Archive for July 2006

I'm often suspicious of theories and models of the world that are Gnostic in the sense that they posit an original state or baseline of corruption, which must be overcome to achieve harmony, liberation, a good time, etc. Even accepting that a good bit of legwork is necessary in life,... More »

In the past year I've happened upon a series of discoveries, of what I now regard as cultural treasures, each of which has posed the question: "How in the hell have I missed this shit until now?" The question is rhetorical, and voiced with a gleeful smile; it's not pained,... More »

Oxford's tireless chroniclers of the hypocrisies and hidden realities of big business, Corporate Watch, have recently released a first-of-its-kind report on the extent of the role of UK companies in Iraq since 2003: Corporate Carve-Up. Naturally, UK involvement is dwarfed next to American involvement. As David Whyte says in his foreword,... More »

I grew up in Boston, Lincolnshire. It's in the middle of the Lincolnshire fens: uniformly flat, "reclaimed" land that is intensively farmed. Childhood staples, such as wandering through muddy creeks in the nearby marshes, and the ubiquitous concrete sea defence "promenades" at nearby beaches, have taken on a new light... More »