Bob Geldof’s has announced that he wants a million people to descend on Edinburgh next month. The police are already saying no.

Geldof hasn’t been clear what he wants this million to do. There is a protest rally organised by Make Poverty History four days earlier, the same day as “Live8”. A million people protesting to the G8 in Gleneagles would be better off in London: the world leaders at the summit will be no less aware of them and London is much more able to cope. It would probably involve less travel overall, which would be better for the environment.

And the number itself is problematic. Edinburgh can’t cope with a sudden influx of a million people, but who’s to say how many will come? Geldof wants a million but he’s not ticketing entry to the city – it’s a number plucked out of thin air. Fewer people might make the trek up north (or south if you’re reading this in the Highlands), but with no-one counting them all in, who’s going to turn back the million-and-first person?

See also Chris, Alan and, on Live8 itself, Justin.

A success of sorts in Sandy Balfour‘s G2 competition. For the second time, I’ve made it into the Top Ten entries on Sandy’s website, this time for my clue for “Gambit”:

Morning in Britain and half-wits make first move (6)

I was walking along the street this morning when I noticed the word “CELTIC” on the pavement under my feet. Nothing too odd about that: just a bit of football graffiti.

After a few metres, I turned back to take another look. It wasn’t graffiti at all.

A track along the middle of the pavement showed where it had been dug up to lay cables and then filled back in. The newer material matched the original pavement which was scattered with small white stones. The stones in the refilled area had been arranged to spell CELTIC.

While you recover from that bombshell, take a look at yesterday’s and today’s Dilbert strips.

Monday

Stayed up into the early hours watching music videos. We sat through a mid-eighties compilation of Bucks Fizz promos – interspersed by “Miss Jay Aston” comments – before remembering that Brian Grant, director of The Long Game, had directed music videos. A Google search turned up loads of videos, many of which were on various videos and DVDs around the room. And so we sat up watching videos from artists ranging from Haircut 100 and Queen to Peter Gabriel and Spandau Ballet.

Up early to go into Westminster to run some errands at LibDem HQ. On my way back past the Houses of Parliament, I spotted a grey-haired man standing alone near the public entrance. It was Trevor Kavanagh, political editor of The Sun. One of my friends always seems to run into people like that. I would normally pass on by but she’s very good at striking up conversation. With this in mind, I decided to be more assertive and started a conversation.

We had a brief, pleasant conversation. He asked if I was a Sun reader and I admitted that I’m not. “Oh, you should read it. It’s very good.” We discussed some of the paper’s election coverage and I bit the bullet and mentioned that I’m a LibDem. “Ah,” he said, “I think we could have done more there actually.” I suggested that by “more” he meant “be even more negative about”. He nodded.

I glanced away and was surprised to recognise Channel 4 News‘s outgoing political editor Elinor Goodman walking towards us. I suppose in retrospect that right outside Parliament is as good a place as any to find political journalists, although she was meeting Trevor. She introduced herself and I went on my way.

Popped into Holborn to look up some probate records for my family history research before heading back to south London. We watched some excellent Victoria Wood episodes in the evening. More music videos later and the realisation that I can name the band members of very few of my favourite bands.

Tuesday

Train Eavesdropping III
On the way in to London in the morning, two yoofs (probably wearing hoodies) were sitting behind me on the train. They were the only people in the carriage talking and despite their street patois (if that’s the term) it was pretty clear they were discussing which guns they wanted (“a sniper’s gun would be cool”). I like to think this was nothing more than a laddish chat about weaponry, like middle-aged men talking idly down the pub. But it was still uneasy to overhear.

Back to the probate office and then round the corner and to a cafe with Dan. Then, following his directions, I headed off on foot to Kings Cross. A few moments later, I walked past the ITV News Channel’s Andrew Harvey.

Got home in time to watch a pretty unpleasant documentary about Agentha Fältskog on Channel 4.