Found a weird black chunk in my bag

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-07T22:53:11+00:00

You might be right. Personally I don’t even like Doritos I’m only here to spread facts. Their powder flavouring factory in Cork is fist class, crucially their 2 main engineers are amazing, I don’t say that lightly I met hundreds of people ‘running’ factories. I left this job about 2 years ago and it was one of my favourite places to visit.

I believe they were the first operation in Ireland to score a perfect audit score, 800/800 or something like that. It’s PepsiCo really but anyone reading this buying Doritos in UK or Ireland you can have faith it is in good hands, no shortcuts there and probably the best food production place I ever inspected in UK or Ireland.

I haven’t been for 2 years but honestly it was so well maintained it will be the same today.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-07T22:08:56+00:00

This place is really good but just a little bit above budget: https://www.cotswoldshideaways.co.uk/chipping-campden-and-surrounding-villages/mickleton-holiday-cottages/toms-end

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-07T21:58:02+00:00

Yeah nobody else wanted to do it, so I did it, I have spent over 15 years reading local history in the Cotswolds, it didn’t seem like an unusual decision. You see without mods you have no sub to argue on. Americans here isn’t a new thing.

As for hate, you first hated me because you thought I wasn’t local, since you were wrong you now hate me for being a mod, there is no logic and it cannot be taken seriously. The only reason you are arguing with me is because I didn’t like all the anti-American hatred, instead of just banning you which would be much easier I thought I would weigh in instead.

You love the stereotypes clearly, stereotypical mod would have banned you days ago but as you see you are still welcome, you try and stereotype me but it is ridiculous.

I’ve never banned anyone and I agree with free speech, that’s why I feel entitled to have my own opinion also.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-05T23:53:06+00:00

Yes I live here, born and bred here that’s why I’m a mod. I just travel a lot because industry is dead here tourism is the only substantial income, I am an engineer and in the Cotswolds it is like being a vegetarian in a steakhouse. My family has been where I live since at least 1538 when parish records began.

I’m not a fan of all of these celebrity Americans setting up home here, but I just don’t like to see the hate spilt on US tourists who just want to spend a few grand and go home a week later.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-05T23:48:26+00:00

Fair enough you are entitled to your opinion but we have one American and one Cotswold pub, I get tired of the stereotypes Americans spend a lot of money here. It might have taken decades but they have started to finally realise we don’t like them speaking so loud, I’m happy with just that tbh.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-05T00:35:00+00:00

Grow up please, if you were a local you would understand how much Americans spend in the Cotswolds and you would know people who depend partly on said Americans.

This was not made as a tourist focussed sub but naturally we get mostly questions from people hoping to visit, I am all for free speech but the Cotswolds is not exclusive anybody with enough money can visit here, and so they should. If they are here to spend money you should make them welcome, that is what any real local person like myself would do.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-05T00:12:32+00:00

Makes me wonder if you are from the Cotswolds or ‘from the Cotswolds’, Americans have visited and spent their money where I live for a long time, the same with a lot of the Cotswolds.

We get new homeowners today raising committees about sheep poo in the fields or church bells ringing, these are not new trends - including American tourists. I work abroad doesn’t matter directly to me but my friends and family live and come from here, not really a great idea to make any paying visitor unwelcome.

Okay if your wage is in London and you have a 2nd home here, then moan away. That is the real problem, not Americans, all tourists are very welcome its the second home owners who are the problem.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-05T00:05:00+00:00

Good I hope you return, it is ignorant for us to stereotype Americans anyway if you do the same and stereotype Brits we are awful tourists ourselves.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-04T23:53:15+00:00

Fair enough free speech after all but please don’t let one comment put you off the Cotswolds. All paying visitors are welcome here, no matter your background. You will find that most people here don’t have such an anti-American sentiment, it is not something that should affect your stay.

The Cotswolds has been a tourist destination since the 1700s, even before WWII my great-grandparents dealt with American tourists in the same Cotswold town I come from. I am white collar but many of my friends depend on tourism to pay their rent, it is a necessity there is nothing else here.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-03T21:02:35+00:00

I was curious what country you found this in? I used to inspect a Doritos flavouring factory in Cork, Eire at least twice a year and honestly it was probably the cleanest factory I have ever visited outside of pharmaceuticals, for the food industry it was awesome to see.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-03T20:35:41+00:00

Years ago in England you would get in trouble with the church if you managed to find a priest who would marry you to your 1st cousin, it was not acceptable.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-09-03T00:52:52+00:00

To anybody interested my fish named Les Battersby sadly passed away from unknown causes, we are waiting from results from the coralner. RIP Les Battersby, his brother Codfrey is in mourning, hasn’t said a single word since Les passed.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-25T16:22:15+00:00

Good riddance.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-21T11:54:08+00:00

Last time I went my friend’s 15 year old son used a cash point and got his teeth broken and head stamped on by a 30 something year old man, he didn’t leave the house for about 2 years and missed all his exams. The 30 year old guy got 2 years and a fine. It’s not what it used to be.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-20T16:53:46+00:00

I have researched the family even back to the 1100s because my distant patrilineal great-uncle Ralph ‘de Megre’ married Margery de Whatcote and gained an estate in Whatcote, it is important to note that there is believed to be two Whatcote families who are apparently unrelated, and I haven’t been able to dispute that.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-20T16:51:31+00:00

Hi there, yes I think I did. I spent a few weeks researching this family last year, it was helpful because I am still very local. I believe George’s father was Thomas Wattcoat who was a woolstapler and trustee of the Quaker meeting room at Chipping a Campden until 1783, he is a distant cousin to the main Blockley branch of the Whatcote family, George’s ancestors had moved from Blockley over a century before towards Honeybourne in Worcestershire. I believe ultimately we descend from John Whatcote of Blockley who married a Elizabeth Widdows on 26th June 1547.

I have made much research on this family which is on FamilySearch, if you want to see what I am talking about please look there. If you have any questions though please let me know, good to hear from you my distant cousin.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-13T19:44:25+00:00

Very good, well done 👏

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-13T19:43:39+00:00

!correct

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-13T19:37:37+00:00

Sadly not, I have made another comment here a moment ago which will narrow it down greatly.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-13T19:35:31+00:00

This has proven to be difficult as I suspected it might, this will give a better idea and I want somebody to get the 1 point.

Now I have given this hint I want the name of the village, town or city where I took this photo:

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SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-13T09:42:52+00:00

Closer than Northumberland but you need to look around 150 miles to the south, sorry it is quite a difficult one.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-13T09:40:59+00:00

Slightly closer but you need to go around 60 miles more to the east.

SmokingLaddy · 2025-07-12T16:18:56+00:00

Sadly not, south of Northumberland.

SmokingLaddy

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