The Don't Panic Guide to Social Media takes place at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on Friday 5 December and will examine the strategic opportunities and benefits of new media and online PR alongside a wealth of case studies. Some of the hottest names in UK PR will be travelling to the city and confirmed speakers include -

STUART BRUCE, MD, WOLFSTAR

SIMON WAKEMAN, HEAD OF MARKETING, MEDWAY COUNCIL

Full details on the conference can be found as a PDF on the Don't Panic website.

Following the launch in Bolton we jetted off to Spain for a week’s R&R and an escape from the misery of the wet English summer. It was a good break and a chance to finally put our feet up before the next wave of work is upon us.

I also got round to reading ‘Overcoming Stupidity in the world around you’, the latest book from our favourite creative thinker Andy Green. The premise is simple: The world is getting more stupid and we’re all prone to bouts of it sometimes. The good news is the book goes on to explore the flexible thinking we can use to overcome our own stupidity and that of others.

It’s a great read for anyone interested in communication and has a loose, light tone reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut along with laugh out loud examples of bureaucracy gone mad.

Given that Andy is the guy who brightens up Blue Monday, New Order seemed very appropriate.

‘Overcoming Stupidity in the world around you’ is published by the Flexible Thinking Forum, an imprint of Tangent Books.

A week or so ago we were at the University of Bolton to event manage the official opening of the new Social Learning Zone by HRH The Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex. It was a great launch for a building which provides a high tech social hub for the University and was attended by around 200 invited guests.

The royal visit tied in with the simultaneous opening of the University’s Ras Al Khaima campus in the United Arab Emirates via live video link. We didn’t take any chances and sent over a technical team to the UAE to ensure pictures and sound bounced off satellites and all ran smoothly.

The Prince was a fantastic speaker, and it struck me what a modest and likable guy he actually is. His comments on plaque unveiling were highly amusing and he worked the audience brilliantly.

I’m pretty sure he’d approve of our caption competition for the picture above. He’s actually being shown some new wonder material developed at the University but there’ll be a prize for the best suggestion. Please keep it clean!

Here’s Eddie & The Hot Rods in all their 1977 glory.

Photos by Adrian Greenhalgh & courtesy University of Bolton