Applauding Harry's shadow

I feel it appropriate that we acknowledge that Sunday was the 25th anniversary of the tragically premature death of Harry Chapin. I ought to have been aware of this anyway, but I am indebted to Johnny Walker for pointing this out on Radio Two, which was good as he can be quite irritating. What Harry would make of his beloved country now I shudder to think. Even in the '70s he saw his brothers and himself as a dance band on the Titanic, and felt that "pirates own the flag and sell us sermons on restraint". "Does that mean there's no more ripples on your tired old glory stream, and the buzzards own the carcass of your dream ... Are you really so naive, do you honestly believe that the country's getting better?". I think he'd be horrified, even leaving the war aside. Just remembering a man who cared so much for his country and its people makes one feel good, and there is no better way to remember him than in his own words. "Am I observer or participant, or huckster of belief, making too much of a life so mercifully brief? So I stride down sunny streets and the band plays back my song, they're applauding at my shadow long after I am gone. Should I hold this wistful notion that the journey is worthwhile, or tiptoe 'cross the chasm with a song and a smile?" Well, Harry, your journey was more than worthwhile, the band is still playing back your song, and we will applaud at your shadow, with respect, appreciation, joy and gratitude, for many years to come.

From the sublime to the less sublime, I must touch on a couple of matters of house-keeping. Firstly, Jim has a spare ticket for Ken Dodd's show in the Corn Exchange tomorrow evening (Wednesday). If you fancy joining him for what is sure to be a fun night, give him a ring. Particularly if your name is Gerry, Gemma, Aisling, Charlie or Suze. There is an outside chance that Alan Partridge will be joining Ken on stage for part of the show, but don't bank on it. It's such a pity that Richard Sims isn't in the UK just now, because I'm sure that he'd jump at the evening. I can just imagine he and James dashing around the yard together shouting things like "Oooh, what a lovely day for running down the street, sticking a cucumber through your neighbour's letter-box, and shouting The Martians Are Coming".

On another matter altogether, we have received complaints from one of our more regular correspondents about MISSING COMMENTS (his capitals, to indicate how pissed off he is). Apparently he posted two missives. Well, one of these never materialized, so he must have stuffed up. The other one made it to the site, but it so happens that the web administrator operates a zero-tolerance policy on smuttiness, so this posting was deleted within hours of touch-down. I did actually see it before it was eradicated, and I must say that I fully endorse the web administrator's decision: my reference to a few poorly-named horses had been used as an excuse for some gratuitous use of smut, and we'll be having none of that on this site.