in northern Europe, desperately hoping to drum up some business through what Boris Johnson tastefully describes as a "schmoozeathon." That would be the same Boris Johnson, who, yesterday, got caught on a zip-wire and found himself suspended above Victoria Park like a physical manifestation of the other clowns -- his colleagues in Downing Street and the Cabinet -- who continue to preside over the ongoing economic decline of the UK, a disaster area that no amount of Olympic medals can mend. Critical Mass should have launched the opening salvo in a carnival of resistance -- to excess, hubris, incompetence, jingoism, militarism and the corporate takeover of countries that claim to be democracies. Will it be the case, or will authoritarianism win out, the intolerant succeeding while the shepherded people pretend that the spirit of Blake is alive and well, and that a rock'n'roll hall of fame can change the world? Thanks, Kassandra, Toia and Malcolm. Great to hear from you all. Just back from cycling -- took a long ride from my home in south east London through Deptford and Rotherhithe and then down to the river and all along the busy bank of the Thames from Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge, via the South Bank, and then on to Battersea and the Power Station. Back, as dusk fell, via Brixton, Camberwell, Peckham and the Old Kent Road. Quite a day! So Kassandra, yes, people need to fight back against this wretched government, and Toia, yes, I had a great