West Lothian SSP are holding a stall in Livingston on the 10th of feb @ 1pm outside the Almondvale shopping centre (opp. the bank of Scotland). Former MSP Colin Fox will be there and will be happy to answer all your queries. Please come along and meet the branch members and 2010 election candidate Ally Hendry.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The racist thugs of the "Scottish" Defence League are planning to march in Edinburgh on the 20th of February.

This needs to be challenged.

There have been a few meetings in Edinburgh already. It would seem only fair to have a meeting in Glasgow. As this is not just a problem for Edinburgh, but for all of us.

www.facebook.com/home.php

www.edinburghantifascist.org.uk

The campaign against the tender process for care and support services has achieved a huge success as the tender will now be scrapped.
However, we stand to lose much of these gains if the Council's plans to set rates for Direct Payments and Service Level Agreements at £15.04 per hour are agreed at Thursday's Full Council meeting.
We need everyone to act now - if we lose the vote on Thursday it will mean a 17.5% cut for the services that were put out to tender. Once approved by full council there will be nowhere left to go (except costly legal challenges).
Please take some time this week to take action - we have won a vote at the full council meeting before - we can do it again but it needs pressure from all of us.
Please read on for what you can do;

Lobby the Council 9am this Thursday 11th Feb 9am
Come along to the full Council meeting and make your feelings felt. The meeting starts at 10am so come along for 9 and bring placards / banners etc.

Full story here

This Thursday 11th February 6.30pm we'll watch

"Central station"
(Portuguese: Central do Brasil) is an Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning 1998 drama film set in Brazil. It tells the story of a young boy's friendship with a jaded middle-aged woman. The movie was adapted by Marcos Bernstein and João Emanuel Carneiro from a story by Walter Salles and it was directed by Salles. It features Fernanda Montenegro and Vinícius de Oliveira in the major roles. It was an international co-production between Brazil and France. The film's title in Portuguese, Central do Brasil, is the name of Rio de Janeiro's main railway station. The film premiered at the 1998 Berlin International Film Festival.

It will be in ALP/Tollcross Community centre, 117 Fountainbridge.

More info beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

This Friday 12th February we will have a spanish cinema session at 6.OOpm in ALP Tollcross Community Centre 117 Fountainbridge. We will watch the spanish movie "Mesaka", with english subtitles, so please come along and invite your friends, it is FREE!

INFO ABOUT THE MOVIE:
Set against the backdrop of Madrid's sizzling urban rock 'n roll scene, Mensaka is a spicy tale of a group of young aspiring musicians trying to strike it rich, while holding on to their creative ideals and friendships. David is a mensaka (motorbike messenger) who also plays drums in a band with the handsome Fran and Javier. The band is on the verge of signing a record contract with a sleazy agent, but tempers flare over their being promoted as young urban poets. David refuses to compromise their rough-edged sound while Fran cares less about the music then filling his quota of pretty female groupies behind his girlfriend's back. As david, Fran and Javi struggle to find their professional identities, each also faces the changing demands of their personal relationships; david with Bea, Fran with Natalia, and Javi with Cristina making Mensaka a film which is "perceptive about the emotional chaos that accomapnies the Great Leap Forward into adulthood; about the patience of the girls while the boys are painfully discovering who they are; and the way that money can convert teen rebellion into pop pulp.

More information beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

1.30pm
CCA
350 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow
G2 3JD

Free for all asylum seekers
£3 for everyone else!

Unity in the Community in association with the Centre for Contemporary Arts are very pleased to announce that on Saturday 13th February we will be showing Bleeding Rose winner of the Best Nigerian Feature Film award at the 2007 Lagos International Film Festival. A smash hit horror movie from Nigeria!


BLEEDING ROSE: Directed by Chucks Mordi: 2007: 1h22m: in English: Certificate 15

Ignoring all warnings, Prof Eugene goes ahead in search of a plant, Bryophyte, believed to be found in a humid virgin forest in the tropics. This, he claims, could hold the answer to a pharmaceutical quest for a new healing balm.Dispatching five of his top botany students to the forest of Agbabiaka, he basks in the euphoria of their anticipated success. Out in the forest,love is kindled, villages are unsettled, mysteries are unveiled, death is triggered, war looms and back at the university Prof Eugene loses his sanity.

