Sunday, April 26, 2009

Ever Heard Of Bear Flu?

Seal flu? Penguin flu? I haven't either, maybe it's because they are not in our main diet! Swine flu? Bird flu? Human flu? How about the bird/swine/human flu? Coming to your corner of the world, whether you want it or not. I hope it fades away as spring cleans out the cobwebs of winter.

Maybe a change of diet is required. Seal & Mushroom Pastries? Seal steaks and frogs legs served over a platter of seaweed and puffin eggs anyone? Remember mad cow, and how quickly the US slammed the border shut on Canadian beef? Might they have a little pork problem happening?

U.S. Pork Industry Assures Customers Product is Safe

BOSTON — U.S. pork producers, responding to a swine flu outbreak that has escalated into a public health emergency, said Sunday their product is safe and that consumers cannot catch the virus by eating properly cooked food.


I have the solution! If we are scared to eat pork, beef and chicken, maybe it's time for us to try eating seal! It seems to work for the Inuit, and we wouldn't have to put up with any more protests from greenpeace.

Anti-sealing case evidence being withheld, crusader says

The seizure of Mowat followed tense confrontations on the ice floes between its 17 crew members and the coast guard.

The coast guard said the icebreaker Des Groseilliers was "grazed" twice by the Farley Mowat about 60 kilometres north of Cape Breton as the protest ship closed in on some seal hunters.

But Watson dismissed the charge, saying its much smaller ship was struck twice by the 98-metre icebreaker.

Weeks later, black-clad Mounties brandishing submachine-guns boarded the Mowat and arrested all crew members, who said they were forced to lay down on the deck of the ship while some were handcuffed.


OH. MY. GOD.

Black clad Mounties banishing submachine guns? Crew members were FORCED TO LAY DOWN on the deck, while some were HANDCUFFED? Can CTV get anymore dramatic? They make the RCMP into the bad guys while the poor ecoterrorists are the innocent victims.

The nutritional value of seal meat make it an ideal meal for today’s health conscious consumer, a fact not lost with those who have traditionally consumed seal meat as a regular dietary item. Seal meat is very low in fat and a very good source of many essential dietary nutrients including; protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B12. It is a very healthy choice of red meat, given the fact that it is raised in the wild and not artificially enhanced and force-grown as with many of our beef, pork and poultry products currently available.


Artificially enhanced beef, pork and poultry? The very meats that cause the flu? Any correlation here? Okay, where's my boat....oh right, Alberta is landlocked! Would seals survive in a salt free Alberta lake? Just asking. Maybe Newfoundland will send us some seal meat if we send them some buffalo meat in exchange.

I know this flu outbreak might be very serious, I hope it isn't and that no-one else dies from it. My point is that maybe we should stop condemning our seal hunters and understand that seals are a source of food and income for many people, just like our domestic cow/pig/chicken producers.

Don't anyone mention dog, cat or horse meat, that's just not on the menu! Moose jerky anyone?

15 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm sorry dear. I don't understand this post in the least.

Anonymous said...

I'm with Wilson on this one, as well.

Anonymous said...

Huntsy, if swine flu is NOT spread by eating pork beef or chicken, why would people be scared to eat pork beef or chicken?

Southern Quebec said...

"...spring cleans out the cobwebs of winter."

WOW...that must be some fur on those spiders!

(I thought it was only me, but this post makes no sense, right?)

Gabby in QC said...

I think the seal industry is going about its PR campaigns the wrong way. Never mind the appeals to reason that sealing preserves a traditional way of life and that unfettered growth of the seal population has helped to deplete fish stocks.

The benefits of products like seal oil should instead be marketed as natural anti-aging, wrinkle-erasing, orgasm-enhancing, and "high"-enducing natural products. Not only that; seal oil should be promoted as a solution to global warming/climate change because everyone using it will immediately eschew fossil fuels and use bicycles instead of cars; if rubbed on the temples of one's enemies in three circular motions while facing east, seal oil extracts will guarantee world peace; and last but no least, the entire population of the planet will automatically lean left.

