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Tons of British Katrina Aid to be Burned by Americans

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by pippendagimp, Sep 20, 2005.

  1. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    Irrespective of whether you believe the regulations are mostly or partially economically/politically motivated.......MRE's are by definition already cooked and/or heavily preserved. This is not raw beef or fruit fly laden raw cantaloupe that is going to get into our food supply or agricultural heartland and with voodoo magic all of a sudden spark an epidemic. Of course you do need to incorporate this doomsday 'day after tomorrow' scenario into your flimsy argument in order to distract from the FDA's gross incompetence in this matter.

    Whether there was other food available or not, this particular food should not be sitting idle for weeks (and the BBC article I posted in which shipments had already been en route is dated Sept. 7th). I don't know if it's been sitting there due to just beaurocratic paperwork or trade restrictions or both. Even if some MRE's are not being distributed due to genuine health risk concerns, then the remaining balance should have been released in a timely fashion. You posted this yourself:

    [In fact, the FDA said "We did inspect some MREs (meals ready to eat) on September 13. They are the only MREs we looked at.]

    That is just not acceptable. "We did look at some....uh those are the only ones we looked at.."

    I won't claim clairvoyance, but right on cue you went back to citing only the hungry in N.O. and conveniently omitted the other Katrina victims who could've used these MRE's. Maybe if you post this enough times you will even believe it yourself ;)
     
  2. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    Okay I won't be nieve to the censorship of imported goods. Thanks for the tip...
     
  3. HayesStreet

    HayesStreet Member

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    Sigh. First, that you finally admit there ARE scenarios in which these regulations ARE for health concerns cuts deeply into your 'its all economic/political argument.' Second, it doesn't have to be raw. If you'll look at the articles in the thread they have distributed the MREs without meat in them. Since mad cows disease is deadly, hence the regulation, I am not in favor of distributing those MREs to Katrina refugees. If you are then we'll just have to agree to disagree. No one is starving in any of the affected areas, certainly not in 10 days so IMO why risk killing them? That kinda defeats the point of trying to help them. If your argument is that the mad cow related ban with britain is to protect the US beef market from being overwhelmed by the British cattle industry, then I suspect you may own a flat in the UK but have never been there - nor btw ever eaten British beef which is by and large disgusting.

    Why risk one life? From the USDA site about the human variant of mad cow's: How many cases of vCJD have there been and have there been any in the United States? As of December 1, 2003, a total of 153 cases of vCJD had been reported in the world: 143 from the United Kingdom, six from France, and one each from Canada, Ireland, Italy, and the United States. (Note: The one case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United States is in a young woman who likely contracted the disease while living in the United Kingdom. Symptoms appeared after she moved to the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not found additional cases in the United States through its surveillance program.)


    You just make too many assumptions without supporting data. Nice edit, btw - you left out the part that said they released those they inspected. You assume they sent no other supplies instead. Do we know whether or not they occupied their time shipping other supplies or just sat there sharpening pencils? No. Nothing in any of the articles indicates anything but that some donors were pissed off about it. Its just as likely that out of the 1800+ tons at LR for distribution they set aside any with concerns and concentrated getting the non-controversial supplies out. Again, not enough data to tell but I'm pretty sure they just weren't sitting there staring at MRE boxes.

    C'mon, that's just weak. You avoid the point by trying to get cute. You don't have any data that shows the 'people you saw on tv' would have had food any sooner if this had never happened, period. You can't even come close to that. Until you do this is much ado about nothing.
     
    #43 HayesStreet, Sep 21, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 21, 2005
  4. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    The truth crawls out! British beef isn't dangerous, but just unsavoury to your palette! I don't mind their food actually. Little on the bland side, but still appreciable in its own way. I wouldn't say "disgusting" by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I've found the quality of meats and other ingredients in London restaurants to be quite good. And yes, in the past I've usually stayed there 2 months aggregate out of the calendar year.


    Since you've lived at length in the UK too, you may in fact be a carrier of the pathogen yourself. We should not take any chances. American lives could be at risk!! Why risk even one life? In fact, I would not necessarily go as far as to say you should be quarantined and then burned, but perhaps deported back for a short while. Perhaps you can even enjoy a good Beef Wellington while on your deportation stay. ;)


    Nice little trap you set for yourself there...


    C'mon, this is just weak. You chronically avoid the point by trying to get cute as in this instance. You don't have any data that shows the 'people I saw on tv' would NOT have had food any sooner if this had never happened, period. You can't even come close to that. Until you do your perputual spin is much ado about nothing.
     
