many thanks bill

today i must offer my thanks to bill jones, who has allowed me to borrow (welsh translation, lend)the full series of thirteen episodes of 'the dragon has two tongues'. this was first broadcast in the mid '80s, 1985 i think, and it either was repeated or it was broadcast in the summer, because i was a student in Stoke at the time.I think it was probably the first time that i became aware of the power of a disciplined mind, and that mind belonged to Professor Gwyn Alf Williams. had i not dropped out from the history of our kings and queens, and from the spinning jenny and the raddling nancy (source: blackadder 3) then i think it may have tempted me to pursue an alternative academic career. however it was too late for that, the die was cast. it was also presented by that arch-functionalist, wynford vaughn thomas, a man whose face darkened my screen through much of my early televisual life. i didn't really know what functionalism was back then, not having been introduced to this until my haralambos-dominated sociology course began, but it always struck me that his history was one dominated by a lack of conflict. on re-watching this magnificent series, my blood boils once again. i'm currently on part 11 of 13, wish me luck on getting to 13 in one piece.

cheers

wayne