Indeed I’ll develop that argument. One of the great problems with American food is not the cooking or the restaurants - the chains and the recipes - it’s the corruption of the basic ingredients. Fructose and hormones. Shit at the source
There is also the corporate push for deskilled kitchens. It far cheaper to create recipes that require little to no equipment beyond a microwave or ones of those special ovens that cooks /steams in rapid time, and in doing so doesn't require actual trained chefs. Its like the school dinners here, but in the US you are now paying $20-30-40 (+20% tip) for it.
The funniest (if you want to call it that) I have seen is demand for a tip at a self service check-out.
When minimum wage in the US was exceptionally low it made some sense, but in some states the minimum wage is as high as $20/hr, then to ask for 20% minimum tip on top is absolute piss take.
It has creeped into London as well. The automatic service charge of 15%, including some establishments who try to frame it as compulsory fee.
'Sunak' is fairly prominent in that first word cloud, but I suspect not in a good way if it's post D-Day etc.
Starmer much less prominent, which probably suits Labour - when you're far ahead you don't need people to be changing votes based on your leader, unless your leader is very electorally appealing.
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close. Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
That sliding bar gentrification map of London on the previous thread is fascinating. The rapid gentrification of SE London, which I guess I have contributed to, is striking. It certainly accords with my own observation of how the areas around us have changed since we moved here in 2011, let alone when a friend moved to Brockley (which we'd never heard of) in the late 1990s and the area was awash with drug dealing and the local pub was full of NF supporters. If you know SE4 now that picture is impossible to visualise.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close. Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.
Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
But the important question is, do they have broccoli with their Nandos?
It's surprising that 20% of Labour voters think that he has had a good influence on politics.
Not really. Labour Brexiteers plus Labour obsessives who want a divided right are not insignificant in number.
Personally I don't see much of a gap between Farage and the likes of Braverman, Patel, JRM or Francois. So find it quite weird the number of Tories who are horrified at both the prospect of ex Tories now voting elsewhere whilst simultaneously claiming Farage is unpalatable.
And Farage is a far better communicator than Braverman, Patel, JRM or Francois.
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
But the important question is, do they have broccoli with their Nandos?
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
It amazing have not a single person has come out of the woodwork to claim they also remember the infamous visit. Anybody would think it didn't happen.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
Pizza Express, Dean St, in London is of interest. If you like live Jazz….
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close. Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
Mahmood's constituency contains Newtown, Digbeth, the City Centre, and the Jewellery Quarter.... which mostly consists of black and mixed race voters and young, white middle-class professionals living in the city centre. If she doesn't get completely trounced in Alum Rock, Small Heath etc. she'll be ok.
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
I dare say that it appealed to White Van Man, which is what mattered by that stage.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close. Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.
Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
I'm only on a Tory majority at 12. It circa 50 now, but I am less inclined than I was.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
It amazing have not a single person has come out of the woodwork to claim they also remember the infamous visit. Anybody would think it didn't happen.
Unfathomable that none of the staff have sold their story of his visit to a tabloid.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Pizza Hut is shit.
I've never been. What's it like, apart from shite in your view? Italian authenticity?
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
There’s plenty of decent options in “Provincial England” you know!
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close. Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.
Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
I'm only on a Tory majority at 12. It circa 50 now, but I am less inclined than I was.
Sorry about the Ladywood/ Yardley error.
Yakoob, the other indies and WPB are running a pretty much united campaign in Birmingham all supporting each other so any traction has a good chance of spilling over constituencies. Labour are very fortunate they have big majorities in most of Brum because they will leak votes like crazy
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
That sliding bar gentrification map of London on the previous thread is fascinating. The rapid gentrification of SE London, which I guess I have contributed to, is striking. It certainly accords with my own observation of how the areas around us have changed since we moved here in 2011, let alone when a friend moved to Brockley (which we'd never heard of) in the late 1990s and the area was awash with drug dealing and the local pub was full of NF supporters. If you know SE4 now that picture is impossible to visualise.
Quite so re Orpington/Bromley. But also Stratford area.
Nothing new though, in urban history, I suppose ...
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
Yeah there's lots to not like about her, I will never be a fan although I do find myself admiring aspects of her character more as the quality of her political descendants has declined. But I think the Section 28 stuff is just really nasty and tawdry and hard to justify wherever you sit on the left-right spectrum.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Pizza Hut is shit.
I've never been. What's it like, apart from shite in your view? Italian authenticity?
It's just commercial slop, big portions over authenticity. PX is vastly superior – but there are many better places.
I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.
It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.
