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Forum Index : Other Stuff : Maintaining An Open Mind
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MacGyver Guru  Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Crew 
Until just recently, I had as my avitar a can of Spam. I did that because I have a bit of a tendency to run off at the mouth and in my country (maybe yours too) "Spam" is used derogatorily as just that; running off at the mouth, more or less. Well, a 4m member, whom I hold in high regard, told me he was on a diet and since he "loved" Spam, each time he read a post of mine, it made him hungry. "Loved" Spam; what could be more ridiculous, I thought. Everybody I know thinks it's a joke and if they did eat it, wouldn't ever make it publicly known for sure. I too am on a fairly strict diet and exercise regimen and usually don't eat meat at all, only fruit and vegetables. For anyone readying themselves to reply to me with the question, "Where do you get your protein?" relax. Eating one legume and one grain provides a "perfect" protein. Just look at cattle for instance. How much meat do they eat and yet, cattle are most folks' major source of "protein". Back to the Spam. I was at the store and noticed Spam was on sale, regularly $3.49 a can down to $1.99; such a deal! So, I bought two cans. I figured if on the outside chance I actually liked it, I'd have bought an extra can and gotten it 'on sale' and if it turned out I detested the stuff, I could return the extra can. I'm pushing 62 and this is the FIRST TIME EVER that I've tasted Spam. It tastes, well . . . . . different. Not bad, just . . . . . different. I found that if I mask it with a little smear of mayonnaise, some spinach and fresh-sliced tomatoes from my hydroponics garden, then slam all that between a thin slice of French bread, it's not bad; not bad at all. I've since changed my avitar to a picture of a set of doctor's scales somewhat in honor of my friend's concern. I think this Spam thing might actually be a good thing. The stuff comes in an unrefrigerated can that has a shelf life, which seemingly is infinity (no "expires-by" date printed on the can). It stores easily, cuts easily (I ran it through a wire egg slicer) and I'm happy to say, swallows easily. It's even consumable right out of the can, without cooking! Yup, I might just have to get used to the stuff and for a price similar to a large can of tuna, no mercury worries! My goal is to live in my travel trailer with a 12-volt lifestyle for my full retirement and anything I can do to lessen the impact of needing things like refrigerators and freezers (e.g. canned meat that can be stored in a cupboard until used) is a step in the right direction. Having an open mind about things can't hurt things either, I reckon. Thanks, John, for prying my eyes open! 
. . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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niall1 Senior Member  Joined: 20/11/2008 Location: IrelandPosts: 331 |
hi Mac spam is actually a bit off a legened over here ...mainly because of monthy python sketches on tv years ago... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE not sure if the humor is to your taste ...but the spam seems to be ....  niall |
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| neil0mac Senior Member Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Mac, I'm not sure of the origin of Spam, but it was a standard ration for US troops in WWII. That might account for its bad reputation! You have lead a very sheltered life? |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
niall1 Thanks for the link; pretty funny. . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| niall1 Senior Member Joined: 20/11/2008 Location: IrelandPosts: 331 |
glad you enjoyed it...the python tv shows were pretty much off the wall back then ...you never knew what they were going to be up to .... but some off the funniest things i ever seen were on those shows life seemed a lot simpler back then....... you,ll keep the avatar yes ? niall |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
niall1 I've got the "Spam' avitar stashed away somewhere, but for a while at least, I'm keeping the scales. I'm doing the butterfly thing (metamorphosis) changing from a "Big Mac" into merely a "Mac". My friend, John is on a similar journey, although I'd wager to say he's nowhere near my size. I've dropped my BMI (body mass index), which is a level of body fat content from nearly 34% down to 25% and that's still considered borderline "overweight". I've lost 71 pounds to date and have dropped 8 pant sizes, yet am still "overweight" 18 pounds. At 62 (ish) that's not all that bad, but I'll wait until I've reached my goal weight before switching back to the Spam avitar no doubt. If you've ever seen the movie "Shrek"; he's my little brother! Seems to me there's about a one-second cameo of me in one of my videos on youtube. I'm reflected in a bedroom window. Remember this: I'm 6 and a half feet tall (6' 6"). Hey, it's not easy being me! . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Mac, A rather large guy i use to work with, had a good come back when others commented on his size. This being...... I would rather be fat than ugly, as i can loose weight, what are you going to do? He soon received few comments on his size. As a kid i thought spam was great, but not so keen on it nowdays. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Mack Glad to hear you finally got to try your namesake, it has environmental advantages as it uses up all the bits that would otherwise be rubbish in the sawdust, and some sawdust to I think. It doesn't require refrigeration as you noted so no green house gasses generated in its storage. It has enough fat in it to make it stick to the bread without butter. It has the advantage of disguising the chemicals being disposed of in it {read the contents} on the label. Enough salt to keep you going for a week. Enough nitrates that if reconstituted could cause a real bang, no lpg as it's to expensive. Just after the 2nd war, big one that is, when I was a kid it was popular as military disposal here. as your guys didn't want to take it home, we used to call it the mystery box as it was a mystery to what was inside. It was better than bread with fat and tomato sauce {ketchup}for school lunch. I believe it has improved a bit since the old tins of ration, but I still cant make myself eat it again, the memory of it stuck to the roof of my mouth is overwhelming. My natureopath in Carson city told me to eat half a pound of lean steak a day to reduce my weight and that worked a treat I lost 49 pounds in six months and some more from my wallet. since then been able to maintain 250 lbs, I would like to loose another 25 pounds but cant afford enough steak. Retirement isn't all its cracked up to be. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
[Quote=Username]My natureopath in Carson city told me to eat half a pound of lean steak a day . . . Just curious, Bob; does your serum cholestorl by any chance resemble a phone number? 
