On Tuesday afternoon I went to an appointment in Putney, on the fourth floor of a building overlooking the river. I was given some good news, that they didn't need to see me again, so when I came out at 3pm I was in a really good mood. I noticed that there was a fine view north over London from the staircase, and I spent some time looking at the various high buildings, like the Post Office Tower and the Walkie Talkie and that one that looks like a set of steps that they keep advertising in the FT. It was a beautiful afternoon with white clouds and blue distances. I nearly took a picture but decided I'd better hurry on back to the car park, which was lucky, because maps show that in my happy good news memory picture Grenfell Tower would have been prominent camera front.

United Airlines

I see one or two people have connected recent bad publicity for United Airlines with the 1970 Hunter S. Thompson bit The Temptations of Jean-Claude Killy:

There is something in the corporate manner of United Airlines that reminds me of the California Highway Patrol, the exaggerated politeness of people who would be a hell of a lot happier if all their customers were in jail - and especially you, sir.

Flying United, to me, is like crossing the Andes in a prison bus.

(collected in The Great Shark Hunt)