Blue article from ESPN

[source?]

Actually, there must be some genetic modification going on because today's beaver has very little if any pelt.

It is my understanding that beaver pelts become thicker when they are in colder weather/water. If they are being raised for food, then my guess is they are exposed to less extreme conditions than in nature. I wouldn't be surprised if genetic modification also played a part.

[barfolomew]

And moved on to discussing the eating of beaver.  Very unlike Scoop that not one immature joke has been cracked yet. 

Don't worry, I think slingkong snuck one in just before the statute of limitations expired.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I used to love to hit the Central Wet Market in Hong Kong on weekends. I grew up in Asia so these venues were old hat for me but my Nordic wife from Thiensville was rendered speechless and without appetite at first by the colors, smells, and sounds of the traditional Chinese marketplace.

The fish mongers and butchers all have chopping blocks and hatchets that clean or dress animal flesh to order right in front of the customer. I'll never forget the look on her face when an eeler took out a 6 footer and sliced it up while still alive. The various parts were still writhing and thrashing in the plastic bags as Cantonese housewives scurried home to prepare the evening's feast.

I have had snake curry and fish head curry in Singapore and India, raccoon and bear in China, fried cockroaches in Thailand, and dog in Korea.

In Guagdong Province I do recall the engineers always saying to come back in a certain month as that's when snakes would appear on the menu.

I used to love to see the silkworms, sea urchins, various shellfish, etc. on display where you pick and they cook.  I skipped these although it always seemed the host would order something just to try and freak the westerners out.  I've had camel meat but skipped the jellyfish.

My favorite restaurant in China that I ate at (only once unfortunately) was in Tianjin and the restaurant name translated to as "The House of a 100 Dumplings".  They had Colin Powell & Laura Bush's photos on the menu cover as both recently had eaten there.  They had dumplings stuffed with everything including dumplings with everybody's favorite (verbatim from the menu) "Dog", "Cat" and "Ass".

[MU82]

And moved on to discussing the eating of beaver.  Very unlike Scoop that not one immature joke has been cracked yet. 

It's such a ridiculous topic, with such obvious overtones, that we're actually being snarky and clever by NOT making those jokes!

[Lennys Tap]

Fair enough. I'll just drop it.

I just thought it was an interesting choice to say "high end" or "extreme", because to me, that implies that you think it's "wrong".

For the record, I choose not to afford a 2006 truck.  , and I've never spent $600 on sneakers, or several pair of sneakers.

What's infinitely more obnoxious than buying $600 gym shoes or an $80,000 car? Telling anyone and everyone (who don't give a sh*t) that, while you could easily afford both, you choose not to buy either because you're smart, a good dad/husband and an all around swell guy. Gag me with a spoon.

[keefe]

A lot of the time these dispensations were based on local custom or culture. It was generally from the local bishop, not from Rome (or Avignon). For example, bishops in dioceses with a large Irish-American population are known to grant dispensations from Lenten fasts on St. Patrick's Day. Beaver has been allowed as a "fish" (as have frogs, crocodiles, etc.). Dispensations were often given on an individual level for a few ducats. Read the history of the Rouen Cathedral in France, it has a tower that was built with funds from fasting dispensations (the "Butter Tower"). Sometimes the motivations could have been as a sort of subsidy to a local industry (beaver trapping for example). It was one more way for the local bishop to flex his secular power.

Bottom line, most of these allowances were made at the discretion of the local bishop.

One of my favorite lines from Chaucer, "When a coin in the coffer rings, A soul to Heaven springs!" When people throw stones at the absurdity of people sending in money to televangelists I just laugh at the irony.

[Spotcheck Billy]

In Guagdong Province I do recall the engineers always saying to come back in a certain month as that's when snakes would appear on the menu.

I used to love to see the silkworms, sea urchins, various shellfish, etc. on display where you pick and they cook.  I skipped these although it always seemed the host would order something just to try and freak the westerners out.  I've had camel meat but skipped the jellyfish.

