Topic: Cheese

A segment dedicated to high-tier donors features the knighting of Sir Lauren, Sir Crazy Carl, and Dame Catty Bones. The hosts read personal notes from producers, including a touching tribute from Catty Bones to her late husband. New "Red Knights" are inducted into the "Order of the Heart," receiving signet rings and certificates of authenticity.

A discussion regarding the "walking dance" phenomenon on TikTok describes it as a jig-like movement popular among younger users. The conversation shifts to the lack of value found on social media platforms, with the exception of specific food trends like cottage cheese chips.

A Black Friday promotion involving a 65-inch television-sized box filled with 65 boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese for $19.37 caused consumer outrage. Shoppers reported that carts were emptied and supply vanished within seconds of the online launch. Critics labeled the event a clever but frustrating marketing stunt that left many fans disappointed.

The discussion of modern robotics prompted a retrospective on Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese. In 1983, Bushnell introduced the Topo robot, which was marketed as a breakthrough in personal robotics capable of navigating to a refrigerator to retrieve beverages. Despite the hype of the "year of the robot" in the early 1980s, these early machines remained largely gimmicks compared to modern AI ambitions.

The show acknowledges major donations from "Sironimus of Dogpatch" and "Dame Catherine," the latter contributing via Bitcoin. Amidst the donor thank-yous, a news item is shared regarding Kraft's release of an apple pie-flavored mac and cheese available at Walmart. The hosts express disgust at the new product, labeling it a "nasty" take on a holiday classic.

A discussion of shifting economic conditions highlights the return of "Mac and Cheese" times as consumers move toward budget meals like Hamburger Helper. An anecdote regarding the Fredericksburg Food and Wine Festival in Texas illustrates a disconnect between high-end events and declining consumer revenue. Local business owners report that while foot traffic remains high, actual spending has dropped significantly as visitors are "just looking."

A retrospective on General Mills' attempt to remove artificial dyes from Trix cereal reveals that consumers rejected the "boring" natural colors, forcing the company to revert to synthetic dyes. The discussion covers how brands like Kraft and Mars use different ingredients in Europe versus the U.S. due to regulation and consumer perception. The hosts recall historical marketing tactics, such as putting towels or toys inside product packaging.

Kraft created a grilled cheese-scented incense, which the hosts criticize as a "cheap" chemical scent. They suggest a pivot to "Mac and Cheese candles" as a superior home fragrance product.

Several high-value donors are recognized, including Hayes and Sir Lawrence of Dystopia. A note from Sir Lawrence celebrates his wife's mac and cheese and mentions his latest gun purchase. The hosts also acknowledge February 2nd as the 120th birthday of philosopher Ayn Rand.

The history of "Government Cheese" is traced back to World War II, when the U.S. government became a massive buyer of milk to produce ice cream for military morale. After the war, the government continued buying milk to prevent the dairy industry's collapse, storing the surplus as cheese in underground caverns. During the Reagan administration, this surplus was distributed to low-income families, leading to the creation of the National Dairy Council to drive private milk consumption.

Curry compares the high quality of raw milk cheeses and local food in Italy to the "slop" served in America. He notes that Italian food often features "0 km" labeling, indicating extreme locality. The conversation touches on the disparity between US health insurance costs and the more affordable, though sometimes slower, European socialized systems.

Eloise of the Woods describes her experience working as a 24-7 stakeout guard for ballot boxes in Vancouver, Washington. Another donor points out that investors are accidentally buying "Blue Sky Digital" stock, a penny-stock crypto company, thinking it is the social media platform Blue Sky. The segment concludes with various "karma" requests for jobs and health.

The FDA confirmed that viral fragments of bird flu found in grocery store milk are inactive and pose no threat to humans due to the effectiveness of pasteurization. Health officials continue to warn against the consumption of raw milk, while some argue the bird flu scare is being used to target the raw dairy industry.

The hosts predict McDonald's will launch a "Big Mac & Cheese" product. In a personal segment, they debate a potential move to Dallas if certain professional opportunities arise, though one host expresses a strong preference for staying in Austin.

Bitcoin has surged past $34,000, while the hosts observe a cultural shift toward "slave foods" like mac and cheese and the rising trend of entomophagy (eating insects). They note that mac and cheese is being normalized through luxury shops, while bug consumption is being marketed as a sustainable "functional food" for the future.

The hosts review the artwork for episode 1307, titled "The Swiss Cheese Model," created by Sir Net Ned. The piece features a baby in New Year's gear running into an iron fist, symbolizing the transition from 2020 to 2021. They discuss the use of clipart in podcast art and mention other contenders, including a "delete 2020" key and a Bill Gates-themed Saturday Evening Post parody.

The episode concludes with a humorous anecdote about a host's lip getting frozen to a metal straw in a frozen margarita. This is followed by an "end of show mix" featuring clips about the "Swiss Cheese Model" of pandemic defense, Joe Biden's verbal gaffes, and the "Vaxeline" jingle. The mix serves as a final recap of the episode's themes before the final sign-off.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the show discussing the correct Dutch pronunciation of Gouda cheese versus the Americanized version. Dvorak references a Scandinavian cooking show and notes that Gouda, Holland, is famous for exporting candles in addition to its namesake cheese. The hosts joke about Dutch names and the phonetic differences between European and American English.

Kraft Heinz releases a plant-based "Mac N Cheese" made with fava beans and coconut oil instead of dairy. The hosts mock the product as "disgusting" and representative of a future where real food is replaced by highly processed alternatives.

Surotaku becomes the Duke of Northeast Texas, requesting mac and cheese at the roundtable. Dame Bessie and Sir SkyWright also contribute toward their PhDs. A "gotcha" occurs when Dr. Kelly in British Columbia donates $1,000 in Canadian dollars (worth ~$730 USD) via an old legacy account to secure his PhD. The hosts agree to honor the donation but note the difficulty of shipping diplomas to Canada.