GammaGlobulin

I have never professed to be a Christian, or at least, a Born-Again one.

Dean was never a big drinker. Still, if you are not fit to fly, then do not drive. Even a much lower alcohol level can still influence driving ability. The hair of the dog will always bite you.

To live in Thailand? What do you mean by "live"? Do you mean just to remain alive, or to actually LIVE in Thailand? Most here, probably, are not living here. Instead, they are just existing here. Existing is not living. The majority of TV members, one might imagine, are WAY out of their depth in Asia, and therefore Thailand. One might as well ask: a. What percentage of the TV members speak Thai fairly fluently b. Of those, what further percentage would gladly leave Thailand if you gave them USD200.00 in cash c. As for me, nobody could pay me enough to leave Thailand; I love it so. d. This is what is meant by living in Thailand, and not being a pretender, of which there are are just too many in Pattaya. e. I DO live in Asia, simply because I have been living here for over 44 years. f. If I were not living in Thailand, then I could not be living anywhere else, since I have not lived anywhere else during the past 44 years. g. Also, I could not be NOT living here if I were, indeed, not living elsewhere, and still be here to reply to this Topic. h. So, I must be living SOMEWHERE, obviously. And, if I am not living outside Thailand, and I know that I am not, than I must be living within the borders of Thailand. i. I both live in Thailand and also feel alive in Thailand.

Why is it that almost anytime I hear of cod, I immediately think of the word, codpiece? I think it must be that, when i was young, I grew up with Shakespeare.

Let's always keep in mind the warning that we have had drummed into us since we were young, namely: And, in case you are worried about water, among the sexes.... Since we are more full of water, then this might be just one of various reasons why we are superior to women, a fact which has been recognized for thousands of years.

a. Those blades are, in my view, not nearly as good as the higher-priced blades. b. Still, that does not matter, because, at the price point of this machine, and if 4500 watts, then I am willing to buy it, just out of curiosity. c. If this machine proves to be better than the more expensive 3000-plus-watt machines sold by the top companies, then fine. d. If this machine does not measure up..then....also fine.... Nothing lost, really, and one can donate it to the nearest temple. e. Thanks for the good info. The price is SUPER-cheap. Nothing to lose!

Perhaps, you should just add more CUMIN, and then try it again? The Chinese know how to cook lamb so that it tastes like something almost akin to the mythical taste of ambrosia. Western recipes might not be as good. Therefore, try again, next time you are in Dalian.

Forgot to add: Just in case you might think me cruel in my love of lamb.... Before I dine on suckling lamb, I bow my head, Give thanks... And recite the anthem, Beasts of England, for this is the least that I can do, Just to give thanks in my small way. "Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland Beasts of every land and clime Hearken to my joyful tidings Of the golden future time Soon or late the day is coming Tyrant Man shall be overthrown And the fruitful fields of England Shall be trod by beasts alone Rings shall vanish from our noses And the harness from our back Bit and spur shall rust forever Cruel whips no more shall crack Riches more than mind can picture Wheat and barley, oats and hay Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels Shall be ours upon that day Bright will shine the fields of England Purer shall its waters be Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes On the day that sets us free For that day we all must labour Though we die before it break Cows and horses, geese and turkeys All must toil for freedom's sake Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland Beasts of every land and clime Hearken well and spread my tidings Of the golden future time." Is it wrong of my to love roast lamb? Maybe.... Still, it tastes delicious. Hope I can find it for the right price here in CM. Thank you, Gamma

