“I’ve got a jar of dirt! And guess what’s inside it!” Captain Jack Sparrow seemed to think that he had the key to controlling his fate with the contents of a jar of dirt. He wasn’t entirely wrong! The jar was holding the heart of Davy Jones, and he who held it controlled the oceans; he who controlled the oceans controlled the whole earth. This week the ladies of the Mosaic Ark discuss the connections between ocean ports, a trade war with China, and control of the Earth’s trade in literal earth — lithium, cobalt, rare earth minerals and silicon — that may be fueling its current and future wars. They also discuss time and our perception of events that have surrounded us for the past decade. Does history repeatedly repeat itself or are we just noticing more? —Streamed May 2, 2025

He is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! No matter what is going on in the world this week, nothing will be more important than this, that Jesus Christ is risen — Alleluia! Despite this most significant of Christian seasons, there were many other things going on in the world, too. There was the death of a pope and preparations for the election of another, the potential end to a bloody war in Ukraine, but the sad continuation of another bloody war in Gaza. And the pro-Palestinian encampments are inching their way back towards university campuses, even as those universities are already feeling the effects of a rapidly changing political landscape. On this week’s Mosaic Ark, Professor Rachel Fulton Brown continues talking on some of these themes that she discussed with Evita Duffy-Alfonso on Bongino Report: Morning Edition on Monday, and the ladies report back from the empty tomb. —Streamed April 25, 2025

What do these things have in common: the American Revolution, Goofball Jim Carrey movies, 19th-century economic policy, and Penguins? Surprisingly more than you think! This week, the ladies of the Mosaic Ark discussed the current meme mockery of President Trump’s tariffs being applied to several islands south of Australia, the only residents of which are penguins, and whose only product would seemingly be guano. Some say that this is proof that the POTUS is dumb or crazy. But what is really going on in the world of high-stakes geopolitics? The ladies think that it’s the same thing that’s been going on since the 17th century. (Spoiler alert: It’s not about the penguins.)—Streamed April 4, 2025

What are the Rules of civility for persons of quality? Are they an outdated holdover from the Ancien Régime? Archaic manners designed for Lords and Ladies, obsequiously bowing before their King? Or if you prefer a more American, egalitarian example: are these rules for civility only followed by wealthy people in gated mansions and country clubs as a means of social exclusion? The ladies of the Mosaic Ark take a look at the etiquette lessons of the 17th century and discuss which manners have been lost, which seem to have been retained, and which should definitely be brought back. —Streamed March 28, 2025

What makes good poetry? Is it rhyme, meter, meaning, resonance? Maybe it’s alliteration. Then again maybe it’s imagery or story or emotion. Could it be all of these things? And does a good poet come by inspiration through luck, or blessings from God? Carl Winderl, author of the poetic books The Gospel According to…Mary and The Lost Parables of Jesus, joined the ladies on this week’s Mosaic Ark, and provided wonderful food for thought. Join us as we discuss his creative process and read selections of his poetry about the life of Christ told through the eyes of his Mother. —Streamed March 22, 2025

Buy Carl's books! The Gospel According...to Mary: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/the-gospel-according-to-mary-by-carl-winderl/ The Lost Parables of Jesus: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/the-lost-parables-of-jesus-by-carl-winderl/

Happy Pie Day! Tonight the Ladies of the Mosaic Ark hijacked International Pi day to discuss how one defines things such as pie, or people, or nations. Specifically we discussed the English nation and wondered where they went and what defined them as a people. They are one of the best examples to show how difficult it is to define a nation. Is it blood? Borders? Language? Songs? Stories? In the case of the English, it is all anchored Christ the King, who inspired their stories and songs; He was the very beginning of their founding myth. —Streamed March 14, 2025

“You can be a lover or a fighter, whatever you desire / Whatever you want, baby, choose your fighter!” —Ava Max. This past week saw a group of Congresswomen in a viral video called “Choose Your Fighter,” wherein they each appeared well dressed in smart suits, smiling and jumping with fists in the air as they pretended to strike a boxing pose. The visual rhetoric was clear; these women were “fighters” who would work for you. But did the video work? Did it transmit an image of strength or one of trivial in-group popularity? Did it reinforce the idea that women are a political force to be reckoned with, or the outdated idea that women don’t belong in Congress at all, and is that idea actually outdated? The ladies of the Mosaic Ark disagreed on that one, so come watch them duke it out, politely of course, and choose your fighter! —Streamed March 7, 2025

What is a factory worker, a man or a woman? What is a CEO? Same question. No one asks these questions anymore. Thanks to the feminist movement of the last 50 years, those kinds of questions don’t matter because a woman can be anything she wants! Yay, women! Also, men can be anything they want, including, apparently, women. But what is a woman? This week, the ladies of the Mosaic Ark continued their discussion of categories and taboos by trying to answer that question. Listen as we explore a tiny fraction of the possible categories that define “woman” according to Grok. —Streamed February 28, 2025