An online action for interested parties. read full story / add a comment

The first ID cards will start to be used from late November. read full story / add a comment

A Mock Olympics was held today on College Green. The aim of the event was to remind people, amidst the hype of the Beijing olympics, of the Chinese government's sordid record when it comes to relations with Tibet, and with its own population.
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Since 2006 there has been an ongoing review of services for birth and the newborn across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The review is currently asking for feed-back from the general public. We have until 17th October to express our opinion on this issue. read full story / add a comment

The genesis of this piece was the discussion on this newswire about attacks on the cycle path in Easton. What particularly struck me about these attacks was that people referred to the attackers as `groups of kids'. Why would children do this? Well I've got no answers but this piece outlines the trail that my thoughts have taken in the weeks since reading the discussion... read full story / add a comment

I spent half of yesterday participating in the Refugee Week football tournament at Netham Park in Refield. I joined a bunch of other people playing for the Refugee Action team.... and getting repeatedly, and soundly, beaten. read full story / add a comment

I want to alert Bristolians to a couple of campaigns that are happening right now. Both relate to India and both are of particular interest in that they are using the technique of fasting as a way of drawing attention to the struggle. I have pledged to support the first campaign by participating in the fast; others may be interested in how they can offer their support.
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In a recent judicial review, the government was found to have acted unlawfully in stopping the SFO investigation into corruption at BAe Systems. The government's response is not, it seems, to re-open the investigation but to draft a bill (the Constitutional Renewal Bill) giving themselves the power to stop such investigations in the future. read full story / add a comment

This story doesn't have too much to do with Bristol. Except that, as the Buddha would say, we're all fundamentally interconnected. Or, to put it another way, one woman's waste is another woman's garden furniture.

And maybe the pics will help to stoke the fire in your bellin... read full story / add a comment

I recently moved from Bristol to India. Looking back on my time in Bristol it is clear that, for all the bad press, a lot of people still had a sneaking suspicion that Western corporations are making some sort of contribution to improving the lot of people in the third world. Let me present a counter-example. read full story / add a comment

I recently moved from Bristol to India. This is an article about my first impressions - given that it's not all that local it'll be the only article I publish on this wire... But I thought some people might be interested. read full story / add a comment

Last week-end I toddled up from Bristol to London to participate in a peace camp in Parliament Square. The camp lasted from noon Saturday until noon Thursday, straddling the death throes of the Blair administration and the early wailings of the Brown era (“The King is dead! Long live the… errrm. No, actually, down with the next king too!”) read full story / add a comment

The Morning Star published a version of this article a couple of weeks ago. It describes the successful campaign against publishing house Reed-Elsevier's involvement in the arms trade. People involved in other similar campaigns may be interested to hear what methods were used - methods that ultimately lead to a successful conclusion. A number of Bristol people participated in the campaign. read full story / add a comment

Two recent discussions on this newswire have got me to thinking. The first was in response to an (overpriced) lecture on “happiness” which readers tended to think was expensive middle-class wankery; the second was in response to a promotion of Kebele’s chess club which readers tended to think was an indication of Kebele’s hard core going soft.

Clearly there is a lot of concern when people are seen to be “taking their eye off the ball” and indulging themselves. In the face of a relentlessly oppressive social system we must not lose any opportunity to work for revolution…

Fair enough, but clearly there are times when we should take a step back from non-stop action and campaigning in order to consider some of the implications of what we are trying to do. So, in no particular order, here are some of my recent thoughts: read full story / add a comment

There are a number of good Bristol folk doing fine things to protest against the misery caused by the arms trade. Take a look at this for instance:
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=26245 read full story / add a comment

Last night a very interesting couple of talks took place in the Redlands Friends Meeting House, organised by the Bristol Campaign Against the Arms Trade (Bristol CAAT). read full story / add a comment

Two hundred years ago the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed by British parliament. There has been much debate around Bristol, a city whose past is inextricably linked to the slave trade, about how to commemorate this event. I want to recommend several books that bring to light some of the horrors of that awful trade, the legacy of which still stains the society in which we live today... read full story / add a comment

This afternoon about thirty people participated in a demonstration of support for two asylum seekers. This demonstration was announced at very short notice after people heard of the plight of these two men. See the original IndyMedia article:
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25854 read full story / add a comment

I just received notice of a protest this afternoon; it is in support of the asylum application of two long -term Bristol residents.. read full story / add a comment

Another update from Mirian and Alan, the Bristol couple currently teaching in Nablus, Palestine. An extract of their most recent update is below - they describe their daily walk to work... The full text can be found here:
http://witenagemot800.blogspot.com/ read full story / add a comment