Actually, most rawpalaeos don't have to worry about the temperature in meats unless they, unusually, go in for practices such as drying meats, where they have to be careful not to go over the temperature where enzymes start getting destroyed(c.40 degrees Celsius/104 degrees Fahrenheit, though some partially-raw people go over that temperature). Drying meats is usually only used for travelling by most RPDers as it can be very inconvenient getting hold of decent food-sources when abroad, and storage of raw meats is also an issue, in such a situation.
 
As regards the rationale behind going rawpalaeo, it's partly because we take the general definition of what a paleolithic diet is more literally than others.The general definition of a paleolithic diet is foods which are edible raw, and which haven't been processed via technology. Since cooking by fire/heat is a (rather  extreme) technological process , rawpalaeos believe cooking should be avoided, especially since we ate raw for most of the Palaeolithic era and before that, with just the tail-end of the Palaeolithic consisting of cooked-palaeo diets, once cooked-food was introduced c.250,000 years ago. Also, we mainly go in for this diet for health-related reasons, usually after having tried and failed with every other diet out there. 
 
One of the general points behind rawpalaeo is that enzymes(from raw foods) are useful as regards digesting foods in the upper stomach(before being destroyed further down), so that having enzymes in raw foods get destroyed once temperatures start going above 40 degrees Celsius is a "bad thing".  
 
Another point viewed by rawpalaeos as harmful is the loss of nutrients caused by cooking(the exception being primarily non-Palaeo foods such as grains, which have antinutrients somewhat reduced, but which are, anyway, harmful, whether raw or cooked). 
 
Rawpalaeos are also concerned re the high levels of toxins in cooked-foods such as AGEs(advanced glycation end products)(linked to type 2  diabetes and many other age-related diseases thus called "AGEs", Nitrosamines(NSAs), Heterocyclic Amines(HCAs) found in cooked muscle-meats, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons(PAHs), which are not only found in cooked-foods but are also, incidentally, a well-known pollutant and byproduct of fuel-burning from coal-and tar-pits:-
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon
 
See Raw Foodism page for a small fraction of the scientific papers detailing the effects of such toxins:-
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism#Potential_harmful_effects_of_cooked_foods
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism
 
 
Rawpalaeos also are interested in the benefits of bacteria as they help the body's digestive system in particular. The vast majority of rawpalaeos, as a result, are believers in the Hygiene Hypothesis theory:-
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis
 
Rawpalaeos, other than having the usual palaeo disdain for grains, dairy and legumes, however raw, also usually frown on the use of artificial vitamin/mineral supplements. We also endeavour to get more "natural" products re washing/cleaning given the harsh chemicals used in many common products.
 
 
 
As regards the mention of smell, that depends on the individual person and their hygiene levels. I'm sure that we have to be more careful than others, given occasional practices such as eating "high-meat"(an Eskimo term for aged, raw meat which they ate in quantity) but as long as we have a fridge and maintain certain standards, it's not an issue(LOL).
 
Lastly, I should mention that this forum is really for the Paleolithic Diet in general, whether raw or cooked. There are other forums and websites specifically devoted to the raw version such as rawpaleoforum or rawpaleodiet.com.
 
Geoff
 
 
> Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:21:46 -0800> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Christmas morning yummy-ness Re: Roast beast> To: [log in to unmask]> > Ok, I don't get it, lol.  This is the RAW PLACE, and I don't so much suscribe to all of everything, but I listen and I learn, yes.  But I for sure cook meat til it's just barely pink, and not according to "meat thermometers" and all the other BS, lol.  Haven't died yet.  Am still alve to annoy and contradict  you all,  hehe.  All joking aside, why do you all subscribe to raw eating, but you worry about temp in meat???  I am NOT being rude, just trying to understand.  > > shirley sommers wrote:> > The pork was slashed every 1/4 in through the skin and into the meat so> it was started at 450 degrees just long enough to get the skin strips to start> curling up. Then it was 250 degrees, uncovered and basted , till done. I> thought 165 was the lowest you could go for food safety reasons?> > > 165 is the recommended for pork, but beef can be 140 for rare IIRC.> Roasting pork at 145 would be venturing into unknown territory, might taste> odd.> > William> > > > 
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