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Welsh Celebrities Charlotte and Gavin Make Headlines
By EIFION WILLIAMS
Former teenage singing sensation Charlotte Church has admitted in a recent Heat magazine interview that she "likes to go out on the lash." The phrase is the current teen euphemism for going out for an evening with the avowed intention of getting absolutely drunk.
It seems that Charlotte has become a role model for the current epidemic of youthful binge-drinking in Britain. The increased consumption of alcohol by teenagers has led to an increase in violent and "yobbish" behaviour in cities and towns throughout Britain, to the extent that law-abiding citizens are fearful of being in some downtown areas after the pubs close.
And lest anyone doubt the meaning of binge-drinking, Charlotte admits to drinking a Cheeky Vim to - a mix consisting of a double port and abottle of WKD Blue, a vodka-based alcopop - at home, before going out and downing 10 double vodkas. "Then I'm pretty much KO'd" she says.
Since her eighteenth birthday, tabloid newspapers have given extensive coverage to Charlotte's alcohol-fuelled nights. Yet she also says in the Heat interview, "I don't actually like alcohol. If I'm having a meal, I'll have lemonade. The only time I drink is to get pissed and dance like a crazy woman."
Meanwhile, her current boyfriend, Welsh international rugby star Gavin Henson, insists "I'm not a heavy drinker, and half the time when I go out I don't even drink."
To his dismay, Henson was not selected for the British and Irish Lions team which lost the First Test 21-3 against the New Zealand All Blacks on June 25. Lions' coach Sir Clive Woodward might have regretted his decision after Henson scored two tries in the 26-16 victory over Southland earlier in the week.
There was uproar among Welsh rugby fans when Woodward chose only four Welsh players from the team that won the Six Nations Grand Slam, while choosing eight English players.
The Welsh newspaper Western Mail editorialized before the first test: "We speak on behalf of the nation. Sir Clive Woodward has created a ticking time bomb. And it is one which is set to explode in his face if the British Lions side he has picked for Saturday's opener fail against New Zealand."
The time bomb exploded in Woodward's face with a vengeance. Welsh fans now wait in anticipation to see if more Welsh players, including Henson, are selected for the remaining Tests. The Welsh fans have been somewhat mollified by the fact that Gareth Thomas has been appointed the Lions captain to replace Irish centre Brian O'Driscoll, who was forced to withdraw from the rest of the Lions' tour after an atrocious tackle by two members of the All Blacks side.
Whatever happens, one certainty is that the exploits of Charlotte Church and Gavin Henson will continue to provide fodder for the media and satisfy the newly-discovered demand by the Welsh for their very own celebrities.
Watchdog Opposes British ID Cards
LONDON - The ID card scheme could turn Britain into a "surveillance society," the British government's own watchdog has warned. Information Commissioner Richard Thomas condemned the project as "excessive and disproportionate" and said it would allow civil servants to build a detailed picture of how every adult lives.
The criticism came as Prime Minister Tony Blair said he would drop the controversial scheme if costs began to spiral out of control. He refused to put a cap on the possible cost of the microchip cards but dismissed a new independent report which put the total price tag at up to £19.2 billion.
Blair said identity cards were "an idea whose time has come." On the eve of the second reading debate on the Identity Card Bill, Thomas urged MPs to consider the impact of the government creating a huge data bank of personal details.
The data protection watchdog group said the plans had to be looked at alongside other developments such as the use of CCTV with automatic facial recognition, automatic number plate recognition and proposals for the satellite tracking of vehicles for road use charging.
A paper by the commissioner expressed concern "that each development puts in place another component in the infrastructure of a surveillance society. To avoid this it is important that each component limits to the minimum the recording of information about individuals, otherwise, we risk unleashing unwarranted intrusion into individuals' lives by government and other public bodies," it read.
"The measures in the bill go well beyond establishing a secure, reliable and trustworthy ID card. The measures in relation to the national identity register and data trail of identity checks on individuals risk an unnecessary and disproportionate intrusion into individuals' privacy."
A new study by academics at the London School of Economics estimated that rolling out the high-tech scheme would cost a minimum of £10.6 billion - without technical problems or overruns - and could spiral to £19.2 billion.
Cambrian Hall Roof Repairs Completed
By EIFION WILLIAMS
VANCOUVER - Thanks to the generous contributions of individual Welsh Society members and friends and the financial support of fellow Welsh organizations, repairs to the Cambrian Hall roof have now been completed.
Individual donations were received from all over British Columbia, from Washington State and from as far away as Wales, to help maintain the integrity of the Vancouver heritage site. The Society also benefited from last fall's concert by the Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir and are looking forward to an upcoming benefit concert by the Vancouver Orpheus Choir on November 5 this year.
The Welsh Society Executive has expressed its gratitude to Society Vice-President Barrie Hancock for his efforts in raising funds. At the last Welsh Society General Meeting, the members also expressed their gratitude to Executive member Allan Hunter for his efforts in monitoring the bidding process and the progress of roof repairs. The Society now plans to upgrade the interior of the hall. It is anticipated that much of this work will be done by volunteer labour.
The Annual Welsh Society Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday July 16 at the Poppy Estates Golf Course in Aldergrove. The entry fee is 065, to include green fees, dinner and prizes. Anyone wishing to participate should contact Gwyn Evans at (604) 271-3134 or Tecwyn Roberts at (604) 464-2760.
Rugby enthusiasts will be interested in a planned large-screen presentation of Highlights of the Grand Slam to be held at the Red Dragon in the Cambrian Hall on September 16.
This is a 93-minute synopsis of last season's Six Nations international games culminating in Wales' Grand Slam victory over Ireland at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in March. There will be more information on this event in the September issue oiThe Celtic Connection.
Meanwhile, Welsh Society members are busy planning what promises to be a busy season of fall events. The Anniversary Dinner will be held on October 15 and a Welsh Weekend is planned for early November; the highlight of which will be the concert by the Vancouver Orpheus Choir on November 5. A Gymanfa Ganu (Singing Festival)including a guest conductor will follow in November .
Traditional Welsh Society Christmas events will include the Annual Christmas Dinner, a mulled wine evening, and a reading oiA Child's Christmas in Wales; dates are to be announced later.
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