They stand in line with arms full as they wait for the doors to open for the masquerade.  They hold rice, toast and newspaper among other odds and ends. They are dressed in their Halloween best – or worst – and most of them aren’t wearing very much at all.

They are the unknown minority, the freaks and weirdoes of an otherwise conservative Southern town. Two nights before All Hallow’s Eve, they gather around the doors of the historic Alabama Theatre for the annual Halloween Masquerade featuring a live performance to the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The night’s hostess promised it would be a night celebrating “expression and debauchery and just being raunchy,” warning all those in attendance that they “better be fucking ready for it!”

If you’ve never been to the Rocky Horror ball in Birmingham, it is hard to be prepared. Every year, those who wish to celebrate Alabama’s most counterculture lifestyles gather to watch and perform the horror cult classic about a couple of normal, uptight kids who stumble upon a castle full of freaks after a car wreck in the rain. Oh, the inhabitants also happen to be a group of aliens from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy Transylvania, whose leader has taken their weapon technology to create his ideal young, hot stud. Yes, it is as dirty as it sounds.

The film gained cult status after being shown at midnight every night in a small New York theatre in the 1970s. Among those die-hard fans has emerged a subgroup, who enjoy dressing up to match the films out-of-this-world characters. This prompted the Alabama Theatre group to create a costume contest before the show, for both general admission (this years winner was Facebook, although Octomom really had a shot) and for those dressing as a character.

Eventually, weekly viewers began to act out the scenes in front of the camera – adding their own dose of shock value, and invented a kind of code to stick with the faithful fans worldwide. Certain phrases, when spoken on screen, elicit a response from the crowd. When Janet, the female “norm” says her name, the audience yells “slut!” When the films transsexual hero, Dr. Frank-n-furtur, proposes a toast over dinner, the crowd literally throws toast, and so on throughout the film.

If you haven’t seen the film, this isn’t the place to start. The film, and all of its hilarious little nuances, stands only in the background of the show. The real entertainment comes from the horrible actors on stage (certainly the only actors as bad as those onscreen) and the crowd itself.

And as the hostess suggested, it is not for the faint of heart. It begins with a sacrificing of the virgins (those who have never seen Rocky Horror live) which foretellingly ends in simulated sexual acts.

The props are horrible, the actors are constantly watching the screen to pick up their cues and the audio is out of sync, but none of that matters if the crowd is good. And man were they good. By the end of the night, everyone was covered in rice and toilet paper, as attendees brought props to spare. Everyone in attendance sang along, screamed along, and danced along throughout the night, the climax of which was the show’s most famous song, the “Time Warp.”

And while the performers themselves often seemed like a bunch of dirty-minded fourteen year olds, their lack of talent didn’t stop them from putting on a good show. They were most in their element when it came time to pop out one of many dildos or act out one of the movie’s more graphically violent moments, but they never forgot about their audience and community. The events of the film were made more topical, as references to Proposition 8 and local Birmingham corruption littered the performance.

As they filed out of the showing, the freaks and weirdoes were talking to each other. They sang together, and danced together, sometimes with strangers, and sometimes with friends. But they never recognized the difference. They are one in their love of something a little bit dirty, a little bit wrong, and just oh-so-perfect for those unconcerned with society.

The survey of 3225 drivers revealed the scariest road systems in Britain. Among top 10 spots eight were taken by Birmingham, Glasgow and London

Survey also revealed other drivers fears. 8% of drivers claim to avoid ’scary’ junctions and admit driving an average of 238 miles extra.

Large roundabouts were told to be most confusing aspect of urban driving, followed by one-way systems, speed bumps and box junctions.

“But what this research shows is that badly designed and confusing junctions are spoiling the driving experience for many motorists.

Top 10 UK’s most scariest junctions:

1. Gravelly Hill (Spaghetti Junction), Birmingham
2. M8 junctions through central Glasgow
3. Marble Arch, London
4. Magic Roundabout, Swindon, Wiltshire
5. Hanger Lane Gyratory, west London
6. M5/M6 intersection, Birmingham
7. Piccadilly Circus, London
8. Five Ways junction, Birmingham
9. Magic Roundabout, Hemel, Hempstead, Hertfordshire
10. Kingston Bridge, Glasgow

L’agence pour le developpement de l’entreprise et de l’entreprenariat – Entreprise UK – offre une année de location de bureaux pour jusqu’à trois personnes.

