"Tat Chan" wrote in message
...
Keith G wrote:

"Stewart Pinkerton" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:18:23 +1000, Tat Chan
wrote:



pink gin? Pink grapefruit juice mixed with gin?

No! Angostura bitters swished round the glass before pouring the gin.
Takes away the cloying sweetness of neat gin.



Hmmm, I suspect it's more to with the fact that it was the 'preferred and
traditional' drink of naval officers who wished to drink summat that was
cheaper than whiskey, non 'French' (brandy), more reliable (supplies,
quality) and stronger than madeira while distancing themselves from both
the ratings who drank rum/grog and Hogarthian types who drank it neat in
pint pots.....



No mention of gin with bitters (or maybe even gin at all?) in any of the
Hornblower books I have read. Of course, rum gets more than a mention!


While there will no doubt have been many exceptions, I believe it was not
the 'done thing' for officers to drink rum. Rum was a cheap, rough drink
produced in vast quantities in the West Indies (which we owned in those days
:-) and fed to the troops on a daily basis (Army and Navy - not sure what
the RAF drank in Hornblower's time). I don't know, but I suspect Pink Gin
was more 'the thing' in the late 19thC onwards. Brandy was supposed to be
contraband (us being at war with the French on and off for about the last
thousand years) so it was expensive and hard to come by - mostly smuggled -
but I don't think that put many off (who could afford it), naval officers
included.....

Having read all the *excellent* Hornblower books myself, I seem to recall
that wines like madeira, port and sherry were mentioned from time to
time....??

(Interestingly, 'whiskey' never seems to figure? I wonder when it became
popular and who made it so - the Yanks in WW2???)

Keith G wrote:

"Tat Chan" wrote in message
...



No mention of gin with bitters (or maybe even gin at all?) in any of the
Hornblower books I have read. Of course, rum gets more than a mention!



While there will no doubt have been many exceptions, I believe it was not
the 'done thing' for officers to drink rum. Rum was a cheap, rough drink
produced in vast quantities in the West Indies (which we owned in those days
:-) and fed to the troops on a daily basis (Army and Navy - not sure what
the RAF drank in Hornblower's time).

Yes, the non-officers had their daily rations of rum. I believe in one of the
earlier books, Commander Hornblower decides not to give one of them the lash,
but denies him a week's ration of rum, which he thought would have more effect
as a reprimand.

I don't know, but I suspect Pink Gin
was more 'the thing' in the late 19thC onwards. Brandy was supposed to be
contraband (us being at war with the French on and off for about the last
thousand years) so it was expensive and hard to come by - mostly smuggled -
but I don't think that put many off (who could afford it), naval officers
included.....

The Hornblower series ends in the Windies after the Napoleon wars (before the
mid 19th century? Too lazy too search it up this time of the night)


Having read all the *excellent* Hornblower books myself, I seem to recall
that wines like madeira, port and sherry were mentioned from time to
time....??

yes, the other wines get mentioned quite a bit.

Btw, I'm not a naval history buff, but it seems to me that the French get
portrayed as being rather incompetent sailors in the books ...


(Interestingly, 'whiskey' never seems to figure? I wonder when it became
popular and who made it so - the Yanks in WW2???)



Whisky? Don't know about its origins, I have a bottle of 12 y.o Glenlivet single
malt that says "George Smith's Original 1824" ... which probably is after the
Hornblower series ends. Though a bottle of Jamieson whiskey (note the 'e' in the
spelling) says "since 1780".

(now, speaking of whisky, The Laphroaig Distillery is giving a free lifetime
lease of a square foot of land on Islay for a single e-mail ... )

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 07:57:42 +0100, Eiron wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:17:34 +1000, Tat Chan

I have my eyes on the (non-WRX) Subaru Impreza AWD ...


BWAHAHA! Check the fuel consumption figures for those two. You *can*
squeeze a little more mpg from the 2-litre turbo by tootling gently
around (and where would be the point in that?), but once you put the
hammer down, those highly tuned turbos guzzle fuel at an alarming
rate.

Isn't Tat in Oz?
He could be talking of the non-turbo version, which doesn't drink.

