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About Rachel

Your friendly neighborhood microbiologist in Boise, Idaho.

Oct 2, 2022 – The Carey Act – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 442

Bill and Rachel look at southern Idaho’s curious history with irrigation land reclamation projects under the Carey Act in former beaver country and explore what this can tell us about American history much more broadly.

Links and notes for ep. 442 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AFD-Ep-442-Links-and-Notes-Carey-Act.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Sept 25, 2022 – History of the CDC – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 441

Rachel returns from a microbiology trip to the CDC in Atlanta and presents an episode on its history.

Links and notes for ep. 441 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AFD-Ep-441-Links-and-Notes-History-of-the-CDC.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

[Unlocked] Apr 13, 2021 – The Adamson Act – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 365

Due to the current (September 2022) threat of a US rail strike and in conjunction with a new episode forthcoming, we are unlocking from our Patreon our episode on the 1916 Adamson Act that created the eight-hour railroad work day and the Supreme Court ruling on it that seems to be a strange outlier in the Lochner Era. (Bill and Rachel)

Links and notes for ep. 365 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Bonus-AFD-Ep-365-Links-and-Notes-The-Adamson-Act-of-1916-Rail-Hours-Legislation.pdf

Music by Stunt Bird.

[Unlocked] Apr 6, 2021 – General Averell’s Asphalt Empire – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 363

Unlocked from our Patreon: Bill and Rachel learn what asphalt is and how failed Civil War General William Woods Averell became an asphalt paving magnate by the end of the 19th century.

Links and notes for ep. 363 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bonus-AFD-Ep-363-Links-and-Notes-General-Averells-Asphalt-Empire.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Aug 21, 2022 – Industrial Nails and Nail Guns – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 438

Bill and Rachel look at the history of industrialization of nail fastener production in the United States and its profound effects on the economy, and then talk about nail guns.

Links and notes for ep. 438 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AFD-Ep-438-Links-and-Notes-The-Industrial-Nail-and-Nail-Guns.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Aug 14, 2022 – Fire Alarm Telegraphy and the Great Boston Fire of 1872 – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 437

Bill and Rachel look at the intersection of modern, Second Industrial Revolution cities and the old scourge of urban fires through the lens of the Great Boston Fire of 1872.

Links and notes for ep. 437 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AFD-Ep-437-Links-and-Notes-Fire-Alarm-Telegraphy-and-the-Great-Boston-Fire-of-1872.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

[Unlocked] June 29, 2022 – The Kitty Litter Industry – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 432

Unlocked from our Patreon: Rachel presents a very short bonus episode on the history and science of the kitty litter industry. Source article: https://cen.acs.org/articles/82/i17/KITTY-LITTER.html (Theme music by Stunt Bird.)