She Who Must Be Obeyed
Lord Young is the only person, who works at Number 10, other than the Prime Minister, who has his own office, according to an article in The Times today. I like the last paragraph. Asked if he will retire, as he is 81, this is his reply.
Never, until She herself calls me from upstairs. I am convinced it must be a woman upstairs as women are doing everything. You must remember that I have been married 57 years to the same wife. I’ve worked for Margaret Thatcher. I know who my bosses are.
I agree with him, although I’ve never worked for a female boss, but I was married for forty years.
Music On The East London Line
Today, it’s the Soundtracks Festival, with live musical acts on the East London Line, from midday to midnight.
This paragraph is from their poster.
Catch our live performances on the trains – from musicians, actors and even
via your smartphone. Train drivers will be announcing the next live act
rather than looming delays as you are entertained on your journey from
one venue to the next.
Think London Transport is boring? Then youʼve never been to Sound Tracks.
Note how Transport for London (TfL) is called London Transport. Most Londoners refer to it that way. The only time, I use the other form is when I use TFL in Google to find their site.
Do any other rail lines have their own music or even drama festivals?
The Man In The White Suit
This film is on BBC2 tomorrow. The BBC has labelled it as B/W. surely, it’s mainly white!
Two Capital Ships In The Pool Of London
I then moved upriver to the Pool of London, where HMS Edinburgh had moored alongside HMS Belfast.
The Royal Navy is present in London for the celebrations of the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. There’s more about the celebrations here on the Royal Navy website.
HMS Illustrious At Greenwich
I took these pictures of HMS Illustrious at Greenwich.
Apparently, she is going to be preserved for the nation, as is reported here.
Missing White Woman Syndrome
This article on the BBC web site is an interesting observation on the dreadful cases of abduction in Cleveland.
The trouble is that the media knows what stories are popular and will generate more advertising.
Although, the article is mainly about the United States, could we say honestly hand-on-heart, that the media would have taken the same interest in the Madeleine McCann case, if she had not been white?
The Tower of London And Modern Buildings
I walked past the Tower of London on my way to get a DLR train at Tower Gateway station.
In some ways it could have been surrounded by a much worse collection of buildings. Although nothing of the quality of One New Change seems to have been built near to the Tower to blend the ancient and modern.
At least it’s impossible to see the Tower of London and the Tower Hotel at the same time.
The Monstrosity By The Tower
Watching the bridge go up and down, I realised what a classic of monstrous architecture, the Tower Hotel opposite where I stood, is!
I suspect that if anybody applied for planning permission today, they’d be sent back to their drawing board with several fleas in their ears, to think again. Wikipedia sums up the hotel like this.
The Tower Hotel, part of the Guoman collection, is situated on the north bank of the River Thames, on the east side of Tower Bridge, in London. It is built in a modern style considered unattractive by many, indeed it was voted the second ugliest building in London in a 2006 BBC poll. However, it is reputed to offer occupants excellent views from its rooms.
As you see, they do give the rooms credit. But I am very much reminded of Guy de Maupassant’s thoughts on the Eiffel Tower.
I think I went inside once to meet someone with C and our view afterwards was it is the sort of hotel, where you took somebody else’s husband or wife to impress them. I think one of her clients had done that, as I haven’t and I don’t think she ever did!
The Opening And Closing Of Tower Bridge
Surprisingly, I’d never seen the opening and closing of Tower Bridge from up close. But as today, I hadn’t anything planned and the BBC London News said it would open twice at 10:30 and 17:00, I decided to go and look.
The boat that requested these openings was the SB Kitty.
Along To Tower Bridge
I then walked on to Tower Bridge.
The prohotographic exhibition was in front of City Halland was for an organisation called 2020Vision.
I timed my arrival for just before 10:30, as the BBC had announced the bridge would be opening at that time. There is a list of opening times here.
The Anonymous Widower 