The Mussel Man Challenge - TODAY! (101 Mussels!!!!!!!!!)

self | 02/07/03 | dware

[dware]

Yep, it's TODAY! Later this afternoon, I will be making my promised trip down to the local Chinese restaurant, and will attempt to eat 100 or more mussels. Why? To raise money for Free Republic, of course!

You can still help, too. Here's how. So far, dozens of FReepers have pledged to donate a set amount to FR for every mussel I eat. Some have pledged .10 cents a mussel, some .25 cents, $1.00, and more. What can you pledge?

To date, I believe we have a total of $16.05/mussel. If I reach my goal today of 100 mussels, that means $1605.00 will have been raised for FR.

I will be carrying out my duties at 1PM, MST. FReepers in Colorado are welcome to join us at the Grand China Restaurant at 28 1/2 Road & North Avenue (behind AutoZone) in Grand Junction. When it is all said & done, I will post results, along with pics, on another thread.

So, take the time now to get your last minute pledges in. Just post your reply below with the amount you pledge. If you don't want to post here, FReepmail me, and I will include your pledge.

That's it folks. I'm off to get my day started. Here's to hoping I get a good batch of mussels!

[dware]

PING!

[dware]

PING!

[dware]

PING

[dware]

PING!

[Slip18]

Good luck to you, dware. Hope your tummy has been stretched out for a few days.

[dware]

FYI Ping

[mystery-ak]

Good luck, remember, Snuggles freedom depends on you!

HELP FREE SNUGGLES

[dware]

LOL - no stretching, but I haven't had anything to eat since last night, and will most likely hold out until 1pm this afternoon.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Good luck dware! Teddy bears every where are pinning their hopes on you

[yankeedame]

OK,put me down for 20c a mussel.

I trust these things are cooked, right?? If they're not, just tell me about it-- no pictures please! :op

[dware]

THANK YOU! And yes, they are cooked!

[Vol2727]

What? No live thread?? Anyone have a laptop?

Anyways, good luck, dware!

[glock rocks]

Today's The Day !

.

.

dware will eat 100 mussels !

.

[ArneFufkin]

I wish to send along my words for your endeavor today:

THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU! THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!

Oops, that's an Exorcism chant. How about "Bon Appetit?"

[fatima]

Well dware,I did pledge but here's a bump.Don't make yourself sick.

[glock rocks]

so what is the record number of keywords on a post?

[mystery-ak]

Free Snuggles bump

[AppyPappy]

Just be glad you aren't within a 100 miles of his bathroom tomorrow.

[RottiBiz]

For a good cause, and only a few hours to go, could this new thread be put in "Breaking News"?

Thanks, Admin Moderator.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

no one can eat 100 mussels

[glock rocks]

you can do it dware !

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

thats the pic I was looking for

[RobFromGa]

Good luck dware, the entire Free World is counting on you to eat these mussels today. If you don't come through this alive, we will celebrate each successive Feb 8th as Mussels Day in your honor.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

if you can only find one that has dragline rubbing lukes belly

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

you can put me down for 50 cents a mussel

[Indy Pendance]

Mussel Man!

[azGOPgal]

Dig in buddy!

Someone else mentioned taking along a laptop so we have live coverage. I would love to see a live broadcast of your mussel eating afternoon. If not, then at least take pictures! Go for 100+!

[glock rocks]

nobody can eat 50 eggs.

[chnsmok]

Is this the pre game show?

[Mr. Jeeves]

Eric Musselman

The true Musselman challenge: getting the Warriors over .500.

[dware]

you can put me down for 50 cents a mussel

Thank you!

[Yardstick]

How big is a mussel, and how have you prepared yourself for this feat?

Good luck!

[dware]

If I had a laptop & capabilities, I would run a live thread. Unfortunately. HOWEVER, I DO have a cell phone, and my wife would be able to dictate to someone sitting at a computer, and they could then broadcast the live thread...

[kayak]

I posted this last night on the other thread ...... thought I ought to say it here too.

I'm a monthly donor (and highly recommend doing it that way), a dollar-a-day donor, and I have money riding on this challenge (25 cents per mussel). I have one request though.

I don't like seeing pictures of people throwing up ..... especially after having my granddaughter get sick last weekend in a hotel room and having to clean up the mess with towels.

I will add an extra $10 (a flat pledge, NOT a per-mussel thing) if upchuck pictures are NOT posted on the follow-up thread. A link to them for those who like that sort of thing would be sufficient. The weirdos [there were people hoping for those photos] could look at the pics and the rest of us won't be running off to throw up after reading the thread.

Capiche?!

[dware]

We do not have a laptop, but if we could find someone willing to stay on the phone with us, and then relay the results to a live thread, that would work...

[chnsmok]

Does the restaurant know you are coming?

[dware]

I don't have a weak stomach...it generally takes A LOT (and it helps if it's alcohol) to make me upchuck.

HOWEVER, on the extremely small off chance that I do, I would not include the pics. So, rest easy my FRiend.

[NormsRevenge]

What kind of mussels are you eating today?

Good Luck.. and Bon Appetit!!!

Mussel farming has a long history that dates back to the thirteenth century. Mussels are farmed in many areas of the world with the most common species cultured being the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis. The main producers of mussels are countries such as China, Korea, Spain, The Netherlands, Denmark, France and New Zealand. In 1997, 1.1 million tonnes of mussels were produced worldwide, with most production occurring in China (nearly 400,000 tonnes). The Australian mussel industry is relatively small compared with world standards and in 1998/99, the total Australian production of mussels was 1,297 tonnes. Since last reviewed by Lawrence (1995), the Western Australian industry has shown good growth, increasing from 127 tonnes in 1990/91 to 506 tonnes in 1996/97 to 679 tonnes in 1998/99.

Thirteen species of native mussels occur within Western Australia, but these are all small species with low or no market value. The Western Australian commercial mussel industry is based on the farming of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis although the actual identification of the species is a matter of scientific debate. Recent evidence suggests that it is in fact the European mussel species, Mytilus galloprovincialis. In the absence of a definitive answer to the taxonomic question, (see Gosling 1992) the name M. edulis is used here to be consistent with the Department of Fisheries legislation.

The origins of the blue mussel in Australia are unknown. While it is possible the species occurs naturally in Australian waters, it is also possible that it came to this country on the hulls of early sailing ships when the continent was colonised by Europeans. In either event, the species has occurred along the coastline of southern Australia for a considerable period of time.

[kayak]

Thanks. And good luck!

[dware]

They do not know I am coming in today, but they know me and my love of mussels as we eat there regularly. They generally cook more mussels when we walk in the door.

[NormsRevenge]

FYI ... Alabama Fisheries page on Freshwater Mussels .

Freshwater Mussel Identification

I didn't realize how many different types there are.

[Larry Lucido]

Mmmm. Musselman's.

[chnsmok]

Good luck and I hope we get a play by play. Do you have free long distance or free weekend minutes on your cell?

[dware]

I do have free weekend minutes...if you are interested in taking on the duties of posting to a live thread, let me know. I can call you when it all begins, or you can call me - either way.

[chnsmok]

You have mail.

[RobFromGa]

A Live Thread would be fun. Hope you do it.

[chnsmok]

We are going live!!

[dennisw]

Chinese restaurants have the New Zealand mussels that come in huge frozen lots. You could go to a good Chinese food store and buy a 5lb brick yourself. They're served (here at least) with black bean sauce. Also served steamed and then cold to be eaten with cocktail sauce/soy sauce/horseradish/lemon just like peel your own shrimp. I like them!

 

New Zealand mussels

[chnsmok]

50 cents per mussel from Tamsey. Thanks!