Topic: Crickets

A parody of a World Economic Forum (WEF) Christmas message features "Santa" checking lists for ESG compliance and punishing climate change deniers. The message claims that coal is forbidden and that traditional milk and cookies must be replaced with soy milk, cricket flour, and cockroach milk. The satire warns of a "Happy New World Order" under Agenda 2030.

The practice of entomophagy, or eating insects, is explored through a review of the "Can I Bug You?" podcast from UC Riverside. The segment highlights FDA regulations that allow certain amounts of insect parts in food products like chocolate and hops. The promotion of "Acheta powder" (cricket flour) is linked to broader climate change narratives regarding sustainable protein sources.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem faced bipartisan backlash after confessing in her book to shooting her 14-month-old puppy, Cricket, for being untrainable. Speculation suggests Noem may have included the story intentionally to disqualify herself from Donald Trump's vice-presidential shortlist without having to decline the offer directly.

UN Secretary General António Guterres calls for an end to burning "fossil fuels" while 130 countries sign an agreement to make food production more sustainable. The hosts highlight the focus on reducing meat consumption and the potential shift toward insect-based diets as a climate solution.

An unverified report suggests PepsiCo is investing in insect harvesting farms to incorporate cricket flour into its snack products, potentially to improve its ESG score. The discussion anticipates future lobbying efforts to change food labeling requirements to hide insect-based ingredients from consumers.

Elko, Nevada is currently experiencing a massive infestation of "Mormon crickets," which eat their own dead and create hazardous road conditions. The hosts suggest the name is a derogatory "op" against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have requested not to be called Mormons. They speculate this could be an intelligence community jab related to the NSA's presence in Utah.

Climate experts report that planting trees is insufficient to manage CO2 levels, necessitating urgent investment in carbon removal technologies. Meanwhile, the European Union has approved the larvae of lesser mealworms and house crickets for human consumption. The hosts discuss the push for "climatarian" diets and the normalization of eating insects.

A company called Jiminy's is marketing cricket-based protein for dogs to reduce their "carbon paw print." The advertisement claims that the 36 billion pounds of traditional animal protein consumed by US dogs is unsustainable and that insect protein is a more humane alternative.

A recent episode of The Great British Baking Show featured a contestant using cricket powder and smoked whole crickets in a "trick or treat" truffle recipe. Judges on the show praised the "peppery" flavor of the insects and discussed their potential as a sustainable future food source. The hosts debate the actual taste of crickets, with one noting that certain ants are known to be spicy.

Podcast Movement 2022 features "woke" cultural elements including mandatory pronoun buttons at registration and significant double-masking among attendees. A local environmental anecdote involves a massive cricket infestation at the Sheraton hotel, leading to a confrontation between attendees and the insects.

A TikTok farmer's warning about skyrocketing feed and fertilizer costs is highlighted, predicting significant food price increases by late 2022. In response to the crisis, an Austin-based company is promoting protein bars made from crickets, which the hosts view as part of a push toward alternative, less desirable food sources.

The food processing industry is increasingly shifting toward alternative proteins, including burgers made from peas and nuggets made from gluten. Bloomberg reports that major producers like Cargill are preparing to integrate crickets, beetles, and mealworms into the food supply to reduce environmental impact. The discussion highlights the sophisticated machinery required for these "food engineering" feats and the push toward "bugfish" as a substitute for tuna.

Senator Rand Paul highlights a specific instance of government waste involving $850,000 given to a for-profit Afghan television station to develop a national cricket league. Paul questions why US taxpayer money is being used to fund sports in foreign countries while domestic needs remain.

The show concluded with a "Dogs are People 2" segment featuring Jiminy's, a company producing dog food from cricket protein. The marketing emphasizes reducing a pet's "carbon paw print" by switching from traditional beef or chicken to more sustainable insect-based proteins. The hosts awarded this segment the "Clip of the Day" for its focus on the "Great Reset" themes in the pet industry.

The discussion shifts to the "dog takeover" in urban living, noting that some apartment buildings now require dog DNA samples to identify owners who do not clean up after their pets. The hosts also report on Purina's new dog food made from crickets and fish heads, marketed as a way to combat climate change. Finally, they mock a bizarre grooming trend involving applying glitter to male dogs' testicles.

New reports suggest that the mysterious "sonic attacks" on U.S. diplomats in Havana may have actually been caused by the sound of crickets. The hosts revisit early reporting from Andrea Mitchell and MSNBC, which suggested Russian involvement or sophisticated surveillance devices. they express deep skepticism that crickets could cause the severe hearing loss and brain damage reported by embassy staff.

Scientists in the UK and US now claim that the "sonic attacks" on U.S. diplomats in Havana were actually caused by the Indies short-tailed cricket. This contradicts earlier medical reports from the Associated Press that found abnormalities in the "white matter" of victims' brains. The cricket theory is dismissed by skeptics as a "toss-away" explanation for a more complex intelligence or medical issue.

A critique of a "live read" advertisement for Crickstart, a snack made from cricket powder, highlights the trend of "future of food" marketing in podcasts. The hosts mock the forced enthusiasm of the ad and the general state of podcast monetization through endorsements.

A clip from another podcast features an earnest advertisement for ExoProtein bars made from crickets. The advertiser claims crickets are more efficient than cattle and produce fewer greenhouse gases. The hosts find the concept of eating bugs "disgusting" and use it as an example of the insincere nonsense found in traditional podcast advertising.

Vanity Fair released a video of actress Nicole Kidman eating various insects, including live hornworms, mealworms, and fried grasshoppers. The hosts describe her technique with chopsticks and her "reptilian" demeanor, noting the sound of the insects being crushed in her mouth as she promotes "micro livestock" as a food source.