The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
That sliding bar gentrification map of London on the previous thread is fascinating. The rapid gentrification of SE London, which I guess I have contributed to, is striking. It certainly accords with my own observation of how the areas around us have changed since we moved here in 2011, let alone when a friend moved to Brockley (which we'd never heard of) in the late 1990s and the area was awash with drug dealing and the local pub was full of NF supporters. If you know SE4 now that picture is impossible to visualise.
I moved to Brockley in 2000 after 2 years in Hatcham Park in SE14, and it was never that rough, aside from the drug problem at the Breakspear Arms (now a Wetherspoons). The housing stock was always pretty pleasant. There was just nothing to do, no decent shops or restaurants except for one well established Thai cafe, now sadly gone, and a wine bar in Crofton Park.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
At least PX tries to have some nod to Italian cookery. PH is fast food garbage.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.
It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.
The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
I'm probably out of touch but this doesn't seem like normal behaviour to me:
"The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.
It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.
The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
I'm probably out of touch but this doesn't seem like normal behaviour to me:
"The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Pizza Hut is to pizza what Spoons is to ale.
I don't think that's fair. You can drink reasonably well in most Spoons.
I do have a soft spot for Pizza Express. I really like their Caffe Reals. (sp?) Plus, you used to be able to eat there astonishingly cheaply with tesco vouchers. Not eaten there for a few years - after being a foodie desert for years, my home town is now surprisingly awash with good food options, including a couple of very good independent pizzerias.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
There’s plenty of decent options in “Provincial England” you know!
I'm sure there are, in plenty of places, but quite often there aren't.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
Now that i don't understand....they aren't even cheap.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
Pizza Hut tomato sauce is bizarrely - and disgustingly - sweet.
I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.
It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.
The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
I'm probably out of touch but this doesn't seem like normal behaviour to me:
"The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
Have the boys been named?
Not yet - I suppose the judge will have to determine whether they should be.
I have mixed feelings about naming them. In one sense we should have a right to know, but to what end? 12 year old kids don't suddenly do things like this from nowhere -something has gone very wrong in their lives and upbringing. This is NOT normal behaviour.
It is indeed striking. But then, the 2019 (or 2015!) UK general election map pretty neatly recreates the old England-Scotland border 300 years after union
Out and about in North London this morning - found a pleasant cafe near Archway for an early lunch but parts of North London, and I say this as an East Londoner, are pretty awful. There are homeless all over the streets and shoplifting, as I saw in a branch of Wenzels, is endemic with two people coming in, nicking a sandwich and running off.
To be fair, shoplifting is a huge problem in East London along with fare evasion but I presume the supermarkets and food companies, along with Transport for London, have decided the cost of trying to prevent the theft or evasion set against the actual amounts lost or fares not collected, isn't justifiable. If they can live it what is anyone else going to do? It's much harder if you're running a small corner shop and you lose N% of your income to theft.
Some might say the poor, along with unrealistic expectations for our national football team, will always be with us.
It's amazing and amusing to hear one of the few Tory sympathisers on here this morning bemoaning the level of debt interest payments and the impact that has on the public finances. Yet no one thought borrowing a bad idea when it was all the rage and interest rates were low. Said finances have been badly managed for decades but as has been said by more than a few, we can't or won't have a serious discussion about any of this until ALL parties agree the choice is spending cuts or tax rises versus spending cuts AND tax rises.
It's time to revisit land value taxation - the value of undeveloped land versus the value of land with planning permission. A site worth £25m without permission can be worth £250m with that permission and needless to say you don't spend £225m to get that permission so perhaps we can bring some sense to the planning and development process by saying the more properties you squeeze on to a site the more Development Tax you will pay.
Conversely, if land which is agreed can be developed is sitting there undeveloped it could be taxed to full developmental value which should slow down landbanking.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
The amazing bit, though, is how well Eastern Germany has done relatively: income gaps with Western Germany are less than between the richest and poorest parts of the UK, housing is inexpensive, and unemployment is low - compared even to 2004.
I would have assumed West Germans, who are still paying for this leveling up, would be the ones who would be upset. But they are not.
Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365 I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham. Value in the odds not a prediction........
Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.
The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.
On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close. Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.
Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
I'm only on a Tory majority at 12. It circa 50 now, but I am less inclined than I was.
Sorry about the Ladywood/ Yardley error.
NOC was 20 last time I looked. Presumably the Mexican Michelin-starred dinner fund has been heavily invested in that market!?
The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
I love it when Roger knows more about ending apartheid than Nelson Mandela.
WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next. I'm shocked.
O/T Greens averaging over 5% in the polls should worry the Tories, imo.
In the last two elections they've ended up on 1.7% and 2.7%. I expect the green vote to hold up well in safe Labour seats but in Tory-Labour marginals, 2 or 3% of that Green support will fold into Labour on polling day imo.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
If sugar and salt rather than authenticity and flavour are your thing...
