Tomorrow, April 1st, marks the day for many people to play a whole host of practical jokes on their nearest and dearest, and an excuse for broadcasters and large organisations to report on wild hoaxes and spoofs, at least before 12 noon, lest they become “the fool” themselves…..

The murder of Marvin Gaye, shot by his father; the appointment of Alan Shearer as the caretaker for Newcastle Utd and the launch of Gmail don’t fall into the afore mentioned news hoaxes.. nor does the fact that it’s the day on which I celebrate my birth….

Happy birthday Me…..!!! (typically, I made my appearance to the world prior to the lunchtime joke cut off point….)

The Sochi 2014 embelm for the Winter Olympic Games has been unveiled today

I personally prefer it to the (slight) dog dinner that is London 2012…”Simple” and “Basic” it may be and whether it’s the typographer in me shouting it’s corner or not, I really like the elegant typographic symmetry, and the coloured prominence of the 5 Olympic Rings leaves no doubt as to what exactly we’re looking at (unlike London!). The mirror of “Sochi” and “2014″ (apparantly) also reflects that Sochi is the meeting point between the sea and the mountains, but what makes it quite clever though and somewhat unique to all it’s predecessors is the inclusion of the official URL….

The blurb tells us that Sochi 2014 began the brand development process by surveying people from Russia and several countries around the world. In that, they gathered thousands of ideas and insights that have been used as building blocks for Sochi 2014’s new brand. That said, I wonder whether the Russians love their logo as much as we Brits love ours…?

Another little gem from Suzanne’s archives slightly time-wasting, sometimes slightly annoying, online games…..

With tomorrow being Halloween, I thought I’d be topical and share with you a “Guess the Horror Film” courtesy of M&Ms. There’s 50 to find (and no asking Phil because he’s done it before!). Go on click on the picture and have a go, it’s easy…..

As with all London 2012 Olympics creative, the newly released pictograms have received a bevy of mixed reviews…

I am in the postive camp and think they’re a refreshing change from the ‘usual’ pictograms that have seemingly become an expectation since the Munich Games of 72.

Beat me for using such a word but… the design boffins responsible for them say they’re pretty dynamic (agggghhhh!!! did I use that word?!?!?!) and I’m inclined to agree…. they’re a nice flip-side to the some-what questionable logo…

Your opinion?

It seems that Cuckoo isn’t the only one to join in the tache-love…Ryan Dixon is indulging in a some tache appreciation too, albeit in ‘typographic’ way rather than in the ‘growing the real thing’ kind of way…

Just click here to see…

I can’t believe how quickly this summer has past by. I recall (with some sad commuter joy) how quiet I found the morning rush hour roads at the end of July and how eternally jealous I was of all my school teacher friends…
That said, sunny August is almost at an end, which leads me onto the topic of my post…

Cast your mind back to the Cuckoo/NABS 10k training, where some of my esteemed male colleagues donned facial furniture for the purposes of a good cause…Well, September marks the month of TacheBack and I put forward a challenge to them (if they so dare) to embrace their whiskers for another good cause (one that is particularly close to their hearts and indeed their undergarments…)

Unlike before, this doesn’t require any physical exertion…any running apparal or to even quit to nicotine, Ollie…The only requirement is simply down the razor for a month and get sponsored to sprout some upper lip hair.

More than a month's growth...?

Since 2003 TacheBack has raised nearly £1 million for the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign which funds research into prostate and testicular cancer and this year they want to hit the £1.5 million mark…. so come on James, Phil, Ben, Alex, Ben, Ste, Steve, Ollie and Shaun, get growing…?!
this time you really have a valid reason to grow that amigo, handlebar or even the fu manchu you always dreamed of…

Just think… they’ll be in place and fully matured, come Dodgeball day…

(Unfortunalty being female, I am regrettably unable to join you in the facial fur fun…)

You can also pick up more info on Facebook and Twitter…

A city view not for those with a nervous-vertigo-disposition…

Anna Kane, 5, of Alton, Ill. lays down on “The Ledge,” the new glass balconies suspended 1,353 feet (412 meters) in the air and jut out 4 feet (1.22 meters) from the Sears Tower’s 103rd floor Skydeck Wednesday, July 1, 2009 in Chicago. The Ledge will open to public on Thursday. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

AP images