So, now it's down to the hard work....

One week on from Obama's victory in the presidential election, and in a new dawn the questions are already being asked. What real policies will Obama pursue? Remember, much of what was said on the campaign-trail was hyperbole, general and more of a motivational nature, rather than matters of substance.

In a piece just published on newmatilda.com "So Now What?" writer Antony Loewenstein analyses where things are at right now and what we might expect:

"Talking about morality in international affairs is easy. What about action? Antony Loewenstein examines the tough foreign policy challenges facing the President-elect

An unprecedented amount of hyperbole from the international media heralded last week's election of Barack Obama to the US presidency. Fortunately, a healthy dose of scepticism was also administered. Take Charlie Booker in The Guardian earlier this week:
"President Barack Obama. President Barack Obama. Nope, still can't get used to it. It's literally too good to be true. I must've died in my sleep and am now having an insane fantasy pumped into my head by the Matrix. Any minute now Salma Hayek is going to float through the door with a tray of biscuits and I'll know the game's up."

And The Onion joked: "[Obama's] win causes obsessive supporters to realise how empty their lives are."

Despite profound inequalities that won't disappear overnight, Obama undoubtedly represents a monumental achievement for race politics in America. As the hype dies down, however, the real task of assessing the political ambitions of the President-elect emerges.

His foreign affairs plans have been met with concern by analysts and activists who spend time on the ground in nations under American bombs and who don't inhabit think-tanks in Washington and New York."

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Reading the Chilcot Inquiry Report more closely

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Robert Fisk's predictions for the Middle East in 2013

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An unpalatable truth!

Quinoa has for the last years been the "new" food on the block for foodies. Known for its health properties, foodies the world over have taken to it. Many restaurants have added it to their menu. But, as this piece " Can vegans stomach the unpalatable truth about quinoa? " from The Guardian so clearly details, the cost to Bolivians and Peruvians - from where quinoa hails - has been substantial. "Not long ago, quinoa was just an obscure Peruvian grain you could only buy in wholefood shops. We struggled to pronounce it (it's keen-wa, not qui-no-a), yet it was feted by food lovers as a novel addition to the familiar ranks of couscous and rice. Dieticians clucked over quinoa approvingly because it ticked the low-fat box and fitted in with government healthy eating advice to "base your meals on starchy foods". Adventurous eaters liked its slightly bitter taste and the little white curls that formed around the grains. Vegans embraced quinoa as

Mahler's Prodigal Son

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