Soaking Beans

Here's a good article about how you don't need to soak dried beans before cooking them. I've always had the same problem as the author - I can't be bothered to plan a day ahead for a dish involving beans. I think the overnight soaking thing came about because people are used to having their beans completely mushy. I have found that if you just simmer the beans for long enough they are perfectly edible but may have a little give, not unlike al dente pasta. Frankly I prefer the al dente style over the mushy style anyway. And if it's less work, so much the better.