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Lady Thatcher funeral: keep shtoom for Maggie Lady Thatcher funeral: keep shtoom for Maggie
(6 months later)
Apparently Margaret Thatcher has died, so there is to be a big tribute to her on Wednesday. The sound of Big Ben, and the chimes of the clock in what we now call the Elizabeth Tower (it was re-named last year in honour of the Queen's Jubilee, so she only just got in first), will be silenced for the funeral. Within seconds of the news, tweeters were comparing it to the current No 2 song in the hit parade: Unding, Undong, the Saviour of our People Has Gone to a Better Place.Apparently Margaret Thatcher has died, so there is to be a big tribute to her on Wednesday. The sound of Big Ben, and the chimes of the clock in what we now call the Elizabeth Tower (it was re-named last year in honour of the Queen's Jubilee, so she only just got in first), will be silenced for the funeral. Within seconds of the news, tweeters were comparing it to the current No 2 song in the hit parade: Unding, Undong, the Saviour of our People Has Gone to a Better Place.
I reflected how this would make crossing Westminster Bridge even trickier. The pavement is already crowded with buskers, bagpipers, lucky heather sellers, hot dog vans, stinking praline stalls, find-the-lady scammers and someone in a Margaret Thatcher mask, with whom you may be photographed for a fee. If it is also full of tourists asking the time, it'll be impassable.I reflected how this would make crossing Westminster Bridge even trickier. The pavement is already crowded with buskers, bagpipers, lucky heather sellers, hot dog vans, stinking praline stalls, find-the-lady scammers and someone in a Margaret Thatcher mask, with whom you may be photographed for a fee. If it is also full of tourists asking the time, it'll be impassable.
The Speaker announced this all to great, even glutinous acclamation. He said "a profound dignity and respect can be achieved through silence." Possibly this is why they are also planning to scrub prime minister's questions, a weekly event that for some time has not been marked by profound dignity and respect.The Speaker announced this all to great, even glutinous acclamation. He said "a profound dignity and respect can be achieved through silence." Possibly this is why they are also planning to scrub prime minister's questions, a weekly event that for some time has not been marked by profound dignity and respect.
I don't actually think that Margaret Thatcher would want her passing to be marked by a cancellation of PMQs. She regarded it as the arena of her greatest public triumphs. When Tiger Woods finally goes to the sponsors' tent in the sky, he won't want the Masters to be cancelled. He'll want them to run it so that everyone can remember how much better he was.I don't actually think that Margaret Thatcher would want her passing to be marked by a cancellation of PMQs. She regarded it as the arena of her greatest public triumphs. When Tiger Woods finally goes to the sponsors' tent in the sky, he won't want the Masters to be cancelled. He'll want them to run it so that everyone can remember how much better he was.
Before this, we had a short discussion in defence questions about the situation in Korea. People seem to be more exercised about this in the UK than they are in Korea. For instance, two Tory backbenchers said that it proved once again that we had to cling to our nuclear deterrent. Quite what we should do with it, they didn't say. At what point do we nuke Pyongyang?Before this, we had a short discussion in defence questions about the situation in Korea. People seem to be more exercised about this in the UK than they are in Korea. For instance, two Tory backbenchers said that it proved once again that we had to cling to our nuclear deterrent. Quite what we should do with it, they didn't say. At what point do we nuke Pyongyang?
I decided to read the mood among South Koreans, probably among the first victims if the North goes literally ballistic. So I clicked on the new video by Psy, whose Gangnam Style was the most popular song in the world last year. His new tune, Gentleman, has already had 70 million hits on YouTube. And if the people of Seoul are terrified by the nuclear threat, they are hiding it pretty well. Mr Psy twists his groin happily and energetically in the direction of various young women. At one point he appears to pleasure himself with a traffic cone. He plays football with a group of young children. Then he twists his bottom at them. It is a pre-Jimmy Savile nightmare, and a vision of hell that might repulse even the miserable inhabitants of North Korea.I decided to read the mood among South Koreans, probably among the first victims if the North goes literally ballistic. So I clicked on the new video by Psy, whose Gangnam Style was the most popular song in the world last year. His new tune, Gentleman, has already had 70 million hits on YouTube. And if the people of Seoul are terrified by the nuclear threat, they are hiding it pretty well. Mr Psy twists his groin happily and energetically in the direction of various young women. At one point he appears to pleasure himself with a traffic cone. He plays football with a group of young children. Then he twists his bottom at them. It is a pre-Jimmy Savile nightmare, and a vision of hell that might repulse even the miserable inhabitants of North Korea.
Back in London, Philip Hollobone MP warned that the greatest danger would be a "miscalculation or a mistake" by one of the rival parties. It was the nearest we got to panic.Back in London, Philip Hollobone MP warned that the greatest danger would be a "miscalculation or a mistake" by one of the rival parties. It was the nearest we got to panic.
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