Dear Folks, Anyone who loves roast meat must, IMHO, choose either Pork Loin or Suckling Lambs, but never Breasts of Chicken, at least in Chiang Mai. After many years here, I have found this to be just too true. This is why I am now planning to pay a bit more for the meat of the lamb, or the pig, rather than the chicken, anytime I am in the mood for a roast. My all-time favorite roast meat must be lamb, and there is no other meat which can compare for its succulence and decadence. Back in the early years of 1990, I sometimes travelled to Dalian, China, where I visited a restaurant that served up one of the best roasts of suckling lamb I had ever tasted. It was tender, and it was fragrant. Also, there in Dalian, the habit is to roast the lamb with plenty of cumin seeds. Cumin seeds are just right for roast suckling lamb. But is it really possible to buy the same suckling lamb in Chiang Mai, for about the same reasonable price you might expect to pay in Dalian, China, up around the Northeastern Part of the Middle Kingdom? And if not, then why not. And if so, then where? Here is just one recipe for suckling lamb I found on YT, but it is not, most likely, the same recipe that I enjoyed so much in Dalian, when I was there, multiple times: The only point I am making here is that if one can find a suckling lamb in Chiang Mai, for a decent price, then one might be able to adjust the recipe, and also be able to replicate the fine meal I had in Dalian, China, even without the camaraderie and drunkenness at almost every table. For example, is there some sort of Lamb Farm which sells lambs, here in Chiang Mai? Or, even better, is there a reliable Thai importer of flash-frozen suckling lambs, those which have been raised in the North of China? Since early childhood, my favorite roast has always been lamb. Some prefer a roast beef thing. Yet, roast beef cannot compare to lamb. Do you remember, for example, in the 1967 film “Far From The Madding Sheep”? When that dumb dog caused an entire flock, en masse, to jump off the cliff to the rocks below, and the crashing sea, and the cruel wind? It was an ill wind that blew upon Bates, that fateful day! And, just how sorry it was for Alan Bates to see that sight, and the wastage of his flock of sheep….My heart still grieves for Alan, RIP. I have not had roast suckling lamb in a very long time, about 29 years. And so, why wait any longer? Am I getting any younger? “You only live Twice”, as the saying goes: Once when one is born, and again when one tastes a suckling lamb, roasted to perfection. These are the two truly significant moments in one’s life, as far as we know. Naturally, I do not expect to eat suckling lamb every day. Maybe once every two months would be enough for me. Otherwise, I might get bored with it. By the way: I do not eat, and would never consider eating….mutton. As I have stated above, the thing I love about eating suckling lamb in Dalian, China is that the guys in restaurants there seem to enjoy piling on the CUMIN SEEDS. In America, when I was young, at least in my neighborhood on the Main Line, we never piled on the cumin seeds. We had lamb, but not suckling lamb. And, we had our lamb withOUT the cumin seeds… What a total waste! In truth, I must admit, whenever I recall my several times visiting Dalian, China, during the 1990s, my mouth cannot help but water. Those days, sadly, are now long gone…..(Same with those glorious days when I lived in Hong Kong, before the Commie-Takeover, 1997.) Alas, alas, alas…..!!! Gamma Note: Nothing good lasts forever, except, maybe, suckling lambs….and cumin seeds. Note2: What, exactly, might a suckling lamb actually be?..... Note3: And, what does a suckling lamb actually LOOK LIKE, in real life?.... Note4: I know that it might seem almost heartless to eat one of these suckling lambs. But..... You Only Live Twice (Ian Flemming)....... ============== Poor Alan, He lost his sheep.... It happened one day, as Bates did stray Into a meadow hard by, There he espied their tails, side by side, All hung on the rocks to dry.

Important Update: Robust Chicken-breast Collagen Issue has now been solved....! a. As you know, even after using a variety of roasting methods, the local retailer where I purchased the many kilos of chicken-breasts, ....seems to have provided me with birds that are not fit for roasting. b. I had become frustrated and disappointed. c. After roasting, no matter what I tried.... d. The roasted-result was like chewing on a rubber Dog-Toy. e. I was just about to chuck out the bags of breasts when....I decided to give it one last, final, College-Try. f. So..... g. I took out my slow-cooker, which also has a HI-setting that can boil. h. I filled the cooker up to the brim with breasts. i. I turned the cooker to HI, and boiled them for about 45 minutes. j. Next, I set the cooker to LOW. And I cooked, and I cooked, for about NINE hours, until 12:33 AM, this morning. k. Happy to Report: I poked one breast with a fork, and the thing just completely fell apart, so soft and tender was it. l. This means that there is no need to chuck the breasts. I can keep them in my freezer, and just enjoy chicken soup...whenever..... m. One more thing of importance: I added about 4 inches of ginger to the soup. And, it tastes GREAT! ======================= I am not much of a soup lover. I prefer roast meat, same as Tom Jones. So, in the future, i will never again attempt roast chicken in Thailand. Instead, I will always opt for roasting either Pork or Suckling Lamb. ================= Thank you for the info about Tops. I will use Tops, in the future. Tops is one of the best retailer for food in my area. I have known the manager of one of the Tops stores for over a decade. Such a very thoughtful, kind, and helpful person is he.... And, it's nice for me, too, to have at least one friend in Chiang Mai. I am feeling better now about my breasts...because..... All is well that ends well. And, in addition, it's just so nice to start out the New Year on the right foot. ============= More later about the Pork sourcing issue, on January 15th....hopefully....