Starring: OLU JACOBS and KATE HENSHAW NUTTALL

Winner of the Best Nigerian Feature Film at the 2007 Lagos International Film Festival, Bleeding Rose is quintessential low-budget Nollywood,

Please note this film is only for persons aged 15 and over.

Dear all,

On Saturday 13th February we will be holding our "AGM" at the Glasgow Social Centre 66-68 Osborne Street.

As a contributor/user/visitor etc. we would be really pleased to see you on the 13th.

We will be presenting what we have done since our beginning in August, talking about what has been good and bad and deciding where to go next.
The social centre is made by everyone who uses it, so the more who take part in this process the better the centre will be. Unfortunately we are moving out of Osborne Street and currently searching for a new venue (shout if you know one) so now is an important time for people to get involved and take ownership.

Please bring some food for pot luck.

Our next planning meeting will be one week before the “Scottish” Defence League demonstration.

This is an extremely important meeting, where many essential decisions will be made about what needs done before the march, and what we do on the day, so please make it along!

7-9pm, 13th February, Bristo Hall, above the

Forest Cafe, 3 Bristo Place, Edinburgh

.

The next Coal Action Scotland/Mainshill Solidarity Campaign meeting will
be held on Tuesday 16th February, from 2pm - 5pm(ish) in the upstairs hall
of the Forest Cafe in Edinburgh.

LIAM KANE teaches Spanish, and sometimes
French, on the Glasgow University Language Programme
in the Department of Adult and Continuing
Education, of which he is the overall co-ordinator..
Liam worked for Oxfam in Glasgow as a ‘development
education worker’ from 1984 till 1991. This
entailed teaching about development issues to children
in a way which encouraged them to think
about, engage with and consider what action they
might take on making the world a better place; it had
a particular focus on challenging stereotypes about
the so-called ‘third world’ and encouraging people
to consider the possible causes of poverty .
Liam is most interested in Adult ‘Popular Education’
in general, with a particular interest in Latin America.
Though this term has its own particular resonance,
related terms are ‘radical education’, ‘liberatory
education’, ‘education for change’, ‘socialist education’
and ‘critical pedagogy’.

NICARAGUA LEARNING EXCHANGE

ALP-Tollcross Community Centre,
117 Fountainbridge EH3 9QG
17 February at 7.00pm
FREE EVENT!
 

17th FEBRUARY: LIAM KANE. Practice of popular education in Latin America. 7.00pm

Nicaragua Learning Exchange, Adult Learning Project, Tollcross Community Centre

Dùn Eideann/ Edinburgh

18th February, 6.30pm ALP Tollcross Community centre. 117 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh

When Father Was Away on Business
(Serbo-Croat) is a 1985 Yugoslavian film by Serbian director Emir Kusturica. The screenplay was written by the Bosnian dramatist Abdullah Sidran. Its subtitle is A Historical Love Film. Set in post-World War II Bosnia during the Informbiro period, the film tells the story through the eyes of a young boy Malik whose father Meša (played by Miki Manojlovi) has been suspected of working for Cominform and sent to a labour camp after a careless remark about a political newspaper cartoon.

For more info

beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

Fundraising gig for the Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance, to raise money to oppose the racist, far-right "Scottish" Defence League.

Four of Edinburgh's best DJ's playing jungle, techno and reggae!

10pm-3am

At The Wee Red Bar
Edinburgh Art College,
Lauriston Place
Edinburgh EH3 9DF

You are very welcome to come this Friday 19th February at 6.00pm to our mask making workshop. You could learn spanish and a lot more about carnival and traditional parties!

There will be traditional cakes, competitions, games and a lot of fun!

This event is FREE

ALP/Tollcross Community Centre

117 Fountainbrigde

more info beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

ALP/Tollcross Community Centre

Saturday 20th February at 20:00
Featuring:
Minnow,
(Scottish dance music!)
Carlos Arredondo,
Chilean singer, musician and Poet!
Alba Flamenca
and Salsa Music
Bar! Food!