Don't get me wrong, now; I'm not against eating meat, but generally I only have it on *special occasions. My total blood serum cholesterol is 153. My triglicerides (found in meat!) are 62 and any reading under 150 is considered "great"! I think there's likely a correlation there somewhere. I've been told a 'heart attack' is the LAST thing that'll get me! Be careful. There's a possibility that old saying, "You are what you eat" may be true. * Special Occasions: I "cheat" one day a week and eat anything I want; meats included. I haven't decided yet exactly how much "meat" is in Spam. Someone mentioned saw dust being an ingredient; they might be right! . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Apart of fish, the chicken is the best meat (is a white meat and doctor recommends it) 
Chicken at barbecue. It is very... portable. Just hunt the neighbor's chicken and put it on the barbecue  Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
I have thousands of these little critters at the moment......... 
(photo from http://www.gamemeats.com.au/wallaby.html]Wallaby better than chicken and better for your health apparently. We supply the mainland with Flinders Island Wallaby... something I didn't know. Information here:Wallaby And they keep the grass down around the house too 
...........oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Oz Remember what I said about sippin' iced tea on the front porch? This is exactly what I meant!
. . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Mack I had a bit of a cholesterol problem several years ago, the doctor put me on prescription drug containing STATINS when I rang the patho, she had a fit, as it damages kidney and liver, real bad stuff she said, it should be illegal, but the drug company want to make money and bring you back for transplants and all. Anyway she told me to have two cloves of raw garlic in the morning after my peroxide hit. So what I do is slice two cloves thin and have on toast with honey, the first few days it was a bit strong but I persisted, now when I make it in the morning my mouth waters from the smell, my body saying its good she said. Now both cholesterol are back to normal, it took about three months. You mentioned iced tea, but you should drink green tea hot with and after meal as that helps too. Don't eat spam as it is half fat, and no margarine also as while they promote it as healthy its about as healthy as drinking boiled linseed oil. Enough healthy stuff, Oh she also said to drink 1oz of alcohol a day as at that it cleans the veins so whiskey is 3 oz wine 10 oz beer 12 oz to make the 1 oz alcohol. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Bob The iced tea thing was referring to an email I sent Oz about sitting on the porch with a loaded gun, drinking iced tea; waiting for something (anything) to move. I regularly drink tea. I mix Earl Grey, Dragon Pearls & Green Jasmine together and go through about a quart a day, sometimes more. Here's a Link that explains why I mix the teas. It's about a 15-min. video, but well worth the watch! With all that garlic, there's probably not much chance of a werewolf attack around your place, eh? Maybe that's what keeps those brown snakes at bay as well!
. . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi Oz, I think those little critters would out run the EV in a round up muster. 
Then a set of cross hairs would slow the grass mowers down. (while sipping you ice tea of course) (then who would want to drink cold tea? it tastes like goats pee) Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Pete I lack your cullenary expertise there on goats pee, so I will have to believe you. Hi Mack Keeps the Vampires away too, and anybody else for that matter. Hi Oz I'm keeping my grass hoppers for when times get worse. Got some spare brown snakes in the shed so wont starve. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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Bryan1 Guru Joined: 22/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1344 |
A few years ago when the 'mad cow' disease was around there was advice that tinned meat and offal like spam contained meat from Europe and where ever the offal was the cheapest. Just because it's on special doesn't mean thats it's fit for humans to eat. The first and only can of spam I ate, I took one small nibble and gave the rest to my dog which later threw it up.... Here on the farm (when the missus aint here) an open fire roasted Hare is a bloody nice feed. Concerning the roo's we have here I'm not allowed to shoot any as they are just about pets..... Cheers Bryan |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Bryan I agree with you on the Spam, the memory of it stuck to the roof of my mouth as a kid still makes me shudder, never tried it on the dog though. I also agree with the hare or a rabbit is a bit of OK, but my idiot neighbor shoots everything that moves so they don't get a chance to breed up. The wabblies and Grass hoppers are a bit the same here, getting soft in my old age. They are in reserve for the bad times ahead. Interesting thing on Spam my friend was a missionary in American Samoa for many years and he told me that before the introduction of Spam during the second big one the natives where the healthiest in the world, after fifty years of Spam, {they Love it} now they are among the sickest people in the world. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| MacGyver Guru Joined: 12/05/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 1329 |
Crew After such rave reviews, all i can say is: Anybody want to buy an unopened can of Turkey Spam; cheap? . . . . . Mac Nothing difficult is ever easy! Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman, "Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!" Copeville, Texas |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Mack No thanks Bob Foolin Around |
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