Ces bureaux se trouvent à

Birmingham, Bristol, Londres et Manchester.

Pour participer il suffit de répondre aux question sur le site de Enterprise UK

In yet another small sample survey Birmingham has come out badly. After the Central Library was listed as one of the most ugly buildings in the world a survey on the BBC claims that Birmingham has three of the most ’scary road junctions’ in Britain.

Spaghetti coming from Coventry

Unsurprisingly Spaghetti Junction comes out top, presumably selected by people who have never driven on it as you just have to follow the signs! More strangely the simple M5/M6 intersection junction comes in at number 5 and most bizarrely of all Five Ways junction is at number 8.

Five Ways from above

So the junction just outside my office is the eighth worst in Britain? Yes it’s busy – often very busy – but it is just a roundabout with five roads.

What is most perplexing about the list is that everyone in the office is very clear about what should top the list: the Coventry ring road!

Coventry ring road at night

– Pictures Paul & Elizabeth
– Words Paul

There are some good games on tap this weekend. The biggest one is probably the Arsenal/Chelsea match Sunday afternoon. Both squads have been playing well and winning. Arsenal is eight points back from first place Chelsea, but is definitely capable of knocking off the leaders. On Saturday, fourth place Tottenham plays away to fifth place Aston Villa in a game that could have major top four implications. And of course, there’s the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton, which is always a hard fought match.

Saturday, November 28
Blackburn vs. Stoke – 8:30 p.m. ET/Setanta (Delayed)
Fulham vs. Bolton – 5 p.m. ET/Setanta (Delayed)
Manchester City vs. Hull – 9:55 a.m. ET/Setanta (Live)
Portsmouth vs. Manchester United – 9:45 a.m. ET/ESPN2 (Live)
West Ham vs. Burnley – 10 a.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Live)
Wigan vs. Sunderland – 7 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Delayed)
Aston Villa vs. Tottenham – 12:30 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Live)

Sunday, November 29
Wolves vs. Birmingham – 7 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Delayed)
Everton vs. Liverpool – 8:25 a.m. ET/Setanta (Live)
Arsenal vs. Chelsea – 11 a.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Live)

The Rewired team with Rob Markwell (Pitch Consultants) and Michael Collie (BBC)

I can’t believe it has already been a week since we were getting dolled up in the office ready for the CIPR PRide Midlands Awards. Held at the ICC, the awards celebrate PR professionals and agencies across the Midlands region. Rewired was up for Outstanding Small Consultancy and I’d tried not to think about it too much for fear of being disappointed, but as soon as we sat at the table, my heart starting going. Luckily, my first trip on the stage was to collect a bottle of Veuve (I was one of the raffle winners!) so we popped the cork to settle the nerves.

The night was amazing and 21 awards into the show, Rewired was announced as the CIPR PRide Midlands ‘Oustanding Small Consultancy’. I won’t go into details but let’s just say the night didn’t end when the awards did and my bottle of Veuve was one of many.

It was such an amazing achievement for us as a company and a team, especially seeing as though Rewired was only been born 18 months ago.

Winning got me thinking about what an amazing year and a half it has been at Rewired. Everyone knows how much I love my job and the people I work with, but more than that I was proud of Rewired for having such a fantastic year in such a difficult economic climate.

This time last year, we had already begun working on some amazing clients; Taste of Birmingham, Hello Digital, Wolverhampton Art Gallery and The Big Picture, but since then the client list has gone from strength to strength. We’re working with some amazing organisations on some really exciting projects and clients.

We’ve maintained our niche of creative, digital and leisure companies but developed each of these client bases to include some amazing companies. As well as regional organisations like Screen West Midlands, Audiences Central and Ormiston Trust, we’re also working with innovative companies and projects like Mudlark.We’re still heavily involved in the region’s arts scene and continue working with Wolverhampton Art Gallery; currently on the amazing ‘Pop: Jann Haworth’ exhibition, which you MUST go and see.  We are also working with Punch Records on some amazing music and arts projects, and so far have brought some brilliant music to the city!