£6 (£8on the door)

Tickets from ALP/ Tollcross Community Centre or book by phone in 0131 221 5800

Organizers: Nicaragua Learning Exchange, a voluntary group part of the Adult Learning Project association:
- To provide support to literacy and education projects in Nicaragua
- To learn from the Nicaraguan experience and consider how this can be applied in Scotland
- To raise funds and end volunteers to Nicaragua in the summer of 2010.
- THE NLE IS SuPoRTED BY EDINBURGHS ADULT LEARNING PROJECT AND “THE WELCOMING”

For More Info:http://nicaragualearningexchange.wikispaces.com/
Contact: stan.reeves@ea.edin.sch.uk, beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

ALP Tollcross Community Centre
117, Fountainbridge Edinburgh, EH3 9QG

WEST LOTHIAN BRANCH OF THE SCOTTISH SOCIALIST PARTY ARE HOLDING A PUBLIC MEETING with Colin Fox, ex-MSP, as guest speaker on: The 23rd of February at 7pm in James young high school, Livingston.

The issues he will be speaking about include:

• The war in Afghanistan;
  
• Increasing unemployment;
  
• The bail-out of our banking sector;
  
• The downgrading of St John’s Hospital.

Branch candidate for 2010 Westminster election, Ally Hendry will also be speaking.

We would ask you to come along to the public meeting where you will have the opportunity to raise questions and have any issues discussed that you feel are important.
For more information please E-mail us @ westlothianssp@hotmail.co.uk

 Follow our blog on westlothiansspblog.blogspot.com

Search westlothianssp on bebo, twitter and Facebook and join our groups.

Free language exchange spanish/english! You could talk half of the time in english, and the other half in spanish around a cup of tea, meeting new people.

Wednesday 24th February 5.00pm-7.00pm ALP/Tollcross Community Centre, 117 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh.

More info: beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

there will be a debrief meeting at the forest cafe 7pm.
Will be upstairs in the action room.
Would be a good chance to discuss what to do next, go over any areas where people think we can improve on, and just have a run down on what happened on sat.

The SDL have already said where they are going next, so we should start mobilising for that.
And the EDL are in Bolton at the end of march, would be good to discuss what people think about going down.

After the Success of Saturdays Anti Nazi Demos there will be a Fundraiser for ACE in the upstairs of the Forest Cafē on Wed 24th From 10pm featuring :-

• Oi Polloi,
  
• Bomb Berlin
  
• Witches Revenge

Also before that from 9pm "Talk to Frank" will be on Downstairs in the Cafē with
the Fantastic Fabulous Freeloadin Frank
and the Bucking Fastards

With Contributrions from Wise L Leathermonk and The Weather Underground

It will be this Thursday 25th February at 6:30pm in ALP/Tollcross Community Centre, 117 Fountainbridge. Remember that it is FREE!

Man of Aran (1934)
is a documentary film by Robert J. Flaherty, a fictional documentary on life on the Aran Islands off the western coast of Ireland. It portrays characters who live in premodern conditions and their hardships, documenting their daily routines such as fishing off high cliffs, farming potatoes where there is little soil, and hunting for huge basking sharks to win their liver oil for lamps.

more info

beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

6:30 PM , Dundee University, Tower Building, Room T9, DD1 4HN
Rich Wiles, respected photographer resident in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem will speak on his new book of photographs and stories of daily life in Palestine.

Organised by the following DUSA societies: Action Palestine; Islamic Society; Stop The War;
Supported by: Friends of Al-Aqsa, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Tayside for Justice in Palestine

This meeting is for all involved in The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh social centre and infoshop. For more about ACE, see http://www.autonomous.org.uk
ACE, 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA
(at junction with Brunswick Road)
Tel 0131 557 6242

ACE is currently open to the public every Sat 11am - 6pm, Thursday 6pm - 8pm (Wholefood shop, info shop, free internet), and every Tuesday 1 - 4pm (Edinburgh Claimants advice and solidarity, Wholefood shop, info shop, free internet).
In addition there are other particular meetings and events. Your involvement is invited - open organising meetings are normally held the first wednesday of every month at 7.30pm at the premises, or call in any tuesday, thursday, or saturday.
 

7:30 PM STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6NG
Rich Wiles, respected photographer resident in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem will speak on his new book of photographs and stories of daily life in Palestine.

Friday March 5th
7pm
Electron Club

CCA
350 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow G2 3DL

Judi Bari was an Earth First and IWW organiser who was one of the first to
place as much importance on timber workers' lives and families as she did
on the legacy and future of the Californian Redwood. But that strategic
relationship was too much of a threat. Her car was bombed in 1990, and
three hours later, she was arrested as a terrorist--charges that were later
dropped. Convinced it was a ploy by the FBI to discredit her and Earth
First, Judi decided to sue.