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
That's insane.
Dominos is horrendous junk and Pizza Express is far better.
I can't decide between Hut and Express. Hut at least has nice salad.
The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.
It's now, by name, the most Woke town in the commuter belt.
Leon will be giving it a wide berth.
I don’t think Woking is woke. I can’t really think of any way in which it is. Not in the way that, say, Guildford is at any rate. Oh I see. Doh. The name
But it is very definitely LibDem now. Rock solidly so.
The amazing bit, though, is how well Eastern Germany has dubbed relatively: income gaps with Western Germany are less than between the richest and poorest parts of the UK, housing is inexpensive, and unemployment is low - compared even to 2004.
I would have assumed West Germans, who are still paying for this leveling up, would be the ones who would be upset. But they are not.
Depends on the Wessi, however what strikes me is how much Longer CDU/CSU can keep the AfD at arms length. At some point they will start to do a deal.
WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next. I'm shocked.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
That's insane.
Dominos is horrendous junk and Pizza Express is far better.
I can't decide between Hut and Express. Hut at least has nice salad.
I don't like Pizza Express pizzas as their bases are just too fucking thin, it is like eating pizza toppings on air.
Having taken the usual necessary precautions (dark room, mellow music, a couple of pills) I’ve been thinking about the Conservative Party. How have they got themselves into such an omnipickle that they could be reduced in a general election to under 100 seats and perhaps not even be the Opposition? Less than three years ago they were topping the polls, and now this. It’s an astonishing feat. How in the name of all that’s holy have they managed it? Books will be written, but while we’re waiting for them I’ve been pondering the matter and the answer, it seems to me, is Brexit.
We often hear that Boris Johnson delivered it, which is true, however the reverse is also true, Brexit delivered Boris Johnson, it’s how he became PM, and in picking this rogue, this wrong un, to lead them the Tories planted the seeds of their catastrophe. To prosper in torytown under Johnson you had to jettison your judgment and integrity, or better still not be encumbered with any to start with, therefore the ‘people quality’ on the blue side sank in short order to historical lows. Johnson corrupted and infantilised the party. This meant when he imploded, due to the character defects known about from the outset, they were unable to right the ship. Instead they lost the plot entirely and replaced him with perhaps the only contender even more unsuitable.
TLDR, Brexit begat Johnson and a degraded organisation, this begat Truss, and lo here we are, a ruined Tory Party. Of course you can construct other defensible takes but I do like this one, that Brexit has destroyed the Tories. I like it because in a world generally lacking in justice what we have here is karma at its most pure and righteous. Brexit was (is) wall-to-wall cost and stress and division, with almost zero compensating tangible benefit, an absolute donkey’s arse of a project, and so how very apt that the biggest price of all is paid by the entity responsible for inflicting it upon us.
Simon Clarke gets the backing of the Reform proposed candidate who did not stand in Middlesborough S and Cleveland E in case it affects your expectations there in any way
WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next. I'm shocked.
I mean, yes, we often cook our own pizzas from scratch, albeit cheating with fast-acting yeast, but sometimes you are away from home, or you are short of time, and you have a choice between a number of less than optimal options.
WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next. I'm shocked.
Indeed it is a sad day on here when PBers – PBers! – are extolling the virtues of Dominos and Pizza Hut. Next up: NPXMP on the joys of a microwaved ready meal from Tescos.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
Now that i don't understand....they aren't even cheap.
Yeah, bizarre - you'd expect Dominos' numbers to match up.
Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
If sugar and salt rather than authenticity and flavour are your thing...
There is nothing authentic about the pizzas at Pizza Express.
Comments
When minimum wage in the US was exceptionally low it made some sense, but in some states the minimum wage is as high as $20/hr, then to ask for 20% minimum tip on top is absolute piss take.
It has creeped into London as well. The automatic service charge of 15%, including some establishments who try to frame it as compulsory fee.
Starmer much less prominent, which probably suits Labour - when you're far ahead you don't need people to be changing votes based on your leader, unless your leader is very electorally appealing.
'Drain the swamp'
He's not even paying royalties!
Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
"Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.
Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.
As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
Personally I don't see much of a gap between Farage and the likes of Braverman, Patel, JRM or Francois. So find it quite weird the number of Tories who are horrified at both the prospect of ex Tories now voting elsewhere whilst simultaneously claiming Farage is unpalatable.
And Farage is a far better communicator than Braverman, Patel, JRM or Francois.
Leon will be giving it a wide berth.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz99py9rgz5o
Sorry about the Ladywood/ Yardley error.
