Celtic players meet Pope Francis after Champions League defeat
The audience came the day after the Scottish champions were defeated 2-0 defeat by Lazio in Rome.
2023-11-30 00:52
People are finally learning what SPAM actually stands for
Sandwiches have become increasingly elaborate creations: pillows of golden focaccia dripping with sumptuous pulled meats, tahini dressings, and spice-crusted roast veg. And yet, back in the day, you were lucky if you got a smear of margarine on yesterday’s white bread with a hunk of pink, pockmarked SPAM slammed unceremoniously in between. Ah yes, SPAM, there’s a reason why it became the butt of a Monty Python sketch and is now most commonly associated with the most annoying type of email correspondence. It’s unsexy, ultimately unhealthy and, at one point, was utterly unavoidable. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter However, as we’ve established, food standards have somewhat evolved since WWII rationing so SPAM doesn’t get as much of a look-in at lunchtime these days. Still, most of us have at least heard of it even if we’ve never actually tried it. Monty Python - Spam youtu.be But now, people have suddenly realised that they don’t actually know what the acronym of its name stands for. Plenty of people have their own theories, though, which they’ve publicly shared on Twitter. “What does SPAM stand for? Salty Piece A' Meat?” one asked. “I often conjectured that 'Spam' was an acronym for 'Spoiled Ham',” wrote another. Another nodded to an old joke made by retired stand-up comedian Bill Endgvall: “I finally figured out what spam stands for – stuff posing as meat.” While another suggested it actually connotes “scientifically processed animal matter”. To clarify, SPAM itself is processed meat made of a pork and ham mixture, salt, sugar, potato starch, water, and sodium nitrite. The meat is ground and combined with the other ingredients before it is transferred to its signature rectangular can, vacuum-sealed, and cooked inside, the Encyclopedia Britannica notes. And despite the plethora of alternative suggestions, the name is, in fact, a portmanteau for spiced ham. It was coined in 1937 by its creator, New York actor Ken Daigneau, whose brother was an executive at the manufacturer Hormel Foods. According to Britannica, Daigneau later confessed that he’d come up with the name before he’d even conceived of the product, thinking it was memorable. Well, he sure hit the money on that one. SPAM continues to be loved by millions of households across the world, with more than 10 varieties of meat available on the market. Indeed, in Hawaii where it is perhaps best loved by consumers, it is enjoyed in a number of unique ways, including as an alternative to raw fish or egg in a sushi-style dish called musubi. And sure, we love our kimchi cauliflower milk rolls and slow-cooked lamb flatbreads but, credit where it’s due, SPAM has proven that it's the truly simple things that often stand the test of time. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-04 18:47
FBI director warns of heightened threats in US from Israel-Hamas war
The Israel-Hamas war has raised the threat of attacks against Americans in the United States to a "whole 'nother level," FBI...
2023-11-01 00:15
Greek fire officials arrest 2 for arson as multiple wildfires continue to burn across the country
Fire department officials say two men have been arrested in different parts of Greece on suspicion of deliberately starting wildfires
2023-08-26 17:55
Francis Ngannou opens up to Joe Rogan about Tyson Fury fight: 'Figuring out how to cut the ring'
Former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou recently engaged in a conversation with Joe Rogan on his podcast, 'The JRE MMA Show'
2023-10-18 17:47
Who is LA Reid’s wife? Music mogul sued for sexual assault and harassment by former colleague
Drew Dixon claimed she was assaulted by Reid after he became CEO and president at Arista Records in 2000
2023-11-09 15:22
'All right, all right, all right!' Matthew McConaughey reveals origin story of iconic catchphrase
Matthew McConaughey has often added the phrase into acceptance speeches at awards shows and occasionally referenced it during interviews
2023-06-10 19:58
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck production company asks Trump to stop using their work in video
