This has gone over the edge of the world (where there be dragons) in its
"off-topicness". I started to feel uncomfortable when Richard railed
against the quality of everything from the UK.
[OM Content at the end, BTW.]
No single country has the monopoly on quality. We get what we will pay
for, plain and simple. If it's cheap, it won't do as much for as long. If
it is expensive (and the manufacturer is still in business), it is likely
to be of good quality.
The original moan was about the prices charged for goods in the UK. The
latest was about the quality of British goods. Well don't take one rant
against British goods to be the whole story. British quality exists
everywhere. Even Rovers are of excellent quality now (and have been for
some years). I won't provide a list of good quality stuff emanating from
the UK, but on the other hand *all* economies have their lemons - we do not
have more than our fair share.
Afficionados of the Mercedes ( and I drive one because it is cheap where I
live) may wish to know that Cosworth engines were used in many of the
190Es. And now the only British cars are the specialist manufacturers
anyway. The big boys have not yet taken over TVR, but it can only be a
matter of time before everything not German looks like a Ford Probe
(aaargh! - look at the Vauxhall Calibra) or the dreadful smiley face of the
Ford Scorpio. Everything is being homogenised like US and German milk -
the cream still floats to the top in full-cream British milk.
You're right Lee in your implication that Guinness tastes best in its
native country - but it also tastes good when you find it abroad
unexpectedly. As you say, love of Bud in Ireland (or anywhere outside the
Anheuser Busch domain for that matter) has nothing to do with taste - it
involves greener grass and fashion. In fact, Bud, Miller and rest have
little relation to beers that are cask- or bottle-conditioned... those
still have lovely yeast in the liquid.
And warm ale is delicious if you feel like one, but so does
room-temperature Schlenkerla Rauch bier when you can find it in Bavaria.
Cold Bitburg or even Bud (the US copy of the wonderful Czech original) all
have their place on a hot day etc... I have Bitburg, Maisels Weisse, Becks
and Worthington in my cellar.
Finally (I hope), there is no such thing as a Lucas fridge - unless the
motor is Lucas ;-).
OM Content: I have just seen an advert for a Mint OM2N for £250 ($400). I
expect that that would be pricey in the US, but I am considering offering
£200 ($320) for it on the proviso that it is pretty well as new - there
can't be many around in such good condition any more.
>of stouts and dark ales), there were adverts for Budweiser *everywhere*,
>from the luggage carts in the airport to the subways. When I asked a
>local what their favorite beer was, he replied "Budweiser". I said
>"you have got to be joking. Here you are in the home of Guiness (sp?)
>and you like Bud?" and he said yes. Just goes to show, you like what
>you don't have or what is new to you. For them, Guiness was the old
>standard, Bud was interesting and trendy.
>
_______________________________________
Chris Barker <>< mailto:cmib@xxxxxxxxxxx
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