My favorite restaurant in China that I ate at (only once unfortunately) was in Tianjin and the restaurant name translated to as "The House of a 100 Dumplings".  They had Colin Powell & Laura Bush's photos on the menu cover as both recently had eaten there.  They had dumplings stuffed with everything including dumplings with everybody's favorite (verbatim from the menu) "Dog", "Cat" and "Ass".

[keefe]

In Guagdong Province I do recall the engineers always saying to come back in a certain month as that's when snakes would appear on the menu.

I used to love to see the silkworms, sea urchins, various shellfish, etc. on display where you pick and they cook.  I skipped these although it always seemed the host would order something just to try and freak the westerners out.  I've had camel meat but skipped the jellyfish.

My favorite restaurant in China that I ate at (only once unfortunately) was in Tianjin and the restaurant name translated to as "The House of a 100 Dumplings".  They had Colin Powell & Laura Bush's photos on the menu cover as both recently had eaten there.  They had dumplings stuffed with everything including dumplings with everybody's favorite (verbatim from the menu) "Dog", "Cat" and "Ass".

One of my favorite places in Hong Kong is a hole in the wall Szechuan place in Causeway Bay called "Cleveland." A buddy who flies for Fed Ex was passing through so we took him there for dinner. He was eating one of the appetizers with great relish though he had no idea what it was. He asked and was told it was jellyfish in chili sauce. His face twitched for a second then he simply replied, "Wow, that's effing weird." He proceeded to continue eating it with tremendous gusto.

The place is named for the street it is on, which is not from the city in Ohio but the city in the UK. Still, I asked a buddy to send me a Cleveland Indians pennant which I presented to the restaurant's owner. He hung it proudly on the wall behind the cashier's station. Years of diners were greeted by a smiling Chief Wahoo though most likely had no idea what the heck that pennant stood for.

[StillAWarrior]

I remember one year I got a particularly nice bonus but I blew it all in one lost weekend on hookers, Dom, blow, and roulette. My wife told me not ever to do that again.

You didn't waste any of it?  I guess the being in the military does impart a certain level of discipline.

[keefe]

You didn't waste any of it?  I guess the being in the military does impart a certain level of discipline.

It's never what you do but how you do it

[g0lden3agle]

Just found Chico's pick up truck details.  Way more financially sound than $600 on sneakers

[Hards Alumni]

Just found Chico's pick up truck details.  Way more financially sound than $600 on sneakers

to be fair, he said he buys used.  And he lives in California.

[g0lden3agle]

to be fair, he said he buys used.  And he lives in California.

I know just giving him a hard time. 

[Spotcheck Billy]

It is my understanding that beaver pelts become thicker when they are in colder weather/water. If they are being raised for food, then my guess is they are exposed to less extreme conditions than in nature. I wouldn't be surprised if genetic modification also played a part.

Many of you probably eat from the beaver anus all the time without knowing it
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/castoreum.asp

[ChicosBailBonds]

The assumption being that he spent $600 on one pair.

If so, its a lot of money.  I doubt it was one pair though.

Could very well be right, but according to Guns, $600 on one pair isn't high or extreme.   

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Could very well be right, but according to Guns, $600 on one pair isn't high or extreme.   

Expensive? Yes.

Extreme? No.

[Benny B]

Really? We had our rehearsal dinner there many years ago. I thought I read here that it had closed. Great fish fry. No such animal in Seattle. Damn shame.

Wow... that's something I can say I have in common with Keefe.  Though I define 'many' much differently, I'm sure.

[Benny B]

I remember one year I got a particularly nice bonus but I blew it all in one lost weekend on hookers, Dom, blow, and roulette. My wife told me not ever to do that again.

