The Wikipedia article for Rhondda’s Labour MP Leighton Andrews is being vandalised.
Interesting elements of Andrews’ career are being removed from the article only to be restored by conscientious editors.
It is like a virtual tug-o-war played out publically in a small niche of Welsh cyberspace.
So what is this Wikipedia thing ? Wikipedia is the world’s largest encyclopaedia and it’s all available for free online.
The encyclopaedia was created by a collaborative effort involving people from across the world.
If there isn’t an article on a noteworthy subject, then create it.
If you want to contribute or edit an article, you can.
Thus in the example of the Leighton Andrews article, certain facts have been removed.
References to political researcher David Taylor and Andrews’ previous political career as a prominent Liberal have been deleted, albeit temporarily.
The attempt to delete certain aspects of the Wikipedia article is totally futile. It reminds one of John Gilmore’s famous aphorism about the Net ‘routing around censorship’.
Perhaps we should leave the last words to Michael Meadowcraft former Liberal MP, friend and fellow campaign colleague to Leighton Andrews. He wrote an excellent essay on Leighton Andrews entitled “What’s he doing there?” opening thus :
In recent times, on being told of Leighton Andrews’ defection to Labour I’ve consistently dismissed it as being for too improbable. Indeed, to have done otherwise would have been akin to emulating Lewis Carroll’s White Queen who “sometimes believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” Leighton Andrews? The colleague who kept the rest of us in line. The solid, dependable comrade whose Liberal instincts and libertarian heart could always be trusted. The anorak wholly at ease with fellow Liberator revue satirists. The writer and editor whose solid work provided vital reference points. The intellectual Liberal prepared to take on David Owen and all comers at radical conferences. The friend as responsible as any for the tactics which got me elected in 1983. Impossible!
Leighton Andrews article on Wikipedia
Blaenau Gwent Labour Party have selected Keren Bender as the Labour candidate for next year’s Assembly elections. No Viagra salesman this time instead Blaenau Gwent have decided to experiment with a good old-fashioned socialist!
It is far easier to admit to being a crack-addict or sacrificing goats on Valleys mountain tops than to admit to believing in socialism in today’s Labour Party. All credit to Blaenau gwent Labour Party on electing some one who, at least, claims to be a socialist.
Fifty-year old Bender from Cwm is an official for the steel Union Community. After her selection she promised to “stand for traditional socialist values of quality jobs, rights at work and world-class public services here in the community”.
How will Ms Bender fare at the election? It’ll be a tough test… remember June 2006.
Here’s some free wisdom gleaned from Trish Law, the current incumbent, speaking at the Assembly Debate on the Draft Budget in late October 2006 ….
“All I heard throughout the last by-election—and just remember that I was there before many of you for next year—was that New Labour is more Tory than the Tories.” – Trish Law AM – click here to read the whole debate at the Assembly’s website.
The friendly sing-song voice of Roy Noble may become a feature of Aberdare town if campaigners are given permission to erect an innovative multimedia statue in Market Street.
Local campaign group Up Aberdare! are co-ordinating the efforts to bring a new landmark to Aberdare town centre marking the contribution Roy Noble has made to Aberdare and to comedy. Locals have already dubbed the statue project ‘Roy Noble’s Erection’.
At a recent public meeting a draft design for the statue was unveiled and a spokesperson for Up Aberdare! claimed “this is the most advanced multimedia statue of its kind in the world. It comes with a full-spectrum infrared remote control system. The head on the statue can be programmed to express over two different facial gestures… sadness and happiness.”
“Roy Noble the Statue – has a poly-sensory feedback system. It can pick up verbal feedback from passers-by as well as visual feedback. And if you kick or touch the statue, it can also react. Roy the Statue is not going to be stiff… he’s fun.”
“Roy Noble the Statue will be manufactured within an ISO9000 factory… in Turkmenistan. He will be fully bi-lingual capable of broadcasting in English and Welsh. The Welsh Language Board have been very supportive and their colleagues in the Welsh Language Society have given their ‘blessing’.”
“We aim to embed a camera in every crack and crevice of Roy Noble the Statue… from his toes to his toupe. We can then cast a flow of images to a variety of audiences… broadcast on mainstream television like the BBC or narrowcast on the Web to a select audience.”
“Our sound engineers have succeeded in perfectly replicating the chirpy chappy sound of Roy Noble… the one we’re all very familiar with. He – or rather IT – can speak, tell jokes, sing songs, read poetry, give a weather forecast, make a traffic announcement, even give a firm verbal warning to any drunken revellers in Market Street that might try to relieve themselves on him.”
“Don’t be fooled by that cheeky charm of Roy Noble… behind that genial fascade lies the mind of Wales’ greatest comic genius. Roy Noble the Statue will try – we can but try! – to reach the same lofty heights of humour. Research scientists at Cardiff University’s Sociology Department have produced a Welsh comedy algorithm after decades of research into this esoteric subject. This new algorithm will be at the heart of the art we hope Roy Noble the Statue will manufacture in Market Street, Aberdare. ”
“We believe in ‘comedy for the masses’ and who better than Roy Noble to bring mirth directly into the Valleys town of Aberdare,” said Up Aberdare! “There is no manufacturing industry left worthy of the name in Cynon Valley. It’s all been outsourced. We’ve been downsized. We can but craft a bit of comedy to cheer ourselves”.
Rhondda Cynon Taff Council Leader Rusty Roberts said : “It looks good, bach. Think of all those stinking rich Jap tourists we could bring to Aberdare. They do love those techno gizmo thingies, yes. And of course we could use it to sell the Council and the Party… err… you didn’t record that bit did you, bach ? I mean we could use it to market Rhondda Cynon Taff to potential investors.”
Up Aberdare! ended the public meeting by praising Roy Noble’s contribution to comedy and his sheer versatility as a performer.
BBC Radio Cymru C2 have organised a big music gig at Cwmaman Institute for FRIDAY 10th FEBRUARY at 8pm.
Welsh-language bands Ashokan and Mattoidz will feature along with local punk rock band Naked Threat.
The BBC Wales Roadshow will be at Michael Sobells Leisure Centre on Sunday 22 January 2006, between 10am – 4pm
Entry is Free – Just Turn up
This is the start of three months of events, programmes and shows that will take place in and around Aberdare – part of BBC Wales’ Here For You.
Come and see Stuart Cable launch a search for new bands.
Share your consumer problems with the X-Ray team.
From BBC Radio Wales meet Roy Noble, Owen Money, and Chris Needs
Plus have a go at football commentating with Match of the Day’s Ian Gwyn Hughes, and from CBeebies meet the Bobinogs.
