By Ethan Shea

Pop-Tarts! They’re everyone’s favorite breakfast treat.

Although they’re traditionally meant for mornings I personally believe it’s always time for a Pop-Tart.

After learning I share a birthday with Pop-Tarts, as the company was founded on Sept. 14, I couldn’t resist writing this week’s Cat in the Stax on the history of one of my favorite snacks.

The story of Pop-Tarts begins in 1963 when Kellogg thought of a treat that was going to be called “Fruit Scone.” Luckily, that name didn’t stick, and Pop-Tarts replaced the lackluster title before the product’s official launch in 1964. The name Pop-Tarts originated as a pun on the Pop-Art movement of the sixties.

The very first Pop-Tarts were released in Cleveland, Ohio with their four signature flavors: blueberry, strawberry, brown sugar cinnamon, and apple-currant. No one seemed to know what a currant was, so Pop-Tarts were quick to drop that name from their lineup.

Part of what made Pop-Tarts so successful were their advertisements. In the 1970s, Milton the Toaster became a beloved mascot for the brand. However, Milton’s time with Pop-Tarts did not last long.

Interestingly, the Frosted Pop-Tarts we know and love were not released until 1967, as frosting that could withstand the heat of a toaster was yet to be developed at the time of the treat’s initial release.

The Breakfast Book by Andrew Dalby

It may have taken 37 years, but the weaponization of this breakfast snack was inevitable. In 2001, the United States military dropped 2.4 million Pop-Tarts over Afghanistan during their attack on the country.

The U.S. government claims this choice was made to introduce civilians to American food, fight hunger, and make a case for America’s good intentions in the region. I don’t think Pop-Tarts cancel out bombs, but the political and military use of the product is nonetheless fascinating.

Although I think Pop-Tarts need not be limited to breakfast, the snack is prominently associated with the most important meal of the day. Here at Falvey, there are several texts with all sorts of information on breakfast that may change the way you look at your morning meals. Here are just a few:

• Breakfast: Nutrition, Consumption and Health Benefits
• The Breakfast Book
• The English Breakfast: The Biography of a National Meal, with Recipes
• The Art of Breakfast: How to Bring B & B Entertaining Home

Make sure you comment your favorite Pop-Tarts flavor down below … unless it’s not s’mores, which is the correct answer to that question.

Ethan Shea is a second-year graduate student in the English department and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

By Jenna Renaud

Happy Friday, Wildcats! After a year off, Falvey Memorial Library is bringing back Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Jenna, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. 

If you’ve read any news the past three days, you may have seen the rumors that SCOTUS justice Stephen Breyer may be retiring, leading to the fourth new appointment in the last five years and Biden’s first. It can be difficult to keep up with everything in the political sphere, so this week I’ll be providing a range of podcasts, articles, videos, movies, and books to help you get a better understanding of the Supreme Court and what’s currently going on in the news, whether you have 4 minutes or 12 hours! 

If you have 4 minutes… read the latest on Justice Stephen Breyer’s alleged retirement and how Biden could make history with his new appointment, if it reaches that stage. 

If you have 4 minutes and 30 seconds… watch this video breaking down how U.S. Supreme Court justices get appointed to get a better understanding of the process the U.S. government may be going through real soon.

If you have 39 minutes… listen to the most recent episode of the SCOTUS 101 podcast, a podcast breaking down the latest news from the Supreme Court.  

If you have 1 hour and 28 minutes… watch RBG on Netflix. The 2018 documentary on the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and work on woman’s human rights. 

If you have 12 hours and 30 minutes… read The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin. Although published in 2008, this book still offers an inside look at the inner workings of the Super Court and how justices make decisions.  

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

“The images of these protests harken some very bad memories to people who are older and remember these kinds of images of violence from ‘The Troubles.’”

This week on Dr. Tim Horner’s Global Smackdown he looks at the unrest in Northern Ireland and how this could be the beginning of something larger. Horner points to two key events that have played a part in triggering these protests: the 2,000 person funeral of IRA member Bobby Storey during COVID-19 and Brexit. He also touches upon the dangers of the political rhetoric being put forward and what role the United States may play based on Biden’s foreign policy.

The full Global Smackdown for Monday, Apr. 12 can be found here.

Where in the world are we?

The Amherst College Department of Philosophy invites applications for a one-year visiting assistant professorship in philosophy beginning July 1, 2012. AOS: Ethics. In addition to teaching two courses per semester, candidates will be expected to supervise senior honors projects and participate in the life of the department. Candidate must have the Ph.D. degree in hand or all requirements for the degree fulfilled by the start of the appointment. To apply, please submit as PDFs or Word documents to https://jobs.amherst.edu/view/opportunity/id/417 a CV, letter of application describing research and teaching interests, one writing sample (25 pages maximum), and the names and e-mail addresses of three individuals to whom we may write to solicit recommendations. Review of applications will begin March 15, 2012, and continue until the position is filled.

The Amherst College Department of Philosophy invites applications for a one-year visiting assistant professorship in philosophy beginning July 1, 2012 with the possibility of renewal for one additional year. AOS: Social and Political Philosophy. We especially welcome applications from candidates who can teach courses in environmental philosophy. In addition to teaching two courses per semester, candidates will be expected to supervise senior honors projects and participate in the life of the department. Candidate must have the Ph.D. degree in hand or all requirements for the degree fulfilled by the start of the appointment. To apply, please submit as PDFs or Word documents to https://jobs.amherst.edu/view/opportunity/id/418 a CV, letter of application describing research and teaching interests, one writing sample (25 pages maximum), and the names and email addresses of three individuals to whom we may write to solicit recommendations. Review of applications will begin March 15, 2012, and continue until the position is filled.

Amherst College is a private undergraduate liberal arts college for men and women, with 1,700 students and 200 faculty members. Located in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts, Amherst participates with Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts in the Five-College Consortium. Candidates should have a strong commitment to undergraduate and interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts context, and a well-articulated plan for sustained research.