The fastest way to reduce the death toll on local roads is just to stop drinking and driving. I hope that everyone in Thailand will take heed of Dean's good advice.

I would be happy to buy this, and try it.... So cheap that there's nothing to lose, really. And, if the wattage is as stated, I would be very surprised. I doubt it!!!! Still, once I receive it, I will test the power consumption....and see. One thing though: The more expensive blenders have very thin high-quality blades. Not sure about this design...wait and see....I guess.

More of a gourmand. So, you would say that Tops might be most similar to COSTCO for quality of meats? This might be my problem, because I have been buying chicken breasts from a different retailer, and have not had much success. Very tough old birds, or fast-growth birds.... Or, maybe those birds sold by the other major retailer in CM are weightlifters, or something....maybe....

Anywhere near CM City.

I have now given up on trying to get tender chicken breasts here in Thailand. I will try pork. I plan to discard the remaining frozen kilos of chicken breast in my freezers. Just not worth the electricity to roast them. Maybe due to the retailer that I bought from...but I am not sure. I have tried every which way to cook the breasts...and always tough. So, no more of that for me. I am on to pork as a very good alternative. I love roast pork.

Dear Folks, The chicken breasts are just too tough in my city, here in Thailand. As the next best thing, I am going to switch away from breasts and begin roasting pork. I love pork, in fact, and always have. Here is a very informative vid from a seller of pork in the USA. But, what to do, and where to buy, in Thailand, and not any specific city, but absolutely from one of the major retailers; because I want meat that has been kept at optimal temps to prevent disease, from slaughter to the oven. Also, i want to be able to use my AmEx card, if possible, to make repeated purchases. And, I intend to buy about 20 Kgs at a time (which is not a lot for me), because I tend to freeze it and then consume it over a period of months, not weeks. As I say, when I was young, next to breast meat, pork was just about as tasty. When i was in China, where everyone loves pork, I bought pork from the local wet markets, but I found it overly tough, compared to what I used to get from COSTCO stores in Taipei. Huge difference, in my estimation, between what I got in China and what I got from the Costcos in Taiwan. However, since I am no longer in Taiwan, but in Thailand, and since, unfortuatnely, there seem to be no Costcos here....then..... Where to buy to get tender pork loin, of good quality? And on to the vid: Is pork expensive in Thailand....? Because I have never purchased pork here in CM. Actually, the cost might not bother me as much as getting stuck with a tough cut of pork. I will be heading out shopping, once more, around January 15th, when the tourists are less, and when traffic-jams are less likely. Thanks. Gamma Note: I don't think I need any help with the roasting. I have been roasting pork for many years, and it turns out fine, when the meat is not tough to begin with. I normally just use a large oven, and I do not plan to roast over the coals, outdoors (although I could, I suppose, if I were willing to buy a charcoal roasting grill). I will use one or both of the two Electrolux convection ovens that I have in my kitchen. I have the largest Electrolux ovens....I think they are about 73 Liter ovens, in fact.

Would it not be wise to also consider a French Poodle, Standard? These are more user-friendly dogs, and rarely turn on their masters. Very intelligent. And, if you live on the beach...then.... They are very good swimmers. They can also retrieve Frisbees and tennis balls from aquatic envirionmens, such as ponds and open ocean, and almost any body of water. Keep them closely trimmed, the hair, in hot climates, maybe.... Standard Poodles are very fine dogs for bird hunting, as well.... All kinds of birds.

