The Compost Bin of History

FarmTok

The compost boys are back and have a fresh bucket of scraps from their pet columnist, Alan Guebert!

 

James and Jared stick their pitchforks back into the pile of current events by looking at the furor surrounding TikTok. An inexplicable social media app like most others, TikTok has recently riled the bastions of American power by happening to be from China. We examine this and other protectionist trade developments between the world’s two largest economies through the twisted lens of Guebert’s ‘Farm and Food File’. Let’s see how a boomer from Illinois with a column about the ag industry ties together international commodities markets with social media trends and great power politics. (Spoiler: not well!)

 

Also: a market watch update! Do you want to make chocolate chip weed cookies on an industrial scale? This information may be relevant to you!

 

Sources:

 

Guebert, Alan. “U.S. Ag’s Love/Hate Relationship with Our Biggest Trading Partner”. The Farm and Food File. February 4, 2024. https://farmandfoodfile.com/2024/04/10/u-s-ags-love-hate-relationship-with-our-biggest-trading-partner/

 

Hoffman, Matt. “WITCC holding first regular board meeting after settling $3 million “human trafficking” lawsuit”. KTIV, Siouxlands News Resource. May 13, 2024. https://www.ktiv.com/2024/05/13/witcc-holding-first-regular-board-meeting-after-settling-3-million-human-trafficking-lawsuit/

 

Pathi, Krutika. “Here’s what happened when India banned TikTok”. PBS Newshour. April 24, 2024. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/heres-what-happened-when-india-banned-tiktok

 

Melville, Herman. “Moby Dick, or, the Whale”. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851. pg 126-127.

 

And for a better discussion of Chinese diplomacy and media, check out this interview from American Prestige podcast:

 

Repnikova, Maria. “Chinese Soft Power”. Interview conducted by Danny Bessner. American Prestige Podcast. June 11, 2024. https://www.americanprestigepod.com/p/e152-chinese-soft-power-w-maria-repnikova?r=1en3hg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

 

Kalends Aprilis (Claudius III)

Welcome to the Garden of the Glorious Future Podcast! The only podcast which seeks divine glory from Jupiter through staunch adherence to classical Roman virtues! Co-consuls James and Jared continue their exploration of the histories of Emperor Claudius, after checking in on the status of our glorious military campaigns in the east and discussing the many trials of Tribune of the Plebs, Donald Maximus Trump. Then we learn more about the incestuous origins of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

 

Sources:

Graves, Robert. 1934. "I, Claudius". The Modern Library. Book.

Al Jazeera and News Agencies. 1 April 2023. "Russia protests over ‘provocative actions’ by US forces in Syria". Al Jazeera. News Report. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/1/russia-protests-over-provocative-actions-by-us-forces-in-syria 

Mother Roma (Claudius II)

Continuing the story of Rome, Claudius, and his wonderful family, hosts James and Jared examine the roots of American Exceptionalism via the ancient world.

Also, sorry, we got jobs :_( but you can still find our patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10729973

 

Sources:

Graves, Robert. 1934. "I, Claudius". The Modern Library. Book.

Jones, Kristin. 25 March 2023. "Colorado emerges as a refuge for transgender children and their families". The Colorado Sun. Web Article: https://coloradosun.com/2023/03/25/transgender-children-colorado-health-safety/

Savage, Luke. 15 March 2023. "Democrats in Michigan Are Showing National Democrats How to Actually Wield Power". Web Article: https://jacobin.com/2023/03/michigan-democrats-republicans-right-to-work-lgbtq-gun-control 

I Cl-cl-claudius (I)

Hosts Jared and James mine the public archive for compostable books of literary merit. Join us as we shred this dry-brown material for our hungry compost piles.

 

Source:

Graves, Robert. 1934. "I, Claudius". The Modern Library. Book.

 

 

Quantum Composting with Sisyphus’s Pitchfork

James and Jared poke their pitchforks into the very firmament of reality on this episode of Compost Bin of History. Seeking to uncover the "why" of physical existence, James delves into quantum mechanics and tries to get his explanation past the least credulous person east of the Missouri, Jared. We explore the philosophical implications of the universe's ontology, the "big bang" itself, and some of the physical evidence for it. Examining the work of recent Noble Laureate Roger Penrose, we find evidence for a compost cosmology, and, in-line with our recent vein of esotericism, validate ancient myths. 

Lo, the pile shall be ever turned!

Sources:

Wilson, Alastair. "How could the Big Bang arise from nothing?" 3 January 2022. The Conversation. Online. https://theconversation.com/how-could-the-big-bang-arise-from-nothing-171986

Hogslop for Neoliberals

Hosts Jared and James check in with their chief source of compostables, Alan Guebert, of the Farm and Food File. You’ll remember Guebert from our first episode, “Big Meat Made It’s Pitch”, and his takes continue to be that of the safest of centrist liberals. This time, we read Guebert’s meta-analysis of the phenomenon of neoliberalism and it’s profound impact on agriculture. Unfortunately, his contribution is only half composted, and needs some significant pitchforking by yours truly. We discuss: What is a neoliberal, anyway? How does this ideology help us understand the political developments of the last 50 years? And if it is failing, why does this boot remain on my neck?

