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CITYAM.COM WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2015 DIARY 11 THECAPITALIST Got A Story? Email [email protected] EDITED BY EDITH HANCOCK Google axes its anti-evil motto G OOGLE is finally free to be evil. When Google became Alphabet, it rather ominously decided to leave its motto “don’t be evil” behind. Although Google workers still have to promise not to be evil, that code of conduct doesn’t apply to its new parent company, after Google’s transition to Alphabet was completed last week. Alphabet employees have slightly less strict rules to abide by – not to mention less catchy. Employees of Alphabet “should do the right thing – follow the law, act honourably and treat each other with respect”. The famous motto has long been associated with the tech giant, and was even included in its 2004 initial public offering. But it isn’t the only part of its code of conduct, which spans pages and includes other gems like “we like cats, but we’re a dog company”. The corporate shakeup that left Google as the subsidiary of holding company Alphabet was finally completed last week, and Google shares traded under Alphabet for the first time on Monday. While the new umbrella company includes a broad range of efforts from life sciences to Google Ventures and Google X, Google itself has become more streamlined to focus on Android, and ads. However, no word on any plans for trap doors, shark tanks, lasers or island headquarters. Google is renouncing its anti-evil policy A ROMANTIC NIGHT FOR TOMB Airbnb offer a spooky weekend in Paris for two What could be more romantic than a candlelit dinner in a cosy hideaway in Paris? That was the thought running through the heads of Airbnb’s marketing team when they came up with a competition to win a one night stay for two in Paris’ catacombs. On Halloween. Perhaps it won’t just be the ghosts going bump in the night on this weekend break (although those skulls hardly set the mood). VLADIMIR PUTIN ON A PAR WITH BATMAN? ...and while we’re still on the subject of evil, Vladimir Putin celebrates his 63rd birthday today - and to celebrate a London artist opened an exhibition yesterday putting the leader right up there with Alexander the Great and Mahatma Gandhi as a “famous hero” of our time. The Putin Universe imposed the politician’s visage onto famous images of Salvador Dali, Father Christmas and even Batman. Lee West, who launched the exhibition in Hoxton, said: “I’m proud to present a positive image of Putin. People seemed very interested. Something similar was held in Russia last year and the BBC claimed that it could never be done in London. Well, there you go!” Well, quite. CANARY WHARF BLASTS NEW CHARGE ON WAITROSE BAGS While the big supermarkets’ press teams are having a very stressful week after a 5p charge on plastic bags was rolled out on Monday, there was one group of victims that everyone forgot about: Canary Wharf’s bankers. How will they carry their lunch back to the office without a bag? That was the question one worker demanded an answer to yesterday. According to travel-blogger Laura Baker, the local Waitrose got an earful from a man who was “really rude” to staff who told him that bags are now an added extra. LAST OF THE ENGLISH WINE Look after the pennies... British values were top of the agenda at the Tories’ party conference yesterday. While Theresa May claimed Britain was paying a “high price” for immigration, one ex City figure was troubled by an influx of foreign fizz this week. Mark Driver, hedge fund manager-turned owner of Sussex vineyard Rathfinny, was speaking at a Conservative Rural Affairs Group yesterday and blasted the Tories for shipping in Lanson's and Bollinger for the drinks receptions while there is no English sparkling wine in sight. Maybe the party isn't ready for an EU exit after all?