We also have also strengthened our events arm; both PR and event management. We’ve done PR for BASS Festival, Style in the City and Birmingham Book Festival. As well as the event management of Producers’ Forum ‘Celebrate the Future of Film’, Royal Television Society Awards and a number of high profile film premieres and industry events for Screen WM.

As well as Style in the City, we have also moved in to the fashion world (much to my delight), working with Retail Birmingham. Style Birmingham, the consumer brand for Retail Birmingham, had a fantastic rebrand earlier in the year (courtesy of 383 Project, who I love working with). Since then, Style Birmingham has gone from strength to strength and is fast-becoming the city’s voice for style and shopping. This project is a major part of our leisure/consumer work, which also includes work with Lasan, Birmingham’s premier Indian Restaurant, who have recently won Best Indian Restaurant on The F Word.

There are so many other clients to mention but you’ll get bored if I keep going, but it’s just amazing for me to see how much we’ve grown since last year. We’ve just been taken on by a couple of new clients, which I’m sure I will be blogging and twittering about very soon.

2010 looks to be a very exciting year so hopefully, this time next year, I’ll be writing a post about event more exciting times at Rewired HQ!

It’s two weeks today that red will be meeting Sir, G, and Loki for the first time in Birmingham. I’m due to land at around 8am on the 11/12.

Mick even sent a text to remind me this morning, not that this doggy could forget.

So, how does the doggy feel about it all? Aprehensive, excited, hard, happy, a strange feeling of relief, in control (in terms of how red has felt over the last number of weeks) and remarkably humbled.

What does red expect?

This is quite a tough question to answer, normally I’d advoid acknowledging expectations as they’re quite difficult to manage. The same is true here, so at the moment this is what red is expecting -
Friendship
Tolerance
and a chance to develop or explore the e-connection W/we have made.

No pressure though, if I end up with three friends, I have gained the most valuable thing in the world.

When Sir Simon led the Berliners into the music that Tom Tykwer and his friends had composed for Perfume: the story of a murderer, many Berlin-Phil fans raised their eyebrows and, as one youtuber put it, they asked: the best orchestra in the world doing that?

Perfume, the poster..

Well, yes. And like many other fans, this Rattle follower thinks that this soundtrack is one of the most luxurious in film history… but then again, an orchestra if used properly, will give you that result. And Tykwer had a very good notion of what he wanted and how he wanted it:

“I asked myself, how do we approach the olfactory substance in this film? How do we treat the fact that this film is all about the realm of scents and odours? I realised that, if at all, this could only be done through music. The parallels with music are also pointed out in the novel — the whole alphabet of perfumery is taken from music theory, in the perfumery business you also speak of chords and single notes.”

It was a complex goal, but the media required simplicity, for you see: music for film is not the same as music, alone in her realm… and many people noticed it:

What we have here, then, is a world-class orchestra performing relatively simple music, both in harmony and rhythm. (…) To have Rattle and the Berlin Phil perform this music brings to a mind a gorgeous Maserati purring at 25 miles per hour, gliding interminably through residential streets, encumbered with stop signs every couple of blocks. Gorgeous to look at, in other words, but a waste of effort, not to mention gasoline.

Perfume, the cd.

So the thing is: are we talking about a great medium -the Berlin Phil- used under its possibilities? or are we talking about the perception of the Berlin Phil as on of the few bastions of high culture, and how this experiment makes it look dangerously comercial?????  for many, that is the real danger.  As for sir Simon, this is what happened:

But this not the first time that sir Simon has done film music.  In his Birmingham years – 1989, to be exact-  he conducted the soundtrack composed by Patrick Doyle for Henry V, one of the many Kenneth Branagh’s great film versions of Shakespeare’s plays.. here is how it sounds:

Again, the goal was complex:

Henry V, the soundtrack...