And you think I'm a fraud
But my heart lies in the city, where it belongs"
(In the City)
https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article250850434/Europawahl-400-Wahlkreise-ausgezaehlt-Alle-Ergebnisse-im-Ueberblick.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V39.1.C_plus35
Nothing new though, in urban history, I suppose ...
Most folk don't have anywhere near the granular interest in politics that we do and probably don't rake over his motives to the same degree.
The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
"The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
https://www.thenational.scot/news/24377807.tory-candidate-set-replace-douglas-ross-msp-lives-london/?ref=ebbn&nid=1457&u=f140ec39d500193051a33e140c12bd95&date=100624
I do have a soft spot for Pizza Express. I really like their Caffe Reals. (sp?) Plus, you used to be able to eat there astonishingly cheaply with tesco vouchers. Not eaten there for a few years - after being a foodie desert for years, my home town is now surprisingly awash with good food options, including a couple of very good independent pizzerias.
https://x.com/bigissue/status/1797589896787583358?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
I have mixed feelings about naming them. In one sense we should have a right to know, but to what end? 12 year old kids don't suddenly do things like this from nowhere -something has gone very wrong in their lives and upbringing. This is NOT normal behaviour.
Out and about in North London this morning - found a pleasant cafe near Archway for an early lunch but parts of North London, and I say this as an East Londoner, are pretty awful. There are homeless all over the streets and shoplifting, as I saw in a branch of Wenzels, is endemic with two people coming in, nicking a sandwich and running off.
To be fair, shoplifting is a huge problem in East London along with fare evasion but I presume the supermarkets and food companies, along with Transport for London, have decided the cost of trying to prevent the theft or evasion set against the actual amounts lost or fares not collected, isn't justifiable. If they can live it what is anyone else going to do? It's much harder if you're running a small corner shop and you lose N% of your income to theft.
Some might say the poor, along with unrealistic expectations for our national football team, will always be with us.
It's amazing and amusing to hear one of the few Tory sympathisers on here this morning bemoaning the level of debt interest payments and the impact that has on the public finances. Yet no one thought borrowing a bad idea when it was all the rage and interest rates were low. Said finances have been badly managed for decades but as has been said by more than a few, we can't or won't have a serious discussion about any of this until ALL parties agree the choice is spending cuts or tax rises versus spending cuts AND tax rises.
It's time to revisit land value taxation - the value of undeveloped land versus the value of land with planning permission. A site worth £25m without permission can be worth £250m with that permission and needless to say you don't spend £225m to get that permission so perhaps we can bring some sense to the planning and development process by saying the more properties you squeeze on to a site the more Development Tax you will pay.
Conversely, if land which is agreed can be developed is sitting there undeveloped it could be taxed to full developmental value which should slow down landbanking.
I would have assumed West Germans, who are still paying for this leveling up, would be the ones who would be upset. But they are not.
Is this another alias of which we haven’t been informed?
(No offence @Leon only joshing)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/margaret-thatcher/9997714/Margaret-Thatchers-vital-role-in-ending-apartheid.html
I'm shocked.
In the last two elections they've ended up on 1.7% and 2.7%. I expect the green vote to hold up well in safe Labour seats but in Tory-Labour marginals, 2 or 3% of that Green support will fold into Labour on polling day imo.
Dominos is horrendous junk and Pizza Express is far better.
I can't decide between Hut and Express. Hut at least has nice salad.
But it is very definitely LibDem now. Rock solidly so.
We often hear that Boris Johnson delivered it, which is true, however the reverse is also true, Brexit delivered Boris Johnson, it’s how he became PM, and in picking this rogue, this wrong un, to lead them the Tories planted the seeds of their catastrophe. To prosper in torytown under Johnson you had to jettison your judgment and integrity, or better still not be encumbered with any to start with, therefore the ‘people quality’ on the blue side sank in short order to historical lows. Johnson corrupted and infantilised the party. This meant when he imploded, due to the character defects known about from the outset, they were unable to right the ship. Instead they lost the plot entirely and replaced him with perhaps the only contender even more unsuitable.
TLDR, Brexit begat Johnson and a degraded organisation, this begat Truss, and lo here we are, a ruined Tory Party. Of course you can construct other defensible takes but I do like this one, that Brexit has destroyed the Tories. I like it because in a world generally lacking in justice what we have here is karma at its most pure and righteous. Brexit was (is) wall-to-wall cost and stress and division, with almost zero compensating tangible benefit, an absolute donkey’s arse of a project, and so how very apt that the biggest price of all is paid by the entity responsible for inflicting it upon us.
Are some people just batshit insane?
Well kind of. Not any more though, sadly. My name is taken from one of the many heaths.
(As opposed to being a pagan)