Random snippets from the life of Ian Battersby

Stunning from The Third & The Seventh

Stunning short movie from The Third & The Seventh, what ever you do make sure it's in HD and full screen. Awesome!

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo (via @cmogle).

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My Favourite Place - Ringstead Bay

I'll let you into a secret and tell you about my favourite place, and I just don't mean in the UK, I mean in the whole wide world.

I've been visiting Ringstead Bay in Dorset for nearly 10 years. Nestled in the coastline near Weymouth it truly is a stunning and beautiful location. Taking a steep dive off the A353 you find yourself navigating the up and downs of country lanes. Soon afterwards, and having taken the beach road, you will ascend to be welcomed by the most spectacular view of sun shimmed sea and small white fishing boats. To describe the sight as 'magical' would be an understatement, it will take your breath away!

Beach you say?

Indeed, but be warned that a majority of the beach is cobbles and stones so if you're looking for the soft sands of the Mediterranean then you will be sorely disappointed. Personally I prefer cobbled/stone beaches as it eradicates the annoyance of sanded feet for the drive back, but comfortable walking shoes or trainers are advised for reaching your chosen spot. I'd also recommend bringing flip-flops or similar for when venturing into the sea, the submerged cobbles can be challenging at times.

For the ultimate beach experience be prepared for a small trek as the softest and most serene part of the coastline, about 20 minutes walk away from the car-park and shop. I should mention for those particularly averse to the sight of naked flesh that the far end is designated as a naturist beach, so you may wish to limit your walking time to 10-15 minutes. If you do venture down to the far end, 'Au Naturel' or otherwise, you will find a lovely formation of rocks that are just perfect for sitting and gazing out to sea in peaceful comtemplation.

Exploration

If you are more or a walker than a bather then you won't be disappointed either, the coastline has several trails that even the lightest of trekker can enjoy and admire. Should you venture round the headpoints then you might even find the odd shipwreck, not to mention sea-life.

If venturing far off the beaten trail then it's worth familiarising yourself with the tides and an ordnance survey map; the wife and I have found ourselves backtracking on several occasions when finding ourselves marooned.

But I'll need a beer

Don't fear as there are a couple of pubs in the vicinity, the most popular and nearest being in walking distance at Osmington. I won't say the "Smuggler's Inn" is the best example of fine dining but it has decent food and excellent beer at a fair price.

See you there?

So now that I've let my secret out I'll no doubt see you there, perhaps with a portable BBQ? :)

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Darth Vader does Tom Tom

This is quite possibly one of the funniest things I've ever seen on YouTube, amazing!

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English people are stupid ..and it only takes 26 miles of water to prove it!

I know this is rather a sweeping statement, especially coming from an Englishman, but give me a chance to explain my story and I'm sure you'll start to agree.

In the last week I've driven over 1400 miles from our home in Buckinghamshire to the South of France for a short break away. For the most part I've not only been able to tolerate the miles but actual enjoy them, truth is that a journey of this length though daunting for some is something I quite enjoy - I love driving!

I just wanna cruise

However it gives you an education and although I've done it before this time the lessons of our continental friends really started to sink in. Being able to whack on cruise control at 130km/h and hardly ever turn it off (toll paige's and toilet breaks permitting) is just heaven and completely stress-free, sure there will be the odd interruption but nothing that causes more than a rye smile.

More importantly for our own governments attention is that the temptation to speed (or speaking frankly act like a right t*at) seems to desist, nearly everyone does the same speed and the 130km/h (82/83mph) limit is usually enough to satisfy most people's need for speed. The safety concious are also satisfied that this limit drops to 110km/h (68/69mph) in rainy conditions, simple huh!?

To confirm my suspicions within 5 minutes of getting off the train onto the M20 I had people trying to race me, I was constantly having to switch lanes to maintain a constant speed, and I soon fell back into old habits of shooting down the fast lane to avoid all the idiots. Only in the speed-controlled section of the M25 did a semblance of stress-free driving resume when I was for the some part able to put cruise back on.

.. and whilst I'm at it

On arriving at our friends B&B near Cognac Darren immediately commented that the low-profile tyres on our new car weren't exactly designed for French roads - how wrong he was! Although some of the roads in France can be poorly maintained he wants to try driving to our house from Folkestone, it's like pot-hole alley and the worsening state of our locals roads in only a week quite frankly wants to make me move to France - like now!

