The official logo of the London 2012 Olympic games is turning five next year. Like most growing children, this logo’s naturally developed affinity for trouble-making is the defining characteristic that we’ve come to love as proud global guardians of the Olympic identity.

The initial reports, post unveiling ceremony, were scathing and unkind. Blogs and their readers were quick to pan the logo and spew hate at Wolf Ollins, the agency involved in it’s creation. Elbowruminations was also on the scene back in 2007 covering the hype. Kevan defined the logo nicely with a simple equation: Inukshuk + 1989 = the logo.

With the Games quickly approach, has this $840,000 investment appreciated in value since it’s rocky introduction as an epileptic trigger and most recently, a zionist symbol and a sure sign of a pending alien invasion.

I am tempted to say yes.

Not because it’s nice but because it’s still horrible and horrible is what we want.

Remember 2007? It was boring and so were we. Entertainment was defined by the ipod clickwheel! The design inspiration for the year – 2007 was at the height full of swooshy istock swirls. Ack! Just look at us now. We don’t even press buttons anymore. Fashion has no rules. In fact, dressing up in old clothes with huge out-dated glasses is the height of hipster fashion.

If you ask me, as gaudy as the logo appeared five years ago, I think we’ll be ready for it. With Arab Spring in full swing and the “no reason riots” in Vancouver and England complete, people are tired of behaving properly and following boring rules.

As we have learned, violence causes unwanted destruction and pain – which is inconvenient. We need something less violent to break us out of this deep rut of political and economical dissatisfaction. What better way to express our discontent than through awful design. This logo does not conform to any laws. It remains physically unwilling to bend to any social norms. It’s belligerent, unashamed, narcissistic and itching for a screaming match with a person of authority.

It seems like that’s how we feel these days.

Which is why we have the perfect logo for London 2012.

Thank you, Wolf Ollins. You know us so well.

Being self-employed in a city like Vancouver makes you fortunate: with good transit, good people and good cafes, the only real challenge in this city is actually doing a good job. But since we know you’ve already got that covered…what you really need is a place to have client meetings.

1. Try the library

With 22 branches strategically placed in the most convenient locations all across Vancouver, the library is the most obvious (and yet the most surprising) choice for a business meeting. Vancouver has committed to providing free wireless internet in every location, and if you don’t mind embracing the “community” feel, nothing beats a library as a quiet space for smart people.

2. Do coffee

Your favourite local coffee shop is moonlighting as a prime location for your next meeting. Here in Vancouver, it’s almost harder to find a coffee shop that doesn’t have wireless: every Waves location will hook you up for free, and most Blenz, Wired Monk and Bread Garden Urban Cafe locations will, too. Even at Starbucks, all it takes for free wi-fi is a registered Starbucks card – I carry an empty one around in my wallet for just that purpose.

3. Join the club

Your meeting could be happening in a Gastown loft with view of the Burrard Inlet and the North Shore mountains, in a comfortable-yet-stylish space with exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling windows and ready access to the city’s best coffee. Yeah, it’ll set you back a monthly membership fee, but you’ll also be part of Workspace, one of North America’s pioneers in shared spaces. The meetings might just be worth it. (You can also try The Network Hub on Richards Street, available at $20/hour for our kind of meetings)

4. Chow down

The breakfast meeting is a classic, and if you’ve got a client you’re comfortable enough with to eat pancakes and talk business at the same time, then Vancouver has a couple options. Every De Dutch location has free wireless. All Cactus Club shops (for a lunch or dinner option) can feed you broadband and beefsteak, and The End Café on Commercial can give you coffee, food and internet (and big tables).

5. Centre yourself

In January of 2009 Vancouver City Council passed a motion to start rolling out wireless for all Community Centres in Vancouver. It’s not ready yet, but most of the Centres have a good amount of tables and chairs ready to be inhabited by entrepreneurs like you.

Tools & Resources

• Find a wifi-enabled coffee shop in your neighbourhood
• Read some tips on coffee shop working from Vancouver’s most notable mobile meeter