The Compost Bin of History Compost Bin of History

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
 

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 

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 

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.
 
 

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

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