Oil Has Peaked - Official

If you live anything other than a 100% self-sufficient lifestyle, this new study (apart from explaining the logic behind the Iraq war) is some of the most important news this year. I’m still digesting it – but mark my words – times are a changing.

Video of Stop The War march

War Criminal Strikes Jackpot

And now for the least surprising book deal of the year:

Random House has won the battle for Tony Blair’s memoirs. The book will be published in the UK by Hutchinson, and by Alfred A Knopf in the US and Canada. The fee paid has not been disclosed but estimates reported in the UK press suggest [...]

A Million Terrorists, And You May Be One Of Them

The No-Fly list is being expanded again –will soon top 1m.  Are there really that many terrorists in the world?  The comments on this piece are revealing:

“…this ruined my career. I used to be a consultant with Accenture and travelled constantly, including internationally. Having to spend 6 to 7 hours every single week at special [...]

Alan Coren

I was so sorry to hear about Alan Coren’s death.  As luck would have it, I found myself sitting opposite him at dinner just a few weeks ago.  He’d always been a childhood “hero of wit” for me, so it was quite a thrill.  Although he smoked his way through dinner, he seemed in pretty [...]

Mile End Road, London

Belly Dancing weekend

It’s picture week at pc.info.  Let’s kick thing off with a bang:

Photos from The March

Tony Benn, speaking at the foot of Nelson’s Column, Brian Eno, seated right. The speeches were uniformly excellent - the best I’ve ever heard on a march - Brian Haw’s was extraordinary and deeply moving.

Trafalgar Square was full – I’d say about 7500 people.
 

The march stretching all the way [...]

Latest on Tomorrow’s March

As you may know, I am planning to steward the Stop the War march tomorrow (after having some stitches out in the morning). Here is the latest on what may be a difficult day ahead.
After having initially worked with the organisers in the usual way, the Metropolitan Police abruptly and arbitrarily decided that [...]

McGame

This is one cool game. If you have a McAddicted partner or offspring, send them the link: http://www.mcvideogame.com/game-eng.html
Meantime, I’m playing around with Office 2007. It’s a weird experience having to totally relearn Word: I use it so much that it’s become instinctive, and none of the new commands are anywhere remotely close [...]

Chick Pea Tales Postscript: Hummus

Serves 4-6
Preparation time 1 hour 15 minutes, plus soaking overnight
450g (1lb) dried chickpeas, washed and drained
juice of 5 lemons
1 bulb garlic, peeled and finely chopped
450g (1lb) tahini
1 tsp salt, or to taste
140-285ml (1/4-1/2 pint) water
1/2 tsp paprika
Turn the washed chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them with clean water. Leave to soak overnight [...]

Tony Benn’s Letter To The Home Secretary

To: The Right Hon Jacqui Smith MP
Home Secretary
House of Commons
London
SW1A OAA

Dear Home Secretary,
I am writing to you as President of the STOP THE WAR COALITION, to give you advance notice that there will be a demonstration in Trafalgar Square the day Parliament meets calling for the immediate withdrawal of all British troops from Iraq [...]

Chick Pea Tales Three: The Chick Pea Chronicles

History may be written by the victors, but it is spoken by ordinary people. Which is how, in the everyday language of peasants, farmers, merchants and townsfolk, we are able to decode the secret history of things which the official historians do not record. For example, we know that the European chickpea arrived [...]

Chick Pea Tales Two: Lunch With Genghis Khan

Although history is usually written on plants – specifically, trees – it is rarely written about them. The injustice of this is painful. We will, for example, never know the identity of the chickpea’s first quick-witted gleaner; whereas the brutal deeds of the Mongol tyrant Genghis Khan – whose bloodthirsty horsemen could [...]

Chick Pea Tales One: A Fixation For Nitrogen

Cicer arietinum – “strong ramshead” – leads a life of the most exquisite harmony with a species of remarkable bacteria in the earth. In the first week after sowing, the chickpea thrusts down an intrepid taproot – a combined anchor, food store and sophisticated search and absorption system for water and other vital [...]

Democracy – Nice Idea in Burma, Not in Britain

As you may know, I’ve stewarded many of the “Stop the War” marches here in London – it’s a small enough gesture. They have all been utterly peaceful affairs and the stewarding has been largely symbolic. Supporters are drawn from all corners of British society, and include Iain Banks, Tony Benn, Brian Eno, [...]

Why Do Recondite Non-Fiction Books Work?

Books about failed mountain climbs, marine navigation and the weather all seem unlikely candidates for best-seller status… but all of them have topped the charts internationally.  Here are some reasons why this category of non-fiction seems to work so well:

The writing is compelling – often as good as literary fiction – like a high-class blockbuster
The [...]