Most recognised man on the planet

You rarely see them together, and some say that they have merged to a certain degree. I say, if you work together, then why not holiday... I mean, represent Wales together. Yes... the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for Wales have held hands across the pond, and taken in a spot of diplomatic/touristic/joint ministerial venture in the USA.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has presented a tribute from Wales to one of the most famous sportsmen ever - former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali is the ‘favourite son’ of Louisville, Kentucky - location of the 2008 Ryder Cup competition at the Valhalla course - and he and Mrs Lonnie Ali met a Welsh delegation at an official “Muhammad Ali Welcomes the World to Louisville" event.

Mr Jones said:

Muhammad Ali [insert name here when applicable] has been an inspiration to many in my generation - and it is a great privilege to meet him in person.

We have produced our own crop of boxing greats - from Tommy Farr, the 'Tonypandy Terror’, who fought Joe Louis back in 1937 [well done Assembly Researchers], to Joe Calzaghe, a champion in our own days. Wales has followed Muhammad Ali's career in the ring with great excitement and empathy.

The meeting was one of the highlights of an official visit to the United States this week which marks the official handover of responsibility for the Ryder Cup to Wales in 2010. It took place in the Muhammad Ali Centre, Louisville, which promotes his legacy to future generations and shares the stories, and lessons from his life, with the world. During the evening, Mr Jones presented the former champion with a special Muhammad Ali 'Grogg' from Pontypridd.

Muhammad Ali is described as still ‘the most recognizable man on earth’. Over forty years after he burst on to the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, he remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.His success as a boxer is widely respected, but Ali's greatest triumph lies in his legacy as a champion, leader, humanitarian, and artist. His work both inside and outside the ring truly makes Muhammad Ali "The Greatest of All Time."

There's only one Plaid member that's hoping to move up/down a weight or two. All rumours and propaganda of course, but the most recognised man in Plaid Cymru, the part-time philosopher-politician himself would make a welcome addition to the corner of Plaid Cymru in most corners of Wales.

Whatever it takes is too little, too late

Gordon Brown has opened Labour's annual conference in Manchester with a pledge to do "whatever it takes" to sort out Britain's financial system.

One delegate stood up to urge party unity - a reference to the 13 Labour MPs who have publicly called for a leadership election [He'll be getting something worthwhile when Gordon leaves Downing street!] - and in a show of unity from the platform the prime minister was praised by several cabinet colleagues who said voters would not understand "navel gazing" at a time of economic turbulence.

Although there is a tendency to blame Wales' Labour problems on 'New Labour' rather than Welsh Labour, First Minister Rhodri Morgan, a long-standing ally of Mr Brown’s, has recently said:

I have been astonished by the outbursts of quite a small handful of people, MPs including one Minister of State. To think that you would want, in the middle of the worst financial storm I can remember, to change leader is absolutely insane.

I really do question their judgement, I think they are quite wrong. We need to batten down the hatches and deal with this crisis that’s affected the entire world. This is a global financial crisis, and this is just a diversion from the difficult issues we need to deal with.

Never a truer word has been spoken. Why change a leader during a crisis? If that principle was packaged, stamped with a daffodil/dragon motif and transported to Wales, Rhodri would've been replaced several times over by now.

True to form and still hiding his head in the sand - although the sand is further afield than usual - Mr Morgan said it was clear voters were blaming the Government for the economic downturn.

It’s always the government’s fault. It’s an iron law of politics, if times are tough, you can’t get a mortgage, banks are toppling in America, you get a feel-bad factor and people blame the government.

The general public think more deeply than than Mr Morgan. If you patronise us, we'll patronise you. Off to sleep with a cup of cocoa and chocolate digestive (without the chocolate of course) and dream of better times.

Thinking about it, make that a glass of water (tap, not bottle in Cathays Park), as you made so much of your 'life changing moment' last year. Bring on the new man with fresh and reconstituted ideas.