that will harm my great country so I had to cool off before composing this little piece. Drink in hand? Then I'll begin. So the Western Mail has come out and said that we would be wasting money by spending £400,000-a-year translating meetings held at the National Assembly into Welsh. Fine, let us have everything in Welsh then, afterall this is Wales not England.
Its quite frankly idiotic for this paper to suggest such things, especially when we are haemorrhaging money for things like the London Olympics and its downright offensive to proud Welshmen/women like myself who with every fibre of our being love Welsh, are Welsh, think Welsh, dream Welsh and will die Welsh. Im glad ive never bought the Western Mail for surely if I had I never would again. Contemptable rag!
Welsh was my first language and I attended Welsh schools where english was hardly heard and I am so glad of this. I believe any parent worth their halen should have their children speaking Welsh and I look dimly on those who don't. Other countries are proud of their mother tongues and so should we and how wonderful it sounds when I walk the streets of Carmarthen and Llanelli and hear Welsh being spoken by both young and old. It warms the Penclawdd cockles of my Celtic heart., it really does.
Think on this: Italy without Italian. Japan without Japanese. Wales without Welsh. How absurd! We should all be wanting to KEEP our language and those who don't like it ought to clear off to England. When you support Wales in rugby or football (or any other sport), you are not simply supporting a team. You are supporting the COUNTRY, all of it and that means the language too. Shame on those who would like to see our language wiped off signs and the like for surely you are helping to kill off something that should be part of your spirit. Indeed its alien for me to even consider harming the culture of Wales.
Embrace being Welsh! Cherish our rich history and if you or your children don't speak Welsh then learn it! And anyone who thinks differently, you know where the bridge is. Diolch am eich clustiau.

R.I.P. Robin

Robin Gibb passed sunday evening aged 62. His band the Bee Gees sold over 200 million records worldwide, and while I was never a fan in the usual sense of the word (I never owned any of their singles/albums), I did enjoy the more famous songs, which were impossible to ignore due to the fact radio would have been pretty bland without tunes like Staying Alive or Night Fever kicking out.
The Bee Gees crafted some of THE most catchiest songs this side of Heaven and while other popular bands like The Beatles and Queen failed to touch my soul (or even my inner earhole), those Gibb brothers did. Songs by the artists of today age in five minutes, but Bee Gees music are timeless. Check out the brilliant Tragedy video below to see what I mean.

Good night Robin, if you could make me want to disco then you were certainly doing it right.