Good point, nice little motor that one, with an even better engine
note than the WRX. Me, I'd prefer a Forester - taken to full WRC spec
under the skin...... :-)

Do the Ozzies give 3 quid to the government for every gallon of petrol?

No, they feckin' don't!
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 17:46:30 +1000, Tat Chan
wrote:

Eiron wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:17:34 +1000, Tat Chan


I have my eyes on the (non-WRX) Subaru Impreza AWD ...

BWAHAHA! Check the fuel consumption figures for those two. You *can*
squeeze a little more mpg from the 2-litre turbo by tootling gently
around (and where would be the point in that?), but once you put the
hammer down, those highly tuned turbos guzzle fuel at an alarming
rate.

Isn't Tat in Oz?

Yes.

He could be talking of the non-turbo version, which doesn't drink.

Yes I was, see my other post.

Fairy nuff, that's a nice motor, and not as slow as you'd think.

Do the Ozzies give 3 quid to the government for every gallon of petrol?

I think there is a levy on a levy for petrol here ...
unleaded petrol is currently AUD$1.00 to $1.20 per litre ...

Grrrrrrrrrrrr, that's about 40-48 pence, just a little more than
*half* what we pay in the UK.......
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 17:45:17 +1000, Tat Chan
wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:17:34 +1000, Tat Chan
wrote:

I have my eyes on the (non-WRX) Subaru Impreza AWD ...

BWAHAHA! Check the fuel consumption figures for those two. You *can*
squeeze a little more mpg from the 2-litre turbo by tootling gently
around (and where would be the point in that?), but once you put the
hammer down, those highly tuned turbos guzzle fuel at an alarming
rate.

uhm, I did mention the "(non-WRX) Subaru Impreza AWD" which has a
non-turbo 2.0 litre engine (at least it does in Oz!).

There are lots of variants in rally-mad UK, but there is indeed a
non-turbo version - although I'm not sure I've ever seen one!

Specs for the "2.0 GX/RX/RV" models (source: Drive.com.au)

Engine Liters / cc 1994
AS 2877 city Fuel economy (l/100km) 9.5
AS 2877 highway Fuel economy (l/100km) 7.3

Specs for the Specs for the Audi A3 3.2 Quattro Ambition DSG model
(source: http://www.carfolio.com/specificatio...ar/?car=120956)

Engine Liters / cc 3189
Fuel Consumption 13.9/7.6/9.9 l/100km urban/extra-urban/overall

(whatever extra urban means)

Same as highway.

OK, so 9.5 lires is pretty close to 9.9 litres but Impreza prices start
from AUD$25k compared to the AUD$75k of the 3.2 A3 ...

Ah well, that's another matter. Interesting though, since the
non-turbo Impreza GX Sport is £14950 to the £24625 of the A3 3.2, so
you get your Subarus *damn* cheap over there! OTOH, not very far to
ship 'em, I guess.

now ... exactly how far OT has this thread gone?

Straight into the ditch! :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 12:43:10 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:

no Scots brave enough to live in Hertfordshire that I am/was aware
of.....

Given that Herts is home to the Beckhams, it's more that Scots have
too much taste and discretion to live in Celebrity Chav Central.....

(Talking *ale* here - not sappy little shorts! ;-)

But you *are* a sappy little short! :-)

How do you know? You *significantly* crapped out of an invitation (which
still stands) to come and find out for yourself!

Tall people don't fit in RX-7s! :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

In article , Kurt Hamster
writes
On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 15:37:01 +0000 (UTC), Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

Get a proper car - the A3 Quattro 3.2 with DSG box.............

Coming back from Birmingham yesterday an Audi (it had S3 on the back, I
know bugger all about characterless teutonic toys) had a great deal of
difficulty staying in front of my little red M reg rocket, then once
passed couldn't keep up. I believe he bottled it at about 120.

120 miles per hour was that?.....

I'm not impressed by all this talk of Audis, though I do have to admit
that I was once passed by a TT 3.0, but then again it did have 33% more
cubic capacity than mine!



Yep. I've got an A6 estate superb car and I can easily fit me 6 foot 6
frame therein, with headroom to spare
--
Tony Sayer

"Stewart Pinkerton" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 12:43:10 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:

no Scots brave enough to live in Hertfordshire that I am/was aware
of.....

