Saturday, August 27, 2005

Meaningless slogans once more

We spent some time staying with friends in what I thought was Surrey this week- except that their local council has decided to call itself Elmbridge, presumably on the basis that it sounds nice, as there doesn't actually seem to be a place called Elmbridge in the vicinity. But hey, why should that stop a go-ahead, hands-on, can-do sort of council making up a name for itself? Naturally, they need a slogan, and the one they've come up with - and it must have taken the PR boys and girls a lot of head-scratching- is "...bridging communities..." And yes, the dots are an integral part of it. I expect the dots added a few £k to the bill. Where to start with this? First, the dots are just silly and unnecessary. Second, how, exactly, is bridging being used here? They must mean something like "providing a bridge between communities" but that isn't as snappy is it? At least, though, it would make some sense. Of course, the use of the plural communities inplies a divided community, and that the council is some sort of UN peacekeeper force called in to keep the warlike residents of Esher and Walton-on-Thames from wiping each other out. Surprisingly, they aren't twinned with Sarajevo.
I suspect the real reason for the slogan is the feeble pun it contains. The fact that it's utterly fatuous is, in the eyes of the councillors, clearly not an issue.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Angie indeed

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Stones' Angie in German poll row
If you thought British politicians were desperate to appear hip, check this out. How pathetic can you be? What's more, the major political show on German TV - Sabine Christiansen - routinely introduces its weekly topic to the strains of an apt 60s or 70s hit - frequently the Beatles, as it happens. So this plays into their hands. It's an invitation to be ridiculed. And have you ever seen anyone less rock and roll than Angela (with a hard g, by the way)? It's reminiscent of Kinnock's "all right" in 1992, or Mr Tony's apparent love affair with his Fender Strat. I'm sure Chancellor Schroeder is loving it...

Father sues over son's expulsion

This is brilliant, isn't it? What's the betting that the father's reason for stumping up an obscene amount of money for his son's education was that he would learn some discipline? 400 offences, eh? That's some going...

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Longer pub opening leads to violence shock

This article seems to confirm what common sense would suggest - that allowing longer opening hours at pubs leads to social problems. In the process, it also gives a good kicking to the current management and government obsession with targets, so that's a bonus for all of us who have to labour under their yoke.