Make Poverty History and Day One of the Summit

The G8 summit is well underway despite the fact the the G8 leaders haven't even landed in Scotland yet. Blair and Chirac are in locked in a staring match in Singapore given tomorrow's Olypmic announcement and Martin is in Ireland being "briefed" (read touring the Guinnes factory). I got up bright and early this morning and boarded the "high security" shuttle to travel to Gleneagles to begin my four day fiesta of research and analysis. Two hours, four security checkpoints, and one "metal perimeter ring" later, I got off at the Gleneagles Equestrian Centre to begin the days work. I won't get into the work as it will put you to sleep but I will tell you about the free swag: Free wireless mouse, USB keys, boring stuff, boring stuff, BOTTLES OF SCOTCH. We're not talking samplers here but full bottles of Johnny Walker Green Label. I love capitalism.

The media centre closed at 6 pm today (It commences 24 hour ops tomorrow) so I'm at the "Alternative Media Centre" in Edinburgh at the moment working on reports and analysis. The AMC as it is called is also headquarters for civil society and anarchist organizations and is located at some hippie run cafe. I am much too hairless to be in here but its free wireless.

Some pics from Saturdays Make Poverty History March (OK, I may be a filthy capitalist and I may not necessarily ideologically affiliate myself with some of the causes represented but I must say the sight of it was rather moving).

Making Poverty History:


Bob Geldof made us do it:


Edinburgh Castle (I think):


The G8 is an evil monster:


Who will make this garbage history?