THE FOREST FOR THE TREES offers access into the painfully short yet
extraordinary life of Judi Bari, and a piece of U.S. history that everyday
grows increasingly resonant as once again the lines between dissent and
terrorism are being intentionally blurred.

EIS National Demonstration Against Budget Cuts, Why Must our Children Pay?
Assemble 10.30am March 11am, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow

Buses leave Edinburgh, Waterloo Place at 9am

More info: http://www.eis.org.uk/campaign/

THE LONG MARCH BACK. 11-30am, The Bridge Hotel, Castle Garth, Newcastle.

"the Working Class bookfair is heading to Newcastle on Saturday, March 6th 2010, to the Bridge Hotel, upstairs. This traditional working class movement venue is having an important Labour movement event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the end of the Miners strike. Several NUM speakers, including President Ian Lavery, North East area NUM President and general secretary, Davy Guy and Davy Hopper, and many more. I think Matt Wrack from the FBU is speaking too.
For details and a stall call 07931301901

This event is part of efforts to build a working class movement for the 21st century in these credit crunched times. There is a tremendous need to spread good ideas and the Working Class Bookfair has spawned another event taking place in one of the historically important parts of the working class and labour movement. "

Every first Saturday of the month we'll be holding a noise demo at the base.

With workshops, afternoon kids space, discussion groups and free cafe at the camp.

For those wanting to stay longer there will be a film-screening and action meeting on Sunday.

Anyone is welcome to come along and get involved!

Call us for information on this or other upcoming events

Would be good to see old friends, and is also a great way to see camp if you've never been before.

I am writing to tell you about Reclaim the Night Edinburgh (RTN Edinburgh), in the hope that you/r collective/group/organisation might be interested in participating.

Reclaim the Night is a march held annually in cities across the globe which aims to draw attention to gender violence.

RTN Edinburgh is Women lead with a strong ethos of inclusivity, being men and LGBT/trans friendly.

This year the march is to be held on Saturday 6th March (to coincide with International Women's Day on March 8th). The march will be approximately 90 minutes long, starting at Bristo Square just off Lothian Road and finishing at the the paved area on Castle Terrace infront of Saltire Court. The afterparty is at Big Red Door where there will be bands and speakers, its shaping up to be a great (reclaimed) night!

Reclaim the Night Edinburgh are looking for collectives, groups and organisations to get involved and come along to the march with banners, which is also a handy way to get exposure for your group.

Every first Saturday of the month we'll be holding a noise demo at the base.

With workshops, afternoon kids space, discussion groups and free cafe at the camp.

For those wanting to stay longer there will be a film-screening and action meeting on Sunday.

Anyone is welcome to come along and get involved!

Call us for information on this or other upcoming events

Would be good to see old friends, and is also a great way to see camp if you've never been before.

DAYSCHOOL, Teviot Student Union, Bristo Square, Sunday March 7th 2010, 11am-2pm

A day of workshops, discussion groups, and practical sessions, facilitated by different feminist or women's organisations from around Edinburgh. Its a chance to pull apart computers, make your own zine, discuss abortion rights, socialism, feminism, find out about the women in the uk who can't access refuges, learn about dating violence, about women in Israel and Palestine, share campaign ideas and skills, meet some of the Auld Reekie Roller Girls, all this and tea and cake!

All of the workshops are open to anyone wishing to attend, all ages, all genders. The day is open to non-students, but due to union regulations you’ll need to bring photo id....sorry!

Some of the Workshops will have limited numbers, if you want to make sure you’ve got a place, email to be put on a reservation list! Otherwise please just turn up and join in.

ACCESS
The venue is on the first floor, one flight of stairs. There is a lift, and it is wheelchair accessible, the access route isn’t clearly signed though so if you can let us know in advance we can arrange someone to meet you. If you have any other accessibility concerns, please just get in touch and we’ll see what we can sort out. There will be a quieter area with books and zines, if you just want to have a break!

We don’t have crèche facilities, but they’ll be some drawing & craft kidspace in the Dining room, so feel free to bring small folk!

The day is free, and run on a shoe-string budget by volunteers – a simple veggie lunch, tea and coffee will be run for a cost price donation - £3 if possible. There are other food outlets in the building!

