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Spam Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More (economic bright spot)
NYT - Business ^ | 11/14/08 | Andrew Martin

Posted on 11/15/2008 6:35:31 AM PST by xtinct

The economy is in tatters and, for millions of people, the future is uncertain. But for some employees at the Hormel Foods Corporation plant here, times have never been better. They are working at a furious pace and piling up all the overtime they want.

Jerry’s Other Place sells a Spamburger for $6.29. The workers make Spam, perhaps the emblematic hard-times food in the American pantry.

Through war and recession, Americans have turned to the glistening canned product from Hormel as a way to save money while still putting something that resembles meat on the table. Now, in a sign of the times, it is happening again, and Hormel is cranking out as much Spam as its workers can produce.

In a factory that abuts Interstate 90, two shifts of workers have been making Spam seven days a week since July, and they have been told that the relentless work schedule will continue indefinitely.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Food; Society
KEYWORDS: hormel; spam
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To: TADSLOS

I see 2 hotdogs, rice?, spam, but can’t guess at the other stuff. What is the brown pile on the right? And what’s the top left stuff?


21 posted on 11/15/2008 7:37:29 AM PST by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Sirat: Through the Fires of Hell" - on amazon.com)
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To: xtinct

It’s $6 a pound around where I live. That is not an economy food; it’s a luxury I buy as an occasional treat for my son, who devours it. One $6 chunk of spam is gone in less than two minutes. Where the saving is in that, I don’t know.


22 posted on 11/15/2008 7:38:08 AM PST by ottbmare
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To: xtinct
Obama responsible for Spam and Velveta rejuvination!!

Velveeta doesn't last that long, although it has a longer refrigerator life than real cheese. The expiration date is pretty accurate according to my experience.

23 posted on 11/15/2008 7:38:20 AM PST by meowmeow (In Loving Memory of Our Dear Viking Kitty (1987-2006))
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To: tbw2
I recognized some potato--macaroni salad in the back left, another Hawaiian staple. The back left looked like some type of noodles cooked in a meat broth. Green stuff is some type of overcooked "green", perhaps kale or some asian lettuce.

When we go to Hawaii, we always look for the foods the locals eat. Cheap (by Hawaiian stds) and pretty tasty.

Oh yeah, I skip the spam!

24 posted on 11/15/2008 7:52:43 AM PST by mlocher (USA is a sovereign nation)
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To: xtinct

Just had Spam this week. About every 3-4 months, I have the urge.

layer slices of Spam with slices of mozzerella, cover with spaghetti sauce, bake for an hour. A little garlic bread, and about a gallon of thirst quencher, and you’re good to go.


25 posted on 11/15/2008 8:01:15 AM PST by digger48
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To: xtinct

I Love Spam. Make it with Shells and Velveeta cheese. Yum! :)


26 posted on 11/15/2008 8:06:18 AM PST by Lovergirl (Rest in peace Dear Tony . You will never be forgotten......... Once a SnowFlake Always a SnowFlake.)
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To: traderrob6
A heckuva lot of people in this country just plain LIKE Spam.

Count me as one. Either fried or sliced very thin and piled on a sandwich.

27 posted on 11/15/2008 8:11:51 AM PST by barker (Sarah Palin 2012? You betcha.)
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To: xtinct

Hmmm... if I had to... I’d go back to what kept me going in college: peanut butter (Jiff smooth variety) & strawberry jam sam’itches, pancakes, & raman noodles.


28 posted on 11/15/2008 8:28:28 AM PST by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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To: yorkie

BLECCHHHH! LOL


29 posted on 11/15/2008 8:32:34 AM PST by Allegra
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To: yorkie; xtinct; Allegra; Justice Department; OESY

30 posted on 11/15/2008 8:34:18 AM PST by Lady Jag (DONATE NOW at https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate)
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To: xtinct
Only in Austin, TX.


SPAMBURGER® Eating Contest

SPAMARAMA

SPAMARAMA™

31 posted on 11/15/2008 8:37:26 AM PST by Arrowhead1952 (Bail Out / Ba rock O = Bend Over [BOHICA])
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To: Trajan88

yes, spam should only be used as a weapon.


32 posted on 11/15/2008 8:53:07 AM PST by gussiefinknottle (woof!woof!woof!)
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To: TADSLOS

I’ve never been to Hawaii, so would you please identify the other food items that are not as readily indentifiable as the spam?


33 posted on 11/15/2008 9:07:41 AM PST by jimtorr
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To: xtinct

I used to eat that stuff. It was okay if it was fried to a crisp and eaten on a sandwich with mustard. But during these upcoming hard times I’m out of luck. There’s too much salt and fat and being a heart patient I just won’t be able to eat it. Then again, if you’re hungry enough you’ll eat just about anything.


34 posted on 11/15/2008 9:20:24 AM PST by Terry Mross ( It's just a matter of time before we're all 'GUILTY' of hate speech.)
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To: xtinct

I remember seeing a large depot of cases of Spam somewhere overseas
during WWII.
It was a stacks of cases maybe 20 or more cases high, laid out in a
“U” shape and commonly called
“Spam Canyon”.


35 posted on 11/15/2008 9:34:45 AM PST by VOA
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To: xtinct
During World War II, Spam became a staple for Allied troops overseas. They introduced it to local residents, and it remains popular in many parts of the world where the troops were stationed.

My dad was a teenager in England in the early years of the war, before the US entered after Pearl Harbor. England was blockaded and starving. The shipping convoys from North America were packed with cheap, high-calorie foodstuffs. Dad survived on Spam and peanut butter for a couple of years, and can't tolerate eating either of them to this day.

36 posted on 11/15/2008 9:46:03 AM PST by ccmay (Too much Law; not enough Order.)
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To: pennyfarmer

Yeah, but can you use those other meats as a doorstop for six months before eating them, and can you use their jelly to lube your bicycle chain?

I didn’t think so.


37 posted on 11/15/2008 9:46:41 AM PST by Yardstick
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To: Lady Jag

Love that picture, Lady Jag... rofl


38 posted on 11/15/2008 10:48:42 AM PST by xtinct (Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another. Plato)
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To: xtinct
Spam is versatile and handy.


39 posted on 11/15/2008 10:57:43 AM PST by Lady Jag (DONATE NOW at https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate)
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To: Lady Jag

omg... you’re killing me... roflmao!!!


40 posted on 11/15/2008 11:00:43 AM PST by xtinct (Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another. Plato)
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