Wales still exists. Contrary to the Welsh media, our nationhood has not been renounced. Yes, the Welsh love hearing about Beckhams injury (feeding our inner desires to be English, of course), but still, we do expect to feature in the first 6 pages of our national press, occasionally.

So, please don't be mystified by Wales' fervent support for England's opponents.
An English World Cup victory would end Welsh news reporting for the next thirty-odd years.

Welsh proud to be Welsh

On a more positive note, Wales is the proudest nation in Britain. A whopping 94% of respondents to a Nationwide survey were proud (or fairly proud) to be Welsh. The Scottish and English came second and third, respectively.
Apparently, the remaining 6% were too preoccupied with Manchester United and Liverpool to care about Wales.

Continuing the good news, the only European country without a children's hospital (that's us by the way) may finally get one. Veteran dope smoker, Beefy Botham, will trek 230 miles from Machynlleth to Cardiff to raise cash for the venture. Zeta Jones and Church are also taking part on the final push - 2 bloody miles from the Bay to the castle. Watch you don't wear yourselves out, luvvies.

Royals not all dead and burried

Moving away from worthy causes, we turn to the Royals. Wales has more requests for Jubilee parties than anywhere else in the UK. How embarrassing. For a progressive country that kicked out all the Tory MP's and voted for an assembly, why do so many cling to the remnants of an outdated institution? Your guess is as good as mine.

Talking of embarrassments, Neil Kinnock's been in the news again. The Labour failure and EU Commissioner says Welsh people would pay higher taxes for better public services. What right does this absentee Welshman, the beneficiary of Tory patronage, have to comment on socialist principles in Wales? Get back on the gravy train to your Ivory Tower in Brussels, Neil, we don't appreciate your comments anymore.

Cardiff on-course for Premiership

In sport, Welsh football is on the up (well, Cardiff football is anyway). After taking our best team award, Cardiff finally gained a place in the play-offs. They're bound to get promoted, honestly. Then the Premiership. Sam's winding us up by saying it'll take 15 years - 2006 at the latest. Cardiff is the best city in the UK, by a mile. What we need now is a football team to match. We're getting there.

Plaudits to Ponty

Finally, congratulations to Ponty. They toppled Arms-Park Aristocrats - the team of so-called internationals - 31-25 in the Welsh Cup Semi's. Neutrals will be hoping they can go one better.
They've defied the cash-gap once.
Who's to say they can't do it again?