7:30 PM St Columba's by the Castle, Edinburgh
with Haifa Zangana, Hedy Epstein & Palestinian speaker to be announced

organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign

On sunday monring three people decided to jump out of their 15 story flat. They had recently been told they would not be able to stay in Scotland following the failure of their asylam case.
Reports from other asylam seekrs living in the same flat block have stated:

1. That the home office were knocking on the door of the flat when the people decided to end their lives.
2. That the firday before the incident the police had told them to leave their house making them homless
3. That the idea of returning to thier home counry terrorfied them.
4.That around their bodies where printed letters stating
WE WANT OUR FREEDOM
BELEIVE US
WE HAVE DIED FOR OUR FREEDOM

the home office deny any involvement and deny they were there
the YMCA will not give their names or nationality
the staff at Peterhill drive Red Road have told asylam seekers if they talk to the press they will be kicked out.

Everyday the home office makes many people's lives hell. It puts already vunurable people in horric conditions of stress paranoia and depression. It tears apart families and destroys lives.

Come and demonstrate tomorow out side FESTIVAL COURT 11.30am

Bring your drums your voices and your passion!!

These people have come to us for help and we will not let them be treated this way

No Borders Scotland Meeting

Tuesday 9th March

6pm @ the Electron Club, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall St

All Welcome!

Tiso Edinburgh Outdoor Experience , Edinburgh (View map)
Tuesday 9th March. Start time: 7:30 pm.

Cost £6, proceeds to Mountain Unity.

David James has moved with his family to the Wakhan Corridor in North East Afghanistan. Come and hear how beyond the headlines of war, opium and religious extremism Afghanistan is a diverse and beautiful nation of 28 million people who are peacefully struggling to get on with their incredibly difficult lives. In an area that suffers the highest maternal mortality rate in the world and one in three children die before the age of five, find out how the return of trekkers and mountaineers to the Hindu Kush mountains has lit a small flame of hope for this community.
This fascinating talk includes videoclips from Doug Scott and Stephen Venables.

“It's a perfect climbing area”
Doug Scott speaking about his 1967 expedition to the Afghan Hindu Kush.

“Cross into this forgotten valley and you'll trade the insanity of modern Afghanistan for a far wilder frontier: a last-ditch, back-of-beyond outpost of breathtaking beauty, ancient strongholds, and 25 centuries of war.”
Mark Jenkins , Writer ‘Outside’magazine & author ‘A Man’s Life’

Tickets cost £6 and all proceeds go to Mountain Unity.

SACC Open Meeting

7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh

Our regular SACC planning meeting falls on the day after International Women's Day. To mark the occasion we have asked two women from Palestine to join us. Amal Hijazi is a midwife and works as co-ordinator of the women's centre in Shu'fat Refugee camp, and I'temad Wahbeh is a mother of seven and on the committee of the centre. They will be talking about life under occupation.

Shu'fat Refugee Camp is home to more than 25,000 Palestinian refugees, most of whom were displaced from their homes across Jerusalem. The camp is isolated from Jerusalem by the separation wall,

Amal and I'temad are touring the UK as part of the Stories from our Mothers project arranged by the Camden - Abu Dis Friendship Association. They will be speaking in Stirling on Wednesday 10 March at an event organised by Stirling’s Shufat partnership in association with Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association - 7.30pm, MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling.

Amal Hijazi is a midwife and works as co-ordinator of the women's centre in Shu'fat Refugee camp, and I'temad Wahbeh is a mother of seven and on the committee of the centre. They will be talking about life under occupation.

Shu'fat Refugee Camp is home to more than 25,000 Palestinian refugees, most of whom were displaced from their homes across Jerusalem. The camp is isolated from Jerusalem by the separation wall,

Amal and I'temad are touring the UK as part of the Stories from our Mothers project arranged by the Camden - Abu Dis Friendship Association. They will be speaking in Stirling on Wednesday 10 March at an event organised by Stirling’s Shufat Partnership in association with Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association - 7.30pm, MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling.

11th March at 6.30pm
Whisky is an Argentine-German-Spanish-Uruguayan tragicomedy film directed by Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll and released in 2004. The film stars Andrés Pazos, Mirella Pascual, Jorge Bolani, Ana Katz, and Daniel Hendler. It has very sparse dialogue and the three principal actors play very straight roles showing little emotion. It was premiered at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival where it won a Regard Original Award.
117 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh

More details: beatriz_herreromengod@hotmail.com

Terror State

Club night @ the Bongo Club, featuring T-shirts & anarchist lit stall staffed by Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group.