Comments: T&C's apply

Before I get a rage of comments on how I don't know how bad French roads can be and how bad French driving can be, I do acknowledge that the roads & driving the further South you go does tend to be more erratic, but this doesn't detract from the basic concept that 110-130km/h with speed-controlled zones on all our motorways might be the answer to a stress-free, speeding-ticket-free, existence.

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Dear Prime Minister (an open letter to Gordon Brown)

Dear Prime Minister,

It seems that open letters outlining your current failings are all the trend at the moment, so despite having written formally only some weeks ago about the arrogance that was the Heathrow Expansion decision here I am again shouting from my hill top.

What I think you fail to understand is that as young budding business professionals we are taught that one key principal behind any successful organisation is accountability, a principal that until recently I was sure you must be familiar with.

However in the last six months I have not only been barraged with worsening economic difficulties by your inept management of our country's finances, but your droning voice sprouting what can only be described as verbal diarrhea. You demonstrated this eloquently when interviewed by Ewan Davies on the BBC Radio 4 Today show, where you not only failed to accept any failings on your part, but did a masterful job of trying to drown out Ewan with the same old self-protectionist nonsense.

So why am I really angry Gordon? Let's get down to brass tacks!

Well truthfully I don't really know where to begin, you have such a long list to your name that it's like finding straw in a hay-stack! However let's begin:

• Not only do you seem unable to accept responsibility for your failings but you seem determined to place non-proportional blame at someone else's door, and yes that includes the ordinary hard-working punters such as myself.
• Although I am clever enough (truly I am - believe me Gordon) to understand the important role banks play in our economy and that they must be protected, your number one priority seems to be that of the chairman of the particular institution or industry you are claiming to save. I am therefore convinced that the interests of the tax payer in any deal 'done' (without the prior knowledge or approval of our parliament of course) is merely an after-thought.
• You seem to have wasted a staggering amount of tax payers money on failed initiatives over the years, but the reduction in VAT just takes the biscuit! Do you REALLY think someone saving £2 on a £100 iPod is going to make them rush out to Argos? No! What it did accomplish was to lose HMRC revenue, waste valuable parliamentary time with discussion, and COST ME MONEY updating accounting and e-commerce systems with new and temporary rates.
• It seems although I went to a lot of trouble going to the voting booth on election day to elect a representative to speak on my behalf in parliament you seem painstakingly determined to ignore them - and that includes those on your own benches! Now although I can imagine you often feel you know better than us lowly folk, to ignore those who might one day (quite soon) occupy your seat is just pure arrogance and stupidity.
• Coming to one of my old time favorites - "What a great idea you have there! Dear Country, have you heard my new idea?". It seems to me that people have been coming up with alternative suggestions to combat the economic crises left right and centre. Did you not feel for one moment they might be worth listening to? .. because it sure seems to me I'm listening to the same idea coming from your noggin only months later!
• You seemed completely unable to comprehend that all your initiatives to get people back into work (even before they'd started to lose their jobs) would be futile if instead you'd forced the banks to lend money and implemented a scheme to underwrite loans (for more than 2% of small businesses) so they wouldn't be losing their jobs in the first place!
• It seems of little consequence to you that you're piling us and generations to come with massive debt on a roll of the dice which isn't really necessary. What you are instead doing is rolling the dice, with our money, to save your own bacon. Pretty lame, I'll send you an invoice.
• Now although you deem the plight of the weakening pound irrelevant (well apart from when shifting the blame for it's downslide on other people) you seem to forget that now that UK industry is ravaged and we no longer produce goods here - we need to buy from abroad. So although you bestowed the main-street punter with a VAT cut, all the goods they now want to buy are shooting up in price by 20-30%. Those of us lucky enough to beat the price increases are now paying bigger insurance premiums to make sure we can afford to replace them when some bugger thief's 'em.

Now really Gordon I could go on, but quite frankly there are people reading this who have better things to do with their time, like trying to pay their energy bills.

So what do I want you to do Gordon?

What I would ask if that you LISTEN and stop being so bloddy arrogant, I'd say it doesn't suit you - but I believe it does!

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