The evening post runs a story today about Nigel Watson-Clark, the 'Saltford oil worker taken hostage in Nigeria'.

However, the BBC run a slightly different version of the story: he was a former marine and member of an "elite security team who guard the country's oil rigs", i.e. a mercenary. Watson-Clark was taken hostage ten days ago after an assault on a Shell oil platform in Nigeria by armed ethnic Ijaw militia. He has been threatened with death if the demands of his captors are not met. read full story / add a comment

Ten universities in the USA and Europe ban Coca-Cola due to alleged links with paramilitaries - I post this here as Bristol has see lots of Colombia related activity, such as protests against Colombian Vice President when he came to Bristol and the case of Lina & Miguel, seeking sanctuary in the city from their homelands violence. read full story / add a comment

With Worst Bus in the news again with more price rises, passengers might be interested in the letter below.

The letter from the Public Transport Group is in response to my request to my councillor to do something about First Group's price rises. Since I received the letter, prices have risen again, on 11 December.

The council states, "First certainly do not have any public service obligations". So forget that old fashioned idea about it being a public transport service, then. But what obligations do they have? Simple, stupid: "their principal 'driving' obligation is to return a level of profit to meet the expectations of their shareholders".

With First's chief exec. Moir Lockhead earning a tidy £575,000 and pre-tax profit of £166m, what are our elected representatives and their officers going to do about the price hikes? The council "regret to advise that is not an issue on which First are susceptible to any form of local political pressure". So why bother even trying, eh? read full story / add a comment

Come along 1pm to Broadmead, meeting outside Vodafone shop in centre to sing some more anti-consumerist carols following on from recent singing at Buy nothing day and critical mass, more planned for next saturday... work those vocals read full story / add a comment

Anti-Consumerist Carol words. read full story / add a comment

With a mere 20 days of shopping until Christmas, the tension is mounting. The shops are full of xmas decs, the xmas lights are doing their bit for global warming, and the media is full of promos for this or that product or xmas-related event – especially aimed at our kids, and our egos, of course. read full story / add a comment

To me the images of broadmead shopping centre seem to epitomize identi-kit shopping developments. read full story / add a comment

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Many BME people and people with a sense of conscience are offended that the private developers of Broadmead have named it so innapropriately and without any proper consultation. read full story / add a comment

Recent research by Bristol Campaign Against Arms Trade has documented the links between Bristol University and the arms trade. Here, Maeve Keane and Anna Stavrianakis question whether as an institution run for the public good, Bristol University should have an ethical policy about what it invests in. read full story / add a comment

Evil multinational *BECHTEL* are holding a Bristol university graduate recruiting bash at the Hawthorns on Woodland road on Wednesday 16th November at 18.30. read full story / add a comment

You may be interested in an event in Bristol on 27 October 6:30 - 9:30 pm which provides a great opportunity to raise Nestle malpractice! read full story / add a comment

Anti Mcdonalds global day of action. Sunday 16th October. read full story / add a comment

Five people, arrested for peacefully blockading Sainsbury's distribution depot in an attempt to stop the sale of GM fed milk and meat, will be appearing in Avon Magistrates court. The three day trial starts on Monday 10th October in Yate, just outside of Bristol. There will be a half an hour long demo outside the court at 9am on Monday morning to support those on trial and to create a photo opportunity for the press. read full story / add a comment

ROLLS ROYCE VICTIMISE TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVE read full story / add a comment