She would if she could.

All is fair in love, war, and politics.

So this is why I suggested that something nefarious might be going on here... Perhaps, for example, the machines behind YT have already taken over, and no further human intervention is permitted.... And, the AI machines are now just toying with human viewers, frustrating and antagonizing them....whenever, and at the drop of the hat.

Recently, I believe that we have all been surprised by the rapid rise of the MEMBERS-ONLY option coming our way on YouTube. This members option is not offered only buy the low-quality YT sites. Here is an example: Is this rise just innocent horseplay on YT? Or, is there something much more nefarious going on, behind the scenes. I will never become a member of any group that would have me as a member, with the possible exception of TV, or course. What is your thinking on this new phenomenon? Thank you. Gamma

1500 Watts is the minimum for the chopping I need to do. Period. I once had an Oster machine in the USA... It never broke down. Bought it in 1968. Great machine. These days, the sprockets keep breaking on the machine I buy in Asia, destined for the Asian market. Also, it is rare to find a machine with decent power here in Asia. They are MADE in Asia, but not sold in Asia, seemingly. So, there must be a source of supply, because there are shops which use blenders......for commercial purposes...and do a lot of ice-crushing, etc.

OK. Maybe you need a coop instead of a coup, is all I was saying.

Does anybody know where and how to buy a decent blender for use in Thailand, without paying extremely high import duty (if ordered from Amazon USA)? I am sure that I would be satisfied with something like this, having 1500 watts of power, or higher wattage might be even better. I like to crush ice, chop lean chicken meat, perhaps make a Pattaya-Papaya Frappe (papaya-ice-milk powder). However, in the past, the sprocket of the machines I buy in Asia always break, after relatively little use. Then what do you have to do?....Just put it in the garbage with the papaya peelings. I will mostly use this to chop chicken breast because....all I can buy from the big-box-store here is just meat from tough old birds, or fast-growth birds, or just very tough. The only way to eat this, in my view, is to boil the chicken breasts and then let them cool, and then chop them up, suitable for chicken-salad sandwiches. However, although I have never tried doing this before, I have read that one needs a very powerful blender for lean chicken meat, and that advice probably goes DOUBLE for the tough old birds around here...for sure. I am not even sure that this NINJA Machine might do the trick, even though I have seen that it is highly-rated: I have no doubt that China produces many decent blenders. But I don't know which brands might be good. The cheap-charlie brands I used in Taiwan broke very quickly when I dumped in ice cubes, for example. Not sure what my budget might be. However, I think Bt.2000.00 might be OK. I do not want to overpay for anything here in Thailand. I already have an Electrolux ULTIMATE TASTE 300 blender. I have not used it yet, and it was purchased two years ago. Of course, I don't put much faith in that...and this is why I have not used it yet. Still in its box, untouched. 1000 watts, for me, is just a toy...even though....this was the highest wattage I found at the time of purchase. Wish I had not bought it!!!!! I could have used that money.....and added another Bt.2000....in order to buy a decent machine. So then....what might be the best solution. I want something that will not break with normal use. Tks. Gamma Note: I care most about RAW POWER, and not that much about capacity. Raw Power Trumps Capacity, any day of the week, when considering a blender. (And then, too, a reliable machine is a must, which might be a purchasing-problem here in Thailand.)

OK. Here is my hypothesis, right or wrong, and still to be validated: a. Old lady walks slowly crossing the street. b. At the time she begins her crossing, there are no bikes to be seen, or they seem to be far off. c. Old lady reaches almost midway in crossing the road. d. Motorcycles seem to appear out of nowhere, due to very high rate of speed. e. Old lady freezes in her tracks due to TWO bikes riding side by side, leaving her confused about whether to proceed forward to cross the road, or to reverse her course and try to reach the safety of the side of the road from where she came. f. Too late, the motorcycle rider finally sees the old lady, after glancing up from what might have distracted him. The end to this story is the only thing we know for sure. I think this is what might have transpired. But, we need video to know for sure.