Day: August 11, 2015

Letter: Time expired

Dear Editor

The system of capitalism under which we live – where resources are mined, extracted, made or grown – are mainly owned by private investors; they even claim ownership of the land itself.

To realise profit on these materials they need the labour of the wage-earning population to turn these resources into items to sell or use. The cheaper this can be done – by keeping wages and conditions of work as low as possible – the more profits are made.

The lives and poverty of the wage-earning population throughout history, including today, shows capitalism is a failed system for the majority, by it’s nature of seeking maximum profit for the few – even to the extent of closing industries if profit is considered not enough, regardless of the devastating effect on workers and their families.

This is why generations of people – men and women – have struggled in their various ways to change the system to one where the wealth of resources and labour power is used for the benefit of all. These generations called the new system Socialism.

The system was, and is, heavily weighed against them in many way. Communication is the only way to start to convince people of the necessity for change, but how to do this when most channels of communication are owned by private companies or individuals? The sheer volume of their support for capitalism blurs the truth and can shape people’s minds. The working population, by contrast, has limited access to alternative socialist communications, they have limited means to promote it – and have limited time to do so.

The working population can make lives better if they seek maximum unity to right glaring wrongs, such as privately-owned essentials for everyday living. These should be publicly owned – electricity, gas, water and sewerage. Rail and bus transport to get to work and/or leisure. These are essential to all, as is the National Health Service.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens 

 

Leith Walk candidates confirmed

ballotbox (4)

The candidates standing in the Leith Walk by-election, which will elect two councillors on Thursday 10 September 2015, have been confirmed.
 
They are:

Marion Donaldson – Scottish Labour Party
Mo Hussain – Scottish Liberal Democrats
Tom Laird – Scottish Libertarian Party
Alan Gordon Melville – UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Gordon Murdie – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Susan Jane Rae – Scottish Green Party
Natalie Reid – Scottish Socialist Party
John Lewis Ritchie – Scottish National Party (SNP)
John Ferguson Scott – Independent
Bruce William Whitehead – Left Unity

Voters in this ward have until Tuesday 25 August to register to vote or apply for a postal vote for the by-election. To register to vote or apply for a postal vote people should contact theElectoral Registration Office or phone 0131 344 2500.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Voters should check their polling cards carefully to find out where to vote.

Polling Places:

  • Pilmeny Youth Centre
  • Norton Park Conference Centre
  • London Road Church Hall
  • Holy Cross RC Primary School
  • Ebenezer United Free Church Hall
  • Royal Navy & Royal Marine Association & Club
  • Broughton Nursery
  • Pilrig St Paul’s Church Hall
  • Lorne Primary School
  • McDonald Road Library
  • Leith Walk Primary School

The by-election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference using numbers rather than a single cross. Voters can choose to vote for as many or as few candidates as they like. The result of the by-election will be announced once the votes are counted after polls close at 10pm on Thursday 10 September.

Unusually, TWO councillors will be elected in this by-election. Former SNP councillor Deidre Brock stood down after being elected as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith in May, and Green councillor Maggie Chapman resigned her Leith Walk seat in June to focus on winning a Green seat in the North East of Scotland in the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

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For more information on the Leith Walk by-election, visit the Council website.

Grave Talk at North Edinburgh Arts

Time to talk about the great taboo?

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Death and dying. It’s a subject many of us prefer not to even think about, let alone discuss – but Ruth Green, Minister of St David’s Espisopal Church in Royston Mains, says it’s good to talk about death and has organised an event to do just that. And it might even be fun!

Ruth explained: “It’s called Grave Talk, and it’s a cafe space designed to talk about death, dying and funerals. I was inspired to start this because in my experience as a nurse, and now as a minister, most people don’t know how to talk about death. This event gives a safe environment, and is a way of trying to normalise such conversation. It is free (with donations accepted for the cake) and is non-religious, so it’s suitable for people of all faiths and doubts. At previous events, strangely enough, it is fun, and there’s lots of laughter, as people are freed up to explore their ideas and feelings.”

GRAVE TALK takes place at North Edinburgh Arts on

Wednesday 2 September from 6.30 – 7.45 

there will be tea and cake

there will be talk, there will be questions

the truth is we are all going to die, but nobody wants to say anything

Grave Talk is a chance to talk about death

think about your funeral

ask questions, air your thoughts

for people of all faiths and doubts

Intrigued? Interested? Like to find out more? Like to go along? Call Ruth on 629 2018 or 07941 552 768 or email liverdiet@hotmail.com

Grave Talk poster

Man dies and two more missing following fishing boat capsize

Search resumes for missing fishermen in Firth of Forth

lifeboats

One man has died and two others are missing after a small fishing boat overturned in the Firth of Forth off East Wemyss yesterday.

A full-scale search involving police, coastguard, RNLI and an RAF search and rescue helicopter was launched by UK Coastguard was initiated  after the men were reported missing in worsening weather conditions

Police said a man was recovered from the water around a nautical mile out to sea at about 5pm but he later died in hospital. The search for two other missing men resumed this morning.