Aaaaand... the similarities with Keefe come to a grinding halt.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

One of my favorite places in Hong Kong is a hole in the wall Szechuan place in Causeway Bay called "Cleveland." A buddy who flies for Fed Ex was passing through so we took him there for dinner. He was eating one of the appetizers with great relish though he had no idea what it was. He asked and was told it was jellyfish in chili sauce. His face twitched for a second then he simply replied, "Wow, that's effing weird." He proceeded to continue eating it with tremendous gusto.

The place is named for the street it is on, which is not from the city in Ohio but the city in the UK. Still, I asked a buddy to send me a Cleveland Indians pennant which I presented to the restaurant's owner. He hung it proudly on the wall behind the cashier's station. Years of diners were greeted by a smiling Chief Wahoo though most likely had no idea what the heck that pennant stood for.

That's a good story!  If anyone from Scoop is in HongKong they need to visit to see if the Chief Wahoo still hangs.

[Class71]

Im not vander's accountant, but I think he made 30K with the Celts, and collected some nice checks in Europe as well.

Plus, these guys are regularly handed envelops full of cash (per diem).

Just to be clear, I'm not saying buying $600 worth of sneakers is a good idea, I just don't know if middle aged white guys need to get so uptight about it.

Middle aged white guys that are uptight? Sounds a bit odd for you to say my friend. Believe as you wish.

[JakeBarnes]

Could very well be right, but according to Guns, $600 on one pair isn't high or extreme.   

The article explicitly states it was 3 pairs. $600 total. Reading comprehension is not nearly as fun as knee jerk reactionism

[JakeBarnes]

Middle aged white guys that are uptight? Sounds a bit odd for you to say my friend. Believe as you wish.

I AM NOT UPTIGHT YOU COME AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE I WILL FIGHT YOU

[keefe]

So what are your thoughts on Durian?  It's the one food I've ever tried that made me gag the moment I took a bite.

Durian is an acquired taste. I actually don't mind it but it does have a strong sulphur/rotten egg odor that can be off putting. There are signs in hotels and cabs in Jakarta and Singapore advising that durian is not allowed in lifts and vehicles (though not for Thai rice whose scent lingers permanently in Singapore taxis...) I once attended a birthday celebration for someone where durian cake was served. As a fruit, people will comment on a durian's texture as an assessment of quality. The creamier or more buttery the texture the better.

Durian originated in Indonesia but is cultivated throughout SE Asia. I never gave thought to how it is grown but while golfing in Penang I noticed netting under tree foliage more than 100' up throughout the course. On the back nine my ball was on the first cut but the caddie moved my ball into the fairway some 20'. Since I was playing with some Japanese, they are sticklers for rules, I was concerned about this action but the caddie explained that there was no netting on the trees on that hole and so the ball needed to be dropped with out penalty into the fairway. The trees were durian and the netting catches the falling fruit. Since this hole didn't have netting it was required to drop out of the safety hazard.

In the clubhouse bar I read some articles from the New Straits Times framed on the wall about golfers having been killed and maimed by falling durian. As you might know a spiked shell 20 pound durian falling 100' will indeed kill anyone beneath.

[keefe]

It is my understanding that beaver pelts become thicker when they are in colder weather/water. If they are being raised for food, then my guess is they are exposed to less extreme conditions than in nature. I wouldn't be surprised if genetic modification also played a part.

The beaver was once prized for the lushness and luxuriance of its pelt. Trappers risked life and limb in the quest for high quality beaver. And gentlemen of distinction knew that only the best beaver would do when out in the public eye.

I know there is a correlation between the thickness and growth of beaver pelt during the colder months but I further understand that beavers lose much of their coat with the onset of warm weather when the beaver is known to spend more time in or near the water.

Your point on wild v. domesticated beaver is well taken. I believe that the more feral the beaver the less attention that is given over to grooming. Beaver living in close proximity to man tends to devote more time to appearance.

[GooooMarquette]

The signs in Singapore are great.  Litter or spit at your peril.  I recall a "No Trespassing" sign that had a pic of a guy with a semiautomatic weapon.  Decided not to climb that fence....

Other than the durian, Singapore has some awesome food.