America by the Numbers
6 — Gallons of orange juice consumed per American in 2005
2.9 — Gallons of orange juice consumed per American in 2025
600 — Number of liters of “blue water” (irrigation) required to produce 1 kg of beef
12,000 — Number of liters of “blue water” required to produce 1 kg of almonds
.004 — Average dollar amount artists get paid per stream by Spotify, before the labels, managers, etc. take their cut
.091 — Average dollar amount songwriters/publishers are paid per play on terrestrial radio
250-300 — Total calories in a quart (3 cups) of blueberries
6,280 — Total calories in the Little Ceasar’s large two-for-one Stuffed Crazy Crust pepperoni PizzaPizza deal
67,000 — Number of American manufacturing jobs lost …
Agricultural Digest
As we noted in the last edition of the Digest, American soybean farmers are struggling big-time, especially in light of the trade war with China (our largest export market for soybeans) and the increasing productivity of farmers in Argentina and Brazil. But, the Soybean Innovation Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign recently published a series of articles in Successful Farming that provide a possible alternative for the future: Africa.
Africa is becoming more like, well, us. As prosperity increases, and the world also shrinks, demand for imported food is growing. From 2010 to the present, food imports rose 32 percent relative to food production, and that trend looks likely to continue. When it comes to soybeans, in particular, the future looks bright. While the dominant imported oil of choice in Africa is still palm oil (and by a significant margin), these agro-economists …
American Glossary
NatCon — If it walks like a con, and talks like a con, then it’s probably a con.
Mid — What we’re all secretly shooting for.
Vibe Coding — AI brain-rot.
Cringe — A marker of your own fatal insecurity, which will keep you from producing anything of note.
Al Qaeda — Twenty-five years after 9/11, their lawyer represents New York City.
Two-Party System — When the fat theater kid runs against the millionaire sociopath and you don’t know which party either one represents.
Public Lands — Privatized by Big Oil.
Venezuela — Privatized by Big Oil.
The Mossad — If they were really trying to kill you, you wouldn’t still be talking about it.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency — Keep on hoping.
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