Given that Herts is home to the Beckhams, it's more that Scots have
too much taste and discretion to live in Celebrity Chav Central.....


No, I told you already - *this* (St Neots) is Chav Central, believe me!

Or, better yet, see:

http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/modules.p...rticle&sid=505

and

http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/modules.p...rticle&sid=369


Now, a quick quiz on the subject (cut & pasted, of course!!):


1.What do you call a Chav in a box?

- Innit.


2. What do you call a Chav in a filing cabinet?

- Sorted.


3. What do you call a Chav in a box with a lock on it?

- Safe...


4. What do you call an Eskimo Chav?

- Innuinnit.


5. Why are Chavs like slinkies?

- They have no real use but it's great to watch one fall down a flight of
stairs.


6. What do you call a Chavette in a white tracksuit?

- The bride.


7. If you see a Chav on a bike, why should you try not to hit him?

- It might be your bike.


8. What's the difference between a Chav and a coconut?

- One's thick and hairy, the other's a coconut.


9. What's the first question at a Chav quiz night?

- "What you lookin' at?"


10. How do you get 100 Chavs into a phone box?

Paint three horizontal stripes on it.


11. Two Chavs in a car without any music. Who's driving?

- The police.


12. Where do you take a Chavette for a decent night out?

- Up the gary.....

"Tat Chan" wrote in message
...
Keith G wrote:

"Tat Chan" wrote in message
...



No mention of gin with bitters (or maybe even gin at all?) in any of the
Hornblower books I have read. Of course, rum gets more than a mention!



While there will no doubt have been many exceptions, I believe it was not
the 'done thing' for officers to drink rum. Rum was a cheap, rough drink
produced in vast quantities in the West Indies (which we owned in those
days :-) and fed to the troops on a daily basis (Army and Navy - not sure
what the RAF drank in Hornblower's time).

Yes, the non-officers had their daily rations of rum.



They would be 'ratings' and the motto of the Royal Navy was 'rum, bum and
baccy' while the motto of the newly-emergent US Navy was 'rum, bum and
chewing gum'....


I believe in one of the earlier books, Commander Hornblower decides not to
give one of them the lash, but denies him a week's ration of rum, which he
thought would have more effect as a reprimand.


Streuth! I didn't spot any S&M when I read the books! (So naïve, you see...
:-)

Witheld the lash, did he? The bitch!! (Was there any 'fem/dom' activity or
crossdressing....???)


Btw, I'm not a naval history buff, but it seems to me that the French get
portrayed as being rather incompetent sailors in the books ...


Would do, wouldn't they - the books were written by an Englishman!! ;-)



(Interestingly, 'whiskey' never seems to figure? I wonder when it became
popular and who made it so - the Yanks in WW2???)



Whisky? Don't know about its origins,


Oh, don't worry, I have a feeling you will before long...... :-)

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 21:45:59 +0100, Kurt Hamster
wrote:

On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 19:03:20 +0100, tony sayer used
to say...

In article , Kurt Hamster
writes
On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 15:37:01 +0000 (UTC), Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

Get a proper car - the A3 Quattro 3.2 with DSG box.............

Coming back from Birmingham yesterday an Audi (it had S3 on the back, I
know bugger all about characterless teutonic toys) had a great deal of
difficulty staying in front of my little red M reg rocket, then once
passed couldn't keep up. I believe he bottled it at about 120.

120 miles per hour was that?.....

hangs head in shame

Must have been a right **** driving it, since my S3 would hold a
steady 145 any day of the week, and crack the ton in about 15 secs.
Granted it was a 225, not the original 210 horse, but still.......

I'm not impressed by all this talk of Audis, though I do have to admit
that I was once passed by a TT 3.0, but then again it did have 33% more
cubic capacity than mine!

No such animal, they're all 3.2s

Yep. I've got an A6 estate superb car and I can easily fit me 6 foot 6
frame therein, with headroom to spare

Being a rotund short-arse a 2+2 does me fine

Ah, hence the 'handle'! Whiskery moustache, too? :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering