Count Bobulescu

Can't say for sure, but there might be some distribution issues with Seedlip. Dropped by wholesaler etc.

if 160,000 Tory party members follow the lead of their 313 MPs, looks like BoJo will be the next PM in a couple of weeks. Then the chances of a "surprise" fall election go up. BoJo says 10/31/19 is the drop dead deadline to leave........unless, maybe.......

Not that I want this new rule changed, but given that it seems the lawsuit that was the genesis of this change was purely theoretical i.e, that CG conceded he never intended to advertise HH prices, and he was represented by an organization that specializes in these matters on a pro bono basis, one wonders what practical effect it will have. https://pacificlegal.org/case/chef-geoffs-and-geoff-tracy-v-jeffrey-painter/

Google "Seedlip".

Glanced over the piece, didn't take it all in. As a general comment, few and far between are the independently owned scotch brands these days. Business power in the UK is more concentrated in the hands of fewer larger companies, than is the case in most other countries, US included. They'd market champagne from Norway and Sudan.

Citypaper..... Dacha co-owner was a member of "Dewey Seven" in New York financial scheme

8oz/250ml cans the most popular size for wine, are "technically illegal" for wine, but not malt beverages. They violate TTB regulations rather than statute. 250ml is not an approved "Standard of Fill" by the TTB for wine, Standard of Fill

History being made this week...... https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48222997

That's a good Politico piece. Here's a good, and not very long New Yorker piece focusing more specifically on the Irish Backstop. Brexit's Irish Paradox

Every time I flew, the planes were 90% + full, on every leg. Think it was more a case of all fares being too low.

Bummer! I did at least note at the outset that they were in financial difficulty. Ever the optimist.......maybe Norwegian will take up the opportunity at BWI. they mostly fly direct nonstop. They have full service out of JFK and Newark on 787's and discount service out of Stewart, 60 miles away, on 737's, plus service out of CT and MA. Norwegian has now overtaken BA and Lufthansa as the leading non US airline on the North Atlantic. They have 130 aircraft, 93 destinations, but they too have shaky financials. Michael O'Leary, boss of EU competitor Ryanair, and no shrinking violet, says he's amazed they haven't gone belly up yet. He claims they're losing "heroic" amounts of money due to over expansion.

From Bloomberg.....

In a series of eight non-binding (testing the waters) votes today Parliament rejected all options. Analysts say that this likely will make May's twice overwhelmingly rejected deal now somewhat easier to pass, particularly since she has said she's prepared to resign early.

TwentyTables Hungry for Funds D.C.-based TwentyTables, the maker of a web platform with $6 meals from local restaurants, is looking to move beyond Greater Washington by opening a mid-six-figures funding round, the WBJ reports. That funding would solidify the company’s operations in the D.C. area, founder and CEO Alex Cohen told the Biz Journal, before a Series A round of $3M-5M marked for expansion costs. The momentum follows a successful trip to SXSW in Austin where TwentyTables – the only DMV company in the event's pitch competition – took home the “Best Bootstrap” prize. It was founded in 2017 with an initial $300K raised, and without raising more capital grew from five restaurants on the platform in January 2018 to more than 100 now. Read more from the WBJ. [subscriber content].

To get an extension Parliament needs next week to approve the deal they've twice rejected. Not a lot of downside for the "Conti-Non". Much more for UK. Nige & co, (who has split from his first baby UKIP, and claims to have a new party and candidates to pull of the shelf in the event of a general election), plus the European Research Group (ERG), Mogglydites etc. would not complain loudly if she failed. They wouldn't reject a "no deal" option as quickly as other elements would. Think of them collectively like Tea Party Jihadists. Possible way out....... Petition to revoke and remain gathering signatures at record pace. Just crossed 4M at last check. Parliament "considers" all petitions above 100K. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/241584

T. May went to Brussels seeking an extension from 03/29 to 06/30 but got either 04/12 or 05/22 depending.......This Brexit racket would wear a body out.......