The production company of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck has asked the Trump campaign to stop using their work in the fundraising videos. Former President Donald Trump posted a video on Saturday on his Truth Social platform that included a monologue from the Amazon movie Air in which Mr Damon plays the Nike marketing and sales representative Sonny Vaccaro, a film directed by Mr Affleck. The film depicts the story of Nike’s rise as a brand. “Money can buy you almost anything,” Mr Damon can be heard saying in the video as footage of Mr Trump is shown. “It can’t buy you immortality – that you have to earn.” The caption states “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” and also has a link where supporters can donate to the campaign. The video was posted after an indictment of Mr Trump was unsealed on Friday afternoon, revealing that the ex-president has been charged on 37 counts in relation to his handling of classified national defence information after he left the White House in January 2021. A spokesperson for Mr Damon’s and Mr Affleck’s production company Artists Equity told Axios that “We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use”. “Specifically in terms of any and all rights available to us under US copyright law, we hereby, expressly give notice that in the case of any use of material from Air by the Trump campaign where approval or consent is required, we do not grant such consent,” the spokesperson added. “No matter how viciously they attack me, I will NEVER, EVER SURRENDER,” Mr Trump said in a statement alongside the video. “With your support, we will once again surge even higher and prove that our America First movement truly is UNSTOPPABLE.” Mr Damon supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, later calling Mr Trump’s response to the riots in Charlotteville, Virginia, which included white nationalists, “absolutely abhorrent” in scathing comments to The Hollywood Reporter. “A lot of people, myself included, are really waking up to the extent of the existing racism, and it’s so much worse than I naively thought. I just feel naive at this point. It was shocking to see those kids — they looked 20 and 30 years old — in button-down shirts, with Tiki torches, walking down the street,” he said at the time in 2017. “I thought, ‘Those people are a lot younger than me. Who raised them?’ Again, I naively thought that, behind our generation, [another one] was coming with more awareness and inclusiveness, and that everything was getting better with each generation. And to see these young, aggrieved, white boys walking with their torches and screaming ‘Jews will not replace us!’ It was just shocking. Then the night that the president [made his] ‘many sides’ comment was absolutely abhorrent,” Mr Damon said about Mr Trump, who had claimed there were good people on “both sides”. In the monologue in Air used by the Trump team, Mr Damon says: “People are going to build you up ... Because you’re great. And new. We love you. Man, we’ll build you into something that doesn’t even exist ... But you know what? Once they’ve built you as high as they possibly can, they’re going to tear you back down.” Read More Trump attacks special counsel Jack Smith in post-indictment speech with bizarre claim Kari Lake issues incendiary threat to Biden admin over Trump indictment Trump news – latest: Trump rages at ‘joke’ indictment and ‘deranged’ Jack Smith in first public remarks Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement
2023-06-11 07:24
Zay Flowers catches and runs for TDs, Ravens force 4 turnovers in 20-10 win over Chargers
Rookie Zay Flowers had a touchdown catch and ran for a game-sealing score late in the fourth quarter, Baltimore’s defense forced four turnovers, and the AFC-best Ravens beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-10
2023-11-27 14:53
Republicans in Oregon Senate end six-week walkout that blocked bills on abortion, trans health care
Enough Republican members showed up in the Oregon Senate to end a six-week walkout that halted the work of the Legislature and blocked hundreds of bills, including some on abortion, transgender health care and gun safety
2023-06-16 03:49
Greek minister resigns after late ferry passenger death
The man died after allegedly being pushed off the vessel by crew members, sparking outrage in Greece.
2023-09-11 19:56
Did migrants reject help before deadly Greek wreck, or beg for it? Coast guard, activists disagree
There are still more questions than answers about what led up to one of the worst shipwrecks in recent Mediterranean history, in which some 500 people are feared dead
2023-06-17 22:47
You Might Like...
South African Export Route to Mozambique Shut as Violence Erupts
Sen. Bob Menendez's co-defendants, including his wife, plead not guilty to revised bribery charges
'The View' host Ana Navarro receives flak for labeling Vivek Ramaswamy an 'obnoxious charlatan'
Sunak is under pressure to act as the UK's net migration figures for 2022 hit a record high
Unedited 'glitch in the Matrix' wedding dress photo horrifies Instagram
Cambridge University study reveals man's trade in Aboriginal remains
Will KSI not fight Jake Paul? Youtuber plans to retire from professional boxing after Tommy Fury bout
Russia brings new charges against jailed Kremlin foe Navalny