Earl Aelfheah

I used to really like the Brannigans Ham & Pickle crisps, but haven't seen them in years. Does anyone know if they're still sold anywhere?

I wasn't picking you up on your spelling - I've not tried Rancheros.

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Or we could invest in housing and infrastructure > in other regions to prevent the brain drain to > London and the consequent strain on our city as a > result. Years of under investment and a wide gap > in living standards mean that London continues to > grow and outperform every single other region of > the UK and whilst we propose to overdevelop our > neighbourhoods here, row upon row of good housing > stock in Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle > remain empty. This country is reaping what it has > sewn over decades. > > Louisa. This is very true.

Nigello Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Rancherors > Discos > Spicy Nik-Naks > Monster Munch (yellow packet) All excellent - although I'm ashamed to admit that I am not familiar with Rancherors. I'm not a huge fan of the pickled onion MM, but the yellow Beef ones, as you rightly point out, are excellent. As are the Flamin' Hot.

I'm definitely thinking that all the worthwhile crisp action is at either end of the price spectrum. The cheap crisps are good and the high end ones are pretty good. Walkers are OK, but nothing to write home about. It's a bit of a case of the squeezed middle.

... is there actually such a thing as a bad crisp? The only variety which comes to mind is the 'cheesy footballs' which had a crispy shell and a soft creme cheese type concoction in the centre. A soft 'crisp' makes no sense and indeed was disgusting. Otherwise though, I'm struggling to think of any other really bad ones.

Twiglets are good. There is currently a campaign to bring back the 'Twiglets of Tang' aka Worcestershire Sauce flavour (of which I was a big fan). Now there is a petition worth signing.

I know it's not a popular view, but I'm not really sure people should keep dogs in the city.

Nigello Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Skips, anyone? > Fish 'n' Chips, too? Are Fish 'n Chips a crisp or a biscuit? Same question with Mini Chedders.

Skips. Now you're talking. I haven't actually had Skips in ages, but they're good.

Wotsits. Just saying.

.....ooooohhh, I just remembered 'chip sticks'. This is impossible

... oh actually, Tyrells salt and pepper are very good.

I think it breaks down like this: Best cheap crisps: Onion Rings or Frazzles Best mid range: Walkers Marmite or Prawn Cocktail flavours. Best 'is it a crisp': Scampi Fries Best 'high end' crisp: Tryells salt and vinegar (suspect it's sea salt and cider vinegar or something but can't remember). I love most crisps though. If you asked me on a different day I'd give different answers.

I do like Tyrells'. They're definitely the best of the 'posh' crisps.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm sure there's a post-modern Hipster Crisp Joint > somewhere for you rah :) No need, Centra on the corner of Hindman's and Whateley provides for me.

titch juicy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The problem with so many of these chains is not > the coffee itself but how the baristas treat it. > Essentially, without the patience and care it > takes to make a decent espresso based drink. This, exactly. It varies so much from branch to branch. The one in the Imax Waterloo is generally good. The one in Camberwell is terrible (at least last time I visited them, which was a while ago admittedly, so could have changed). I heard that Daily Goods is opening a new branch in Elephant & Castle - that's got to be a sign of changing times.

I love all the really cheap, dirty, old school crisps - onion rings, space invaders, squares etc. Generally a bit of a crisp addict

http://www.just-food.com/analysis/the-rise-and-fall-of-an-icon_id94333.aspx There is quite a lot of stuff on the rise and fall of Golden Wonder. They were by far the most popular crisp company back in the day and (allegedly) invented Cheese and Onion flavour crisps (in green packets as is only proper). They couldn't compete with Walkers (who were backed by Pepsi co) and their better marketing (aka Gary Linker). I also remember listening to a podcast about the 'crisp war's of the the 70's and 80's (maybe the Bottom Line?) where it was suggested that they started making non brand crisps for lot's of supermarkets and had become too reliant on this particularly low margin pursuit. Anyway, I quite like Walkers, especially their Marmite and Prawn Cocktail flavours. But clearly their colour coding when it comes to Salt & Vinegar / Cheese and Onion is nonsense on stilts.

Good work Stringvest.

You can't blame government. They're responding to what the people want. Sadly, for many that's turning our back on those in need, driven by fear and prejudice. Pick up a copy of the Mail, or the Express, or the Sun and it's pretty clear what kind of country we really are. It's depressing and ultimately I think we're going to pay the price. So many talented people, successful businesses and industries will end up moving to places which are more open, outward looking and confident. I think that post Brexit and without a major shift in culture Britain is going to slowly decline. I hope I'm wrong, but the mean, little Britain mindset is destructive and suffocating. I love London, but have (like many others I'm sure), been wondering whether it might not be time for a move. It's a great, world class city but it's attached to a largely second rate, backward looking country.

Predictable response to the very mention of a car.

He's a disaster, but who would people like to see succeed him? If there was an obvious, strong, alternative candidate he'd have been replaced already.

Must be a better way to dispose of ones dog than a dog bin.

He has told demonstrable lies over and over again, and then furiously attacked anyone who challenges them. He has attacked the media relentlessly and claims that more people trust his statements than they do the media (some polls indicate he may be right on this). He uses his twitter account to intimidate individuals who disagree with him. His tweets reign down upon their target a deluge of death threats and harassment from his supporters. This is how you close down opposition voices in the modern era. He is now setting about using similar tactics against the judiciary. For those worried about the increasingly autocratic nature of Trump, think about what it is we should be watching for. It's not the familiar form of autocracy which would be recognisable from the middle of the last century. The beginnings of Autocracy today, looks like this. Trump is dismantling opposition, not formally, because we've built systems to stop that, but he is doing it in new ways more subtle and more suitable to today's era. It still uses intimidation, fear and propaganda, but with the tools available today, tools of new media, alternative facts and gangs of angry internet trolls.