UK Speaker Throw Wrench at Cat Among Pigeons, and then some.........

If those Yugo parts don't come thru for ya, I have access to used Trabant and Wartburg parts, might work instead. Typically, a clutch from one is interchangeable as a brake in the other. Could probably get them for ya at wholesale prices too, maybe even 20% below wholesale. Might have to grease a palm or two tho. Keep me posted.

This landed in my inbox this morning, from the Dept. of Useless Information. Drinks International's survey of the world's most admired wine brands. It's a Tour de Force in bullshit, and good reason for consumers to maintain a healthy skepticism of corporate winespeak. Zero info on selection criteria. The global panel of wine experts sounds like an outfit I'd be proud to be kicked out of, if I was a wine expert, that is. Imagine if you are number 15 or 17 on this list. The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands is considered a leading authority on the most influential and trending wine producers from around the world and the full list can be seen below: 1. Penfolds, Australia 2. Torres, Spain 3. Villa Maria, New Zealand 4. Concha Y Toro, Chile 5. M. Chapoutier, France 6. Sassicaia, Italy 7. E. Guigal, France 8. Marqués de Riscal, Spain 9. Errazuriz, Chile 10. Ridge, USA 11. Cono Sur, Chile 12. Felton Road, New Zealand 13. Campo Viejo, Spain 14. Vega Sicilia, Spain 15. Château Margaux, France 16. Barefoot, USA 17. Tignanello, Italy 18. Château d’Yquem, France 19. Yalumba, Australia 20. Château Petrus, France 21. Cloudy Bay, New Zealand 22. Château Musar, Lebanon 23. Cavit, Italy 24. Château Lafite, France 25. Louis Latour, France 26. McGuigan, Australia 27. Georges Duboeuf, France 28. Château Haut-Brion, France 29. Château Cheval Blanc, France 30. Santa Rita, Chile 31. Jean Marc Brocard, France 32. Oyster Bay, New Zealand 33. Robert Mondavi, USA 34. Château Latour, France 35. Royal Tokaji, Hungary 36. Peter Lehmann, Australia 37. Wolf Blass, Australia 38. Château Mouton Rothschild, France 39. Yellowtail, Australia 40. Ramon Bilbao, Spain 41. Undurraga, Chile 42. Trapiche, Argentina 43. Jacob’s Creek, Australia 44. Beringer, USA 45. KWV, South Africa 46. Château Le Pin, France 47. Nederburg, South Africa 48. Inniskillin, Canada 49. Rosemount Estate, Australia 50. Barton & Guestier, France

Remind me again who they are, and where they're from. Moldova is ?

Comment lifted from an Irish forum.............. .

To reinforce Kevin Rudd's comment quoted above..... Combined, EU + US accounts for about 66% of all UK trade, imports + exports. Currently they benefit from EU rules for trade with the US. Three weeks from now, they won't have a new deal with the US, and the EU is unclear. If they don't have a deal with the EU, then they won't have one with the US either. Once they're out they need two separate deals.

Developments continue apace. Initial reaction to last night's "agreement" was that is was an agreement to agree that an agreement is not an agreement, or something like that......and whether you agree or not with that assessment seems to matter not a whit, because this morning the AG has released his legal opinion to the gummint on said agreement and says it changes nothing, which likely torpedos the vote tonight on May's plan. Tomorrow they vote on whether to take the "no deal" option off the table. Former OZ PM Kevin Rudd is quoted in the Guardian.....

Good news.......... TwentyTables Nabs SXSW Hardware Local meal marketplace startup TwentyTables was pretty pumped to be selected as an alternate for the renowned SXSW Pitch competition. As the date came closer, a company dropped out, propelling the DMV's only 2019 entrant to a finalist spot in the Hyper-Connected Communities category for the main competition. Last night, TwentyTables had fortune on their side once again, winning the $1K cross-category award Best Bootstrap for having "done the most with the least." Read more here.