In his notes, the director states how he wanted the film “to move people to every possible extreme of emotion”. Realizing that music would aid his intent enormously, Branagh openly encouraged Doyle to adopt “the epic approach; thunderous, full-blooded, heroic” whilst at the same time wanting the music to strike a delicate balance with “Shakespeare’s golden words”. A tricky task for any composer, and one that must have seemed particularly daunting to a first timer.

But sir Simon and the CBSO did great and produced the compelling and moving sounds that Branagh wanted for his epic film.

Henry V, the poster..

Now there are other things to consider. Of course, film music is a very good colaboration of art forms and artistic media. A good movie is not just about unforgetable images and acting, the music and the sounds are also essential part of the story since they enhance many of the subtextual meanings.  Many of what is not said by the actors but that they performe with their gestures can achieve greater relevance because of a good original soundtrack played by the right instrumental and vocal forces. So that is why I do not frown upon the Berlin Phil doing this, since they are a powerful instrumental force that brought a lot to the story and for those of us who read the book -several times, if I might add- reminded us of many of the amazing ideas that Süskind displays in his novel.

Also, there is the money and the publicity thing.  In this age of variety in funding, a cultural institution such as the Berlin Phil can not rest on their fame and wait for the deals to come to them. They are great and inspired musicians, but they also have to eat, so this gigs are a wonderful way to keep their finances healthy. As for the publicity, it is possible for an original soundtrack cd to get more circulation than a cd of classical music since many people will be out looking for the magical music asociated to the motion picture.. and what a surprise, the band that plays that kick ass music happens to be one of the icons of classical music!!!!!!!

Yes, this is a bold step for an orchestra that seemed to be so far away from the world. Even the films of the Karajan era are somewhat strange if you compare them to the visual culture of the seventies and the eighties. And now, with these film soundtracks it comes closer… many people will get dizzy being that close to their idol.

Seniors who eat fruits and vegetables and who have good cognitive function are much less likely to die from heart disease than those who have poorer cognitive function and eat fewer fruits and vegetables, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia analyzed diet and cognitive data on 4,879 people age 70 and older who took part in the U.S. Longitudinal Study on Aging. Participants were followed for an average of seven years.

According to a HealthDay report, the analysis found that:

• Those who ate three or more servings of vegetables daily had a 30 percent lower risk for dying from heart disease and a 15 percent lower risk for dying from any cause during the follow-up period than those who ate fewer servings of vegetables.

• There was a significant association between higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and decreased prevalence of cognitive impairment.

• People who scored high on cognitive function tests were less likely to die from heart disease or any other cause during the follow-up than were those with low scores.

Having a healthy heart is important when it comes to old age. That is why Home Instead Senior Care promotes this healthy heart through our caregivers. Our caregivers promote positive cognitive function, and they cook healthy meals which will often include fruits and vegetables. Mom and dad need all the help they can get; if you’re finding it difficult to take care of your loved ones and are looking for someone who will go that extra mile, then give Home Instead a call.

Home Instead Senior Care will provide outstanding caregivers to help your loved one with personal care, incidental travel, companionship, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and even meal preparation. To learn more, call 248-203-2273 or visit www.homeinstead.com. Home Instead Senior Care is the world’s trusted source of in-home non-commercial personal care and companionship for seniors. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. And remember, to us, it’s personal.

Seniors who eat fruits and vegetables and who have good cognitive function are much less likely to die from heart disease than those who have poorer cognitive function and eat fewer fruits and vegetables, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia analyzed diet and cognitive data on 4,879 people age 70 and older who took part in the U.S. Longitudinal Study on Aging. Participants were followed for an average of seven years.

According to a HealthDay report, the analysis found that:

• Those who ate three or more servings of vegetables daily had a 30 percent lower risk for dying from heart disease and a 15 percent lower risk for dying from any cause during the follow-up period than those who ate fewer servings of vegetables.

• There was a significant association between higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and decreased prevalence of cognitive impairment.

• People who scored high on cognitive function tests were less likely to die from heart disease or any other cause during the follow-up than were those with low scores.

Having a healthy heart is important when it comes to old age. That is why Home Instead Senior Care promotes this healthy heart through our caregivers. Our caregivers promote positive cognitive function, and they cook healthy meals which will often include fruits and vegetables. Mom and dad need all the help they can get; if you’re finding it difficult to take care of your loved ones and are looking for someone who will go that extra mile, then give Home Instead a call.