 

Check out our cool patreon page!

patreon.com/user?u=10729973

 

 

 

Sources:

 

brk861. “Thatcher: There is no such thing as public money”. 1983. Posted 28 July 2009. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvz8tg4MVpA

 

Chait, Jonathan. “Drudge Tape Exposes Young Obama As Neoliberal”. 18 September 2012. New York Magazine; Intelligencer. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2012/09/drudge-tape-exposes-young-obama-as-neoliberal.html

 

Clinton/Gore ‘92 Committee. “Bill Clinton in 1992 ad: 'A plan to end welfare as we know it'”. 1992. Posted 30 August 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/bill-clinton-in-1992-ad-a-plan-to-end-welfare-as-we-know-it/2016/08/30/9e6350f8-6ee0-11e6-993f-73c693a89820_video.html

 

Guebert, Alan. “You’re a Neoliberal, I’m a Neoliberal, We’re all Neoliberals–For Now”. 6 January 2023. The Farm and Food File. https://www.farmandfoodfile.com/2023/01/06/youre-a-neoliberal-im-a-neoliberal-were-all-neoliberals-for-now/

 

Mangan, Dan. “Nestle and Cargill win child slavery case at Supreme Court”. 17 June 2021. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/17/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-nestle-in-child-slavery-case.html

 

Tgrane. “President George H.W. Bush signs NAFTA”. 17 December 1992. Posted 26 September 2017. CSPAN. https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4683504/president-george-hw-bush-signs-nafta

 

Trump, Donald. “USMCA: President Trump announces NAFTA replacement (FNN)”. 1 October 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AukkG613y-E

 

Vice News. “‘I Don’t Feel Safe’: Ohio’s Derailed Train Left a Cloud of Distrust”. 24 February 2023. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifPxwQOqnkY

 

Wallace, George. “Inaugural Address”. 14 January 1963. Wyzant. https://www.wyzant.com/resources/lessons/history/hpol/wallace/segregation/

 

Yahoo! Finance. “House Speaker Pelosi on whether members of Congress should be allowed to trade individual stocks”. 20 December 2021. YouTube Shorts. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YqDU7t-kA7U

 

Ship’s Cats

Argh, ye feline free-booters, ye viking rat-slayers, ye most god forsaken of grumpycats, this be the podcast for you!

Hosts James and Jared examine the history of the ship's cat, dovetailing between divine grace and evolutionary biology. They track the spread of the domestic cat (Felis catus L.) as it evolved from the African wild cat (Felis lybica Forster) and was quickly adopted as an important ally in the burgeoning maritime trades. Why is this animal, shrouded in superstition, perfect for sailors? Learn how the polydactyl gene makes magical creatures into practical demigods. Then, famous ship's cats! Check out the PATRIOT HERO cats of WWII, turncoat cats, and cat-omens!

If a cat abandons your boat?!?! bruh.

 

It's the pat-reon - $1/lunar cycle - it's really not that much!

patreon.com/user?u=10729973

Poor Brotherhood of Composters

 

This one is for Grimer!

Gold [1] – Jared and the Argonauts

Notorious Cactus Pirates, Jared and James, go periodical on the fanciest element, Gold!

 

In the first episode of this new series we review atomic theory, the immortal science of alchemy, and the properties of the most coveted element on the crust of this-here earth. Also: star farts, the deposition and distribution of gold, how it’s gathered and extracted, and why having lots of it basically makes you god. Curious themes already emerging in this series: slavery and exploitation, violence towards women, and being terrible to your family. I’m sure a better podcast would synthesize these together with a commentary on capitalism, its necessity of an exploited ‘other’, and the commodification of human relationships, all in a very compost-y way, but don’t worry folks, we’ll get there!

Our Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=10729973

Sources:

 

AvengedS939 - The James Bond Network. “Goldfinger - James Bond & Pussy Galore Barn Scene HD”. YouTube. 3 Dec. 2011. Web. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pUXH1Bye88&t=1s

 

Bernstein, Peter L. “The Power of Gold: The History of an Obsession”. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, NY. 2000. Book.

 

Bower, Bruce. “Golden Fleece myth was based on real events, geologists contend”. Science News. 25 Nov. 2014. Web. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/golden-fleece-myth-was-based-real-events-geologists-contend

 

Wikipedia contributors. "Gold." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Jan. 2023. Web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold

Bowie Two - Speculative Boogaloo

Picking up where we left off - we follow a broke, bored, and ambitious young man as he explores the enticing world of speculative assets. Spanish land claims become the NFTs of 1821 Louisiana, and Jim Bowie coordinates one of the most spectacular rug pulls in history.  A man who loves to start fights comes up against the bureaucratic might of the young nation's registrars and repeatedly steps in it. Political polarization poses both threats and opportunities for those with loose morals and a willingness to collapse the contradictions of the frontier within themselves, and manifest destiny springs forth from effective altruism.

Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=10729973

Sources:

 

Christofaro, Beatrice. (13 Oct 2022) Destruction of the Amazon: What you need to know. [News Report]. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/amazon-fire-deforestation-carbon-capture-carbon-sink-emissions-logging-bolsonaro/a-63428244

 

Davis, William C. (1998) Three Roads to the Alamo. [Book]. Harper Collins.

 

Paul, Logan. [Logan Paul]. (05 Jan 2023) My Response To Coffeezilla's Scam Allegations. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1buyQRWw8M

Compost Meridian (relaunch)

New Episodes Coming Soon!

 

Find us on Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=10729973