> WARNING - MEAT DISCUSSED HEREIN !!!!!

Likewise...

> Not being well-read on the principles, I don't recall what qualified a food
> as "primary", but it had to do with closeness to nature.  I wonder why
> beef and lamb would qualify, since these are not animals that humans
> would be well adapted to catch.  And if you say using weapons doesn't
> disqualify a food, then why would blending or even cooking do so?
> What's the difference philosophically?

Philosophically, none.  But in terms of nutrition, this is not the case.
Blending, cooking and mixing  all alter the food (whatever it may be) before
digestion.  Killing an animal with one's hands versus killing with a tool off
some sort make no difference what so ever, nutritionally speaking.

> imagines a roasted pig on a platter with an apple in its mouth.]  Does
> something inside you compel you to chase it down and kill it?  This is
> how I imagine natural carnivores to feel.

As do I, however I've come to believe that we are not as stridently vegetarian
as I used to, or even as I would like to believe.  I have learned that the
higher primates we are such close siblings to, all eat some small portion of
animal foods as part of their diet.  And of course I've realized that whatever
our ancient ancestory, in the meantime, we've eaten a whole schwack of meat
and that must have had some small changes in the way our body uses food.  In
short, while I am still a vegetarian, and likely will be for the rest of my
life, I've decided that we are indeed, very versitile omnivores.  Heavily
slanted toward plant life, for maximum health, but nonetheless, omnivores.  I
can't really argue with someone who wants to include in his/her diet small
amounts of (wild) animal food.  (on a health basis, that is.. of course,
philosophically, ehtically, environmentally, this doesn't apply)

So while I don't take any pleasure in imagining myself hunting wild animals, I
wouldn't doubt if there isn't some very small voice in our bodies asking for a
bit of meat now and again.

There was a little spat of introductions on the list a while back, so if it's
not too late, I'd like to add my own.

I'm 23 years old and live in Vancouver, B.C. Canada.  I've been a vegetarian
for 3 years, and I dropped milk & eggs in the last year.  Lately, I've
loosened up a bit, had a bit of butter here and there, and when I ate dinner
with my family and was served a salad with feta, I just muttered under my
breath, removed the big chunks and ate was left.  After reading a couple of
very very interesting books, "Blantant Raw Foodist Propaganda" and
"Instinctive Nutrition", I experimented with all or mostly raw food diets.  I
experienced the high that comes with an all raw diet and I experimented with
instictive nutrition, just taking the time to smell fruits and vegeatables and
noticing the taste and smell changes.  I have, however, found my greatest
stabilty and constant health on a perhaps 50/50 raw/cooked diet.  I love and
eat lot of fresh raw fruit and a few vegetables, but making a habit out of
stir-fry's and oatmeal has given me much needed stability, so for the time
being that's where I'm at.  However, summer is here, and B.C.'s okanagan
valley is at the beginning of its fruit season once again.  The strawberries
are just in, and will be followed by all manner of berries, melons, apples,
peaches, nectarines, etc etc.  So I just may have to up that raw percentage a
bit! :)