Home Instead Senior Care will provide outstanding caregivers to help your loved one with personal care, incidental travel, companionship, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and even meal preparation. To learn more, call 248-203-2273 or visit www.homeinstead.com. Home Instead Senior Care is the world’s trusted source of in-home non-commercial personal care and companionship for seniors. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. And remember, to us, it’s personal.

Oh what a lovely day I’ve had… this morning I popped along to my favorite shop – John Lewis for an informal ladies networking monthly event called Cappuccino Connections.  It’s organised by Athena Networking group and locally about 40 women met for a natter and networking… oh and a cappuccino or something.  It’s so great to meet so many like minded people who are interested in what you do and to share their business story.  There seems to be such synergy between so many of us.  I’ve learned along the way how important it is to surround myself with a supportive peer group.  Sometimes when we share our dreams and goals with our friends and family their response can truly cause us to burst our bubble (we’re responsible for our own thoughts and decisions to take on board other peoples negative comments).  We allow our dream to die – or we can put on the back burner for another time.  I’ve certainly done this in the past.  Often those closest to us do not want us to change because this could ultimately change the relationship we share – or they do not want us to fail… so lovingly would rather keep us in our place.  Being part of a supportive network provides not only momentum for progression by being an encouraging sounding board - but also can give some leads to help establish the business.  Having fellow coaches to support and believe in me and my goals makes the journey even more exciting and the ride smoother.

Who do you surround yourself with?  How does your peer group support you?  How determined are you to reach your goals?  – How unshakable are they?

I’ve travelled up to Birmingham this afternoon on the train.  It’s my second time ever being in this city.  It feels vibrant and looks colourful.  Tomorrow I am going to Jo Cameron’s Women on Their Way conference – I can’t wait.. it promises to be a fabulous event with lots of inspiring speakers and great workshops.  I’m hoping to build my peer group here too… how great will it be to have new friends in another city?:)  Wonderful!  So I’m off to sleep now dreaming of my goals, feeling grateful for my friends, family, peers and coaches… and aptly I’m staying in a hotel called Nite Nite! Night all

Joanna Geary, Web Development Editor for The Times talked to CJS about how she started her career in journalism.

Learning where, when, why and how successful journalists like Joanna first found their feet in the industry is a topic that has fascinated me because since the age of sixteen, I’ve been working toward getting a paid job in journalism. Now I’m at CJS there’s an even greater sense of wanting to make that goal. 

My formidable friend, Harriet Masterson graduated from Reading University the same year as  I graduated from Winchester University.  Next week she’ll begin her first ‘this is what I’ve dreamt about’  job with the production company, Spank . Harriet is a hardworking, sincere and creative woman. I know she’ll cringe when she reads this but I’m bursting with pride .

‘What happens now?’ I asked her, when she telephoned me with the news. ‘I mean, the battle for three years was getting IN and now… your IN. ‘

She replied dreamily, ‘I know..it hasn’t quite sunk in yet.’

Harriet and I aren’t competitive friends. Perhaps a reason for this is we’ve always taken the next step together and have been level footing in our general life aspirations. So now she’s started her career we’re for the first time, out of sync. Jealousy isn’t the emotion I’m feeling,  I’m just desperate to join her in the world of work, so, what do I need to do to get there?

Cue Joanna Geary’s talk.  Joanna inspired me because she struggled to get where she is. Always the second choice for jobs and unable to afford the course I’m on, she eventually got her break as a business reporter for the Birmingham Post.

When they found out she was blogging outside of her work, she was given a new challenge: creating a network of thirty-five blogs in two weeks. She exceeded expectations, creating a dynamic, regional network. Something no other regional paper was doing at the time.

Joanna  was building  a strong network in London, through Twitter. When she tweeted, ‘ going to London, any one want to meet?’ a  journalist from The Times responded and following on from this she was offered a job  at The Times.

