Rebranding farces

As much as I appreciate the importance and power of branding (and re-branding), the past couple of weeks have seen a couple of farces if you ask me. Well, to be more accurate, one just seemed unnecessary and costly (the BBC changes it's visuals yet again), while the other was a downright disaster!





I am, of course, referring to the Office Of Government Commerce's (OGC) new logo:











Tilt your heads 90 degrees to the left and you'll see what I mean....

Birtwistle's impressive Minotaur debuts in London

Last night I went to see the premiere of Harisson Birtwistle's new opera The Minotaur. While I initially did find my first opera in English rather amusing to listen to - the storyline was clearly going to be anything other than comic.

Sexual tension and outburst, anger, rejection and trechery all came together to deliver what was a highly emotive performance, with impressive bass-baritone John Tomlinson playing the lead role.

Catholic social club fights priest

I thought I'd inaugurate my new blog with a local story. I'm currently residing in the fair county of Essex (home of David Beckham, Birds of a Feather, Grange Hill, Stansted Airport and many other national treasures). Yet it is a far more humble matter which has grapsed my attention (and frustration) over the past week or so.

The Catholic parish of St. Augustine's in Barkingside (home to one of my good friends) has run a successful club for several years now - a club which is fully self-sustainable from a financial point of view, popular, and brings together people from all walks of life in the community. For a church threatened with dwindling numbers - you'd think such an initiative would be a God-send (pardon the expression). Even if the folks going in there aren't all necessarily church-goers (although many are) - surely the church could see it as a potentially promising "recruitment ground" if nothing else.

Sadly, they don't. In spite of numerous reasoned objections, the local priest stealthily moved in earlier this week and changed the locks on the property. A community centre closed, many old people at a loss for what to do on a Friday or Saturday night. Ah well - too much fun is bad for the soul I suppose!

To find out more and see what has been said on this issue, an article has been published in the local paper (The Ilford Recorder): http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsIlford&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsilford&itemid=WeED03%20Apr%202008%2009%3A00%3A30%3A617