I dispute with my friends

To cook rice by the absorption method on purpose.

Update : I have now managed this, it was actually quite simple.

A couple of these I only just started in the old year. Taking this into consideration, I make it about 18 books in 12 months which is kind of rubbish. So New Year's resolution #1 becomes "read more books". Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks be to Matt and Steve for the last two books in this list (the ones I've only just started)).

Thanks to Richard and Judy for "Toast" and "Shadow of the Wind".

Thanks to Hannah for introducing me to Kurt Vonnegut.

Thanks to Rob for the Phillip Pullman.

Thanks to no one for bloody Jonathan Coe, so frustrating, so much potential (intelligence, humour, irony, modern, inspired observations of modern existence for someone who could be of my age and I in their situation) wasted in the most dull, uninspiring writing - I cringe when trying to remember.
If only it read like this:
"In the beginning and unto the end was and is the lung: divine afflatus, baby's first yowl, shaped air of speech, staccato gusts of laughter, exalted airs of song, happy lover's groan, unhappy lover's lament, miser's whine, crone's croak, illness's stench, dying whisper, and beyond and beyond the airless, silent void.
A sigh isn't just a sigh. We inhale the world and breathe out meaning. While we can..."

Thanks to Coen for giving me one of Dan Brown's masterpieces that provided me with hours of entertainment spent ripping the piss out of it. However, humour soon turned to disbelief and then anger when I realised that thousands of people actually bought this crap and took it seriously. It's not just airport trash, it's far worse, the fact that this arse-wipe paper is popular most probably signifies the end of the civilised world. At the very least it's a strong indication that this country that I thought loved has gone down the toilet. Thanks again Tony Blair.

Best suggestion made by me to someone else has to be "Surely You're Joking, Mr.Feynman!" to Hannah. I thought she may love it, but not quite as much as it seems she did. Thanks again to Steve for finding me a copy in a second hand books shop in Paciffic Beach. And Lars, can I have that copy back please?
(book containing letters between Dick Feynman and his daughter out this year :-))

One of Hannah's dogs had puppies, they were less than a day old when I saw them.
They looked rodent-like and squeaked a lot.
I wasn't sure what breed they were.
Steve sent me his only Internet link related to dogs, check out the fire-place.
http://www.btinternet.com/~crillboy/property_morephotos.cfm.htm

You used to know where you stood with beggers. They ask for some money which you were pretty sure they'd spend on strong cider or fortified wine, and given thier circumstances you could hardly blame them. Lately I get approached for small amounts (typicaly 20p) for 'bus fare' or 'to make a phone call'. What is this all about? Are they really needing a few pence to make up the bus fare, or is this a technique of getting small amounts of money from many people? I never give them anything as I don't have a clue what they are really after.

Tonight I was approached outside the local SPAR and very politely asked "Good evening, can you spare me 3 pence?".