Maybe that kind of marketing campaign would help all those European and North American baby boomers who are still dreaming of Woodstock rethink the issue of sealing.

Yes, I'm being facetious ... but are anti-sealing people being any less farcical?

As far as seal meat is concerned, on the Rad-Can program Samedi et rien d'autre there was a chef from a local restaurant cooking up some seal meat for the host and crew. The host is a foodie who relishes tasting the latest gourmet food. He and his crew seemed to enjoy the meat - nobody said it tastes like chicken - so maybe Quebec will lead the way in convincing European foodies to stop their objections to the seal hunt.

West Coast Teddi said...

Sorry Hunter ... west coast seals are beginning to feast on farm salmon which have been shown to have a lice problem which means we would have to have a screening problem similar to swine flu to ensure that we don't acquire a dandruff problem. (I know it's a bad joke.)

As for CapWilson ... not understanding Hunter's posts is not an unusual occurrence for you.

EE ... remember it's all about the fiber flavour.

The mushrooms in Esques' basement must be tickling at it's toes. All tied up in those cobwebs?

Seal on Soldiers

Southern Quebec said...

Diet has nothing to do with swine flu...

Anonymous said...

WCT: Hahahaha. Yup - got to keep that fiber count up. LOL.

Overall, this whole disease thing is caused by factory farming, genetically modifying the animals, penning them up, feeding them foods which are artificially created...etc.

For myself, I do eat meat but I cook it properly.

These flu diseases are caused by air-borne microbes, if I'm not mistaken.

SQ - it is not an issue of the blog not making sense but rather that it is not understandable to most of us. Making sense is a subjective issue.

Soccermom said...

How about the Tofu Flu? Has a nice ring to it! Would clear out a few environazis.

(oops, that's not politically correct, is it?)

hunter said...

Now Soccermom has the right idea! Domestic vs wild, which is healthier? Could there be some sort of human connection to all of this?

The post made perfect sense to me, but I was at a poker tournament and had a few drinks, so maybe my head was more muddled than I thought! HA!! Teach me to go out and have some fun.

maryT said...

More important, did you win the big megatons of money.
Re the flu, one doctor said on Fox that no one was looking for swine flu, and there may have been cases, just not diagnosed. Also reports that it is not a germ warfare attack. Makes you wonder, with so many falling ill at the same time.

West Coast Teddi said...

Banff has "beaver fever" which one gets from drinking the water at certain times of the year and some friends of mine became very sick during a camping trip when they drank the water from a lovely stream that was down wind from a herd of cattle.

Most of our water out here has a very high salt content which kills most of the living microbes in it.

Gayle said...

I hope the fundraiser went well. I hear it was fairly well attended.

hunter said...

It was a lot of fun! I managed to last longer than my husband and about 50 of the other 70 players! I got a soft blanket as a prize, exactly what I need when curling up in front of the fire to read a good book.

Rigger was really bored with poker, but he behaved himself beautifully, the best of our 5 Dogs with Wings so far.

Anonymous said...

You know, Hunter, when I retire and have the time, I hope to get into the guide dogs foster program. I love dogs - for the most part, I prefer dogs to people because dogs are honest and caring all the time.

On Saturday, I met one of the most beautiful dogs - a black lab/golden retriever mix. He was quite big and extremely affectionate. He was also a typical golden - a leaner. What is it with goldens and their need to lean on people. I get such a kick out of it.

There was a golden on our street a few years ago who made me chuckle every time. Mojo was the most arrogant and conceited dog I've ever met. He'd walk down the street with his mom and dad with his head held high and his chest puffed out. I'd approach and he'd kind of roll his eyes and sigh - well, pat me if you wish but don't expect me to get all excited about it. Then, when I'd stop patting his head and direct my attention to his parents, he'd become quite huffy as if the universe revolved around him and how dare I shift my attention away from him. There's be head butts and leaning until I shifted my entire focus on him - upon which he'd go into his sighing mode again. The family moved away due to their growing family and I kind of miss being "ignored" by Mojo.