Good afternoon.
Walter Cronkite, the greatest American newscaster, ever, enjoys conducting military bands in his spare time and I, in tribute to and admiration of him, have taken to this idiom of late.
The 'Stars and Stripes Forever' is my favourite march by John Souza, one of the greatest ever practitioners of this particular form, who also invented the sousaphone which is an amusing wind instrument. The words to "Stars and Stripes" have varied from an encouragement to show niceness to water-fowl, to an assertion that Hitler was inadequate in the reproductive equipment stakes.
In Holborn, there is a matrix of tunnels, initially dug as a warren of security from Hitler's blitz.
Tomorrow, our Olympic heroes will march through London's streets in celebration of their victories in Beijing. My link, dear friends, is the possibility that they will march to music that could allow them, in childish moments, to mock Hitler whilst striding purposefully over, and some considerable distance above, the tunnels which may shortly fall into private ownership.
If you watch at 6 it will all slip into place and make sense! Honest.
Meantime, the men and women responsible for organising the 2012 Games, right here in London, may put in a late bid for ownership of those tunnels as they are about to realise the meaning of the words "contingency", "fund", "overspend" and "not a penny more". Harris will explain why they have no hiding place, and why what Hitler and his bombers failed to do to the fabric of the city may be about to fall upon their collective heads.
We've another tale from a visitor who, despite all of the above, wanted to make a fresh start and find a new home in London. To my mind, Somalia , even with a Black Hawk Down, looks a little more tempting than London 2012, right now.
I am sure Somalia, among many African and Caribbean nations, has contributed to the glorious legacy that is Music Of Black Origin. We celebrate it once again tonight at the MOBO Awards, in the company of Mel B, Leona Lewis and Estelle. Lucy, despite being a stunning example of anglo-saxon womanhood, will be quite at home in this cultural melting pot.
Robin, more of a Glen Miller man, will "doo-doo-doo-doo-dah" us through his forecast and we'll glance at London's front pages which, thus, far, like a damp log in need of a fire lighter, are yet to burst into flame.
Salma's off for a sandwich so I'm off to check her drawers for Fortnum & Mason goodies - although I think everything I ordered is accounted for, it is difficult to tell in these days of declining, yet still just about conspicuous, consumption. J.K.Galbraith, you were right then (1929) and are still right, now.
I dined at Claridges last night and heard a man talking all about the economic crisis engulfing us all. I have always enjoyed irony but perhaps, like the Americans, he just didn't do it.
See you at 6 unless we are in the tunnel or on the march for that matter.
Passport at the ready,
I remain your dutiful blogger:Alastair & Salma.