Joanna is a woman who has made things happen for herself.  She’s created a brand for herself through blogging and Twitter.  She was using her blog to ask questions no one else in the industry was asking. She was never overly conscious of the fact ‘the right people’ were reading and watching what she was doing. I mean, her following didn’t inhibit her writing. I find her older blog posts sometimes rambling, sometimes unstructured but to me that mirrors a free-flowing thought pattern, similar to my own.

I know it will be tough, really tough, getting that first paid job in the media. But Joanna is a great example of someone who doesn’t fall down when the business structure around her is. Last August 40% of her colleagues were made redundant at The Birmingham Post. The remaining 60% had to reapply. Some journalists who’ve lost their jobs have started creating hyperlocal sites. So, there is no straight route into getting that job anymore. t’s all zig zags. But, thats ok. I’ve never followed straight lines. Isn’t  it much more fun drawing your own and making a new pattern?

This Tuesday 1st December sees the return of Vodbull hosted night, Billionaire. This is a brand new event hosted at bluu, one of Birmingham’s most prestigious venues.

Billionaire at bluu is an upmarket event, offering guest list entry, cocktails, cutting edge music, a speed service bottle bar and a chill out lounge area, whilst featuring exceptionally competitive prices on premium drinks.

On offer this Tuesday:

How many times do I have to go over this dumbass robbers.Do not and I repeat do not rob a friggin bank when you live five doors down. Urgh, Christopher Walker attacked a cash-in-transit security guard with a stick outside Lloyds bank in Birmingham and then took off with £25,000 in cash. Problem was he proceeded to run home, which was across the road. Mr Walker was arrested within minutes as eye witnesses were able to point out his where- a-bouts.

The largest ever hoard of Anglo Saxon treasure has been valued. The gold, which was found on 5th July this year in Staffordshire, was discovered by Terry Herbert while he was out practicing metal detecting on farmland belonging to Fred Johnson. It has now been valued at £3.28 million by the independant Treasure Valuation Committee. The money will be split equally between the two men. The treasure consists of  more than 1,500 individual pieces. The collection includes pommel caps and hilt plates. All in all there is 5kg of gold. The significance of the find is being compared to being, at least equal to, the Sutton Hoo discovery of 1939. Highlights of the collection can currently be seen at the British Museum in London. Thanks for reading.

Tom Carr Birthday Shred
Ideal Ramp, Custard Factory
8pm till he says leave!
FRIDAY 27th NOVEMBER

See y’all there!

Presenters Lexi & Nevika have being finding out the latest from Carpenters Road.

Mark Young the site manager showed us how the house will be insulated to make it more energy efficient.

Another beautiful day downtown.  Sarah and Matt came over late this afternoon and we shot some incredible images.  Can’t wait until the wedding.

Woohoo…Lindsay and Blake are getting married!  We had a fabulous time downtown yesterday.  Great light + great couple = fabulous photos!  Here are a few:

Budget airline Pegasus is stepping up their flights to Turkey – and it’s looking like the extra flights will mean a property boom.
The Turkish airline will have 17 new flights each week from the UK starting early next year.

The increased coverage will not only play a part in increasing tourist numbers to Turkey’s most popular areas, but it will likely mean a property boom as visitors seek to snap up investment properties and holiday homes along the Turkish Riviera.

Pegasus chairman Ali Sabanci said in the first 10 months of this year Pegasus Airlines grew by 46 percent on international routes and 41 percent on domestic routes.

Flights will include London to Istanbul, Bodrum and Dalaman; Manchester to Antalya and Dalaman, and Birmingham to Antalya and Bodrum.

Pegasus are set to offer 17 more flights a year from January.

Figures show that British visitors to Turkey have been growing at a whopping rate of 20 per cent each year for the past five years. And thanks to the strong Euro, this figure could be up to 25 per cent higher this year.

Pegasus alone has more than doubled its UK passengers in under a year, having carried over 200,000 holidaymakers to Turkey in the January to October period. The airline is set to boost its fleet with the addition of 23 new Boeing 737-800s, at a cost of £1.38 billion, and is rumoured to be negotiating for even more.

This can only be good news for British holidaymakers, who now have even more opportunity to make the most of what the Turkish Riviera has to offer.