The battle to prevent Bristol's airport from blowing the South West's carbon budget out of the skies is gathering pace - Stansted, Coventry and now Manchester airport all having their masterplans rejected. The Independent today notes that Stop Bristol Airport Expansion campaign as "one of the most impressive protest groups" - with a planning application expected within months the temperature is rising...

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article2750502.ece read full story / add a comment

North Somerset's recently been exposed for dumping thousands of its library books in recycling bins. It's also flogging off many more at bargain-basement prices. In fact I recently bought a pristine hardback copy of Noam Chomsky's "Failed States" - published less than 12 months ago - for just 30p from the council's public library in Portishead. A bargain for me, but a shame that others now won't be able to study Chomsky's incisive analysis on the USA as a failed state and Iran's nuclear ambitions.
MR read full story / add a comment

Assistance for information on my Great Uncle from Shepton Mallet who died at Gallipoli and Reakes family of Shepton Mallet (originally from Evercreech, Somerset. read full story / add a comment

Vieux Farka Toure, son of Grammy-winning guitarist Ali, brings his full band to the UK for his first UK headline gig, and in a world exclusive, is joined by Pee Wee Ellis, legendary saxophonist to James Brown, for their first ever performance together. Sunday 8th July 2007, Cheese & Grain, Frome, Somerset. read full story / add a comment

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=455953&in_page_id=1770

"Horses, many people will say, are noble beasts, unwavering friends and servants to man for millennia, and with a highly developed set of emotional characteristics.

Yet two British abattoirs are known to deal with the bulk of these animals - one is known as Turners and is close to the Cheshire town of Nantwich, and the other is L.J. Potter, which uses premises in Taunton, Somerset." read full story / add a comment

For the eleventh Boycott P&G Day organised by Uncaged Campaigns, www.uncaged.co.uk, TARA will be running a stall in the high street to collect petitions and raise awareness about hosuehold products that are tested on animals, and how to avoid them.

Material will mainly be focussed on those listed above, as well as other BUAV campaigns and Botox Horror, Save The Goats & SHAC.

We also have P&G bags to give away for FREE to spread the boycott with pride.

For more information or to help out get in contact with us.Activists will also be spending the day collecting signatures elsewhere in town.

For the animals, read full story / add a comment

Campaigners have branded the new ten year safety license given to Hinkley Point B as outrageous and questioned if political motives are at play. read full story / add a comment

Newly released figures show that Burnham North has suffered a seventy percent excess of breast cancer mortality over the decade to 2005. read full story / add a comment

To mark World Week for Animals in Laboratories, April 22nd-28th, Taunton based activists will be out for two days of demos in solidarity with campaigners across the globe, every animal that has died in labs and each that are currently suffering under the hands of vivisectors. read full story / add a comment

Despite the Commons vote of 14th March in favour of Trident Renewal, it is vital to keep the debate open on Britain’s position on nuclear weapons. The next Review Conference on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is due in 2010.

The pressure for Tony Blair to justify this rushed decision must be increased, as a lot of questions remain unanswered.

How can we justify spending up to £75 billion on this weapon system and what use is it against a terrorist threat? How can it be independent when the system is controlled by the USA?

What message does our renewal of Trident send to other countries trying to acquire the nuclear bomb?

Should the UK not be seeking to abide by the nuclear non-proliferation treaty rather than breaking it?

Join the debate at Wells Town Hall on Thursday 26th April at 7.30.

Speakers include Dr Richard Lawson (Green Party) and Tessa Munt (CND). read full story / add a comment

A meeting of Somerset Tories has concluded that the current Labour Government will not complete its full-term. While the Tories have not changed their agenda at all (still racist, still anti-working class) and news reports of Cameron's plans to save the NHS are a smokescreen, the Labour Governement is seen as ripe for the taking. Tony Blair's standing-down as Prime Minister will be the signal for concerted media attacks on whoever replaces him, with influential dailies including the Rupert Murdoch owned newspapers leading the call for the Tories to be returned to power. 'We are confident of victory in the next General Election' said one source.' If Labour make it to 2009, we'll be surprised. Nu-Labour has moved so far to the right that Middle England will hardly notice the difference.' read full story / add a comment

Tesco,s affect on the Shepton Mallet war memorial read full story / add a comment

Is it right that Tescos of Shepton Mallet have the right to move our War Memorial. After all Somerset Highways said that there was no problem. But they have changed the plans five times for the road scheme can this be right ? what is it coming to when a supermarket can decide to move our ancient monuments ? I dont think so read full story / add a comment

Caroline Barry's straw-bale house, which she spent eight years fighting to get permission for, burnt down under suspicious circumstances last month. An appeal for funds has been launched. read full story / add a comment

On the Avon and Somerset police website it explains that Avon and Somerset's present Chief Constable Colin Port headed an 'independent' investigation into the 1999 car-bombing and murder of Republican lawyer Rosemary Nelson.
Colin Port's web page explains, "Between 1999 and 2002 he was seconded to Northern Ireland to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Rosemary Nelson." read full story / add a comment

Hi,
the cider squirrel syndicate, occupants of the studioQautonamous village are embarking on a new project for which we are calling for support. the intention is to occupy a space in central Bridgwater to use as a vegan cafe cum social centre. We Want to include a library, computer/publishing workshops, juggling club, radikal cinema and a space for art and fundraisers and parties. We are calling out for any help indymedians can offer-from donations of food, equipment, literature, movies, labour, paint, electrical equipment, plates cups teabags, allotment space, smiles, advice, timber ANYTHING. We project is to be self sustaining through donations, fundraisers and sheer barefaced determination. At present we have 0 pounds for the project so anything you can help provide will enable us to create the space our dying town is crying out for. Anyone who can help or would like more info get in touch on mookdetat@hotmail.com

Thanks all

happy resisting x read full story / add a comment

I saw this beautiful video of starlings flocking at Westhay nature reserve on the net - check it out, and draw inspiration. read full story / add a comment

A new collective of activists in the sedgemoor area have begun publishing a free local paper in response to the twisted 'local(!?)' press setting a shockingly poor agenda for the people of Bridgwater to march along to. We publish pretty much anything as long as it isnt homophobic, racist, sexist, speciesist etc. Please get involved. We need DTPers, writers, journos, photos event listings and all sorts of other wonderful things. To get involved or request issues the e-mail medialiberationlab@yahoo.co.uk. peace x read full story / add a comment

This image was taken from the top of Glastonbury Tor on Wed 20th September. The entire area was covered in a thick blanket of fog, which only cleared in the final feet walking up to the Tor. At the top of the Tor it was a bright sunny day, while freezing fog surrounded it on all sides. The image you can see can be mistaken as the Tor at a distance on an overcast day, but I was myself on top of the Tor, with the image cast back onto the fog as a huge shadow by the bright sun, itself low enough in the sky to achieve this effect, and about to go down. read full story / add a comment

Questions have been raised over whether Bristol International Airport’s (BIA) assessment of the amount of extra traffic its expansion will cause can be used as evidence to back up its plans for expansion. A series of flaws and inconsistencies revealed in an independent review from a professional traffic consultancy indicate a number of problem areas in the airport’s traffic forecasts. read full story / add a comment