Hand on your heart and God bless America

ALTOGETHER now, hand on heart and give it laldy . . . God bless America! That's what they'll be singing on July 3 in Overtures, the Playhouse function suite, on the eve of Independence Day.

Mom's apple pie and mint juleps all round at the Edinburgh-based US consul Lisa Vickers' party. "What with the election of a new President in November as well as our traditional Fourth of July celebrations, the consulate (in Regent Road) will be busy," says Lisa, "but we want things to swing at Overtures.

"We'll have live jazz featuring an American singer, Jess Abrams, who lives locally. Our ambassador to Britain, Robert Tuttle, won't be there but he'll be taking the salute at the Tattoo."

I love all that Yankee Doodle razzmatazz, I must say. Meantime, one has to wonder, does Ms Vickers keep a framed portrait of Obama on her desk? "No. I'm strictly non-partisan." Exactly what I expected to hear.

Roo-ling in it
People are starving in Zimbabwe (melting mad Mugabe's medals would feed the nation for a year), in Burma, in Darfur. Not to mention those on the breadline in Muirhouse and Pilton. Yet the Rooneys blew five million and then some on their wedding at the weekend.

Point to ponder about their betrothal has to be: how long will it last? Never too late for Wayne to cram in some anger management classes.

We wish Coleen and his nibs well. Lovely couple, now leave them alone.

Mellow yellow line
I suspect what he's commending in as many words is, do try to keep the heid. This is Irvine Welsh telling us: "If you lose your head and start screaming at a traffic warden, you may justify it as venting your anger against stupid rules, governments or the system.

"Other people in the street may only see a big, wealthy, arrogant bastard bullying somebody trying to do a difficult job for modest rewards."

So have you hugged a traffic warden today?

Afterwords . .
. . . Is that a moustache David Miliband is growing, or is he using recycled blades? David who? Rumoured he's gagging for the Clark Gable role in a re-make of Gone With the Wind.