There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, dear reader 鈥� and if you don't believe me, read these items 鈥�
I'm not making this up
I gather that the latest victim of London's dilatory planners is one of its most successful concerns 鈥� the mighty Berkeley Homes. The housebuilder carefully entrusted a major housing development to Southwark council's planning committee in January. Alas, the meeting had to be cancelled at the last minute on the grounds that nobody could find the key for the office where it was to be held. Then it appears to have been put to the back of the queue 鈥�

You can't buy this PR
I see our revelation that Jarvis has sprouted a new arm has finally been noticed (6 February, page 25). The story about Engenda was picked up last week by satirical magazine Private Eye and then by The Guardian. The piece in The Guardian quoted a brand expert who labelled the new name "bollocks". The GMB union then piped up with its opinion that the business should have been called "In Danger".

Refreshingly original
I see one of our rivals has received some attention from UK Press Gazette, the trade mag for us humble scribes. Apparently, the title in question informed a reader who brought an error to its attention that it was its policy to include "a few intentional mistakes" in its journalism, and that it reports "anyone who notices to their manager, since they are obviously not busy enough". As Press Gazette puts it, this novel editorial technique consists of "taking the piss out of the complainant". How shameful.

Above and beyond 鈥�
Thanks to our occasional Devonshire diarist Greg Trickey for sending us his pal Nolan's spoof QS magazine. This includes the chance to subtract large numbers, acquire your own random out-turn generator and disguise your personality disorders. It also continues its popular column on counting bricks (part 14 covers the funny-shaped ones). At least I think it's a spoof.

Psssst
Tongues are already wagging in anticipation of the bacchanalian rites of spring otherwise known as MIPIM, with some already talking about the best clients to cosy up to. One industry mover and shaker suggests that Minerva is worth sniffing round, given that it is planning to build a Nicholas Grimshaw-designed tower in the City and it has ambitious plans for Croydon (don't we all?). Another mentioned is the Royal Bank of Scotland, which has a 拢200m scheme planned in EC1. Gensler and FaberMaunsell are understood to be involved in this one.

Anyway, do let me know how you get on 鈥�

The Fortean Times

I see The Sunday Times ran a 鈥済olly fancy that鈥� story on the raising of the arch at Wembley stadium this week. Much as I enjoyed reading it, I was troubled by a strange sense of d茅j脿 vu: possibly caused by having read a similar article that appeared in 好色先生TV on 12 December. But the weird thing was that the diagram in our piece mistakenly referred to the arch being lifted by stand jacks 鈥� rather than strand jacks 鈥� and The Sunday Times made the same mistake. Now, what are the chances of that happening?

Topics