"It's ok, we have all been saved..."

I refer of course to the utter "brilliance" of "Virgin 1's" new idea for how to save the British seaside...

They reveal that "Duncan Bannatyne swaps spreadsheets for spades as he sets about revamping Britain's Seaside Resorts," in their new prime time show "Duncan Bannatyne's seaside rescue," that this week saw our hero "Dunc" go off to save Ramsgate, well, when I say Ramsgate I actually mean Westgate, well when I say Westgate I really mean the boating lake at Westgate, but the idea is still there eh...

In an age where we use so many tourism "buzzwords" such as "regeneration,""sustainability,""staycations" and more, I found myself really looking forward to the idea that these topics would be covered on prime time television. But alas, all was not as it seemed with the contents failing to be what it said on the proverbial tin...

It should be noted to the producers that saving a boating lake in Westgate does not mean that Duncan or Virgin have in fact regenerated Ramsgate, but have instead just saved a failing business, like any failing business. Therefore what they have created is a parody of "Ramseys kitchen nightmares" with another moaning Scotsman telling people how to run their businesses. How creative, well done...

For those of you that have not seen the show, take a peek at http://www.virgin1.co.uk/shows/duncan-bannatynes-seaside-rescue/ to discover what all the fuss is about. And for those of you interested in discovering more about proper seaside regeneration, go to blogs such as http://jameskennell.com/ and find out what people who really know this subject think...

Barticus.

"Space. The final frontier..."

Mojave, California was the stage today for the latest offering from the Virgin empire with the first look at the Virgin Galactic spacecraft that promises future space travel for all...

The sleek, bullet-shaped spacecraft is about the size of a large business jet - with wide windows and seats for six well-heeled passengers to take a thrill ride into space...

It's billed as the world's first commercial spaceship, designed to be carried aloft by an exotic jet before firing its rocket engine to climb beyond the Earth's atmosphere...

In a Hollywood-style rollout, Virgin Galactic on Monday took the cloak off SpaceShipTwo, which had been under secret development for two years in the Mojave Desert...

The company plans to sell suborbital space rides for $200,000 a ticket, offering passengers 2 1/2-hour flights that include about five minutes of weightlessness...

Blaring music and a laser show heralded the rollout of SpaceShipTwo as it glided down a runway mated to its mothership and came to a stop before a throng of wannabe astronauts, dignitaries and VIPs who shivered in the desert cold for the splashy unveil...

To find out more, please go to http://www.examiner.com/a-2359904~Virgin_Galactic_unveils_commercial_spaceship.html?cid=rss-US

Barticus.

"Waiter, there is a fly in my soup...."

I believe that every traveller knows what to expect from the quality of their in-flight meal before they board the plane. Plastic and aluminum wrapped individual servings of "just about hot enough" or "just about cold enough" foodstuff that will do little more than sustain them for the duration of the flight..

But what do you do if you find the standard of food to be far below your expectations?...

An article from The Telegraph earlier this year quoted as "the world's best passenger complaint letter?" as sent to Richard Branson of Virgin fame shows a brilliant way to do it...

Even though this letter was posted some time ago, it still always helps to raise a smile, as I hope it will for you. So read more at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-passenger-complaint-letter.html

Barticus.