  5. HayesStreet

    HayesStreet Member

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    Nothing wrong with a full english breakfast (except pork n beans is a little strange).

    Beef specifically is what i'm talking about. We should exchange restaurant lists :)

    I wouldn't suggest eating me :D .


    Nope, a tie goes to me. If there's not enough data either way then you shouldn't be ranting so much.


    Uh, no. I'm not the one making declarations about what did or did not happen. The burden of proof is on you, chief.
     
  6. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    Gordon Ramsay, Electric Cinema, Yauatcha, Hakkasan, Wagemama, Sketch, and of course any corner Thornton's Ice Creamery...
     
  7. wnes

    wnes Contributing Member

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    Okay, I declare it's a tie between pippen and hayes, for now.

    My wife will be in London this weekend. Can you guys recommend some good restaurants? You know the tiebreaker can go either way ...
     
  8. HayesStreet

    HayesStreet Member

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    pippendagimp hits some of the more famous places (famous for a reason although I haven't been to Electric Cinema - care to give us some insight ppndgimp? or Yau's places except Wagamamma), so here are some you won't be rubbing elbows with the gentry at (necessarily):

    Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant: 193A Caledonian Road, London, N1 0SL

    A family run traditional ethiopian restaurant. Great people, diverse customer base (so you don't worry about feeling out of place) and food. If you like spicy food this is a great (and not to steep pricewise) place to go. Full bar, beer, and traditional honey mead from Ethiopia (watch out - mead is some STRONG stuff). Can't go wrong with just about anything but they have a doro wot and awazi tibs combo that is spectacular. Ayeb begomen (spicy spinach and cottage cheese) and azipha (green lentils with some kinda mustard spice) recommended as well. We're big Ethiopian fans and this is the best we found in London or New York.

    Zamoyski - 85 Fleet Road, Hampstead, LONDON, NW3 2QY
    Tel: 0871 332 0382

    Sweet tiny Polish restaurant with great grub and a big board of flavored vodkas. We lived right around the corner across from the Heath and ate there a lot. Food is hearty but wonderful.

    Kulu Kulu Sushi; 76 Brewer Street, W1, (020) 7734 7316

    My daughter's favorite (ok, her favorite is really Yo! Sushi but its only because of those stupid talking robot waiters). Stays busy and so the kaiten style choices stay fresh. In Soho so around plenty of nightlife.

    More 'famous' places not on Pippdagimps list might be Nobu if she hasn't been; J Sheekey's (sister to The Ivy but better food, service, and less A-lister hassle IMO); and Aubergine (Ramsey's gone but food and wine list still great).

    pippendagimp: sweet! since you recommend all of his places i'll definitely try Yau's upscale places. thanks! you leasehold your flat? i never could understand how they got away with that!
     
    #48 HayesStreet, Sep 21, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 22, 2005
  9. wnes

    wnes Contributing Member

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    Cool, thanks hayes! :)

    One observation, many of the restaurant names you and pippendagimp listed seem kinda exotic (as opposed to British sounding). Is that typical in London?
     
  10. HayesStreet

    HayesStreet Member

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    No problem, glad to help. Absolutely great city (sometimes my wife and I wonder why we left - but after 9/11 - well, that's for another thread)... :)

    Two things: (a) british food has a bad rep - although there are apparently some really good up and coming chefs specializing in english cuisine [just saw anthony bordain's show from london - dude's hilarious - and he was ranting about a couple of them; and (b) England is so multicultural with the subcontinental, east asian, and african immigrations over the last 300 years. When the ruled most of the world they brought a lot o' **** home. Some of the fancier places will be continental/finer european menus with famous chefs and the smaller places will be more ethnics bringing their local food into play.
     
  11. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    Wow, I didn't even know that Hakkasan was from the same guy:)

    Anyways, that place is great....the interior design is amazing....I used to go just for the dim sum...sort of like a better version of Tao in NYC if you've been there...

    I love sushi, but for some reason only when it's really hot outside and I want something light....so I typically don't make it to sushi places in chilly London...though Nobu is excellent...

    Electric Cinema is a lounge/restaurant inside an old cinema in Notting Hill......cuisine is pan-euro.....the osso bucco is divine.....hot Russian waitresses too.......membership required to get a table though..

    Oh just to clarify, I meant the Gordon Ramsay at Royal, not Claridge's...

    Actually my little sister has been living in my place there for the past 2 years...working for SkyNews....

    I'll be sure to try the Ethopian place you suggested on my next visit...thanks..
     

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